Wild At Heart

[Guest Kwiatek]

Ive Been reading the book "Wild At Heart" by John Eldridge. I was just curious if any one has read it, and what they think. I really enjoy it, and I have a deep respect for angle and study the author took.

it revolves around the exploring what a biblical Godly man is. He takes on the idea, that Gender roles to exist, and there is a few things that are true for every man, and woman.

in short, he suggest that every man needs three things in his life, and he used scripture to reinforce it. "an adventure to live", "a dansel to fight for", and "a God given Idenity". then he continues to talk about the journey of healing the wounds that take away our masculinity, and become the man God meant us to be.

its an amazing book, I was curios what the rest of you thought if you read it. and I thought I would suggest it to anyone looking for a good book to read.

-Erik

[Marnie]

Yep, I read it and while I enjoyed some of it, I was pretty disappointed with several aspects of Elredge's book. First of all, Mr. Eldredge has a habit to misrepresenting what the Bible says; he continually takes verses out of context, and edits verses to support his thesis, which drives me nuts. Secondly, the whole theme of the book is actually quite anti-Biblical. He suggests that men "know and live from" their deep hearts (pg. 8), which is absolutely contrary to what the Bible says. Jeremiah says that "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). Jeremiah then asks regarding the heart of man: "Who can know it?" Spurgeon put it this way, "There is a little hell within the heart of every child of God . . ." And finally Eldredge's view of G-d is very hunamistic and borders on heretical. The heresy is known as Open Theism, which says that G-d is not omniscient; that He does not know the future perfectly. This, of course, fits with the author's obsession with adventure, suggesting that G-d loves adventure and uncertainty. This is troublesome to say the least.

If you are a Christian and care about the integrity of the Bible, stay away from Wild at Heart. Just my opinion since you asked.

[Guest Kwiatek]

Thankyou for your reply, I respect that, but I would like to ask you some questions on what you challenged. Below is the verse you used, along with the rest of it taken in context.

Jeremiah 17

5This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD. 6They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.

7"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.

9"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

When you take in to context what is being siad- it is saying trust in the lord, and put your hope in him not mere humans. this verse was not to codemn christians, by claiming there hearts to be bad. It was to Glorify God, and warn agianst trusting in others. The author of this book never claims against that. He never says we should put our trust in men. But he does say, that through Jesus' sacrafice, God gave us a new heart when we believed. He forgave us of our transgressions, and let the Holy spirit come upon us.

The book, against what you claim. Is meant to help men who feel weak, and bored with there lives to stand up and be confident in themselves and the Lord. when I say confident in them selves- I mean confident in what God is making us.

[Marnie]

Jeremiah 17

5This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD. 6They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.

7"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.

9"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

When you take in to context what is being siad- it is saying trust in the lord, and put your hope in him not mere humans. this verse was not to codemn christians, by claiming there hearts to be bad. It was to Glorify God, and warn agianst trusting in others. The author of this book never claims against that. He never says we should put our trust in men. But he does say, that through Jesus' sacrafice, God gave us a new heart when we believed. He forgave us of our transgressions, and let the Holy spirit come upon us.

The book, against what you claim. Is meant to help men who feel weak, and bored with there lives to stand up and be confident in themselves and the Lord. when I say confident in them selves- I mean confident in what God is making us.

I never take a verse out of context, sorry. Jeremiah is saying exactly what he is saying, a man cannot put his trust in his own heart, or anyone else's. Period. Because in the heart is the beginning of sin. In the OT especially, the heart represents the inner most part of a man's being. In the NT, our Lord taught there is nothing good to be found in man.

Even if I grant you I was incorrect regarding Jeremiah (which I am not), there are the other parts of the book which must be dealt with. Wild at Heart, like so many other "Christian" books is full of faulty theology and humanistic themes. It is sad that some many Christians have such little knowledge of the Word that they would buy into such worldly philosophies.

Another problem I have with the book, from a woman's point of view, is this notion that some men, to use your words, feel weak and bored with their lives. How sad is that? I can't speak for you, but I work too much to get bored, and my relationship with Christ gives me the strength and fulfillment I need. I wouldn't think much of a man who thinks so little of himself. If a man (or a woman for that matter) feels that way I doubt that a book will help much! Either the Word of G-d is sufficient for your life or it isn't it. Nowhere in the Bible do I read about the need for self help books.

Also, Paul says to put no confidence in the flesh, in contradistinction to what the author of the book says.

Please understand, I am not trying to be mean here. I work in the publishing industry so I see a lot these kinds of books before they hit the shelves, and so many of them are just like warm milk; they offer some comfort but leave you wanting. A man, a real man of G-d, needs only the Word of G-d and the Holy Spirit within to guide Him. When he feels weak, he needs to put his trust in His Lord and say with Paul, "When I am weak, I am strong."

Edited March 2, 2006 by Marnie

[Guest Kwiatek]

I dont take you mean at all, I am just curios to explore more of what you meant, and more of the verse you gave. I feel we read into two different things from the book. Everything you have claimed, was not something I even noticed in the book. I am sure also our different Gender roles has something to do with that also.

I do agree with you about people taking theology to easily from being un educated in the word. I assure you, I read and put my faith in the bible before anybook. I read and study the bible far more often- but i do like to read what others have studied also, and see different views.

I guess personally I dont see how anywhere in the book he claims to put faith in yourself, and that is where I was comming from. I thank you for your argument and challenge, to often people will never speak up.

[Marnie]

Thanks for you kind words. From my observations of your posts, you don't need this book. G-d bless you.