Comments | zachfleury: Penguin Sex and Jesus

zachfleury

Penguin Sex and Jesus

Dec 26, 2005 11:05

God, please grant me the serenity
over the things which I cannot chage,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

My name is Zach, and I am a Christian-bestseller-basher-aholic.

(Hi Zach).

I have a problem.
I need help.

Last ( Read more... )

Comments 14

anonymous December 28 2005, 05:01:28 UTC

its me, creepy anonymous Melanie Jane. Sorry, as you know, I am not on LJ. I often forget to put my name. Alas. :)

somethings can be said in fewer words... this can't bigheadedweirdo December 29 2005, 08:22:24 UTC

this is why i love you. not because i agree with you, because i do. i love you because youre incredible.

becky_lynn_7 December 31 2005, 06:37:18 UTC

my name is Becky, and I too dislike much Christian literature.

(hello, Becky)

---

That was a book review that I really enjoyed, not because I am mean and spiteful, but because I prefer substance over fluff and paintings of pink flower-gardens. Some of Miller's edgy gimmicks seemed too fabricated to me. Have you ever read Anne Lamott ("Traveling Mercies")? Donald Miller has been called "Anne Lamott with testosterone," but I honestly don't think he deserves the comparison. I wonder what you think of Lamott because she seems much more real to me.

One challenging question, then, is: if humans use narratives to learn and teach others, how do we (or writers) relate those narratives in a way that cuts out all of the untrue, 'inspirational' crap and leaves only the piece of the story that honestly speaks to the reader? How do we tell stories to educate the community in a way that isn't gimmicky, for profit, or cheesy?

zachfleury December 31 2005, 07:25:43 UTC

Becky, hello ( ... )

self-loathing in evangelical contexts anonymous December 31 2005, 09:31:54 UTC

Hey Zach ( ... )

Re: self-loathing in evangelical contexts anonymous December 31 2005, 20:45:20 UTC

I agree with Anika relating to the statement "out with the old and in with the new" sometimes leaves behind something "good" from the old. I am part of a dynamic new & trendy church - sistered off a large more traditional one... that is bringing in people that have been bored or turned off with the traditional or never considered being a part of a church at all, people ARE connecting & growing and it is becoming a Huge community. It is fantatistic that many of the rigid prideful parts of ministry are melting away-and "on their own" individuals are meeting together building community amongst the mass- ...The church is multiplying 10 fold. Yet, on Christmas Eve, I visited a more subdued conservative chapel type service and sang traditional songs that spoke to my heart in volumes. I felt like I was with God...in "Church" as if I was missing something lately. I don't think that our regular church is without "God" - God IS ministering there! Just sometimes we seem to miss the sweetness that comes with the absence of hyped energy and ( ... )