not being a political guy, I did like the premise of the book, God needs to be present in government, both sides. one of my favorite parts was about a republican and democrat, sent every senator, representative, and all 50 governors a pledge to be civil in disagreements almost 600 were sent only 3 replied. ( )

This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

Note: Before I post this review, I want to make a public service announcement. The fine people over at Bookshop Talk are throwing a huge giveaway where you can win up to ten books of your choice! Mention I sent you and I get an extra entry. Pretty please? *puppy dog eyes* I want to win a copy of Shannon Hale's Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters, because my lousy not-so-nice library doesn't carry it.

I chose this book partly out of curiosity and partly out of an ornery desire to read a book I didn't like, just so I could write a bad review when it started telling me how to vote to be a good Christian. No, I don't normally pick out books so I can give them a bad review - that would be really nasty! I was just in a controversial mood because of some stuff in my personal life (one word: evolution), and wanted to take someone to task for their "holier than thou," "God is on my side" attitude.

Unfortunately for me, this really isn't a book I can write that review for. To be fair, though, I don't really feel the need to write that review anymore either, so that works out well. I actually really loved the attitude Black takes in the book: she reminds the reader again and again that compromise is key, that nobody knows for a fact what God's stance is on each and every political issue, and that demonizing opposing opinions is the opposite of showing 1 Corinthians love for our fellow man.

Okay, so I love Black's stance on the whole political tangle. What I didn't love so much was all the detailed explanations. The whole middle of the book focuses on explaining the government system, the political parties, some of the main views of what Christian participation in politics should look like, and more. The explanations are very informative, but they make the whole book drag for someone who already knows some of the material, and doesn't care about the rest.

However, I wouldn't write the book off for its slow middle because I'm sure lots of people would find it very helpful. If you're looking for something that will give you the tools necessary to form your own opinions, then this is the book for you. It lists out websites and resources you can use to verify facts and wade through propoganda, and I'll definitely be using some of them during the next presidential election. There's nothing I hate more than being told to think a certain way just because someone else did the thinking for me, so I love how Honoring God provides tools to help me understand what's going on and form my own opinion, instead of just accepting everything at face value.

All in all, this is a great book for someone who wants to approach politics with an open mind and a willing heart. I seriously doubt that anyone, no matter what their political views, could take offense at anything Black says. It's a great book because everyone can get something from it, and come away with a better attitude toward people with opposing views. It's a great starting place for cultivating critical thinking and in politics, and one that I will most likely turn to as a resource when it's time for me to vote.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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