I'm "inimical" !

My first bad review (that I know of): my publisher sent me a clipping from an unidentified newsletter with a brief review by the Rev. Andrew Simcak, Jr. It's confusing to read because it consists largely of quotes from my book, without using quotation marks (I assume they were supposed to be block quotes, but didn't get published as such.) The reviewer seems concerned that I do "not accept the 6-day creation" (I don't accept six-24-hour-day creationism, but I didn't explicitly say so in the book, because this wasn't the point). He chastises me for "repeatedly disagreeing with the Biblical teaching that heaven is our eternal home"--I'm not sure how much more clearly and boldly I could have said that heaven IS our eternal home, and that this is the point to our whole existence. The reviewer concludes: "This book is in many ways inimical to the Christian faith and should be avoided."

I'm a heretic! That tends to put a damper on one's day. I'm comforted only that these Christian friends disagree, or at least would refrain from burning me at the stake. And I shouldn't be surprised that there are Christians out there who feel threatened by any questions or alternatives to their existing assumptions. (I do appreciate that the reviewer apparently actually read the book, which not all reviewers do before criticizing a book, and I guess I should be glad that the reviewer relied so heavily on block quotes, so that my actual words, and not just his misconceptions, come through.)

In any case, please read my book, THEN avoid it.