Tag Archives: Eat Pray Love

Why I read controversial books

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For conversation, to engage a stranger while waiting in line.

True story. Recently I needed my mental escape, so off I went to a real brick and mortar bookstore without the kids. While waiting to make my purchase, the woman in front of me suddenly plucked up a copy of Eat, Pray, Love displayed near the register and held it up to me.

“Have you read this, it’s really good.”

Yes, and my copy is autographed too. I almost told her I blogged about it, but stopped myself. I keep forgetting the majority of the population is not blog savvy.

God bless her, this woman still wanted to educate me.

“She lives around here you know, she even has a shop with imported goods.”

I knew that too. Then she moved up to the other end of the counter and that was the end of our conversation.

Interesting, isn’t it? A stranger in a bookshop, a place where people like to go to be alone, have mental space, would initiate a conversation about a spiritual book. God, faith, pursit of belief – it’s all in there.

I think if the line had been longer, we would’ve had a lovely discussion about the Lord, the Bible and living with the intent to be closer to God.

And that is why I read controversial books.

© 2008 Monica Brand | Paper Bridges

Elizabeth Gilbert, Rhonda Byne, Oprah and Christians (no, this is not a really bad joke)

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A reader left this comment on my post regarding Eat, Pray, Love: One Womans Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert. Let me put the comment in context so you don’t have to follow a link to my original post and wade through all the old comments. The commenter is talking about Gilbert at first. (I edited for spelling only; I think she means Hitler could not take away their salvation.)

The author believes that many gods, or religions can become part of ones life, and these will channel into one god , the “right God” –> absolutely shocking. Oprah is playing a dangerous game.. promoting the secret, and promoting yet another New age book, eat pray love.

Think of Hitler, a man that was responsible for the death of millions of people, these people may have died believeing the true creator, these people may have died saved. Hitler could take that away from them.. we all know where he is though.

But what about a woman like the author of The Secret who is leading millions of souls astray? Playing with their soul, their eternal life. What will happen to her, and what will happen to Oprah?

Well, now I know why I get so many Google hits off of Gilbert’s book. I don’t watch Oprah, so I had no idea she featured it on her show. I don’t want to get into what Gilbert believes with this paticular post; I’ll save that for another day, quoting from her memoir. Personally, I don’t find her beliefs shocking at all. More about that in a minute.

Today, I want to talk about Rhonda Byne, Oprah Winfrey, and Christians.

Rhonda Byne The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

The Secret author is Rhonda Byrne. I’ve not read The Secret, but I’ve heard of it. As a Bible-believing Christian, I certainly do think she is leading people away from Jesus Christ if her book is contrary to the word of God. From what little I know of it, I suspect it’s doing just that. As a Christian, I’m concerned many are reading it for spiritual guidance.

Oprah Winfrey

I’m weary of the Oprah bashing, not that I’m a fan or anything. I’ve seen that Youtube video regarding The Church of Oprah or whatever it’s called. Look, guys – Oprah can say whatever she wants. That’s why the show is called Oprah. If you don’t like what she has to say, turn her off. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion – Oprah is free to worship and promote whatever she wants. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, doesn’t mean you have to either. Again, turn her off if she turns you off. (Wow, that’s catchy. I should make that a bumper sticker).

and Christians (this is the bit when I get a little opinionated).

I find it humorous when Christians get frazzled when nonChristians act contrary to the Bible. That’s what nonbelievers do, folks. They don’t believe or act like we do and (surprise!) often they adopt radical beliefs apart from the Bible. If they did what we do – read the Bible, worship Jesus Christ – then they wouldn’t be nonChristians, would they?

Back to Gilbert. Does Eat, Pray, Love promote the gospel of Christ? No. Does that shock me? No way. Is it presented as a Christian book? Does Gilbert take the name of Christ? Not that I’m aware of. Again, there is that pesky (and wonderful) freedom of religion joined with freedom of speech.

I’m not saying we should ignore books that don’t line up with Scripture. By all means, let’s talk about it and point out the errors. But don’t stop there. It’s not enough to just critize and offer nothing in it’s place. The reason The Secret, and Eat, Pray, Love, etc., are bestsellers is because people are searching for something to believe. Either they are going to believe in Christ or they will cling to something else.

If we aren’t giving Truth, lived out in radical love, those seeking nonChristians will find a substitute and listen to just about anyone they admire with a microphone or with a catchy book title.

Regarding Hitler. I’m not sure what to make of that part of the comment. Hitler’s Nazi regime murdered millions, so I’m not willing to lump Byrne, Oprah and Gilbert with him. Hitler was a madman with an army and nation behind him. No one is forced to read The Secret, Eat, Pray, Love, or watch Oprah.

Okay. That’s enough about that, ’cause I’m starting to sound like a preacher. Back to writing about cartoons, creeks and the daily life of a home schooling mom. Hope we are all still friends.

By the way, if any of my loyal readers where to particularly like this post, I sure would appreciate a shout-out to your favorite social bookmarking tool. I happen to use StumbleUpon, but this girl ain’t picky. Thanks much.

© 2008 Monica Brand | Paper Bridges

Eat, Pray, Love: a travel memoir

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Update (6/9/08) For my latest comments on Gilbert’s book, follow this link.

I don’t read memoirs, I absorb them. I begin to read and I don’t quit until I’ve come up out of the last word of the last chapter. I get easily involved with the author’s experiences; I hate to put the book aside for a moment. That was the way I took in Angela’s Ashes and Lucky.

It was the same experience with Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, a story of lost love, heartache, spiritual enlightenment and delicious food.

The book, which I found listed on Amazon.com, yet scooped up at my library, originally caught my attention because Gilbert traveled to one of the most exotic and fascinating places on the planet – Indonesia. I lived in Ujung Pandang, Indonesia for seven months, so I was curious to see how her impressions of the country compared to mine.

When the book begins, we are introduced to a married Gilbert who is pleading with God to rescue her from her domestic life and starting a family. She leaves her husband soon afterward. A new man comes into Gilbert’s life, but the two have a difficult time making it work. Once the divorce is final, Gilbert leaves the on/off again boyfriend behind and sets off on a year-long quest to find pleasure in Italy, spiritual piety in India and balance of the two in Indonesia. Unfortuately, Gilbert packs up her depression, anxiety and loneliness to take with her.

Gilbert studies yoga and meditation with a Hindu guru. As a Christian, this is not my thing, but I can appreciate her desire to pursue the spiritual. And her daily life in the Indian Ashram is interesting. Awake for prayers and meditation at 3:30 am. Yikes! That’s dedication.

She does talk quite a bit about meditation, which reminded me of The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. Foster has a chapter in this Christian classic dedicated to meditation. I’ll have to dust it off for a re-read.

As for the Indonesian comparisons, Gilbert lived in Bali and I lived on the island of Sulawesi, so even though we lived in the same country, the cultures are different from each other. Gilbert did have me laughing out loud when she described the “family mini-van.” Husband, wife and children all cramed onto a motorcycle, no helmets, weaving in and out of traffic. That’s a common sight Indonesia and it always amazed me too, especially to see the women calmly perched on the bike in a sarong. Amazing.

I’m always curious to read how others, especially non-believers, view God, prayer, heaven and hell. This book is a excellent view into one woman’s beliefs and while I disagree with what she believes, I learned a lot about how she thinks.

A note to my Christian readers: you may find some of the language and content in Eat, Pray, Love offensive. Consider yourselves warned.