When Adversity Strikes
Embrace the Challenge
Styles come, and styles go, but what never goes out of style is cynicism. Why? Because we’re only human, and if you’re human, then your life is full of disappointments; and wherever there are disappointments, cynicism is sure to follow. When certain ones wax on about faith, hope, and love, the cynic mocks them because in their view buying into such nonsense reveals how uneducated, unsophisticated, and unrealistic they really are.
As such, no one is beyond the cynic’s scorn or criticism. Not even God. In fact, the God of The Bible is considered an even worthier target for their contempt and ridicule, since He’s thought to be the One to blame for all of humanity’s problems. Whether it’s because He’s too callous, too barbaric, or too inept—you name it—He’s presumed guilty as charged. He is, after all, the One Who is responsible for unleashing evil upon the world, isn’t He?
Now you can learn about the most destructive force in the Universe; you can restore the original light and truth you once knew before this force overtook you on your journey of hope, in The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In.
The only question that remains is: Will you?
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To watch author and biblical historian W. Kent Smith discuss the contents of his book On Earth as It is On Heaven, at the Sacred Word Revealed Conference 2023, hosted by Zen Garcia, CLICK BELOW.
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The Paperback and eBook — Available Now
If you’re a member of the human race, then you’re no stranger to one of the most destructive forces in the Universe: cynicism. Instead of seeing the beauty in life, the cynical mind sees only ugliness and in doing so changes that beauty into something ugly. To better understand how to resist such a mindset is the subject of this work, The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In.
From the Front Cover
Defend yourself against the most destructive force in God’s creation—more corrosive than sin and the enemy of hope—yet one that can be conquered by even a child.
A Preview
Styles come, and styles go, but what never goes out of style is cynicism. When adversity strikes, do we embrace the challenge with dignity and grace? Do we rise to the occasion with steely resolve? Or do we instead criticize other people, the Universe, or God for ganging up on us? And why not? We’re only human, right? And if you’re human, then your life is full of disappointments; and wherever there are disappointments, Lord knows, cynicism is sure to follow.
Now understand, when I say cynicism, I’m not talking about its cousins—skepticism, pessimism, and nihilism. By definition, a skeptic doubts the authenticity of certain ideas that claim to be true, which still opens the door for a change of heart should evidence convince them otherwise. A pessimist sees the worst in everything, and goes through life without much hope, yet this still doesn’t rule out that they’ll make more calculated decisions, thus increasing the possibility for success in life. And the nihilist believes that life has no meaning or purpose, and so rejects such concepts as truth and morality. However, this personal sense of uncertainty and powerlessness doesn’t always lead to total negativity as one might expect but can motivate a person toward unexpected avenues of renewal and growth.
Cynicism, by contrast, turns out to contain the seeds of a much more toxic sort than any of its cousins. That’s because while skepticism, pessimism, and nihilism primarily target abstractions such as ideas, values, and morals, the cynic’s favorite targets are people, and more specifically, what motivates people. When certain ones wax on about faith, hope, and love, the cynic instantly mocks them because in their view buying into such nonsense demonstrates how uneducated, unsophisticated, and unrealistic they really are.
Take, for example, the view of one of America’s foremost cynics, the nineteenth-century journalist and satirist Ambrose Bierce. When Bierce defined the cynic as “a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be,” he seems to take great pride in his self-styled role of watching out for the “less sophisticated.” From the cynic’s intellectual high ground, the things many of us cling to, such as a belief in justice or destiny, are so obviously shams that those who hold such views are deemed self-serving, manipulative liars, or worse, willing dupes who need to be protected. Ironically, though, while cynics offer their advice with such an air of concern for those they see as needing their help, there is also a distinct undercurrent to their remarks that makes it clear the cynic believes those who fail to heed their warnings deserve to be deceived.
An Exclusive Offer of The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty
Available only on this Website
Lodestar Cinema Creations and W. Kent Smith are proud to present the release of The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty: How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In. Although the book is available worldwide on such Amazon Books, we are also offering them through our website here at The Lost Stories Channel so we can pass along a savings off the suggested retail price.
The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty is available as a Paperback on Amazon Books for $16.99, but here on The Lost Stories Channel, you can get a brand-new copy of it for just $13.99, in the drop-down list below. An eBook companion is also available on Amazon for $9.99, or through this website for just $6.99, in the drop-down list below.
Thanks for your interest, and enjoy the journey! And if you like what you read, please tell others about the book by posting a positive review on the various websites where it’s available, on Amazon Books.
More The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty Previews
THE SEEDS OF CYNICISM: To see that if you’re human, then your life is full of disappointments; and wherever there are disappointments, cynicism follows, CLICK HERE.
THE JOY OF CYNICISM: To learn how we are to understand how a perfect God can co-exist with imperfect humans inhabiting an imperfect world, CLICK HERE.
THE PARADOX OF CYNICISM: To learn of the man who said: I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy, and bite scoundrels, CLICK HERE.
BETWEEN CERTAINTY AND DOUBT: To find out the way in which our unique perspective of a Supreme Being shapes the world we live in, CLICK HERE.
A TALE OF TWO WORLDS: To discover how, without being “cast out” of the womb of Eden, we’d never be able to realize our full potential, CLICK HERE.
A LACK OF PERSPECTIVE: To see that we’re never on shakier ground when we presume to examine the past through the lens of our own perspective, CLICK HERE.
A RECIPE FOR CYNICISM: To learn that the presumed evils of scientific progress aren’t by-products of the Industrial Revolution but of hope disappointed, CLICK HERE.
THE SILENCE OF GOD: To see that, in response to humanity’s apathy and disregard for Him, God never entirely removes His revelation, CLICK HERE.
