The host of the No. 1-rated talk show in Denver can't find enough superlatives to describe the stunning biblical information revealed in the best-selling book, "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told."
Peter Boyles of KHOW Radio had WND's Executive News Editor Joe Kovacs on again last week to shatter the myths and misconceptions about Scripture, and after reading the book himself, he heaped praise on the publication and its author.
Boyles noted throughout the interview:
- I'm drawn to this book.
- It is so well put together. I started reading it and didn't put it down for two days to finish it.
- Your style of writing, you don't write like an academic, but you perform, I think, acts of academia. I can't cheer you on enough for this kind of work because I think it really does fit in.
- This guy is incredible.
- Someday we'll meet because I just enjoy his hard work.
- I just love his work. I just love having him on the show.
- Every line's lit. We got everything [lit]. They're calling the front desk!
Boyles had Kovacs on for two hours, and you can hear the first hour and second hour of the broadcast here.
"Have you taken a lot of heat for this book?" asked Boyles.
"I thought I was going to take a lot more heat than I am," said Kovacs. "Thankfully, the e-mail has been much more positive. People are thanking me more for getting back to the Bible facts."
Peter Boyles of KHOW |
To alleviate fears among some potential readers, Boyles explained, "This is not ... 'The Last Temptation of Christ.' That isn't this book."
"It's important to know ... that you really are a Bible-believing Christian man. You are not a guy who is out trying to crack somebody down and destroy their faith."
"Absolutely," said Kovacs. "I am a champion for Bible truth. I think the Bible is the most accurate document ever written, and I happen to believe it. And by the way, I want to stress that I, myself, was a biblical doofus for much of my life. I had never read the Bible until I was 14 years old."
"I read it at 14 and I was personally so shocked by the Bible that I just made mental notes of what is actually there. ... I'm trying to educate people about what's there. I'm trying to get people to go back to the Bible. I can't force people to believe it. That's up to them. But I can try to stun them with some amazing facts that they've never been told that might get them to crack open the pages of the Bible and say, 'I cannot believe that is in the Bible or that this is not in the Bible. I've been misinformed all these years.'"
Boyles noted how the theme of "Shocked by the Bible" counters Jack Nicholson's quote from "A Few Good Men" when he famously shouted, "You can't handle the truth!"
Kovacs explained: "Some people might think that you can't handle the truth, but I think you can handle the truth. And again, I stress that I am actually standing up for the absolute truth of Scripture in the Bible. It's just that most people don't know what the Bible says, and they're confused with a lot brainwashing by the media over centuries. This is not something that started 10 or 15 years ago. We're talking centuries and millennia of misconceptions floating around out there."
The pair covered a wide variety of Bible subjects, including some obscure information about very popular Christmas customs that derive from the traditions of ancient pagan cultures.
Boyles noted one practice from the ancient Druids: "It's true, mistletoe berries when you squeeze them contain a liquid that bears a striking resemblance to human semen, to a man's sperm. And that's why people kissed under the mistletoe. I never knew that until I read you. I thought, 'This guy's brilliant!"
"In all these pagan cultures, they basically worshipped sex and fertility," Kovacs explained. "That [kissing] tradition continues today. You see the movies and TV shows where people are kissing under a mistletoe. Why is that? What is it about it? They never tell you the rest of the story. I'm telling you the rest of the story in 'Shocked by the Bible.' It's shocking."
Boyles also was fascinated by the fact that God actually spoke with some people in person, including some intimate encounters with Moses.
Kovacs explained:
"There is a portion where God actually reveals Himself in his full glory to him. He stuck Moses between the cleft of a rock, because Moses asked to see God, to show him His way. ...
"As He (God) walked by, He put his hand over his eyes so Moses was unable to see God's face. But as He walked away, God lifted His hand, and Moses could see the back side of God as He's walking away, in His full glory. This is Old Testament stuff that people never hear about. That God actually revealed Himself in His full glory to Moses.
"And guess what. He looked like a guy just walking right by you. God does say that He's got eyes and hands and arms and legs and feet and nostrils. So God does look like us. We are made in His image. Some people are not aware of that. They think God is just some ethereal cloud floating around out there. We are made in the image of God. We weren't made in the image of puppies or butterflies or snakes or caterpillars. God actually made man after the God kind because we're meant to be with God in His family for all eternity."
In "Shocked by the
Bible," Kovacs also explains that if people just read for themselves without any
preconceived notions, they'd quickly discover:
- "Three Wise Men" are never mentioned in the story of Jesus' birth, and no wise men at all
are shown present at the manger scene the night Jesus was born. (They showed
up later at a house when Jesus was a young child)
- The Bible doesn't outright declare the day, month, year or even season Jesus
was born
- There's no mention of a Christmas tree or any tree in the gospels recording
Jesus' birth. However, there is a custom mentioned in the Old Testament that
shows people decorating trees with silver and gold.
You might be astounded to find out what God says about such a practice
- The Bible never says Jesus died on a Friday or rose
from the grave Sunday morning
- Noah brought a lot more than just two of certain animals aboard the Ark
- The word "Easter" has vanished from modern Bible translations
- God sought to kill Moses, shortly after telling him to lead the Israelites
to freedom
- Jesus did not come to make everyone understand His message, and personally
said so
- Jesus made personal appearances in the Old Testament
And these are merely the beginning of hundreds of facts that will stun even
those who thought they had a strong knowledge of the Bible.
"If you've never been into the Bible, or even if you have, there's no need to
fear," says Kovacs. "I make it quick, easy and fun for you to find out the
juiciest, most interesting stuff that never seems to get mentioned in church.
And I'm not talking about trivial facts and difficult names no one can
pronounce."
"Shocked by the
Bible" has become an instant smash since its release, hitting No. 1 in
three Bible-related categories several times on Amazon.com with readers giving it
high praise, and the author being interviewed on dozens of radio shows.
"Shocked by the Bible" skyrocketed to the No.1 spot in three Amazon.com categories several times since its release |
It reached the No. 1 spot on the WND Best-Seller list several times.
International demand has even led to a deal to have "Shocked" translated into
the Korean language.
"If you think you really know the Bible, better think again," warns Fox News'
Bill O'Reilly. "Your parents never told you this stuff was in the
Bible," adds radio
talker and author Melanie Morgan. WND founder Joseph Farah simply says,
"'Shocked by the Bible' is nothing short of genius."
Kovacs, the executive news editor of WND, has written countless reports in his 25-year news career. Many have
focused on biblical issues such as chariot wheels
said to be found in the Red Sea, searches for Noah's Ark and
the Ark of the
Covenant, and controversies over Christmas and
Easter holidays
as well as the Saturday-vs.-Sunday
Sabbath.
He has received many awards for news excellence from the
Associated Press and United Press International. He's run television,
radio and print
newsrooms in the U.S., as well as Budapest, Hungary. Kovacs is also regarded as
one of the premier creative headline writers in the news business today.
To interview Joe Kovacs, author of "Shocked by the Bible," please contact him.
Related column:
Newsweek and
Bush: Bible morons