Review -- Misconceptions: A look at God’s Word through First Century Hebraic Eyes

MISCONCEPTIONS: A look at God’s Word through First Century Hebraic Eyes
by Steven Reider

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: WestBowPress (January 28, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1512728993
• ISBN-13: 978-1512728996

I'm a writer so I don't like being hard on fellow writers but this book was either wrongly-titled or --for lack of a better word-- chintzy.

The writer has about six or seven main points or --one could even say-- "agenda." And that agenda is pretty "meh" because most Christians who read their Bibles probably have picked up on all the insights this writer is showing us. We have 146 pages of the salvation message with certain twists or different meanings/translations of words wedged together. It's as if the writer sat through several episodes of Sid Roth or some other Messianic Program and decided to write a book. The book is scant, the insights and new "look" is pretty old by 2016 standards.

Who doesn't know that the camp of the Israelites was in the shape of a cross? Who doesn't know about the different names of God? Heck, who doesn't know that the name of the Christian God is Yahweh? Who doesn't know that the Hebrew language is numerical, pictorial, and alphabetical? I kept reading this book and saying, "Really? This is new to you, but most modern Christians who study their Bible know this?

I really dislike panning a book but the title felt so misleading. Better to spend a bit more money and buy an archaeological or anthropological Bible than to buy this. I'm so sorry I couldn't praise this book more.

I don't mind non-clergy and non-scholars studying the Bible, and obviously this author must have thought his insights were important and necessary for the rest of the Christian community, but really? Oh gee! I so hate panning this book but I have to. If I didn't have to review it, I would just have ignored it and let it go.

I got this book free of charge in exchange for a fair and honest review.






 

Review: Punderdome the card game

 

by Jo Firestone (Author), Fred Firestone (Author)

 

• Game: 200 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; Box Gmc Cr edition (June 21, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1101905654
• ISBN-13: 978-1101905654

 

Every once in a (great) while, a book/movie/game I set out to read/see/play and review turns out to be too much for me. By "too much" I mean that I come face to face with the limits of my own intelligence.

Based on the description of the gameplay, the game seem serious enough. A group of 3 or more players, take turns choosing two cards with different words or phrases on them. The goal is to come up with puns that somehow links the words/phrases of one card to another. Hey, it need not be funny. It just has to bring both these cards together.

So let's say the two cards chosen are "Going to the bathroom" and "flowers." How many puns can you make out of that?

Alas, I came up only with one. And I couldn't even put the pun into a sentence.

So I thought Punderdome would be fun. Who doesn't like puns, that wonderful game of word play and the subversion of expectation? Even folks who hate them love them. But even the worst pun takes either incredible intelligence and a fast wit OR a lucky blip/spark in the brain.

In this generation, too, where one is surrounded by rap (which itself is full of wordplays that often make you wince and cringe), one would think I would've been somewhat good at this game.

But no!!!! Let me just admit it right now. This game is very very very difficult and it felt as if I was in a serious SAT test as I tried to play it. So yes, if you aren't already gifted with making puns, do not get this game. If, however, you are a genius-pun-maker, buy the game and enjoy the cringe.

The perfect player for this game is someone who already has a mind that plays around with homonyms, homophones, double entendres, etc. It'll be a fun game for folks with active, quick minds. Not me alas.

I got this game free of charge in exchange for a fair and honest review.