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jedster247's review
5.0
Excellent cultural analysis of the challenges we all face in our current day. We’ll-written with outstanding research and thoughtful & biblical responses.
It’s worth reading for his notes alone. He clearly understands the issues and aggregated an incredible collection of thinkers and source material.
It’s worth reading for his notes alone. He clearly understands the issues and aggregated an incredible collection of thinkers and source material.
aebooksandwords's review
4.0
In The Analog Christian, Silicon Valley pastor Jay Y. Kim presents compelling evidence and inspiration toward our need to be watchful regarding the time we spend on the internet, social media, and our smartphones. I was drawn into the book from the beginning by the sharing of the author’s personal experience with the effects of social media during the pandemic, and also by the sharing of disheartening statistics which especially concern young people today.
By making helpful connections to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, this book explains how we can build the values of contentment, resilience, and wisdom in our lives in light of the digital world’s ability to have just the opposite effects on us, causing unhealthy comparison, persistent discontentment, ungodly self-indulgence, and more.
The book rightly echoes the truth of how the world of social media is changing us and causing many to be addicted to it. In fact, the book points out that this is what those behind social media want it, so that we will give more of our time to the frenetic, never-satisfying ilk that it often is. The Analog Christian is a perfect reminder of these things, again fueling us to say no to allowing the digital world to fool us into giving it so much of our time. With the focus on the fruit of the Spirit, the reader is drawn into the things that truly matter, qualities that we should seek to grow in in our daily lives.
The only frustration I had with the book was when something would be written as “this is why _______ said…,” but it the *why* of what they said actually can’t be 100% known for certain. For example, the book might say, “This is why Paul begins and ends his letter to the Romans” in such and such way, rather than “Perhaps this is why Paul…” Maybe I’m just being picky, but it bothers me when anyone does that unless the Bible explicitly says why, especially because I know those in my generation and younger would likely pick something like this apart in an unhelpful way to their faith.
All in all, The Analog Christian contains a essential, timely message for our time, especially for those born in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and younger. Just as I found in this book myself, the reader is bound to discover a vast wealth of wisdom, wisdom that we desperately need to understand and to heed. By taking this book’s message to heart, we can take back the reigns from a world of smartphones and social media which so often affects us adversely and seeks to influence us in problematic ways.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
By making helpful connections to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, this book explains how we can build the values of contentment, resilience, and wisdom in our lives in light of the digital world’s ability to have just the opposite effects on us, causing unhealthy comparison, persistent discontentment, ungodly self-indulgence, and more.
The book rightly echoes the truth of how the world of social media is changing us and causing many to be addicted to it. In fact, the book points out that this is what those behind social media want it, so that we will give more of our time to the frenetic, never-satisfying ilk that it often is. The Analog Christian is a perfect reminder of these things, again fueling us to say no to allowing the digital world to fool us into giving it so much of our time. With the focus on the fruit of the Spirit, the reader is drawn into the things that truly matter, qualities that we should seek to grow in in our daily lives.
The only frustration I had with the book was when something would be written as “this is why _______ said…,” but it the *why* of what they said actually can’t be 100% known for certain. For example, the book might say, “This is why Paul begins and ends his letter to the Romans” in such and such way, rather than “Perhaps this is why Paul…” Maybe I’m just being picky, but it bothers me when anyone does that unless the Bible explicitly says why, especially because I know those in my generation and younger would likely pick something like this apart in an unhelpful way to their faith.
All in all, The Analog Christian contains a essential, timely message for our time, especially for those born in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and younger. Just as I found in this book myself, the reader is bound to discover a vast wealth of wisdom, wisdom that we desperately need to understand and to heed. By taking this book’s message to heart, we can take back the reigns from a world of smartphones and social media which so often affects us adversely and seeks to influence us in problematic ways.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
cj_quartlbaum's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
panda_incognito's review
5.0
Back in 2020, I greatly enjoyed [b:Analog Church|48617255|Analog Church Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age|Jay Y. Kim|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1577720555l/48617255._SY75_.jpg|73953811], Jay Y. Kim's prescient book about the importance of church gatherings and the physical elements of the Christian faith. In this follow-up book, he addresses themes from the pandemic and long-running issues related to people's digital habits and conduct online. I wasn't sure if this book would be as unique and special as Analog Church, but Analog Christian offers a distinct perspective and a helpful framework for understanding the deeper heart issues involved in how our digital devices are shaping us.
Fruits of the Spirit
Kim organizes this book around the fruits of the Spirit, showing how each one helps us heal from the toxic mindsets and behaviors that the digital world cultivates. For example, he writes about choosing love instead of "self-centric despair," and about cultivating peace rather than contempt. He frequently illustrates concepts with meaningful stories, and he weaves Bible verses into his writing in a natural, holistic way. They never seem tacked-on, and are an integral part of his perspective.
I appreciate the depths of wisdom and spiritual maturity that Kim brought to this project, and they especially shine through in the chapters about contempt and hostility. He writes about political division without drawing his own lines in the sand, and he never blames The Other Side for the rage, despair, and relational dysfunction that we see around us. In fact, he never takes a side at all, and when he writes about destructive things that people do, he shares recognizable examples from both sides of the political divide. I'm used to people using the topic of division as a chance to jab at the people they disagree with, but Kim never does this once in the entire book, exemplifying the virtues he is encouraging.
Recommendation
Analog Christian is a great book for mature teenagers and adults who want to reevaluate how the digital world is shaping them. However, this book isn't about life hacks or breaking a phone addiction. It goes much deeper than that. Kim shares essential context about why digital technologies are so influential, seductive, and habit-changing, so no one needs to read a sociological study first, but people like me who have already read lots of books about the dark side of the digital world will still find new insights to ponder here. Kim reframes the whole problem in light of spiritual maturity and habits of character, and in so doing, he provides a path forward that promises far more than surface-level changes.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Fruits of the Spirit
Kim organizes this book around the fruits of the Spirit, showing how each one helps us heal from the toxic mindsets and behaviors that the digital world cultivates. For example, he writes about choosing love instead of "self-centric despair," and about cultivating peace rather than contempt. He frequently illustrates concepts with meaningful stories, and he weaves Bible verses into his writing in a natural, holistic way. They never seem tacked-on, and are an integral part of his perspective.
I appreciate the depths of wisdom and spiritual maturity that Kim brought to this project, and they especially shine through in the chapters about contempt and hostility. He writes about political division without drawing his own lines in the sand, and he never blames The Other Side for the rage, despair, and relational dysfunction that we see around us. In fact, he never takes a side at all, and when he writes about destructive things that people do, he shares recognizable examples from both sides of the political divide. I'm used to people using the topic of division as a chance to jab at the people they disagree with, but Kim never does this once in the entire book, exemplifying the virtues he is encouraging.
Recommendation
Analog Christian is a great book for mature teenagers and adults who want to reevaluate how the digital world is shaping them. However, this book isn't about life hacks or breaking a phone addiction. It goes much deeper than that. Kim shares essential context about why digital technologies are so influential, seductive, and habit-changing, so no one needs to read a sociological study first, but people like me who have already read lots of books about the dark side of the digital world will still find new insights to ponder here. Kim reframes the whole problem in light of spiritual maturity and habits of character, and in so doing, he provides a path forward that promises far more than surface-level changes.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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