Neale Donald Walsch - Conversations with God

[OXEL]

I'm surprised there is no thread about this interesting book. For those who didn't read it - you can google up the most important statements, I'm sure. My skills are too limited for a brief and still precise summary.

What do you think about the New Spirituality Walsch propagates? I find it quite interesting that it's a very acceptable view of the world for an agnostic. Although it's a pity that a proof is hard to get. ;) But it's possible!

I'm an agnostic and it was the first religious information I did find really inspiring.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Achán hiNidráne]

So it's a book about talking to yourself?

[Jackalgirl]

OXEL, do you have any links to any book reviews, or anything like that, since you can't give a summary? Does the author have a website on which he espouses this "New Spirituality"? I'd go look myself but this is your thread.

[OXEL]

It's a mess. Now I'm searching for a summary for you and found a few but most of them seem to come from provoked Christians. Useless. Although I find one that does make a few simple statements:

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/370-conversations-with-god-neale-donald-walsch-2

I suggest reading until -> "In her review of the book ‘Conversations With God, Book 1,’ Marcia Montenegro of Christian Answers for the New Age concludes:". Her criticism is negative and won't give you an impression of the book. But all of the text above is useful to get an idea.

Unfortunately I have to go offline for now but will join later. You can ignore this thread if the link does not suffice your need for a start. I hope of being able to find a better one after coming back.


So it's a book about talking to yourself?
No.

[Jackalgirl]

Thanks for the link -- so far, it sounds like something I wouldn't be interested in, though I'll keep an open mind.

IRT what Mark said, though, I would say "it might be". There's no way to tell for sure whether what this guy heard is from God or from his own imagination. The small bits quoted in your link sound pretty florid -- like something a person trying to imagine how God would talk would write. That doesn't mean that the content is bad. But I do disagree with this list of "four statements", as quoted from your link (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/370-conversations-with-god-neale-donald-walsch-2):

The messages in the books can be reduced to four sentences:

1. We are all one.

2. There’s enough.

3. There’s nothing we have to do.

4. Ours is not a better way, ours is merely another way.

The living of these four sentences could change the world.
- Source: About Conversations With God (http://web.archive.org/web/20040202030811/http://www.cwg.org/cwg/about.html), Conversations With God Foundation, accessed Jan. 28, 2004 [Page no longer online at the original site. Link leads to a page archived on Feb. 2, 2004]

In particular, it's statement number 3 that concerns me. Perhaps this is a problem caused by this being taken out of the context of the book, but "there's nothing we have to do" sounds like the kind of touchy-feeling "life is wonderful" idea that is perfect for someone in an affluent society whose needs are minimal, but is an insult to people who are truly suffering. There's all KINDS of stuff we have to do.

In your own readings of the book(s), did you come to the same conclusion (regarding these four "messages")? What is your interpretation, if so, of that message?

[blobru]

Poking around NDW's website (http://www.nealedonaldwalsch.com/), I'd have to say this has all the earmarks of a New Age transformational "cult". All of these groups have the same message: everyone has untapped potential which is suppressed by negative beliefs. But the leader, in this case NDW, is special, and can show you how to erase all those negative beliefs and re-create yourself. NDW calls it "Conversations with God"! -- everything you do is talking to God [= the Universe] about who you are and what kind of world you want to live in; but I've seen the same spiel packaged in different jargons as Tony Robbins' "Personal Power", Marianne Williamson's "A Course in Miracles", most recently as "The Secret", etc.

I notice on his blog this morning NDW is asking followers to sign up for his Group of 1000 (http://blog.beliefnet.com/conversationswithgod/), which will require them to donate a minimum of 1% of their time and money to help him establish "New Spirituality" schools around the world. So let me rewrite something: this has all the earmarks of is a New Age "transformational" cult.

[Zep]

See my sig.

[This Guy]

Between the "1000" thing, and this - When the Soul Leaves the Body...
...does the 'aura' go with it? (http://blog.beliefnet.com/conversationswithgod/2007/08/wednesday-is-question-and-answ.html), I think I'll pass...

Because, being a white guy, I have it on good authority that I ain't got no soul (can't jump either :()

[Zep]

Here's a question for you, OXEL: What's the difference between the sort of thing Walsch has expounded here, and conversations anyone might have with their own imagination. How would you distinguish them apart?

[OXEL]

Thanks for the link -- so far, it sounds like something I wouldn't be interested in, though I'll keep an open mind.

IRT what Mark said, though, I would say "it might be". There's no way to tell for sure whether what this guy heard is from God or from his own imagination.

Here's a question for you, OXEL: What's the difference between the sort of thing Walsch has expounded here, and conversations anyone might have with their own imagination. How would you distinguish them apart?

Correct, there is no way to find out. On the other hand, does it really matter? He even asks God in his books the question like how he can be sure he is talking to God and it's not all out of his imagination. God answers: Does it matter? What does it change on the statements I make?

For me, it's about the content. It doesn't bother me really whether he really does talk with God or not.


The small bits quoted in your link sound pretty florid -- like something a person trying to imagine how God would talk would write. That doesn't mean that the content is bad. But I do disagree with this list of "four statements", as quoted from your link (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/370-conversations-with-god-neale-donald-walsch-2):

In particular, it's statement number 3 that concerns me. Perhaps this is a problem caused by this being taken out of the context of the book, but "there's nothing we have to do" sounds like the kind of touchy-feeling "life is wonderful" idea that is perfect for someone in an affluent society whose needs are minimal, but is an insult to people who are truly suffering. There's all KINDS of stuff we have to do.

In your own readings of the book(s), did you come to the same conclusion (regarding these four "messages")? What is your interpretation, if so, of that message?
Indeed, this is a problem of putting it out of context. I will try to find better and more detailed summaries today and in case I fail I'll write something about this by myself.


See my sig.
I don't see the connection.