I bought the book after hearing the title on the Christian radio. The title intrigued me in that it focused on an incredibly important issue in the evangelical world today... the fact that we often are our very worst enemies. Bickel and Jantz lay out a very entertaining critique of the people, events and attitudes that have tagged the Christian church for the last several years- those of indignant, self absorbed, impatient, money hungry, self-righteous, uninformed bigots. Now the authors are very quick to point out that they are targeting the "fringe" layer of Christians and the culprits that perpetuate these tags and then go on to explain in each chapter not only why they are hurtful, but offer what they see as a better approach to the particular hurt these people have caused the Gospel. Overall the book is entertaining, very thought provoking and some of what was written needed to be written so that the Christian community might have to deal with its premise and then to hopefully tackle the problems or perceptions represented.

But, not so fast, boys. I take strong issue with one aspect of the book. The very attitudes of indifference, disgust, condemnation they point out so many Christians have toward the habits, behaviors and life styles of the "world" are the very same attitudes they openly admit they have for those harmful Christians displaying those attitudes of indifference, disgust, and condemnation. In other words, how can they condemn the fringe layers of intolerant Christians and not put themselves in the very same category? Their book repeatedly shares their un-Christlike disdain for the very Christians they write about having a disdain and intolerance for the unsaved. Their attitude mirrors exactly what they wrote about as being wrong in the Christian world today. These authors cannot have it both ways. They have a witty, refreshing style of writing that is cleverly hiding the very same cancer they are so quick to identify in others. I don't expect that they would admit to it and if they did, then what's the point of the book? While you are reading it, be careful that the critical attitude they write with doesn't infect your view of Christians, even those on the fringe.

The book is worth reading. It's points are critical to consider if you are a Christian. I will recommend it to my friends with the comment that they look to learn from its points, not the overall attitude it displays toward others.