At the age of twenty, Matthew thought his life was set fair. He had a good career, good friends and was engaged to Wendy, his childhood sweetheart. He longed to be married and have a family, but it seems life was destined to take a different course. Wendy calls off the engagement, and devastated, Matthew goes to London to join a close friend, Ben, to work at The Christian Bookshop on their Life Courses. Although successful, his growing dissatisfaction with religion reignites a desire to challenge the very core of his faith, the Bible.All this ends in tears as Matthew falls in love with an older woman. Although the story is set in the Swinging Sixties, this still results in a huge family row and Matthew leaves to make his way in life on his own. How can Matthew ever get back to his family and the woman he loves? Will Matthew write his gospel or will his religion create insurmountable barriers? We follow Matthew’s story as he struggles to rebuild his life and to fulfil his ambitions and dreams. He has to come to terms with corruption and deceit and face betrayal and the collapse of everything he holds dear.
Matthew is an only child brought up within a religious family, but with his obsession for truth he uncovers serious anomalies with what he is expected to believe. The story unfolds in Worthing during the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, where Matthew attended school, church and where he worked. As he matures he finds that his spiritual upbringing leaves him unprepared for many aspects of his life and particularly for falling in love and eventually he is forced to choose between his faith and the girl he loves. This is a touching story of how Matthew’s life is directed and inhibited by the well intentioned beliefs and values of his family and how he must come to terms with the reality behind the truth. It is about a boy growing up, struggling with adolescence, falling in love and trying to understand the religion he has been brought up with, but it challenges the very core of belief and provides a battleground in Matthew's mind as he questions his faith. As such, the topic of religion is sympathetically handled and the characters in the novel give opposing points of view which are thought provoking for the religious and nonreligious alike.
“We are not worth more, they are not worth less.” This is the mantra of S. Brian Willson and the theme that runs throughout his compelling psycho-historical memoir. Willson’s story begins in small-town, rural America, where he grew up as a “Commie-hating, baseball-loving Baptist,” moves through life-changing experiences in Viet Nam, Nicaragua and elsewhere, and culminates with his commitment to a localized, sustainable lifestyle. In telling his story, Willson provides numerous examples of the types of personal, risk-taking, nonviolent actions he and others have taken in attempts to educate and effect political change: tax refusal—which requires simplification of one’s lifestyle; fasting—done publicly in strategic political and/or therapeutic spiritual contexts; and obstruction tactics—strategically placing one’s body in the way of “business as usual.” It was such actions that thrust Brian Willson into the public eye in the mid-’80s, first as a participant in a high-profile, water-only “Veterans Fast for Life” against the Contra war being waged by his government in Nicaragua. Then, on a fateful day in September 1987, the world watched in horror as Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the tracks and arrested. Losing his legs only strengthened Willson’s identity with millions of unnamed victims of U.S. policy around the world. He provides details of his travels to countries in Latin America and the Middle East and bears witness to the harm done to poor people as well as to the environment by the steamroller of U.S. imperialism. These heart-rending accounts are offered side by side with inspirational stories of nonviolent struggle and the survival of resilient communities Willson’s expanding consciousness also uncovers injustices within his own country, including insights gained through his study and service within the U.S. criminal justice system and personal experiences addressing racial injustices. He discusses coming to terms with his identity as a Viet Nam veteran and the subsequent service he provides to others as director of a veterans outreach center in New England. He draws much inspiration from friends he encounters along the way as he finds himself continually drawn to the path leading to a simpler life that seeks to “do no harm.&rdquo Throughout his personal journey Willson struggles with the question, “Why was it so easy for me, a ’good’ man, to follow orders to travel 9,000 miles from home to participate in killing people who clearly were not a threat to me or any of my fellow citizens?” He eventually comes to the realization that the “American Way of Life” is AWOL from humanity, and that the only way to recover our humanity is by changing our consciousness, one individual at a time, while striving for collective cultural changes toward “less and local.” Thus, Willson offers up his personal story as a metaphorical map for anyone who feels the need to be liberated from the American Way of Life—a guidebook for anyone called by conscience to question continued obedience to vertical power structures while longing to reconnect with the human archetypes of cooperation, equity, mutual respect and empathy.
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Iran-iraq War, Military-Industrial Complex, Arms Industry, Rakon, Us/saudi Awacs Sale, National Defense Industrial Association, Training Within Industry, Action Target, United States Foreign Military Financing, Dsei, United States Security Assistance Organizations, Canadian Arms Trade, Khyber Pass Copy, Military-Industrial Commission of Russia, Arab Organization for Industrialization, Defense Industry of Russia, Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan, United States Military Aid, Hybricon Corporation, International Defence Exhibition, Military-Industrial-Media Complex, Meteor Zavod, Foreign Military Sales, Paradigm Technologies, Milipol, Association for Enterprise Information, Eurosatory, Low Rate Initial Production. Excerpt: In 1990} Photo Galleries ... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=14889
This book is a bringing together of many aspects of the experiences of my Christian journey. As time has unfolded, there have been many occasions where I have felt a subtle yet strong tug on my heart and mind to put down on paper what has been presented to me by the Holy Spirit. All of these one to two page essays have foundations in daily life and through contact with people, places, animals, and things. I hope that through these writings the reader can develop a deeper sense of faith in our Jesus. I also wish for the reader to gain a sense of hope for the future promise of eternal life.
After serving in the Vietnam War, S. Brian Willson became a radical, nonviolent peace protester and pacifist, and this memoir details the drastic governmental and social change he has spent his life fighting for. Chronicling his personal struggle with a government he believes to be unjust, Willson sheds light on the various incarnations of his protests of the U.S. government, including the refusal to pay taxes, public fasting, and, most famously, public obstruction. On September 1, 1987, Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the tracks. Providing a full look into the tragic event, Willson, who lost his legs in the incident, discusses how the subsequent publicity propelled his cause toward the national consciousness. Now, 23 years later, Willson tells his story of social injustice, nonviolent struggle, and the so-called American way of life.
Bearin's: The Book " by Brian Robbins is a collection of columns written for "Commercial Fisheries News" over the past 20 years. These author selected columns are the best of Robbins' unique blend of humor, wry observations, and personal reflections on life. Originally written for a commercial fishing audience, these columns encompass characters, situations, and themes that are bound to resonate with all readers. He'll make you laugh, maybe even shed a tear, and definitely leave you wanting more.Bearin's (bar'ins)-When you're on the water, the act of figuring out where you are and what's going on is known as "getting your bearings." The same applies to life itself. In the Northeast, we often don't fuss around with the letter "g" at the ends of our words. Therefore, we have the title "Bearin's".Reviews:"I invite you to put your hand on the cover of this book, close your eyes and see if you can feel its heart beating. If you do, then try laughing a bit, too. Now you're in the spirit of Brian Robbins, telling his tales that will make you laugh so hard you'll have to lay down on the couch, but eventually he'll also get you right where it counts as you feel his spirit in the depths of your heart." Randy Olson, Ph.D. (a.k.a. "Doc Urchin"); scientist-turned-filmmaker; author of Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style"Brian Robbins' tales are hysterically accurate, showing great humor in the mishaps and misadventures of dockside denizens." Crash Barry; author of Sex, Drugs and Blueberries and Matinicus: True Stories from Maine's Toughest Island
This book does not offer any miracles, although it does offer a better opportunity for someone to get results, for one who is prepared to get out of the victim role and take a positive step into seeing what they can do for themselves. By reading this book, you will realise the significance of continuous learning. And that’s how philosophy tries to discover the nature of truth and knowledge, to find what is of basic value and importance in life. This is about the relationships between humanity and nature and between the individual and the society.
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