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 An Irresistible Revolution...the Simple Way July 3, 2008
If you're ready to roll up your sleeves, and march in God's army, pick up a copy of The Irresistible Revolution and get ready to load up on some serious ammunition. And for good measure, you'll also get a fresh compass and a friend to help you dig out of the trenches and be counted as a radical who is courageous and foolish enough to stand out as a true follower of Christ.
From the streets of Calcutta, to war-zones of Iraq, to neighbourhood slums, to money-multiplying Wall Street, Shane Claiborne transports the face of Christ into a suffering and lonely world. In Irresistible Revolution, he converts his stories into a compelling case for the "ordinary radical" . His down to earth style will engage you, much like a conversation with an old friend. But be prepared, much of what he has to say is far from comfortable. In these pages you will be dared to take up your cross, and tear down some walls. You will hear first hand of the miracle of community, of working together, being one body in Christ. You will be asked to drop the rock of unforgiveness and embrace the poor, the needy and the "ugly". And kiss complacency good-bye.
Watch out for the gut-wrenching and heart-breaking moments laced in pain...and some joyful, triumphant ones. Watch how you never lose the distinct feeling that Jesus is right there walking through every page as you read along. You will sense his presence watching over you, holding out His hand, insisting, "Come follow me...come and see." Watch yourself capture a fresh and renewed understanding of who Jesus was and what He asks of you...and behold the absolute ironic beauty of a revolution (a heart revolv-ing around Him) that is truly irresistible.
Shane Tells and Shows a New Way to Live June 26, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Shane shares in a clear and compelling way a revolutionary way of living and relating to others that can, one person at a time, bring about change in small but significant steps. He indicates the way to make a difference in the world is by each person living and relating differently, not by governments or political systems. He doesn't just tell us what we should do he shares his story as he actually lives out what he believes. A great read that you won't want to put down. Be careful however it can ruin your life and move you from comfortable to uncomfortable with the way things are and what you are doing to make a difference through your life.
 Spirituality in the Real World June 2, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Not all of us are called to live as Shane lives, but this is an excellent book to get us thinking about what Jesus calls us to do/be in the real world of today's culture.
 Inconsistent message May 22, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I read Shane's book, and was so inspired that I asked him to speak at our church. Funny thing that he elects poverty but wouldn't come to my church, jokingly turning us down because we didn't offer him enough money. I hope he walks his talk, and perhaps it's just his advisors who are sending the inconsistent message.
A Bold Resistance to the Status Quo May 10, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Shane "gets it," despite what some intelligent, well-meaning reviews/reviewers suggest. God is not something "out there" waiting to judge, condemn and/or save believers and cast into hell the non-believers. God is in our action. In our kneeling eye-level comfort of a child, in our compassion for others, in our empathy and tears and laughter and, most of all, in our selfless efforts toward the poor and downtrodden, i.e. those who have less than us. Selfless energy gives life to the Divine spark that resides in humankind, the Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Agnostics, Atheists, etc.
You don't need to "believe" this, you already know it. We can feel it in our gut when we help others. Divine goodness is inherent in all humanity, not just those who pledge a particular fraternity of faith.
The genius of "Irresistible Revolution" is its ability to cut through biblical argument and liberal-versus-conservative rhetoric to get to that core point of righteous living. Shane's message is in perfect sync with the messages of the great prophets of the past. Ageless advice handed down by parents everywhere, secular and devout, East and West teach us that we are to treat others as we would like to be treated. That's the universal Golden Rule. All the big tents teach it, preach it and/or live it.
The law of karma is the lifeblood of Buddhism and Hinduism: What goes around comes around. Muhammad in his final pilgrimage to Mecca told followers: "Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you." In Buddhist scripture, Siddhartha, the first Buddha and founder of Buddhism, said, "Consider others as yourself." The supreme philosopher of ancient China, Master Kung (Confucius), said, "What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others."
The great Jewish scholar Rabbi Hillel, a sage and spiritual leader in the time of Jesus and King Herod, was once asked to sum up all the lessons of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, written by Moses and accepted by Islam). Hillel was asked to deliver his answer while standing on one foot. Succinctly, in other words. He replied, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man: this is the whole law; the rest is just commentary."
Chicago activist Saul Alinsky, like Shane, was a brash social organizer who became a champion for the poor. In Alinsky's 1971 book, "Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals," Alinsky argues for the use of aggressive nonviolent tactics for the good of all mankind, even when the action goes against the laws and politics of the land.
Similar to Shane, Alinsky espoused the view of the eighteenth-century humanist Johann Wolfgang Goethe, who'd said, "Conscience is the virtue of observers and not of agents of action." Alinsky wrote that "in action one does not always enjoy the luxury of a decision that is consistent both with one's individual conscience and the good of mankind. [But] the choice must always be for the latter. Action is for mass salvation and not for the individual's personal salvation."
It's selfless, in other words.
To Alinsky, "means-and-end moralists" and "practical revolutionaries," as he defined them, are opposing forces. The former maintains the status quo; the latter works for change.
To me, that's why "The Irresistible Revolution" is irresistible. Change is urgently needed. No one can stare into the gargantuan gap of our economic divide and honestly arrive at any other conclusion.
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