Sinner's Guide To The Evangelical Right (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: evangelical right, prosperity gospel, emerging church, Colorado Springs, James Dobson, Memorable Quote (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his latest offering, the author of The Hipster Handbook brings his brand of sardonic wit and caricature assassination to bear on all things evangelical. Like all great satire, the book is cerebral, irreverent and hilarious, while also edifying in introducing the characters, vocabulary and complex political and social network loosely referred to as the Christian right. Lanham skillfully navigates the "Evangophobe" through the treacherous waters of Colorado Springs ("the Evangelical Vatican"); goes after leaders like Jerry Falwell, whose health, Lanham writes, "has been declining ever since he got shrapnel in his leg from the war on Christmas"; and explains the megachurch phenomenon, where congregations approaching 20,000 people can contribute $6 million annually. Readers familiar with Lanham's style will immediately recognize his self-deprecating irony and indomitably hip sensibility. Despite the sometimes predictable snarkiness and easy targets, Lanham keeps the humor sharp throughout. (Sept. 5)
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Product Description

From Bibles designed to look like glossy fashion magazines to mega-churches with ATMs, rock climbing walls, and in one case, a drive-thru McDonalds, the nuances of conservative evangelical culture are no mystery to Robert Lanham, who has his roots in the Bible Belt. Now, with his anthropological eye and trademark wit, Lanham has compiled a handy guide to the evangelical right for those who can expect to be left behind in the End of Days.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451219457
• ISBN-13: 978-0451219459
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #350,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshingly good read, March 23, 2007

By	metalman777 (california) - See all my reviews

I'm a Christian, and was formerly of the "Evangelical Right". There I said it.

I have been an "insider" to the Christian sub-culture for far too long, and this book does a great job of presenting what that sub-culture consists of.

Descriptions are given with a caustic charm; they are amazingly accurate and witty.

My only problem with the book is that the author tends to make broad generalizations and takes some quotes out of context. All in all, it does capture what the American Mega-church has become.

81 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, I understand!, September 7, 2006

By	India E. Henson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a churchgoer for most of my adult life, which is substantial. I am one of those people who went faithfully but didn't quite understand all that was going on. Now, thanks to this wonderful little book, I have all the answers. I especially liked ths section on Tim LeHaye and all that Left Behind stuff. While people were reading that stuff, I was reading stuff like the Thursday Next series. I'm glad to get a rundown on all the famous and rich televangelists, because now I know what these people look like and what they talk about. I never understood what all the hoopla was about for the DaVinci Code, but now I understand what a unifying book it was. I was reading Elaine Pagels during that time. I guess I was never interested enough to study the wheres, whys, and hows, of the evangelical right, because, well, quite frankly, I sensed a certain amount of slickness and inauthenticity about that whole world, and I didn't want to muddy up my faith.

And now I understand all about Colorado Springs. When I talk to evangelical preachers, they get really excited about going to Colorado Springs. It's nice to get a firm grasp on all this stuff. There's lots more explanations in the book that I think will help even uneducated Southern evangelicals like me. After reading it, I recalled something I read a few years back. Went something like this: When the student is ready, the prophet comes. I think that's what has happened. All my silent questions and uncertainties about the evangelical right have been validated. And with a sense of humor. I appreciate that.

40 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wish i could give it more stars!, September 23, 2006

By	followtherabbit (new york, usa) - See all my reviews

having been born and raised in the bible belt with "attend church whenever it's open" parents, i found this book wonderfully refreshing and validating. it should be required reading for the evangelical right with the hopeful result of a healthy reality check.