66 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Beginning of Discussions...., September 13, 2000
This review is from: What Is God? (Paperback)
As much as parents think they can totally direct their child's faith, the truth seems to be that each of us comes to our own understanding of who or what "God" is.
This book is a good opening for discussions of religion with children (who will eventually grow into adults, with their own experiences, choices, experiences). We can lay the foundation, express our beliefs and hopefully let our lives speak.
This is a very short, brightly illustrated book to have on the bookshelf for those times when a small child asks, What is God? or when you want to bring up the topic. The book answers the questions with "Maybe," which allows the children to share their own reflections.
It also talks very very briefly about different ways people pray, the great teachers, and the different religions of the world - Christianity, Judaism, Muslim, and Buddhism plus a reference to other beliefs.
I like the page that talks about commonality among religions. It also touches on the arguments that happen when people disagree about God. It focuses a lot on prayer, and in the end it suggests ways to talk to God in a universalist way.
This book is not for atheists or fundamentalists of any denomination. Nor is it for anyone set with the belief that their belief is the only Way. It does not question the existence of God, although it does provide different interpretations of what God means, or could mean, to a variety of people. (Best book on this topic, though, is still Old Turtle.)
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42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Open your mind and say Aaaaaah., July 11, 2001
This book may not be for everyone-but it was perfect for me. As a Unitarian, I don't have a canned dogma to tell my kids when they ask spiritual questions. This book helped me a few yrs. ago with my older son and recently with my youngest. You have to be open minded and want to raise your kids to be that way, or you might actually be offended by this book's content. It presents God from many points of view, how people fight over God and how they percieve him (her), and lets the reader draw his/her own conclusions. Yes, it's a kid's book, but it's also helpful for adults. The beautiful drawings also were appreciated.
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32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
G-d for the Thoughtful Child, November 5, 2003
This review is from: What Is God? (Paperback)
My spouse and I are from two different religions; and while we have decided to raise our kids from my religion, we both wish our children to be open-minded. I don't claim to be a philosopher, nor do I play one on TV. I also don't claim that this book definitely goes into depth as to why some people take religions and use them for malevolent purposes. But I DO think that this book is a great starting point for mature kids of 5 and older to discuss the burning question about G-d and how people all over the world view G-d. G-d's role in different religions, and how people are sometimes not allowed to worship G-d for political reasons - this book runs the gamut. The first time I read it, it actually made me cry.
Put yourself in the shoes of the child that is consuming this book, not in your own, adult shoes, which are more mature and understand that there are many shades of grey surrounding the issue of religion. When you look at this book from a thoughtful child's perspective, it truly works. And that is the level that matters.
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