Comments on: Eighth Chapter

By: Ganesh

Ganesh — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:28:44 +0000

Really spell bounding. Kudos Mr, Paulo Coehlo. This is today’s predicament of any established forum. Leaving the ’spirit’ we are holding to the norms. Obviously God has to be outside somewhere to rediscover on our own.

By: rosa de los vientos

rosa de los vientos — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:51:24 +0000

Hi! Chieko.
I don´t know if you are Chieko who I see in St Joseph Party.
I like to know.

Asha you are very spiritually.

Kises for oll people.

By: chieko

chieko — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 03:09:57 +0000

Hi Aditya

It is interesting. Recently, a few closest people spoke of pain, challenge and maybe a test to me including Aditya. It could be a sign. I had many tests before, I think, and I have already have this prolonged test. So I am not sure if I can take another…I do not like pain. Anyway, thanks for your comment.

By: Aditya

Aditya — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:41:27 +0000

Hi ! chieko

“only his love can transform me” u r more wrong than right ( let me hastily add, in my ‘childish’( or however one wnats to classify it) opinion ).

If u seek transformation, then it’s not His love for you that will transform you, it’s your love for Him that will transform you, provided u realy want that ‘transformation’.

He loves all his children completely, equally and individually, but he won’t force us, that is the deal. His love is available, question is r u willing to take the pain ( sweet pain if u prefer )of transformation !

cheers

aditya
PS : I don’t see any need for you to transform, u r pretty cool as u r, why bother with this ‘transformation’ stuff.

By: chieko

chieko — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:13:57 +0000

Father Giancalro must have gone through hard time then. He must have been very disappointed for not receiving any answer from angel. He could have doubted about his righteousness or simply his Fatherhood (I am not sure if this is the right word). I have prayed many times too about many issues. I became sad when no angel helped me when I really needed. I wonder if there really is an angel for me? If so, it must be a lazy one? Or I am just being spiritually blind? I really hope Jesus is so powerful that he could give me the way even when I am spiritually blind. I really hope Jesus is so merciful that he could save those who fail. I do not want a bitter life. And I do not want anybody to have that either. I hope Jesus opens up my spiritual eyes. I hope Jesus still loves me and gives me his love to win because only his love can transform me.

By: Beth Collier

Beth Collier — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:23:39 +0000

Thank you Paulo - this chapter has reminded me why I don’t belong to any religion - who wants to follow man made rules when I can talk to the ultimate being in my own garden.

I do like how you are putting this book together.

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 03:56:04 +0000

I cannot wait to read your new book Paulo. As per you Inspire me and I am so glad that I got the chance to meet you when you were in Dubai in 2005. Your work is beautiful.Unfortunately I have to fly to Scotland on Monday morning and wont get the chance to experience meeting you again.
Thanks Paulo for your continued friendship and care to all your readers.

By: elena

elena — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 08:03:58 +0000

At this moment this chapter could very well be my story, my father’s story,for this reason my faith is unshakable, no institution can take away from my spirit what was there before time. Thankyou Paulo for your gift of the written word and the reminder of our own fortitude with our personal journey, faith or otherwise. Grazia Dio per la vostra luce’. ‘Buona Pasqua’

By: asha

asha — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 06:08:38 +0000

I very much love the idea coz i feel the same for church i am not christian and i will never baptize myself to be one coz i don’t see the point in there.I went to many churches to find peace in my heart but in the end all i realized was that people seek to increase the number of members and they give damn care about anything about why people go there.I was hurt many times.Once i was questioned by my fellow christian friend why i was there to get the piece of bread the priest was distributintg and she threw the same question at my friend who was buddhist chinese.I was deeply hurt the way she claimed the church to be only hers.I told her how can you say that Jesus is not inside him and me.What gives you right to say those things.I haven’t stepped inside any church ever since i can talk to God directly,To tell you the truth he doesn’t care if i go or not it’s just man made ritual.Yesterday i had a wonderful dream.I was hanging down the edges of a roof of a house trying hard not to fall.I was concentrating so hard not to fall down coz my friends were down waiting for me to fall but i did not.When i finished my task i was so tired with the heavy task.I was thirsty,and i asked someone to give me a drink,it looked like a red wine and i was thirsty and tired after working so hard,but when i drank it was blood.I screamed,it is blood whose blood am i drinking? i screamed with horror.it was yesterday holy friday.I don’t know any ritual ceremony or dates about christianity coz i don’t feel it is necessary.But later God told me it was Jesus’s blood.He was happy with me so he forgave my sins letting me drink his blood.So here i am who doesn’t know anything about christianity like fellow christian,who alawsy fight for the truth and chanllenegs people to fear for God only not HUman who are in high authority.I will never forget what God father told me,today the whole world is praying to have his blood to forgive their sins and you don’t even know it’s meaning you never asked for those things and jesus is pleased with you to give you his own blood.Must i say that was the best dream ever.

By: sarah rose

sarah rose — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 22:52:05 +0000

I need to say that possibly Athena’s husband was in love with her for a short time. In that time he took away from her the things that she loved the most. Now she can’t turn back time.I would like to read her point of view

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 22:12:30 +0000

Another masterpiece..Beautifully written!
It went on the shelves at Waterstone’s in the UK today! 06Apr07
I can only wish, I had a chance to get my book signed and
meet the spiritual person that you are!

Thank you for your wonderful reads..

By: Gagat Respati

Gagat Respati — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:19:08 +0000

Semua buku buku anda benar-benar indah……….
Salam dari Indonesia

By: Corney

Corney — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 04:57:46 +0000

beautiful, heartbreaking !!

thanks Paulo

By: Ione

Ione — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:53:05 +0000

Dear Paulo,
I don’t think I can wait until 9-4-07 to hear more about Athena. When is the book comming to the USA?
Love,
Ione

By: J.C.Andrew

J.C.Andrew — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:45:58 +0000

I sit here reading this particular chapter on Holy Thursday and as I read it, my most prominent though is “How timely this discussion is!” It really is a sad thing that faith, religion and the traditions that bolster them are diluted by the “institution” and people’s readiness to deify ‘men of the cloth.’

This is a bold piece of work. Kudos to Coelho for remaining true to himself, dedicated to his craft, fully cognizant of his purpose and sharing his gift. The narrative is thoroughly captivating and is intrinsic to the revalation of Athena’s character. It is as if each of the characters giving an account holds a singular thread of the intricately woven fabric that is Athena herself. Its an excellent technique for reeling the reader in (and incidentally, so is this idea of releasing chapters on-line before the world-wide release.)

Like almost all of the other bloggers, I am very much a Paulo Coelho fan. I have been living in Dubai for a year and, in a serendipitous moment (could it really have been any other way?), I found out that the man himself will be doing a book signing here on Easter Monday. I eagerly anticipate meeting ‘the archer’ at the event for however brief a moment, and to experiencing the remaining chapters of this, his latest novel.

By: Asli of Istanbul

Asli of Istanbul — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 19:41:52 +0000

The dilemma you wonderfully present as the spirit vs. the institution belongs not only to Catholicism, but it seems to almost all of the established -or rather institutionalized- religions. How funny that the “human” is in fact forgotten in the world of rules! And how funny that this all stems from a general resistance to change and adherence to the illusion of a false security!

Thank you Mr. Coelho for being a beautiful vehicle in transferring the Divine to other thirsty souls.. May the Universe bless you…

By: Aditya

Aditya — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 03:57:30 +0000

Jesus might have s m i l e d :

‘My child, I’ve been excluded too. It’s a very long time since they’ve allowed me in there.”

Jesus never bothered about the established churches of his time. The Church ( all kinds of ) though necessary, has not much to do with true religiousness. Had Zesus been in place of Athena, he may not have bothered with the present day churches and their ‘established practices’, if at all he would have ventured into one, just to have a look and had he be thrown out, he would have simply walked off, noticing divine beauty in ordinary things - the wild lily flowers appeard more majestic to him then King Solomon in all his grandeur ! perhaps this is where a witch and a god differs, while both are extreamly sensitive, witch is full of complaints, is that why she goes after more & more pleasure; while a god does not complain, even when he is being crucified, unjustly, and a complaint escapes his lips, he immediately corrects it to ‘thy will be done’.

regards & sorry folks if it’s ……

aditya

By: Christina

Christina — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 23:11:42 +0000

Dear Paulo,

I cannot tell you how long I have waited for your next book. The 16th is marked in my diary!

love,

christina
ps. I will one day write you a letter.

By: Ione

Ione — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:33:44 +0000

This chapter asks the same questions that have been in my heart. Most who worship Jesus do not follow him. I don’t believe he ever asked to be worshiped. He also challanged the church of the day. Our churches are ruled by pharisees who want to keep order and don’t know love. Thank you Paulo for opening discussion on such important matters.
My love to you,
Ione

By: Ana

Ana — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:59:12 +0000

This is a very interesting perspective on the Church. It makes people think and question authority.

Thank you for making us think about life.

Ana

By: tez

tez — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:00:56 +0000

thought provoking.. simply spell-binding..

By: sunayana kar

sunayana kar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 12:47:28 +0000

beautiful.