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I’ve been reading widely lately, enjoying the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz; it’s amazing how looking at shared life experiences from the life of another can help re-focus your lenses in powerful new ways. I’m experiencing this same phenomenon with a contemporary writer, Samir Selmanovic, and his provocative book It’s Really All About God. Samir has walked in many shoes across his life. Ethnically he is Croatian. In faith, he is a Christian – a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor to be exact. But these labels don’t tell the whole story; there is more: At different times in his life, he has also been Muslim, and Atheist – and with strong affinities for Judaism – all lived out, these days, in the melting pot of New York City (see his work at Faith House Manhattan). In the crucible of these different identities he’s been able to hold all identity lightly and focus on what unites rather than divides us – what I’ve come to call meeting at the intersection of humility and mystery. Samir says it differently than I do, and I celebrate this difference as I’m reading his story.
As my friend Mike Morrell recently said on his blog regarding It’s Really All About God,
Do yourself a favor and read it. If you’re too cheap to immediately spring for a copy merely on my recommendation, listen to this recent talk he gave. And hear him read excerpts from his book. But then buy it! You’ll be glad you did.
Here’s Samir in his own words:
What are you reading right now that’s giving you life?
3 comments to “It’s Really All About God”
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That’s perfectly up my alley — will have to read it in the future. Right now my nightstand includes “The Sacredness of Questioning Everything”, ‘Unchurched”, and “Finding Darwin’s God”.
Last year I read some similar ones but the best ‘life” books were a sci-fi series and a fun little book from the Dalai Lama. Amazing how the right book can hit you just at the right time now and then.
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Yes. If I hadn’t vowed to NOT read another book I couldn’t (wouldn’t, really) put into action. I would pick this up. It looks inspiring.
I’ve gotta swear off books and pod- casts for a spell and focus more on prayer and serving my family … but this looks compelling and I’ll add it to my list for Christmas perhaps.
Thanks for posting. The video itself was inspirational.
Blessings,
Tom
How wonderful it would be for the religious no longer to be afraid of other religions. This is not a change that originates from top managers but from the conscientious worshiper whose identity someday may no longer be implicated in some fracas with others. I’m looking forward to the celebration of a real Armistice Day, beginning either with my generation or those of my child or grandchild.