A Good Conversation
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Personal and Family, Religion & Society
June 15, 2007
I wonder if some of you have already read this book I am holding right now while of course most of us have already came to know about it’s publication through the buzz it had created in the Internet. Consider this, “Conversations With God” had been in the New York Times bestseller list for 137 weeks or about two-and-a-half years straight. Now that’s an amazing feat for a religion-centered work. And accordingly, it had been considered as a “publishing phenomenon” (see this Wikipedia article).
I myself have already learned about CwG (Conversations With God) some years back from great acclaims it had garnered from several local blogs that I have been reading during that time. The praises it had gotten then were so astounding that now, as I leaf through it’s pages, I am not anymore surprised.
I was not initially sold out by its popularity I must admit and thought that despite it’s astronomical volume of sales, it might just be yet another religious book with a unique irresistable trait, but just another individual’s thought about God and religion. For all the while, who is really interested in religion nowadays? Perhaps, none except those that are extremely pious in spirit.
But now—by some good fate—I have this wonderful book in hand. Thanks mostly to my bestfriend Major Victor Loon for sending me a copy all the way from Manila and all my greatest gratitude goes to him. He reads this blog once in a while and I hope the message goes to him. He is a real police major mind you and not merely a major wanna-be like “Major Tom” and at the very young age of 35, he heads now the formidable Eastern Police District in Metro Manila. Success is in his hands and to be sure, more would come in the future.
CwG is certainly one amazing book with some phenomenal things going on within it. According to its author Neale Donald Walsch, all the conversation that had been written in this book—and on succeeding eight other installments of it—had started when one day he had decided to write a letter to God and let out many of his resentments in life. And suddenly, a voice coming from his left shoulder spoke to him, and after that, a book had seen its birth.
Mr. Walsch had averred that in writing the “conversations”, he had felt feel his hands moving on its own as he was writing the first pages of this book; as if it had a life by itself. If he is to be believed, then God must have really spoken to him. Of course, I wouldn’t take this claim hook, line and sinker but in this often-strange world that we live in—that might just be possible.
I often wonder if I myself could speak with God like Mr. Walsch did and then God talking straight back at me like a “burning bush” of the Old Testament. To be sure, I would have lots of questions to field. I wonder if the Lord can have time to spare for a wandering soul such as I am, always questioning, always inquiring.
Once when we were so much younger, Major Loon had presented this question to me asking, “Do you want to meet Satan?” I answered that he was just being ridiculous. I wouldn’t want to meet the demon I said because to be sure, I would just be drown by enormous fear, imagining how fearsome his façade would be—horns on his head, fangs on his teeth, fiery red eyes, with a huge dark cape heavy on his back.
Then Major Loon asked me once more if in fact I believed in the person of Satan. I said that I could not be so sure—since no one could be so sure about a guy that we only could see in our mind—but I told him that mostly, I felt that if God exists, then Satan must be possibly an existent being; that the existence of the demon would in fact become a venerable proof that God exists. That if there is light, then there must be darkness, for how does one know the fact of light when there is no darkness that could be compared it from? How do we know righteousness if there is no such thing as wrongfulness; or good deeds from sin; right conduct from misbehavior; dry from wet; red from blue; sky from earth.
I had a thought then that in order to see Light in the mightiest of splendor, one must at least have a certain awareness of Darkness.
All in all, I have enjoyed “Conversations With God” even though I might not say I believe entirely that the author had really spoken with God. It is a well-written work and so filled with original and mind-opening insights. I bet that if Mr. Walsch was a fiction writer, he would for certain be an exciting storyteller.
Be warned that the idea of speaking with God might be mostly a blasphemous claim. But take it with enough grain of salt and read beyond the facts and see its wisdom in general terms. You would enjoy it I am sure.
I’ve heard about this book a couple of years ago, but I don’t think I’ll be putting it on my reading list any time soon, seeing that I still have several unread, and still-to-be-finished books on my shelf.
Comment by snglguy — June 15, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
I think I’ve seen this book somewhere. I believe that our personal communication with God brings us closer. Sometimes it’s sad that the first thing i unburden are my problems and heartaches. I’m not sure if God is already bored listening to me.
Thanks for sharing this. One more to be added to buy list.
Comment by ipanema — June 16, 2007 @ 5:51 am
“Conversation with God” sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip.
Comment by TK — June 16, 2007 @ 7:43 am
do you watch House M.D. Major Tom? anyway in one episode Dr. House said “if you talk to God, that’s religious, God talking to you? That’s psychotic” hehehe just want to share.
Lots of us talk to God…that’s proven. But for God to talk to us…I dunno. Maybe Dr. House is right or maybe not.
Anyway I’ll check the book…thanks for sharing =)
Comment by verns — June 16, 2007 @ 11:40 am
To sngl: It’s good though. May be it could wait and be on your reading list finally; lots of philosophical things and ideas which we either could conform to or digress.
To ipanema: Believe it or not that years ago, I do this often that in praying to God, I often take that extra time to communicate to Him as if He is just a Person in front of me. I don’t know but somehow it felt good, like I have a big Friend to talk to, an Older Guy to listen to my sentiments. Maybe it’s purely psychological but it felt good to unburden the things inside me.
To TK: Thanks for coming by: I am sure you’re like the book…
To verns: A friend recommended this show to me but somehow, I couldn’t lay the right time to watch it; so much CNN in my viewing habits, and then sports and then the comedies like David Letterman and Jay Leno every night.
At saka, pag medyo maaga pa, puro soap opera and pinapanuod ng misis at ng mga kids. It’s only when it’s late that I can take my turn of the TV.
Pro since you said Dr. House is that good, I’ll try my best to schedule it.
It should be possible that as Dr. House said, it might be purely the imaginings of the mind if somebody lay claim to be speaking with God. But you know, nothing is impossible. Maybe Moses wasn’t pyshotic after all or maybe he was. Yet many believe that God had spoke to him and gave him the Ten Commandments.
Comment by Major Tom — June 16, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
I guess the choice is upon us. Either we accept the book as really God-inspired or only for its entertainment or literary value.
Comment by the bystander — June 16, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
To bystander: This is so true. There’s really no way of telling the truth. We only have to look inside us.
Comment by Major Tom — June 16, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
Out of topic…HAPPY FATHER’s DAY Major Tom!
Comment by ipanema — June 17, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
You may wonder if you can speak to God but you never know you did - by being a good father to God’s children.
Happy Father’s Day Major Tom.
Comment by myepinoy — June 17, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
we all speak to God, however we conceive him to be, at one time or another.
but when people tell me God responds to them, i worry.
specially if it’s pres. arroyo talking.
as my nephew would say: Scary!
Comment by Atticus — June 17, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
To ipanema: Thanks ipanema—I do appreciate it. We had some food prepared in the house; failry eventful for me.
To myepinoy: That’s cool; that way speaking to God would be so sublime and blessful. Thanks for the greetings. Happy father’s day din sa iyo.
To atticus: Ha..ha..ha… now that’s really funny. Maybe the President is just akin to George Bush epaking to God on one occassion and then be spoke to by Him.
What dow e call this, psychosis of the highest order? Really scary if even state leaders could be so crazy…
Comment by Major Tom — June 17, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
Everytime a person prays, he’s talking to God, if that prayer is answered then that’s God talking back to him, otherwise God is telling him you can find the answer yourself, so seek for it.
The last novel I read was the Cider’s House Rules and that was long long time ago. Because everytime I started reading, I fall asleep after few pages, unlike the younger days when I can’t put down one until my eyes shut close.
Comment by victor — June 18, 2007 @ 6:29 am
saw this book some time ago at NBS but didn’t get to buy it. Some of my friends have it though.
not much time spent on reading, I need to change my surname
Comment by tutubi — June 18, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
To vic: Indeed. Prayer is nothing less but a conversation with God. Funny how we don’t realize this instantly. It’s goiod observation vic…
The Cider House Rules is for certain a good book since the movie was really excellent…
To tutubi: I do have that similar problem too, not much reading time nowadays; always busy…
Comment by Major Tom — June 18, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
belated happy father’s day, Major Tom!
i converse with God through my prayers, sometimes i even whisper a little prayer to Him. and i know in my heart that He is always there with me.
let me check on that book.
Comment by SexyMom — June 18, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
I haven’t read this book but I like your reflections about it. Like Sexy Mom, I also believe that I converse with God in my prayers and when I’m in silence.
Comment by Toe — June 18, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
hi,
very nice theme you´re using! You changed the ‘myjournal’, or are using the ‘blue zinfandel’? How can i access this theme? Can i test it on my own blog?
after all, congrats for the excellent work
Comment by catatau — June 19, 2007 @ 12:39 am
To Sexymom: That’s really good and I do that often although nowadays, I have been not as prayerful. This would remiond me however…thanks for that.
To Toe: I believe that conversing with God in our special ways could be helpful to our bodice and mind—our spiritual self for that matter. It’s hard to explain this but somehow, this is how I feel and fully believe so.
To catatu: Oh, thanks for admiring this theme; I would port it to Blogsome soon and inform you about it.
I like the myjournal theme much but there is really a problem in IE 7 browser which I am using at home. The header does not appear right. But Hans is doing his best to remedy the issue.
Regards to all there in Portugal.
Comment by Major Tom — June 19, 2007 @ 7:46 am
I’d like to read the book and just like you I tend to shy away from books that focus on religious and theological arguments. I’m more interested on the views from the other side of the coin, much like Deepak Chopra’s book How to Know God without talking religion
Comment by bw — June 20, 2007 @ 1:37 am
To BW: That is the case BW. Maybe it’s because we are already tired of ultra-sanitized works on beliefs and faith that it could be just natural that we tend to seek the more radical, and exciting new ideas.
Comment by Major Tom — June 20, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
I have three of the Conversations with God series. It has given me a differnt outlook on life, death, God and the universe.
It is where I lifted my favorite “hitler went to heaven” quip. It shocks a lot of people but has given me comfort.
Comment by annamanila — June 20, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
To annamanila: Oh, I am not surprised about the reactions on that “hitler” thing; could that be palatable, hitler going to heaven?
If I finish this first installment, I could perhaps start on the other two. But so busy really right now, especially the kids are in school and got to fetch them daily. Driving could at times be so strenous a conduct.
Comment by Major Tom — June 20, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
It gives me a lot of comfort simply because if Hitler went to heaven, then I would be a shoo-in.
It is another way of saying (and i think this is also in that book 1) that God is so big, no one, NO ONE can ever miss him.
Have you reached yet the parable of why we, little lights, were sent by the big light into the material world? Gustong-gusto ko ang explanation.
Comment by annamanila — June 22, 2007 @ 12:54 am
To annamanila: Not yet. But I’ll try to find some reading time this coming weekend. So busy right now.
Thanks for this foregrounder.
One of the factor I like most about this book is its style; sort of in a mode of realism that old Russian writers do.
Comment by Major Tom — June 23, 2007 @ 6:55 am