Victoria T. (justicepirate) reviewed The Cross and the Switchblade (45th Anniversary Edition) on + 350 more book reviews
When I was only six years old, my mom made me see the movie version of this book. Looking back on it, I think it was far too intense for a six year old to watch. However, I had a cousin who was in a gang (who died the following year), an alcoholic family line, and another cousin who was a drug addict and sent to Teen Challenge in which David Wilkerson started. My mom thought since I was aware of how my family members were acting, I should see it. My older brothers and I can quote so much from the film today, and I will say that it scared me from ever wanting to try drugs or alcohol, so I never did them.
Now at 32 years of old I decided it was time to actually read the book! I loved it so much! It was so great to learn better details about David Wilkerson and how he came to want to help boys in a gang that no one wanted to ever care for. He had burden that has since been able to heal many young lives. I enjoyed learning more in depth stories about Maria and Nicky Cruz and Israel too! We get just a brief understanding of who they are in the film version but this cuts deep and brings better emotion and depictions of how they "turned out" too.
As an Anabaptist Mennonite, I can totally appreciate the non-violent, non-resistant enemy love of entering a tough environment with no protection other than God! I loved that this book talked about the many kids who were harmed afterwards by their gangs that they had left and that they never attacked back and showed them love. It was totally how Christ did it and so therefore I enjoyed this book further than ever.
My only issue with this book at all is that in their talk about the Holy Spirit baptizing these drug afflicted people and how they all would speak in tongues and were excited about it, Pentecostals often forget that Paul said that speaking in tongues is meaningless without someone to interpret it! Why is no one praying to interpret? Anyway, at least the kids were healed and freed from their addictions, so I am cool with the story. I grew up in my first 10 years of life as a Pentecostal so I understand the mindset quite well.
If you are a Christian and if you want to be able to see freedom for those who are oppressed, live in poverty, have racial barriers that bring out survival instincts, I can totally say that this book is definitely just as real and needed to inspire someone today in how things are now as they did in 1958 when Rev. Wilkerson began his journey. I definitely am sure he is celebrating in paradise today.
Now at 32 years of old I decided it was time to actually read the book! I loved it so much! It was so great to learn better details about David Wilkerson and how he came to want to help boys in a gang that no one wanted to ever care for. He had burden that has since been able to heal many young lives. I enjoyed learning more in depth stories about Maria and Nicky Cruz and Israel too! We get just a brief understanding of who they are in the film version but this cuts deep and brings better emotion and depictions of how they "turned out" too.
As an Anabaptist Mennonite, I can totally appreciate the non-violent, non-resistant enemy love of entering a tough environment with no protection other than God! I loved that this book talked about the many kids who were harmed afterwards by their gangs that they had left and that they never attacked back and showed them love. It was totally how Christ did it and so therefore I enjoyed this book further than ever.
My only issue with this book at all is that in their talk about the Holy Spirit baptizing these drug afflicted people and how they all would speak in tongues and were excited about it, Pentecostals often forget that Paul said that speaking in tongues is meaningless without someone to interpret it! Why is no one praying to interpret? Anyway, at least the kids were healed and freed from their addictions, so I am cool with the story. I grew up in my first 10 years of life as a Pentecostal so I understand the mindset quite well.
If you are a Christian and if you want to be able to see freedom for those who are oppressed, live in poverty, have racial barriers that bring out survival instincts, I can totally say that this book is definitely just as real and needed to inspire someone today in how things are now as they did in 1958 when Rev. Wilkerson began his journey. I definitely am sure he is celebrating in paradise today.
