Clear Thinking on a Controversial Topic
358423
There is no denying the devastation divorce has caused.  Families are torn apart.  Children suffer.  Society is left shattered.  So very often when a husband and wife find themselves struggling within marriage, they turn to others for advice.  Unfortunately much of what is passed to others as counsel is nothing more than opinion.  Sadly, too many times couples are simply told to follow their heart's lead.  Thus divorce is embraced and the disintegration of the family continues.  There is a great need for believers to know God's word on this subject and to help rebuild all that has been lost.

Within this book, John MacArthur seeks to offer up an exposition of the texts relating to marriage, divorce, and remarriage.  His goal is to teach believers how to speak Biblically on this difficult issue.  He navigates through the major texts found in Matthew 5, Matthew 19, and 1 Corinthians 7.  Offering up the context and the linguistic nuances, each chapter provides a rich understanding of the passages, and taken together the reader gets a clear picture of God's plan for marriage.

The strength of this book lies in the solid proclamation of God's word.  It does not rely on guesswork or opinion.  Therefore many questions are laid to rest and solid answers are gained.  The end of the book also contains a question and answer section dealing with the hard cases related to marriage and divorce.  If you are looking for a solid resource on this tiemly topic, MacArthur's book is a good volume for your library.

Note:  If you own MacArthur's New Testament Commentaries on Matthew and 1 Corinthians, you won't find much new material here.  Much of the book is pulled from those works and compiled into this little volume.
4562661
The well thought out arguments and logical way of looking at things should bring comfort to those who are religious and irreligious alike. I am half way through the book and am thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. It is very well written and it is on a short list of books that have changed the way I look at an issue. The basic premise is that religion and science can (and should) co-exist, but that they each occupy separate spheres of thought. Ayala draws a clear line between the roles of science and religion in a way that allows one to believe in both and avoids confusion between what they can and cannot explain. As a non-scientist, I thought this was written at just the right level.

As an aside, I was dumbfounded at some of the negative reviews, but if you bother to check (I did), some of these guys write negative reviews about lots and lots of science related books - not just this one. Don't be turned off, this is a great book dealing with a controversial subject. You will enjoy reading it.
4897431
Even if you don't agree with Beck's views on EVERYthing (as I don't), he presents a well-articulated argument based on logic and facts. It is refreshing to take in a pragmatic approach to identifying the problem(s), qualifying the supposed "causes", and examining possible solutions.

I really enjoyed his departure from the media's norm of uncovering the way other members of the media exploit viewers/readers emotions by making wild claims and false assertions.
4816709
This is such an important and timely subject, and Dr. Schwartz makes his case with great clarity. A vigorous and thorough  rebuttal to the shallow discussions on liberty that are ubiquitous in our current popular culture.
4610429
Having recently spent a great deal of time on a Christian college campus, I am keenly aware of the passion and energy with which the topic of homosexuality and the Christian is being discussed. Significant changes are occurring in our culture. This can be seen very clearly in the media, but it was also quite obvious to me on the aforementioned campus. For these reasons, I was eager to read this book by Mark Yarhouse, a Christian psychologist.

The book is laid out in a logical manner, first covering big picture issues like "What does God think about homosexuality?" and whether or not someone can choose -- or change -- their sexual orientation. He then moves on to questions facing families, such as how to respond to a child announcing a gay identity. Finally, he closes by raising questions for the Church in terms of their response to homosexuality.

Yarhouse makes an important distinction between gay identity and orientation that is unique among the literature that I've read on the topic, and is crucial for understanding the issue. He seems to balance respect for the individual with solid Biblical teaching against homosexual behavior.

I believe this book would be helpful to all Christians concerned about this issue, and particularly for those who are dealing with issue of gay identity in their families and churches.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing this book for review. I was not required to provide a positive review.
3440164
I received a copy of this little paperback as a "loaner" from a friend who wanted my opinion of it. As a professional scientist,I approached this volume as objectively as possible,looking for flaws in reasoning and logical failures. I found none.
I am sure that political "Liberals" and those who choose to be thought"Politically Correct" will uniformly hate this work,since it pretty well dumps on one of their sacred cows:diversity. Mr. Chittum has compiled some pretty interesting statistics on political/social stability in a number of different countries and sets up a model for analysis;i.e. Nation vs. Empire. In a logical sense,one needs to examine the premises that are stated;are they correct or not? If the premises are not flawed and the reasoning sound,then it is pretty hard to dispute the conclusion.
Mr. Chittum's main premise is that the racial demographics of the U.S.A. are changing. Fact or Fiction? The most recent census figures show this a FACT.
Another premise is that as the demographics change,the various groups involved become more polarized and militant. Mr. Chittum publishes an impressive list of racially concious militant groups, and not very many of which are "white-power" groups.
The Conclusion arrived at by the author,based on comparisons with other countries, is that some form of open conflict is inevetible in the future.
I found this book to be very thought-provoking and rather disturbing;I would rather be "disturbed" than blind sided. Ignore this book "at your own risk". Although I do not agree with the author on a few of his suggestions on what to do in preparation for Civil War II, I give him 5 stars for effort and 4 stars for presentation. Highly recommended.
3694635
The author offers an objective view on a very controversial topic. He asks the question that few others are willing to ask: "How are we going to feed 7 billion people in a manner that doesn't destroy the planet?"
2190047
This book is a thoughtful, objective and and sensible discussion of a topic that is critical to our modern society.
3775706
Carter presents the issue of affirmative action and racial preference in a refreshing light.  He accurately identifies the tendency of the modern political world to require all African American people to share the  opinions of the "black cacus" or be disloyal or less than genuine  to their own people.  He considers not only the ideology of affirmative  action but also its actual consequences.  It is a refreshingly  authoritative, and well considered opinion.
3990309
Very easy reading, and there are no wild claims to disturb rational thinking. Very good treatment of religious issues - issues related to cause and effects probably occurring to everyone. While beginnings are left for a different analysis, development of what is knowable fairly covers the broad span of human existence. Not as supportive of present religious thinking being pantheistic, personally, but good perspective for those inclined to take up the issue from contemporary awareness of life. Interesting to consider that what is believed is less important than understanding that a need to believe pre-exists.
3429726
For such a controversial subject, about which Evangelicals are divided in their interpretations of just who the "Sons of God" are in Genesis 6, Mr. Chaffey presents a compelling case drawn from the Holy Scriptures, the writings of early Jewish commentators, the early church fathers, and extra-Biblical texts as well.  He certainly did his homework prior to writing, as opposed to just launching out to promote his personal pet view based on hear-say and myth.  He espouses the view that the "Sons of God" are fallen angelic beings who took human wives, and he articulates his findings clearly, while noting and fairly treating the views of those who have objected and would object to his thesis. The five star rating represents my admiration for his clear, yet fair treatment of material of which many might wish to steer clear.  While we might not get the definitive answer to this question on this side of eternity, Mr. Chaffey's work certainly makes the interpretational argument all the more interesting.
3761234
Clear and well explained - a book to read to educate oneself about a complex issue that spills into public policy.
214431
I enjoyed reading this book. The piece on conventional wisdom alone was enough for me to recommend. It's provides multiple topics to bring up amongst your friends for debate. Why crime decreased in the 90's, how real estate agents are against you, how teachers are sometimes the real cheaters etc. etc.
111257
50 Crucial Questions is a well-composed book focused on the controversial and contemporary discussion regarding the role of men and women in the church and home. Piper and Grudem provide and excellent work clearly defining the biblical role of men and women in a time when pressure to rewrite and redefine the biblical mandate for distinguished roles comes from within the church and out. One of the most significant elements of this book is the tenacity to remain true to the meaning of scripture even when it poses a counter-cultural view - yet with gentleness and reverence for the holder of the opposing view. Additionally, Piper and Grudem are honest in their answers where there is no clearly defined answer from Gods word.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  I give it this rating because it is an easy read and a careful exposition of scripture on the controversy between complementarians and egalitarians. 50 Crucial Questions is a great resource for any Christian library.
1722746
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it well written and well researched. Clearly an emotional issue, the book presents balanced arguements that draw on facts and reality and not fear-rooted arguements like many of its counter parts. Definitely worth the read!
3005188
Having many short chapters, this excellent book offers a worth reading and useful pastime for the ones interested in the art of thinking clearly, as the title suggests.

Most of the thoughts presented along the book are not new to me, but the author gives straightforward and clear explanations that clarify those thoughts. Dobelli goes straight to the point without lengthy and unnecessary reasoning, his arguments being too convincing and logical. In short, Dobelli pinpoints the main biased thoughts people have and how to overcome them.
2081128
A friend of mine recommended this book and I'm glad she did. Religion is always a controversial subject and this book really got me thinking.