Sunday Morning Book Thread: Easter Edition 04-08-2012 [OregonMuse]

I was going to say I have nothing for this book thread, but then I remembered what day it is and I thought how appropriate for a book thread than a quote from the greatest book ever written:

Matthew 27:62-66 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate (63) and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.' (64) Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." (65) Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." (66) So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Matthew 28:1-9 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (2) And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. (3) His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. (4) And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. (5) But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. (6) He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (7) Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." (8) So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (9) And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.

Even if you're not a believer, I think you have to admit that there is not one single book that has influenced, shaped, and guided Western Civilization quite like this one has. And to lose it, to ignore it as irrelevant means that our civilization will eventually be replaced by a different one. I don't know what it will look like, but I think I can say that whatever it is, it won't be pretty and we won't like it.

I recently read an old novel set in the early Christian era, Quo Vadis and was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The characters are complex, interesting, and sometimes flawed. I like it how it presented Christianity as a world-changing religion, as it was supposed to be.

The Kindle and Nook editions are cheap, and I believe their are also free eBook editions floating around out there.

This novel has been made into movies twice. The first time was back in the 1950s, Peter Ustinov played Nero, and it doesn't hold up well. Even though you can tell they put a lot of money into it, it looks and feels kind of cheesy.

A better version was made for Polish television in 2005. It is available via Netflix and is well worth watching in its entirety.

So, a happy Easter to all the morons, and to the subset of morons who believe, I say: He is risen!

Tips for this book thread may be e-mailed to aoshqbookthread@gmail.com

Any new books you all would like to talk about this morning?

posted by Open Blogger at 11:06 AM

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