Too Fictionized?

Use this forum to discuss the August 2019 Book of the month, "I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation: Old Testament Stories" by Val D. Greenwood.
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Beatus
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Re: Too Fictionized?

Post by Beatus »

Words are very tricky. Just take a moment and think about it. When you think you use words. It is also so when you speak but, what about when you act? When translating a thought to an act and an act to a word and vice versa, you may end up with a lot of different opinions on how wrong or how right you've been. But it doesn't mean it is not important or it is worthless because it adds more knowledge. Good book.
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

Beatus wrote: 24 Oct 2019, 00:28 Words are very tricky. Just take a moment and think about it. When you think you use words. It is also so when you speak but, what about when you act? When translating a thought to an act and an act to a word and vice versa, you may end up with a lot of different opinions on how wrong or how right you've been. But it doesn't mean it is not important or it is worthless because it adds more knowledge. Good book.
I'll have to give this one some thought. I just can't quite connect it with the question of "Too fictionized." I don't mean to be dense, but would you mind explaining the connection to me?
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Post by Faithmwangi »

I don't think it was too fictionalized. This was simply a case of creating better understanding and it made comprehension of the text easier. Also, it did not move away from the intended meaning.
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Post by Jennashby_87 »

I actually just think that the way the book was written makes all of the well known Bible stories a lot more relatable and easier to understand. I really appreciated that. It allows for an overall greater and deeper understanding of the Bible.
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Post by Liana Mayhew »

I don't think this is too fictionalized. The way the author has written the story is easier to understand than the old testament, which I think can only be a good thing, especially with people who are new to bible stories.
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Lisa A Rayburn
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

Faithmwangi wrote: 26 Oct 2019, 03:59 I don't think it was too fictionalized. This was simply a case of creating better understanding and it made comprehension of the text easier. Also, it did not move away from the intended meaning.
Jennashby_87 wrote: 26 Oct 2019, 17:28 I actually just think that the way the book was written makes all of the well known Bible stories a lot more relatable and easier to understand. I really appreciated that. It allows for an overall greater and deeper understanding of the Bible.
LianaMayhew wrote: 26 Oct 2019, 19:20 I don't think this is too fictionalized. The way the author has written the story is easier to understand than the old testament, which I think can only be a good thing, especially with people who are new to bible stories.
That does seem to be the consensus in the forum, that the added material did not detract from the original stories in any way and that it served to help comprehend them, especially for those not familiar with them. Thanks so much for stopping in and sharing your thoughts with us!
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Post by LeDiplomatique »

Sometimes its's good to read between the lines or better, get a glimpse behind the scenes. The author did exactly that. I don't find the book too fictionized.
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

LeDiplomatique wrote: 31 Oct 2019, 23:51 Sometimes its's good to read between the lines or better, get a glimpse behind the scenes. The author did exactly that. I don't find the book too fictionized.
I like that, "getting a glimpse behind the scenes." I hadn't thought of it like that. Great point! Thanks for dropping in and sharing your thoughts with us!
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Post by Jimi Adewole »

Sometimes, fiction is the most useful tool to explain and communicate fact. That said, a century or two ago, the 'mild' levels of fiction in this rendering would have been considered heresy.
Experience is a harsh tutor for she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards. - Vernon Law

You might as well read about it in a book.
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Lisa A Rayburn
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

Jimi Adewole wrote: 06 Nov 2019, 08:27 Sometimes, fiction is the most useful tool to explain and communicate fact. That said, a century or two ago, the 'mild' levels of fiction in this rendering would have been considered heresy.
Hmmm...I suppose they would have at that! I do agree that fiction can be used to draw people in and subtly communicate fact, though. Thanks for dropping in and sharing your thoughts with us!!
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Post by Kansas City Teacher »

Jsovermyer wrote: 08 Aug 2019, 19:58 I don't think this book is too fictionalized. I appreciate that the author has tried to make the Old Testament stories more understandable using modern wording.
I agree! Some might argue that it "ruins" how they would have imagined it, but I appreciate how she makes it more relatable to us.
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Post by Nkoo »

I don't think the book is too fictionized. The inclusion of the fictional aspect by the author, in my view, helped clarify some information contained in the original text. The old English and verbose style of the original work of the old testament was replaced by modern grammar for easier comprehension. Thanks!
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

Nkoo wrote: 18 Dec 2019, 07:20 I don't think the book is too fictionized. The inclusion of the fictional aspect by the author, in my view, helped clarify some information contained in the original text. The old English and verbose style of the original work of the old testament was replaced by modern grammar for easier comprehension. Thanks!
That seems to be the consensus in the forum. The information that was included, although fictional itself, served to clarify and aid in understanding without really changing the base story itself in any way. I agree with your statement about old English being verbose. The author definitely helped in that regard. Thanks so much for stopping in and sharing your thoughts!
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Post by Kansas City Teacher »

Jsovermyer wrote: 08 Aug 2019, 19:58 I don't think this book is too fictionalized. I appreciate that the author has tried to make the Old Testament stories more understandable using modern wording.
I agree with you whole-heartedly. Many people of all faiths are left to fill in the blanks between the many, many years that are left out of the Old Testament. It may not be what really happened, but definitely makes it more relatable! I have heard some people say though, it "ruins" how they imagined it. Guess that makes sense, also...
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Post by Jajachris »

I don't think the book is too fictionalized, I think the end justified every story and the same time.
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