Some important truths
923502
When I began reading this book I realized that I had read it before, a very long time ago.  However, this book has some very deep and important truths that are broken down so nicely.  Very worth reading for any Christian looking for a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.
2967504
I believe this was a good book to read .  It reminds us to be reading the Bible and know the truth.  It points out the New Age and how dangerous that can be.  We need to be aware of these things.  I believe it would be helpful for others to read to remind them that the Bible is the truth and we need to not stray away from that.  I do find many interesting things happening in our country.  I do pay alot more attention to the events and how it relates to end times and believe we are coming into our end times due to many things relating to homosexuality, earthquakes, sexuality, storms.  We should all be reminded of how we so need to be in the Word and in the truth and praying for those who may not know their Savior.  I found this book worth mentioning to others to keep them on the right track.  Even if it is a sermon it is a sermon to be heard again.
1345072
Billy Whiskers channels a selection od parables from Storyteller (a member of the ancient Nanina people) that that teaches the importance of living in harmony and balance with spiritual growth.
I only have two minor nitpicks with this book.
1. Page 30: "One wonders how many of those "evil" men and women we keep behind bars would be living full lives today had our society adopted this idea, gently guiding them back into harmony in their youth."
(Sometimes it is necessary to seperate the predators from society in order to protect society.)
2. Page 62: "The Irish Banshee is still heard in remote parts of that land. As Christianity replaced the old nature worship, the thought forms dwindled until they become merely colorful tales of folklore."
(the Celtic pagans did not worship nature as the authors quote implies. They acknowledged the Creator in the gods and goddesses they worked with. They treated nature with reverence, but did not worship it.)
Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)
4119554
Will help you know the truth about marriage, divorce, etc.
315659
This book has some very interesting points. It should be read by all.
1993701
Some good quotes to be sure, but not as many as I expected.
3439563
I highly recommend this book for its basic moral principles that society, in general, often tends to diminish or ignore. Results of which can be seen on many social levels such as, increased crime rates, family neglect and abuse, and misplaced priorities and values in daily affairs - to mention a few.
 Perhaps, last but not least, the lesson to be learned is that being "different" is not necessarily "bad "(evil) or "wrong," and that many good things can be lost through misperception and hasty or faulty judgement.
1490507
Some good and insightful stuff in this book. There are some parts that I do not agree with or it seems as though the authors are trying too hard to make something fit. So, while I enjoy this book, I have to read it more carefully for those reasons.
68539
There were things I liked about "The Stuff of Thought" and things I didn't. I would have preferred the book to be shorter. I certainly could take away many profound observations. However, I don't think Pinker had to go into so many examples, although I am sure many readers will like that. Anyway, here are some important things which I will remember from the book.

1. We can learn a lot about people from the way they put together words. Pinker shows many examples.

2. What is an event? 9-11 was an event, however there were also many events which went into effecting it.

3. Words take on new meanings to reflect on how the world works.

4. Learning a language is really a remarkable process. Pinker discredits linguistic determination, that is the brain learning language to generate thinking. He asserts that thoughts effect language. Meanings are stored, not the exact combination of words which reflect them. Personally, I think both can work in parallel, when learning a language, but Pinker makes a good argument.

5. Metaphors are very important. They are an essential part of thought. "To think is to grasp a metaphor". He shows the use of metaphor in Leviticus, which makes one think even more that biblical scripture, at least the Torah, should not necessarily be taken literally, more like a living document which encourages deeper thinking especially as times change.

6. The chapter on profanity is certainly interesting. The amygdala, in the brain, is important in storing memories with emotion. Bilingual people react more to taboo words in their first language, rather than their second. Aphasia, loss of articulate language, victims retain the ability to swear. This shows more memories of thought formulas rather than rule combinations. Such swearing in Tourettes's Syndrome is called copolalia.

7. The basal ganglia in the brain, when weakened, taboo thoughts are more easily released. There is a "Rage Circuit" which runs from the amygdala to the hypothalmus - limbic circuitry.

8. Implicative language, like with sarcasm and politeness, versus direct. Hierarchical and "culture of honor" societies use politeness more.

9. Pinker brings up UN Resolution 242, about the Israeli - Palestinian situation, showing how the wording was intentionally made ambiguous, so each side could more likely agree to it. Best to get some agreement, so at least there is somewhere from which to proceed in negotiations. There again, words reflect thoughts, to often encourage further thinking.

So, the book is certainly worthwhile, despite its perhaps unnecessary length.
2062796
Powerful book and much needed knowledge for today...despite being channeled there is a lot of truth in here.
4577223
Excellent. These truths should be part of our experience as Believers, but too often they are not. I did this study many years ago in a group. Now I've done it on my own. I got more out of it now, doing it on my own, than I did in the group.
472981
A relatively short essay about the benefits from telling the truth, even in situations where many people tell white lies. There are examples given when lying is less harmful or even necessary such as in war time or to save a person's life.  As far as white lies,  it is better to tell a love one a tough truth than a false white lie. Quick read and very enjoyable.
2841143
The importance of this book is that it illustrates why one should not publish treatises about your own religious beliefs about condemnation of others and distribute them in the workplace. This is especially important if one is distributing religious directives to one's subservients in a taxpayer funded job.
4897308
When I read these words, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As subjects of this mandate, not as black, white, brown or red, not as colors yet as ordinary people. We have trusted authorities as we toiled and built our wonderful country to do the labor of law; somewhere in that endeavor the truth has been mislaid and greed had it's say, now what a mess we have allowed to be made. Daily I listen to the eloquent words of Dr. King from eight inspiring cd's that if you listen with ears and a heart of forgiveness and a true desire to understand , and become a part of the solution, there is a lesson to be learned.
3535950
In this small book, Phillips strikes at a vital issue in today's church: the multiplicity of false conceptions of God.  The false conceptions of God that we hold are damaging to the faith and Christianity as a whole.  Phillips brings many of these inadequate conceptions of God to light in the first half of the book, which I thought was some of the most poignant writing in the book.  Too often we limit God, especially so that we can have our "God-in-a-box", which is essentially a shrunken-down God that fits OUR notions of what God is like and where He is.  This along with many other false conceptions of God which Phillips gives name, create a pseudo-god that we ourselves hardly respect, and neither do those outside the church.  And more importantly they do not reflect the true nature of God as revealed in the Bible.
I was slightly disappointed in the second portion of the book where Phillips tries to open up a more full image of God.  Most of it was very well written, and I especially liked the way he pointed to Jesus Christ as the "focused" God that came to be among us and die for our sins.  However, scattered things in the latter portion of the book I disagreed with, for example, the way Phillips seemed to downplay sin somewhat.  The true ugliness and despair of OUR OWN SIN is what nailed Christ to the Cross and was the punishment Jesus bore IN OUR STEAD!  This makes the resurrection of Christ all the more joyful for sin-wearied souls, as we have the promise of forgiveness and eternal life WITH OUR SAVIOR!!!  It is important that we recognize our own sinfulness and are repentant that we may receive this great gift.  Altogether "Your God is Too Small" is a good little book for all Christians to read.
3332443
Gets you thinking about how you may need to look deeper into "facts" that people give you.  There is a small lie in most assumptions.
1963607
There's some great things in this book. Interesting examples, stories, written in a style that shows that a big difference can be made. It's a good book, well documented and brings sound principles to those who are curious about how small movements, small actions do make a difference. This is a grand book.