Mildly humorous enjoyable quick read. The serious points the authors are making underneath the humour are valid but hardly new. ( )

This book was just what I needed to read during this time in my spiritual journey. I have been full of questions and disappointments and resentment and frustration with the Christian faith. This book helped me to resolve most of these problems and to look at Christians in a new light. I was also more than pleased to see Bickel and Jantz agree with me on many issues that I have had with Christians.

In this book, Bickel and Jantz, two admitted Christians, commit to unblurring the lines between Christians and those Christians who "give the rest of us a bad name." They talk about how God is nowhere to be found in many of the viewpoints that Christians have become known for. They said how those few outspoken Christians have taken the truth about the religion and twisted it and misinterpreted and misrepresented it to the point that even Christians don't feel they can call themselves Christians anymore. It has that negative a connotation to the global community. And that's ridiculous.

Some of the topics that the authors let loose on include Christians who "think they have a monopoly on the truth", Christians who "fixate on the end of the world", and Christians "who are paranoid." The book is written for Christians by Christians so hopefully those who need to get a reality check will be able to read this book and absorb it more readily than from an "outsider" of Christianity. But, still, most likely, those who need to read the book will not be the ones who do.

I like the no-nonsense, no-holds-barred approach to these issues. They tell it like it is. They let you know that they are certainly not perfect, but that they are also telling others they are not perfect, either, which is never an easy thing to hear. They have a firm belief that, "Christians cannot expect to speak with authority in the culture when they have marginalized and compartmentalized their own position in society." Tough love. They are speaking, of course, of those Christians who wish to cloister together and put themselves in a bubble. Those who say you shouldn't associate with non-Christians (um, do they know the story of Christ?) and those who have gone so far to the right that they have practically fallen into the abyss.

They speak of people in the Bible who went out and associated with others and were a part of the larger community, integrating themselves into it and leading by example, rather than dictating rules to them and building barriers. "Notice that none of them condemned the culture. None of them used the faith as an excuse to take over." They note that "some Christians find fault as if a reward is being offered for it." I 100% agree. And it is the least Christ-like behavior to follow. That is not bringing in the crowds to Christianity, but repelling them full force.

I have had a lot of trouble with this religion because I have met so very many hypocrites. I don't mean those Christians who aren't perfect, because no one is perfect. I am speaking of the pretenders. Those who are holier than thou, who think they are better than other people because they are Christian, those who talk down to people who don't believe as if they are ignorant children (in my experience, athiests and those of other religions know more about Christianity than most Christians). I get frustrated about the exact same things that are talked about in this book. I think there are many people out there that are frustrated about these things and I think it is important to bring it out in the open and talk about it.

I am a Catholic, baptized in the Catholic church, but there are several stances on issues by the church that I have trouble grasping an understanding of. Abortion, for one, birth control, for another, and the way laypeople are taught (or not taught) about their own religion, and about how to express what they believe to nonbelievers. I became a Catholic at 26. I had to take a 7 month course on the Catholic faith to make sure I understood it. Those raised in the church get none of this training. My ex-fiance was one of these people. He had no idea why he believed what he believed. He learned the whys from me and that makes no sense at all. It is like how immigrants who become citizens know more about American history than most Americans. It's sad. I think that also a big issue is that the most outspoken Christians are the ones who have the strictest and most close-minded faith and the ones who do not know why they believe what they believe. They are the ones behind the negative view of Christians and I think this book is helpful in showcasing some of these nut jobs, if you will, and giving evidence of how they may have good intentions, but their execution is seriously flawed.

I learned so much with this book. It raised a million thought-provoking questions. My mom is reading it now and I cannot wait to discuss it with her, as she is a stronger believer than I am. I am Catholic, yes, but I also adhere to principals in Buddhism and Taoism and I feel a more spiritual connection when I integrate these philosophies into my personal understanding of God and wholeness.

I will probably be having a giveaway for this book once my mom finishes reading it. It is definitely a book I think needs to be read by Christians everywhere, especially those who are discontented with Christianity and those inquiring why there is so much hostility and indifference to the religion and what to do about it.

I will leave you with this quote from the book for you to think on:

"Instead of spending our time lashing out at the culture (which Christ never did), we should put our time to better use by trying to conform ourselves to Christ. If Christians are going to project the correct image of Christ in our culture, we need to carefully choose our spokespersons and representatives." ( )

Thank you, Bruce & Stan, for writing this book. And I mean that. It's refreshing to hear someone on your own team stand up and say "We've screwed up, I'm upset, and I am ashamed to count those people among my own". A few Christians have made some pretty bold mistakes and created a terrible image for the entirety of Christianity as a whole, and although each and every one of us has fallen into one of their categories at one point or another (ie. bigotry, hateful speech/violence, etc.)... Bruce & Stan have done their best to let everyone know that this is NOT normal. Christians can be pretty horrible, and it's unacceptable. We need to get back to practicing the love & respect that we keep telling the world about.

I appreciate that Bruce & Stan see the Gospel as something to be shared through relationships that are built up, through mutual bonds of trust - not shoved down people's throats, because in this day and age? That just doesn't work, and that's what has gotten us into so much trouble in the first place. They make a good point: If Christians are supposed to be a light on a hill, instead of shining that light so that it blinds people, they should have the choice of whether or not they choose to investigate. And if we're shining brightly enough... who wouldn't be curious to see what that beautiful, bright light is all about? ( )

just plain dull, patronizing, platitudinous, repetitive and as if the writing weren't borying enough, the typography of the book was just plain awful. The paper was cheap, the san-serif font very hard to read, the ink was very pale. A total waste of money. ( )

Opening Sentence: "...Every segment of society has its members of the lunatic fringe, but Christianity seems to have a disproportionately high percentage..."

Subtitled getting past the religious garbage to get to the spiritual truth - this book is a candid look at some very deep subjects.

The two authors analyze some of the many problems of the difference of opinions that divide Christians today. Their viewpoints are presented in a style mixing lighthearted humor, frank commentary, and biblical references. I can see how their opinions could be a harsh splash of cold water in the face of some Christians. But when words used to describe Christians include judgmental, hypocritical, and self-righteous, it is time for a wake-up call.

I found myself nodding in agreement so many times - I don't attend church anymore for many of these very reasons - but have a deep abiding faith in God - and many online Christian friends who give me my fellowship. One of the books goals is to examine your own attitudes and maybe adjust your behaviour, the second goal is to encourage disenchanted believers and non-believers to follow God's plan - not the interpretation of radical Christians who have their own agendas.

Will it change the attitude of the Christian extremists? I'm sure some of them will read this book (although most will condemn it unread) and some may pay more attention to how they act as a result. However, the ones that really need to read this book will probably won't read it, or read it and think it doesn't refer to them, and if, by some miracle, a deep down remnant of conscious is tweaked, they will make all the excuses in the world to justify their behavior. People like that simply can't admit their wrong or acknowledge their behavior.

This book is staying on my 'keep' pile. ( )