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On May 17, 2008, Arthur Blessitt walked his 38,102nd mile in Zanzibar, off of the coast of Tanzania, completing a journey that began in 1969. Arthur started walking with a twelve-foot cross on December 25, 1969 and has successfully carried a large wooden cross into every nation and major island group of the world. This book reads like a travelogue as you journey with Arthur in country after country. Youll begin with Arthurs initial call from God to carry a cross from Hollywood, where he was known as the minister of Sunset Strip, across America to its capital, Washington, DC.Youll go with Arthur as he hacks his way through the Darien Jungle from Panama to Colombia. Youll join Arthur and his son, Joshua, as they take the cross to South Africa in 1986. Youll be moved by the stories of how God used them to bring people spiritual, physical and relational healing during the final tumultuous days of racial apartheid. Youll trek with Arthur and his wife, Denise, as they cross desert sands to take the cross to Saudi Arabia when the nation was closed to tourists and as they walk with the cross in the various regions of the former USSR just weeks after its collapse. As Arthur has traveled around the world, he has found the cross to be a universal symbol of Gods love that can be understood in spite of language and cultural barriers. He writes, Perhaps Im the only person in history who has been physically shaped by the weight of a cross. But the changes the cross has brought to my physical body are not important. What is important is how the cross has changed my life and the lives of so many others, from the inside out!… (more)
User reviews
There were several things that I did not care for in this
Blessitt also talks about some of his meetings with world leaders such as George Bush and Yasser Arafat. This is a highly charged issue, but I do find it a bit hard to swallow when Blessitt says Yasser was one of the kindest and gentlest men he's ever met. Is this a wilful blind spot? Or is Blessitt trying to justify how he used that picture of himself and Arafat hugging to gain entrance to many Islamic countries?
I am a Christian, and I certainly don't want to put down a fellow believer. But doctrine matters — and doctrine is what Blessitt is missing. His message seems to be a fluffy "trust-Jesus-and-He'll-get-you-there" mantra, without any mention of the core truths of the Bible. There is a prayer to accept Christ at the end of the book, and it barely mentions what you are being saved from (not, as is popularly stated, your sins — but more correctly, God's wrath against that sin). I understand Blessitt did not want to be divisive among denominations, but a watered-down message isn't going to help anybody. If we don't understand God's wrath, we cannot understand the shocking fact of His powerful grace and love.
Doctrine matters. If you throw it out the window, you've just tossed everything that defines Jesus. Your Jesus can be as different from the one in the Bible as you like, and who will gainsay you? But it is a false gospel, just like the heresies Paul and Peter wrote against in the New Testament. They weren't concerned about a superficial unity among the people in the church; they wanted a church that would not compromise on foundational truths. And such a church is not going to please everybody or give everybody warm fuzzy feelings. There were plenty of false believers in the early church, and there are plenty now. Blessitt's deliberate ignorance of this fact is disturbing; biblical unity must always be based on truth.
I am also concerned by Blessitt's affiliations with Paul and Jan Crouch, the founders of Trinity Broadcasting Network. TBN is really a joke among true Bible-believing Christians. Its "health and wealth" message — along with sumptuous, elaborate sets, charismatic sideshows, and general doctrinal muddiness — is completely antithetical to biblical Christianity. It embarrasses me when people associate it with my faith in Christ. Blessitt naively goes along with all the hoopla, never realizing that the TBN crowd loves having him around because he really does "rough it" out there while they lean back on their padded leather chairs and smile into a camera. They see their support of Blessitt as a vicarious involvement in his hardships, and so they are able to ignore any lingering twinges of guilt over their own lavish lifestyles. Look, we support this guy, aren't we great?
I was also somewhat disappointed with the way the book was laid out. I was expecting something more linear. We don't have to go step by step on each of his 38 years on the road, but the lack of structure was bothersome. Also, I really wanted to know more about the logistics of his journeys. How did that work out with his wife and six children? Only one or two of the children get to say anything in the book... and it smacks of concealment. Perhaps Blessitt skirted all this because of his divorce from his first wife? He never mentions if he was married before or after he started carrying the cross around the world, and the early years are all very much glossed-over when it comes to the practical, nitty-gritty reality of his calling and its effects on his family. And that, of course, is what we really want to read about.
And on the subject of his first marriage — I'm of course unfamiliar with the details, and God is the only judge, but the Bible is pretty clear that divorce because of marital unfaithfulness is the only divorce God recognizes (Matthew 5:32, 19:9). After a divorce caused by anything other than unfaithfulness, any remarriage is adultery. Mark 10 and Luke 16 don't even give the exception of marital unfaithfulness. I know this is not a popular position, but it is Scriptural. If Blessitt and his first wife ended their marriage for anything other than marital unfaithfulness, Blessitt and his second wife Denise are living in unrepentant adultery according to the Bible. I don't like the thought of it either, but that is the only thing Scripture states on the matter. I don't know if Blessitt's silence on this issue was the best way to go, or if he should have been more open and honest about the situation. Unfortunately, the silent approach taints his life's work and message with doubt, as our imaginations inevitably leap to fill the gaping hole.
I found the "true story" behind "Arthur Blessitt for President" in 1976 to be quite interesting. Evidently he knew he wasn't going to win (unlike some candidates). Blessitt claims that Jesus told him to run for president so that the other candidates would be more open about their own personal faith. Blessitt also talks about how God used it as a major tool in his life to humble him and teach him obedience. Though I don't agree at all with the candidacy, I can ruefully sympathize with how humiliating and difficult that particular road must have been.
I know this review has sounded extremely critical thus far, and it is, I suppose... but there were some good things in this book. Regardless of his questionable Jesus visions and affiliations, I believe Blessitt has been used by God in many places around the world. God can use each of us despite ourselves! You cannot doubt his sincerity (even if he is misled). I appreciated his points about not letting cultural barriers stop us from caring for people in different countries. His perseverance in the face of some physical issues is inspiring, and I believe some of the miracles he relates to be truly of God. I was challenged to care less for what other people think of me as I live my life for Christ.
As far as the book's actual layout, the inclusion of pictures at the opening of each chapter was very nice. I read bound gallery proofs so I can't say for sure what the final product will look like, but it seemed well put-together from a graphics standpoint.
This was a quick read and I finished it in one sitting. I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about what would motivate a person to carry a cross around the world for 38 years. I am critical not so much of the man himself, but of the things he has compromised along the way. At times, it seems like Blessitt allowed his mission (to carry the cross in every country before the year 2000) to become more important than Christ Himself. But you'll have to read Blessitt's story for yourself — whether you agree with him or not, it's a fascinating concept.
As a child Arthur Blessitt felt that he heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him. Even
As he grew so did his faith, and he felt compelled to spread the Good News among all and sundry, to anyone who was willing to listen. In the 1960's God called him to minister to the young people in Hollywood California. He spoke to runaways, drug addicts, flower children and bikers. At least to those who would give him a moment to listen.
He brought the children of strangers into his home, giving them food and shelter and The Word. In March of 1968, he opened His Place, on Sunset Strip. A place to gather and to worship. His Place was far from the average religious center, as it was decorated with fishnet and wild lighting and so on, to appeal to the young people that Arthur hoped to reach. Soon after this, Arthur once again heard the voice of Jesus telling him that he had a new mission for him. That mission resulted in this book.
The Cross tells of Arthur's Journey through 315 nations and island all over the globe.He walked more than 38,000 miles carrying a life sized cross every step of the way. It was not easy. There were difficulties in getting the cross into planes to cross oceans, and some countries were not eager to give aid to a Christian, he explains. Difficulties aside, he managed to continue to do as he felt his God wanted him to do. His efforts were recorded by the Guinness Book of Records in 1996 as well as in the Millennium edition in the year 2000.
Over a time period of four decades he carried on. As the years passed he was accompanied by his wife and children. Not an easy task for them. His second wife has added a bit of her own story to this book, to give another perspective. She too, is a woman of great faith. His children have learned much from this journey . They too are faithful to Jesus.
I did not read this book for religious reasons. I do not practice any organized religion. I read this book because I enjoy reading about other people, ordinary people, who do extraordinary things. This by anyones estimation is extraordinary. Four decades spent carrying a cross over his shoulders across friendly and unfriendly lands, in all weathers with every imaginable block thrown across his path and removed by diligence and faith is extraordinary.
I found myself bringing this up for discussion whenever possible when with friends, family and co-workers. An interesting pattern developed. I noticed that those who were loosely affiliated with their churches, or had no church or religion in their lives were interested in this man and his mission. While not necessarily believing in any god or religion, each of these people, myself included, were intrigued by his dedication and his beliefs. I also found that those among my friends who are deeply involved with their own faith were very quick to judge him, or apologize for him. The word wacko came up more than once. Intrigued by this trend, I sat down and tried to count up those with whom I discussed this book.
I estimate twenty seven people over a period of five days. Of these twenty seven, five are religious, or faithful or call themselves Christian. Each of them denounced the man and his journey. I include this only because I am perplexed by it, and wonder if others have different experiences when discussing The Cross.
Though his storytelling is mediocre, his passion for evangelism and loving people really shines through. Arthur Blessitt's theme of following God's call no matter what and encouraging others to do the same loosely holds the book together. His approach to writing and inclusion of God's words to his heart, a vision, and phrases most familiar to those who have grown up in church (such as "the miraculous power of God was manifest" (p.121)) may make this book less appealing to some, but it will definitely challenge readers to live their lives boldly for God.
I was fortunate to get an early copy from Early Reviewers, and was thoroughly impressed. The story covers his journey around the world carrying a massive wooden cross around the
Whether or not you believe in Christianity , his dedication to his cause is an inspiration.
However, the authors idea of taking a cross with him cross country was a little odd. I expected the book to really be about the stations of
So while not a great book, it's a good book.
Its amazing all of the things that Blessitt encountered on his journey, both good and bad, and he records many of these instances in this book.
I feel that instead of this one awkwardly structured book Blessitt could have easily written 2 books; a devotional, and a book about his journey. I believe these would make for excellent pieces of literature.
Interpersed throughout this story are anecdotes from his travels - I just wish that
Ultimately though, given that I am not religious (despite being raised as a Roman Catholic), I found the story too much. I feel that it belongs to a old-fashioned form of spirituality. But I could easily see my mother thoroughly enjoying this book, and taking full benefit from Blessitt's story.
"Allpower is given uno me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore, and teach all natioons, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holly Ghost;
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com-
manded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end
of the world. Amen"