Sierra Reads Things

This book has been sitting on my nightstand since spring. I've tried to read it several times but never managed to get too far into it until today. I just started section two and I had to put it down.

One of the main reasons I'm no longer a big fan of Christianity is the arrogance posessed by Christians. This book seems to be a bunch of "I'm right and you're wrong so suck it!" garbage that I hear a lot from the Religious Right. I normally don't mind Ravi Zacharias and decided to give this one a go just because he wrote it.

He only wrote two chapters.

I know nothing about these other people other than he thinks they should have their opinions published. The section about explaining Jesus to youth was downright offensive. It wasn't too long ago that I was a teenager. And you know what? I wasn't stupid. It's a shame that books like this try to talk down to younger people in order for them to see just how silly they are and how much they need Jesus.

The section on other religions and, particularly, Islam was also pretty offensive. Talking down to someone is not a good way to make people see that G-d loves them.

Ugh. I can't even write any more about this because it's just making me agitated.

0/5.

Whoa. It's been awhile.

I received this book from ViralBloggers sometime over the summer (and then I got another autographed copy for winning a Honorable Mention in Matt's Imaginary Jesus contest. ha.) and I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first. I'm not one for fiction, in any capacity. (And I have a degree in English. Go figure.) However..

This turned out to be one of my favorite books of 2010. Not only is it set in my favorite city that I've never visited, but he does what I've always wanted to do: Punch fake-Jesus in the face. Granted, the Jesus that gets decked is one of the many Jesuses (Jesii?) that I've taken a liking to over time, but that's fine.

Matt's book really got me thinking about who I'm following. Anne Lamott has said that we know that we've made Jesus in our own image when he hates all the same people we do. That is one of the truest statements I've ever read. This book made me realize that my "I love being poor!" Jesus is no better than Pat Robertson's "I hate Haiti!" Jesus.

I forget exactly how I'm rating books on this blog, but if we're going with the usual 5 stars type thing, I'm giving this one 5. Thanks, Matt.