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Title: Sense and Sensuality: Jesus Talks to Oscar Wilde on the Pursuit of Pleasure (Great Conversations Series) by Ravi Zacharias ISBN: 1-59052-014-9 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 01 September, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.33 (12 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: It speaks to a struggle we all share...
Comment: I have never sat down to submit a review after reading a book in one sitting. This book compells me to do so for several reasons. First, however, I have to take issue with the two reviewers preceding me; the Rutherford, New Jersey person clearly and unfortunately missed the point of the book, because Zacharias's entire book addresses the types of yearnings the reviewer accuses Zacharias of disregarding! A careful reading of the book clearly demonstrates this. The book addresses from the very first page to the last the desire for pleasure that God himself gave us, and the right (Godly) and wrong (immoral) means to pursue that end.
... This whole book focuses on Jesus seeking out and comforting Wilde -- and offering Himself as a sacrifice for Wilde's sins, just as He did for mine. Jesus did not judge Wilde in this dialogue -- he sought out his company and many times told him He understood him. This book is an illustration of the very character of Christ -- love, compassion, intimacy, grace, and forgiveness. As Jesus says on page 79, "It was at [the cross] that your ultimate worth was upheld. It's because My heart was broken that I'm able to heal yours. Blaise [Pascal] was right -- all truths are governed by laws. This one is the way of life and death. I reach out to you through the price I paid for you." In the next paragraph, Christ reminds Wilde that "love cannot be coerced." (p. 79) He loves each of us enough to let us choose Him, because He desires our genuine love, not love that is forced.
...throughout the book, Zacharias touches on, and Jesus repeatedly acknowledges, how often throughout his life Oscar Wilde sought Christ; in addition, the end of the book features a poem by Wilde that beautifully illustrates this.
As for my take on the book, it's a phenomenal testament to why Christ came, died, and what He wants for us. It addresses an issue that permeates our society today -- the wild(e) pursuit (pun intended) of sensual pleasure. Rather than condemn the desire within us for sensual pleasure, Zacharias reminds us that Christ teaches that sensual pleasure is a desire planted within us by our loving Father, and that properly pursued, we can be fully satisfied. Jesus Christ, Zacharias reminds us, is the only true road to joy, pleasure, passion, and intimacy.
An excerpt from the dialogue on page 72 between Wilde, Jesus, and Blaise Pascal that kind of sums it all up:
"Jesus: The perfect expression for passion is in the soul -- when you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. That communion of your person with the person of God enables you to see every other person as precious in His sight. The body becomes His temple. That takes you beyond the sun (the earthly and temporary) --
Pascal: And comes only through His Son. Every other passion will exhaust itself. Pleasures are meant to point you to the greatest pleasure of all, the presence of our heavenly Father."
Rating: 5
Summary: Charming, Boaring, and the Truth.
Comment: This is Dr. Zacharias' second "Great Conversations" book, and it has a marked improvement over "the Lotus and The Cross." One of the strengths is that he is dealing with the witty Oscar Wilde, and included his scintillating quips and quotes, which makes for hilarious reading at times.
This book is more of a trialogue, with Rene Descartes being Jesus' "Second" in the discussion, filling the role of George MacDonald in C. S. Lewis' "Great Divorce." So we have the Savior discussion things, and at time we have two mere mortals speaking to us, after the manner of our language and understanding.
This book is livelier than "The Lotus and the Cross," due to Oscar Wilde's wit and silvertongue. Inadvertently, Dr. Zacharias underscores the limits of humor, in addition to the laws and principles under girding pleasure. That is a novel idea to people--pleasure is not like a pie-eating contest, but more like a fine banquet, with the appetizer, main course, and dessert.
By the way, Paul Copan has written two books on deflating the witty slogans and bumper-sticker thoughts that gum-down Christians: "True For You, But Not For Me," and "That's Just Your Interpretation."
I love the book's format--the medium is the message! The book is small, inviting, and has those soft photographs. The dialogue is plain and simple, and there is no jargon or confusing philosophic doubletalk that generates more heat than light.
The only criticism I have is that there is not a lot of background into Wilde's very wild life. I found Dover's Thrift Edition of "Dorian Grey" to have a nice five-paragraph biography that filled in some missing details, and provided a nice background text to be read before and after reading Dr. Zacharias' book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating and thought provoking
Comment: On November 29, 1900, as Oscar Wilde lay on his death bed, he suddenly asked for his priest, that he might receive the last rites. In this book, author and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, imagines a last discussion between Wilde and Jesus Christ on the nature of freedom and responsibility and love.
I very much enjoyed this book, which reminded me a great deal of the Socratic dialogues, written by Plato. As with those books, this one was written to prove the superiority of the philosophy of one of the characters. Also, Dr. Zacharias is not an expert on Oscar Wilde, and does not say that he consulted any, but instead relied on Wilde's own writings.
But, that said, I thought that this was a very interesting and well-written book, one which gave me a great deal of food for thought. If you are looking for an erudite and sympathetic analysis of Oscar Wilde's philosophy, you *will* be disappointed with this book. But, if you are interested in a fascinating, thought provoking book, then I highly recommend this book to you!
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Title: Jesus Among Other Gods The Absolute Claims Of The Christian Message by Ravi Zacharias ISBN: 0849943272 Publisher: W Publishing Group Pub. Date: 08 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: The Lotus and the Cross: Jesus Talks with Buddha by Ravi Zacharias ISBN: 157673854X Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 08 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $9.99 |
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Title: Who Made God: And Answers to over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith by Ravi Zacharias, Norman L. Geisler ISBN: 0310247101 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: September, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias ISBN: 1591450187 Publisher: Integrity Publishers Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: Deliver Us From Evil by Ravi Zacharias ISBN: 084993950X Publisher: Word Publishing Pub. Date: 03 February, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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