We all know how many times on Facebook we are asked to pray for sick people, especially children. Generally these people are under medical care at the time and prayer and/or healing thoughts certainly can not hurt-and probably actually help. BUT-what if prayers were all that these sick individuals were receiving-what if their religious beliefs did not allow medical care-and then think about the children who could have been saved by minor medical intervention--but instead die a painful and needless death. This novel, written by a former doctor, although fictional depicts just that.
It is the story of a "CULT" lead by a very sick and egotistical man who also happens to be charismatic and manages to get a bunch of people to believe the way he does. It is the story of a town sheriff and a newspaper reporter who are trying to get to the bottom of why there are multiple children buried in a mountainside which they found totally by accident. It is the story of politics and humanity at it's best and at its worst.
A couple of days ago I posted something on facebook at the request of Dr. Gold. It is a review of this book. If you haven't read it--here it is again.
"Encase you haven't read the latest International Journal of Cultic Studies, it contains a review of my novel, For the Love of God by Daniel Shaw, LCSW.
The review captures the essence of a novel that should have more public exposure, not for me, but for the protection of children.
Take a moment. If you agree, feel free to pass it on to others as these practices will continue until there's more of a public outcry against them.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B95dyOu3uCWERnpPZ1NvWjl6RWM/edit?usp=sharing
Larry
(Lawrence W. Gold, M.D.)
Website: lawrencewgoldmd.com"
After reading the above I went in and purchased this book on Kindle--I suggest you do as well.
About the Book: (from Amazon)
If you enjoy medical drama, you’ll love For the Love of God, a novel that accurately depicts what happens when a cult denies sick children lifesaving medical care.
While this is fiction, the novel shows practices that continue to this day.
Do not misconstrue this novel as anti-religious...it's against those who would sacrifice children for their own beliefs.
An incidental and shocking discovery of a cave with tiny unmarked graves shatters the peace of Exton, a small town in upstate N.Y.
More horrifying is the forensic analysis that reveals that these young children died needlessly as the result of neglect and abuse at the hands of a religious fundamentalist cult that disavows medical care.
Fundamentalists and their political action groups come to the defense of the cult and the parents of the dead children setting the stage for the final courtroom clash to come.
The sheriff, an investigative reporter, the local coroner and two forensic experts from Albany develop the case. When the county DA, a fundamentalist, resists vigorous prosecution, the Governor of New York intervenes and appoints Rosemary and Calvin Brandt to represent the State and speak for the dead children. These controversial attorneys and former fundamentalists have devoted their lives to the protection of children.
The final courtroom clash sets freedom of religion against the State's responsibility to protect innocent children.
Read a couple of chapters
Purchase this book at Amazon
About the Author: (from Amazon)
I was born in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, moved to Queens, and then, as New Yorkers say, we ascended to the Island.
After graduating from Valley Stream Central High School, I went to Adelphi, a college then, a university now, and then to medical school in Chicago.
The war in Vietnam interrupted my postgraduate training with a year in Colorado Springs and another as a Battalion Surgeon in Vietnam. I spent seven months in the Central Highlands with the 4th Infantry and five months in an evacuation hospital in Long Binh outside Saigon where I ran the emergency room.
I returned intact in 1968 to complete my training in internal medicine and diseases of the kidney, nephrology.
I worked for twenty-three years in Berkeley, California in a hospital-based practice caring for patients with complicated illnesses often in ICU and served as Chief of Medicine.
My wife Dorlis and I retired in October 1995 and sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge for a life at sea in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Four years later, exhausted from repairing everything on board, (often many times) we sold the sailboat and within a year took the lazy man's out; we bought a Nordic Tug, a trawler. We motored around Florida, the Bahamas, the entire East Coast and completed two 'Circle trips' to Canada and back, eight months, the first time, five months, the second.
I wrote professionally as a physician to inform but rarely to entertain, at least not on purpose.
First, Do No Harm was published in April 2007. No Cure for Murder was released in August 2011. For the Love of God was published in January 2012 and The Sixth Sense in July 2012.
In the last two years, I've written three screenplays based on my novels and hope to see one or more produced for the screen. I submitted my screenplay, Rage to the 80th Annual Writer's Digest contest and won honorable mention (57 out of 11,000).
We live in beautiful Grass Valley with 13 year old Mike, a terrier mix and Bennie, a 7 year old purebred though enormous Yorkie.
Author's Website
Dr. Gold's Fiction and Medical News
Twitter-still under construction!
I purchased this book with my own funds. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.
27 comments :
Sadly this is something that happens in real life. There are sick people who seek power and then lead people to do crazy things.
The book sounds very good and I'll check it out. Thank you for the review!
Reminds me of those crazy sacrifice that goes on around the world, but I like crazy hospital stuff, this seem like it would be a great read, Great review
It's sad, but you know this stuff happens in real life. I bet this is a really interesting read.
I would be interested in reading this book. It very scary that in today society freewill of others still isn't fully practiced
I am a firm believer that if you don't help yourself, no one else is going to help you either. Prayers can only go so far when it comes to healing. Oh.... there is so much more I could say on this subject, but I would run out of room. Sounds like a great book.
Your book review for love of god has intrigued me to considering reading it on my next holiday coming up soon. Sounds like a great read on an interesting topic. Thanks,
I've always been really fascinated by religious cults and how seemingly normal people can get so wrapped up in them. This sounds like a book I would totally love!
Although, this book is fiction, cults disturb me in and out of myself. I cant stand hearing about or reading about it. I feel that this is a great book, but I wouldn't be able to get myself to read it.
It sounds like a good book. The charasmatic charmers are often the ones to look out for, aren't they? :)
Cults are such a fascination for me! A friend had gotten involved in one once and it was a scary ordeal. This book sounds like a good read.
I do love medical drama type programs in TV and also books based on that topic. I must check this out! Great review Michelle :) Vinma
Sounds like there was a lot of work put into this book! I think it might disturb me personally a little too much to read it, though :(
I enjoy reading medical drama so I am sure I would love this book!
A book like this would probably infuriate me! When I was younger, I met a girl who later died because of her parent's religious beliefs. So sad
Its sad that parents wont let their children be healed due to religious beliefs. They should look at it as god helping us heal ourselves.
It is truly so heartbreaking that this happens in real life. So heart breaking to hear that parents can be so mislead to allow their child to die than to get him medical help.
I enjoy medical dramas, but I hate reading about sad things happening to children...especially when they still happen in real life! This book sounds really interesting.
That would be horrifying and so sad to even think it might happen. I remember watching a similar movie with a plot like this.
I can understand religious beliefs and support everyone being able to follow what they choose - until it comes to the young and innocent. Then it is just wrong to withhold something that can save them.
Sounds like a good read although I tend to shy away from books like these. I have a friend who loves reading these kind of books though, I'll have to share this with her.
Sounds like an interesting book. Like another commenter said, you have to help yourself, too.
This seems like a very interesting read. I will definitely share this with my friends.
Seems like a very interesting and touching book to read. :)
sounds like a good book for someone that like religious books. I am more of a mystery book reader.
There was a time when all my mother would read is medical drama. I think she would love this book.
I'm sure this was a hard one to read albeit interesing. Sounds like a deeply disturbing and moving story.
I enjoy reading medical drama and so does my DH. I will check this out on Amazon and add it to my reading list.
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