When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs

When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs
Average customer rating:

Excellent and insightful

Excellent book, but take it with a grain of salt

required reading for the religious

Blood on our Hands

Five Warning Signs of Religion Becoming Corrupted

When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs
Charles Kimball
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Sociology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Philosophy of Religion | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society, 13)

A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation

Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill

Holy Terrors, Second Edition: Thinking About Religion After September 11

Children at War

ASIN: 0060556102
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

Top Religion Book of 2002--Publishers Weekly

The Five Warning Signs of Corruption in Religion

Absolute Truth Claims
Blind Obedience
Establishing the "Ideal" Time
The End Justifies Any Means
Declaring Holy War

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and insightful.......2007-03-12

This book was written about religion generally. It goes through the signs of an oppressive or bad belief system. These are belief systems that can influence members to do things which are harmful to society as a whole. In general these groups are the fundamentalist religions. The five items are:
1) Claims of Absolute truth
2) Blind obedience
3) Establish an ideal time (millennium, great cleansing, Armageddon)
4) The end justifies the means
5) Willingness to wage a "holy war"

As a former Mormon I read the book with real interest and found that Mormonism is 5 for 5.

Excellent book, but take it with a grain of salt.......2007-01-20

The author is a professor of religion, author of books on it, and has worked with the good and the bad elements of religions around the world. He's been involved in the process of negotiating with religious extremists that have taken hostages and the like, too. That is, the guy has had practical experiences to draw upon, and he shares them in some detail.

He also does a good job of documenting good and evil acts in all the major religions and many offshoots and cults. Even the People's Temple of Jim Jones was shown to have many admirable characteristics. The book also breaks down "we" and "they," giving a complex view of various religious groups, especially Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. (The author makes a case that these 3 are really the same religion.) To a lesser extent, he goes into other religions (and cults based on them), particularly Buddhism and Hinduism. He doesn't just deal with the various religions as monolithic wholes, but breaks them down even further into different traditions. Another thing he explores is how each of these religions has been interpreted in about an infinite amount of ways. People just can't really come up with anything new about these scriptures that someone else hasn't already done before. And the views can be incredibly different.

Overall, he tries to maintain an objective stance. His view comes out, but he tries to show how other views come out and seem valid to others. One thing I noticed is that he also ignores certain verses. For example, he listed 2 Koranic verses that command a tolerance of Christians and Jews and even others. I went to the library and looked 'em up in the Koran. Sure enough, the verses say that. BUT when I kept on reading, there were conditions put on it, and it basically meant that they were to be tolerated as long as they lived in submission to Islamic law, however that was interpreted. There were many other verses that promoted violence against unbelievers and those who did not live by the Koran, too.

He also goes on how Islam is a "religion of peace" and mentions the traditional, "Peace be unto you," while not exploring that "peace" and "submission" pretty much mean the very same thing in the langauge it was originally done in. That is, it's also saying, "Slavery onto you that will bring you peace."

He does seem to think that no theocracy can maintain itself or be good. And while he lists himself as a Baptist, he sounded like a Unitarian Universalist to me.

He also ended the book with a chapter on how to avoid becoming evil through religion. While it was like a nice editorial, it was based on what people SHOULD do. But if people did what they SHOULD do, then the problem wouldn't exist in the first place. But most people don't, and I don't see any reason why they'd start. For changing one's self, great, and I think this book can help understand the various religions and political forces involved with them (in America, the Taliban, in history, etc) a lot better with this book. But while the historical and contemporary manifestations of religious belief were just as hopeful as they are terrifying, I can't say his final chapter made me particularly hopeful. And I'd say it can be summed up real easy with "Join a Unitarian Universalist church." (not that he mentioned the UUs.) Then all else he promoted would fall into place. (Technically, one can be Christian or Hindu or even agnostic and still go to a UU church. I should also point out that I'm NOT UU, btw, so I'm not hawking my religion here.)

But I do highly recommend the book because I think it does a really good job of explaining the complex forces involved and the good and bad about religion, as well as the danger signs of religion becoming evil. But despite that, I think he has his own rose-colored glasses on, so take it with a grain of salt.

required reading for the religious.......2007-01-18

Religion has done much good in many times and places, but it has also been the source and cause of horrible evils. As I write, the world just commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide where Christian Hutus killed almost a million fellow Christian Tutsis. If you read your papers carefully enough you'll also know of the unfolding genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan where government backed Muslims are killing fellow Muslims. In 1487 the Aztecs sacrificed 20,000 people in four days at the consecration of a temple. Widow burning, caste systems, female genital mutilation, witch hunts, ritual abuse, ethnic cleansing, suicide bombers, apartheid, murdering abortion doctors---all these evils and more have enlisted religion for its cause.

A few years ago Mark Juergensmeyer published an important book entitled Terror in the Mind of God; The Global Rise of Religious Violence (2000). In it he devoted successive chapters to violence by Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists. Kimball revisits the same, disturbing and disheartening theme but takes a thematic approach. Alarms should go off when religion exhibits any of the five characteristics he identifies: fanatical claims of absolute truth, blind obedience to totalitarian, charismatic or authoritarian leaders, actively trying to usher in the end times, justifying religious ends by any means, and any and all forms of dehumanization. We might also add pressure tactics of coercion, deception and false advertisement, alienation and isolation from one's family or community, and any and all forms of exploitation (time, money, sex, etc.).

Anne Lamott recounts how her therapist advised her that when God hates all the same people that you hate, then you can be confident that you have created Him in your own image. God give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to love our neighbor as ourselves, for as Jesus said, this is the ultimate barometer of my love for the God I claim to follow

Blood on our Hands.......2007-01-10

Since I finished reading it, I have been recommending this book to everyone I know who is a reader, interested in politics, or concerned about the state of the world today. It is written humbly, accessibly, engagingly, without attacking anyone's belief, but showing that representatives of all the world's religions have allowed cultural hatred to lead to bloodshed, in the name of religious faith. I especially commend it to anyone who fears Islam, thinking it an evil, violent faith. Kimball, an ordained Baptist minister with a Th.D. from Harvard University, specialized in Islamic studies, has been involved in high level conversations in the Mid-East. As he points out, "whether or not one is personally religious, it is imperative that we all try to understand and address . . . behavior in religion that threatens everyone." His five warning signs are right on the mark, and will raise your awareness that we have a responsibility to speak out against evil, especially when under the guise of religious belief.

Five Warning Signs of Religion Becoming Corrupted.......2006-06-26

Dr. Kimball is a committed Christian; an ordained Baptist minister who teaches in a Divinity school. Part of what he is committed to is the notion that religion should always be a force for good. In this book, Dr. Kimball discusses five recognizable symptoms of immanent or established corruption of religion, which can transform what was good into a force for evil. When one or more of these symptoms appear, corruption is very likely to follow. By recognizing these symptoms, people of good will may be able to take corrective action in time to prevent their religious institutions from turning bad, or, failing that, to turn them back around.

The five symptoms are:

1. Absolute Truth Claims. Especially dangerous are claims to be the "Only True Religion," non-members of which are to be consigned to Hell, and the multiplicity of such claims makes it a certainty that most or all of them are false. Dr. Kimball has "always been puzzled and saddened by people who make clear that they couldn't be very happy in heaven unless hell was full to overflowing with people who disagree with their particular theology." (p. 208). The notion that 'we' have a monopoly on the truth tends to lead to (in 'our' minds) dehumanizing 'them,' which becomes a (fallacious) justification for mistreating 'them.' (e.g. the systematic raping of Islamic women in Yugoslavia by 'Christian' men, 'in the name of Jesus,' clearly a gross distortion of Jesus' teachings, which Jesus would have most emphatically denounced.

2. Blind Obedience. It is much easier for a religious leader to control the flock if no questions are raised. As my late friend John Metras said to one such, "If God didn't want me to think, why did He give me a brain?"

3. Establishing the "Ideal" Time. This is virtually always a time far enough in the past that no living person has actually observed it first hand, so claims of its ideal nature will not be subject to eyewitness refutation.

4. The End Justifies Any Means. Example: "At times, protecting the so-called honor of females and their families becomes truly absurd. Such was the case on March 11, 2002, when fire broke out at a school for girls in Mecca. Male firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene, only to be prevented from entering the building by religious police [because] some of the girls inside were not wearing clothing deemed appropriate in public. Fifteen girls perished in the fire." (p. 141)

5. Declaring Holy War. Those who claim a war to be a holy cause "distort the very heart of the religion they claim to be defending." (p. 156) Christians call Jesus the Prince of Peace. Muslims justifiably make a similar claim for Muhammad, and Buddhists could reasonably make such a claim for Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). "Healthy religion speaks not of war but the promise of peace with justice" (p. 183) Who would [Baha'ullah/Buddha/Jesus/Muhammad] bomb? No matter which prophet's name you choose from the list in [brackets], the truthful answer is the same: "Nobody."

Dr. Kimball has devoted much of his life to promoting peace, especially in the Middle East. This book is a significant contribution to that effort.

Average customer rating:

They Just Keep Getting Better and Better
Good story, but it shouldn't include a street guide
A fast pace thriller....
Very Intriguing
Now This One Is Just Excellent!

Warning Signs
Stephen White
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Best Revenge
The Program
Blinded (Dr. Alan Gregory)
Critical Conditions: An Alan Gregory Thriller (Alan Gregory)
Cold Case

ASIN: 0440237416
Release Date: 2003-01-01

Book Description

Sometimes the warning signs come too late...

The brutal slaying of Boulder’s controversial D.A. strikes deep in the heart of everything clinical psychologist Alan Gregory holds dear: After all, Alan’s wife, Lauren, worked for the dead man.

When a new patient walks into Alan’s office—a terrified mother with an explosive secret—he finds himself edging even closer to the darkness. Soon her privileged exchanges convince Alan that a crime is about to be committed. And when he uncovers a shocking link to the D.A.’s slaying, Alan is suddenly locked in the ethical dilemma of his career, thrust into a desperate manhunt for a killer whose identity no one could have guessed.

As the minutes tick down, Warning Signs explodes into a gripping story of crime and punishment, tragedy and retribution—and of human beings caught in the shattering cross fire of forces beyond their control...forces sometimes within themselves.

Download Description

The brutal slaying of Boulder's controversial D.A. strikes deep in the heart of everything clinical psychologist Alan Gregory holds dear: After all, Alan's wife, Lauren, worked for the dead man.

When a new patient walks into Alan's office -- a terrified mother with an explosive secret -- he finds himself edging even closer to the darkness. Soon her privileged exchanges convince Alan that a crime is about to be committed. And when he uncovers a shocking link to the D.A.'s slaying, Alan is suddenly locked in the ethical dilemma of his career, thrust into a desperate manhunt for a killer whose identity no one could have guessed.

As the minutes tick down, Warning Signs explodes into a gripping story of crime and punishment, tragedy and retribution -- and of human beings caught in the shattering cross fire of forces beyond their control... forces sometimes within themselves.

Customer Reviews:

They Just Keep Getting Better and Better.......2007-10-05

I started reading this series from book one, Priviledged Information, and each installment is better than the one before, which is no simple chore. Warning Signs is fast paced and doesn't disappoint. The author can take several seemingly unrelated stories and weave them together in a way that may not always answer all of the questions, but certainly leaves you wondering. The "bad guy" may do horrible things, but the story is told with the psychological insight that doesn't make the reader hate him.

Good story, but it shouldn't include a street guide.......2005-08-09

This is a good page-turner including mystery and psycholgy. But the writer choose to include too many "street guide" details on locations. Sometimes reading the book felt like reading driving directions from Mapquest! It's good do descibe the surroundings, but not to that level of detail.

A fast pace thriller...........2005-01-02

I couldn't lay the book out of my hands until I finished if to the very end.
This is a typical White's book with the brilliant psychological insights and the fast pace rhythm of the plot.
Dr. Alan stand in front of an ethical dilemma - whether to break the client-patient contract or to ignore the "warning signs" and keep his patients secrets with him even though his wife could be in danger for her life...

I enjoyed it a lot and can't wait for the next White's one.

Very Intriguing.......2004-10-31

Annotation: Warning Signs is about the killing of Boulder's very prominent and popular D.A. The clinical psychologist, Dr. Alan Gregory, immediatley worries. His wife did work for the D.A. Alan's new patient seems to represent more than just another hour of pay. She has a secret that will literally, rock, Colorado. Things become especially dangerous when Alan realizes the link between the dead D.A. and his new patient. A definate page turner, never a dull moment.

Author Bio: Stephen White was born on Long Island and raised in New York, New Jersey, and Southern California. He attended the University of California at Irvine and Los Angeles. He graduated Berkley in 1972. He has had many jobs including flying small planes, waiting tables, bar tending, and q Universal Studios (L.A.) tour guide. In 1979 he recieved his Ph.D as as a clinical psychologist from the University of Colorado. All 12 of his Alan Gregory novels have been published making it as a best sellers. His 13th novel in the series, Missing Persons is due out in March 2005.

Evaluation:Warning Signs is about a clinical psychologist, Alan Gregory, living in the picture-esque Boulder, Colorado. First his wife's boss, Royal Peterson, the D.A. of Boulder is killed. From then on a troubling chain of events ensue. Dr.Gregory gets a new patient, Naomi Biggs, who seems desperate to talk to someone. When Naomi's confessions of her son, who turns out to be dead, and his friend Ramp are revealed Dr.Gregory's life is changed. He now has to wonder if he should go to the police, or anyone without being unethical. Life or death of many he knows hangs on whether or not to betray Naomi's confidence. Almost instantly, after Naomi leaves a troubling message and after Dr.Gregory tells his suspicions, they are proven true. Bombs go off everywhere and secrets are no more. Everythings changed from a normal days work to life or death.
I really enjoyed this book because of all the twist and turns. It was hard to know who to trust and who not to. It seemed as if every person had a secret to tell buy only when the time was right. I like how the author added depth to the characters. I felt myself really identifying with different aspects of everyone's personalitys. The book was never annoying or boring and it kept me in suspense until the last page.

Now This One Is Just Excellent!.......2004-06-14

I've been reading my way through Mr. White's novels and after a couple of the previous ones (CRITICAL CONDITIONS and HARM'S WAY), I was about to throw in the towel. Glad he AND I persevered! This novel is a keeper. He didn't do his usual "pile on too much ridiculously unbelievable stuff at the end" and in this one his final revelation of the killer made perfect sense. Mr. White is clearly growing as a writer right before our very eyes. Well done!!

Unfortunately, I can still just barely tolerate Alan Gregory. Too bad Sam isn't the main character and then Alan could be a secondary he calls on occasionally when he needs to watch someone immerse themselves in a "Thirtysomething" type of whinefest. I am so sick of hearing Alan grizzle about confidentiality. He could have prevented Naomi's death if he had got off the fence much sooner. The woman was clearly in terrible crises, I couldn't believe he kept letting her just walk out of his office. Wimp. If he couldn't bring himself to protect her, he should at least have put his family first. He had plenty of latitude for some end runs around confidentiality. Especially when he has the trustworthy Sam to confide in. Whine, whine, whine.

Oh well, Alan is the cross we must bear so I'll try to be gracious. The rest of the characters are so enjoyable. I loved learning more about Lucy, she's wonderful! And I completely sympathized with her feelings toward Ramp. If only he could have channeled himself in a more productive manner, he had much to offer. But he was so right about claiming the only way the world seems to pay attention is after mayhem. So many great topics touched on in this novel and by such compelling characters.

Now if we could just kill off Alan in one of these catastrophes that keep attaching themselves to his family!! And Lauren could marry Cozy.........

Warning Signs
Average customer rating:

Dreadful Signs

Poor research, political blinders, and no new content

follow the signs

Correcting RC Lighthill

Why bother?

Warning Signs
Alan Caruba
Manufacturer: Merril Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Doctrines | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Conservatism | Political Doctrines | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Comparative Government | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Public Policy | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Right Answers: Short Takes on Big Issues: Separating Fact from Fantasy

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism)

America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It

ASIN: 0936783354

Book Description

Collection of the best columns that Alan Caraba has written about environmentalism, animal rights, energy issues, the education system, immigration policies, United Nations, Islamic Holy War and others. These columns have appeared in major newspapers, magazines and internet sites.

Customer Reviews:

Dreadful Signs.......2006-05-11

In his book, Alan Caruba abuses the malicious influence of fear and anxiety in order to establish his baseless ultra-conservative ideas. He mixes fact with fiction to come at conclusions that are far from reality. Our world would have been a much better place today if it wasn't for these so-called "Warning Signs".

Poor research, political blinders, and no new content.......2004-01-28

First of all, this book's entire contents is already available online at the author's website for the National Anxiety Center, so there is no reason at all to waste $12 on a print copy.

Secondly, Caruba can't tell a fact from a hole in the ground. Go through any of his columns and try to verify any of the "facts" upon which his opinions are supposedly based. He frequently gets the basic facts wrong, very wrong. Not everytime, but far more often than is excusable. It's hard tell to if he's a liar or just stupid.

Finally, Caruba is about as conservative as they come-not that being a conservative should, by itself, precludes someone from doing good journalism. But in Caruba's case it does: all his conclusions are entirely in step with conservative dogma, and more often than not, out-of-step with established science. If Caruba occasionally had opinions contrary to conservative dogma, I'd be more inclined to believe he is an indenpendent thinker.

follow the signs.......2003-04-02

With all due deference to the author, I assure you this is meant to be wholly complimentary, we offer the following
analogy: Imagine, if you will, a young man in a penny arcade. He's had one too many Mountain Dews and the
Whack-a-Mole game is stuck in the "On" position. The vermin keep popping up endlessly and the lad is only too
happy to keep hammering them mercilessly. As we observe him, we are struck as much by his enthusiam as by his
persistence. Now, imagine him a grown man. Give him a cudgel formed of his own wit and intelligence, and turn
him loose on all of the nonsense that keeps popping up from the Left on topics like energy, the environment, animal
rights, education, the UN, and Islamicism. Alan Caruba--one time PR man, lifelong resident of the great County of
Essex in New Jersey, and now a prolific conservative columnist--is that man and this collection of essays his
weapon. He's just as much fun to observe, if not quite as manic, as our caffeine-stoked kid, as he pounds away at liberal myths, mistakes, and
outright lies, even though they just keep coming.

Here, for instance, is a particulary appalling example of what he's up against, -ESSAY: Greens Attack US Military (Alan Caruba, September
2001, Conservative Monitor):

"Endangered species has power to halt war training" was the headline on an article in an October 2000 edition of the Washington Times.
Written by Steve Miller and datelined Fort Irwin, California, the article began "What may be one of the most formidable threats to
national security today has a craggy face, scaly arms and, well, he likes a little grass now and then." He was referring to the desert
tortoise.

Soldiers on the Army training center's battlefield were instructed to call a commander if a desert tortoise crawled out of a hole. At that
point, the entire training exercise would stop. This insanity has been repeated on every military base in the nation in one fashion or
another.

The US Defense Department oversees and controls 17 million acres of US land, down from 30 million acres after World War II. It has
been losing the fight for space to train a modern military for years. When asked about the need for national security, a spokesman for the
Bureau of Land Management (the same one that shut off water to the farmers of Klamath Valley) was quoted in the article as saying,
"It is not in our purview to make a determination related to national security. Ours is to make sure the Endangered Species Act is
complied with."

And, after reading that and what follows, it's hard not to agree with his conclusion:

[T]he Greens have infiltrated our military establishment, just as they have done in our nation's schools, and throughout federal and state
government agencies. In every case, they have instituted and supported programs that will continue to have serious consequences for our
national security and sovereignty.

It is time to identify and root out these enemies of our military. A good first step would be to rescind the DoD Office of Environmental
Security. This would help to begin restoring our nation's ability to wage war effectively against its enemies at home and abroad.

Next, this nation has to rid itself of the Endangered Species Act and, ultimately, the greatest enemy of our national security, the
Environmental Protection Agency.

Sure, Saddam's Fedayeen can't stop our troops from driving across the desert, but a bureaucrat and a freakin' turtle can?

Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, the good auspices of web-based magazines like the excellent Enter Stage Right, and the fecundity of his own
mind, you can find many of Mr. Caruba's writings on-line (see below). This book though is an entertaining compendium of his commentaries from
the past couple years on the full range of issues he addresses week in and week out. It will, as he says, "mostly please people whose political choice
is conservatism." Of course, on finishing, you'll wonder how anyone could ignore all the warning signs and choose otherwise. But they do, so
maybe we'd all better grab mallets; here come some more moles...Grade: (B+)

Correcting RC Lighthill.......2003-04-01

In the "review" posted by RC Lighthill, he neglects to mention that he has attacked me, the author, on various Internet boards and chatrooms. As to my scientific credentials, I am a longtime member of the National Association of Science Writers, in addition to other prestigious writers and authors organizations. I am fortunate to have some of the nation's top scientists advise me on any topic addressed in the book regarding science issues.

The best way to enjoy my commentaries is, indeed, to purchase the book and, after that, visit my website for The National Anxiety Center in the same way as half a million others do each month. My weekly column, "Warning Signs", is posted there. It is also excerpted on more than thirty other news and opinion websites and occasionally published as Editorial Opinions in leading US daily newspapers.

It's said you are known as much for your enemies as your friends. Well, RC is no friend, but I know you will be after you read Warning Signs, the book!

Why bother?.......2003-03-26

"Warning Signs" content is a selection of titles from a continuing series of articles by Mr. Caruba that are available--no charge--from archives at his website. It's not hard to find simply use "Caruba" as a search term.

The articles are written with a very, how shall I put it, select audience in mind. Perusal of other published titles in the Merril Press (one "L") collection will illustrate this point for anyone who is inclined to do some checking.

While Mr. Caruba's articles address a wide range of topics it should be noted that he has no scientific credentials. His background is in public relations and journalism. Anyone who reads him should bare this in mind.

Warning Signs: A Guidebook for Parents How to Read the Early Signals of Low Self-Esteem, Addiction, and Hidden Violence in Your Children
Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT BOOK...everyone should read this

Warning Signs

Warning Signs

Reading the Warning Signs

What Parents Fear Most

Warning Signs: A Guidebook for Parents How to Read the Early Signals of Low Self-Esteem, Addiction, and Hidden Violence in Your Children
John J. Kelly
Manufacturer: LifeLine Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Development | Child Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Pediatrics | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem

Smart Discipline(R): Fast, Lasting Solutions for Your Child's Self-Esteem and Your Peace of Mind

The Personal Workbook for Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Recovery from LSE

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0895261898

Book Description

With over twelve years experience counseling addicts, alcoholics, and co-dependents in inpatient and outpatient treatment, John Kelly has uncovered what he believes to be the common cause of all addictions and destructive behavior: low self-esteem experienced during the childhood or adolescence of addicts.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT BOOK...everyone should read this.......2003-08-14

EXCELLENT BOOK!!!!! Everyone in the world should read this book. Especially if you are a parent, teacher, or counselor.

Dr. John Kelly is a psychotherapist, a recovered addict, and a loving father of 3 sons.

Dr. Kelly teaches skills to parents, counselors and teachers on how to draw out the child's self-respect and confidence. It is a wonderful book that can be quickly read. It is a must for all people who will raise, counsel or teach children.

Dr. Kelly runs his own clinic that specializes in addictions and asserts convincingly that

1) The root cause of all addictions and most violence is low self-esteem. Long before the addictions begin (whether the addiction is alcohol, drugs, gambling, compulsive clean "freaks", craving excessive attention, codependent relationships, bulimia, anorexia, or overachieving, etc.) low self-esteem was firmly in place and began developing in early childhood. Whatever the addiction, a drink or purging, etc., is used to anesthetize the person's feelings of low self-esteem.

2) Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem can be manifested in children as young as 5 and 6 years old. Teens as young as 11 and 12 have been found to contemplate suicide b/c of low self-esteem.

3) Low self-esteem is epidemic in our society. Low Self-Esteem should be classified as a "disease" and is the largest health problem facing the United States. It hits well educated and poorly educated people as well as rich and poor individuals. It does not discriminate.

4) CHILDREN NEED TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS, ESPECIALLY FEELINGS OF ANGER. They need a healthy outlet to feel and express their pain. Anger is usually a companion of Low Self-Esteem. If internalized, the anger can lead to depression, or addictions, or psychosomatic illness, such as asthma, intense headaches, ulcers, hypertension, etc. It can also lead to violence as the child gets older. THE GREATEST SINGLE SOURCE OF ANGER AMONG MANY OF THE CHILDREN WHO BECAME DANGEROUS CRIMINALS IS THAT THEIR PARENTS (SPECIFICALLY FATHERS, FOR MOST BOYS) WERE NOT AROUND.

5) Proper vigilant parenting is essential in raising children who will possess high self-esteem. Recent studies have shown that on average, mothers spend 11 min/day of "quality time" with their children, and fathers 8 min/day. There is no such thing as "quality time". The "quality" is found in the "quantity of time" you spend with your children. Apathetic parents who put more emphasis on material wealth for their children forget that children "want" material things, but "need" parental "quality time"... Children NEED love, attention, interest, affection MORE than they need the newest Sony Playstation 2 or computers or computer games.

6) Boys need their fathers, and girls need their mothers. Children need both parents.

7) Parents should never yell at their children, nor physically, emotionally or sexually abuse their children. They must not be demanding "perfection," nor be an "enabling" parent, nor "apathetic".

GET THIS BOOK. YOU WON'T BE SORRY!!!

Warning Signs.......2002-11-11

This is a book that anyone can read and feel a sense of understanding about. Mr. Kelly hits the nail on the head w/ regards to self esteem and its relationship to the addictive process. I also like how he gives examples throughout the book as identifiers.

As a therapist in the addictions/eap field I have suggested this book on more that one occasion to individuals coming in to discuss the concerns for their children. It speaks to the lay person in common sense language and guides them on a path that can be difficult but will pay benefits in healthier family relations and children who will have improved skills to navigate the many obstacles to becoming productive individuals.

Warning Signs.......2002-06-02

John Kelly makes key points when he reminds his readers that adolescents have not fully matured emotionally. Parents need to help their children through their emotional growth. Parents are helping their children when they keep a close watch on them and also when they provide behavioral boundaries such as strict curfews, appropriate activities and guidance in selecting friends.

The book is well written, with many case studies. It is a quick but important read.

Reading the Warning Signs.......2002-05-22

Warning Signs by John Kelly and Brian J. Karem is a must- read for parents in this demanding and fast paced world where nurture and love are essential for developing a healthy value system for childhood development.

Easy to read and chocked full of common sense based on years of counseling troubled children and their parents, Kelly gives practical advice and sets priorities where they should be. Those of us who have children intrinsically know we should spend time with them and that building self esteem pays untold dividends in the future. Our actions as well as our words convey messages that our children pick up on and listening to what they say is vital.

When something cataclysmic happens most of us turn to see if our loved ones are unharmed. As parents time invested with our children ought to be our first priority rather than the more superficial goals we chase each day. Thanks, John for the advice.

Frank Adamson Retired Chief of Criminal Investigations King County Sheriffs Department
Seattle, Washington.

What Parents Fear Most.......2002-04-06

"Warning Signs" by John Kelly w/Brian Karem addresses in an easy-to-read manner, many of the tough questions we face as parents each day. It assists us to read our children's moods and interpret their behavior before more serious events occur.

It traces low self-esteem as the basis for various problem behaviors. Like most parents in their forties, we came of age during the drug/sexual revolution. However there's a whole new world of substances and other unhealthy behaviors out there facing our kids each day that we never had to face. This book acts like a road-map to navigate parents through the warning signs of your kids' behavior. What parents fear most is our kids getting lost to addiction and other unhealthy behaviors. What gives me solace is, among other things, the existence of practical guides like this book addressing the underlying reasons to addiction and ways for parents to intervene.

The Top 13 Warnings Signs That It's Time to Retire
Average customer rating:
The Top 13 Warnings Signs That It's Time to Retire
Jim Grant, Betty Hollas & Donna Whyte Char Forsten
Manufacturer: Crystal Springs Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

You Know You're a Teacher if . . .

What Teachers Do When No One is Looking

What Principals Do When No One is Looking

Just One More Thing!

What Makes a Good Teacher? Here's What the Kids Say!

ASIN: 1884548849

Product Description

If you can relate to five or more of the situtations described in this book, it may be time to start thinking about retiring. If you can relate to ten or more, it is time to retire. If you can relate to every one..well..you already are retired. Aren't you?

Dangerous Relationships: How to Identify and Respond to the Seven Warning Signs of a Troubled Relationship

Average customer rating:

Instructions for Life
Purge Your Fears

Dangerous Relationships: How to Identify and Respond to the Seven Warning Signs of a Troubled Relationship
Noelle Nelson
Manufacturer: Perseus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dysfunctional Relationships | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
But I Love Him: Protecting Your Teen Daughter from Controlling, Abusive Dating Relationships
How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved: Describes 8 Types of Dangerous Men, Gives Defense Strategies and a Red Alert Checklist for Each, and Includes Stories of Successes and Failures
The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize it and How to Respond
In Love and In Danger: A Teen's Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 073820465X
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Book Description

How to recognize the dangerous turning points in a relationship and safely diffuse tension between partners, lovers, and friends.

"A powerful and important book!...Dangerous Relationships could be a life saver." -Susan Forward, Therapist and Author, Men Who Hate Women & The Women Who Love Them and Toxic Parents

"I would highly recommend this book to anyone who may be in a violent relationship, or to a relative or close personal friend who has concerns about the safety of someone they love." -Diane P. McGauley, Executive Director, The Family Place, Chair, Texas Council on Family Violence

Possessiveness, insensitivity, and a sudden personality change are all warning signs of a potential abuser. Dangerous Relationships will help readers recognize a potentially violent personality before it's too late. Interweaving real-life stories of four couples, Dr. Noelle Nelson highlights dangerous turning points in relationships and explains how readers can safely diffuse tension between their spouses, lovers, or roommate and protect themselves from abuse.

Customer Reviews:

Instructions for Life.......2006-05-25

This is a great book for anyone who's ever had a psycho spouse, lover or roomate. Or even if you don't want one, then read this book!

Purge Your Fears.......2005-07-12

It has been two years since my ex-boyfriend attacked me. And I am only now allowing myself to open up to a new relationship. This book gave me permission to let go of the hurt and confusion. I now have the tools to tell the difference between someone who will hurt me and someone who will care for me. I have asked several of my friends and family members to read it. The information is invalueable to all.

Average customer rating:

Extremely Informative
FANTASTIC
Does nothing to help.
Sisters need to take notice and be aware
An epidemic?

20 Warning Signs of Down Low Brothers
Nubia
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of 'Straight' Black Men Who Sleep with Men
Down Low Secrets: A Story About Black Men Who Have Sex with Other Men
Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies, and Denial in Black America
My Husband Is on the Down Low... And I Know About It
On The Up And Up: A Survival Guide for Women Living with Men on the Down Low

ASIN: 1411619943

Book Description

20 Warning Signs of Down Low Brothers is a self-help book dedicated to stop the spread of HIV among black women as it relates to secrets of bi-sexual men sexual behaviors. In includes CDC statistics and 20 ways to tell if your man is secretly having sex with other men.

Customer Reviews:

Extremely Informative.......2006-07-11

This book is a very good example of what sisters need to determine which brothers might be on the down low. The book is full of well needed information on the down low issues facing the black community today. The book was very helpful in determining what to look for in brothers who are on the DL. The 20 warning signs were very informative and straight to the point. This is a must read for all sisters of color. Many thanks to Nubia for taking the time to publish a much needed book on the warning signs of brothers living life on the down low.

FANTASTIC.......2006-05-24

Information books like this one are so badly needed to help bring a stop to this GENOCIDE (a planned anniliation) against black women. These grossly pernicious (tending to cause serious harm, evil) acts should be treated as attempted murder. So many of these so called brothers, target men with families. UGLY

Does nothing to help........2006-04-19

The ONLY thing which books like this one accomplish is make those Black and Latino women that are already paranoid even more so--not only does it NOT shed any new light on this whole DL phenomenon but it does nothing to help. The proliferation of books on this extremely controversial subject has not done much for anyone as most of them are as tabloidy and sensationalist as can be. J.L. King's bestseller "On The Down Low" is a far better and much more REALISTIC read.

Sisters need to take notice and be aware.......2006-01-31

This book is a good reference and opens sisters eyes about the dangers of encounting a sexual relationship with a down low brother. Ths live interview is very real and makes you think about your sexual behaviors in the past. In addition, the book has good statistics from the CDC that every sister should take very seriously. The 20 warning signs are a good spice in this book, they make sisters sit back and review their men actions and the company they keep. This is a very good read and a very good reference guide for sisters who are concerned about the DL.

An epidemic?.......2005-12-10

Marrying a gay man is an epidemic? Please. This book was a very poor excuse at trying to make sense of "Down Low" brothers.

I think my biggest beef with the book was the chapter on HIV, and trying to make it sound as if it's due to the "brothers on the down low" who sleep with other men. HIV doesn't discriminate. It affects all sexualitys, all races and all genders. Her blaming HIV infection increases strictly on gay men is unfair. Any one can get HIV+, and I'm sorry, this book bordered on hate speech.

When Nations Die: Ten Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis

Average customer rating:

I'm glad the author's not my university professor
An attempt to sell this book
An eye-opener!
Is it too late for America?
The Truth Always Hurts

When Nations Die: Ten Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis
Jim Nelson Black
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Freefall of the American University: How Our Colleges Are Corrupting the Minds and Morals of the Next Generation

ASIN: 0842380078

Book Description

In presenting the common factors that caused past civilizations to decline, Black identifies which warning signs are present in America and urges readers to take specific action against them.

Customer Reviews:

I'm glad the author's not my university professor.......2006-12-29

The dust jacket states that the author teaches at the "university level". If so, he should know that in 146 B.C. Rome was still a republic, not an empire. I stopped reading at page 36 where he stated that Rome was an empire at that time. As the Romans might have said: "falsus in unius, falsus in omnibus."

An attempt to sell this book.......2004-03-28

I read the other reviews and am pleased with them. I read Jim's book and am pleased with it. I only add a log on the fire for potential customers...buy it. It is simple to read, clear, and Jim has done his homework. The bibliography at the end of the book is worth the purchase alone. Jim covers the distinctives of moral, social, and theological collapse. Thanks Jim, working the bibliography beyond your fine work. (By the way, I always use first names, never last and never titles, including John at the Vatican. I call Jesus Jesus, I call John John. As Augustine said, "Humility, humility, humility".)

An eye-opener!.......2001-09-03

This book accurately documents the sad state that this nation (USA) is in. It is almost depressing to see where we've fallen from. It is a clarion call for Christians in America to wake up and strive for faithfulness, before God sets us on the shelf completely.

When reading this book, it is interesting (and scary!) to compare our present state with that of other nations that have fallen throughout history. Rome comes immediately to mind. We are on the downward slope, picking up speed.

Is it too late for America?.......2000-04-28

"When Nations Die" proclaims the obvious. America is currently on the wrong track and many indications suggest that we are careening out of control headed for a crash. Some will dismiss this scholarly book as "right-wing fanaticism," but common sense demands that we look a little deeper. Why have so many great empires collapsed throughout history? Is it just a coincidence that several traits existed in every mighty nation that took a fall?

When Pope John Paul speaks of our current "Culture of Death," he could just as easily reference the latter stages of the Roman Empire or the heydays of Carthage. When many complain of the excesses of big government with its rapacious taxation policies, they could apply that charge to most of the other chronicled nation states. In ancient civilizations the evil practice of sacrificing newborns to the gods was commonplace, and today in America inconvenient babies are killed in their mother's wombs with the government's imprimatur.

Even less obvious example abound. The popular diversity and multiculturalism fads annoy most of us, but too often we dismiss them as silly diversions rather than look to the perils they truly pose. In every once great nation laid low, there were forces working to create class wars and split people apart based on artificial considerations similar to our current "group rights" campaigns. The breakdown of the family, which goes hand-in hand with sexual licentiousness, is equally indicative of past imploded civilizations. Nero's impudent concupiscence could compete with Bill Clinton's any day.

While all decent people in our era are appalled at Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" and much of the other gory garbage ejaculated by Hollywood's poison factories, ancient Rome regularly fed Christians to the lions in front of hordes of howling spectators. (Fortunately, Tinsel Town's tiny brain cells haven't figured out how to get away with that yet.) We currently have prime-time sitcoms populated by sex-crazed sybarites; they had public orgies like the one depicted and vociferously defended by Hollywood's legion of janissaries in "Eyes Wide Shut."

I do have two minor criticism of this work. At times I felt it could have been better organized; in a few cases topics seem to weave in and out. Secondly, I think this version's appendix is incomplete because its abrupt end leaves the reader hanging.

Still, it a badly needed wake-up call. Jim Nelson Black agrees that there is still time for America to turn back from its dangerous course, but as Americans we must all decide if that is what we truly want.

I read this book a few months ago and wrote the above review which for some reason never accepted when I tried downloading it. Since that time we have seen the government of a so-call liberal president have federal forces execute a nazi-caliber raid and kidnap a small child from innocent U.S. citizens. Sadly it may be time to add America's name to the list of nations that have died.

The Truth Always Hurts.......2000-02-09

Mr. Black has given me a great gift, a book that gives concise study of the downfalls of civilizations and then shows the same events going on in American society. The historical value of the book is great in that it gives great insight and research to our societal ills and hopes. We have to learn from history, or else we do end up repeating it. Excellent Book!

Are You Rapture Ready?: Signs, Prophecies, Warnings, and Suspicions that the Endtime Is Now

Average customer rating:

What the heck is this crapola?
:( The Rapture Rap
What if it isn't a convenient time to Rapture?
WONDERFUL, INFORMATIVE, ACCURATE
Why wait?

Are You Rapture Ready?: Signs, Prophecies, Warnings, and Suspicions that the Endtime Is Now
Todd Strandberg , and Terry James
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Rapture Dialogues

ASIN: 052594737X
Release Date: 2003-05-22

Book Description

In this essential handbook based on the phenomenally popular Web site, two leading authorities on the prophesied Rapture tell readers how to get ready for the last days on earth.

Where will you be when the great disappearance comes?

In the last few years, the term "Rapture" has become an integral part of our national consciousness, fascinating everyone from businessmen and political leaders to media personalities and cultural icons to true believers. Now a noted writer on prophecy, together with the creator of RaptureReady.com (with over 300,000 visitors a month), share invaluable advice on how to prepare for a future that might strike at any moment.

The analyses, insights, and predictions contained in this indispensable self-help guide date back to the foretelling that began with Nostradamus and the cautionary teachings of the Bible. Framing these prophecies around recent world issues and events, the authors share revelations that include:

* What Rapture is-and how it will greatly impact your life
* How to read the "Rapture Meter"
* Why it's so important for everybody to look busy when Jesus arrives
* The true nature of the "666 Beast"
...and much more

This is the book that powerfully links prophetic facts found in the Bible to the fictional accounts presented in the amazingly popular "Left Behind" novels.

Customer Reviews:

What the heck is this crapola?.......2007-03-12

Ok, maybe i won't manage to be as funny and original as some of the people that critiqued this book before me but let me tell you this: the rapture is about the biggest slice of balony there is.
People floating up to heaven when the end times come, saved by the Lord while everybody left behind will fry....what a crock!
I think there is some mental illness going on here.

:( The Rapture Rap.......2006-09-28

Back in the late 70s my sister became a born again Christian and told us the "good news"...accept Jesus or we're gonna fry in hell...now up until that point, I really didn't think Jesus had it in for me. I thought we were buddies, but this kind of changed the relationship. Whereas before I thought he was cool, now I was beginning to think he was a little bit controlling. Now I had to believe in him. And y'know what? I got just a little resentful and a little bit rebellious. I mean, if I'm gonna be labeled as bad and as a sinner, I want to do some things to back it up.

This idea that I was constantly displeasing God, that I was constantly being tested, that the end times were always just right around the corner really soured my relationship I had with God and by the time I was 19, I really wanted nothing to do with God so I became a born again atheist...at least for a little while.

And what I realized during that little stint, is that God is Real...more Real than anything else because God is Love and Love is God and Love only knows Reality and True Reality cannot be upset or crippled or thwarted because it is the only thing that is Real. So, no, there is nothing I can do that is going to merit punishment in an afterlife. God created me out of Itself. God loves me as much as God loves Jesus because God created me out of the very same stuff that God created Jesus out of. The only difference between Jesus and the rest of us, is that Jesus knew his Oneness with God, most of us, however, have forgotten.

And it's easy to forget with books like this because these books, these religions, these preachers don't believe in Love as much as they believe in fear, they believe in hell more than Heaven, they believe in sin more than they believe in redemption and y'know why boys and girls? Fear sells. Fear keeps the money rollin' in...fear keeps the parking lots of these fundie churches packed...and it is SAD and DISGRACEFUL...that means, without Grace and I think that God is always Gracing us, always embracing us, always making all things new but how can we let the new in when we're focused on sin, on guilt, on fear?

Jesus the Christ embodied Love. I believe in his simple and eloquent teachings. The stuff that was taught after he left the Earth plane was taught by a guy interested mostly in making a name for himself. Is this what we have come to? People have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of the world and there will be an end of the world as we know it now and Christ will return to Earth, not outside of ourselves, but within each one of our hearts. We will see everything and every one through Love, through compassion, through the simple and gentle knowing that what we do to others we do to ourselves and what we do to ourselves we do to God because everything is One. There is no sin, but a mistake, and all sin is simply an error thinking and feeling and acting as if you're separate from God and we never are.

Come out of your fear induced nightmare and come to Love...come to God...come to the realization that Heaven is now and stop buying into fear and stop buying books that promote fear. The only reason why I even read this book was because my friend thought I might find it interesting. I found it very, very sad. Jesus came to this life to remind us to live this life abundantly well, to love one another, to remember God in every situation.

At least I have found a good use for this book, however, the thickness of this book is just right to hold up the leg of this coffee table I found at a garage sale. I can use this book until I get a new caster.

Peace and Blessings, everyone and may you allow your thinking to become Love based and God centered.

What if it isn't a convenient time to Rapture?.......2006-02-22

This book fails to answer a basic question many Christians have: what if it isn't a convenient time to Rapture? For example, everytime I sit on the toilet, I say "Please, God, don't take me now! I've been constipated 6 days, and here on the 7th I'm about to lose 10 pounds, so don't take me flying until I'm done". Other people ask about what happens if the Rapture occurs while they are having "marital interactions" (there is no sin in the marital bed). I can't picture my wife and me floating up to heaven naked and intertwined like pretzyls! I think the book should have given us more tips on how to be ready for Rapture, and whether God will make allowances for sitting on the pot or on our wife's face! We do keep rain coats and umbrellas in all rooms and in the car, in case we are Raptured during a winter storm.

WONDERFUL, INFORMATIVE, ACCURATE.......2005-07-19

This was a wonderful book! A must read for all ages. Very informative and, after intensive studies on this subject, accurate.

Why wait?.......2003-11-30

The notion of a rapture is one of a few outraqeous fantasies which seem to resurface every so often throughout history. Funny how "prophecy" can only be applied to postdiction and never to prediction. I can at least respect the naked profit motive behind the Left Behind series. The writing in this book suggest the authors lack the intelligence to possess such ambition. But if you truly believe in the "rapture", why wait? Go find a sturdy tree and a length of rope.

Average customer rating:

Yes! Finally someone gets it.
You might recognize some of your co-workers here

Going Postal:: The 50 Warning Signs
Scott Milzer
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 067977520X
Release Date: 1996-10-29

Book Description

Does your boss "cc" all his correspondence to the Angel of Death? Does your secretary show up for a meeting with dynamite strapped to her waist? Does Ralph in accounting have long conversations with nonexistent folks on his speakerphone? Is the coat room packed with AK-47s?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then someone in your office may be on the verge of "going postal." The warning signs of this affliction are unique. To date, fifty symptoms have been documented. There is no cure for this disease at present. The best advice: lay low and hope for the best.

For every worker in a high-stress job, Going Postal is the must-have stocking stuffer of the fall.

Customer Reviews:

Yes! Finally someone gets it........1998-09-16

This is a must have for all corporate contrarians. I can't stop laughing - half psychotically - at the comics in this book. This is perfect for relieving the stress of any day at the office. You must buy this book.

You might recognize some of your co-workers here.......1997-05-02

If you want to get a few laughs in during your work day (and have a twisted sense of humour), you'll want to get this collection of cartoons.

Some of the drawings are quite disturbing, so this book is ont for the easily offended. However, it is a funny look at those whose jobs are about to drive them insane. ("Going postal" in office slang.)

Some of the "50 warning signs" are quite hilarious... I even found a few of my co-workers in here.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books