Adam Hamilton tackles "Christian cliches'" in new book

[jerp]

I have always found it a bit annoying when people speak in clichés as a substitute for thoughtful dialogue. You see it a lot in politics when people attempt to distill a complicated argument into a slogan that would fit on a bumper sticker . To me it often comes across as smug intellectual laziness. People of faith (me included) are not immune to this impulse. How many times have you said or heard someone say:

* When God closes a door, he opens another one
* God won't give you more than you can handle
* God helps those who help themselves
* Everything happens for a reason
* Love the sinner, hate the sin

These phrases are common among Christians. They sound wise, and there may be some truth in there, but are they biblical? Many of you are familiar with Adam Hamilton's ministry and his books. You may or may not totally agree with his theology but he is a clear thinking writer, IMO. His new book is called "Half-Truths". It will make you think and may make you re-examine a few things you have been saying for years.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501813870/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=0J5AZJYYEYBY1ES6FVST&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2437869742&pf_rd_i=desktop

[Playa]

I just suggested this as our next study to our education minister. I'm guilty of this too, and I try to catch myself. I have a feeling we might have to stop the "God is good" (crowd responds) "All the time" at the beginning of the sermon. I'm not saying that God isn't good all the time, but when you are in the midst of that spiritual battle it seems very difficult to believe this.

But yeah, I dig the premise of this book

[Shane]

Excellent idea for a book.

[Ætheling]

There's also the old testament v new testament "attitude" to consider with those clichés.

For example "Love the sinner hate the sin"

That sounds a lot more like "turn the other cheek" than "an eye for an eye".