Kurozu,Kurozu wrote:./. and WIMH......
what are you guys talking about? Are we still discussing about the "existance of god" ?
I like to read the Conversation with God, but something happen that I would like to share with you guys ....
I was interested in the CWG so I check onto their website http://www.cwg.org thinking that I can download a copy for free since (u know) this is sort of a Christian self-help book (aka bible) that mostly will be given free donwload. But NO!..... I have to pay $40 for the Complete Conversation with GOD! I thought this book is the soup for the soul for spreading the good news about God.
They need our money?
Anyway, I decided not to buy it and I search reading the comment from Neale (the author) to devour his God Msg as much as I can . Here is one news letter from Neale:
He says.....According to San Francisco Chronicle (—Rabbi Michael LernerDecember 20-26, 1998) 2 million people already bought the book at $22.95 (not sure today). Movie deal + royalties from books + donation from readers = money for spreading the message of Conversations with God into the world....... something is fishy here. It is almost like using your donation to promote my product. Nice.My Dear Friends,
When I lived on the street (which I did, as you know, for the better part of a year), I used to go around asking people for quarters. I figured that if I could get a quarter a day from most of the people I asked, I could survive.
Today I'm asking you for a quarter. In fact, I'm asking if you could be kind enough to let go of a quarter a day, every day, to help me place the message of Conversations with God into the world.
First of all yes, we are still talking about God. Just that perhaps your understanding of God is a person sitting on some throne in a cloud, for example. Meaning, you have a certain conception of God and so it now doesn't seem like we are talking about that 'person'. If you could understand God to be more than that eg Truth, a Force, Beyond Time, 'All That Is' etc, this would make more sense.
As for CWG, I haven't researched enough to comment on where the money goes. But from what I can see: $40 for a set of 3 books is hardly unreasonable, and asking for donations to help those who can't afford it doesn't mean offering the books for free to all.
Most organisations charge full price for their products or services and use part of the profits towards charitable causes. Even churches charge fees for conducting programs and put a price on published materials to help cover the cost of those.
Anyway, if it goes against your principles, don't buy it, don't read it. But don't try to get it on the cheap either. And certainly not from me - I don't have Nose's patience to scan a few pages to post here for your sampling. If you really want to, you can do what some stingy people do and stand in Borders reading the books there all day, free of charge.