Often people just do not know what they are talking about.

Opinions are often based on second- and third-hand information from the Internet, TV or other media. Sometimes a casual chat overheard between friends is taken as truth and judgments formed based on that.

Case in point.

Rob Bell's newest book Love Wins.

Pilloried in the Christian media an unbelieving world thinks, "What's the big deal?" or worse, "If that's how Christians treat each other, then I'll take my hedonistic life surrounded by people who affirm and encourage me." Cautiously some have defended Bell or at least if not his position, which is nebulous at best, at least his right to have an opinion.

Criticism began before the book was published. Piquing my interest I could not wait to get my hands on a copy, before bonfires roared up with Love Wins as kindling.

It concerns me that many who spoke out about the book, mostly against what they thought was it's premise, had not read the book. Perhaps they had heard or read an interview with Bell and formed their opinion based on that.

.....(this is part of the blog that I deleted because my feet got tired of standing and stomping around my soapbox)

Love Wins is not great literature; Love Wins does not answer the questions one would expect from the title; Love Wins is quintessential Rob Bell. Ponderings on paper from a faithful follower of Christ who realizes that there is much to be discovered and uncovered about what is believed.

And that's what I think about it.