Daniel Radosh

This author has my sense of humor exactly. I find myself agreeing with every snarky observation. Mostly that...

Christians are crazy. Not Scientology crazy, but they are pretty nutty. They seem to know this though, because every time Radosh calls them out they pretty much know exactly what he's complaining about and have doubts, too. I mean, they are on the whole intelligent, loving people. They just try to ignore doubt because, you know, Jesus. He's supposed to remove all doubt, right? And be comforted. That's what they're told. The thing is... I don't think God or whatever has a problem with doubt and questioning. I almost want to shake some of them and yell, "You know, if he does exist, you don't have to protect him this way." Christians generally are really hostile to deep intellectual understandings of spirituality (the best come from doubt and questioning, and find answers that are intellectually honest) and that is really hurting them.

I also learned that Jay Bakker seems pretty awesome and mewithoutYou is a good band.

Edit: OMG I read this again and I sound so smug! Naughty. I know! It's not like I have any answers.… (més)

An interesting, well-researched look into Christian popular culture, from the Left Behind Series to corny/shocking bumper stickers and more.

HOWEVER.

I've been reading a lot of non-fiction lately concerning evangelical and/or fundamentalist Christianity. And the thing that I am learning is that maybe I'm humourless, or I need to let go of my ideas of how other people should act, or I take things too personally.

But I do take issue with any book where the author can just sit through a talk encouraging ex-gay therapy without saying anything... but totally loses it on someone over anti-IVF pamphlets.

Especially when the ex-gay speaker is John Smid from the infamous Love in Action. Especially when I've so recently read "Boy Erased," a memoir about the devastating experience of being in that exact program.

I know I'm too much of a one-issue person here. But if there's a book where the author's sitting in a talk about conversion therapy with crying audience members, and he just kind of goes, "ehh, they'll be fine," that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.… (més)