Killing Jesus ( The Nazarene's History)

Hi Everybody,
I hope you have a wonderful day!
I bought myself another book to accompany my last vacation in Indonesia. Yes, I went to my beloved country for Christmas holiday, I was happy to meet my parents and my little brother. I met some friends as well. Anyway, I downloaded my Killing Jesus to my kindle before heading home. I was reluctant to read it in full version. Before I decided to download it, I had tried to read the sample version. I was like " oh Gosh, I can't handle this, this too heartbreaking". Killing Jesus is a history book based on Jesus Christ's life. The fact that it is a history book with historical facts make me gloomy. Well, I am a sensitive person so what I can say. The book is written by Bill O'Reilly and his friend, Martin Dugard. They are very inseparable apparently, they have been teamed for many publications. I heard that they are going to make another history book about WWII, I can't wait to read it.Killing Jesus has been in the  New York Times Best Seller list. This book has the same title as Stephen Masfield's  "Killing Jesus", same title but different content... maybe ( I haven't read the book yet). Killing Jesus is a famous book because it causes some controversies among its readers.  For instance, some  people think it is a blasphemy because you can't explore God by depicting historical facts. God is holy so you can't give your thoughts which are not based on biblical matters.I mean, Bible is also a series of historical events and it was written by chosen people which had personal thoughts of Jesus Christ and His teaching. I don't try to defend the authors but I think they merely try to give a new perspective about Jesus Christ. Jesus is a very influential  historical figure after all.Even, according to a new internet research Jesus is the most important person in history that ranks Napoleon second and Muhammad third.  I think the authors expected the controversies to happen. Controversies are good publications, aren't they? Okay then, I will give you my short review about . It will not be a long review because I am not a spoiler.

Killing Jesus

The book is written  to show the historical background during Jesus' life. The authors want to give factual descriptions about Jesus' life , it is to show the readers that Jesus' lived in a very difficult period under Roman empire and the corrupt lives of Jewish leaders who played a important role in Jewish society at that time. Shortly, Jesus lived in a period of crisis that led unfortunate Jewish people to suffer and to be oppressed. They lived under constant fear of an unjust system and ruler. It made them fragile and didn't have a refuge. Their souls longed for a savior that gave them a genuine freedom from their fears. The authors address Jesus as an earthly figure not Jesus as God. They don't mention Jesus as Jesus Christ but Jesus as the Nazarene. I think it is a good way to keep factual accuracies. Although, the author tries to delineate the factual matters of Jesus' life, they don't neglect biblical matters in the book. It seems they want to incorporate every fact that they have found to support biblical verses and vice versa. Jesus was a figure that brought a new hope to an oppressed society where the adversities seemed to be eternal.

Jesus, the Nazarene in this book is depicted as a person who is very normal as a human being. He can express his sadness, anguish and anger. However, he has characteristics that make people want to listen and follow his teachings. He is a very special person with a serene charisma yet his words are firm and powerful. His words and figure are consolations for dejected people. People who are outcasts to the society like  a prostitute or tax collectors. The Nazarene comes to give them a new hope and break down boundaries. He doesn't alienate them but embrace them with compassion.

The book recounts the life of Jesus  from his birth to his early death in crucifixion. The fact that this is a history book makes the depiction more vivid. The authors narrates the events through depictions of characters involved in and influence  Jesus' life. For example, they describe vividly  a depraved life of Tiberius , a Roman Emperor during Jesus' life. They also give generous parts to describe other characters like John the Baptist, Peter, and more. It is a brilliant effort to take the readers into  a deep comprehension of Jesus' life. I like how it narrates because it is not only give me a new knowledge about the events but also it give me a new threshold to understand the difficulties that Jesus had during his life. The authors are successfully bring the historical events to the readers' minds using sharp and dramatic details. Concisely, the book brings new details which the readers can't find only from reading the Bible. The end of the book provides short details after Jesus' death. It is stated that there are no evidences that point where Jesus' body was buried, it was simply an empty tomb. The details also mention the characters involved in the Jesus' life.

My verdict to this book is I really enjoyed reading it but it makes me contemplate about the whole story. It makes me grateful about my life and I feel blessed to have Jesus Christ in my life. I think if you want to understand about Jesus as a historical figure you can read this book. It is a neutral book that can be read by anybody, it is not a Christian themed book. It is like other history books that you can find in Amazon or book stores. The fact that I am a Christian made me more sentimental after I finished the book. My rating for this book is 5/5 because the details in this book are refreshing and novel.

How about Baking?

I am a very luke warm person when it comes to my ultimate hobby or passion or interest....
I have been searching my real passion, it seems that I have a lot of interests that keep me busy and occupied. I like various things. So, here is the story. I want to have a new hobby that can make happy ( financially) hehehe....
I like cooking and I don't really have a formal education of cooking. Never do I take cooking classes, I learn to cook from cooking shows and random food blogs. My favorite tv channel is Food Network. I created and improvised my own dishes according to my healthy meal plans. I don't eat certain foods and I am very concerned about they way I cook my food. I don't fry my food. I am a simple yet picky cook and eater.I like to eat cakes moderately because I don't have  a sweet tooth problem. I also enjoy making my own cakes. The problem is to bake is to infuse science into your food. It needs right measurement and  methods to create a delicious and attractive cake. All those things, need to be learned in a culinary school. I believe some people are talented cooks, I met some of them. However, baking is another level of cooking, it is more difficult
. I am still thinking about taking a formal course on baking. I hope someday I can make it a reality. Cheeers!!!

Killing Kennedy :The End of Camelot

Hi everyone,
I am going to write a review on Killing Kennedy (2012) written by the famous  Bill O'Reilly and his author friend, Martin Dugard. My interest in reading fictional books is now declining. I am more into history books because I find that some fictions are alike these days, they have similar themes. In short, I am a bored reader. I need a new threshold to the world where I can not find in fictional works. Killing Kennedy is the first history book that I write a review on. People have raved about this book since it was first published. Even, it is filmed by National Geographic Channel. I was kind of late to jump on the bandwagon. The book made its place on New York Times' best sellers list. I was enticed because I was curious about the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) since it was a very shocking moment for Americans those days and one of the biggest mysteries in the history. Many theories of his assassination have emerged since the day he was murdered.I believe the speculations will still be  going on.

JFK's life and his family have been a center of attention for so long even after his murder. He was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald at 12:30 p.m,on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas. It was a very terrible news for Americans who were under constant fear of Cold War and other foreign threats. The domestic commotions also serious threats for the USA during JFK's presidency. Shortly, those were tumultuous moments for Americans. 

Back to my review, Killing Kennedy is one of the books which talk about JFK's assassination. You may find different books which have the same core. You may think that history books are boring to read and maybe you feel intimidated by history books. You can give this book a try because the authors deliver the history in fictional-like narration which makes it easy and smooth to read and to comprehend fully. As a new reader of history you may need to consider it. The authors try to convey the story from two point of views, the first one is from JFK's point of view and the other is from his assassin,Lee Harvey Oswald. This gives readers a closer and personal glimpse on the tragic event.
I like how the authors deliver the events to their readers. 

The facts are very important matters in history books, the authors have gone to deep investigations to shed some light on the murder. They have made some efforts to investigate and interview some people who were related to the event. You can see the list of some reliable sources in the end of the book. Personally, I like this book and it has fulfilled my expectations. It's a worth reading book, you might find  some new information  about JFK's life when you read this book even if you have read about his assassination. I will not mention those details because I want you to enjoy the book and I don't want to ruin your curiosity.

Rate:
4/5 stars.

 

Happy Belated New Year!

Good Lord,
I have been procrastinating for months! ( 9 months without any posts!)This is my first post after a while. I hope you all have a wonderful year.
I am grateful for the things I had last year. I thank Jesus for everything! my family, my friends, health and  many more. I had a wonderful year of 2013 with its bad and good things came with it.
Many people try to make some resolutions when they come to the beginning of a new year. I am not that kind of person but I do have some hopes and wishes this year. I am a very content person it keeps myself happier because I don't have to be very ambitious and miserable when my hopes and wishes don't come true. I always think that many people have tough adversities out there and it is not my place to whine about my life. This year I am trying to be a better person for sure. However, I have some resolutions about my life. Here some of mine.

1. To be closer to God
As a human being, we have ups and downs. It makes my faith to God fluctuate. I hate myself for being that kind of person. I want to be a person that always has a faithful heart to God. Closer to God does not mean to be a fanatic person, but a person who is closer to God has a tolerant heart and loving heart that can accept differences without judging other people.
2. Be a healthier person
I am very concerned about my health, I am a kind of person who always maintains my healthy weight and diet. It is just because I want to be healthy, it is very expensive when I am sick. Healthier me is my long term resolution.
3. Learn Spanish and Japanese!
OMG, I have to do both. I need to learn Spanish if i want to move to the USA for sure and I love JAPAN. I can get enough of Japanese related things.

Those are my simple resolutions for this year. I hope you all can make all your wishes come true. GBU all :):);)

Discretion is really needed ( my view on social media )

Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great day!
I know maybe most of you are bored with this topic but I really need to share my opinion. It is bugging me when I see some people can't use the social media (facebook, twitter whatever) wisely. 
I read in many articles and watched some news about cyber bullying and the effects of social media o and bla bla bla.
I know the social media has brought many benefits to our lives but it can turn into disasters if you don't use it as it should be.The worst result is when the cyber bullying can claim lives ( I know you have heard about it a lot)
However, you should understand that dim witted people will not consider the bad effects of social media misuse. Either they will trigger conflicts or hurt somebody Else's feeling. Nothing is good as the result.
Some people use the social media to share their freedom of speech but do you know that it can hurt somebody else's feeling? For instance, there was a girl who worked in a reputable company who criticized an event with racist remarks (people who live in SG and Malaysia know the case). As a result she was dismissed from her company. There are more examples about the matter.
In my opinion, you need to filter the thoughts you gonna share because cyber world is like a public area that can be seen by many individuals. You need to understand the values and rules of sharing your thoughts. If you don't want to get into troubles don't play with fire.If you don't want to be criticized don't criticize people.If you don't have good things to say don't say anything at all.  Especially, when you have worked in a company or you are searching for a job. Your cyber identities will determine you as a person. Don't forget that once you expose your thoughts in internet, it will be there forever. It is like scars you can't erase.
All in all, we need to be wise people when it comes to sharing our thoughts in public space. It is not a short term effect but it may ruin your lives.

Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl : A Book Review

Finally, I finished reading a book from my reading list. Well, it was not a super fast reading I suppose, it took me weeks to finish the book.I only read the book when I had to commute on the bus or train. I downloaded the book on my kindle, I was curious about this book because it is highly raved about. Even, Sarah Jessica Parker reads it :):) not as famous as Fifthy Shades of Grey (I might try to read it in the future) but it is highly recommended by some readers.If I am not mistaken, this book will be taken to the motion picture :):)

The storyline is based on a marital relationship between Nick and Amy Dunne. Amy Dunne disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary framing Nick Dunne as a cold blooded husband who kills his wife. The story is told from Amy and Nick Dunne point of views leading the readers to question and portray Amy and Nick Dunne as two wounded people in a troublesome marriage. They have their own mistakes and weaknesses that lead us the readers, understand how painful and how miserable relationship they have as husband and wife in an unhappy marriage life.
They loses the fervor of love, marriage is just a weary dreary place. They feel trapped.Maybe some of us understand the situation, the author takes the readers to explore Amy and Nick Dunne's feeling to each other. They were deeply in love and after 5 years together the obstacles and their true selves are leading them to a cold dark place where they find each other as total strangers.
When we read the story, we will be taken to question about who the bad person is,Amy or Nick Dunne.We barely can be the judge, because we can't see black and white we only see greyish conclusion in each their action.

They simply hate each other but they also can't live apart. The relationship is merely like a drug that makes them addictive.The twisted mind of Amy Dunne makes the story more intriguing from the beginning, she has kept dark secrets that turn the situation up side down.
According to the author,

“This is the dynamics of a marriage gone wrong. How two personalities come together and come apart. I like the mystery genre as a way of telling that story,” 
“It is a very relatable story for all of us who have been in long term relationships or marriage, although it does go beyond the parameters that hopefully we all deal. So many people have told me they have touchstones with different parts of the story.”

In short, the author tries to convey the common problems of long term relationships that everyone has. It becomes an interesting topic because the author elucidates the common problems through a well-written psychological thriller. She also keeps the authenticity of colloquial conversations through characters' language. It simply makes the story more real and close to the mind of the readers.

Conclusion:
I will recommend this book for killing your boredom while you are taking public transportation or sun bathing by the beach. Actually, I was expecting more about this book, I am a traditional reader who likes more details. I understand that the lack of details because the author depicts the story through two point of views (Amy and Nick Dunne).
Personally, this book teaches me how to see the differences that may occur in a marriage life. As a long term commitment, marriage is not an easy breezy Sunday afternoon. It takes a hard work to keep the marriage as a unity. Also, people can change swiftly without knowing it, the summer has ended.

Rating: 4/5

Happy Reading Y'all:):)

So,what's going on?

Sudah lama tidak menulis, tiba-tiba rasa rindu menggelitik...menyentuh jari jemariku untuk merangkai kata-kata.
Aku akhir-akhir ini sibuk dengan kegiatan-kegiatanku, pekerjaan, olahraga,dan kadang-kadang memanjakan diri sendiri. Sudah hampir 2 tahun aku merantau di negeri orang, ada duka ada senang, semua aku syukuri. Setidaknya aku bisa sedikit membantu orang tuaku di rumah. Sedikit berbagi senyum dengan mereka. Yah,aku memang tidak menjalani hidup dengan mudah, seperti kebanyakan orang yang dengan nasib baik, memiliki banyak kemudahan-kemudahan, entah itu faktor orang tua ataupun keberuntungan. Semua aku syukuri, karena dengan bantuan Tuhan dan kerja keras aku mampu menyelesaikan sedikit  demi sedikit masalah masa lampau. Kini,aku agak bisa menarik nafas lega. Terima kasih Tuhan....
Boleh dikatakan, manusia tak pernah puas dengan apa yang dimilikinya. Aku juga seperti itu, tapi sedikit-demi sedikit aku mampu mengatasi rasa kekuranganku dengan rasa bersyukur. Sekarang, hidupku lebih terasa damai,walau terkadang aku juga mempunyai keinginan-keinginan yang masih aku pendam. Tekanan-tekanan sosial selalu saja mengintip tapi aku berusaha menyikapinya dengan positif. Bisa dikatakan, hidupku sekarang lebih terasa santai dan mengalir tenang seperti air disebuah mata air.
Saat ini aku masih berkutat dengan pekerjaan lamaku, mengajar. Jujur aku tidak terlalu menikmatinya,entah karena bosan atau memang hatiku sudah tidak merasakan tantangan.Aku kemungkinan besar akan merubah karirku kedepan, aku sekarang sedang mencari sekolah hukum yang sesuai dengan keinginanku. Untuk setahun kedepan aku akan kembali merasakan bangku kuliah, mungkin aku akan memulainya musim gugur ini. Ini merupakan persiapanku untuk membangun kehidupan baru di Amerika. Aku rasa,American Dream masih memiliki daya pikatnya.Walaupun, Amerika yang sekarang tidak sehebat America yang dulu.
Aku hanya mampu berdoa dan berusaha,,semoga semuanya berjalan lancar.
Ada beberapa sekolah hukum yang masuk dalam kriteriaku, perhatianku untuk sementara tertuju pada UC Berkeley dan Duke University. Malam ini aku akan berkutat dengan laptop dan internet untuk mencari informasi sebanyak-banyaknya karena tak terasa tahun ajaran baru sudah di depan mata.