A Little Leaven

[FrielWatcher]

A friend of mine who is a pastor in the ELCA (but doesn't like it) is a book collector. Not necessarily old books, a few sprinkled in here and there. Primarily the works of Luther, pastoral books and he is a huge hymn book collection in there with hymnals from all around the globe. He has about six full-size bookshelves and I think the corner foundation of the parsonage is sinking.

Now, two books stand out: Dog Psalms by Herbert Brokering (hymn Earth and All Stars writer) and Your Best Life Now by your hero and mine the Reverend Pastor Dr. Joel Osteen. Both were given to him as gifts.

I am trying to convince him that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. That his whole library should be taken to the pit and burned. He laughs when I say that and I don't know why.

I was once given a copy of the Prayer of Jabez and I couldn't get it out of my house fast enough. Should we keep garbage in our libraries? What should we do with these books since they are of no benefit to anyone?

Dog Psalms: Prayers My Dogs Have Taught Me, Brokering

 

[LawrenceU]

Personally, I have 'Hereitcs, Heresy, Heterdox, and Garbage shelf in my library. On it you will find all sorts of things from Hinn to Mohammed.

 

[Staphlobob]

Some very orthodox and biblical people will deliberately have a bit of leaven mixed in with their library just in order to keep up with what's happening with the world. I don't mind reading a bit of papist stuff just to keep up with what that cult is doing.

The real concern is whether or not the leaven has gone to your friend's head. My worry would not be that he has two trashy books in his library, but that he's a member of the ELCA and what such trash is doing to his head and his faith. (He may not like it, but he's still in it.)

 

[FrielWatcher]

Some very orthodox and biblical people will deliberately have a bit of leaven mixed in with their library just in order to keep up with what's happening with the world. I don't mind reading a bit of papist stuff just to keep up with what that cult is doing.

The real concern is whether or not the leaven has gone to your friend's head. My worry would not be that he has two trashy books in his library, but that he's a member of the ELCA and what such trash is doing to his head and his faith. (He may not like it, but he's still in it.)

...just to keep up with what that cult is doing.

Amen and amen about being in the ELCA. He is becoming increasingly and more increasingly frustrated with the ELCA. I don't want to get off topic because I want to hear about other people's libraries.