So, I read it. The new Rob Bell book, "Love Wins". If you have no idea what I am talking about that is ok, you're not missing much in my opinion. Yes, after forcing myself to finish the book and restraining myself from throwing it across the room a few times, after all I was only borrowing the book from a good friend of mine, I am pretty clear that I do not like this book....at all. BUT...I know that many people I love very much do and so it makes me ask, why? What is it that resonated with you? What is it about the message in this book that you like? That you agree with? That you believe is true?
I really want to know. At some point I might post my thoughts on the book but right now I simply want to understand your opinion. In fact I will not make any comments to contradict your comment here on the blog and I am asking others to respectfully not comment in response to anyone else's comment. As the master of my own blog I do reserve the right to delete any comments that I feel are not pleasant or helpful.
So, share with me. Help me to understand what it is about this book that you like and I will do my best to sit on my hands and just listen.
Okay...I am only 6 months late in finding this post...but I will say what I love about it. (From what I remember..) I have always struggled with hell. I could never reconcile a loving, redeeming God with people being in torment for all eternity. It kept me up at night. I read The Great Divorce and that was somewhat comforting. I have no problem with punishment, with judgement, with God's holiness and our sinfulness. But torment for ever and ever and ever...for bad choices and sins in less than 100 years on earth? And no chance to stop being in torment? Ever? To me, Bell just points out that the Bible is not at all clear about hell..that it is not black and white...that one passage says one thing, but another seems say something different...that we don't have it all figured out...and that our God desires that everyone be saved...he loves us all...and maybe, just maybe we can be redeemed in the afterlife, we can have a chance to change...that His Love Wins in the end. I don't know about hell. But I am thankful that I can sleep at night with the hope that God will find a way to prevent billions from suffering eternal torment.
ReplyDeleteThis is Kim, not Keith. :)
ReplyDeleteKim