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Post by Zephyr on Sept 5, 2002 11:13:52 GMT -5
I am trying to figure some stuff out ... maybe someone can help me.. I love richard bach's books, I read illusions when I was 18 or so... and really loved it... I have read it 8 or 10 times since then...(im 40 now) and have read every other book he has written.. there are a lot of things in his books that really fit for me... and they reinforce my feelings on christianity... I Finally found my soul mate a few years back and have been very happy... but we do have our differences *L* she is a very educated and christian woman ... not obsessed or anything... but she has strong beliefs... and I respect them... she sees richard bach as a good fiction writer but..... says his stories and apparent beliefs are un-christian... Im just trying to make my way to my own belief system ... hopefully some time before I die *L*.. what do you think?
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Post by Trekker on Sept 5, 2002 12:14:00 GMT -5
If you look at every book that comes after J.L. Seagull -- especially Illusions --, the question of whether or not he is Christian, and the question of whether or not the books are fiction or nonfiction, these questions are non-issues. It is perfectly possible to be a Christian and believe in those "proposals for a life" (for lack of a better word). In no book of his has Bach shown any intention of being described as a Christian, nor does he deny Christianity's values. Moreover, his parents being strongly religious (as can be derived from Running from Safety), he undoubtedly has derived some influence from their Christian thinking into his own morals -- although these are not Christian in a strict sense.
I can say that from personal experience. I was raised in a very traditional Catholic school which belongs to a monastic order, all very full of dogma. I had your self-questioning myself. But then something happened as time went by: today, I find out I live as by the Gospels, but I do not specifically intend to. On the contrary, I completely avoid being in any way related to the Church (any Church), I do not believe in any organized religion as "representatives of God" (see One, chapter with J.P. Le Clerc), and yet I find my values in life to perfectly fit Jesus's teachings. That's why I take it as a personal truth that Jesus was quite this guy, you know, someone who had quite a powerful insight, and someone who was very much in peace with himself and the world. But I strongly believe that he himself never saw himself as the "Son of God"; it's the people who have said so. Pretty much like Jim Shimoda.
Not that I strictly live according to those standards, I don't, I am a sinner like everyone else. But I sincerely strive to live according to those teachings, every day, not because "Jesus said so", but because I find them sound principles, intelligent and respectful to the human race. But then again, without the Church's interpretations thereupon.
(I even believe, and quite strongly, that the very existence of God is a non-issue. I mean, He may exist, or He may not exist; it does not make a difference to me. I am NOT denying God's existence; I am merely saying that, if He exists, it still is as if He did not. The reasoning behind this is pretty much expressed in Running from Safety, even though I think it is somewhat incomplete there. You would have to connect that to a related metaphor about parent and children, in Illusions.)
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Post by Elisse on Nov 10, 2002 21:22:41 GMT -5
Ricahrd Bach's work may not be supporting Christianity, but it is very much supporting of love. I am 17 years old, and my boyfriend of two years recently broke up with me because he is Christian and I do not believe in religion. He felt that there would be no future for us, especially with children because of our opposing beliefs. I want to marry this man, and I still think about him everyday. Sorry for babbling about my own, personal melodrama, but my point is: if the two of you truly care about one another you will never let anything come between that. Also, who cares if his writing opposes Christianity, Richard Bach's books are the most enlightening that I have ever read.
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Post by Peekay on Dec 30, 2002 17:25:05 GMT -5
I have read the books of RB which relates to flying and found them excellent, but those relating to meta physics are way off the mark. I was sad to learn that he had got to New Age which is definetely not Christian- based and in some ways quite contrary to it. If I might quote (freely) from his Gift of Wings he referred to someone sitting next to him in a plane once and this person was quite unaware of the freedom of flight while his head was a few inches from it. Similarly I was sad to hear he went over to New Age when the truth of Christianity was dawning on him - so near - he could touch it.
You may correspond to me via pko@942.co.za
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