The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History

Do you really know your history? You just might be shocked after you read The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History by Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D.

I was amazed at what I didn’t know about American history and what I had been taught that wasn’t fully accurate or accurate at all. Almost everything that I remember isn’t even truth. This is frustrating and scary. If I wasn’t taught all of the truth back in the 1980’s, what are my children not learning now in the 2000’s?

Did you know that the Framers never said that a black person was just three-fifths of a white person (pg. 17-18)?

Did you know that the Fourteenth Amendment was never constitutionally ratified (chpt. 7)?

Did you know that while many Americans were hungry and destitute, FDR ordered the slaughter of six million pigs and the destruction of ten million acres of cotton (pgs. 146-148)?

These are just a taste of what you will learn if you pick up this book. There are wonderful quotes and suggestions for other books you can read to go along with the subject that the author is covering.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History is a fascinating book that is a must read for those of you who desire to know the truth about our great country. We must know our past to move forward into the future. We must know our history to hold onto the freedoms that we have been given. We must understand what happened in our country that wasn’t so great, so that we will be wise to those who are trying to repeat it tenfold.

Every American should read this. I pray that if you do, that it will open your eyes.

The Shack by William Young

I hesitated to do a review on this particular book. I actually read it some time ago, even before it became so popular among many Christians and even the secular world. I hadn’t read any reviews on it. I actually did not know anything about it, other than it was recommended by a ministry that my husband and I had done a study through. So I picked up the book—there was only one copy of it at our local Christian book store, and I started to read it.

The book was captivating and had me drawn in, but that feeling did not last. Something just wasn’t right about what I was reading. I don’t get this feeling often when I read books, especially fiction books. But I just didn’t like where the story was headed. It went from being a great story about how God heals and restores a broken spirit to an outlandish, unbiblical view of who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are.

God is an African-American woman, Jesus is a young middle-aged man of Middle Eastern descent, and the Holy Spirit is Sarayu, a small fragile Asian woman. I wanted to stop the book right there, but thought maybe I was missing something, that certainly Mr. Young didn’t really believe this. So I read on.

Obviously, William Young had the roles of the Trinity all warped. That wasn’t all that was troubling though. He had some crazy ideas about submission and free will. They were completely unbiblical. I was completely sickened by the book and told my husband that I wished that I had never bought it.

Actually, I am glad I bought it. While I am no great theologian, I am by nature very discerning. When I read, I look into things and I knew right away that this book was headed down a road that wasn’t good, regardless if it was fiction or not. I believe that because I read this that I can share with others the dangers found in the theology of this book. If I only stop one person from falling prey to the hype and unbiblical text of this book then I have done my job.

I could go into much more about what I found to be unbiblical and distasteful in this book, but I will let others do that. You can read a much more in-depth review of The Shack at Discerning Reader. I went there after I had read this book and was glad to see that it wasn’t just me seeing the wrong in this book.

It makes me sad that God’s Word gets so distorted. Many today feel that it is there job to “spice” God up to make Him relevant to people. God and God’s Word does not need spiced up and is just as relevant today as ever. I believe that it is us who need to change. We need to let the Word of God tell us the truth, not someone’s own interpretation. We must all be discerning of all that comes into our heads and hearts.

A Time For Freedom by Lynne Cheney

Do you know American History? I thought I did, until I read A Time For Freedom by Lynne Cheney. From 13,000 years ago to 2001, Mrs. Cheney takes you through American history in small comprehensible points.

I was amazed at how many facts I had forgotten and how many more I had never been taught. These are fundamental facts from our great Nations history. My lack of knowledge made me concerned about my own children’s history education. What are they learning or not learning and how could I step in and make a difference?

THE SIZE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER WHICH PRESIDENT COOLIDGE PRESIDED WAS SMALL, ABOUT 3 PERCENT OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, AS COMPARED WITH 20 PERCENT IN 2004. AS FRUGAL WITH THE TAXPAYERS’ MONEY AS HE WAS WITH WORDS, PRESIDENT COOLIDGE HAD NO INTEREST IN SEEING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GROW LARGER. Pg. 161-162

I can help my children by educating myself first and then teaching them. This book is an outstanding resource for just that. We as Americans need to know our history. We can only walk forward into the future if we are educated—educated correctly about the past.

So if you want to jog your historical memory, learn something you didn’t know, or teach your children about our nation, then A Time For Freedom is a great resource. I would also recommend, America: A Patriotic Primer and Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America, both of which were also written by Lynne Cheney.

Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur

I have always enjoyed John MacArthur’s books and this book was no different. In times of instability, many of us are struggling with anxiety. We grab onto the dooms day reports and we find ourselves getting depressed or angry or maybe both at all that is happening in our country and world.

Daily we read or hear of another person compromising their values or continuing on in their lack thereof. It can be just a “lot” overwhelming. Even as a Christian who knows that God is completely in control, I find myself fighting the feelings of despair. This book has helped me bring my focus back to what is important—my Lord Jesus Christ and the Word.

God cares about all that is going on in my life and the lives of all of us. He does care what is going on in America and the rest of the world. He is loving and he is just. He is also very specific on how we must deal with anxiety. He never intended for us to make it on our own.

John MacArthur turns us back to scripture in a very clear and precise way. He doesn’t mess around. The book is all about God’s clear Word on anxiety and applying it to our lives. It’s not about “psycho-babble” or “feel-good” philosophies. It is just straight forward guidance from the Bible.

For me, Anxious for Nothing was a breath of fresh air. With my degree in psychology, I have heard my fair share of modern psychologies take on anxiety. All other approaches will come up short, but God gave us all we need in the Bible to deal with life. Praise God!

Anxious for Nothing is ideal for individuals and/or groups. My small group went through the book together and had some wonderful discussions. Mr. MacArthur has given a great guide in the back of the book, where you will find discussion questions, prayer, and homework for both the individual and group. I now plan on rereading the book just by myself, so I can dig even more into what God has to say to me. It is well worth the time.

Anxious for Nothing is a must read for all. I don’t know of anyone who wouldn’t benefit from having their lives pointed back to the Bible.