Hell\

Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)
$15.95
I just got done reading Heaven and Hell. It's a very easy read. When I first opened it up and started reading the introduction where he was thanking people. He thanked all the other Eagles except Henley and Frey. I thought to myself, Oh boy here we go, a Henley, Frey bashing book. Once I dove into it and started reading it, I stopped thinking that way. Like a family, there are always going to be head-butting and this was no exception. I feel that Felder was honest and sincere about all these accounts. I'm sure that all the drugs didn't help much in the relationship between the band. When a band grows in popularity, there are always going to be problems. The guys lost their creativity when they got too big. I really liked the new album from the Eagles, however it was more of 3 solo efforts because Henley and Frey still can't get along. I'm sure that if Felder would have signed the new document in 2000, he would still be in the band today, but his conscience wouldn't let him sign away control. He was a very big part of the biggest song in history, and I think he figured he was due more than what Henley, Frey, and Irving were offering. Too bad Henley and Frey wouldn't take their song Get Over It and put it to use in this case. Felder should be back in the band and Henley and Frey should personally call him and welcome him back, but they won't.

A Divine Revelation of Hell
$12.99
The book "A Divine Revelation of Hell" was written by Mary K. Baxter, a female pastor ordained at the Full Gospel Church of God in Taylor, Michigan. She now ministers with the National Church of God in Washington, D.C. She claims divine inspiration for this book, thus placing herself a step above Bill Wiese's "23 Minutes in Hell" and equal with Scripture.

This immediately makes her suspect. There is no longer any room for a sane, basically good person, trying to do the right thing, who made an honest mistake or two. Instead, we have the following options:

1. True prophet, in which case she really went to hell, tells no lies, makes no mistakes, and never contradicts the Bible. It is my intention to disprove this view.

2. Lunatic. Raving mad. Simply out of her mind. This is quite possible. Gary Amirault of Tentmaker Ministries has said that when he saw her, that was the impression he got. That said, Amirault is not a psychologist, as far as I know, and could easily be wrong. I have no first-hand experience with which to either confirm or deny this theory.

3. Liar. This is the least appealing option, but again a possibility. It may be that Mary Baxter never experienced, and does not believe she experienced, anything like this. Perhaps she simply wrote this book for the money or the attention it would get her.

I will not attempt to prove she is lying, nor that she is insane. I leave that decision up to you. However, I will, I hope, make clear that she is not telling the truth. Unlike Bill Wiese, author of the similar book "23 Minutes in Hell", she does not sprinkle her book with poorly interpreted and misapplied Scriptures, but expects us to take her experience at her word alone. Thus, I do not have those interpretations to refute.

I will open myself to vehement criticism by stating that I am a Christian Universalist. I believe that God wishes to save all men, as the Arminians do, but unlike them, I have this silly idea that he just might be smart enough to do it.

Christian Universalism(Not to be confused with Unitarian Universalism) is the only theological viewpoint that can simultaneously account for the verses that speak of God's universal love and salvific purpose(1 John 4:8, Col 1:20, Eph 1:10, 1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9, 1 Cor 15:54) and His sovereignty and invincibility(Isa 14:24, 27, Eph 1:11), as well as faith as a GIFT of God, not a work(Eph 2:8, for one). Furthermore, it is the only view that can account for Romans 8:9-10 alongside Rev 5:13, and only it can account for verses like 1 Tim 4:10, 1 Cor 15:22, Luk 3:6, Heb 2:14, 2 Tim 1:10, etc. at all.(See also my review of "23 Minutes in Hell")

Even if I were wrong about Universalism, the dead are unconscious(Ecc 9:5), so they are not in "Hell" anyway. Furthermore, there is no way Jesus is so ignorant of the English language as to refer to a promiscuous woman as a "whoremonger".

All these factors combine to demonstrate that "A Divine Revelation of Hell" may be hellish to read(the writing is awful, too)but is in no sense "A Divine Revelation."

I hope this review was helpful, and that you don't buy this book.(If you wish to refute it, or simply possess a morbid curiosity, your local library can help you as mine did me.)

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell (movie tie-in): with 16 page photo insert
$16.95
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, by Tucker Max, is one of the funniest books I have ever read. This bestseller is "Highly entertaining and thoroughly reprehensible," says the New York Times. Tucker Max attended the University of Chicago receiving a B. A. then Duke Law School where he realized that he didn't want to be a lawyer but he actually wanted to be a writer. The book is broken up into a series of short stories that are all told form Tucker's perspective. Basically all of the stories consist of his various experiences getting drunk and hooking up with random girls. Many people are either completely put off by his stories or completely love them. One actual reader said, "I find it truly appalling that there are people in the world like you. You are a disgusting, vile, repulsive, repugnant, foul creature." On the other hand, a different actual reader said, "You are the coolest person I can even imagine existing. If you slept with my girlfriend, it'd make me love her more." Granted these views are the extremes so I'll give you my actual reader interpretation. "I am thoroughly amazed, and fairly impressed, that someone like you exists and I can't help but question the truth of your stories. That said, regardless of truth, your stories have strengthened my views that I should do what I want, screw everyone else. Moreover, your book is one of the few that actually had me laughing out loud while reading. In short: thank you."

A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster
$27.95
This is a very interesting book with an entirely new thesis of how posttrauma crowds respond. It reflects more of my experpience of individuals' and groups' behavior after an unexpected trauma. I wish the author would be on the talk shows to challenge the common belief that people are irresponsible and criminal in their reactions to terrible events. The authorities regularly create more problems than they solve.