Live Not by Lies

A Manual for Christian Dissidents

By: Rod Dreher

Narrated by: Adam Verner

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins

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

Critic reviews

“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)

A Must Read For All Christians!

The comparisons of the communists’ takeover of Russia and the socialist’ taking over America are very awakening. The testimonies of actual religious prisoners, and the tortures they withstood, along with the memories of their fellow prisoners, who were brutally executed, are difficult to hear. But hear it you must. America is on the same path! We willingly GIVE the information the Russian authorities were seeking and using, to the internet to be used against us!! Please Read And Become Aware!

This book should be a Great Awakening for Christians.

Although very scary, one sees the imprisonments of Soviet Christians as similar to the imprisonment of Paul. We in the west have not endured this, but if we do not awaken, this may become reality since “soft” Totalitarian government has already begun.

Best book since 1984

Excellent book! Best book since 1984. This will be a go to book for next 20 years

Rod is nuts

This book like his Benedict option has presupposition that make no sense. He’s anti Trump to the extreme. While he hates law & Order & hates Trump he thinks we need to lie down & not fight while we can. Give up, give in is a bette name for the book. Someday we we may face what thinks will happen . Instead of quitting maybe we should try and fight back against the hard left to prevent the “inevitable “ as Rod thinks. Not worth the money just another dystopia Christian nightmare.

It Is Happenings Here

Globalism and totalitarianism are first cousins wrapped in different packages. The weapon of choice today is technology and culture, not guns and gulags, at least not yet, but the end game remains the same.

calling the new 2020 Christian...

Not a new faith, but a new era for the American Christian. We are looking around us and wondering why we aren't all responding to the soft totalitarianism that we see the same way. Frustrated, but trying really hard to live out Christ's love and grace around us. we know what our job is in the world, but now we're really having a hard time fulfilling this calling. This struggle is what made me leap into this book when I heard about it. Not a conspiracy theory, but a history lesson ans a practical comparison. The author gives us sensible suggestions for what we can do right now. I'm thankful this book was written, God continues his work to educate me and prepare me for what he sees will come my way. to him be the glory.

#WakeUpSleeper... history will repeat itself

Listening to this book amplified my thoughts about how can a child of a parent or grandparent from Eastern Europe, Cuba, Venezuela not are what’s coming if Democrats win in 2020. Then I look in the mirror and realize we all need to wake up!

He who has ears, let him hear

We must open our eyes while there is still time. This is such an important message for our times and a people being slowly simmered as the proverbial frog in the pot.

Sobering and Inspiring

Brings home how fortunate we have been, and how seriously we need to consider the future if Christianity is to survive.

Not going to lie...

Not going to lie.. this book disappointed me for a few reasons, the main one being it’s not what I expected it would be. From hearing the author speak about the book you don’t really realize that he’s catholic and that the book primarily is about stories of persecuted Catholics. There was some good information on what totalitarianism is and how it can start and how it affects religious liberty. And some good points about what we can do to prepare, but I certainly wouldn’t call this a manual. It was primarily a collection of stories of persecuted Catholics under communism with some thoughts from the author mixed in. I wish I had known this book was ascribing to Catholic theology because I’m not catholic at all. I just felt overall the book was misrepresented from interviews and such I had heard with the author. Some interesting stories. Not trying to bash the guy, just should be more clear on what to expect in the book.