Customer Reviews

Everything Is Spiritual

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Who would have thought that a lecture on Creation stories and Quantum Physics would be so instrumental in conveying the truth of a holistic perspective of spirituality?

As one who has been trying to introduce the perception of spirituality being interwoven with every facet of life, I would say that this DVD is far more effective in conveying that message to audiences unfamiliar with the concept than I realized. Though, I feel the subject could have been presented more effectively in my perspective, it would seem that once again, this beloved speaker finds resonance with his audience; leaving them in the lap of revelation.

I'd say that Nooma is like a piece of candy and this is like a steak dinner, yet somehow the Nooma videos tend to pack a little more punch and cater to more discussion. This is sort of done when it's done. The discussion will happen, but unlike the Nooma DVDs, this DVD doesn't come along with a discussion guide.

Brilliant stuff. Excellent revelation as one would expect. Yet I write as one who has been anticipating this for nearly a year and a half, so it might be that my expectations were overly titillated.

If you're expecting a Nooma video, this isn't going to be it. This is over an hour. Lengthy, heavy, meaty, and will leave you chewing for a while. If you haven't been to one of his seminars/sermons (I find these much more intellectually stimulating than the 40 minutes I endure each week at my own church), I recommend you Google occasionally for a tour date.

No discussion book. You won't need one. You may need to see it more than once to let everything sink in. Rob goes over Genesis, gives a Hebrew 101 lesson, looks at physics and quantum physics, string theory, discusses the difference between the spiritual, the physical, and where humans fit in. The notes are artfully included in the DVD. He also brings together the reason for Shabbat (the sabbath) as originally intended and how we have slipped away from living as Human Beings and reverted back into Human Doings. He reminds us that Jesus never used the word "spiritual" and that there was no separation in the Jewish religion between secular and sacred life and how modern Christians have created a modular life between the two.

Highly recommended for those exploring faith.

Rob Bell has received a great deal of criticism in his career for a variety of reasons. Some might have some merit, but most come out a desire for him to be something he is not. He is not a world class Biblical Scholar; he is not the greatest theological mind; he is not a person that will champion conservative ideologies, nor liberal. If you desire any of these things from this man, do not buy his work for you will be disappointed.

But if you are looking for a thoughtful person engaging with faith, culture, and life, then you might have found someone that will really speak to you in a refreshing confession of Christian faith.

Rob Bell is a pastor with a heart for humanity. He is a person that desires to unite, rather than divide. He is a person who recognizes the burden of our society and addresses them in faithful ways and "Everything Is Spiritual" is a wonderful testimony of God at work within Humanity.

I was blessed to watch this. And I trust that those who have ears to hear will come away from this experience moved in profound ways.

Rob Bell's 78 min. DVD "Everything is Spiritual" is a fast-moving and effective presentation of seven topics that flow easily and hold one's attention. My favorite - which was the topic of my recent small home group meeting - is Chapter 4, "Flatland", which posits the analogy of the relationship of the spiritual world to the physical world as like the third physical dimension is to people living on a two dimensional flat land encountering something from the third dimension: some sense a new relationship, others reject it as fantasy. Sound familiar?

The most disappointing chapter - embarrassing, actually - is Chapter 2, "100 billion galaxies" in which he gives several examples of measurements that, Rob claims, have to be exact or there is no life on earth. "There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of these unbelievably precise numbers that all add up to life on planet earth... It's as if there are these dials to create and sustain life on planet earth. There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of these dials and every single one of them has been adjusted just perfectly... the haunting truth is that if just one of them were even slightly turned in any direction it would render the accuracy of all the hundreds of others irrelevant. It isn't just that there are hundreds and hundreds of these dials, it's that if you mess with just one, it wouldn't matter about the precise accuracy of every single other ones." What are these?

"Our oceans are 3.4% salt, which is the exact percent salt in the human body. 4% salt in the oceans or in our bloodstream, no life on planet earth. 2% salt in our blood stream or the ocean, no life on earth."
I can't say about the human body, but ocean salinity is well mapped and varies with geographic location and the seasons. And every fisherman knows there is life in salt water, brackish water, and fresh water.

"Our atmosphere is 21% oxygen. 23% oxygen, no life on planet earth; 19% oxygen, no life on planet earth."
Numerous examples of life sustained on much more or much less oxygen - mountain climbers, SCUBA divers, fliers, astronauts, intensive care patients, etc.

"a planet is racing through our galaxy at 67 thousand mph. It is also spinning, rotating, at a thousand miles per hour. This planet is called Earth."
Rotation is measured in revolutions per unit time (e.g., rpm), not miles per hour. The earth's rotation with respect to space is 15.041 degrees per hour.

"Unlike other planets, the earth tilts on its axis at 23.5 degrees. Why did the earth tilt? If the earth did not tilt it would become what is called tidely locked, which means one side of the earth would get stuck facing the sun all the time while the other side would never see the sun. One side of the earth would get hotter and hotter until it could not sustain life, while the other side would get colder and colder until it could not sustain life. So that this 23.5 degree tilt of the earth's axis is just exactly precise to allow this blue an green little ball to sustain life."
If the earth did not tilt on its axis it would still have day and night. If the tilt angle were different the seasons would be either less or more extreme, affecting the distribution of living.

"Which raises the question, 'How did we get our moon?' Scientists believe that our moon was some sort of meteor or asteroid that was just flying through our galaxy and essentially got stuck in the earth's gravitational pull."
If a meteorite or asteroid approached the earth from distant space the earth's gravity would pull it into a hyperbolic curve and it would pass the earth moving fastest at the closet point (perigee), definitely not slowing down into an orbit around the earth; or if close enough it could hit the earth.

There is overwhelming evidence of an Intelligent Designer - an incredibly intelligent and powerful One. We do not need to exaggerate the precision. Just consider at the DNA molecule.

I was at the taping of everything is spiritual event and was amazed with Rob Bell's teaching. My family has been waiting a long time for it to be available on dvd. There is so much to it that we could not recall it all when trying to explain to friends what it was about. I highly recomend this dvd. I have heard him preach a few times and just saw his new tour the gods aren't angry,(once again, we are wanting the dvd now) I am always suprised by how I get a new perspective on a passage I have read over and over, never quite looking close enough at it to gain further understanding.His knowledge of Jewish customs and history adds value to his teachings. This is well worth the money. also, check out his NOOMA dvds they are excellent as well.

Think of one of the NOOMA videos as an appetizer. This is a full five course steak dinner. Rob uses his gifts of explaining historical context and Hebrew perspectives to discuss the creation story of Genesis. He then combines that with the principles of intelligent design to make the case that humans occupy a unique intersection of two different realms. He even gives a primer on quantum physics and string theory in the process.

This is an intellectual feast. If you are a fan of the NOOMA series or Rob's books, you will love this.

I have read both of the authors books and own several (if not all of the Nooma video series), and although entertaining this video leaves some to be desired. His science is sketchy in many parts as he makes some of the following assertions; seeds are more complex than trees, the same subatomic particle can be in two places at the same time, (subatomic particles positions are typically calculated as a probability so in that sense it is true although misleading), life wouldn't exist on earth unless the earth was 93 million miles away from the sun, (earth has an elliptical orbit 91.5-94.5 million miles from the sun), no life would exist on earth if the earth weren't tilted on its axis (the axis causes the seasons)to name a few. There are also some rather tangential/bizarre theological assertions. That being said, Rob Bell, the author, is engaging, funny, sincere and thoughtful in attempting to reconcile what all this means in the grand scheme of our human existence. It is at this level of human to human interaction that he excels. This video in my opinion, is fine for college level theology discussions, but for the less educated the author makes too many conclusive statements that appear definitive but are actually pseudoscience at the level of cursory discussions of the true nature of the universe.

I really enjoy Rob's teaching. He simplifies everything so it is easily digestible. His knowledge of Jewish old testament life is seemingly boundless. He holds your attention and continues to surprise me with his fresh modern messages. I highly recommend that these videos become a permanent part of everyone's library. Everything is Spiritual is phenomenal! I am waiting anxiously on the next tour DVD!!

This movie was amazing! It will truly change your life! Both Christian and non-Christian people should see this movie! It will put you in awe! I recommend this movie 100%! Rob Bell knows his stuff! Just make sure your mind is open and your not tired when you watch it! I'm telling you that once you have seen it, it is one of those films that you want to show all of your friends and neighbors: this is the real deal!

I just watched this video last night and was absolutely FLOORED. Rob Bell starts this lecture off with the famous Genesis 1 intro: "In the beginning..." and breaks down the original Hebrew text in a way that will give ANYONE (Christian or non-Christian alike) a new appreciation for the text. But he goes on to weave in physics and astronomical insight about the universe and the fine tuning of gravitational order (i made that phrase up i think...) and blows your mind with the WONDER of how the entire universe can be SOO perfectly tuned "just so" that life on earth can be sustained... you have to watch this! i come from a literature AND a mathematical background and was captivated. i don't care if you are a believer of God or not.. this will leave you THINKING, asking questions, wanting to discuss this stuff with your other nerdy friends... wanting to FIND OUT MORE about this God who breathed everything into order. -- Christiane Lucas