Friday, November 25, 2011

God Is Great and I'm Not

  • Mich le (AMELIE s adorable Audrey Tautou) is a 20-year-old tornado. With a bouncing, perfectly round Afro and a job posing for fashion photography, she boldly describes herself as a top model, though her miniature physical size and girlish grin reveals her subdued, searching interior. Overloaded with passion and personality, she seeks a way to channel her spirituality into an identity. Buddhism wo
The impossibly adorable Audrey Tautou (Amelie, Dirty Pretty Things) stars in this remarkably vivid portrait of a relationship. Michelle (Tautou), a fashion model, sets off on a spiritual quest in the hope of finding emotional balance. What she finds is a veterinarian named Francois (Edouard Baer, Alias Betty), whose ambivalence about being Jewish leads Michelle to study the faith and consider conversion. The plot sounds heavy, but God Is Great (And I'm Not) is actua! lly a light, fluid movie that's as alert to the thousand tiny ways in which men and women miscommunicate and defeat their best intentions. Michelle's spiritual yearnings are questionable, yet Tautou captures her hunger for something more and makes it real, even if it may also be shallow. The movie stutters, slips sideways and back, and circles around--and in the end, says more about modern romance than a dozen Hollywood romantic comedies. --Bret FetzerRob Bell ("Love Wins," "Sex God," "Velvet Elvis,") has declared Mr. Shore "awesome," and "a brilliant writer." Dan Savage ("It Gets Better") has called him "a wonderful writer," and written of his desire for all Christians to read his work. Tony Jones ("The New Christians") says, "John Shore is funny as hell and smart as hell."

Praise for "I'm OK - You're Not":

Finalist, San Diego Book Awards, Best Spirituality/Religion

“A lighthearted approach, with a serious message” â€" The! San Diego Union-Tribune

” …. Shore is a humori! st whose work is more comedic than Donald Miller, and his appeal to Christians is more direct. Shore is preaching and teaching under the comedy, and he’s very effective as a critic and motivator. Shore turns evangelism upside down and engages in just enough hyperbole to effectively make his point…. Shore ends each chapter with sets of extended comments from unbelievers on what they want to say to Christians. Shore calls these sections “Ouch,” and that’s what they are. These unbelievers are articulate, thoughtful and way out in front of many Christians on the subject of love, respect and dialog…. Shore appeals to Christians to ponder the nature of love, the importance of honest and mature Christian character and how relationships with non-Christians really look. Shore speaks so much common sense, and skips so much Christian-ese and predictable rhetoric that some Christians will be offended immediately. Younger, thoughtful, humble Christians who know something is very wron! g will find Shore saying exactly what they’ve been thinking. This is a great book for a discussion group, and it has questions to stir up those discussions. If you let this book loose “in church,” however, the response may be explosive, which would be a lot of fun. … [An] Outstanding book to stir up thought and conversation. And a good book to show to a thoughtful unbeliever.” â€" Michael Spencer, a.k.a The Internet Monk, author of the bestseller, “Mere Churchianity.”

“A must-read not just for pastors, but for anyone who has a passion for the Gospel, yet lacks the ability to see the Church as others often see it. … Shore succeeds in presenting a viewpoint worthy of consideration and advantageous for the growth of outreach-focused believers.”â€" Outreach magazine

“John Shore is one of those rare writers who can make people laugh and think at the same time. Irreverently reverent, "I’m OKâ€"You’re Not" is a book perfect for the t! imes we’re in. Ministers should read a chapter to their cong! regation s every Sunday. That would be the Christian thing to do, because John offers us compassionate laughter during a most uncompassionate and unfunny period of our nation’s history. Non-Christians will love this book, tooâ€"which proves John’s point.” â€" Richard Louv, author of the international bestselling books "Last Child in the Woods," and "The Nature Principal."

“Humorist and Christian writer John Shore presents "I’m OK â€" You’re Not: The Message We’re Sending Nonbelievers and Why We Should Stop," a frank discussion of a crucial flaw in modern evangelical movements â€" that they have come to resemble sales calls made during dinnertime, and as such are just as unlikely to achieve results. Emphasizing the concept that letter others experience God’s love is far more potent than simply telling them about it, I’m OK â€" You’re Not emphasizes the importance of listening to the Great Commandment above all. The Great Commandment referred to is as spo! ken by Jesus Christ and recorded in the Bible: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Penned with gentle charm, Christian humor, love, and understanding, I’m OK â€" You’re Not deserves to be required reading for any Christian considering embarking upon an evangelical mission or career.”â€" Midwest Book ReviewRob Bell ("Love Wins," "Sex God," "Velvet Elvis,") has declared Mr. Shore "awesome," and "a brilliant writer." Dan Savage ("It Gets Better") has called him "a wonderful writer," and written of his desire for all Christians to read his work. Tony Jones ("The New Christians") says, "John Shore is funny as hell and smart as hell."

Praise for "I'm OK - You're Not":

Finalist, San Diego Book Awards, Best Spirituality/Religion

“A lighthearted approach, with a serious message” â€" The San D! iego Union-Tribune

” …. Shore is a humorist whose w! ork is m ore comedic than Donald Miller, and his appeal to Christians is more direct. Shore is preaching and teaching under the comedy, and he’s very effective as a critic and motivator. Shore turns evangelism upside down and engages in just enough hyperbole to effectively make his point…. Shore ends each chapter with sets of extended comments from unbelievers on what they want to say to Christians. Shore calls these sections “Ouch,” and that’s what they are. These unbelievers are articulate, thoughtful and way out in front of many Christians on the subject of love, respect and dialog…. Shore appeals to Christians to ponder the nature of love, the importance of honest and mature Christian character and how relationships with non-Christians really look. Shore speaks so much common sense, and skips so much Christian-ese and predictable rhetoric that some Christians will be offended immediately. Younger, thoughtful, humble Christians who know something is very wrong will fin! d Shore saying exactly what they’ve been thinking. This is a great book for a discussion group, and it has questions to stir up those discussions. If you let this book loose “in church,” however, the response may be explosive, which would be a lot of fun. … [An] Outstanding book to stir up thought and conversation. And a good book to show to a thoughtful unbeliever.” â€" Michael Spencer, a.k.a The Internet Monk, author of the bestseller, “Mere Churchianity.”

“A must-read not just for pastors, but for anyone who has a passion for the Gospel, yet lacks the ability to see the Church as others often see it. … Shore succeeds in presenting a viewpoint worthy of consideration and advantageous for the growth of outreach-focused believers.”â€" Outreach magazine

“John Shore is one of those rare writers who can make people laugh and think at the same time. Irreverently reverent, "I’m OKâ€"You’re Not" is a book perfect for the times we’re in. M! inisters should read a chapter to their congregations every Su! nday. Th at would be the Christian thing to do, because John offers us compassionate laughter during a most uncompassionate and unfunny period of our nation’s history. Non-Christians will love this book, tooâ€"which proves John’s point.” â€" Richard Louv, author of the international bestselling books "Last Child in the Woods," and "The Nature Principal."

“Humorist and Christian writer John Shore presents "I’m OK â€" You’re Not: The Message We’re Sending Nonbelievers and Why We Should Stop," a frank discussion of a crucial flaw in modern evangelical movements â€" that they have come to resemble sales calls made during dinnertime, and as such are just as unlikely to achieve results. Emphasizing the concept that letter others experience God’s love is far more potent than simply telling them about it, I’m OK â€" You’re Not emphasizes the importance of listening to the Great Commandment above all. The Great Commandment referred to is as spoken by Jesus Christ an! d recorded in the Bible: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Penned with gentle charm, Christian humor, love, and understanding, I’m OK â€" You’re Not deserves to be required reading for any Christian considering embarking upon an evangelical mission or career.”â€" Midwest Book ReviewGOD IS GREAT AND I'M NOT - DVD MovieThe impossibly adorable Audrey Tautou (Amelie, Dirty Pretty Things) stars in this remarkably vivid portrait of a relationship. Michelle (Tautou), a fashion model, sets off on a spiritual quest in the hope of finding emotional balance. What she finds is a veterinarian named Francois (Edouard Baer, Alias Betty), whose ambivalence about being Jewish leads Michelle to study the faith and consider conversion. The plot sounds heavy, but God Is Great (And I'm Not) is! actually a light, fluid movie that's as alert to the thousan! d tiny w ays in which men and women miscommunicate and defeat their best intentions. Michelle's spiritual yearnings are questionable, yet Tautou captures her hunger for something more and makes it real, even if it may also be shallow. The movie stutters, slips sideways and back, and circles around--and in the end, says more about modern romance than a dozen Hollywood romantic comedies. --Bret Fetzer

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