God: A Story Of Revelation (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
I really liked his views within this book, unfortunately I had to basically wait until the Epilogue to hear them. Chopra highlights stories from myriad religious backgrounds and faiths to illustrate the term we all know as GOD. He utilizes stories from Job, Socrates, Paul, Shakara, Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Giordano Bruno, Anne Hutchinson, Baal Shem Tov, and Rabindranath Tagore to illustrate his point at the end, I just wish there were more pages because I liked what he had to say. Left me feeling like at the end of Unbreakable where the ending felt rushed as this book did. I have not read his works before so would be open to reading more by him in the future. He definitely has a vast knowledge of Eastern Philosophy that I am not as well read regarding that I'd like to explore through his writings. I really wasn't sure whether to put this in my fiction or non-fiction shelves. Probably belongs in fiction, but....Disclaimer: I have mixed feelings about Chopra. He often has interesting ideas that can spur the kind of late-night debates that require a good bottle of wine or two, but the whole superstar guru with the exclusive retreat and high dollar lifestyle...well, color me skeptical as to his sincerity. The guy's out to make a buck. But then, who isn't? I picked this book up at the library, and didn't really notice the author name (in spite of the very large font). It looked intriguing. Each chapter is a fictionalized account of a figure who contributed in some way to the evolution of thinking about God (by whatever name.) The premise is that these figures were placed in some unpopular, terrifying, and even deadly positions that they never asked to be in. They were ostracized, ridiculed, persecuted, and yet they persisted in their search for connection with the Divine and to speak against the established religious sentiment of their day. The figures include Job, Socrates, St. Paul, Shakara, Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Giordano Bruno, Anne Hutchinson, Baal Shem Tov, and Rabindranath Tagore. We meet each one about the time they experience their greatest trials or the event that changed their inner lives. Of course most of this is speculation and creative license on Chopra's part, but it sets the tone for the discussion about how the concept of God has evolved throughout history because of the challenges individuals make to the established religion of their times and places. Speaking truth to power -- or maybe just speaking up to power -- usually lands the speaker in a lot of hot water. It's a worthwhile read, and likely one of Chopra's least self-promoting efforts.
What do You think about God: A Story Of Revelation (2012)?
I find myself in disagreement one second and the next, I'm blown off my mind .
—bev
