Can I be inspired by a non christian book?

[InThePottersChamber]

I am currently reading a spiritual book, but not those about the law of attractions or any other pagan religion. It is a story of how one person found a deeper calling by following her intuition. In the book, it emphasises a lot on following the heart and on love. It hardly makes mention of God in the Christian sense and the author believes in reincarnation. She's more 'spiritual', in a way, but not in the christian way. Can God speak to my heart through this book? I certainly feel a deep peace or 'zen' as I read this book,

although TAKE NOTE: I do NOT believe in reincarnation or the idea of God this author has. It's only how certain parts about following my intuition and heart that speaks to me. Otherwise, my faith and beliefs stay strong and grounded in the Bible- no reincarnation, the only real God is the biblical God.

It's a book about mother teresa actually. It's about the author who felt a purpose to interview mother teresa. It's about her journey of healing. It's something like Eat love pray but has some Catholicism in it. I know some of you are already eye-rolling. I know some Christians don't look up to mother teresa. And tbh I don't too. I'm very biblical. But won't God speak to me in other ways besides the Bible too? Can't He use certain parts of this book-or any book actually (as long as the parts doesn't contradict his word) to speak to me? God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? He led my friend, Steve, who is now studying to be a minister to Him by a 'friend' who practices prosperity ministry, asking for money and stuff. But Steve now is still the most religious, God fearing Christian ever. In fact, it's Steve's God given purpose (he told me) to get rid of prosperity ministry.

Also, another example that is similar to this situation is I remember feeling lost one day, far away from my family, and I was looking out of the window of a taxi I was in, feeling so small in this big world. When I put on my head phones and the new Zayn song started playing on my playlist and when it came to the part that the song goes, "I'll be with you from dusk till dawn," I felt God speaking to me. He was reminding me that I'll always have him.

What do you think honestly?
PS: Yes, I'm an honest Christian I got to church on every Sundays, I say my prayers, I repent and I read my bible.

 

[Rescued One]

Jeremiah 17
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Psalm 119
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119 NIV
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

 

[mukk_in]

I am currently reading a spiritual book, but not those about the law of attractions or any other pagan religion. It is a story of how one person found a deeper calling by following her intuition. In the book, it emphasises a lot on following the heart and on love. It hardly makes mention of God in the Christian sense and the author believes in reincarnation. She's more 'spiritual', in a way, but not in the christian way. Can God speak to my heart through this book? I certainly feel a deep peace or 'zen' as I read this book,

although TAKE NOTE: I do NOT believe in reincarnation or the idea of God this author has. It's only how certain parts about following my intuition and heart that speaks to me. Otherwise, my faith and beliefs stay strong and grounded in the Bible- no reincarnation, the only real God is the biblical God.

It's a book about mother teresa actually. It's about the author who felt a purpose to interview mother teresa. It's about her journey of healing. It's something like Eat love pray but has some Catholicism in it. I know some of you are already eye-rolling. I know some Christians don't look up to mother teresa. And tbh I don't too. I'm very biblical. But won't God speak to me in other ways besides the Bible too? Can't He use certain parts of this book-or any book actually (as long as the parts doesn't contradict his word) to speak to me? God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? He led my friend, Steve, who is now studying to be a minister to Him by a 'friend' who practices prosperity ministry, asking for money and stuff. But Steve now is still the most religious, God fearing Christian ever. In fact, it's Steve's God given purpose (he told me) to get rid of prosperity ministry.

Also, another example that is similar to this situation is I remember feeling lost one day, far away from my family, and I was looking out of the window of a taxi I was in, feeling so small in this big world. When I put on my head phones and the new Zayn song started playing on my playlist and when it came to the part that the song goes, "I'll be with you from dusk till dawn," I felt God speaking to me. He was reminding me that I'll always have him.

What do you think honestly?
PS: Yes, I'm an honest Christian I got to church on every Sundays, I say my prayers, I repent and I read my bible.

I'm not sure that such books can "inspire" one, but they can certainly offer a realistic point of view. Although one should be careful not to be led astray by such thinking, it offers a perspective that we Christians seldom contemplate. For example, the late Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic. Yet he managed to pen fantasy works such as "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings" and others. They aren't scriptural but do illustrate the biblical conflict between good and evil. Hope that helps. God bless .

 

[LionL]

Wisdom can be found in many places and God is not found only in the Bible. If it 'feels' right and doesn't go against what you know to be true then you can find God in books, films, conversation - almost anywhere, whether the author intended it or not.

 

[Aimz]

I think as we are all made in the image of God in knowledge and as rational and spiritual beings that yes it is possible that everyone has some wisdom and can be a source of inspiration but if they are unbelievers then to take what they say with perhaps a bit more salt than usual. I have been inspired many times by unbelievers but because what they say has no God context I have to, with help, put God back in to make sense of it!

I am currently reading a spiritual book, but not those about the law of attractions or any other pagan religion. It is a story of how one person found a deeper calling by following her intuition. In the book, it emphasises a lot on following the heart and on love. It hardly makes mention of God in the Christian sense and the author believes in reincarnation. She's more 'spiritual', in a way, but not in the christian way. Can God speak to my heart through this book? I certainly feel a deep peace or 'zen' as I read this book,

although TAKE NOTE: I do NOT believe in reincarnation or the idea of God this author has. It's only how certain parts about following my intuition and heart that speaks to me. Otherwise, my faith and beliefs stay strong and grounded in the Bible- no reincarnation, the only real God is the biblical God.

It's a book about mother teresa actually. It's about the author who felt a purpose to interview mother teresa. It's about her journey of healing. It's something like Eat love pray but has some Catholicism in it. I know some of you are already eye-rolling. I know some Christians don't look up to mother teresa. And tbh I don't too. I'm very biblical. But won't God speak to me in other ways besides the Bible too? Can't He use certain parts of this book-or any book actually (as long as the parts doesn't contradict his word) to speak to me? God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? He led my friend, Steve, who is now studying to be a minister to Him by a 'friend' who practices prosperity ministry, asking for money and stuff. But Steve now is still the most religious, God fearing Christian ever. In fact, it's Steve's God given purpose (he told me) to get rid of prosperity ministry.

Also, another example that is similar to this situation is I remember feeling lost one day, far away from my family, and I was looking out of the window of a taxi I was in, feeling so small in this big world. When I put on my head phones and the new Zayn song started playing on my playlist and when it came to the part that the song goes, "I'll be with you from dusk till dawn," I felt God speaking to me. He was reminding me that I'll always have him.

What do you think honestly?
PS: Yes, I'm an honest Christian I got to church on every Sundays, I say my prayers, I repent and I read my bible.

 

[GandalfTheWise]

I am currently reading a spiritual book, ... Can God speak to my heart through this book? I certainly feel a deep peace or 'zen' as I read this book,

Also, another example that is similar to this situation is I remember feeling lost one day, far away from my family, and I was looking out of the window of a taxi I was in, feeling so small in this big world. When I put on my head phones and the new Zayn song started playing on my playlist and when it came to the part that the song goes, "I'll be with you from dusk till dawn," I felt God speaking to me. He was reminding me that I'll always have him.

What do you think honestly?
PS: Yes, I'm an honest Christian I got to church on every Sundays, I say my prayers, I repent and I read my bible.

I think that there are two different things to distinguish here. The first is God speaking and communicating to us. The second is when we run across things that simply resonate with our heart, that person God created us to be.

There are songs, paintings, beauty in nature, poems, stories, scenes in movies, particular Bible passages, or whatever that will stir our heart into life and passion because they reflect in some way who God made us to be as individuals. It's like our heart sees a reflection of itself and suddenly stirs to life. I think that sometimes God uses these things to show us and remind us who He made us to be. When I run across things that move my heart, I've learned to sit back and meditate on this and see what I can learn from it.

Then, there is God's guidance and walking with Him on a consistent basis. This might be guidance for a decision, encouragement, conviction, insight, or other such things that come about as a normal part of our prayers, Bible reading, or being with other Christians.

It's a balancing act between locking God in a box and refusing to listen unless He speaks in a way acceptable to us and being too open to every voice we hear that we lose sight of His. I think that the important thing is that our walk with God be consistent and that we have a solid knowledge of scripture and good relationships with other believers. That's what helps us maintain a healthy spiritual balance.

 

[Sketcher]

It's useful to know that everyone has a mental filter that influences how you interpret books, music, movies, conversations, any type of input. You have one, as does the author. They could very well be different. This is why a lot of Christians back when The Matrix was in theaters thought it was a quasi-Christian movie. It wasn't, once I learned about Buddhism (which the filmmakers intended more to project) I couldn't view it as even close to Christian anymore. It may be the same way with you and your book. It doesn't mean that you can't necessarily enjoy it, but at least know where the author is coming from and what she intends.

In that same vein, when I was in college in my first semester, I was under enough stress to make me physically ill. One of my instructors asked me what was going on, she was a non-Christian from China, and advised that instead of praying, that I should step back, let go, and let Nature take care of things. Well, I was able to twist that around into stepping back, letting go, and letting God handle things. Not what she intended, but what I ended up with was useful.

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

I am currently reading a spiritual book, but not those about the law of attractions or any other pagan religion. It is a story of how one person found a deeper calling by following her intuition. In the book, it emphasises a lot on following the heart and on love. It hardly makes mention of God in the Christian sense and the author believes in reincarnation. She's more 'spiritual', in a way, but not in the christian way. Can God speak to my heart through this book? I certainly feel a deep peace or 'zen' as I read this book,

although TAKE NOTE: I do NOT believe in reincarnation or the idea of God this author has. It's only how certain parts about following my intuition and heart that speaks to me. Otherwise, my faith and beliefs stay strong and grounded in the Bible- no reincarnation, the only real God is the biblical God.

It's a book about mother teresa actually. It's about the author who felt a purpose to interview mother teresa. It's about her journey of healing. It's something like Eat love pray but has some Catholicism in it. I know some of you are already eye-rolling. I know some Christians don't look up to mother teresa. And tbh I don't too. I'm very biblical. But won't God speak to me in other ways besides the Bible too? Can't He use certain parts of this book-or any book actually (as long as the parts doesn't contradict his word) to speak to me? God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? He led my friend, Steve, who is now studying to be a minister to Him by a 'friend' who practices prosperity ministry, asking for money and stuff. But Steve now is still the most religious, God fearing Christian ever. In fact, it's Steve's God given purpose (he told me) to get rid of prosperity ministry.

Also, another example that is similar to this situation is I remember feeling lost one day, far away from my family, and I was looking out of the window of a taxi I was in, feeling so small in this big world. When I put on my head phones and the new Zayn song started playing on my playlist and when it came to the part that the song goes, "I'll be with you from dusk till dawn," I felt God speaking to me. He was reminding me that I'll always have him.

What do you think honestly?
PS: Yes, I'm an honest Christian I got to church on every Sundays, I say my prayers, I repent and I read my bible.

Mother Theresa actually had a very bad side. She reportedly thought suffering brings people closer to Christ (true, but...)... so encouraged that to an abusive level. This is what her critics claim, anyway.

I do have a different opinion, even very optimistic one about fiction. I am not optimistic about much else in American, Western, and other majority Christian societies, such as in Africa or South Korea.

Why? Because Jesus, while so hard to understand, has relayed successfully his person and system of virtue, so it is well expressed in fiction.

So, very much fiction I view as based on Christian morality. As opposed to Hindu or Buddhist or Communist or Islam... or even Law...

A good author who found many commonalities across myths in many cultures, such as the flood (no, not a myth, really happened, but myths sprung from it), Joseph Campbell saw a commonality in the heroic, as well. Today, I see that in a lot of modern fiction, which, btw, often is written by Christians, even if they are not explicit about it.

So, I like to say Jesus is the hero in much popular modern fiction, the hero with a thousand faces.

Otherwise, ALL things were made by Christ and FOR Christ... so all things have some particle of the truth.

The Gospels is the most pure and strongest stuff.

 

[FanthatSpark]

Approach of the Christian. If one is Christian, who told you we are naked; Genesis ? In modern english who told/taught us to judge? Thus, all things approached as a Christian = Inspiration comes from... All things, to a non judgmental mind...

Remember Jesus said forgive them father for they know not what they do, as we/humanity killed him. That is a mind in non judgment. So who told you its a non Christian book to the mind thats christian in approach to all things and will pray over the nuggets of truth and discard the non truth.

When our core is of the bible as we perfect love to the very id of the mind. A thought found inspiring to improve self can come from anything. IMHO.

 

[Noxot]

before God wrote the bible God wrote our DNA. he also made each of our own unique spirits. supposedly we are his temples. who is good but God?