Customer Reviews

Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I have just gotten this book and couldn't put it down! If you are looking for religion in this book, you really wont find it. It isn't like that. What it is however, is the Truth as God has written it! No twisting of words or verses, no out of context ideas. Just the Words as God Himself inspired the men to write.

Although most of the things in this Bible I had already known, there are some things that just made me take a look at some things I already thought I knew. The points about Heaven, death, and even the Transfiguration, puts things into perspective, thus making the rest of the stories easily understood.

So many ideas of today's Christianity is so far from what God originally said, and somewhere along the lies and falseness, we as a general have fallen for them as truth. This book will make you look at your own ideas about God, Faith, and all things Bible in a whole new light. A MUST read for all who wish to know God in Truth!!!

There really wasn't anything "shocking" about the Bible that I found in Joe Kovacs book. Joe Kovacs was here in Tulsa, OK last night (8/6/2010) at the Renaissance Hotel giving a presentation about his book. At the beginning of his presentation I felt he was pretty unbiased and did point out some "facts" that are in the Bible (such as how many clean and unclean animals the Bible says were on Noah's Ark). However, toward the end of his presentation he started to inject his own personal beliefs about how when we die we will not go to heaven and also that no one is currently in heaven except for God & Jesus. His other points were basically attempting to prove the Bible taught that when a person dies they simply go into the grave and we are unconscious and "know nothing" thus teaching "soul sleep". Again, this is HIS personal beliefs and his interpretation of certain verses in the Bible (which I believe were taken out of context).

I thought Joe Kovacs was supposed to have some type of journalistic integrity. I have no problem with someone telling me what the Bible says (such as the Philistines getting the worst case of hemorrhoids in history) but to inject your own personal opinion/beliefs and to say "this is what the Bible says" is unacceptable! The presentation was sponsored by the Tulsa Church of God. Is it any wonder that Joe Kovac's beliefs are congruent with their beliefs? I can't believe that was just a coincidence. However, Joe maintains that he is not affiliated with any one particular denomination or church. Well Joe, when you go to church on Saturday or Sunday, which church do you attend? Do you tithe? If so, to which church do you give your 10% to?

I gave this book a 1 star simply because the information was superficial and any idiot could find out the truth about what's in the Bible by doing a simple search on Google. There are hints that Joe Kovac has been influenced by Herbert W. Armstrong or the teachings of the church of God, so buyer beware. I would also be wary of any book that claims to reveal the "truth" about the Bible on the one hand and on the other claim that your pastor, preacher, teacher, bishop or whomever you receive spiritual guidance from is intentionally lying to you.

First of all, as Solomon says, "There is nothing new under the sun." That is certainly true in this case. I wished I could get my kindle money back for the purchase of this book but I'll just mark it up to foolishness on my part for not reading all the reviews. He just repackages many common truths in interesting titles (well, maybe they're not all that interesting, I'm giving him too much credit). But it's obvious that what he really wants to market by this book is the false doctrine of "Soul Sleep," that has been promoted by Armstrong and others who distort the truth. He even nicely detours around some passages that argue against his position and on others, simply doesn't accurately present the other side.

Please don't give this book to a new Christian, that would be a grave error on your part! If you are a strong Christian and have a good command of the Bible, go ahead and read it, but please buy it used some where and don't waste too much money on it. I don't usually bombast a book, but I have to make a concession on this one. I just wish I could get my money back!

If you want to read a good book that will bring about new discoveries and ideas, read Randy Alcorn's book on "Heaven." You will walk away, lifted up, amazed, and praising the Lord. God bless you.

Joe Kovacs has written an amusing, informative and thought-provoking book. Though not a Biblical scholar, Kovacs takes aim at myths and misunderstood passages with facts that may shock even the most ardent Bible readers. This is not an interpretation of the Bible. Kovacs simply takes at face value what is written using several of the most-read translations (King James, NIV, NLT). Stun your friends with stories you may have never heard before: the worst case of hemorroids in history; the Twenty Commandments; God's diet plan; the three Heavens; and why it's not nice to tease a bald man! This book will have you turning to your Bible with a renewed interest that goes far beyond trivia.

Interesting reading, but of limited usefulness:
1. Bombastic style is not helpful
2. No index
3. No reference notes to other scholarship
4. Limited discussion of fulfillment of prophecy, either between sections of Scripture, or since the Bible was written. Such fulfillment often changes the original meaning.
I will add this to my shelf of other commentaries, for amusement rather than study.
A better book is "What the Good Book Didn't Say," by J. Stephen Lang

When a journalist takes on the Bible, you might expect a post-modern putdown of the ancient holy book. But award-winning journalist Joe Kovacs has a different take on the Holy Scriptures. He actually takes the Bible at its word and shows how many shocking misconceptions people have about it today.

In Shocked by the Bible Kovacs questions everything people think they know about the Bible. He says his book is "meant to startle you with truths you did not know were in Scripture, to get you to think with a new perspective. I'm not talking about trivial names and places no one can pronounce. I am talking about major issues, including who God is, who you are, why you were born, and your ultimate destiny" (p. xii, 2008).

Don't expect the party line of the major denominations here. Kovacs subtitles his book "The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told," and he doesn't just target the biblically illiterate like Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't. He seeks to enlighten those who "know [the Bible] well--or at least think they know it well." The book "may even tick you off to the point where you'll want to `have it out' with those who taught you--or more accurately, did not teach you--the astounding information you'll find here" (p. xii).

Kovacs makes shocking statements that he backs up with clear scriptures. Some samples:

* "For instance, if asked how many wise men were present at the Bethlehem manger when Jesus was born, most people will likely answer, `Three.' They would be wrong. The correct answer from the Bible is actually...zero!" (p. 3).

* "The Bible does not say Jesus died on Friday or rose Sunday morning. If that were the case, then Jesus Christ would have been incorrect (or as some nonbelievers suggest, lying) in twice using the phrase `three days and three nights' as the sign proving His true identity as God. Jesus died on a Wednesday, and just as He taught, rose from the dead `after three days' on a Saturday" (p. 22).

* "As shocking as this may sound, the reason we look like God and were made in His image is because we were created to be part of the actual Family of God and live with Him in eternity" (p. 149).

As serious, and as shocking, as all this sounds, Kovacs spices it up with humor and some irreverence. Though I wouldn't agree with every word in Shocked by the Bible, I admit it's the kind of book I would have liked to have written. In fact, for a moment I wondered if someone in the media department of the United Church of God where I work really wrote it. But, alas, the royalties won't be coming here.

I applaud Joe Kovacs for the courage to write a book that exposes many myths and misconceptions that have grown up about the Bible over hundreds of years. I applaud Thomas Nelson for publishing this book, when it contradicts many of the other books they publish (but not their main Book!).

As part of a church that takes the Bible literally (even Christ's command "Freely you have received, freely give" in Matthew 10:8), I was happy to see a book that takes the Bible at its word. Many of the shocking but biblical things Kovacs discusses, and more, can be found in the publications of the United Church of God like Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe? and What Is Your Destiny? I wouldn't be too shocked if Joe Kovacs did some of his research on the UCG.org Web site...not shocked, but pleased.

This is a very well written and humorous book indeed. One will learn more from this book than about anything else you can buy! This is NOT a religious book, so if you are looking for dogma, this isn't for you. If you seriously want to find out what is in the Bible and what is not in the Bible (the most Christians think are there) this is a must buy! I loved the book! It reads very easily (I did it in one night!) and you just can't put it down. Heck, as the jacket says, even Bill O'Reilly was shocked by this book! You will be too.

When I saw this book advertised on World Net Daily, I thought something looked familar to me. When I looked at the article on WND and looked inside the book on this site, I knew why it was familar. It is nothing but the recycled heresies of Herbert W Armstrong! I was a member of Armstrong's cult thirty years ago, so I know that this book is garbage. Thomas Nelson shold be ashamed of itself for publishing this waste of paper. And WND should stop selling it.

This book is an excellent read whether or not you'd consider yourself to be the religious type. I have a completely new perspective on Easter, Christmas, vegetarianism, Noah's Ark and more. The best part is that you can go into your own Bible and see it all for yourself. And you'll see with new eyes when you read the truth about some of the stories that have been somehow mis-told for so many years. I'd recommend this book to anyone! It's such a great read that I didn't want to put it down!

I purchased this book and it is all that it claims to be. There are many things that people believe about Christianity and many of them are just pure Myths. Sadly a large number of the people who believe those myths are Christians themselves - simply because they do not read their bibles and have relied on others to understand it fo them. I would highly recommend this book to anyone Not just those interested in the bible for the first time but those life-long Christians who have not yet cracked the bible open to read what's within it's pages. You might just learn something about God that is the exact opposite of what you've been told or believed all those years. Go ahead......give it a try!