Failure to live up to the demands of black-and-white legalism, or not experiencing a “walk with the Lord” can lead to depression. Worse, a lonely desperation sets in when you turn to the church for help and instead feel more judgment.
“An emotional, edifying remembrance, written with power and clarity.” —Kirkus Reviews
When suburban dad Carl Dubler was selected for a jury, he should have found it easy to judge someone. A lifetime in the church gave him a clear sense of right and wrong, with little room for nuance. But this was for real. Permanent. The man before him was on trial for his life. Carl could choose mercy and offend those who clamored for justice. Or he could choose full justice—death—and offend those who said there had already been enough killing. Carl imagined God looking down at him with a wry smile and asking, “How do you like doing my job?”
Amazon Book Review
Read this book last night. Awesome read and gets you thinking about some important things. If you love to read as I do- you’ll love it. If you like to read, you’ll love it. If you don’t like to read, give it a chance- I think you’ll really love it. Have you considered what it would really mean to be on a jury and make the decision about life in prison or the death penalty? Have you considered if you are judging people, hiding behind that judgement (and most likely joyless) or loving and helping people (and most likely joyful)?
Amazon Book Review
Amazon Book Review
Amazon Book Review
Amazon Book Review
Amazon Book Review
Raised in the early days of the Moral Majority, Carl was the poster boy for American Evangelicalism. By high school graduation he was preaching, speaking out in public, reciting entire books of the Bible from memory, and in general being the model fundie (fundamentalist kid). A series of life challenges and a life-or-death experience drove him to nearly lose his faith altogether—as described in his book. Today he and his wife of 25 years live in Colorado and are active in a reconciling United Methodist Church. They have two college-age children.
If you are a fundamentalist like I was, you went to a Christian school where key scientific concepts were treated defensively, if not ignored altogether. It can be quite a shock later in life to learn the truth about life and the cosmos.