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Must Read Bible with Newspapers & Bestsellers

It's hard to read the news without a corresponding influx of Scripture. Because the news induces helplessness while Scripture induces trust in God. When we are helpless, we are strongest, because we will pray and read the Word.

So now we're faced with the rollback of years of pro-life efforts by a potential president who, stunningly, thinks it's pretty much a non-issue.

We have an economy that is undergoing necessary pain, but a pain that will be prolonged by a congress & president who don't see pain as ever necessary and thus will make it worse.

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I always get disturbed by popular fiction that espouses anti-Catholicism, such as "The DaVinci Code" or Andrew Greeley's books. (I kid about Greeley...that was for Sancta Sanctis's sake). It's pretty rare for a NY Times bestseller (even Christian bestseller) to be friendly to organized religion. It's like a Republican candidate getting a fair shake from the media. I wish I could adopt more of the attitude of one McCain campaign manager who said that a liberal media is part of the landscape and that complaining about it is like complaining about the rain.

I don't like anti-Catholicism, subtle or otherwise, not only because it's false but also because it works against Christian unity. Christian unity is personal for me, having a non-Catholic wife, but the better reason to care about Christian unity is for Christ's sake. The irenic Julie Davis puts it beautifully in her review:

The book suddenly takes a turn into an almost New Age mentality and I'm not just talking about the night scene where Mack is given the gift of "true sight." There is a repeated disdain expressed especially by Jesus for churches and religion as "institutions" and "buildings." Jesus tells Mack at one point of his love for his bride, the Church. He then explains that he isn't talking about what people call "church" but about every person who believes and has a relationship with him ... including Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus. While I am on board with the idea that other faiths have relationships with God (as is the Catholic Church), as a Catholic I know that we have Jesus present with us in the Eucharist. This is not simply symbolism but true presence, body and blood, soul and divinity. That is the entire reason for the Church and for any Catholic church building in the first place ... as a meeting place with Jesus in physical form. Even taken from the Protestant understanding (as I am aware of it) this is a clear disdain for the church as "community," which is what God has been talking about for a good portion of the book.

I-Monk likes the book, which is not surprising since he is a sensitive soul and the book is said to emphasize mercy and forgiveness. I can relate to I-Monk, so I would likely profit from it too. Less favorable reviews are here and here.