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Crazy Stories, Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible
You probably know a lot of Bible Joseph and his coat, David and Goliath, Daniel and the lions, Jesus walking on water. These get mentioned everywhere from popular literature to your local church.
But there are other stories in the Bible that preachers and Sunday school teachers tend to skip over because . . . well . . . because they seem crazy—the kind of stories that make us change the subject quickly when children bring them up, because we don’t know why they’re in the Bible or what they could possibly mean.
You want examples? There's the time a prophet calls a couple of bears out of the woods to maul a gang of rowdy teenagers. There's also a story about a woman who dresses provocatively and tricks her father-in-law into getting her pregnant. And their son ends up in the genealogy of Jesus! What are we to make of these strange, sometimes cryptic, sometimes even off-color stories? What are they doing in the Bible?
In Crazy Stories, Sane God popular author and teacher John Alan Turner takes us on a wild and unpredictable ride through the weirdest and least familiar stories in the Bible. Through it all, Turner shows us how even these odd episodes reveal important things about the character and nature of God and, consequently, what they mean for us today.
But there are other stories in the Bible that preachers and Sunday school teachers tend to skip over because . . . well . . . because they seem crazy—the kind of stories that make us change the subject quickly when children bring them up, because we don’t know why they’re in the Bible or what they could possibly mean.
You want examples? There's the time a prophet calls a couple of bears out of the woods to maul a gang of rowdy teenagers. There's also a story about a woman who dresses provocatively and tricks her father-in-law into getting her pregnant. And their son ends up in the genealogy of Jesus! What are we to make of these strange, sometimes cryptic, sometimes even off-color stories? What are they doing in the Bible?
In Crazy Stories, Sane God popular author and teacher John Alan Turner takes us on a wild and unpredictable ride through the weirdest and least familiar stories in the Bible. Through it all, Turner shows us how even these odd episodes reveal important things about the character and nature of God and, consequently, what they mean for us today.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
December 11, 2013
The Bible is full of incredible and fascinating stories. Movies have been made about the stories. But think about the stories, they seem so crazy. God told a man to offer his son as a sacrifice. God became a fetus. A religious terrorist switched sides and became the greatest evangelist of all time. Incredible stuff, yet they seem normal. But try telling them to others, they are not at all normal. Yet, they are stories that have been taught to us since our Sunday School days.
But there are other stories preachers and Sunday School teachers skip over completely. Strange stories, some unthinkable, probably would get “adults only” tag. What are they doing in the Bible? Crazy Stories, Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible by John A. Turner contains stories that are wild, inconceivable, weird and the least familiar stories in Bible.
Some of the most incredible stories are:
-The Bridegroom of Blood
-The Sun Stood Still
-Jephthah’s Rash Vow
-The Levite’s Concubine
-God in a Box
-Elisha and the Two Bears
-Birds, Bees, Blossoms and Wheat
-Ezekiel and the UFO
If you love hard-to-believe tales, this book is a must for you. Crazy Stories, Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible is all about thirty fascinating and unbelievable stories, but stories that have a place in God’s grand scheme of things. Through the stories you will learn about the character and nature of God and they mean to us today.
But there are other stories preachers and Sunday School teachers skip over completely. Strange stories, some unthinkable, probably would get “adults only” tag. What are they doing in the Bible? Crazy Stories, Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible by John A. Turner contains stories that are wild, inconceivable, weird and the least familiar stories in Bible.
Some of the most incredible stories are:
-The Bridegroom of Blood
-The Sun Stood Still
-Jephthah’s Rash Vow
-The Levite’s Concubine
-God in a Box
-Elisha and the Two Bears
-Birds, Bees, Blossoms and Wheat
-Ezekiel and the UFO
If you love hard-to-believe tales, this book is a must for you. Crazy Stories, Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible is all about thirty fascinating and unbelievable stories, but stories that have a place in God’s grand scheme of things. Through the stories you will learn about the character and nature of God and they mean to us today.
November 1, 2015
This book is full of entertaining and well-written summaries of Bible stories from someone who seems to be a natural comedian. For example, the author suggests that Abraham must have felt ripped off (he says no pun was intended) when God gave him the covenant of circumcision, because he knew Noah got a rainbow. What it doesn't contain is much help making sense of some of the curly incidents many of us have no doubt wondered about.
Here's a handful of the questions the book claims to address? Why would Noah curse his grandson, Canaan, who apparently had nothing to do with Ham's gesture of disrespect? Why would Elisha call down a curse causing teenage boys to mauled by bears, simply for making fun of his bald head? Why would Lot protect the strangers beneath his roof by offering to sacrifice his own daughters to the evil, lecherous crowd of Sodom? (That one always made my skin crawl.) Why would Jesus allow the demons he'd exorcised to enter a herd of pigs, and ruin a man's livelihood, rather than simply sending them off into the ether? Why would God choose to kill Ananias and Sapphira outright, rather than giving them a stern warning? And what about that weird passage near the start of Exodus about the 'bridegroom of blood' when Zipporah apparently saves Moses' life from God's wrath by circumcising their sons by hand?
Turner's responses seem to fall among the following.
a) God's ways are beyond our comprehension, so just trust Him.
b) Maybe we're asking the wrong question.
c) Maybe we're not supposed to know.
d) If the people involved had behaved better, it wouldn't have happened to them.
These four responses may indeed be our only human recourse, but then why set yourself up for criticism by writing a book with a title and blurb that suggests you're going to attempt to provide more complex and threshed out answers? Overall, it provided some laughs but seemed fairly superficial and didn't really satisfy the interest it stirred in me.
Here's a handful of the questions the book claims to address? Why would Noah curse his grandson, Canaan, who apparently had nothing to do with Ham's gesture of disrespect? Why would Elisha call down a curse causing teenage boys to mauled by bears, simply for making fun of his bald head? Why would Lot protect the strangers beneath his roof by offering to sacrifice his own daughters to the evil, lecherous crowd of Sodom? (That one always made my skin crawl.) Why would Jesus allow the demons he'd exorcised to enter a herd of pigs, and ruin a man's livelihood, rather than simply sending them off into the ether? Why would God choose to kill Ananias and Sapphira outright, rather than giving them a stern warning? And what about that weird passage near the start of Exodus about the 'bridegroom of blood' when Zipporah apparently saves Moses' life from God's wrath by circumcising their sons by hand?
Turner's responses seem to fall among the following.
a) God's ways are beyond our comprehension, so just trust Him.
b) Maybe we're asking the wrong question.
c) Maybe we're not supposed to know.
d) If the people involved had behaved better, it wouldn't have happened to them.
These four responses may indeed be our only human recourse, but then why set yourself up for criticism by writing a book with a title and blurb that suggests you're going to attempt to provide more complex and threshed out answers? Overall, it provided some laughs but seemed fairly superficial and didn't really satisfy the interest it stirred in me.
February 17, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I practically FLEW through it, only stopping to make two notes, rather that stopping every five seconds to note down EVERYthing in it. Other than one hiccup in the beginning where I had no CLUE what the author was getting at, it evened out and made sense. It was entertaining and also illuminating.
I agree with most of what the author was saying. I guess we come from similar theological outlooks, which made this book feel...comfortable to me. It fit. I have to say, I am SO GLAD that I finally found a religious book that I both agree with and think is well written. Of course, considering the last book I attempted set the bar so low, this one practically blinds it shines so bright in comparison.
This is written in a way to engage the reader, but it's not for kids, as certain parts of the Bible that are a bit more mature are discussed. I would definitely recommend this for YA and older. It isn't an overly serious scholarly work in the tone it is written in, but it doesn't shy away from the big questions and some truly out-there stories that are present in the Bible.
It's a fun read to get a bit deeper into the Bible without going in over one's head. It's quick and enjoyable, and with the one age related caveat above, I would recommend it to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of some of the stranger parts of the Bible.
4.5 solid stars, rounded up because other than the very first story and analysis not clicking with me, the rest of the book rang all of my bells.
My thanks to NetGalley and B&H Books, B&H Fiction, B&H Kids for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
I agree with most of what the author was saying. I guess we come from similar theological outlooks, which made this book feel...comfortable to me. It fit. I have to say, I am SO GLAD that I finally found a religious book that I both agree with and think is well written. Of course, considering the last book I attempted set the bar so low, this one practically blinds it shines so bright in comparison.
This is written in a way to engage the reader, but it's not for kids, as certain parts of the Bible that are a bit more mature are discussed. I would definitely recommend this for YA and older. It isn't an overly serious scholarly work in the tone it is written in, but it doesn't shy away from the big questions and some truly out-there stories that are present in the Bible.
It's a fun read to get a bit deeper into the Bible without going in over one's head. It's quick and enjoyable, and with the one age related caveat above, I would recommend it to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of some of the stranger parts of the Bible.
4.5 solid stars, rounded up because other than the very first story and analysis not clicking with me, the rest of the book rang all of my bells.
My thanks to NetGalley and B&H Books, B&H Fiction, B&H Kids for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
April 18, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, and am grateful for the opportunity.
I enjoy reading interesting stories that I haven't known before and learning new little tidbits. However, most books of that sort have little organization and even less direction. It is usually more of a random collection of fun facts and stories that while intriguing do not give particular meaning as a story alone, let alone together.
John Alan Turner, on the other hand, has clear purpose throughout his book, and I respect him all the more for going deeper than most by not simply pointing out unique and ignored parts of the Bible, but also asking, what do these stories mean?
Turner uses a modern, comprehensible, and informal tone and language in his chapters that is reassuring for readers and helps them understand his narrative. Yet he also retained a strong ethic of accuracy and dedication to the original source, and I never felt that he was trying to underscore or whitewash through parts of the story.
After explaining the chapter's biblical story, he would then explain what his thoughts were on that story, and what its theological implications are. He was honest about how troubling certain parts of the Bible were, but never became cynical about his faith. Instead, he found ways to look at those seemingly unusual passages and find valuable insights into God and humanity. I appreciated his thoughts about the stories and found that they too gave me a better understanding of God and morality.
In addition, he kept the book anchored into a smooth chronological pattern, going from the early days of Genesis to the post-Christ deeds of the Apostles. Sometimes he seemed to jump slightly between chapters, but overall there was a stable progression forward, one that he linked to his exploration for the stories' meanings. As he moved on through the different stories, I could see his ideas evolve and grow, until reaching satisfying conclusions by the end. Each story still had its own unique attributes and meaning, but I felt a bond between them, much in the same way that the Bible's many stories link together into a larger narrative of faith.
I am still on my own journey to understand God and life. Sometimes, I am not sure what my faith is. Even when I read the Bible, I still have trouble grasping certain parts. However, I found a new surge of enlightenment through Turner's book, as it helped me connect the ancient stories to my contemporary life. I am still working to find my true faith, but I appreciate Turner for helping me better understand the Bible and God's message.
I enjoy reading interesting stories that I haven't known before and learning new little tidbits. However, most books of that sort have little organization and even less direction. It is usually more of a random collection of fun facts and stories that while intriguing do not give particular meaning as a story alone, let alone together.
John Alan Turner, on the other hand, has clear purpose throughout his book, and I respect him all the more for going deeper than most by not simply pointing out unique and ignored parts of the Bible, but also asking, what do these stories mean?
Turner uses a modern, comprehensible, and informal tone and language in his chapters that is reassuring for readers and helps them understand his narrative. Yet he also retained a strong ethic of accuracy and dedication to the original source, and I never felt that he was trying to underscore or whitewash through parts of the story.
After explaining the chapter's biblical story, he would then explain what his thoughts were on that story, and what its theological implications are. He was honest about how troubling certain parts of the Bible were, but never became cynical about his faith. Instead, he found ways to look at those seemingly unusual passages and find valuable insights into God and humanity. I appreciated his thoughts about the stories and found that they too gave me a better understanding of God and morality.
In addition, he kept the book anchored into a smooth chronological pattern, going from the early days of Genesis to the post-Christ deeds of the Apostles. Sometimes he seemed to jump slightly between chapters, but overall there was a stable progression forward, one that he linked to his exploration for the stories' meanings. As he moved on through the different stories, I could see his ideas evolve and grow, until reaching satisfying conclusions by the end. Each story still had its own unique attributes and meaning, but I felt a bond between them, much in the same way that the Bible's many stories link together into a larger narrative of faith.
I am still on my own journey to understand God and life. Sometimes, I am not sure what my faith is. Even when I read the Bible, I still have trouble grasping certain parts. However, I found a new surge of enlightenment through Turner's book, as it helped me connect the ancient stories to my contemporary life. I am still working to find my true faith, but I appreciate Turner for helping me better understand the Bible and God's message.
August 29, 2014
John Alan Turner has made a career out of writing accessible theological books for the general public ("The 52 Greatest Stories from the Bible" is likely not required reading for seminary), and that's a tough row to hoe. As he points out in his latest work, "Crazy Stories, Sane God," there's some seriously odd stuff contained within the Bible's pages.
Turner points out that even the popular stories of the Bible are a little incredible - the Resurrection is hardly your typical story. "Crazy Stories" is an apt title as there are several lesser-known stories in the Bible that are just strange.
Rampaging bears. Talking donkeys. Daughters deciding that sleeping with their drunk father is the correct moral choice.
Turner believes that there must be a Christian story in every one of these tales, but after reading this book you can tell that he had to struggle to prove his own thesis. Several chapters involve tales from the Old Testament, but all the lessons from these stories appear to involve Turner's pleasant, basic New Testament view of Christianity - "God loves you and wants you to love him."
While I enjoyed Turner's selections from the Bible - I started imagining Cheech Marin reading these Biblical passages and concluding, "That's some crazy s*** right there" - I don't think that I got all that much insight from Turner at the end of the day. Some conclusions are fine, such as King Nebuchadnezzar realizing the importance of looking up to God rather than down on his fellow man. Others are glossed over. Abraham passes God's test because he follows God's directive to kill his son, but Job also does OK when he expresses his wish that he could sue God. Shouldn't Job follow Abraham's example? When we are confronted with life's inevitable tragedies, should we follow God's apparent directives like Abraham or should we demand that God explain himself like Job?
Turner also glosses over some of the glories of God - he observes that God, by making himself an infant (Jesus) who must be taught by adults how to speak, write, etc., learns from Man. His main conclusion from this seems to be, "that's so cool!" He ignores the basic paradox that God as creator of the universe cannot learn anything unless he first makes himself ignorant. These passages had me thinking longingly back to the much more entertaining theological discourses of Christopher Moore's "Lamb."
This is a fine book for a YA audience that finds the Bible boring. It finds interesting stories and wrings more-or-less tame moral stories from them. If you're wrestling with your faith or looking for some insights into Bible passages that you're struggling with, you're probably looking in the wrong place.
Turner points out that even the popular stories of the Bible are a little incredible - the Resurrection is hardly your typical story. "Crazy Stories" is an apt title as there are several lesser-known stories in the Bible that are just strange.
Rampaging bears. Talking donkeys. Daughters deciding that sleeping with their drunk father is the correct moral choice.
Turner believes that there must be a Christian story in every one of these tales, but after reading this book you can tell that he had to struggle to prove his own thesis. Several chapters involve tales from the Old Testament, but all the lessons from these stories appear to involve Turner's pleasant, basic New Testament view of Christianity - "God loves you and wants you to love him."
While I enjoyed Turner's selections from the Bible - I started imagining Cheech Marin reading these Biblical passages and concluding, "That's some crazy s*** right there" - I don't think that I got all that much insight from Turner at the end of the day. Some conclusions are fine, such as King Nebuchadnezzar realizing the importance of looking up to God rather than down on his fellow man. Others are glossed over. Abraham passes God's test because he follows God's directive to kill his son, but Job also does OK when he expresses his wish that he could sue God. Shouldn't Job follow Abraham's example? When we are confronted with life's inevitable tragedies, should we follow God's apparent directives like Abraham or should we demand that God explain himself like Job?
Turner also glosses over some of the glories of God - he observes that God, by making himself an infant (Jesus) who must be taught by adults how to speak, write, etc., learns from Man. His main conclusion from this seems to be, "that's so cool!" He ignores the basic paradox that God as creator of the universe cannot learn anything unless he first makes himself ignorant. These passages had me thinking longingly back to the much more entertaining theological discourses of Christopher Moore's "Lamb."
This is a fine book for a YA audience that finds the Bible boring. It finds interesting stories and wrings more-or-less tame moral stories from them. If you're wrestling with your faith or looking for some insights into Bible passages that you're struggling with, you're probably looking in the wrong place.
August 28, 2016
This was my kind of comedy book.
Basically John Alan Turner goes through all those crazy politically un-correct Biblical accounts and explores them from God's point of view (as well as a saved Christians). What's the purpose of these strange Bible stories?
This isn't just about dealing with some nasty miracles like Jonah in a fish, or a talking donkey, or even a floating zoo --- this is about WHY this stuff needed to happen. And that God gets to have some fun too! And don't forget how brutally horrible us humans are - things haven't really changed in 4000 years.
Turner hits almost all of my favorite weird Bible moments. Here's a list:
Noah gets drunk.
Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah.
Abraham almost sacrificing his son.
Jacob wrestles with God.
The crazy people that are included in the genealogy of Jesus.
Ezekiel's UFO's.
God almost killing Moses.
Rahab the eternal prostitute. (in name)
Genocide in the Old Testament.
God made the Sun stand still.
Jephthah offering his daughter as a sacrifice to God because of his boast.
Elisha and the 42 thugs, and 2 bears.
And a joyful account of Ruth and Boaz.
The Golden hemorrhoids incident.
King David shenanigans.
Job argues with God.
God kills 2 church-goers for tithing.
The porn-light song of Solomon.
And that JESUS guy.
And my favorite: Ehud the left-handed Assassin - sent by God to kill the really fat Tyrant King. This is the stuff that doesn't make it into most Sunday sermons. Hmmm? Maybe I should be a preacher - it would never be boring.
A few folks on Goodreads complain that Turner doesn't respond critically to these accounts. I say that he does indeed, but you have to read what he's doing carefully. They are also all being fit together into one necessary account. All these things add up to a miraculous God and some stretched to the limit people. God has a plan - and He doesn't have to play by our rules. But the end is worth it.
I actually got a few new insights out of this book, and some great connections between Bible stories and theology. Too many to discuss.
OF course: if you don't believe the entire Bible is true - then don't bother reading this, it'll only frustrate you... but then please step away from Jesus as well. His entire existence is a BIG FAT MIRACLE (as are we).
If Eric Metaxes (author of Bonhoeffer) likes this book: then read it. It's fun.
I could write a part II of this book.
Basically John Alan Turner goes through all those crazy politically un-correct Biblical accounts and explores them from God's point of view (as well as a saved Christians). What's the purpose of these strange Bible stories?
This isn't just about dealing with some nasty miracles like Jonah in a fish, or a talking donkey, or even a floating zoo --- this is about WHY this stuff needed to happen. And that God gets to have some fun too! And don't forget how brutally horrible us humans are - things haven't really changed in 4000 years.
Turner hits almost all of my favorite weird Bible moments. Here's a list:
Noah gets drunk.
Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah.
Abraham almost sacrificing his son.
Jacob wrestles with God.
The crazy people that are included in the genealogy of Jesus.
Ezekiel's UFO's.
God almost killing Moses.
Rahab the eternal prostitute. (in name)
Genocide in the Old Testament.
God made the Sun stand still.
Jephthah offering his daughter as a sacrifice to God because of his boast.
Elisha and the 42 thugs, and 2 bears.
And a joyful account of Ruth and Boaz.
The Golden hemorrhoids incident.
King David shenanigans.
Job argues with God.
God kills 2 church-goers for tithing.
The porn-light song of Solomon.
And that JESUS guy.
And my favorite: Ehud the left-handed Assassin - sent by God to kill the really fat Tyrant King. This is the stuff that doesn't make it into most Sunday sermons. Hmmm? Maybe I should be a preacher - it would never be boring.
A few folks on Goodreads complain that Turner doesn't respond critically to these accounts. I say that he does indeed, but you have to read what he's doing carefully. They are also all being fit together into one necessary account. All these things add up to a miraculous God and some stretched to the limit people. God has a plan - and He doesn't have to play by our rules. But the end is worth it.
I actually got a few new insights out of this book, and some great connections between Bible stories and theology. Too many to discuss.
OF course: if you don't believe the entire Bible is true - then don't bother reading this, it'll only frustrate you... but then please step away from Jesus as well. His entire existence is a BIG FAT MIRACLE (as are we).
If Eric Metaxes (author of Bonhoeffer) likes this book: then read it. It's fun.
I could write a part II of this book.
April 20, 2014
**I received this book as part of Goodreads' FirstReads giveaway.**
This was a tremendously great read. Having grown up in a Christian household that was active with the local church, I have heard many of these stories before, though their meaning was lost on me at times. It's difficult to read the Bible in the modern day and view these stories as anything, but "crazy" or "unbelievable". This book changed a lot of my views on the Bible and its narrative for me. Turner does a fantastic job on explaining the stories in modern vernacular that makes the stories seem as if they just happened instead of two thousand years ago.
I think the best part of the book for me was not necessarily the stories themselves, as I have heard of most of them prior to reading this book, but instead the narrative Turner provides regarding the details of the stories and how they can relate to modern society. The stories begin to seem less crazy and more grounded as the book progresses due mostly to Turner's ability to describe how many of us would react to hearing such a story today as well as using wit and humor to present each story.
I have already recommended this book to several people and definitely plan to read it again! This a great read with a wonderful message. I truly feel that a person of any faith, denomination, creed, or belief could pick up this book and find a story and message that "speaks" to their life. It doesn't criticize or judge the reader in any way; quite the opposite in fact as it makes you realize the universality of the human condition and that no person is perfect. This is a great book for Sunday school, bible study, or just to relax with and enjoy the eccentric and "crazy" tales of the Bible.
This was a tremendously great read. Having grown up in a Christian household that was active with the local church, I have heard many of these stories before, though their meaning was lost on me at times. It's difficult to read the Bible in the modern day and view these stories as anything, but "crazy" or "unbelievable". This book changed a lot of my views on the Bible and its narrative for me. Turner does a fantastic job on explaining the stories in modern vernacular that makes the stories seem as if they just happened instead of two thousand years ago.
I think the best part of the book for me was not necessarily the stories themselves, as I have heard of most of them prior to reading this book, but instead the narrative Turner provides regarding the details of the stories and how they can relate to modern society. The stories begin to seem less crazy and more grounded as the book progresses due mostly to Turner's ability to describe how many of us would react to hearing such a story today as well as using wit and humor to present each story.
I have already recommended this book to several people and definitely plan to read it again! This a great read with a wonderful message. I truly feel that a person of any faith, denomination, creed, or belief could pick up this book and find a story and message that "speaks" to their life. It doesn't criticize or judge the reader in any way; quite the opposite in fact as it makes you realize the universality of the human condition and that no person is perfect. This is a great book for Sunday school, bible study, or just to relax with and enjoy the eccentric and "crazy" tales of the Bible.
June 1, 2015
One of the first things that stood out to me about this book was how conversational it was. It was easy to understand, humorous at times, serious when needed, and also clearly shows how these strange stories in the Bible truly reveal relevant lessons for our lives today.
Each chapter of this book focuses on a particular story of the Bible. Turner starts our giving a brief summary of the story (the titles of the chapter also give the reference on where to find the story in the Bible). From there, he dives into the details of the story. If there is some cultural background that would help explain the story, he shares it. If something else needs an explanation, he offers it. Following that, the book sometimes reads like a brief sermon or devotional--talking about the what we can learn from the story and what we can apply to our own lives.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and think it would make a wonderful tool to use alongside personal devotions. I know a few of these stories were ones that I have read in the Bible at various points and thought. "Huh? What did I just read?" Turner does an excellent job of showing how these stories are relevent and how they might not be as odd as they seem. One thing that did surprise me, was a couple of the stories he included were ones that I grew up knowing and never thought of as odd... but you know what? They are odd, and that's okay. Because we follow a God who pushes us to be more like him, and sometimes that means unique situations.
**I received a copy of this book from B&H Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**
Each chapter of this book focuses on a particular story of the Bible. Turner starts our giving a brief summary of the story (the titles of the chapter also give the reference on where to find the story in the Bible). From there, he dives into the details of the story. If there is some cultural background that would help explain the story, he shares it. If something else needs an explanation, he offers it. Following that, the book sometimes reads like a brief sermon or devotional--talking about the what we can learn from the story and what we can apply to our own lives.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and think it would make a wonderful tool to use alongside personal devotions. I know a few of these stories were ones that I have read in the Bible at various points and thought. "Huh? What did I just read?" Turner does an excellent job of showing how these stories are relevent and how they might not be as odd as they seem. One thing that did surprise me, was a couple of the stories he included were ones that I grew up knowing and never thought of as odd... but you know what? They are odd, and that's okay. Because we follow a God who pushes us to be more like him, and sometimes that means unique situations.
**I received a copy of this book from B&H Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**
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May 20, 2016When God Doesn't Do What We Expect
John Alan Turner shines a spotlight on a number of Bible stories that could be described as "crazy," as in difficult to understand/easy to misunderstand. Some of them (Jesus' incarnation, Paul's conversion) may be familiar to us, while others (Song of Solomon, Book of Judges) don't get preached or taught very often. However, everything in the Bible is included for the purpose of teaching us about God. Turner does an excellent job of taking some of the most mind-boggling stories in the Bible and expounding on what they have to teach us.
John Alan Turner shines a spotlight on a number of Bible stories that could be described as "crazy," as in difficult to understand/easy to misunderstand. Some of them (Jesus' incarnation, Paul's conversion) may be familiar to us, while others (Song of Solomon, Book of Judges) don't get preached or taught very often. However, everything in the Bible is included for the purpose of teaching us about God. Turner does an excellent job of taking some of the most mind-boggling stories in the Bible and expounding on what they have to teach us.
August 3, 2017
A Fresh Look Into The Word Of God
Once I'd gotten around to reading this book after downloading it several months ago, I wondered why I hadn't read it sooner because I enjoyed it immensely. It was humorous, easy to understand and provides a wealth of insight in terms of the different stories of the Bible that this book pertains to. I've learned so much from reading this one book. It has blown my mind! If you enjoy learning about the Bible, and most importantly, about God, you'll surely appreciate this book.
Once I'd gotten around to reading this book after downloading it several months ago, I wondered why I hadn't read it sooner because I enjoyed it immensely. It was humorous, easy to understand and provides a wealth of insight in terms of the different stories of the Bible that this book pertains to. I've learned so much from reading this one book. It has blown my mind! If you enjoy learning about the Bible, and most importantly, about God, you'll surely appreciate this book.
August 3, 2016
For our second semester, I taught my high school Religion class a series of lessons called “Kings and Clowns.” There was no lack for absurd and crazy stories from the Old Testament. After learning about King Saul and David initially getting along quite well, we learned about David’s military victories. Saul became jealous of David’s popularity and he devised a plan to get rid of him for good or so he thought. Saul offered his daughter to David for 100 Philistine foreskins in return. He expected David to die in his attempt but David returned instead with 200 foreskins. Uhm . . .yes, and you can find many more Bible stories that leave you scratching your head and wondering “what in the world” did I just read?
This is what drew me to read John Alan Turner’s book “Crazy Stories Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible.” He explores many of the less familiar and bizarre stories found in the Bible and he challenges us to ask: “Why are they in the Bible?” and “What do they tell us about God and ourselves?”
I think the hardest challenge in writing a book like this would have to be trying to retell the Bible story without losing your audience’s attention. I did find myself wanting to skip straight to the “lesson to be learned” at times, but I’m also more of a “get-to-the-point” kind of guy. That’s what I also liked about John’s writings though. He tells it like he sees it. He gets to the point. He is real and vulnerable. His straightforwardness is what made me want to keep reading. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes that made me feel like I was not alone on this “insane” spiritual adventure: “God is, without a doubt, the most frustrating Being I have ever met in my life.” “I wish I could skip ahead and know how everything’s going to turn out for me.”
“Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense.” The author makes it clear that following God takes big risks and that we ought to own our own story no matter how messy it might be or how crazy it may look to others. I loved it when he quoted Bonhoeffer: “When God calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Although I’m not sure I agree 100% with every story interpretation, I do not have a problem with the book and laud the predominate theme that there is nothing God cannot redeem and no one God will not restore! I received a free review copy of this book for my honest opinion.
This is what drew me to read John Alan Turner’s book “Crazy Stories Sane God: Lessons from the Most Unexpected Places in the Bible.” He explores many of the less familiar and bizarre stories found in the Bible and he challenges us to ask: “Why are they in the Bible?” and “What do they tell us about God and ourselves?”
I think the hardest challenge in writing a book like this would have to be trying to retell the Bible story without losing your audience’s attention. I did find myself wanting to skip straight to the “lesson to be learned” at times, but I’m also more of a “get-to-the-point” kind of guy. That’s what I also liked about John’s writings though. He tells it like he sees it. He gets to the point. He is real and vulnerable. His straightforwardness is what made me want to keep reading. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes that made me feel like I was not alone on this “insane” spiritual adventure: “God is, without a doubt, the most frustrating Being I have ever met in my life.” “I wish I could skip ahead and know how everything’s going to turn out for me.”
“Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense.” The author makes it clear that following God takes big risks and that we ought to own our own story no matter how messy it might be or how crazy it may look to others. I loved it when he quoted Bonhoeffer: “When God calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Although I’m not sure I agree 100% with every story interpretation, I do not have a problem with the book and laud the predominate theme that there is nothing God cannot redeem and no one God will not restore! I received a free review copy of this book for my honest opinion.
February 4, 2016
Wow! What a great book! I received this as a Goodreads First-read and I am so grateful that I was one of the lucky ones. This book told me some stories that I proabably wouldn't have found for a while on my own. As someone new to the bible, I found it enlightening, horrifying and in some moments, difficult for me to comprehend. Mr. Turner does a wonderful job of explaining these stories and why they are important.
A few of the stories, I knew in part. The story of Jonah and the Whale, David and Bathsheba, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. But I had never actually read them for myself out of the Bible, except for the story of Lot. I was shocked when I read that story in a study of Genesis, and the others Mr. Turner chose were in that same vein. The stories are important, though, if seeking a real relationship with God. Mr. Turner gets his point across in an honest and forthright manner. There were even moments that made me smile. With each story, I felt I knew God a little better, and I want to know even more. There is a reason for every story God has in the Bible and it has to be taken as a whole. We can't pick and choose what parts are important and those that can be ignored. God made that decision when He included them in His word.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will pass it along to my Pastor and my small group. I think they would enjoy it as much as I did. I will also add Mr. Turner's other books to my reading list. I can't help but think I could learn more from him.
I highly recommend this book and I will add his other books to my reading list.
A few of the stories, I knew in part. The story of Jonah and the Whale, David and Bathsheba, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. But I had never actually read them for myself out of the Bible, except for the story of Lot. I was shocked when I read that story in a study of Genesis, and the others Mr. Turner chose were in that same vein. The stories are important, though, if seeking a real relationship with God. Mr. Turner gets his point across in an honest and forthright manner. There were even moments that made me smile. With each story, I felt I knew God a little better, and I want to know even more. There is a reason for every story God has in the Bible and it has to be taken as a whole. We can't pick and choose what parts are important and those that can be ignored. God made that decision when He included them in His word.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will pass it along to my Pastor and my small group. I think they would enjoy it as much as I did. I will also add Mr. Turner's other books to my reading list. I can't help but think I could learn more from him.
I highly recommend this book and I will add his other books to my reading list.
October 27, 2014
Many thanks to Goodreads, B & H Publishing Group, and John Allen Turner for this free book through Goodreads giveaway.
Did you ever realize how much drama is in the Bible?
I mean, the Bible is the written history of mankind. It begins with "in the beginning", and from there the two main characters were created, sinned, and banned from the Garden of Eden by page four!
John Alan Turner's book delves into some unusual stories of the Bible. Many of the stories the author chose were some that I have often pondered.
Mr. Turner begins with one of the stories that has always been a mystery to me. Just why did Noah curse Ham's unborn grandson after he, Noah, was found naked in a drunken stupor?
God gave Noah 120 years notice to build the ark, and in all that time, there were certainly some people who saw him as a "flake". I mean, you can't hide an ark in the back yard that measures over 400 feet long! In truth, Noah was just following God's word, but the part of the story that always confused me was after the flood. Noah and his small family start anew, and grow a vineyard. As a result, Noah gets drunk, and is found naked by his son, Ham.
Using a casual narrative, Mr. Turner unlocks the mysteries of the story of Noah, and many more. By combining wisdom and humor, the book is entertaining as well as educational.(less)
Did you ever realize how much drama is in the Bible?
I mean, the Bible is the written history of mankind. It begins with "in the beginning", and from there the two main characters were created, sinned, and banned from the Garden of Eden by page four!
John Alan Turner's book delves into some unusual stories of the Bible. Many of the stories the author chose were some that I have often pondered.
Mr. Turner begins with one of the stories that has always been a mystery to me. Just why did Noah curse Ham's unborn grandson after he, Noah, was found naked in a drunken stupor?
God gave Noah 120 years notice to build the ark, and in all that time, there were certainly some people who saw him as a "flake". I mean, you can't hide an ark in the back yard that measures over 400 feet long! In truth, Noah was just following God's word, but the part of the story that always confused me was after the flood. Noah and his small family start anew, and grow a vineyard. As a result, Noah gets drunk, and is found naked by his son, Ham.
Using a casual narrative, Mr. Turner unlocks the mysteries of the story of Noah, and many more. By combining wisdom and humor, the book is entertaining as well as educational.(less)
April 25, 2014
Crazy Stories, Sane God addresses some of the absurd occurrences within the Old and New Testament. Many of these passages are examined because of how illogical or extremist they are in nature. Some stories cause us to question the character of God such as when God commands Hosea, a righteous man, to marry Gomer, an unfaithful wife. Her unfaithfulness toward Hosea is a recurring dilemma until she is eventually sold into slavery and redeemed when Hosea purchases her back.
Turner suggests that Biblical stories like this are important because they reveal deeper meanings into the context of God's relationship with humanity. This reminds me of the parables Jesus used to teach his followers. By using narrative, he was able to draw parallels between the symbols of his teaching and the nature of God.
Stories also provide a foundation for how deliberate and intentional God's plans are for His people. From bears mauling unruly teenagers to zombies in the New Testament, there is always an ultimate purpose behind these actions. Turner reminds us to search for this meaning when reading a passage that might seem outlandish and warns not to distance ourselves from the event by attributing it to history.
Turner suggests that Biblical stories like this are important because they reveal deeper meanings into the context of God's relationship with humanity. This reminds me of the parables Jesus used to teach his followers. By using narrative, he was able to draw parallels between the symbols of his teaching and the nature of God.
Stories also provide a foundation for how deliberate and intentional God's plans are for His people. From bears mauling unruly teenagers to zombies in the New Testament, there is always an ultimate purpose behind these actions. Turner reminds us to search for this meaning when reading a passage that might seem outlandish and warns not to distance ourselves from the event by attributing it to history.
June 9, 2016
This was an interesting book. The premise was very good. The execution was great in parts and less so, in others.
It is not unlike "The Bible Tells Me So," which deals with some of the same stories. If I had not read the other book, I think this one would have impressed me more. I actually quite liked "The Bible Tells Me So," by Peter Enns, and I would recommend that book over this one. This one was good. Parts of it were really good. But it seemed like the author was mostly content to point out the oddities. His explanations or attempts at deciphering what happened seemed to be a real stretch, in parts, overly simplistic, in others. There is no way of knowing for sure, and two thousand years of cultural differences provide a wife gulf in understanding the context. I would have liked to have seen other possible explanations for what the stories mean or why they are in the Bible, in the first place.
I will say that I think it is important that there be books like this. Too many people read the Bible and then get totally freaked out when there is something they cannot explain.
James
It is not unlike "The Bible Tells Me So," which deals with some of the same stories. If I had not read the other book, I think this one would have impressed me more. I actually quite liked "The Bible Tells Me So," by Peter Enns, and I would recommend that book over this one. This one was good. Parts of it were really good. But it seemed like the author was mostly content to point out the oddities. His explanations or attempts at deciphering what happened seemed to be a real stretch, in parts, overly simplistic, in others. There is no way of knowing for sure, and two thousand years of cultural differences provide a wife gulf in understanding the context. I would have liked to have seen other possible explanations for what the stories mean or why they are in the Bible, in the first place.
I will say that I think it is important that there be books like this. Too many people read the Bible and then get totally freaked out when there is something they cannot explain.
James
April 30, 2014
I liked that he puts a human-modern twist on the stories. Still accurate to the text, of course, but in modern language and with comments and commentary that make you really think about what is happening. And some of those stories are really out there. As in, would never be taught in Sunday school out there.
Book is a good length, though I’m not sure if some of the stories he chose to cover really count for my definition of crazy, for example the story of Ruth or the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Still a nice book and it really makes you think about what you have been reading. For example, I’ve heard the story of Jonas since I was a child, but until now haven’t really thought of it as ‘crazy’ when you realize just what really happened.
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Book is a good length, though I’m not sure if some of the stories he chose to cover really count for my definition of crazy, for example the story of Ruth or the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Still a nice book and it really makes you think about what you have been reading. For example, I’ve heard the story of Jonas since I was a child, but until now haven’t really thought of it as ‘crazy’ when you realize just what really happened.
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
May 7, 2014
I got this book from Goodreads' Giveaway program. It is thoroughly enjoyable. This book is chock-full of stories that I'm 99% certain you're not going to hear at any church. Some of his stories you will hear, but chances are John Turner will provide you with a different view of those stories than you're use to. I really like the way he looks to these stories to determine what they tell us about the qualities of God. The book is set up like each chapter is a short, interesting, engaging sermon. . . without being preachy. If you've ever been struck, or perhaps merely confounded, by some seemingly contradictory stories in the Bible. . . this is probably a book you'll enjoy.John Turner is both witty and wise, though he won't tell you that himself. He's genuinely humble and honest about his own shortcomings.
April 21, 2014
I received this book as a First reads from Goodreads. This is my honest review.
This book provided some very nice insight into some of the most unusual stories in the Bible. I really liked it, a lot. I'd always wondered about these bizarrely weird stories, and this book helped to sate some of that curiosity. In this book, the layers of crazy were pulled back a little, so that it was possible to get a glimpse of God, and why these outlandish elements are in the Bible. It really helped in adjusting my perspective, and how I approach such unusual incidents when I encounter them in the Bible.
Extremely insightful and entertaining. I would recommend this to everyone. And yes, the book really is as cool as the summary makes it sound.
This book provided some very nice insight into some of the most unusual stories in the Bible. I really liked it, a lot. I'd always wondered about these bizarrely weird stories, and this book helped to sate some of that curiosity. In this book, the layers of crazy were pulled back a little, so that it was possible to get a glimpse of God, and why these outlandish elements are in the Bible. It really helped in adjusting my perspective, and how I approach such unusual incidents when I encounter them in the Bible.
Extremely insightful and entertaining. I would recommend this to everyone. And yes, the book really is as cool as the summary makes it sound.
September 1, 2016
I received this book from GoodReads and want to thank them for sending it to me.
Crazy Stories, Sane God is just what this book is about. I found it to be inspirational. The author has an interesting way of presenting the stories we have heard so many times and not really taken apart to see what they mean. I might not have described some of them the way John A Turner did, but I found his descriptions to be more than a little thoughtful. I hope a lot of people will read this book and look back at the stories in the Bible and see if this doesn't give you a better understanding of them.
I was a little worried by the name of the book...but it is well written and mostly a logical idea of what God means by the things he has us to do.
Crazy Stories, Sane God is just what this book is about. I found it to be inspirational. The author has an interesting way of presenting the stories we have heard so many times and not really taken apart to see what they mean. I might not have described some of them the way John A Turner did, but I found his descriptions to be more than a little thoughtful. I hope a lot of people will read this book and look back at the stories in the Bible and see if this doesn't give you a better understanding of them.
I was a little worried by the name of the book...but it is well written and mostly a logical idea of what God means by the things he has us to do.
May 12, 2014
(I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.)
I'm very much a Christian, but not a biblical inerrantist by any stretch, which probably explains why I didn't enjoy this book very much. I had hoped that this book would take "crazy" stories from the Bible, especially the Old Testament -- Noah cursing his son for seeing him naked, God trying to kill Moses all of a sudden -- and give some scholarly background to our possibly fragmentary or garbled account. But the assumption that underlay this book is that God actively intended every story in the Bible to be there to teach us more about his character -- which meant, oddly that the book often gets away from the story itself and finds some facet of it to build an inspirational homily around.
I'm very much a Christian, but not a biblical inerrantist by any stretch, which probably explains why I didn't enjoy this book very much. I had hoped that this book would take "crazy" stories from the Bible, especially the Old Testament -- Noah cursing his son for seeing him naked, God trying to kill Moses all of a sudden -- and give some scholarly background to our possibly fragmentary or garbled account. But the assumption that underlay this book is that God actively intended every story in the Bible to be there to teach us more about his character -- which meant, oddly that the book often gets away from the story itself and finds some facet of it to build an inspirational homily around.
April 14, 2014
Pastor Turner takes what he thinks is 30 of the craziest stories in the Bible and discusses why they are recorded. Starting from Genesis 9 with Noah's drunkeness and Moving through Acts 8 with Paul's conversion, he covers the sermons very few pastors want to give. I would highly recommend this book to all Christians. It will make your faith grow stronger and challenge your thinking. In closing I would like to share my favorite quote from the book. "In today's church, as long as the consequences of being caught are the same as the consequences of confessing one's sin, secrecy will rule the day."
August 5, 2016
I received this book through goodreads giveaways. And I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have read it.
I found the book a little boring, I've read the bible and was kind of hoping this book would go more in depth about the incredible stories that the bible delivers. Instead they were just watered down versions with a little humor. There were two parts to each story, The first part was the story out of the bible and the second part was where the author tried to breakdown the story for you. I was hoping that the second part would have been more informative. All in all the book was ok.
I found the book a little boring, I've read the bible and was kind of hoping this book would go more in depth about the incredible stories that the bible delivers. Instead they were just watered down versions with a little humor. There were two parts to each story, The first part was the story out of the bible and the second part was where the author tried to breakdown the story for you. I was hoping that the second part would have been more informative. All in all the book was ok.
May 1, 2014
Good reads first reads giveaways – This book is excellent! Anyone would love this book. John Turner douse a great job of digging deep into some of the lesser explored stories of the Bible and finds the beautiful truth that God is speaking to us through them. Every word of the Bible is God breathed and is a love story to us from God. This book douse a wonderful job of showing how true this is. No matter if you have never picked up the Bible or if you read it every day you will love what this book has to say. Absolutely great!
May 21, 2018
These aren't your standard Sunday School Bible stories. I don't mean they're not from the Bible, or that you won’t recognize any of them. In fact, you might find out there’s more to the story in the ones you think you already know. Author John Allen Turner goes off the beaten path in selecting these thirty excerpts from the Old and New Testaments and presents them with a unifying focus on the extraordinary means God uses to affirm His promise of salvation.
I received this book for free through the Goodreads First Read program.
I received this book for free through the Goodreads First Read program.
April 23, 2015
Ain't It the Truth?
There are certainly so many things that I don't understand. That's probably because I am not God. He is omnIpotent and omniscient.
Crazy...perhaps, but maybe it is our thinking that's crazy. Our thoughts are certainly not His thoughts nor our ways His ways. Sometimes it seems that God must do extreme things to reach us. O, what awesome love. What is man that God is so mindful of us.
There are certainly so many things that I don't understand. That's probably because I am not God. He is omnIpotent and omniscient.
Crazy...perhaps, but maybe it is our thinking that's crazy. Our thoughts are certainly not His thoughts nor our ways His ways. Sometimes it seems that God must do extreme things to reach us. O, what awesome love. What is man that God is so mindful of us.
June 23, 2016
Crazy Stories fearlessly takes on the parts of the Bible that your pastor skips over in his expository preaching series, hoping no one will notice. Rather than shying away from these passages, the author uses them to explore what they reveal about the character of God and how essential they are to the Christian experience. As a bonus, I could see it working quite well as an apologetics reference for some of the pot shots that people might take at these passages.
February 2, 2015
This book pulls out all those questions that don't seem to have an answer or that make you wonder if your child should really be reading the Bible. It brings out the less than wholesome questions that anyone who is familiar with the Bible has wondered and it gives us some pretty cool explanations and thought provoking reasons behind these crazy stories held within the greatest story ever told.
March 21, 2015
Theology+wordplay
What a fun book! The real biblical events told in modern day vocabulary. The author uses words like "dude" and " been there done that". Th e author also was spot on with the real meaning of the event. I had to rethink somethings; meanwhile I laughed at the words and wept at my lack of concern about the lost.
What a fun book! The real biblical events told in modern day vocabulary. The author uses words like "dude" and " been there done that". Th e author also was spot on with the real meaning of the event. I had to rethink somethings; meanwhile I laughed at the words and wept at my lack of concern about the lost.
June 23, 2016
Exciting, educational and enlightening
What a great book! The author does such a great job of explaining things and stories in a way that makes sense of all the craziness. I love how each story shows how God works through seemingly impossible people and situations to achieve his ultimate purpose. I highly recommend this book to anyone!
What a great book! The author does such a great job of explaining things and stories in a way that makes sense of all the craziness. I love how each story shows how God works through seemingly impossible people and situations to achieve his ultimate purpose. I highly recommend this book to anyone!
April 14, 2014
I won this book through Goodreads First reads. I absolutely loved it!! I loved how John Turner answered many of the questions a person may have had about the crazy stories in the Bible. I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the Bible.
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