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We Who Wrestle with God: Perceptions of the Divine
A revolutionary new offering from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, renowned psychologist and author of the global bestseller 12 Rules for Life.In We Who Wrestle with God, Dr. Peterson guides us through the ancient, foundational stories of the Western world. In riveting detail, he analyzes the Biblical accounts of rebellion, sacrifice, suffering, and triumph that stabilize, inspire, and unite us culturally and psychologically. Adam and Eve and the eternal fall of mankind; the resentful and ultimately murderous war of Cain and Abel; the cataclysmic flood of Noah; the spectacular collapse of the Tower of Babel; Abraham’s terrible adventure; and the epic of Moses and the Israelites. What could such stories possibly mean? What force wrote and assembled them over the long centuries? How did they bring our spirits and the world together, and point us in the same direction? It is time for us to understand such things, scientifically and spiritually; to become conscious of the structure of our souls and our societies; and to see ourselves and others as if for the first time. Join Elijah as he discovers the Voice of God in the dictates of his own conscience and Jonah confronting hell itself in the belly of the whale because he failed to listen and act. Set yourself straight in intent, aim, and purpose as you begin to more deeply understand the structure of your society and your soul. Journey with Dr. Peterson through the greatest stories ever told. Dare to wrestle with God.
576 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2024
About the author
Jordan B. Peterson
56 books15.9k followersJordan B. Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist, self-help writer, cultural critic and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. His main areas of study are in abnormal, social, and personality psychology, with a particular interest in the psychology of religious and ideological belief, and the assessment and improvement of personality and performance.
Peterson grew up in Fairview, Alberta. He earned a B.A. degree in political science in 1982 and a degree in psychology in 1984, both from the University of Alberta, and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from McGill University in 1991. He remained at McGill as a post-doctoral fellow for two years before moving to Massachusetts, where he worked as an assistant and an associate professor in the psychology department at Harvard University. In 1998, he moved to the University of Toronto as a full professor. He authored Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief in 1999, a work in which examined several academic fields to describe the structure of systems of beliefs and myths, their role in the regulation of emotion, creation of meaning, and motivation for genocide.
In 2016, Peterson released a series of videos on his YouTube channel in which he criticized the Canadian government's Bill C-16. He subsequently became involved in several public debates about the bill that received significant media coverage.
Peterson grew up in Fairview, Alberta. He earned a B.A. degree in political science in 1982 and a degree in psychology in 1984, both from the University of Alberta, and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from McGill University in 1991. He remained at McGill as a post-doctoral fellow for two years before moving to Massachusetts, where he worked as an assistant and an associate professor in the psychology department at Harvard University. In 1998, he moved to the University of Toronto as a full professor. He authored Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief in 1999, a work in which examined several academic fields to describe the structure of systems of beliefs and myths, their role in the regulation of emotion, creation of meaning, and motivation for genocide.
In 2016, Peterson released a series of videos on his YouTube channel in which he criticized the Canadian government's Bill C-16. He subsequently became involved in several public debates about the bill that received significant media coverage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
November 20, 2024
Here to give the book 5 stars before reading it after some idiot scored it a one based on her prejudice.
November 21, 2024
This is just gobbeldygook, like a less coherent Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief but infused with his current brand of politics. The hunt and peck for Bible references might as well be pulled at random, there's no bible scholarship here, no understanding of context - as his debates on various channels promoting this book has shown; Peterson is huffing his word salad symbology as a cope for not being able to say a single definitive thing about christianity.
He's held classes on the Bible long before his rise to fame so using the Bible this way is not just a red meat mirage for his political fanbase, however if you go back and look at what he's talking about there (the lectures can be found online) it's a lot more coherent, and a lot less labyrinthine vessels for injecting "commies are bad you know, God loves a free market meritocracy" commentary.
If he ever had something going with jungian analysis it was lost in the depths of his drug rehab coma.
Thanks for the review copy.
He's held classes on the Bible long before his rise to fame so using the Bible this way is not just a red meat mirage for his political fanbase, however if you go back and look at what he's talking about there (the lectures can be found online) it's a lot more coherent, and a lot less labyrinthine vessels for injecting "commies are bad you know, God loves a free market meritocracy" commentary.
If he ever had something going with jungian analysis it was lost in the depths of his drug rehab coma.
Thanks for the review copy.
November 20, 2024
(I pre ordered this book months ago, and it was worth the wait). I am only on page 24 and already this is the most profound, engaging, thought provoking book I ever read! In a world of misunderstanding I feel so seen and in alignment with the underlying TRUTH of this book. I can’t even put it into words but this book touches something deep. Something you can’t get in a friend, a relationship, a hobby, only the divine. Will update when completed!!!!
November 27, 2024
Jordan Peterson’s supposedly universal meta-ethical story of Mankind, made in the image of God, continuously climbing Jacob’s ladder upwards towards the good, killing dragons, saving fathers from the belly of the beast, struggling with the archetypes of the Great Mother - immediately broke down once he conceptualized and named this worldview ‘Judeo-Christian’, and ‘monotheistic’. Obviously, the ‘Judeo’ part of it is flawed, as Judaism does not have a universal ethic, it has an ethnic supremacist one. Secondly, while Jesus is a living archetype, representing the highest ideal of man (and variance on that theme), Christianity is not monotheistic. It’s triteistic, it is a trinity, for historical reasons the Church was unable to decide on the essence and nature of Jesus relative to God, so it was decided that he is of the same substance as God, the he is identical to God, or in some way is God - whatever that means (it doesn’t, it’s incoherent) - and hence the dogmas were established and we suffer the consequences still. This was formally decided at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. It was an earthly decision, not prophesy. Not from the holy book.
If you were to map Petersons theology onto any established religion, the closest correlation you would get is Islam. Islam is properly universal and properly monotheistic. It is not complicated, but very clear and simple. Although, implicitly Islamophobic (yet ignorant of Islam) as he is, this insight cannot crystallize in his mind. It would be too far. Just like how his ideas are too far for Dawkins. It’s too foreign, he doesn’t have the contextual knowledge, the necessary breadth. Jordan is properly established within the symbolic framework of the west. Although he goes back to Egypt, he doesn’t know the east. Not the Middle East and not the far east. Not Buddhism, not Hinduism, certainly not Islam. He speaks one language, he is not well traveled. His reading is broad, but within a well established Eurocentric paradigm. This is his fatal flaw. He assumes universalism but he haven’t stepped out of the western sphere.
His friends over at the Daily Wire seized on this limitation and pushed him further into the idea of Judeo-Christian values, stories. But why stop there? Why include Mesopotamia and Egypt, but ignore the cosmology of Hinduism, the psychology of Buddhism, and the symbolic continuation and transformation of the Abrahamic story as it unfolded in Islam? Peterson is courageous, but he is not as open-minded as he thinks. He is a person of his generation, as we all are, but he is pre-globalization, pre ease of global travel. He missed that wave. He is an attempt at reviving the dead God of the west, but this God is dead, and has been dead for a long time, as Nietzsche clearly saw. Attempting to combine this dead symbolic structure with the archaic, ethnic supremacist worldview of Judaism will not revive it either. The spirit of God has moved on. The era of the Judaic and Christian faith have passed. New things have emerged, and are flourishing, but Peterson is unwilling to see.
Anyway, it’s a lot better to be like Peterson rather than Dawkins, but Petersons story of the Becoming of Being claims universalism, while being Anglo Saxon, Eurocentric, limited within one language, unfortunately.
All of this was very clear in his comments on Palestine. All his unconscious or implicit phobias towards Judaism (positively) and Islam (negatively), or worse, for Jews and against Arabs, starting last year, 2023.
If you were to map Petersons theology onto any established religion, the closest correlation you would get is Islam. Islam is properly universal and properly monotheistic. It is not complicated, but very clear and simple. Although, implicitly Islamophobic (yet ignorant of Islam) as he is, this insight cannot crystallize in his mind. It would be too far. Just like how his ideas are too far for Dawkins. It’s too foreign, he doesn’t have the contextual knowledge, the necessary breadth. Jordan is properly established within the symbolic framework of the west. Although he goes back to Egypt, he doesn’t know the east. Not the Middle East and not the far east. Not Buddhism, not Hinduism, certainly not Islam. He speaks one language, he is not well traveled. His reading is broad, but within a well established Eurocentric paradigm. This is his fatal flaw. He assumes universalism but he haven’t stepped out of the western sphere.
His friends over at the Daily Wire seized on this limitation and pushed him further into the idea of Judeo-Christian values, stories. But why stop there? Why include Mesopotamia and Egypt, but ignore the cosmology of Hinduism, the psychology of Buddhism, and the symbolic continuation and transformation of the Abrahamic story as it unfolded in Islam? Peterson is courageous, but he is not as open-minded as he thinks. He is a person of his generation, as we all are, but he is pre-globalization, pre ease of global travel. He missed that wave. He is an attempt at reviving the dead God of the west, but this God is dead, and has been dead for a long time, as Nietzsche clearly saw. Attempting to combine this dead symbolic structure with the archaic, ethnic supremacist worldview of Judaism will not revive it either. The spirit of God has moved on. The era of the Judaic and Christian faith have passed. New things have emerged, and are flourishing, but Peterson is unwilling to see.
Anyway, it’s a lot better to be like Peterson rather than Dawkins, but Petersons story of the Becoming of Being claims universalism, while being Anglo Saxon, Eurocentric, limited within one language, unfortunately.
All of this was very clear in his comments on Palestine. All his unconscious or implicit phobias towards Judaism (positively) and Islam (negatively), or worse, for Jews and against Arabs, starting last year, 2023.
November 20, 2024
Writing this in advance to offset the 1-star review by Sade Scarlett in which she admits she hasn’t even read it. Turnabout is fair play.
December 12, 2024
The author possesses a cornucopia of misdirection through nonsensically creating make-believe certainties about the present by twisting myths from the past while defending vile and juvenile non-sense.
His beliefs on women’s proper role were a hoot and wouldn’t pass the sanity level of a fifth grader. Peterson weaves a spool of nonsense by connecting Adam’s Eve and her desires to Cain’s disobedience through the Whore of Babylon from Issaiah and Revelations representing the non-submissiveness of an inerrant women to how today’s woman doesn’t know herself hence her proper place is to serve her man thus making her equal to her place in society by what the masculine desires. It is nonsense and spoken with a straight face by the author. According to him, women should know their place and that place is to serve men since that benefits them most of all and their agency is subservient to men’s desire since a women’s desire subsumes that. Peterson does have that non-sense explicitly throughout this book especially the first half.
The author’s Biblical exegesis stumbles through his reliance on his peculiar meta-narratives. He claims a mystical certainty in Carl Jung’s collective unconsciousness for the grounding of his twisted truths. Peterson is disparaging towards atheists while fabricating his nebulous collective unconsciousness spirituality and making that part of his spirituality or divineness. For example, he’ll absurdly connect Moses holding his staff while destroying Amalekites with the certainty that the individual makes the whole as represented by the staff pointing up and we must therefore be true to our traditions and that brings order and that led to the 10th amendment reserving the powers to the people of the United States to its individual states. Peterson has a holy-spirit decoder ring that maps on to a peculiar weird-view of the world through his unique interpretations of myths and for him their inherent locus of universal truth. Peterson channels the logos and adopts Philo’s stance, and I note that only because in the complete works of Philo of Alexandria I noticed Philo does the same kind of myth re-interpretations that Peterson does. Both have their end point they start with and use the myths to prove their non-sense.
Moses having snakes jump out mystically related to Jesus arising from the cross and that proved the divine nature of the Bible or the archetypal necessity of myths as patterns of the world, at least that’s what Peterson promised he would show proving his divine universal through archetypes. I waited for Peterson to connect the dots and close the circle but he didn’t.
Peterson shares the 10 commandments and didn’t realize the irony when he mentioned that ‘thou should not covet thy neighbor’s ass, wife or slave’ and then said the next set of laws dealt with property rights. Come on, God made women as property and slaves are okay if you don’t covet them. The 10th commandment is about property rights and mind control.
Peterson constantly warns against tyranny. That’s nice. His stance against women knowing their place is tyrannical. Moreover, he preaches reverence for tradition, order and submission and warns against the fringe as dangerous. It’s the same argument that people used to say against homosexuals and how they would be disruptive in the army. It’s just an argument that the self-identified privileged class appeals to when they perceive that others might benefit contra to their imaginary mythical religious certainties while they used their tradition and mythical order to justify their hate. Today almost everybody doesn’t care about homosexuals in the army and that position is no longer fringe; it’s mainstream. Peterson shuts down any dissent from his myth-based certainties by labeling others as fringe.
Nobody really needs a holy spirit Jungian decoder ring for reading myths. Peterson’s re-interpretations at times are vile or at best juvenile. Read the stories yourself and provide your own perspective. Peterson in this book says that morality is not possible without the proper imprinting of those myths on to your heart. Peterson warns against Nietzsche’s nihilism, but Peterson twists what Nietzsche is getting at, never outsource your reality to a book and exercise your will-to-power by actively engaging your own interpretation. Peterson has a twisted weird-view. Though, it’s clear that his system will collapse on its own and he presents his arguments so poorly I would recommend this book for everyone to see how weak his positions are. He’s trying to save the Bible not theologically, but psychologically thus marginalizing the Bible religiously and his female inferiority stance highlights his vileness.
Peterson claims he is anti-post-modernist while creating his own meta-narrative based on his wanting of how society should be. His myths and their inherent truths as wanted by him are the correct myth’s interpretations since they work for him. Peterson wrestles with God while replacing the God certainty with his Jungian non-sense and defends vile and juvenile weird-views. Peterson is a post-modernist in search of his own meta-narrative that he calls myth. There is no story about the story of the world we live in and Peterson is just making stuff up and calling it truth therefore he claims he is not a post-modernist.
His beliefs on women’s proper role were a hoot and wouldn’t pass the sanity level of a fifth grader. Peterson weaves a spool of nonsense by connecting Adam’s Eve and her desires to Cain’s disobedience through the Whore of Babylon from Issaiah and Revelations representing the non-submissiveness of an inerrant women to how today’s woman doesn’t know herself hence her proper place is to serve her man thus making her equal to her place in society by what the masculine desires. It is nonsense and spoken with a straight face by the author. According to him, women should know their place and that place is to serve men since that benefits them most of all and their agency is subservient to men’s desire since a women’s desire subsumes that. Peterson does have that non-sense explicitly throughout this book especially the first half.
The author’s Biblical exegesis stumbles through his reliance on his peculiar meta-narratives. He claims a mystical certainty in Carl Jung’s collective unconsciousness for the grounding of his twisted truths. Peterson is disparaging towards atheists while fabricating his nebulous collective unconsciousness spirituality and making that part of his spirituality or divineness. For example, he’ll absurdly connect Moses holding his staff while destroying Amalekites with the certainty that the individual makes the whole as represented by the staff pointing up and we must therefore be true to our traditions and that brings order and that led to the 10th amendment reserving the powers to the people of the United States to its individual states. Peterson has a holy-spirit decoder ring that maps on to a peculiar weird-view of the world through his unique interpretations of myths and for him their inherent locus of universal truth. Peterson channels the logos and adopts Philo’s stance, and I note that only because in the complete works of Philo of Alexandria I noticed Philo does the same kind of myth re-interpretations that Peterson does. Both have their end point they start with and use the myths to prove their non-sense.
Moses having snakes jump out mystically related to Jesus arising from the cross and that proved the divine nature of the Bible or the archetypal necessity of myths as patterns of the world, at least that’s what Peterson promised he would show proving his divine universal through archetypes. I waited for Peterson to connect the dots and close the circle but he didn’t.
Peterson shares the 10 commandments and didn’t realize the irony when he mentioned that ‘thou should not covet thy neighbor’s ass, wife or slave’ and then said the next set of laws dealt with property rights. Come on, God made women as property and slaves are okay if you don’t covet them. The 10th commandment is about property rights and mind control.
Peterson constantly warns against tyranny. That’s nice. His stance against women knowing their place is tyrannical. Moreover, he preaches reverence for tradition, order and submission and warns against the fringe as dangerous. It’s the same argument that people used to say against homosexuals and how they would be disruptive in the army. It’s just an argument that the self-identified privileged class appeals to when they perceive that others might benefit contra to their imaginary mythical religious certainties while they used their tradition and mythical order to justify their hate. Today almost everybody doesn’t care about homosexuals in the army and that position is no longer fringe; it’s mainstream. Peterson shuts down any dissent from his myth-based certainties by labeling others as fringe.
Nobody really needs a holy spirit Jungian decoder ring for reading myths. Peterson’s re-interpretations at times are vile or at best juvenile. Read the stories yourself and provide your own perspective. Peterson in this book says that morality is not possible without the proper imprinting of those myths on to your heart. Peterson warns against Nietzsche’s nihilism, but Peterson twists what Nietzsche is getting at, never outsource your reality to a book and exercise your will-to-power by actively engaging your own interpretation. Peterson has a twisted weird-view. Though, it’s clear that his system will collapse on its own and he presents his arguments so poorly I would recommend this book for everyone to see how weak his positions are. He’s trying to save the Bible not theologically, but psychologically thus marginalizing the Bible religiously and his female inferiority stance highlights his vileness.
Peterson claims he is anti-post-modernist while creating his own meta-narrative based on his wanting of how society should be. His myths and their inherent truths as wanted by him are the correct myth’s interpretations since they work for him. Peterson wrestles with God while replacing the God certainty with his Jungian non-sense and defends vile and juvenile weird-views. Peterson is a post-modernist in search of his own meta-narrative that he calls myth. There is no story about the story of the world we live in and Peterson is just making stuff up and calling it truth therefore he claims he is not a post-modernist.
November 23, 2024
Jordan’s biggest issue is his attempt to hold an atheistic, materialistic, utilitarian worldview and extrapolate from it a Christian worldview and ethic. This work is largely heretical, nonsensical ramblings with nothing to do with the texts at hand, and the occasional stumbling into truth. Which is by accident or the plain natural revelation of God’s truth. We Who Wrestle With God, is the utilitarian, naturalists interpretation of scripture. I love Jordan Peterson, and pray he may stumble into the full weight and measure of the truth of Christ.
December 15, 2024
Why use three words to say almost nothing, when you could cram in 500?
Possibly the worst book Ive ever read. Rambling insanity, hot air, no coherence, repetitive, heterodox. Peterson's psychology takes are stuck in the 70's, he cites single newspaper articles from 30 years ago to substantiate big claims like that sexual reproduction is a defence against parasites -- Im not saying these claims can't be substantiated but a single newspaper source and no argument given is rubbish! It reads as if Peterson fed chatGPT his daily wire lecture notes and just told it to ramble on for 500 pages. He seemingly got bored of his own nonsense and stopped at Moses before skipping over 2/3 of the Bible to briefly mention Jonah.
I cannot find a single useful thing gained from this book. Even if you read it as entertainment you'll find yourself bored to death waiting for the empty repetition to end.
Possibly the worst book Ive ever read. Rambling insanity, hot air, no coherence, repetitive, heterodox. Peterson's psychology takes are stuck in the 70's, he cites single newspaper articles from 30 years ago to substantiate big claims like that sexual reproduction is a defence against parasites -- Im not saying these claims can't be substantiated but a single newspaper source and no argument given is rubbish! It reads as if Peterson fed chatGPT his daily wire lecture notes and just told it to ramble on for 500 pages. He seemingly got bored of his own nonsense and stopped at Moses before skipping over 2/3 of the Bible to briefly mention Jonah.
I cannot find a single useful thing gained from this book. Even if you read it as entertainment you'll find yourself bored to death waiting for the empty repetition to end.
Want to read
November 21, 2024Has anyone heard of Jordan Peterson new book?
Wrestling with God???
A friends asking me if he should buy me this book for my bd?
I could, I’ve read a few of his books, was reading many different genres and I can read stuff I’m arguing with or agreeing with. Usually I’m writing a book with an author ✍️. Although it goes with reading a room in a 📕 book as getting invited in an authors head. I’ve often given the book for two high school grads or just friends. I’ve bought bought multiple copies of his book just to give away.
That said,…
Jordan Peterson's new book, "Wrestling with God," has people buzzing, but let's be real – his writing can be hit or miss. If you’re already feeling burnt out on his political takes and his tendency to veer into propaganda territory, maybe it’s worth passing. It's good to challenge yourself with different perspectives, but if you think it’ll just rehash stuff you’ve already heard from him, think twice before you ask your friend to fork out cash for it.
If you want something fresh and less loaded with partisan bullshit, grab a book from a different genre or author. Life's too short to read the same old narratives just because they’re popular or controversial! Take the opportunity to explore something that really excites you, rather than getting stuck in another echo chamber.
Oftentimes I don’t get caught into series, more so 3-4 books is a limit on an author ✍️, if I read 5-6 if the authors books. It usually to much of one author and I sort of get the Garfield bias. Which is knowing how the cat 🐈⬛ will react before the cat knows it’ll react.
As and cats have fast reflexes…
Whenever this or that goes with peddling words even the most boring narration has advantages over something one reads and doesn’t get the surprise effect of jingo and Wah-la
Not that I dislike the guy, but pretty much got tired of “he joined a propaganda campaign on the right side of politics. “
I don’t like being a Propagandee
Where the typical trait of propaganda is usually not a lie….
Where two parties can agree silence 🤫 is preferred cause both parties agree what was said was wrong 😑
I wouldn’t even read 3-5 Joel Osteen books 📕 that’s just partisanship.
Wow 😮 so many people’s commentary screaming for more authoritarian rule in a book 📕 just written, it says a whole lot more about commentators, who someone’s review saying it ain’t what it ain’t than what some of you are edging for is…. an advocate or supporter of a political philosophy that advocates only minimal intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens that are ubermensch nochfolge will supremely regulate itself….
Talk about most privileged people reading a book that and this is commentary is authoritarianism…. To keep the born wealthy stay wealthy.
Don’t write a review on something you’ve never read….
How about have expectations reading a book 📕 Andrew. Have you never done a Francis Bacon book report before?!?!?
If you want to ask if the book is okay, it's said numbers on population as redundant on how much people will take away psychology-theology and use political affiliation over prosperity-theology that actually encourages people to read that uses political affiliation that religious will curse as Satans "mot être ordre"
People got to see the "mot toute ordre"
Or "m'io toute ordre" as is.....
Headless or
bunch of nerves,
alien like as such. Which ain't that alien or much of a nerve.
With reading something challenging or a different genre....
If you say me l'm encouraging people to read his book 📕 as meta as it is....
Try having expectations of books and about reading books you haven't read Andrew.
Read a different genre.... Challenge yourself😏
Wrestling with God???
A friends asking me if he should buy me this book for my bd?
I could, I’ve read a few of his books, was reading many different genres and I can read stuff I’m arguing with or agreeing with. Usually I’m writing a book with an author ✍️. Although it goes with reading a room in a 📕 book as getting invited in an authors head. I’ve often given the book for two high school grads or just friends. I’ve bought bought multiple copies of his book just to give away.
That said,…
Jordan Peterson's new book, "Wrestling with God," has people buzzing, but let's be real – his writing can be hit or miss. If you’re already feeling burnt out on his political takes and his tendency to veer into propaganda territory, maybe it’s worth passing. It's good to challenge yourself with different perspectives, but if you think it’ll just rehash stuff you’ve already heard from him, think twice before you ask your friend to fork out cash for it.
If you want something fresh and less loaded with partisan bullshit, grab a book from a different genre or author. Life's too short to read the same old narratives just because they’re popular or controversial! Take the opportunity to explore something that really excites you, rather than getting stuck in another echo chamber.
Oftentimes I don’t get caught into series, more so 3-4 books is a limit on an author ✍️, if I read 5-6 if the authors books. It usually to much of one author and I sort of get the Garfield bias. Which is knowing how the cat 🐈⬛ will react before the cat knows it’ll react.
As and cats have fast reflexes…
Whenever this or that goes with peddling words even the most boring narration has advantages over something one reads and doesn’t get the surprise effect of jingo and Wah-la
Not that I dislike the guy, but pretty much got tired of “he joined a propaganda campaign on the right side of politics. “
I don’t like being a Propagandee
Where the typical trait of propaganda is usually not a lie….
Where two parties can agree silence 🤫 is preferred cause both parties agree what was said was wrong 😑
I wouldn’t even read 3-5 Joel Osteen books 📕 that’s just partisanship.
Wow 😮 so many people’s commentary screaming for more authoritarian rule in a book 📕 just written, it says a whole lot more about commentators, who someone’s review saying it ain’t what it ain’t than what some of you are edging for is…. an advocate or supporter of a political philosophy that advocates only minimal intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens that are ubermensch nochfolge will supremely regulate itself….
Talk about most privileged people reading a book that and this is commentary is authoritarianism…. To keep the born wealthy stay wealthy.
Don’t write a review on something you’ve never read….
How about have expectations reading a book 📕 Andrew. Have you never done a Francis Bacon book report before?!?!?
If you want to ask if the book is okay, it's said numbers on population as redundant on how much people will take away psychology-theology and use political affiliation over prosperity-theology that actually encourages people to read that uses political affiliation that religious will curse as Satans "mot être ordre"
People got to see the "mot toute ordre"
Or "m'io toute ordre" as is.....
Headless or
bunch of nerves,
alien like as such. Which ain't that alien or much of a nerve.
With reading something challenging or a different genre....
If you say me l'm encouraging people to read his book 📕 as meta as it is....
Try having expectations of books and about reading books you haven't read Andrew.
Read a different genre.... Challenge yourself😏
November 22, 2024
Peterson goes off in left field and talks about gobbledygook over and over again.
25 hours of rambling.
25 hours of rambling.
November 20, 2024
Fantastic book. Dr Peterson holds no punches in this book: he lays out exactly why the axioms given in the Bible are indeed axioms, and how violating them out of pride and sin leads to only to death. His arguments are air tight and appealing to those from a scientific background in particular. Detractors are ideologically committed to not understanding his work - and often won’t even read it before they insult it without basis or even any argument besides “it hurts my feelings when everyone in the world does not exalt me as perfect when I put no effort in to deserving such exaltation.” Such are people who will not allow “hedonistic pleasure” to even be taken seriously as a descriptor (no matter apt it is in the particular instance), much like the characters in Bulgakov’s The Master and the Margarita who deny the existence of the Devil to the Devil himself.
December 2, 2024
My defense of Peterson’s new book.
I finally finished my review of Peterson’s book. I’m considering posting it on Goodreads, but who knows if defending Peterson is a good thing:
Peterson. A name hardly fails to bring up visceral emotions. So everyone dislikes Peterson. Even my friends who like him for standing up for whatever he stood up for 3/4 of a decade ago, they dislike what he’s turned into. I’ve yet to meet one person who wholeheartedly currently defends him and his writing. Fine. I’ll do it.
As of two days ago, I have read almost every book Peterson wrote — except the children’s book — and my favorite remains his Maps of Meaning (1999) book written for an academic audience and explores his ideas in the most concrete detail possible filled with citations. That book was not a self help book.
But neither is this book a self help book. This book is an exegesis of the Bible. Rowan Williams — the former Archbishop of Canterbury — an intellectual I greatly admire and disagree with theologically. I have no ostensible reason for disagreeing with him. But I might as well because I have no way to criticize him other than “cuz he ain’t the same religion as me.” In Williams’s critique of Peterson, I identify three main points (1) Peterson does not define God, (2) Peterson does not engage with the past 100-1000 years of theological academic analysis of the Bible, and (3) Peterson can’t write well and could benefit from an editor. Maybe the author of this review could benefit from an editor too.
I’ll concede (3), Peterson could benefit from an editor. Maps of Meaning was much better written and I doubt Peterson had half the resources currently available to him to find help. Still, I can understanding wanting the product to be one’s own. All I can say, this is one of the hardest books stylistically I wanted to get through this year. Well, I guess we can all agree Peterson did not use ChatGPT and for that we should applaud him. What really may have happened is that he used his speeches and dictated what he wrote. In that way, isn’t Peterson’ writing like St. Paul did? Aren’t the letters of Paul really dictated to a scribe? (The evidence is clear in Galatians 6:11, Romans 16:22, and 1 Corinthians 16:21 show he was often using a scribe and at times points out that he is not using a scribe.) Admittedly, saying something was dictated is not a good defense for bad grammar. But it shows that Peterson free-associates a lot. It’s annoying, but it’s defensible in that it’s authentic. Personally, I like the weaving in and the random tidbits that Peterson brings in. But I also struggled.
Williams’s point (2) is that Peterson does not engage with theological academics of the past 100 years — or even the past millennia. That is true. But Williams is being a bit unfair asking for Peterson to engage with intense academic theologians for a book aimed at the general populace. Moreover, Peterson’s points tend to go towards Jungian analysis. Carl Jung studies has not picked up in many academic circles nor has he picked up in academic theological circles. But Peterson has picked up Jung and the ideas of a monomyth. Such an attempt mirrors one of the key characters’s attempts in George Elliot's Middlemarch (1871-1872): The Reverend Edward Casaubon tries to show how all myths have a common element and origin. Casaubon’s methodology is different from Jung’s attempt because Casaubon’s attempt is theological. But as is shown — outdated. Still, there’s probably some justice to be had for Casaubon’s ambitions — even though he’s a deeply flawed complex character. Granted, if I may free-associate beyond the scope of this review, that’s precisely what makes Elliot’s characters so interesting. Casaubon is a real person with human flaws but he’s trying — even though we wish he’d try better. What I’m trying to say is — even though the person may not be your favorite and is flawed — the agenda is a good one and has monumental importance. The more attention brought to this idea of a monomyth, the better.
Still, I don’t think Williams explicitly disagrees with Peterson — he just is arguing that Peterson’s analysis is dated.
Finally, Williams’s point (3) that Peterson does not define God. Again, Williams is right. Peterson approaches religion in general and the definition of God with incredible opacity. But even Williams’s suggestion for a definition of God seem opaque as best — "source of agency and of love independent of the universe we can map and measure." There are many “God is” sentences throughout Peterson’s corpus that one can latch on to. Some are more nebulous than others. Outside of this book, Peterson has stated, "God is how we imaginatively and collectively represent the existence and action of consciousness across time, as the most real aspects of existence manifest themselves across the longest of time frames but are not necessarily apprehensible as objects in the here and now.” I like both Peterson’s opacity and his clearer definitions of God. I like Williams’s obliqueness and perpendicular definitions too. But both of these authors seem to lean into the idea of God as representing the logos inherent in Ancient Greek theology. Overall, I think a better result would be if Peterson did one of his podcasts with Rowan Williams and they inspected their words with clarity and tried to dissect what they meant. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. But it would be nice.
Did I like this book stylistically? No. Will you? Probably not. Did I enjoy the substance? Yes, quite a bit. Will you? I think if you can push through the sentence construction, you will. And, while I wish I could write like Rowan Williams off the cuff, I acknowledge my writing too can improve. Still, like the young artists in the Louvre, we can appreciate masterpieces while not yet reaching the highest level of invention.
Did my review try to write in the style of David Foster Wallace? Yes. If only I could write like Wallace. The title of my review should be "At Least He Didn't Use ChatGPT." But in line with my other reviews, can you find me this week at the Beverly Hills Hotel eating pancake taquito? Yes.
I finally finished my review of Peterson’s book. I’m considering posting it on Goodreads, but who knows if defending Peterson is a good thing:
Peterson. A name hardly fails to bring up visceral emotions. So everyone dislikes Peterson. Even my friends who like him for standing up for whatever he stood up for 3/4 of a decade ago, they dislike what he’s turned into. I’ve yet to meet one person who wholeheartedly currently defends him and his writing. Fine. I’ll do it.
As of two days ago, I have read almost every book Peterson wrote — except the children’s book — and my favorite remains his Maps of Meaning (1999) book written for an academic audience and explores his ideas in the most concrete detail possible filled with citations. That book was not a self help book.
But neither is this book a self help book. This book is an exegesis of the Bible. Rowan Williams — the former Archbishop of Canterbury — an intellectual I greatly admire and disagree with theologically. I have no ostensible reason for disagreeing with him. But I might as well because I have no way to criticize him other than “cuz he ain’t the same religion as me.” In Williams’s critique of Peterson, I identify three main points (1) Peterson does not define God, (2) Peterson does not engage with the past 100-1000 years of theological academic analysis of the Bible, and (3) Peterson can’t write well and could benefit from an editor. Maybe the author of this review could benefit from an editor too.
I’ll concede (3), Peterson could benefit from an editor. Maps of Meaning was much better written and I doubt Peterson had half the resources currently available to him to find help. Still, I can understanding wanting the product to be one’s own. All I can say, this is one of the hardest books stylistically I wanted to get through this year. Well, I guess we can all agree Peterson did not use ChatGPT and for that we should applaud him. What really may have happened is that he used his speeches and dictated what he wrote. In that way, isn’t Peterson’ writing like St. Paul did? Aren’t the letters of Paul really dictated to a scribe? (The evidence is clear in Galatians 6:11, Romans 16:22, and 1 Corinthians 16:21 show he was often using a scribe and at times points out that he is not using a scribe.) Admittedly, saying something was dictated is not a good defense for bad grammar. But it shows that Peterson free-associates a lot. It’s annoying, but it’s defensible in that it’s authentic. Personally, I like the weaving in and the random tidbits that Peterson brings in. But I also struggled.
Williams’s point (2) is that Peterson does not engage with theological academics of the past 100 years — or even the past millennia. That is true. But Williams is being a bit unfair asking for Peterson to engage with intense academic theologians for a book aimed at the general populace. Moreover, Peterson’s points tend to go towards Jungian analysis. Carl Jung studies has not picked up in many academic circles nor has he picked up in academic theological circles. But Peterson has picked up Jung and the ideas of a monomyth. Such an attempt mirrors one of the key characters’s attempts in George Elliot's Middlemarch (1871-1872): The Reverend Edward Casaubon tries to show how all myths have a common element and origin. Casaubon’s methodology is different from Jung’s attempt because Casaubon’s attempt is theological. But as is shown — outdated. Still, there’s probably some justice to be had for Casaubon’s ambitions — even though he’s a deeply flawed complex character. Granted, if I may free-associate beyond the scope of this review, that’s precisely what makes Elliot’s characters so interesting. Casaubon is a real person with human flaws but he’s trying — even though we wish he’d try better. What I’m trying to say is — even though the person may not be your favorite and is flawed — the agenda is a good one and has monumental importance. The more attention brought to this idea of a monomyth, the better.
Still, I don’t think Williams explicitly disagrees with Peterson — he just is arguing that Peterson’s analysis is dated.
Finally, Williams’s point (3) that Peterson does not define God. Again, Williams is right. Peterson approaches religion in general and the definition of God with incredible opacity. But even Williams’s suggestion for a definition of God seem opaque as best — "source of agency and of love independent of the universe we can map and measure." There are many “God is” sentences throughout Peterson’s corpus that one can latch on to. Some are more nebulous than others. Outside of this book, Peterson has stated, "God is how we imaginatively and collectively represent the existence and action of consciousness across time, as the most real aspects of existence manifest themselves across the longest of time frames but are not necessarily apprehensible as objects in the here and now.” I like both Peterson’s opacity and his clearer definitions of God. I like Williams’s obliqueness and perpendicular definitions too. But both of these authors seem to lean into the idea of God as representing the logos inherent in Ancient Greek theology. Overall, I think a better result would be if Peterson did one of his podcasts with Rowan Williams and they inspected their words with clarity and tried to dissect what they meant. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. But it would be nice.
Did I like this book stylistically? No. Will you? Probably not. Did I enjoy the substance? Yes, quite a bit. Will you? I think if you can push through the sentence construction, you will. And, while I wish I could write like Rowan Williams off the cuff, I acknowledge my writing too can improve. Still, like the young artists in the Louvre, we can appreciate masterpieces while not yet reaching the highest level of invention.
Did my review try to write in the style of David Foster Wallace? Yes. If only I could write like Wallace. The title of my review should be "At Least He Didn't Use ChatGPT." But in line with my other reviews, can you find me this week at the Beverly Hills Hotel eating pancake taquito? Yes.
December 18, 2024
Note before the review . I am a fan of Jordan Peterson and watch / listen to almost all his podcasts. This book is basically an expansion of many things he says in them. And so if you’re like me you really are wasting your time reading this book.
Jordan Peterson’s We Who Wrestle with God is an exhausting read, both in length and style. At nearly 600 pages, the book feels like a marathon of repetitive arguments wrapped in verbose tangents. Peterson constantly circles back to the same core ideas—life is sacrifice, and we must aim toward the highest conceivable good—but he does so in a way that often feels redundant and overwrought. A firm editorial hand could have cut this book in half without losing its message. I legitimately wonder if he even had an editor. Instead, readers are left slogging through dense prose and philosophical digressions that, while occasionally insightful, make the overall experience tedious.
From a traditional Christian perspective, the book falls short as a meaningful theological work. Peterson argues that the Bible is true because its wisdom is universal, shaped by collective human evolution and mirrored in myths from other cultures and religions. This reasoning is problematic: Christians believe the Bible is true because it is divinely inspired —God’s Word revealed to humanity—not because its principles happen to align with other ancient stories. Peterson’s approach undermines the Bible’s unique authority, presenting it more as a product of human discovery than divine revelation. Petersons “god” is the “spirit” of success , personal growth and universal truth. This god is not the God of the bible which is a personal relational God one can actually know. His regular use of pagan gods to prove his points showed his hand that he does not believe in the God of the bible. Yet he most likely believes in a God of sorts but more in a philosophical/archetypal conceptual one.
That said, the book may hold value for atheists or agnostics who have never considered the Bible as a source of practical wisdom. Peterson effectively highlights the Bible’s relevance to human struggles, such as finding meaning in suffering, striving for personal growth, and creating order out of chaos. For those skeptical of religion, his psychological and metaphorical interpretations might open a door to appreciating the moral and philosophical depth of the Bible, even if they reject its divine origins.
Ultimately, We Who Wrestle with God is an ambitious but flawed work, bogged down by verbosity and a worldview that fails to fully honor the Christian faith. While it might resonate with secular audiences, it leaves much to be desired for those seeking a biblically grounded approach to truth and meaning.
Jordan Peterson’s We Who Wrestle with God is an exhausting read, both in length and style. At nearly 600 pages, the book feels like a marathon of repetitive arguments wrapped in verbose tangents. Peterson constantly circles back to the same core ideas—life is sacrifice, and we must aim toward the highest conceivable good—but he does so in a way that often feels redundant and overwrought. A firm editorial hand could have cut this book in half without losing its message. I legitimately wonder if he even had an editor. Instead, readers are left slogging through dense prose and philosophical digressions that, while occasionally insightful, make the overall experience tedious.
From a traditional Christian perspective, the book falls short as a meaningful theological work. Peterson argues that the Bible is true because its wisdom is universal, shaped by collective human evolution and mirrored in myths from other cultures and religions. This reasoning is problematic: Christians believe the Bible is true because it is divinely inspired —God’s Word revealed to humanity—not because its principles happen to align with other ancient stories. Peterson’s approach undermines the Bible’s unique authority, presenting it more as a product of human discovery than divine revelation. Petersons “god” is the “spirit” of success , personal growth and universal truth. This god is not the God of the bible which is a personal relational God one can actually know. His regular use of pagan gods to prove his points showed his hand that he does not believe in the God of the bible. Yet he most likely believes in a God of sorts but more in a philosophical/archetypal conceptual one.
That said, the book may hold value for atheists or agnostics who have never considered the Bible as a source of practical wisdom. Peterson effectively highlights the Bible’s relevance to human struggles, such as finding meaning in suffering, striving for personal growth, and creating order out of chaos. For those skeptical of religion, his psychological and metaphorical interpretations might open a door to appreciating the moral and philosophical depth of the Bible, even if they reject its divine origins.
Ultimately, We Who Wrestle with God is an ambitious but flawed work, bogged down by verbosity and a worldview that fails to fully honor the Christian faith. While it might resonate with secular audiences, it leaves much to be desired for those seeking a biblically grounded approach to truth and meaning.
December 1, 2024
Huge fan of Dr. Peterson, read all his other books, attended lectures in person, and watching all his lectures online. But this book is unreadable, it’s all over the place and complicated language is inserted incessantly. He asks rhetorical questions almost every other sentence and the book lacks a central thesis that I can point to easily. I can get the obscure lessons he is teaching from much simpler texts, stopped reading around page 100.
November 24, 2024
Jordan B. Peterson’s We Who Wrestle with God is a thought-provoking exploration of humanity’s timeless struggle with meaning, morality, and spirituality. True to Peterson’s signature style, the book dives deep into the complexities of biblical narratives, weaving them together with psychology, philosophy, and personal insight. It’s both intellectually stimulating and deeply personal, challenging readers to confront their own beliefs and values.
This was a profound philosophical Bible study, so to speak -))) Peterson’s interpretations of biblical stories like the struggles of Jacob, the lessons from the Book of Job, and the symbolism of creation in Genesis are truly remarkable. He masterfully connects ancient texts to universal human experiences, such as suffering, redemption, and the pursuit of meaning. His commentary on the Cain and Abel story stands out, as he delves into the destructive power of resentment and the transformative potential of personal responsibility. These reflections elevate the book beyond a simple analysis, making it a profound study of human nature.
One standout feature of the book is Peterson’s brilliant interpretations of popular culture in relation to biblical texts and the nature of good and evil. Examples include his analysis of Batman, Harry Potter, and various Disney movies, which he connects to profound archetypal themes and moral lessons. His analysis of stories like The Lion King and Pinocchio is fantastic, as he uncovers the profound archetypes and moral lessons hidden within these seemingly simple tales.
Although some argue the book is a cash grab, I don’t mind paying for Peterson’s work considering how much free content of his I’ve consumed over the years. While I agree that much of the material overlaps with his podcasts, interviews and lectures, this book serves as a cohesive and accessible summary for readers who may or may not have followed his extensive online content. Can we all just agree that this IS a tremendous summary of years of his work?
And those who give this book one star based on their own understanding—or worse, their emotions— are you serious? You don’t have to agree with everything to acknowledge that this book carries so much wisdom and importance, and decades of work and experience! So it’s important to judge the work for what it is, not through the lens of bias or preconceived notions.
Overall, We Who Wrestle with God is a rich and compelling exploration of biblical themes and their relevance today. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human condition, faith, and morality.
P.S. Why people are hating on dragons so much?
This was a profound philosophical Bible study, so to speak -))) Peterson’s interpretations of biblical stories like the struggles of Jacob, the lessons from the Book of Job, and the symbolism of creation in Genesis are truly remarkable. He masterfully connects ancient texts to universal human experiences, such as suffering, redemption, and the pursuit of meaning. His commentary on the Cain and Abel story stands out, as he delves into the destructive power of resentment and the transformative potential of personal responsibility. These reflections elevate the book beyond a simple analysis, making it a profound study of human nature.
One standout feature of the book is Peterson’s brilliant interpretations of popular culture in relation to biblical texts and the nature of good and evil. Examples include his analysis of Batman, Harry Potter, and various Disney movies, which he connects to profound archetypal themes and moral lessons. His analysis of stories like The Lion King and Pinocchio is fantastic, as he uncovers the profound archetypes and moral lessons hidden within these seemingly simple tales.
Although some argue the book is a cash grab, I don’t mind paying for Peterson’s work considering how much free content of his I’ve consumed over the years. While I agree that much of the material overlaps with his podcasts, interviews and lectures, this book serves as a cohesive and accessible summary for readers who may or may not have followed his extensive online content. Can we all just agree that this IS a tremendous summary of years of his work?
And those who give this book one star based on their own understanding—or worse, their emotions— are you serious? You don’t have to agree with everything to acknowledge that this book carries so much wisdom and importance, and decades of work and experience! So it’s important to judge the work for what it is, not through the lens of bias or preconceived notions.
Overall, We Who Wrestle with God is a rich and compelling exploration of biblical themes and their relevance today. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human condition, faith, and morality.
P.S. Why people are hating on dragons so much?
December 4, 2024
Full disclosure, I did not finish the book (not even close actually) because I found it simply unreadable. I enjoy Jordan Peterson and pre-ordered this book because I was excited for what it may be. Unfortunately, either I am unqualified to read this or it’s not well done because I had no clue what Jordan was trying to say half the time.
Read
December 6, 2024I gave this book 80 pages. I might come back to it when I have more patience for it. It didn’t feel like I was wrestling with God so much as wrestling with Peterson’s bloated tangents.
Read
December 9, 2024Etter rundt 25% gir jeg meg på denne.
Boken oppleves som vrøvl, i betydningen urimelig vanskelig. Flere beskriver boken som en ordsalat. Det er en treffende beskrivelse.
Den har knust leselysten min, og jeg har ingen motivasjon til å fortsette.
Boken oppleves som vrøvl, i betydningen urimelig vanskelig. Flere beskriver boken som en ordsalat. Det er en treffende beskrivelse.
Den har knust leselysten min, og jeg har ingen motivasjon til å fortsette.
December 6, 2024
I enjoy Jordan Peterson and love God, so this book appeared perfect for me. A friend of mine thought so and got it for me. I was very disappointed.
Reading this book was like having to read assignments for class when I was in college. The text was very dry. Free reading should be enjoyable and reading this book wasn't.
Life is too short and reading this book took valuable time away.
Reading this book was like having to read assignments for class when I was in college. The text was very dry. Free reading should be enjoyable and reading this book wasn't.
Life is too short and reading this book took valuable time away.
December 11, 2024
This book is just mumbo jumbo; I have literally no idea what he’s saying half the time, and I like to think of myself as a reasonable literate individual. I really liked 12 rules for life.. but this.. a few chapters in and I’m checked out.
December 15, 2024
Denne boken er ... elsk/hat. Hat, i den forstand at boken tidvis bekrefter Richard Dawkins sin kritikk av Peterson som beruset på jungiansk symbolisme. Elsk, fordi jeg opplever at boken ikke bare tilfører svært friske og dyptpløyende perspektiver på de gamle bibelske narrativene – men også argumenterer for hvorfor de eldgamle historiene er nøkkelen til menneskehetens høyeste hensikt og ultimate håp for fremtiden.
Peterson gir, gjennom Bibelens narrativ, en kraftig motgift til passivitet og ansvarsløshet i moderne kultur. Han understreker det viktige og vakre ved at individer må konfrontere «kaos». Og at vi, gjennom den modige konfrontasjonen, transformerer både oss selv og omgivelsene rundt oss til «what is good, or very good» (med henspilling til skapelsesberetningen i 1. Mosebok).
Som en kristen leser, ser jeg likevel noen farer med Petersons budskap. Jeg leser han dithen at ansvar bør sees som inngangsporten til mening og moral, hvor jeg som kristen ser ansvar som en naturlig frukt av et liv forvandlet av nåde. Jesus sier: «Den som elsker meg, vil holde mitt ord» (Joh 14:23), og begynner derfor i en annen ende enn Peterson. Denne forskjellen antar jeg tildels kommer fra den vanligste, og kanskje viktigste, kritikken mot Peterson: At han tilsynelatende ikke definerer Gud som en personlig skaper, men mer som den ultimate jungianske arketype mennesker kan strekke seg mot. En arketype kan ikke elske deg, men en Skaper kan.
Konklusjon: Boken er verdt å begi seg ut på. Den oppleves tidvis som et Kaos, men Orden (Logos) er innen rekkevidde. Hehe.
Peterson gir, gjennom Bibelens narrativ, en kraftig motgift til passivitet og ansvarsløshet i moderne kultur. Han understreker det viktige og vakre ved at individer må konfrontere «kaos». Og at vi, gjennom den modige konfrontasjonen, transformerer både oss selv og omgivelsene rundt oss til «what is good, or very good» (med henspilling til skapelsesberetningen i 1. Mosebok).
Som en kristen leser, ser jeg likevel noen farer med Petersons budskap. Jeg leser han dithen at ansvar bør sees som inngangsporten til mening og moral, hvor jeg som kristen ser ansvar som en naturlig frukt av et liv forvandlet av nåde. Jesus sier: «Den som elsker meg, vil holde mitt ord» (Joh 14:23), og begynner derfor i en annen ende enn Peterson. Denne forskjellen antar jeg tildels kommer fra den vanligste, og kanskje viktigste, kritikken mot Peterson: At han tilsynelatende ikke definerer Gud som en personlig skaper, men mer som den ultimate jungianske arketype mennesker kan strekke seg mot. En arketype kan ikke elske deg, men en Skaper kan.
Konklusjon: Boken er verdt å begi seg ut på. Den oppleves tidvis som et Kaos, men Orden (Logos) er innen rekkevidde. Hehe.
November 21, 2024
Absolutely brilliant.
November 23, 2024
Book Review of, 'We Who Wrestle with God.’
by Jordan B. Peterson
In the blink-of-an-eye
since time began
During daylight, night,
peacetime, or war -
The sight and sound
of rushing ocean waves
Have always caressed
the shorelines
- near and far.
In the blink-of-an-eye
when our 'eternal' spirit
Decides to be 'born-again'
in another lifetime -
We're greeted daily
by the rising sun's bright ray's
As a new chapter
of 'opportunity' awaits us
- at God’s unlocked door.
In the blink-of-an-eye
our storybook journey ends -
When we come around full-circle
and return to God
As a completed spirit
after experiencing life’s
'Evolving' lessons
– while on His earth.
I believe,
trust, love, respect, and
have faith in
One God -
our Creator.
With God,
all great things
- are possible.
Without God -
There would be
- No Creation.
In the beginning of time, all ‘spirits’ were created at once, in God’s image, in God's 'Nirvana.'
We are all old ‘spirits.’ There are no new ‘spirit's.'
While on His earth -
we are all connected
To God's -
Web-of-Life.
God's plan for us is clear.
In God's, ‘Web-of-Life,’ God's greatest gift of, 'Free-Will,' allows His sons, and daughters, in His 'Spirit Kingdom,' the 'opportunity' to live many lifetimes on His earth, as male and female, and to experience 'life' in each of the 'Races,' and, to learn to make 'Peace on Earth' with one another a reality, while we all 'spiritually evolve' in the 'physical' and come around 'full-circle.'
God is a Supreme Artist
and an All-Knowing Creator.
God does not 'Command' us to do anything.
God does not ‘Interfere’ in our daily 'physical' lives.
God does not play 'favorites.'
We are all ‘special’ to God.
Each of us - is a storybook, a picture album, consisting of many lifetimes and experiences learned - up to our present lifetime on earth, which are stored in our ‘spirit’s eternal memory.'
‘Souls are poured from one into another of different kinds of bodies of the world.’ – Attributed to the teaching of Jesus Christ in the Gnostic gospels: Pistis Sophia.
God allows His family of ‘spirits’ to chart their own present destiny (Free-Will) and all future quests (spiritual growth).
God’s door is always open for us to seek 'opportunities' at 'physical' life (born-again) to further 'evolve' our 'spirit' to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality.'
All 'spirits' have their own ‘signature’ personality, which identifies their unique 'spirit' from another 'spirit.'
That ‘signature’ belongs to them each and every time their 'spirit' decides to 'incarnate' to ‘physical’ earth.
Some lifetimes are long. Some unfortunately, are short-lived due to an unforeseen accident or circumstance, or, by ‘human’ reckless behavior.
God, our Father, is all-merciful.
God’s unconditional love for His family gives us unlimited chances to succeed in ‘physical’ life.
God ‘is not’ responsible for causing pain, suffering and chaos around an unstable globe.
We are wholly to blame.
We have forgotten the Golden Rule -
‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'
Instead, we empower evil to flourish and we do nothing to terminate the terror we’ve created from destroying humanity.
Hate is Ugly and a Sign of Weakness.
Hate is the 'Prejudice Labeling' of another human-being.
Out of control hate is a malignant cancer that spreads and fuels murderous behavior and world destruction.
The mind is a terrible thing to waste on spending a lifetime hating human-beings of all Races.
If hate prevails - humanity fails.
Love and compassion are still – the strongest emotions.
We cannot learn all about life in a single lifetime.
It is impossible.
It takes many lifetimes, being male and female, for our 'spirits' to evolve, and come around ‘full-circle,’ in order to become ‘completed spirits,’ and return to God, on our own 'Free-Will.'
In many cases, Memories, of our past-lives, are 'carried-over' into our next 'physical' lifetime, and are Remembered, after birth, at an early age, after a 'spirit' decides to 'return' soon after passing in their previous lifetime. The memories disappear, as we get older in our 'present' lifetime.
If a 'spirit' was a male, in 'several consecutive' lifetimes, and 'he' chooses to be a 'female' in his next 'physical' lifetime, sometimes his 'past-life male memories' interfere, and become confused (transgender) during the transition, and can't accept / adjust to the sudden change of being in a female's body, and he / 'she' is sometimes likely to feel more comfortable in a he - 'female' / female relationship.
If a 'spirit' was a female, in 'several consecutive' lifetimes, and 'she' chooses to be a 'male' in her next 'physical' lifetime, sometimes her 'past-life female memories' interfere, and become confused (transgender) during the transition, and can't accept / adjust to the sudden change of being in a male's body, and she / 'he' is sometimes likely to feel more comfortable in a she - 'male' / male relationship.
Most 'spirits,' rotate often being male, and female in their previous lifetimes, and are better able to adjust to the 'change' in their current 'physical' bodies, are able to live normal lives, and continue to fulfill their missions (spiritual growth) while ‘evolving’ to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality.'
When an expectant mother has an unfortunate miscarriage, or, the infant is stillborn, it simply means, the in-coming 'spirit,' utilized its 'Free-Will' right, and made a 'Pro-Choice' decision, and changed its mind not to 'enter' the soon to be newborn's body.
In other words, the incoming 'spirit' became 'aware' of an unexpected imminent 'danger' to the 'spirit's' present mission (spiritual growth), and decided at the last moment to, a b o r t, and continues its search in locating another expecting mother, so it can be 'born again' in the 'physical,' and live out its new lifetime to its fullest, and complete its overall 'mission' - to further 'evolve.'
This 'Spiritual' learning process of ‘evolving,’ to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality,' and returning to God, by living in the 'physical,' hasn't changed --- since time began.
God loves us and gave each one of His family, His 'Freedom' gift of, 'Free-Will,' for us to make our own decisions, and choices in life.
Preamble to the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with ‘certain unalienable Rights,’ that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
God's Law of, 'Free-Will,' to all humanity is violated, when human-beings take it upon themselves to force, 'Their-Will,' on other human-beings.
Under God's 'Free-Will' Law - I cannot tell you how to run your life, and you do not have the absolute right to tell me how to run my life.
No fallible human-being, church, government, nor court, has the absolute right to commandeer our all-merciful Father's precious 'Freedom' gift of 'Free-Will, and ‘Pro-Choice’ from us, while we are on our 'Spiritual' journey to 'evolve' in becoming completed 'spirits' on God’s earth.
To force one's 'Free-Will' on another, or on an entire Nation, violates God's ‘Supreme Law’ to humanity.
Psalm 119:
163 I hate and loathe falsehood,
But, I love Your law.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
We are all on borrowed time...
Our beloved America (Land of the Free) and humanity will perish -
A) If our country surrenders, without a fight to halt the Illegal Invasion of our Homeland, by the Indoctrinating Controlling Human-Beings in high power positions - as they Knowingly, Intentionally, and Recklessly force their 'Destructive and Misguided Socialist Ideology Will' against God's 'Free' Nation (United States of America and its Constitution).
United We Stand Tall, divided, we fail and fall.
B) When the senseless, continuous cycle of innocent human-beings, young and old, being shot, and murdered in the streets increases to a Barbaric Level (Domestic and War) - Where humanity can no longer Survive, grow 'Freely,' and 'Evolve Spiritually' while on God’s earth.
Our Children’s Future – is in Our Hands.
C) When God's 'Natural Law and Order' of Life between His Kingdom (Spirit), and His earth (Physical) is disrupted and severed, by Unrestrained Artificial Intelligence, and the Cloning of human-beings.
The Forbidden Fruit - Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV).
When that dire day in history arrives, Good vs. evil, Love vs. hate, Peace vs. war, will start all over again - somewhere in time - forever and ever --- until we all get it right.
Psalm 34:
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Truth
is learned-
One person
-at a time.
Virtūs et Honos.
-----Rick Sulik
by Jordan B. Peterson
In the blink-of-an-eye
since time began
During daylight, night,
peacetime, or war -
The sight and sound
of rushing ocean waves
Have always caressed
the shorelines
- near and far.
In the blink-of-an-eye
when our 'eternal' spirit
Decides to be 'born-again'
in another lifetime -
We're greeted daily
by the rising sun's bright ray's
As a new chapter
of 'opportunity' awaits us
- at God’s unlocked door.
In the blink-of-an-eye
our storybook journey ends -
When we come around full-circle
and return to God
As a completed spirit
after experiencing life’s
'Evolving' lessons
– while on His earth.
I believe,
trust, love, respect, and
have faith in
One God -
our Creator.
With God,
all great things
- are possible.
Without God -
There would be
- No Creation.
In the beginning of time, all ‘spirits’ were created at once, in God’s image, in God's 'Nirvana.'
We are all old ‘spirits.’ There are no new ‘spirit's.'
While on His earth -
we are all connected
To God's -
Web-of-Life.
God's plan for us is clear.
In God's, ‘Web-of-Life,’ God's greatest gift of, 'Free-Will,' allows His sons, and daughters, in His 'Spirit Kingdom,' the 'opportunity' to live many lifetimes on His earth, as male and female, and to experience 'life' in each of the 'Races,' and, to learn to make 'Peace on Earth' with one another a reality, while we all 'spiritually evolve' in the 'physical' and come around 'full-circle.'
God is a Supreme Artist
and an All-Knowing Creator.
God does not 'Command' us to do anything.
God does not ‘Interfere’ in our daily 'physical' lives.
God does not play 'favorites.'
We are all ‘special’ to God.
Each of us - is a storybook, a picture album, consisting of many lifetimes and experiences learned - up to our present lifetime on earth, which are stored in our ‘spirit’s eternal memory.'
‘Souls are poured from one into another of different kinds of bodies of the world.’ – Attributed to the teaching of Jesus Christ in the Gnostic gospels: Pistis Sophia.
God allows His family of ‘spirits’ to chart their own present destiny (Free-Will) and all future quests (spiritual growth).
God’s door is always open for us to seek 'opportunities' at 'physical' life (born-again) to further 'evolve' our 'spirit' to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality.'
All 'spirits' have their own ‘signature’ personality, which identifies their unique 'spirit' from another 'spirit.'
That ‘signature’ belongs to them each and every time their 'spirit' decides to 'incarnate' to ‘physical’ earth.
Some lifetimes are long. Some unfortunately, are short-lived due to an unforeseen accident or circumstance, or, by ‘human’ reckless behavior.
God, our Father, is all-merciful.
God’s unconditional love for His family gives us unlimited chances to succeed in ‘physical’ life.
God ‘is not’ responsible for causing pain, suffering and chaos around an unstable globe.
We are wholly to blame.
We have forgotten the Golden Rule -
‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'
Instead, we empower evil to flourish and we do nothing to terminate the terror we’ve created from destroying humanity.
Hate is Ugly and a Sign of Weakness.
Hate is the 'Prejudice Labeling' of another human-being.
Out of control hate is a malignant cancer that spreads and fuels murderous behavior and world destruction.
The mind is a terrible thing to waste on spending a lifetime hating human-beings of all Races.
If hate prevails - humanity fails.
Love and compassion are still – the strongest emotions.
We cannot learn all about life in a single lifetime.
It is impossible.
It takes many lifetimes, being male and female, for our 'spirits' to evolve, and come around ‘full-circle,’ in order to become ‘completed spirits,’ and return to God, on our own 'Free-Will.'
In many cases, Memories, of our past-lives, are 'carried-over' into our next 'physical' lifetime, and are Remembered, after birth, at an early age, after a 'spirit' decides to 'return' soon after passing in their previous lifetime. The memories disappear, as we get older in our 'present' lifetime.
If a 'spirit' was a male, in 'several consecutive' lifetimes, and 'he' chooses to be a 'female' in his next 'physical' lifetime, sometimes his 'past-life male memories' interfere, and become confused (transgender) during the transition, and can't accept / adjust to the sudden change of being in a female's body, and he / 'she' is sometimes likely to feel more comfortable in a he - 'female' / female relationship.
If a 'spirit' was a female, in 'several consecutive' lifetimes, and 'she' chooses to be a 'male' in her next 'physical' lifetime, sometimes her 'past-life female memories' interfere, and become confused (transgender) during the transition, and can't accept / adjust to the sudden change of being in a male's body, and she / 'he' is sometimes likely to feel more comfortable in a she - 'male' / male relationship.
Most 'spirits,' rotate often being male, and female in their previous lifetimes, and are better able to adjust to the 'change' in their current 'physical' bodies, are able to live normal lives, and continue to fulfill their missions (spiritual growth) while ‘evolving’ to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality.'
When an expectant mother has an unfortunate miscarriage, or, the infant is stillborn, it simply means, the in-coming 'spirit,' utilized its 'Free-Will' right, and made a 'Pro-Choice' decision, and changed its mind not to 'enter' the soon to be newborn's body.
In other words, the incoming 'spirit' became 'aware' of an unexpected imminent 'danger' to the 'spirit's' present mission (spiritual growth), and decided at the last moment to, a b o r t, and continues its search in locating another expecting mother, so it can be 'born again' in the 'physical,' and live out its new lifetime to its fullest, and complete its overall 'mission' - to further 'evolve.'
This 'Spiritual' learning process of ‘evolving,’ to reach a higher level of 'Spirituality,' and returning to God, by living in the 'physical,' hasn't changed --- since time began.
God loves us and gave each one of His family, His 'Freedom' gift of, 'Free-Will,' for us to make our own decisions, and choices in life.
Preamble to the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with ‘certain unalienable Rights,’ that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
God's Law of, 'Free-Will,' to all humanity is violated, when human-beings take it upon themselves to force, 'Their-Will,' on other human-beings.
Under God's 'Free-Will' Law - I cannot tell you how to run your life, and you do not have the absolute right to tell me how to run my life.
No fallible human-being, church, government, nor court, has the absolute right to commandeer our all-merciful Father's precious 'Freedom' gift of 'Free-Will, and ‘Pro-Choice’ from us, while we are on our 'Spiritual' journey to 'evolve' in becoming completed 'spirits' on God’s earth.
To force one's 'Free-Will' on another, or on an entire Nation, violates God's ‘Supreme Law’ to humanity.
Psalm 119:
163 I hate and loathe falsehood,
But, I love Your law.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
We are all on borrowed time...
Our beloved America (Land of the Free) and humanity will perish -
A) If our country surrenders, without a fight to halt the Illegal Invasion of our Homeland, by the Indoctrinating Controlling Human-Beings in high power positions - as they Knowingly, Intentionally, and Recklessly force their 'Destructive and Misguided Socialist Ideology Will' against God's 'Free' Nation (United States of America and its Constitution).
United We Stand Tall, divided, we fail and fall.
B) When the senseless, continuous cycle of innocent human-beings, young and old, being shot, and murdered in the streets increases to a Barbaric Level (Domestic and War) - Where humanity can no longer Survive, grow 'Freely,' and 'Evolve Spiritually' while on God’s earth.
Our Children’s Future – is in Our Hands.
C) When God's 'Natural Law and Order' of Life between His Kingdom (Spirit), and His earth (Physical) is disrupted and severed, by Unrestrained Artificial Intelligence, and the Cloning of human-beings.
The Forbidden Fruit - Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV).
When that dire day in history arrives, Good vs. evil, Love vs. hate, Peace vs. war, will start all over again - somewhere in time - forever and ever --- until we all get it right.
Psalm 34:
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Truth
is learned-
One person
-at a time.
Virtūs et Honos.
-----Rick Sulik
December 16, 2024
Well, well, well, that was quite a doozy. Jordan Peterson takes readers on a journey through the biblical books from Genesis to the story of Jonah, extracting insights that are remarkably relevant to us all. He approaches the text like an investigative reporter, meticulously examining, turning, sifting, and pondering each passage as he navigates through the early books of the Bible.
Peterson makes the text accessible to anyone curious about the Bible, whether they are believers or non-believers. As a Christian, I truly appreciate his practical and in-depth inquiry. I wish I had this resource years ago because I was always curious about the Bible and its stories. Traditional church teachings often left me with more questions, feeling there must be more to these stories than what I was taught. With Peterson, it feels like there indeed is a deeper, more profound understanding to be uncovered.
For non-believers interested in the stories and their connections, you'll appreciate Peterson's approach. He embarked on this journey with a similar mindset, initially exploring the texts as a non-believer himself.
This book is packed with substance, demanding your full attention. If you engage with it earnestly, you'll be rewarded with richly told narratives of profound significance.
Highly recommended!
Peterson makes the text accessible to anyone curious about the Bible, whether they are believers or non-believers. As a Christian, I truly appreciate his practical and in-depth inquiry. I wish I had this resource years ago because I was always curious about the Bible and its stories. Traditional church teachings often left me with more questions, feeling there must be more to these stories than what I was taught. With Peterson, it feels like there indeed is a deeper, more profound understanding to be uncovered.
For non-believers interested in the stories and their connections, you'll appreciate Peterson's approach. He embarked on this journey with a similar mindset, initially exploring the texts as a non-believer himself.
This book is packed with substance, demanding your full attention. If you engage with it earnestly, you'll be rewarded with richly told narratives of profound significance.
Highly recommended!
January 11, 2025
There are some good insights here, but the book is unnecessarily long and bloated. And while I don’t mind a psychology reading of scripture, you don’t get the sense Peterson sees God as a person, as opposed to a mere idea
November 29, 2024
Give this book a chance. You might learn something—I certainly did.
As a psychologist, Dr. Peterson offers a uniquely qualified perspective on the stories from the Old Testament. His analysis reveals a deeply ingrained network of beliefs that constitute the foundation of Western culture. These stories, as Dr. Peterson elegantly explains, are vessels of ancient knowledge. They point us toward intrinsic patterns of human behavior and offer not only insight but also clear solutions to the issues arising from these patterns.
The most important takeaway? That one should ultimately heed the call to adventure presented to all of us as the gift of life, aim to be good, and stand up for these ideals in the face of evil and chaos. These forces often manifest alluringly as temptations to submit to the pleasures of hedonism and nihilism. This is incredibly difficult—life is hard—but the call is to situate oneself on a path of goodness, with a trajectory that is ever upward.
Otherwise, one risks falling victim to the narcissism that sneaks up on us all: the desire to victimize oneself, lie, steal, abdicate responsibility, or indulge in the fleeting pleasures of sin. This universal challenge, built into the human genome, is exacerbated by the comforts of privilege. We, as products of our ancestors' labors, cannot fully grasp the sacrifices made to provide us with the comforts we enjoy today. Forgetting these sacrifices—or failing to heed the wisdom embedded in biblical texts, cultural traditions, or inherited knowledge—leaves us vulnerable to making poor choices that lead inevitably to chaos. Instead, we must bear the burden of life, take responsibility, and strive to make the world a better place for all, avoiding self-pity and self-induced demise.
This is not a book that argues for the literal veracity of biblical stories. Rather, it suggests that the behavior patterns they depict are "true" in the sense that they are emblematic of intrinsic human tendencies. The stories are therefore instructive—perhaps most so when understood as abstract narratives to be decoded, rather than mere instruction manuals or historical accounts.
One critique I have is that although evolutionary biology is cited extensively and given its due, it still feels underappreciated. The degree to which genetic factors influence human behavior is far greater than any cultural "software," as Richard Dawkins might put it. The concept of genetic conservation is introduced, which I admire, but the book stops short of explicitly acknowledging religion as a product of fundamental genetic systems that serve as its primary basis.
Despite this, I feel Dr. Peterson presents a holistic account of the phenomenological consequences of Christian beliefs and practices. He offers a compelling and necessary argument for safeguarding these traditions, especially in our modern, chaotic world.
As a psychologist, Dr. Peterson offers a uniquely qualified perspective on the stories from the Old Testament. His analysis reveals a deeply ingrained network of beliefs that constitute the foundation of Western culture. These stories, as Dr. Peterson elegantly explains, are vessels of ancient knowledge. They point us toward intrinsic patterns of human behavior and offer not only insight but also clear solutions to the issues arising from these patterns.
The most important takeaway? That one should ultimately heed the call to adventure presented to all of us as the gift of life, aim to be good, and stand up for these ideals in the face of evil and chaos. These forces often manifest alluringly as temptations to submit to the pleasures of hedonism and nihilism. This is incredibly difficult—life is hard—but the call is to situate oneself on a path of goodness, with a trajectory that is ever upward.
Otherwise, one risks falling victim to the narcissism that sneaks up on us all: the desire to victimize oneself, lie, steal, abdicate responsibility, or indulge in the fleeting pleasures of sin. This universal challenge, built into the human genome, is exacerbated by the comforts of privilege. We, as products of our ancestors' labors, cannot fully grasp the sacrifices made to provide us with the comforts we enjoy today. Forgetting these sacrifices—or failing to heed the wisdom embedded in biblical texts, cultural traditions, or inherited knowledge—leaves us vulnerable to making poor choices that lead inevitably to chaos. Instead, we must bear the burden of life, take responsibility, and strive to make the world a better place for all, avoiding self-pity and self-induced demise.
This is not a book that argues for the literal veracity of biblical stories. Rather, it suggests that the behavior patterns they depict are "true" in the sense that they are emblematic of intrinsic human tendencies. The stories are therefore instructive—perhaps most so when understood as abstract narratives to be decoded, rather than mere instruction manuals or historical accounts.
One critique I have is that although evolutionary biology is cited extensively and given its due, it still feels underappreciated. The degree to which genetic factors influence human behavior is far greater than any cultural "software," as Richard Dawkins might put it. The concept of genetic conservation is introduced, which I admire, but the book stops short of explicitly acknowledging religion as a product of fundamental genetic systems that serve as its primary basis.
Despite this, I feel Dr. Peterson presents a holistic account of the phenomenological consequences of Christian beliefs and practices. He offers a compelling and necessary argument for safeguarding these traditions, especially in our modern, chaotic world.
December 7, 2024
Prior to this reading book I had read and studied a few of things he mentioned: Old Testament, Judaism, Christianity, Enuma Eilish, Caananite Religion, Tao Te Ching. Beyond the topics he's mentioned, I've also studied Kabbalah, Shia Islam, Ibn Taymiyya, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Druze, Ismaili, Shaktism, Vedanta, Sri Vaishnavism, ISKCON, Shaivism, Kashmir Shaivism. I think Jordan Peterson gets a lot right when he's trying to understand the Christian dimension of stories, but he also mentions a lot of things which I find to be wrong. His idea of free will is mentioned a lot, but in Calvin's theology of Double Predestination, there is no room for free will and it is in distinction to the Catholic Doctrine of Free Will - this is something that Peterson doesn't touch on. He also gets the Canaanites wrong, using the bible and not the historical critical sources for his readings of the Canaanite religion.
For a book on Canaanites I recommend Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan by John Day. John Day goes into Asherah, Yahweh, El, Baal and how El and Yahweh were amalgamated into one deity by the Jews. How Baal poetry was appropriated by the Jewish Bible. There is also reference to Elephantine Jews and their worship of the goddess. The whole child sacrificing thing that Peterson references from the Bible is a myth which Peterson takes a literally or symbolically, but not historical-critically. He even has the audacity to criticise such a view in his footnotes which I find even more ridiculous, when ChatGPT corrected him.
Peterson is extremely diverse but also weirdly biased and selective in how he interprets scripture. Preferring to take a utilitarian, moralising, evangelical Christian worldview but with splashes of Jung, Ancient Egyptian mythology, Dostoyevsky, Simpsons, Harry Potter, Lion King, Pinocchio, Tao Te Ching, Hegel, Freud, Dawkins. It's not Evangelical enough to be Evangelical; and its not broad enough to encompass Eastern traditions like Islam, Hinduism, Shinto, Buddhism.
So what does he actually talk about? He takes the stories of the Bible: Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, Abraham and Sarah, The City of Lot, Cain and Abel, Jonah and the Whale, The Crucifixion of Jesus; and he gives a Petersonian interpretation on each of them. By Petersonian I mean he uses Jungian archetypes, Joseph Campbell's concept of the monomyth and The Hero's Journey which he never mentions by name, utilitarian Christianity of things like the golden rule and the highest good. He talks about bitterness, resentment, usurping nature, deceit, lying, totalitarianism, the dragon of chaos, Order, Plato, Socrates, the spirit of that which is good, responsibility, voluntary cooperation, the call to adventure, sacrifice, Jacob's ladder, sin, upwardly aiming. His prose is very convoluted, and the book is very similar to Maps of Meaning.
For a book on Canaanites I recommend Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan by John Day. John Day goes into Asherah, Yahweh, El, Baal and how El and Yahweh were amalgamated into one deity by the Jews. How Baal poetry was appropriated by the Jewish Bible. There is also reference to Elephantine Jews and their worship of the goddess. The whole child sacrificing thing that Peterson references from the Bible is a myth which Peterson takes a literally or symbolically, but not historical-critically. He even has the audacity to criticise such a view in his footnotes which I find even more ridiculous, when ChatGPT corrected him.
Peterson is extremely diverse but also weirdly biased and selective in how he interprets scripture. Preferring to take a utilitarian, moralising, evangelical Christian worldview but with splashes of Jung, Ancient Egyptian mythology, Dostoyevsky, Simpsons, Harry Potter, Lion King, Pinocchio, Tao Te Ching, Hegel, Freud, Dawkins. It's not Evangelical enough to be Evangelical; and its not broad enough to encompass Eastern traditions like Islam, Hinduism, Shinto, Buddhism.
So what does he actually talk about? He takes the stories of the Bible: Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, Abraham and Sarah, The City of Lot, Cain and Abel, Jonah and the Whale, The Crucifixion of Jesus; and he gives a Petersonian interpretation on each of them. By Petersonian I mean he uses Jungian archetypes, Joseph Campbell's concept of the monomyth and The Hero's Journey which he never mentions by name, utilitarian Christianity of things like the golden rule and the highest good. He talks about bitterness, resentment, usurping nature, deceit, lying, totalitarianism, the dragon of chaos, Order, Plato, Socrates, the spirit of that which is good, responsibility, voluntary cooperation, the call to adventure, sacrifice, Jacob's ladder, sin, upwardly aiming. His prose is very convoluted, and the book is very similar to Maps of Meaning.
January 10, 2025
Peterson is the Joel Osteen for young men who can’t get laid, don’t read books, and treat anti woke podcasters like they’re the Pope and they’re 14th century Catholics. Feel bad for people who take this broken resentful man seriously.
December 22, 2024
Disappointing. The only real moments of wisdom and profundity came from the direct quotations from biblical passages. This effort is just a padded-out recapitulation of his lecture series and recorded discussions on Exodus. Maps of Meaning was an immeasurably superior read which synthesised psychology, philosophy and theology in an engaging and comprehensive way. This on the other hand seemed more like a conduit through which the author expressed his political leanings. The contempt for the left is an ever-present feature of anything that Peterson puts out nowadays, and it is in full attendance here. Whether it be environmentalism, secularism or socialism, Jordan will find a scriptural verse that tenuously relates to its repudiation. It’s a shame because I was hoping for what could have been a fascinating delve into how the human psyche evolved to ‘wrestle’ with the concept of a theistic creator (which is what I expected, given the book’s title!). I’m sure the Daily Wire enjoyed it though. Two stars.
Want to read
November 2, 2024
(Peterson wrestles with Dawkins; Alex O'Connor moderates and questions too; two atheists debate one Christian)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024...
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