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Five Star Reviews for St. Peter's Choice: A Novel by Dean T. Hartwell

4/20/2014

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A Marvelous Read
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Rating:  5.0 stars

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for
Readers' Favorite

St. Peter's Choice is a metaphysical novel written by Dean T. Hartwell. It takes place on Judgement Day, the day when the saved are rewarded with Heaven, and the sinners are consigned to lakes of fire. St. Peter is reading the names from the list that God has given him. While he is doing so, he happens to overhear a conversation between God and a non-Christian. This person had lived a good and virtuous life, but did not embrace the concept of Jesus as his personal savior. God faults the man for not confessing his sins and sends him to hell. The man answers that losing one's integrity is worse than being sent to hell. The man then meets two other rejected souls in a place where he hears the crackling of flames. They question the power of those flames, and the flames disappear. St. Peter is intrigued by what he hears and goes to  converse with the three.

Dean T. Hartwell's metaphysical/philosophical novel, St. Peter's Choice is a marvelous read. Hartwell contrasts what St. Peter remembers of his time with Christ with what his informants are telling him of the Bible as they know it. Hot-button issues such as gay marriage, women's equality and evolution pop up during the conversation. One particularly interesting chapter is the gospel according to X, wherein X tells what he thinks  Christ's story is. This gospel made a lot of sense to me. Other important issues that are brought up in St. Peter's Choice are how some gospels were not included in the Bible as not pushing the church leaders' agenda, and how greedy, mean-spirited and hateful people can be accepted into heaven just because of their belief in Christ as a personal savior. At what cost to your soul and integrity do you walk through those pearly gates? That's the decision St. Peter must make and it's grand reading the dialogue as he makes up his mind.

Rating:  5.0 stars

Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

If you don’t believe in heaven, is hell real? In St. Peter’s Choice by Dean T. Hartwell, the traditional concept of the Last Judgment is under careful scrutiny with the application of logic. Inconsistencies in what Christians believe to be the ‘Word of God’ are brought into question and the validity of the Bible itself is examined in light of modern research. By following his curiosity, St. Peter learns of the use of free will to reach decisions about what to believe instead of living life based on blind faith and obedience. He understands that choices have consequences, but is surprised to find that the consequences are not real when there is no belief in them or their alternatives. Heaven may just be how one lives life – not some illusion that is promised as a reward for accepting a particular set of beliefs. 
 
Dean T. Hartwell uses a fictionalized St. Peter to express his opinions about the nature of God and blind belief in what have traditionally been seen as His laws. St. Peter’s Choice essentially outlines what could be called flaws in the logic of Christian dogma and questions why a loving God would keep anyone from the Kingdom of Heaven. He proposes that Jesus was speaking in code and was actually part of a conspiracy to overthrow Roman rule. That leads to the assertion that the Bible should be taken figuratively and not literally, and that to insist on adhering to it word for word is to defy logic and common sense. This is great reading as a starting point for an interesting discussion or as a stepping stone to learn more about the modern quest for understanding other possible stories of Jesus.

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The Christian "Contract"

7/7/2013

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Someone offers you a contract.

If you sign it, you have obligations and rights under the contract.

If you refuse it, nothing happens.

In the Christian religion, God offers you a contract.

If you sign it, you are obligated to believe that Jesus is the son of God and you have the right to go to the Christian heaven.

If you refuse it, you go to hell.

Would a kind, compassionate God force you to believe something?


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What We Need and Why We Do Not Get It

7/4/2013

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Many people laugh when I suggest that people connected to the government lied to the public about the events of 9/11.

But when I say politicians lie, or members of the Supreme Court lie, or that public officials lie about other matters, the same people nod their heads and agree enthusiastically.

Why is that?

It has to do with needs.  If one determines that they need something, they tend to hold on to it more tightly than something they could do without.  This attitude is simple human nature.

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see picture), a person’s first set of needs are the most basic: we all need to breathe, drink water, eat food, etc.  If we are dependent (or believe we are dependent) upon someone else to provide these necessities, we would not likely question that person or antagonize them.  We could be saying goodbye to our lives!

Once a person achieves this first set of needs, this theory tells us, they are able to handle the next set, which is about the security of: one’s person, employment, health, etc.  If one does not feel secure about themselves and about their position in society, they will not be able to move up the “ladder” of the hierarchy and make friends or feel self-confidence.

“Rocking the boat” and questioning those who provide security, such as agents of our government, jeopardizes one’s ability to become a confident and social person.  It may not be the same as being deprived of water, but one who openly doubts those charged with providing security risks social suicide!

No wonder a majority of people still trust our government with the responsibility of protecting us from attack, despite overwhelming evidence that the events of 9/11 were a hoax!  It is far safer to “settle” for accusing politicians of lying and cheating because there is no fear of retaliation or alienation for espousing these views.

Yes, we all understand the advantage of safety: one does not have to lift a finger.

Imagine the possibility of afterlife.  This idea goes beyond one’s security on the temporary home of Planet Earth.  It goes to eternal life.

Imagine a deity who records your every thought and action.  Imagine your destination after life going favorably in one direction and horribly in another direction.  Imagine this deity having control over which way you go.

Many of those who are willing to speak out against the actions of those charged with running our government are unwilling to speak up about certain religions that threaten eternal insecurity to those that question the deity.

There is something missing in the Maslow’s theory.  Somewhere after we get our water and our food, we need to grasp the right to ask questions and to obtain answers.  The idea of either trusting our leaders blindly to protect us or to face alienation is not sufficient for any of us to function in a world of deception and lies.

That’s my theory.  We need choices that reflect our needs, not our fears.



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Read St. Peter's Choice Now!

6/19/2013

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Daring to challenge assumptions about God and the afterlife, the novel St.   Peter’s Choice arrives now to an audience of those willing to think freely.
 
It is  Judgment Day. The “rock” of the Christian religion begins to change his mind   about going to heaven after he decides to talk to those sent to hell. When he   speaks to God later about the conversation, he finds he has a choice to make   between faith and reason.
 
This novel is unique in that it provides ample footnotes from the Bible and other works that analyze Christianity. An appendix  also gives background to issues raised by the characters in the book.  A bibliography shows books of influence to the author, most notably Open Tomb: How and Why Jesus Faked His Death and Resurrection by David  Mirsch.

Buy it here

 
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St. Peter's Choice is Coming Soon!

6/9/2013

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Assertions by Christians:

There is a God.

He is my God.

There are no other Gods.

Those who believe as I do are rewarded after death.

Everyone else fails to get the reward.

I know people who believe in this manner.  Many of them are, from my point of view, good people.  Some are not.

The novel, St. Peter’s Choice, asks the reader to assume, for the sake of argument, the truth of this set of assertions.  It then challenges the reader to decide if this is a God they would choose.

Through the novel, interesting questions come up:

Is God good?

Is heaven a desirable place?

Does hell exist?

Why does the Old Testament God have so many capital offenses?

What does one do if one’s reason leads them to disbelieve in God?

St. Peter’s Choice will be available on Amazon and other stores soon!



ST. PETER'S CHOICE IS OUT NOW!
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St. Peter's Choice - A Novel by Dean T. Hartwell out Soon!

6/6/2013

4 Comments

 
Picture
Daring to challenge assumptions about God and the afterlife, the novel St. Peter’s Choice by Dean T. Hartwell arrives soon to an audience of those willing to think freely. 

It is Judgment Day.  The “rock” of the Christian religion begins to change his mind about going to heaven after he decides to talk to those sent to hell. 

When he speaks to God later about the conversations, he finds he has a choice to make between faith and reason.

4 Comments

Diary of a Disturbed Mind Using an Eight Ball

3/23/2013

2 Comments

 
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As a child, there was a phrase I had to say every day…

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

My kindergarten class says there is a God, but my parents don’t.  Why should I recite this pledge?

BECAUSE I SAID SO

The principal says I must say it.  Maybe he is wrong.

YOU’RE A LOSER* IF YOU BELIEVE THAT

I tried to trust God, but my friend died in a car accident.

GOD MUST HAVE HAD A PLAN

Then I do not care for God.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD…

Then why does he let innocent people die?

HAVE FAITH

Faith in what?  A God I cannot see?  A Bible I read and do not believe?

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

My nation sends troops to fight wars that make no sense.

OUR GOVERNMENT WOULD NEVER DO THAT

Where are the weapons of mass destruction?

I CANNOT REVEAL MY SOURCES

What?

SUPPORT THE TROOPS

I support the troops coming home and for all of them to stop supporting wars based on lies.

THE TERRORISTS DID IT

What terrorists are you talking about?

I CANNOT REVEAL MY SOURCES

Who can I trust?


FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD...

I give up.  Is there something you can tell me not connected to God or country?

 "RAYMOND SHAW IS THE KINDEST, BRAVEST, WARMEST, MOST WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING I'VE EVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE."**
---

*or a communist, a traitor, a conspiracy theorist, etc.

**from The Manchurian Candidate, a movie based on the novel by Richard Condon



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Forget about Free Will or Fate

5/27/2012

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If I had free will, what would that mean?

Would I still have to deal with the uncontrollable things in life - my DNA, the weather, and decisions made by others?

I am skeptical of the idea of free will because our freedom to will is so limited.

I am under six feet tall.  Even if I will to be an NBA star, does it matter?

I doubt free will.

I do not like the concept of fate, either.  I reject the idea that my life is guided by some force or that it has been determined ahead of time.

How can anyone prove their fate, anyway?

We are handed a number of characteristics and circumstances.  We play the cards we are dealt.  Not everyone gets a chance at a royal flush.

We are free to imagine things being better, but our choices are as limited as the people we are.  We can work on freeing ourselves of limitations but in doing so, our will really is not free.

We are free to make what for most are easy decisions - pay the rent, don't commit a crime - but when the decisions get tougher, we are reminded we are not free to disregard consequences.

Nothing is really free.  Fate is only understood in hindsight where it can be explained but not proven.
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Did Jesus Fake His Own Death?

12/30/2011

1 Comment

 
_ Here are a series of questions I raised in an earlier essay about this subject.  My original answers are first, followed by new answers provided by a book I recently read and reviewed called Open Tomb: Why and How Jesus Faked His Death and Resurrection by David Mirsch:

When Was Jesus Born?


No one has been able to ascertain exactly when Jesus was born.  Scholars typically place the year of his birth at around 4 BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before Common Era).


Open Tomb posits that Jesus was born in 6 BCE.


When did Jesus die?


As with his birth, there is no certain year for his death.  Scholars put his death at around 30 CE (Common Era).

Open Tomb points to John 8:57, a verse that implies that Jesus was more than forty years old, and uses the old Jewish calendar and the Biblical indications of when Passover and other events took place to put the crucifixion at 37 CE.

What did Jesus tell people about the coming Kingdom of God?

He told them that it would take place during their lifetimes. (Matthew 23:26 and 24:34)

Open Tomb discusses Jesus’ statements as said in code.  Jesus covered his real agenda, revolution, in comments that made reference to people and places.  The Kingdom of God was the rule of God, expressed through the Old Testament, coming back to the region of Israel with a king directly from the line of David in charge.

When did the Apostle Paul, one of the earliest Christian writers, begin to preach?

Paul makes no mention in his letters of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 70 CE. It is reasonable to assume he must have written them before that point in time.  Paul was an early persecutor of Christians and subsequently had his “conversion” to Christianity some time later.  So, it is widely thought that he wrote his letters somewhere around 50-60 CE.

Open Tomb discusses the Apostle Paul as only vaguely mentioning Jesus, almost as though he was another person.

What is significant about Paul’s letters?

Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that there were 500 witnesses to the risen Jesus but gives no names even though he says they are still around.

Open Tomb’s ideas are expressed above.

When were the Gospels put into writing?

Paul never says anything about what we now call the Gospels (of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), so his preaching must have taken place before they were put into writing.  Scholar consensus has the Gospels starting around 70 CE with Mark, Matthew and Luke and ending with John in about 90 CE.

Open Tomb places the Gospel starting time as shortly after the crucifixion in 37 CE.

What do you think?

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1 Comment

What Is the Real Story about Jesus?

12/11/2011

3 Comments

 
_ The story of Jesus has been one of the most frequently told in world history.  But I am a little confused.  Did he really say he was going to return?  Here are a series of questions I have about this subject:

When Was Jesus Born?

No one has been able to ascertain exactly when Jesus was born.  Scholars typically place the year of his birth at around 4 BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before Common Era).

Was Jesus born before he was born?

When did Jesus die?

As with his birth, there is no certain year for his death.  Scholars put his death at around 30 CE (Common Era).

Why wasn’t the year of his death noted anywhere if it was that important?

What did Jesus tell people about the coming Kingdom of God?

He told them that it would take place during their lifetimes. (Matthew 24:34)

Why don’t Christians acknowledge that this prediction was wrong?

When did the Apostle Paul, one of the earliest Christian writers, begin to preach?

Paul makes no mention in his letters of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 70 CE. It is reasonable to assume he must have written them before that point in time.  Paul was an early persecutor of Christians and subsequently had his “conversion” to Christianity some time later.  So, it is widely thought that he wrote his letters somewhere around 50-60 CE.

What is significant about Paul’s letters?

Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that there were 500 witnesses to the risen Jesus but gives no names even though he says they are still around.

Why didn’t he produce these witnesses instead of giving what sounds like hearsay?

When were the Gospels put into writing?

Paul never says anything about what we now call the Gospels (of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), so his preaching must have taken place before they were put into writing.  Scholar consensus has the Gospels starting around 70 CE with Mark, Matthew and Luke and ending with John in about 90 CE.

What is significant about the last Gospel, that of John?

John is the only Gospel to refer to Jesus as God.  (Source: Ehrman, Bart D.: Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperCollins, 2005.)

Why don’t the other Gospels say anything about this key tenet of the Christian faith?

There is no discussion in the Gospel of John of an upcoming “Kingdom of God.” (Source: "Biblical Literature." Encyclopedia Britannica Online).

Why did the Gospels stop mentioning the upcoming Kingdom?

Did the early Christians change the message when it suited their interests in attracting converts and establishing their religion?

Christians, help me out here!
READ MY NEW BOOK ON THIS TOPIC!
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