Review by Dr Nefarious -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?

[Dr Nefarious]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]

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1 out of 4 stars

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Gather round children, it’s time for our daily riddle! What do you get if you mix a detailed discussion of a series of delicate but utterly pointless theological questions with a not-too-bright twelve years old’s belief in the crudest type of divine (as in supernatural) interference in our world? The answer, I’m afraid, is W. E. Combs’s Who Told You That You Were Naked?

I’m struggling to think of something I liked about this book but it’s not very easy. The author has clearly read his Bible and a number of assorted studies. Apparently, he holds a doctoral degree in the area. He is knowledgeable then – I’ll give him that. But what’s the point of all that knowledge, if it is applied this way? Let me explain by asking a question. Is the story of Adam and Eve (with which the book is much preoccupied) a veritable report of just what happened some millennia ago in a town called Eden? Or is it an allegorical story, a myth, whose value lies in its poetic reconstruction of humanity’s origins, rather than its “facts”?

I’ve always thought that intelligent opinion inclines towards the second answer. Well, not so Dr. Combs. He seems, as far as I could tell, to believe that Eve was really a piece of ribeye steak and that she and Adam were historical figures who actually lived in a very green garden until the day they tasted the forbidden fruit (presumably the very apple on the book’s cover?) and realized with shame they had been running around in their birth suit all along. He is therefore prone to considering such momentous issues as the exact location of our forefather at the moment of his wife’s temptation.

Do I hear you complaining that I am not being neutral and civil? You are right! You see, I get really touchy when I feel I’m being taken for a fool. And that’s exactly how I feel when I read that the devil’s “minions” kept the Reverend and his spouse awake on certain nights by the sort of pranks one would guffaw at if one saw them in the cinema: “Their technique: a constant pounding on the walls and hands descending from the ceiling” (pp. 150-1). I, for one, couldn’t quite decide whether the author has seen too many horror flicks and actually believes this stuff or if he is just a shameless liar – nor which would be worse.

To sum up, if you are the sort of person who believes that the Almighty has nothing better to do than dissolving the gallstones of some octogenarian true believer or, even better, that the Prince of Darkness would take a break from partying in hell just to pay a visit to the author’s wife at home while he is at the office – then I do feel a little sorry for you but, on the bright side, Dr. Combs’s opus may be just what you were looking for. If not, I have to warn you that the book does not contain enough laughs to sufficiently enliven the lengthy discussion of theological niceties. 1 out of 4 stars is what it gets from me.

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Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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Like Dr Nefarious's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Paul78]

This is the beauty of the online book club. We read the same book and come up with diverse opinions about the same book.
As he has written, some of the experiences were his or his wife's personal account.
If they experienced all these things as are indicated in the book, then they are giving an account of some of the things that happened in their lives.
I do respect your opinion but I would disagree with you.
I wish to add and say that people with higher learning would be relevant to society if they are able to use their higher level of knowledge and still come to the level of their audience.

[CommMayo]

Your last paragraph was pure gold and a great way to sum up your review. I would have had a really hard time making my way through that book, which is why I stayed far away from it!

[Paul78]

CommMayo there is always a chance to look into a second opinion and see if other readers were of the same opinion. Needless to say that if you are of the same school of thought, his review would serve you greatly.

[CommMayo]

Funny, I saw this after I left a comment on your review!

[Dr Nefarious]

To Paul78

'I do respect your opinion but I would disagree with you.'

Hi, disagree with me as to what exactly? Please allow me to say that when one is faced with "real life" accounts of stray hands falling from the ceiling, the matter becomes one not of personal, but of medical opinion! In any case, thank you for reading my review and posting a comment.

-- 15 Nov 2017, 06:17 --

Your last paragraph was pure gold and a great way to sum up your review. I would have had a really hard time making my way through that book, which is why I stayed far away from it!

Thank you very much for your encouraging comment. I would have enjoyed much more a memoir detailing the author's encounters with the forces of Evil (of which there have, apparently, been plenty!) As it stands, the book is indeed quite dry.

[The Researcher]

Nice review! Though this book is not for me, I enjoyed reading your review. Also your avatar name is also very catchy Dr. Nefarious.

[Paul78]

Dr. Nefarious I hope you are well versed on matters Bible. If you can remember the incident where Apostle Paul was before King Agrippa and governor Festus in the book of Acts of the Apostles.
Festus had told Paul that his great learning had made him insane when he talked of the hope of ressurection.
The scholars then had disputed the possibility of a man being raised from the dead.
The attack on the Comb's by Satan and his minions was one of the matters you noted to have made your opinion on how he is using his great learning.
With this I would ask as a person who has never stepped into a theological college, how does theology anticipate ministers of the Gospel to interpret scriptures?

-- 16 Nov 2017, 03:01 --

A rejoinder to my earlier comment. Your review is likely to elicit alot of scholarly debate which is healthy for the group.
And you should take credit as people view the other side of the coin as well.

[Shirazi Cat]

This is an amusing take on the book! I noted some of the incidents you highlight myself.

[Dr Nefarious]

Dr. Nefarious I hope you are well versed on matters Bible. If you can remember the incident where Apostle Paul was before King Agrippa and governor Festus in the book of Acts of the Apostles.
Festus had told Paul that his great learning had made him insane when he talked of the hope of ressurection.
The scholars then had disputed the possibility of a man being raised from the dead.
The attack on the Comb's by Satan and his minions was one of the matters you noted to have made your opinion on how he is using his great learning.
With this I would ask as a person who has never stepped into a theological college, how does theology anticipate ministers of the Gospel to interpret scriptures?

-- 16 Nov 2017, 03:01 --

A rejoinder to my earlier comment. Your review is likely to elicit alot of scholarly debate which is healthy for the group.
And you should take credit as people view the other side of the coin as well.

I am not familiar with the episode you are referring to, and am far from well versed in biblical matters, but i think i understand your point.

First, when i complained about the way the author uses his knowledge, i was referring to his belief in the literal truth of the Eden story rather than his demonological tales. These latter have little to do with knowledge, no matter how one defines the term.

Second, when i hear the story of Jesus, i am sometimes tempted to speak of a mystery, of a question of faith, even of a miracle. When, on the other hand, i hear that some pastor, somewhere, is receiving regular visits from the devil, i consider the odds hopelessly low of his being a bona fide saint or seer(even supposing such persons to exist) rather than a fruitcake or a charlatan. To me, extremely skeptical as a i am of the possibility of miracles, such a distinction is necessary if the very word "miracle" is to have any sense.

-- 23 Nov 2017, 07:48 --

Nice review! Though this book is not for me, I enjoyed reading your review. Also your avatar name is also very catchy Dr. Nefarious.

Thank you very much for your comment. I am really glad you enjoyed the review.

-- 23 Nov 2017, 07:53 --

This is an amusing take on the book! I noted some of the incidents you highlight myself.

Thank you for responding.

[ReyvrexQuestor Reyes]

Here is one really free-minded review. It is refreshing to find diverse opinions on matters of discussion. This is healthy for the freedom of speech in democracies. I enjoy your fresh views on the matter. I will make it a point now to put priority to a reading of this book. Thank you.

[KlareAllison]

Who Told You That You Were Naked? is a Christian book which will appeal to, as well as make sense to practising Christians who have in dept knowledge of the Bible. To this category of readers, the personal incidents William Combs details in this book are, perhaps, just everyday realities.

While I enjoy different perspectives on particular books in this forum, I try to steer clear or tread softly on issues that border on religions which I am not very conversant with - basic respect for others demands that.

I think Dr Nefarious' take on Who Told You That You Were Naked? and its author is informed by the fact that she is outside the category of the afore mentioned readers. How do I know? Because she is sometimes tempted to consider Jesus a mystery. So, I think she needs to overcome this temptation by reading the source document, the Bible and then, read the book again, this time, not as a fable.

[Dr Nefarious]

"Who Told You That You Were Naked? is a Christian book which will appeal to, as well as make sense to practising Christians who have in dept knowledge of the Bible. To this category of readers, the personal incidents William Combs details in this book are, perhaps, just everyday realities."

Are you saying that all Christians are living in a Ghostbusters movie? That's a disturbing thought... but i guess you are speaking from experience.

-- 27 Nov 2017, 12:31 --

To ReyvrexQuestor Reyes

Thank you very much for your approving comment.

[Ted Ike]

I thought a Book review is supposed to be a honest appraisal of an author's work and not an opportunity to pour contempt on a person and his faith. You are entitled to your opinion and so does the author. If you disagree with his views on religion you can be civil in your expression of disapproval. Neither Adam and Eve nor the story of the fall in the Bible were myths. Your not believing will not change the facts.

[Dr Nefarious]

I thought a Book review is supposed to be a honest appraisal of an author's work and not an opportunity to pour contempt on a person and his faith. You are entitled to your opinion and so does the author. If you disagree with his views on religion you can be civil in your expression of disapproval. Neither Adam and Eve nor the story of the fall in the Bible were myths. Your not believing will not change the facts.

What i am laughing at is not Combs' faith but the hilarious "real life" anecdotes he relates and his belief in the literal truth of the Genesis story, which seems to me rather naive. That's my opinion and, as you correctly say in the only accurate statement your comment contains, i have a right to express it freely. Exercising this right of mine, by the way, is entirely within the scope of a reviewer's role. Not only that, but the reactions i'm getting from people who share your own understanding of the term "facts" are a sure sign that i am doing something right. So please feel free to provide further evidence of your crude irrationality.