why ask why

I have been rebuked and edified by some classic novels and I have been made hard-hearted by some Christian devotionals. You never know what you'll find, or where.

aaron tate

did you ever see those bud light commercials where the slogan went "why ask why? try bud dry." i never understood that. and it's totally unrelated.

the reason i've included non-christian books i guess is to show that there are plenty wonderful, awesome works of literature and non-fiction created by the non-christian world. many of the worldviews expressed are unbiblical and i do not agree with, but certain messages are definitely valuable. in addition, a different perspective allows the Christian to be challenged in his/her views. conflicting views force us to know why we believe in our own and help us to understand how christian thought is different than non-Christian. it's important that we know that there are different modes of thought and values and why we think that they are incorrect at times and supportive of the ultimate truth at others.

in particular, one might ask why i include some books which may be vulgar or not "positive, encouraging, and safe for the whole family". this is because, quite frankly, sometimes these are the books i read. i don't feel the particular need to have people believe that all the books i read have no cursing or blasphemy (though i obviously disagree with the authors at times), all the music i listen to has no parental advisory sticker, or all the movies i watch are created by disney. the value of "wholesome" entertainment in Christian culture has become far too important in my mind. pg movies and contemporary christian music have become measurements of one's spirituality. while it is most definitely true that we must be careful about what we allow ourselves to hear or see ("Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or priseworthy - think about such things." - Philippians 4:8), i do not believe that christian sub-culture which deems anything outside of it as unholy and heathen is what the Apostle Paul had in mind.

It simply seems so odd to me that we are so quick to judge the young man with baggy paints rather than the smartly-dressed but thoroughly self-righteous and proud suburbanite.

though now i have digressed far too long. all i really mean is that cultural taboos have no hold on the christian and only the morals which are unchanging and not dependent on what middle-class suburbanites find offensive.

i don't believe that offensive things (cursing i suppose is the most obvious one) are necessarily sinful. and i think the inclusion of books containing offensive ideas or words on this website is simply due to the fact that these books do influence, educate, or otherwise entertain. they are part of my life and as all things in everyone's life are religious (drinking orange juice can be done for the glory of God; washing dishes is no less spiritual than praying, etc.), their inclusion seems logical.

i'm way confusing. but hopefully that explained a little.

click on the book title to read a brief summary and review. also on that page will be a link to excerpts from the book.

by awesomeness

by subject

by author

book excerpts

some good non-christian books