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lionserr 's review for:
Okay, okay you caught me, I'm an atheist. Though I seemed to like this book a liiiittle bit more than other atheists, by their reviews. I thought the book was cute. I'm glad the little boy didn't die (even though he was surrounded by incompetence). However, I'm a little scared of what he's going to grow up to be. He nearly disrupted a funeral service because he HAD to know if the man had had Jesus in his heart. Preschoolers are just like that, they grow out of that, him being disruptive isn't what I'm worried about. It's the intolerance of those that believe something different than him. His parents need to check that before it's too late.
I read this book because that's what one of my book club members chose. And I knew, being the only atheist in the book club, that I was going to have a hard time discussing this book with the rest of the club which is made up of mostly devout Christians. So I tried to go into this book with the most open mind that I could manage. Which is why I think I like this book slightly more than the other atheists that have reviewed it. I definitely didn't take it as solid truth, but I don't think anyone is *lying* either. I think this little boy believes what he's saying, though near the end (when he got to the sword/Satan/Armageddon stuff) I think he was making it up because he'd been getting attention from this one Heaven story for years at that point. More details = more attention. I also think Dad might have exaggerated a bit, like we all do. What I absolutely thought was RIDICULOUS was how *shocked* and *awed* his parents were every time he spoke about his experience. "He had no way of knowing that" "He'd never been taught that" "He didn't even know the word for that" yeah, bull. That boy grew up in a VERY religious home and spent a LOT of time in church. He is basically surrounded by Christianity 24/7. I'm SURE he knew what the pearly gates were. I'm SURE he knew that Jesus sat on the right hand side of God. I'm SURE he knew everyone there wore white. *I* knew all of that at a very young age and I was raised in an atheist home!
But honestly I don't have TOO much of a problem with this book. Like I said, I think it was cute. I think it showed the love this father has for his family (though, like another reviewer noted, I saw a bit of sexism here and there) and it was a quick read so it's not like I wasted much time or anything.
And now I'm off to go read The Golden Compass XD
I read this book because that's what one of my book club members chose. And I knew, being the only atheist in the book club, that I was going to have a hard time discussing this book with the rest of the club which is made up of mostly devout Christians. So I tried to go into this book with the most open mind that I could manage. Which is why I think I like this book slightly more than the other atheists that have reviewed it. I definitely didn't take it as solid truth, but I don't think anyone is *lying* either. I think this little boy believes what he's saying, though near the end (when he got to the sword/Satan/Armageddon stuff) I think he was making it up because he'd been getting attention from this one Heaven story for years at that point. More details = more attention. I also think Dad might have exaggerated a bit, like we all do. What I absolutely thought was RIDICULOUS was how *shocked* and *awed* his parents were every time he spoke about his experience. "He had no way of knowing that" "He'd never been taught that" "He didn't even know the word for that" yeah, bull. That boy grew up in a VERY religious home and spent a LOT of time in church. He is basically surrounded by Christianity 24/7. I'm SURE he knew what the pearly gates were. I'm SURE he knew that Jesus sat on the right hand side of God. I'm SURE he knew everyone there wore white. *I* knew all of that at a very young age and I was raised in an atheist home!
But honestly I don't have TOO much of a problem with this book. Like I said, I think it was cute. I think it showed the love this father has for his family (though, like another reviewer noted, I saw a bit of sexism here and there) and it was a quick read so it's not like I wasted much time or anything.
And now I'm off to go read The Golden Compass XD