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DECERNMENT for thrifty conservative

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Posted by: GODS Grace

I need discernment.
My brother who passed away loved to read. He has a very large collection of an assortment of books ranging from classic Christianity, fiction, science fiction, horror, new age type and eastern religion studies? The family has offered to let a local store pick up the books to be reused.
I think some of the books need to go in the trashcan.
I would not want to be a stumbling block to other by donating cult/occult books.
I had heard a statement that Billy Graham made about being able to know a counterfeit dollar by studying a real one.
This question may sound silly but:

Is there any educational value in book about eastern religion/ new age?

What about Stephen King? Horror isn’t something I read or know much about.

This maybe one time I need to not think about not being thrifty? ....Correct?

Blessings, Grace


Posted by: christythompson

Those books that need to go in the trash
Need to go in the trash
God has given you good conscience to know this
So without debate listen to the Lord and Toss them out!!!


Posted by: GODS Grace

Thanks Christy!!

I'm assuming that include the Horror Books.


Posted by: Christian Commando

Well wait a minute. Lets not get excited here too quickly. Consider this first-

1- the books on Eastern religions and more- Are they books only about the religions themselves for doctrine, or are they Christian books looking at the deception the religions are?

If it's the first part- throw them. If it's the second part and prove they are false doctrines, send them along.

2- Christy is right about Stephen King's books- throw them.

I would suggest, if books are about false religions they are good if show the deception of them. If they actually promote that or those religions, they are no good. It would be of value to make these available to others if will show people which the false doctrines are and why. This would be a part of God's command to us to learn to discern the Truth from the false.

God bless!!


Posted by: GODS Grace

Thanks Commando,

This info is helpful since there are so many books.
Now I will have a general guide to go by.
I did not have convictions for passing along the fiction/and science fiction novel (example:Star Trek Series).
Nor do not have the desire/time to read everyone.
Is there anything I should know before passing these along?

My brother loved to read and lived a very simple life. He suffer with depression,and now I see the principle of this scripture.
Eccl1:18... He that increases in knowledge increases in sorrow.

Blessings...Grace


Posted by: Christian Commando

Well... the title, fiction and science fiction pretty much says it all, that it's not based on fact but imagination really. I would mostly just note what type of books they are- as in murder mysteries, horror, comedy, etc, for who you might give them to or sell them to per say, to guard against who would get a wrong influence from them.

Thats only because you got some pretty strange thinking people writing some of these books out there that for some reason convince others to try those outlandish themes themselves for real life.

The average every day fiction and science fiction with little violence or at least lack of intense violence are much more suitable to be given away than those who show or describe such sick graphic stuff. We have enough of the average stuff that can get alittle too much even.

So, just think about such things. Gid Bless!!


Posted by: MarkSentMe

My neighbor was deployed to Iraq and had to clean out his house in 3 weeks' time, to include sending his 4 kids to live with his ex-wife. I became the beneficiary of about 60 children's video's (Disney and others) and a PILE of hardcover books. The videos we weeded through and kept some. The rest went on eBay. The books were all Stephen King and Anne Rice, with the exception of "My Utmost For His Highest"- which I kept. I don't care for Stephen King or Anne Rice books, but I know some people do enjoy them. There didn't seem to be a big market for them on eBay or half.com, so I brought them to Salvation Army. If they deemed them inappropriate, then they can discard them. Salvation Army relies on donations to forward the ministry of Jesus Christ and not everyone who shops there is a Christian. GoodWill serves the community by employing mentally-handicapped adults.
Just because a book is for sale, doesn't mean people will read it. Just because people have a Bible in their home, doesn't mean they will read it either. My daughter enjoys the Harry Potter books. She understands that those books are fantasy-imagination and nothing more. She also reads her Bible and she has some teen-oriented Christian books as well.
I prefer self-help books, like books written by Dave Ramsey, Larry Burkett and, yes, Dr. Phil.


Posted by: GODS Grace

Thanks for the reply,

I also live in a very multicultural environment that requires a great deal of tolerance and respect for others. As a result, I would say the same thing,

"My daughter enjoys the Harry Potter books. She understands that those books are fantasy-imagination and nothing more. She also reads her Bible and she has some teen-oriented Christian books as well.

I hope that I can share this testimony....
I noticed that I would get a migraine headache every time the children watched the H.P. movie. This may not fall in category of great apologetics, but I knew they had to go in the garbage. They went and the headaches went.

My concern for sharing this is as Christian Commando mentioned above... Sometimes the authors may have motives for publishing the material they are writing. The author of Harry Potter did publicly say she hopes these books would open the doors of homes to make witchcraft normal and accepted.(No I do not think we need to return to the dark ages era)
But,That is not the message I want taught to my children. I recommend C.S. Lewis books as good alterative fictional reading material. My children enjoy them and are exited that a new release of the movie THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WORDROBE is coming out to theaters soon.

Have you heard of these books?

Blessing Grace


Posted by: MarkSentMe

I saw something about the movie "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe". I have not read the book, but I'll keep an eye out.
The thing about the Harry Potter movies that I don't like is that they discourage kids from reading. Why read a 700+ page book when you can plunk down in front of the TV with a pile of junk food for 3 hours?
There are some good aspects of Harry Potter. When kids read the same stuff, they get together with other kids and discuss the books and the story. My friend (also a Christian) has a son who when we were in Germany, was my daughter's best friend. The two of them would take their books outside and read together. Cody, at the time, was not ready to share his love of the Lord, but, for a pre-teen who is, this could be an ice-breaker.
Discuss the adventure in the story and then segway into "This reminds me of______ in the Bible," and then show similarities of, say, Jonah's trial with the Lord or Job's troubles or Miriam's.
I went to college for 3 years to be a teacher. Back then, the books kiids went ga-ga over were those Goosebumps books and Sweet Valley High. Most of us students groaned at the sound of those titles. The books were everywhere and kids were eating them up! But! They were reading. Too many of our students are graduating who cannot read. The premise was that even though "we" parents don't like the material, the kids are reading. We can steer them in the proper direction, but again, we can't make them read.
I like going to GoodWill. The other day I scored a hardcover copy of Purpose Driven Life for like $2. I wanted a copy to send to my sister-in-law, but didn't want to give up my copy.


Posted by: Christian Commando

Very good exchange of Biblical thinking and operating. God Bless!!

One last note about this subject. When it comes to books and movies about particular subjects, there have been those, like with poltergiest compared to say, Passion of the Christ, who have had profound effects on people who have watched them or read them, from a very dark and evil impression, to a very Godly touched one.

This is what you must look out for. I like your description and reasoning for removing that movie from your children's list, it shows God is touching you by the Holy spirit as to the type of influence it is or will produce eventually in your children the more they are exposed to it.

You were given this warning by God and is pleasing to hear people do pay attention to that. In the years of dealing with demonic activity, cult and occult research for God's work thru me of the past, I could clearly feel the content of such things as the Holy spirit opened the root of events, doctrines and more to me.

but, it's the action(s) taken, according to this leading we must be clear on.

God bless!!