truth and proof and the gospel
if you just cant take it, or don't care to read my thoughts (sigh), i linked the message to this blog entry. so go ahead, click on the title. you have no excuse unless you have already listened to it. it's only 42 minutes (that's 2 episodes of The Office if you tivo them). so read on or skip it and click. either way...
I URGE U 2 LISTEN
many of you know this book because it was on Oprah's book club. some of you may know it because you read it or because you are friends with the author. Some of you may know this book because half of NYC has been reading it on the subway to and from work.
But you don't have to be a local, or avid reader, or even an Oprah fan to have heard about the recent controversy surrounding the content of A Million Little Pieces and it's truth - or lack there of.
(just in case) here is a recap:
TheSmokingGun.com says in a lengthy article that a six-week examination of police and court records, as well as interviews with law enforcement personnel, show that Frey fabricated or embellished details of his law-breaking days.
A Million Little Pieces, published in 2003, is Frey's account of his criminal past and rampant drug and alcohol abuse. It became a hit after Oprah Winfrey in October anointed it one of her book club picks. It has sold more than 3.5 million copies and now is No. 1 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.
Frey, 36, could not be reached Monday.
Responding to Smoking Gun, Frey posted a communication on his website, www.bigjim industries.com, that said: "This is the latest investigation into my past, and the latest attempt to discredit me. So let the haters hate, let the doubters doubt, I stand by my book, and my life."
Smoking Gun, which is popular for postings of celebrity mug shots, criminal complaints and unsavory peccadilloes of the rich and famous, said it began its inquiry after trying to obtain a mug shot of Frey based on one of the arrests he claims in his book.
But William Bastone, the site's editor, says he and associates could find few legal documents confirming most of Frey's accounts of his criminal past.
USA TODAY was able to independently confirm one claim by Smoking Gun.
Frey contends to have struck a cop with his car while drunk in Granville, Ohio, as a Denison University student. He says his actions in the 1992 incident resulted in a melee.
But the arresting officer, Granville Police Sgt. Dave Dudgeon, told USA TODAY that Frey was polite, cooperative and quickly posted bond. Granville police and Licking County, Ohio, prosecutor Robert Becker confirmed the authenticity of legal documents posted on the website. "When you look at the trail of legal documents, the retellings of the criminal stuff are hard to believe," Bastone says.
Winfrey's website, oprah.com, lauds Frey's book as a "mesmerizing story." The site includes an interview in which Frey talks about drinking alcohol at age 10 and smoking marijuana in his teens. Winfrey's production company did not return calls Monday.
...........................................................................
later Frey gave an interview with Larry King in which Oprah herself called in at the very end - a surprise to Larry and James. she stood up for Frey and pointed out that his book has been an inspiration and help to thousands of people struggling with drug addiction throughout the country. she also noted that not every little detail is relevant. that - what is relevant is the fact that he fought a long hard battle with drug addiction and has over come that addiction. out of that he has become the man that he is today...using that message to save others who are on the same rocky road to destruction.
since then, more holes have been found in Freys "memoir" and Oprah has retracted the statement she made on Larry King Live. She had James Frey on her show this week(which was a live taping - how convenient for her). she confronted his fabrications and embellishments and destroyed his reputation right then and there. (I know he brought this on himself, I know, I know)
OK...so my point!
as this drama was at it's peak this week, i was catching up on some sermons i had down loaded (how self righteous of me). One of those sermons was a free download on the Redeemer website - a Tim Keller sermon entitled "Who is This Jesus".
while i listened to this particular sermon about why Jesus is "fact", James Frey's story kept coming to mind. "A Million Little Pieces" was published in 2003. it took less than 3 years for someone to pick it apart. to disprove and dissolve half of the "data" that it contained. It was not told by many, but by one man and his account. he did not make outragious claims (like being the son of God etc.) he was simply writing a memior and the truth came out eventually.
ON THE OTHER HAND...
"Jesus is datum. Jesus is fact..."
centuries after the gospel is published...
"here is one person who has made these kinds of clams and look at the impact of his life."
"he not only claimed to be God, and convinced his family and friends that he was God, but he convinced the last people who would believe...the 1st century Jews.
"after he died, dozens and hundreds of people confessed and attested that they saw Him risen. not only did all the apostles, but we know that at least 500 people at one time saw him ( Paul tells us this in the book of 1Corinthians) at one time, saw him risen...dozens, dozens! sometimes hundreds at a time said 'I've seen Him, he's not dead, he's risen' "
"the experiance of that changed those men and women's life so much, that they went out into the world and died to spread the news. Many of them sacrificed tremendously. Many of them suffered a marter's death, but they were so completely transformed that they went out and spread their faith all over the Mediterranean"
how do you account for the facts? how do you account for the datum?? i don't need to go on and on. i'm tired and it's 2am and i'm not Tim Kellor or Greg Blosser...so go back to the top. like i said...listen to the message!
posted by m. at 1/27/2006
1 Comments:
Greg Blosser... Tim Keller... yeah, our names are often mentioned in the same sentence like that. Me and him.... we're like a couple of crossed index fingers.
I feel famous.
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