Conventions Books

True, not exactly. In this two volume set, Swedenborg takes us through a journey into the New (Jerusalem) church. Where things were previously hidden from us, they are now opened. In 1757 the "new" revelation came through Swedenborg. Makes for good science fiction, but...........

There is no doubt there are sound beliefs here, much of this exhaustive, extensive, overlapping, repetitive, confusing, and very complete work, is. Swedenborg refers to scripture and explains their meaning, plays devils advocate where appropriate, and where questions are raised they are answered. But where I find he excels is in his amazing scientific mind----conceptual for the time period. He was a man clear in the sciences; was ahead of his time in biology, physics and chemistry; and he uses this gift metaphorically. As a physician he refers to biology to use as a comparison to spirituality. His main treatise is on faith, charity, freedom of choice, and repentance. He breaks in with what he calls "memorable relations": conversations he has had with men struggling with the truth. The falsities are subtle throughout, so this work demands concentration and discernment. Swedenborgism is still alive and well today.

Here are some of Swedenborg's very unusual beliefs and my questions: 1) He tells us of his direct interaction between peoples of heaven and hell through his "memorable relations": Does he really believe there is an interaction----an intermediary between the two chasms or is he just using a fantasy to tell a story? 2) He sees and talks to angels: Is this just an analogy----a way of getting what he believes across? 4) Is Swedenborg the revelation of the new heaven and church described in the bible?......No. 5) He has special communication with angels and spirits........? 6) Believes in an intermediary realm (purgatory) between heaven and hell, as do the Catholics: There is nothing that tells us this. 7) Believes there are higher cultural levels in heaven......? 8) Believes in a sort of upper hell where one can be taught the truth and be reestablished into heaven.

Swedenborg is the latest chosen prophet, but revelation is over according to our bible. This "new church" teaches a much different trinity; were we then lost until he came? If I understand correctly, he believes he was God's elect or part of the second coming and that many of the prophesies have come to pass in the 18th century.

After reading other books on comparisons in beliefs covering Swedenborg I agreed with their conclusions, but only after many pages of hard reading of True Christian Religion. Swedenborg does a remarkable job of sweeping you in and hiding his cultic beliefs in a mass of superb writing. Although the individuals who made the comparisons agree that Swedenborg was brilliant, he was also able to distort the truth brilliantly. Some major concerns: 1) becoming a prophet after meeting Christ, 2) visions of heaven and hell, 3) man determines his own destiny, 4) God judges no one, 5) his "New Jerusalem" was to be the world's final religion, 6) conversations with angels, devils and the dead, 7) anti-Trinitarian, 8) not by faith alone, and 9) convoluted faith and charity beliefs. Being this church is a member of the National Council of Churches should be alarming.

Wish you well and blessings
Scott

not well organized, but useful

This is basically a text book for a first year college student. The information was relatively vague. I was disappointed, but the book would be very beneficial to someone just starting in the business. I was looking for concrete examples and "life saving" ideas and this book did not offer that.

This book became the counter-weight to my Ph. D. dissertation and book,Should the Church Teach Tithing? in 2001. I challenge its fundamental change in Baptist(and Southern Baptist) theology which survived for over 300 years without teaching tithing as a New Testament principle. The 1925 statement did not even include a listing of tithing texts. The 1963 statement includes texts but does not contain the word "tithe" in the discussion. The current Position Papaer requires tithng from all who are employed by the SBC --- this is wrong! I have been unable to engage in a discussion with SBC leaders about this change in doctrine. It is a shame that the church's scholars will not discuss this modern taboo doctrine.

To be honest, I have not read through the book yet so I can not comment on the content of it. However, I felt like I should at least mention the physical quality, or rather, lacktherof, of this book.

I paid $95 for what I thought was a new book, but what I received today was quite obviously used and abused. It did have the CD still inside in good condition, but the corners of the cover was water damaged, and the cover appears to be water damaged and worn out as well. I can actually see an outline of the CD burned through the front cover.

I had to wonder if this book was 20+ years old... Nope, it was published just a couple of years ago. I will say however, the text and everything is clean and unmarked at least, but I was extremely disappointed in the physical quality of this so-called new book. This might have been acceptable for a used textbook, but thank goodness I wasn't buying this as a gift... I would seriously be embarrassed to give this to someone.

I am a former Walt Disney World Cast Member, and I currently
work at Disneyland and I have to say that this book is pure
nonsense. I also picked it up thinking that it would provide
auctual information in it, but it did not. I am gay, and
HATE gay society myself because it is basically just cruppted
people with no moral values but, it is also proven that pedophiles are almost always straight men--nothing to do with
being gay. Anyway, some one should boycott tis guy. Like the
very enlightened Gene Rodenberry said "There is no such thing as
an all bad race". I am the perfect example because ever since
before I found out I was gay, I had promised to find that 1 and
only one special person to spend the rest of my life with. I
have never even been to a club! As for protests and boycotts, they are always full of crud. The only valid one I have seen is for animal rights because I can say honestely that Disney does not take care the best of care to the poor animals.

Please do not consider that I actually think this book deserves the one star I was forced to give it, because there was no option for less. Don't be fooled by the name of this book, I picked it up because I am a fan of Disney and wanted to know why someone would boycott such a family oriented company. What I found was a lashing of the gay community and an archaic view of Christianity. The author tends to defy any scientific theories (especially those in favor of homosexuality being genetically linked) in favor of his own unjustified accusations. He verbates gays have a shorter lifespan due to their "radical" behavior, and equates them to the majority of society's pedophiles. He does not even mention the name "Disney" until the last chapter when he finally he lets us in on his unjustified reasoning behind this boycott. He is angered that Disney has become a "gay friendly" company, and therefore has abandoned their "former friends and supporters, the Christians." He finds fault in Disney's benefits for partners of gay employees but goes on to condemn gays for spreading AIDS. This is not a book in which to learn anything "new, " it is instead a message of hate, which, if you value the term "christian," you need not pick up.

As one of the unfortunate victims of Professor Barnes' theology lectures during my student days at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, I can attest to the fact that the vapidity of those aimless theological ramblings was foreshadowed in the content of this book. More a political statement than a serious work on the theology of one of the twentieth-centuries most important churchman, Barnes is obviously over her head. Avoid this "book" at all costs!

Item not delivered
My query about the situation was never answered.
I can't purchase again from Amazon unless issue is resolved.

I've attempted to get Amazon to change this as well as to contact the publisher. Thomas Jefferson had NOTHING to do with the writing of the Constitution of the United States. It was written by the Continental Congress primarily by James Madison and James Monroe while Jefferson was in France. Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence...not the Constitution! I wouldn't care but for the continuing ignorance of the origins of our country being consistently on display here and elsewhere! Dear publisher...fix this!!!

When asked about his political affiliation, Will Rogers said: I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.

George Santayana said: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Ronald Reagan said: There you go again!

TundraVison says: Chaos and Rancor R, to our chagrin and the GOP's benefit, us.


I downloaded this article for added perspective on Democratic Conventions and our proclivity to shoot ourselves (maybe that's why Democrats favor stronger gun control?) in our collective foot and eat our own young (e.g. energized youth movements.)

This piece is very short and offers a mere, mostly one sentence, gloss of some Democratic Conventions from 1832 to 1996. For instance: 1968: The full tilt of the VietNam War brought rioters and more than 10,000 demonstrators to the convention in Chicago, which became the focus of television news. The National Guard was used extensively to enforce the 11 pm curfew. The divisive politics of the time prompted the Democratic National Committee to change the way delegates were selected, for the first time allowing millions into the political process.

Those changes are now looming large i.e. SUPER. Looking toward (but not looking forward, to OMG, it's gonna be disorganized way beyond Old Will's worst 3 AM nightmare!) this year's Convention in Denver, here's TundraVision's Resolution, slowly wending it's way from unanimously passing our precinct caucus:
Whereas, the current "SuperDelegate" system of the Democratic National Party and the Minnesota DFL is totally UN-democratic, and Whereas, the current system perpetrates the specter of Mayor Daley I at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, and Whereas, the Democratic party is democratic, Be it Resolved that the Super Delegate system of the Democratic National Party and the Minnesota DFL be abolished so that the Democratic Party actually be democratic such that The People, and not the "Party Establishment," choose their candidate.

For historical perspective, better information than that in this article can be found (for Free!) on Wiki - or see:Rights in Conflict: The Violent Confrontation of Demonstrators and Police in the Parks and Streets of Chicago During the Week of the Democratic National Convention of 1968 (Violence in Chicago - The Walker Report) and Miami and the Seige of Chicago: An informal history of the Republican and Democratic conventions of 1968

/TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer