*Disclaimer*
These books weren’t necessarily new in 2008, just books that I read. Obviously it’s heavily opinionated that they are great books.
Screwed, The Undeclared War Against The Middle Class By Thom Hartmann
To have a true middle class, a majority of the people in a nation must be educated and economically secure and must have full and easy access to real news so they can make informed decisions. page 9
The American middle class is on its deathbed. Ordinary folks who put in a solid day’s work can no longer afford to buy a house, send their kids to college, or even get sick. If you’re not a CEO, you’re probably screwed. Air America host Thom Hartmann shows how the American middle class that was so carefully constructed by our country’s founding fathers has been systematically dismantled over the past quarter-century, and, under the guise of “freeing” the market, replaced by a system designed to line the pockets of the super-rich and corporations.
End of America by Naomi Wolf
“Bloggers must become rigorous and fearless documentarians” page 131
Why You Should Read This Book
most people who talk about how the United States is turning into Nazi Germany come off as conspiracy nuts. They take things to the extreme, exaggerate details and in the process of trying to do something well meaning turn everyone off to their idea. Naomi Wolf does an amazing job of saying we are not turning into Nazi Germany, but we are on a dangerous path that is leading us into socialism, which is just another term for fascism.
She goes on to explain the 10 steps of how a society turns from liberty to tyranny. The brilliance of this book is that she goes back into history and tells you exactly what happened in Germany that allowed Hitler to manipulate power and then explains the laws that have been passed in the United States in recent years that allows our government the same power. For example the Patriot act is similar to Hitler’s Enabling act, the Department of Homeland Security is similar to Hitler’s “heime Staatspolezei.” The literal translation is “Home Nation Police.” A near approximation would be “Office of Homeland Security.”
What matters to a Fascist leader is not to get rid of an enemy but to maintain one. page 37
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man By John Perkins
After WW ll The united states realized they could not increase their empire solely based on military force. They way the world came together to stop the Germany empire made it clear, the world will never allow one empire to dominate everything. This started the rise of a new approach on how to increase the American empire with out physical force.
In comes the banking empire.
The main objective is to convince foreign governments that the United States has predetermined as important to our economy, to accept huge finical loans to build the infrastructure of their country. Everything from sewer systems, to electrical loads, and communication lines.
Repayment of these loans was never the goal because In accepting these huge loans, foreign governments played right into the hands of banking system. The more loans they accepted the more control the United States gained over their government, and ultimately their natural resources.
The catch of course in accepting these loans, was that all the construction work is too be done by American companies. These companies had the responsibility to go into these third world nations and modernize them into western allies, imitating every detail of the west down to the Starbucks on the corner. With all of that modernized machinery there would also have to be someone to service, maintain, and eventually replace it. This system guaranteed American construction and engineering firms decades of profits.
This process has been replicated in dozens of nations by the United States in the past 5 decades like,Panama, Ecuador, and Saudi Arabia. To the nations that say no to these huge loans and the temptation to westernize their countries, their future isn’t so bright.Two countries that have taken this approach are Iran and Iraq. Leaving the United States little choice other than military force to bully these countries into submission.
So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore By Jake Colson
One of influencing factors of why I left the church was because I felt like a customer instead of a member. and that Sunday Morning was a product with a shinny package, instead of the word of God.
This race to make churches more relevant is creating huge monstrous programs in the process. Programs that’s Pastor don’t have the man power to over see, and people start falling through the cracks.
Members then become cogs of a giant system, and Pastors start saying things like ” we need you here”. Because it’s impossible to fill all the volunteer spots in the nursery, and children’s church, and someone has to run PowerPoint, and the sound system, and teach the new life group, and help set up or tear down after service.
Any human system will eventually dehumanize the very people it seeks to serve and those it dehumanizes the most are those who think they lead it….p106
Again it’s not churches, or pastors, or technology that’s bad.
The Power of The Gospel
Don’t you realize the most powerful thing about the gospel is that it liberates us from the concept that God dwells in any buildings….p41
That’s why Jesus cleanse the temple. What was suppose to be a place for people to connect to God, had been turned into a place to make money. It created a caste system.
Those who were poor and needed God forgiveness, and those who become rich off the poor. It was their job to teach the people how to connect with God, and yet they used the temple (the church) to provide them financial security and power over the laymen.
That’s why Jesus’ death is so threatening to those bred in religious obligation…p51
One of the problems that Hebrews deals with is the idea that Christians don’t have to go to the temple and make sacrifices anymore. It was so programmed into their minds they couldn’t imagine having a relationship with a God where they weren’t required to do something.
How to Be A Good Christian
Isn’t it pretty clear here what being a good Christian is, and isn’t a big part of that not to make an waves or ask questions that make people uncomfortable….p49
I can tell you story’s about questions pastors don’t like to hear. In fact I didn’t have a lot of problems in church until I started questioning. Experts never like their authority challenged.
That’s the danger of religion. It only exist as long as people think the church is the authority. The result is of course that the church has to make people dependent on their leadership. I think it makes far to many Christians passive about pursuing their own relationship with God.
Religion survives by telling us we need to fall in line or some horrible fate will befall us….The whole system has a hook in it….p74
Pagan Christianity By Frank Viola & George Barna
My First Impression
My first impression of this book was that Barna was going to play it safe and sweep it all under the rug. Maybe he would admit to some pagan roots but surely he has too much to lose with his reputation.
I am pleased to say Frank Viola and George Barna did not play it safe.
I would encourage every Pastor, Worship Leader, Elder, and Church volunteer to read this book. For some it may be shocking, for others it’s another reinforcement that Christianity does in-fact have many pagan connection. But this time instead of coming from a atheist or an agnostic, it comes from respected christian authors.
This isn’t a new idea for me, I’ve already read several books about Christianity’s pagan roots, and watched a couple of really good documentaries on it. But what I like about Viola and Barna, is their conclusion. They didn’t decide to throw their Christianity away just because it’s not all shinny and slick.
Most research I’ve read become frustrated and just say ” well I guess all religions are worthless, So I won’t believe in any of them.” In my opinion Viola and Barna present a more historical account of how Christianity has been hijacked. And what needs to happen in order to restore it to it’s true origins.
Hard Facts To Swallow
Don’t get me wrong there are some hard blows to the christian church in this book, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the institutionalize of church, especially for Pastors. We have gone down the road of turning the church that was suppose to be a dynamic living breathing creative organism into a static, predictable, profitable business. and In my opinion thats a huge shame.
To be honest though it was so refreshing to read a book where Christian heavy weights like Barna, who is said to be the most quoted Christian alive, have the same questions and doubts about the church that I do, and yet still manage to hold on to Jesus.
I would say this is a must read for anyone in ministry or thinking about going into ministry.
Posted by Nic 
