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  • Live Not by Lies

  • A Manual for Christian Dissidents
  • Written by: Rod Dreher
  • Narrated by: Adam Verner
  • Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (199 ratings)

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Live Not by Lies

Written by: Rod Dreher
Narrated by: Adam Verner
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Publisher's Summary

The New York Times best-selling author of The Benedict Option draws on the wisdom of Christian survivors of Soviet persecution to warn American Christians of approaching dangers.

For years, émigrés from the former Soviet bloc have been telling Rod Dreher they see telltale signs of "soft" totalitarianism cropping up in America - something more Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four. Identity politics are beginning to encroach on every aspect of life. Civil liberties are increasingly seen as a threat to "safety". Progressives marginalize conservative, traditional Christians and other dissenters. Technology and consumerism hasten the possibility of a corporate surveillance state. And the pandemic, having put millions out of work, leaves our country especially vulnerable to demagogic manipulation.

In Live Not by Lies, Dreher amplifies the alarm sounded by the brave men and women who fought totalitarianism. He explains how the totalitarianism facing us today is based less on overt violence and more on psychological manipulation. He tells the stories of modern-day dissidents - clergy, laity, martyrs, and confessors from the Soviet Union and the captive nations of Europe - who offer practical advice for how to identify and resist totalitarianism in our time. Following the model offered by a prophetic World War II-era pastor who prepared believers in his Eastern European to endure the coming of communism, Live Not by Lies teaches American Christians a method for resistance:

  • See: Acknowledge the reality of the situation.
  • Judge: Assess reality in the light of what we as Christians know to be true.
  • Act: Take action to protect truth.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming totalitarianism can't happen in their country. Many American Christians are making that mistake today, sleepwalking through the erosion of our freedoms. Live Not by Lies will wake them and equip them for the long resistance.

©2020 Rod Dreher (P)2020 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

“As a new cultural revolution aims to institutionalize a tyranny of ideological clichés, Dreher renews Solzhenitsyn’s great call to ‘live not by lies.’ I cannot imagine a more timely and urgent book, or one with a more enduring spiritual, political, and cultural message.” (Daniel J. Mahoney, coeditor of The Solzhenitsyn Reader)

“In this remarkably prescient book, Dreher sets Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s timeless appeal to ‘live not by lies’ as the cornerstone of his own bold warning. His suggestion of a dawning post-Christian, ‘pre-totalitarian’ society is impossible to dismiss in light of the patient case he builds for his passionate, if provocative, thesis.” (Ignat Solzhenitsyn, conductor and pianist)

“With characteristic foresight, Rod Dreher has written an invaluable compendium of how to live fearlessly under totalitarianisms, old and new. Better still, the book is a counsel of hope and joy for even the bleakest days - and an encouragement we need, especially today in this time of cascading crises.” (Patrick Deneen, author of Why Liberalism Failed)

What listeners say about Live Not by Lies

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Inspiring

The stories and views shared in this book are shockingly necessary but also instil a feeling of hope for the future which is racing towards totalitarianism.

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Timely written and read...

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gives one motivation, courage, practical knowledge as well as captivating stories of those who’ve gone before under communism/totalitarianism regimes. Thanks to God for this book!

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  • 2021-02-06

very worth the read

time to wake up north america! this should open all of our eyes to the persecution that is coming.

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live not by lies indeed

very inspirational and informative loved it thinking about a closer walk with Christ Jesus ❤

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A must read for all Christians

so many truths especially stark since 2 years of government overreach with covid. Well narrated!

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great book

it is very thought provoking. i loved the stories of survivors of communism in the soviet empire

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Review for Live Not by Lies

This is an outstanding work by Rod Dreher.
The author has done a proper job of researching his subject. The book presents a very clear and urgent message that we need to hear and heed. To hear the experiences of those people who suffered so bravely is very moving indeed. I hope the stories of their trials will not be lost on us.
The narrator was excellent. Good voice, very clear, good pace. Well done.

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wow. just wow!

we in 2021 need this book it is core to understanding how to live awake and as a true follower of Christ. I'm so grateful to have had this book recommended, and have had a chance to take it in and now share it forth.

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Every Christian must read this!

This book succinctly captures the essence of the times. This is a book filled with stories relevant for our day. History is prone to be repeated when we forget. Rebellion against God is self defeating. We are not independent creatures. We have a creator and we need each other. Get in community. Open your home. Refuse to live by lies. Speak truth in love. What Christian truths are you willing to die for?

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signs of the times

sign of the times
fair warning to all,
the side of history people are forgetting

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