Review of Who Told You That You Were Naked?
Posted: 08 Sep 2021, 00:53
[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
Have you ever wondered what the significance of the Adam and Eve story is? What made them ashamed to be naked? What does being naked mean exactly? What is sin? If you have found yourself pondering these questions then perhaps reading the book Who Told You That You Were Naked? by William Combs, might help you find some answers.
Who Told You That You Were Naked takes us right back to the beginning of creation, as mentioned in the book of genesis, when Adam and Eve were first created. It explains what led to their sin, their fall, and why they were suddenly aware that they were naked. The writer further discussed what this means and implies for humanity and what it indicates regarding the meaning of sin. Different interpretations, understandings and Christian philosophies are offered throughout the book. The writer draws on his own experience of spirituality and prayer a long with his wife and those around them. For this reason the book is often written in the first person. It is a non-fiction, Christian reference religious book and is 241 pages in length.
What was good about the book was that it was well written and organised. I only came across one grammatical error in the entire book. There was no profanity or eroticism at all. The writer offers different viewpoints and discusses the significance of the Christian understanding of what they call the fall. If you had thought there was only one understanding as I had, this book will enlighten you. Are children born with origin sin? This was something I thought all Christians believed in. Was Eve really to blame? Was her pain in childbirth increased due to the sin? These and other common beliefs are brought into question throughout the book. The writer has a more positive interpretation and understanding of events. Would they be really to blame for eating the apple if they were tricked? Was it because they wanted to become more like God, as a child wants to become more like a parent?
The writer also gives the idea of being naked a different and deeper meaning. Perhaps they were not only aware of their physical bodies but were now about to discriminate between right and wrong. Judging and discrimination are also involved. He gives the example of young girls who are not ashamed to run around and play while almost naked. They are innocent of feeling judged or concerned about others opinions.
One important discussion in the book is the meaning and concept of sin. This is what may put barriers between us and God, as well as those close to us, as happened to Adam. When we are aware of our faults and errors we may feel ashamed, which means we put distance between ourselves and others.
What was more negative about the book was only that the writer sometimes made claims about events and occurrences that were personal to himself and his wife and seemed to involve being aware of the unseen, experiences of evil which were fended off by mention of Jesus and so forth. I felt that since these were more personal interpretations of events not all readers would probably accept them. I also felt that the genesis story he discusses in the beginning is not the one that is well known amongst people. I wondered if this was an imaginary version. Also, since he often quotes from the Bible, mentions his personal experiences and discusses belief in Jesus, it seemed the book was trying to reach a Christian audience and invite others to be Christians. Therefore, it may not be suitable for people who don't follow and are not open to following the Christian faith.
I am rating the book 3 out of 4 stars due to the above.
The book would most likely interest people who enjoy non-fiction books, particularly Christian and religious books.
Although other religions and belief systems might benefit from the viewpoints in the book, it does seem more geared to Christian orientated audiences.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Have you ever wondered what the significance of the Adam and Eve story is? What made them ashamed to be naked? What does being naked mean exactly? What is sin? If you have found yourself pondering these questions then perhaps reading the book Who Told You That You Were Naked? by William Combs, might help you find some answers.
Who Told You That You Were Naked takes us right back to the beginning of creation, as mentioned in the book of genesis, when Adam and Eve were first created. It explains what led to their sin, their fall, and why they were suddenly aware that they were naked. The writer further discussed what this means and implies for humanity and what it indicates regarding the meaning of sin. Different interpretations, understandings and Christian philosophies are offered throughout the book. The writer draws on his own experience of spirituality and prayer a long with his wife and those around them. For this reason the book is often written in the first person. It is a non-fiction, Christian reference religious book and is 241 pages in length.
What was good about the book was that it was well written and organised. I only came across one grammatical error in the entire book. There was no profanity or eroticism at all. The writer offers different viewpoints and discusses the significance of the Christian understanding of what they call the fall. If you had thought there was only one understanding as I had, this book will enlighten you. Are children born with origin sin? This was something I thought all Christians believed in. Was Eve really to blame? Was her pain in childbirth increased due to the sin? These and other common beliefs are brought into question throughout the book. The writer has a more positive interpretation and understanding of events. Would they be really to blame for eating the apple if they were tricked? Was it because they wanted to become more like God, as a child wants to become more like a parent?
The writer also gives the idea of being naked a different and deeper meaning. Perhaps they were not only aware of their physical bodies but were now about to discriminate between right and wrong. Judging and discrimination are also involved. He gives the example of young girls who are not ashamed to run around and play while almost naked. They are innocent of feeling judged or concerned about others opinions.
One important discussion in the book is the meaning and concept of sin. This is what may put barriers between us and God, as well as those close to us, as happened to Adam. When we are aware of our faults and errors we may feel ashamed, which means we put distance between ourselves and others.
What was more negative about the book was only that the writer sometimes made claims about events and occurrences that were personal to himself and his wife and seemed to involve being aware of the unseen, experiences of evil which were fended off by mention of Jesus and so forth. I felt that since these were more personal interpretations of events not all readers would probably accept them. I also felt that the genesis story he discusses in the beginning is not the one that is well known amongst people. I wondered if this was an imaginary version. Also, since he often quotes from the Bible, mentions his personal experiences and discusses belief in Jesus, it seemed the book was trying to reach a Christian audience and invite others to be Christians. Therefore, it may not be suitable for people who don't follow and are not open to following the Christian faith.
I am rating the book 3 out of 4 stars due to the above.
The book would most likely interest people who enjoy non-fiction books, particularly Christian and religious books.
Although other religions and belief systems might benefit from the viewpoints in the book, it does seem more geared to Christian orientated audiences.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon