Hermenuetics

Comments

I keep hearing about this book, so I'll have to read it. But the brie and wine will only be virtual? Sigh.

Posted By: Laura K. Droege | July 9, 2010 2:12 PM

Meh, not my kind of book. Too touchy-feel-good chicky-type lit.

Plus she's looking for her own individuality apart from opposite sex relationships and the novel culminates in one? Don't get that.

Also, I'm not comfortable with the portrayal of foreign countries as exotic places where you "go find yourself." It's a very North American idea and reinforces a lot of cultural stereotypes. And it's tired.

Posted By: Nadine | July 10, 2010 11:54 AM

Ooh. I didn't like this book. So much self-centered drivel. Sure, I related to it, but it just related to all the parts of myself that annoy me.

[SPOILER BELOW]
Probably the part I disliked most was the moment when she decided "Instead of going to learn about India and interact with people who live there, I'm going to stay in my insulated ashram full of westerners in India and focus on myself."

Hannah

Posted By: Hannah | July 12, 2010 4:03 PM

Thanks for your honest feedback, Hannah. I confess that I predict having a similar reaction to Gilbert's book. But given the many positive things I've heard from friends and acquaintances, I would still like to read it, in case I'm missing out on something. Your (and others') critiques are more than welcome when we start the 'book club' August 12.

Posted By: Katelyn Beaty | July 12, 2010 4:31 PM

A Christian book club, blog, and all you can recommend is a book that Oprah celebrates! It is this watering down of Christianity that has really given me second thoughts about the so called evangelical church. There are many great and thoughtful book written with intelligence that would be more edifying of our faith as well as more thought provoking. Self centered drivel is the food of the world.

Posted By: Lenore | July 13, 2010 5:17 PM

Thank you for your comments, Lenore. To clarify, we are not recommending "Eat, Pray, Love" to our readers. None of us has yet read the book. Rather, we want to read it in Christian community to discern what's going on in Gilbert's book, and if possible, to highlight what the memoir reveals about romantic relationships, travel, and common grace. And we need your voice to help us discern.

Posted By: Katelyn Beaty | July 13, 2010 5:21 PM

I haven't read this book, but I've begun her latest book, Committed, which is a study of matrimony. There are parts I find objectionable as a Christian, but there remain many fascinating, insightful morsels, as well as a strong authorial voice, which I thoroughly enjoy. I'll likely read Eat, Pray, Love after Committed for these reasons. As Christians, we can be gleaners of truth, can we not? Enjoy the virtual club, everyone!

Posted By: sarah smurf | July 14, 2010 11:53 AM

Discussing Eat, Pray, Love in the context of Christian faith may be interesting. If anything, you can discuss why this book has had such an effect on the larger culture, given its rather muddled spiritual message, if there even is one.

I have read this and personally did not care for it. The fact that it is so popular baffles me a bit, but perhaps it's because so many people are searching and trying to find peace within themselves that it appeals so much.

I think her divorce was rooted in shallow reasoning, although to be fair it is probably best she let herself go for the sake of her husband moving on. The spirituality the author describes is almost as shallow, and it's heartbreaking. Even at the end I mainly felt sorry for her that she doesn't quite get it. It made me realize I'm grateful for solid faith.

To each their own, but there may be better books to do a disucssion on. Perhaps, The Glass Castle, an incredibly moving and impeccably written memoir by Jeannette Walls.

Posted By: Steph | July 15, 2010 4:06 PM

Steph,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I do hope you join us again when we discuss it further. Those are the types of themes we'll probably explore. What does it say about our culture that this book is so popular?

I absolutely loved The Glass Castle and recommend it to everyone. The movie Eat, Pray, Love sort of gave us a reason to address this book again, but please do feel free to recommend more books for consideration.

Posted By: Sarah Pulliam Bailey | July 15, 2010 4:55 PM

(Note: I realize this is kind of long.)

I just finished this book and was not surprised by the responses to it expressed here. I have Christian friends that have hated it, and others that will no-doubt be seduced by it. In my view, the book is well-written as well as lush and beautiful in parts. It is honest and authentic. BUT it is not truthful.

I think it's trendy in our culture, especially among the Oprahs and the Julia Roberts's and the Liz Gilberts of the world - to call good all things "spiritual." Liz Gilbert is in love with the spiritual in all its forms. All all roads lead to God, that whatever journey or path we're on, we'll all reach the same destination. I think it's possible that God traveled at least part of Liz Gilbert's "journey" with her. I think it's possible that God will travel down unlikely roads to find us and bring us back to THE way, the only way, which is Jesus Christ himself. In my reading of the book, I did recognize God in some of Gilbert's encounters, especially the answer she hears when she cried out from the bathroom floor. But Gilbert, like Eve, is seduced by the spiritual reality Eve encountered in the garden. She cannot discern the spirituality that is God from the spirituality that is not God. Gilbert believes the lie that WE are God, WE are as God, and WE can know all that God knows. When Liz Gilbert heard God's voice, she thought it was her own.

I think Liz Gilbert lived a great story and maybe became a better person. However, she was not transformed by the healing, saving grace of Jesus. She started out selfish, and she ended up a prettier kind of selfish. But I think her spiritual passion and devotion is real and infuses everything she does. So here's where that leaves me -- since I know TRUTH, since I know LOVE, since I know JESUS, shouldn't I have at least some intensity of spiritual passion and devotion? Shouldn't I want to spend as many hours in His company as Liz Gilbert wants to spend wrestling with herself in a meditation cave? So while this book will not lead anyone to the truth, I did find value in being confronted with my own sense of lukewarm devotion. So thanks for that, Liz, and I hope you find out the rest of the story that began the night you cried out to God from your bathroom floor.

Posted By: Meghann | July 16, 2010 12:22 PM

Iloved this book. For the longest time a goal of mine is to travel and find self, while giving back to others through charity. This book showed courage, and taking a leap at life when every fiber of your being wants to crumble and give up.I very much look forward to the movie.

Posted By: dominique | July 21, 2010 9:48 PM

I too read this book because soooo many people thought it was so fantastic. as a Christian, I thought the (true) story was awful. Basically, Elizabeth Gilbert divorces her husband because she simply doesn't want to be married anymore (and sounds like put him through hell), then goes on to "find herself" and ends up simply marrying someone else. I imagine the popularity of this book is very hurtful to her ex-husband. I don't understand how CHristians can like this sort of thing or think she is so courageous.

Posted By: Jennie | July 29, 2010 1:56 PM

For those of us wanting to find adventure and soul-filling activities that keep us a little closer to home. Enjoy doing a little Eat, Pray, Love themed philanthropic shopping.

Take a look:
http://nonprofitshoppingmall.com/eat-pray-love-shop/

a percent y=of your sale goes to nonprofitshoppingmall.com's monthly chosen charity.

:)

Posted By: mire | August 3, 2010 4:23 PM

Sarah Puliam Bailey, my feelings about the book were very similar to yours. I enjoyed reading the book because I love to travel, just as Gilbert does (I especially enjoyed reading about the people she connected with, because this is what I love most about travelling). However, I did think that, perhaps, in her search for comfort from pain, she put some effort into looking for God, but then relyed on herself to write the conclusion about the truth of life. I think that, as she listened to different people's ideas of truth, she took the bits and pieces that she liked, and pieced together to create an understanding of life that allowed her to think happy thoughts about God but still rely on herself to make peace happen in her life. She was lucky things worked out the way they did for her but life shouldn't be just about looking for a certain lifestyle or a way of thinking that makes us feel good. Backstage, in this production of life on earth is God, and at some point, in each of our lives, the show is going to be over and we're going to wish that during our days on earth we didn't just settle for ideas that simply numbed the pains, but that we had looked for truth sincerely and wholeheartedly.

Posted By: Maite | August 3, 2010 9:16 PM

Sorry, I was directing my comment to Meghann...I thought that Sarah had written the comment.

Posted By: Maite | August 3, 2010 9:20 PM

Wow, I wasn't expecting the dark hostility here. What is wrong with a woman searching for light. Men have taken off in search of who knows what for centuries. As modern women who have everything put in seperate compartments it is easy to get lost in the darkness of the "I have to do this at this time and that at that time." Women have lost their creativity because of the goals we put on ourselves. Our search for feedom has led us to a male thought pattern. We miss the beauty of our lives while we are in the gym or working. As a Christian woman I seek the beauty that the is in the freedom of my faith. A friend of mine is afraid to go see this movie. She says it will lead people astray. I think it may lead people on their own search for light and in that search will and must find the only light. The light of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord wants us to search for him. His love is there for us when we are ready to receive it. Maybe we need to read the book and see the movie in order to lead some to Christ. I am not afraid of the idol made of stone, I fear the stagnet, the hum drum, the deadness of religion. The God of the universe is beauty and love and joy.

Posted By: Linda | August 12, 2010 11:23 AM

I've just started the book, and I'm very excited. The movie in my opinion, really made me look at myself. A 42 year old mother of 3, married for 21 years, busy woman!!!!!! Where does God fit in. Saved by the grace of God 18 years ago, and He gets whats left of my bits and pieces of time. Life has become chaotic, to the point of exhaustion. The movie inspired me to STOP and enjoy with great gratitude the blessings the LORD has given me. Slow down and SEE the beauty around, finding my balance in this unbalanced world, with the help of my Father in heaven. We are but a vapor.....stop and enjoy.

Posted By: Veronica | December 28, 2010 5:20 PM

i soo love this movie. I can relate to something that happened to me last 2 months ago...

Posted By: lloyd doronila | March 8, 2011 9:44 AM