Gary North on Amazon

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bookslover

Puritan Board Doctor
I was astounded yesterday to discover that copies of North's Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church (1996) are going for as much as $200. I think it's his best book, mainly because it's not about theonomy - it's a rollicking, highly entertaining, 1,100-page account of how the liberals took over the Presbyterian Church in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (Short version: while conservative were protecting Christian theology, the liberals were taking over the ecclesiastical machinery, so to speak).

Anyway, my overpaid-for copy arrives tomorrow. I think this is the one North title that should be kept in print.
 
Some before 1990. Subscribed to his newsletter from about '82 to about '92.
I was just wondering if I could get some specifics. More often than not, I have found that those who don’t like Gary North don’t like him because they have been taught/told not to like him rather than because they have critically understood and evaluated his writings. I’m not saying this is you necessarily, but I do wonder why you in particular want his books to be “rarer.” I find him to be very insightful and penetrating.
 
Well, I commented from first hand knowledge. Not saying you should question my first response or not. But I find that folks who find North insightful haven't done enough study to appreciate how deeply wrong he is on the Bible.

(On economics, politics, he was good.)
I appreciate your attempt at tone here Tyler, but it still comes across as judgmental. Please consider I've only responded in a manner consistent yours.
 
Well, I commented from first hand knowledge. Not saying you should question my first response or not. But I find that folks who find North insightful haven't done enough study to appreciate how deeply wrong he is on the Bible.

(On economics, politics, he was good.)
I appreciate your attempt at tone here Tyler, but it still comes across as judgmental. Please consider I've only responded in a manner consistent yours.
No judgment or offense intended whatsoever. Just trying to pick your brain.
 
Thx. So, picking my brain on this one seems a bit odd. North is well known (respected?) as a Father of Theonomy. If one recognizes theonomy is a deficient hermeneutic, then there needs be little further to be said about a particular man's body of work. As you've asked, in effect, whether I know what I'm talking about, and I've offered testimony that I do, maybe it is sufficient to observe I've defended why I would prefer his books to be rarer?
 
If one recognizes theonomy is a deficient hermeneutic…
I don’t, which is why I’m asking for some specifics. Is it just theonomic ethics in general that bothers you? You say his politics and economics are good, and yet those are intimately and inseparably related to his view of God’s law.
 
Taylor, the thread is on the price of North's books, not his teachings. I'm not interested in a discussion on the quality of his teachings. If this is something you'd like to discuss, sorry, I'm not interested in spending the time to do that.

If you were in my back yard, and/or I had some discipling responsibility with you, I'd do so. But as I don't, it is irresponsible of me to give you time I owe to others.

If you are enamored with Theonomy as taught by North (and other Fathers of the movement, e.g., his FiL Rushdoony), and interested why others are not, there are plenty of resources from those who think this is a defective reading of Scripture for you to examine.

As to his economics/politics, I understand these were, in part, the application of his Theonomic reading of Scripture. They were, even more, the fruit of his secular training and employment. People are inconsistent with their worldviews, including the redeemed. That I might opine that I think some of his economic/political applications were good is not to say I think they were biblically sound. It is merely to say, in the context of our culture (in his time), they appeared to be pragmatically sound.
 
Taylor, the thread is on the price of North's books, not his teachings. I'm not interested in a discussion on the quality of his teachings. If this is something you'd like to discuss, sorry, I'm not interested in spending the time to do that.
It seems to me then that your comment "I'd be ok if his books were even rarer ..." was inappropriate if you weren't willing to explain what you meant. You say here this thread was about the price of North's books. Then, you should have stuck to that. Instead you made an offhand remark and then when you were questioned on it (not challenged or rebuked) you seemingly got offended and had no interest in defending your comment. If you truly wanted to stay on topic, you probably should have never made the comment. In fact, you may even want to delete it now.
 
Sigh. Taylor asked how many of his books I read. He did not ask why I wished his books were rarer. I answered his specific question.

He responded with a comment that inferred that maybe my dislike for North's books was due to lack of knowledge. Given my answer, demonstrating adequate knowledge of North's writings, that should have sufficed.

In that context, he indirectly asked "why". I answered: "Thx. So, picking my brain on this one seems a bit odd. North is well known (respected?) as a Father of Theonomy. If one recognizes theonomy is a deficient hermeneutic, then there needs be little further to be said about a particular man's body of work. As you've asked, in effect, whether I know what I'm talking about, and I've offered testimony that I do, maybe it is sufficient to observe I've defended why I would prefer his books to be rarer?"

He then expressed his desire that I engage in further development of my critique of North, vis-a-vis theonomy. I offered a response explaining why I'm declining, and suggesting where he might find an answer to his question for deeper insight into objections to North, vis-a-vis theonomy. If he had asked "why" up front, I'd have offered the shorter answer. Not my fault he didn't, and I'm not torqued about that. In other words,, contrary to your criticism, I did engage.

And, the response "rarer" necessarily, in our economic system, means the price of his books would be higher. In other words,, contrary to your criticism, I did stick to the "higher price" issue.

Respectfully, you're wrong on both criticisms. Maybe no need for you to interject when Taylor and I seem ok?
 
Sigh. Taylor asked how many of his books I read. He did not ask why I wished his books were rarer. I answered his specific question.

He responded with a comment that inferred that maybe my dislike for North's books was due to lack of knowledge. Given my answer, demonstrating adequate knowledge of North's writings, that should have sufficed.

In that context, he indirectly asked "why". I answered: "Thx. So, picking my brain on this one seems a bit odd. North is well known (respected?) as a Father of Theonomy. If one recognizes theonomy is a deficient hermeneutic, then there needs be little further to be said about a particular man's body of work. As you've asked, in effect, whether I know what I'm talking about, and I've offered testimony that I do, maybe it is sufficient to observe I've defended why I would prefer his books to be rarer?"

He then expressed his desire that I engage in further development of my critique of North, vis-a-vis theonomy. I offered a response explaining why I'm declining, and suggesting where he might find an answer to his question for deeper insight into objections to North, vis-a-vis theonomy. If he had asked "why" up front, I'd have offered the shorter answer. Not my fault he didn't, and I'm not torqued about that. In other words,, contrary to your criticism, I did engage.

And, the response "rarer" necessarily, in our economic system, means the price of his books would be higher. In other words,, contrary to your criticism, I did stick to the "higher price" issue.

Respectfully, you're wrong on both criticisms. Maybe no need for you to interject when Taylor and I seem ok?
No, I still stand by my comments sir.
 
Sigh.

And, the response "rarer" necessarily, in our economic system, means the price of his books would be higher. In other words,, contrary to your criticism, I did stick to the "higher price" issue.
Your general disrespect in your responses is also noted as well as your pretzel logic to demonstrate that you seemingly stayed on topic.
 
Moderating. Thread closed.
 
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