Who Am I?: Solving the Identity Puzzle by Martyn IlesMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
"Ken Ham (CEO/Founder of Answers in Genesis) ordered me to write a book so I'm going to write a book, but I've given a lot of talks on Identity Politics so I can whip this out in about six weeks."
[So I guess we shouldn't be expecting another "Ben Hur", eh Martyn?]
So says Martyn Iles the brand new CEO of the Christian parachurch organization, "Answers in Genesis", famous for their Christian theme park revolving around the Creation Museum and the ("world famous") Ark Encounter, which is a life-sized replica of Noah’s Ark sitting in a field in Northern Kentucky just south of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Now before you write me off as another Evolutionist who is persecuting poor Christians for believing in the Bible, you need to know where I'm coming from. I have been a Born Again follower of Jesus since 1978. I am a Young Earth Creationist who believes the Bible literally from cover to cover and I have debated Atheists on their beliefs for forty years. I have been involved in archeology since childhood, been watching the rise of Creation Science and Answers in Genesis for thirty years and have fully supported Martyn Iles (financially and across my social media) for three years in his previous position as the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby. But that was then and this is is now. However, you needed to know that I have nothing against him personally and get NO pleasure from what I am about to say.
During Martyn's previous talks, which he is basing this book on and which I have viewed several times, take place at a program he initiated in Australia for 18-25 year olds called "The Download".
During these talks on Identity he tells us that the number one topic in creative writing for Generation-Z is (you guessed it) "Who Am I?". Then he berates us for being so self-focused and says we shouldn't even be asking this question and equates it to the story in Joshua 5.
"13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'
14 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?'
15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so." (NIV)
So Martyn tells us we shouldn't even be asking the question because it is only SELF serving. Rather we should be asking "Who is Jesus?", which I wholeheartedly agree with.
But now he has titled his book, "Who Am I?" as a form of promotional click-bait in order to (self-servingly) SELL as many copies as possible.
One guess as to whether or not I will be shelling out even one, thin dime for this hypocritical, rehashed garbage by Martyn.
I also wish to point out how Scripturally UNBALANCED Martyn's idea about identity is. He accepts that God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...) but then proclaims God has almost nothing positive to say about us AFTER the Fall of mankind. He sights Scripture verses such as "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" (Isaiah 64 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/... ). It is true (and so much more) as we acknowledge how riddled with sins we are and in desperate need to repent and accept Jesus as our only Savior, but that only tells ONE part of the story.
"for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/... )
I suggest you (and Martyn) look up the word "DELIGHT" in a concordance and see how much God delights in us.
Martyn loves to examine the Proverbs of Solomon but ignores the GREATEST LOVE poetry ever written, which is ALSO by the wise King Solomon.
"Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep
Which have come up from the washing,
Every one of which bears twins,
And none is barren among them.
3 Your lips are like a strand of scarlet,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
Are like a piece of pomegranate."
(Song of Solomon 4:2-3) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...
The proclamations of a man so in love with the maiden he has chosen that he's saying goofy things about her TEETH!
And the ENTIRE book of Song of Solomon is an allegory of God's love for us summed up with the ultimate expression of His love,
"I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine." I think that is some pretty POSITIVE (and PASSIONATE) stuff God has to say about us.
Again, you don't need to read this book. Move on to something better, balanced, unbiased and Biblically accurate.
But BEWARE because the MIGHTY PR arm of Answers in Genesis (and all their hard core co-horts, like Kirk Cameron and Dr. Joel Beeke) will be pushing this book HARD in order to establish Martyn as a writer and in his new position at Answers in Genesis. Not only is the book currently available for pre-order EVERYWHERE but we are also informed (by Martyn himself) that he is already set to publish his SECOND book.
However, it still gets ONE cookie (out of five) because Martyn can communicate in a human language and the book exists within time and space, but I am being quite generous and have added it to my "Skip It" list.
I hope this helps and not hinders and I thank you for giving of your precious time to read my review.🙂
The Truth with Love,
Always Laura-Lee ✝️🇨🇦
UPDATE: February 10, 2024
P.S. I've done my Review as a Christian but it has been requested that I make some comments as a professional Behaviorist, which I was previously unwilling to do because I have not read this entire book (only the free sample). However, I WILL offer an educated opinion about what I've read so far and my understanding of Martyn's lectures and sermons on Identity (which are plentiful).
Martyn is MUCH more perceptive about human behavior than the average person and capable of drawing some very astute conclusions, BUT ☝️ he lacks in the area of understanding the "WHY", which usually comes from INTERACTING more with people through time and not merely OBSERVING them. He's got a few fundamentals about what drives and motivates people off, so I wouldn't recommend this book on that level either.
However (again), he has the SOLUTION spot on. Knowing Jesus personally.❗️ So although your precious time delving into this HUGE topic is better spent elsewhere, I am not fearful of you reading it because, even if it is somewhat inaccurate, Martyn and I end at the SAME place...the foot of the cross.
On a more personal note, I think Martyn is capable of so much more than found in this book. I look forward to the day when he doesn't write because his boss told him to but because the topic so greatly BURNS within him he cannot help but write. For THAT book, (by Martyn LLOYD Iles) I would gladly pay DOUBLE. (And that says a LOT because I'm "cheap as the day is long") 😉
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