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Frank Schaeffer

And God Said, Billy! - A Novel Paperback – September 4, 2013

by Frank Schaeffer (Author)

140 ratings

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Crazy For God... "And God Said 'Billy!' is laugh-out loud funny from page one. It's downright insightful throughout and takes readers deep into the shallow psyche of a sincere Charismatic-Evangelical whose God fails him. That failure turns out, through a hilarious series of tragic-comic reversals, to be - let's just say something close to miraculous. I love this novel." -- Brian D. McLaren, author/speaker/blogger. "Honest, humorous and sure to rankle those who believe that being human means being certain." -- Kevin Miller director of "Hellbound?" the movie. "When the family business is religion, it is especially perilous. To millions of evangelical Christians, the Schaeffer name is royal, and Frank Schaeffer is the reluctant, wayward, traitorous prince. His crime... is turning his back on Christian conservatives." The New York Times. "Frank Schaeffer exposes the insanity and the corruption of what has become a powerful and frightening force in American politics... As someone who has made redemption his work, he has, in fact, shown amazing grace." -- Jane Smiley Pulitzer Prize winner and author of A Thousand Acres. And God Said, "Billy!" is a darkly comic coming-of-age story written by the master story teller that House of Sand and Fog author Andre Dubus III hailed as the funniest American writer since Mark Twain. The story is set in the 1980s and is about Billy, a young fundamentalist Christian who feels called to go to Hollywood to make "God's movie." But everything goes off the rails when he accepts a job to direct a soft-porn slasher/exploitation film in apartheid-era South Africa. He makes this "It's a deal not a movie" picture even though he has to bust the US entertainment industry's anti-apartheid sanctions in hopes his "worldly movie" will be "used by God" as a "stepping stone" to making his own divinely sanctioned "End Times" picture. Billy loses his fundamentalist faith, his film career, his family and mo

Print length

326 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Outskirts Press
Publication date

September 4, 2013
Dimensions

6 x 0.73 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1478700017
ISBN-13

978-1478700012
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

FRANK SCHAEFFER is a New York Times best selling author of fiction and nonfiction. Frank%u2019s highly acclaimed novels include Portofino, Zermatt and Saving Grandma and have been translated into nine languages. His nonfiction includes Crazy For God and Keeping Faith. Frank is a frequent commentator on MSNBC and a blogger on the Huffington Post. Frank is a survivor of polio and an evangelical/fundamentalist childhood, an artist and acclaimed writer who overcame dyslexia, a home-schooled and self-taught documentary movie director, and a feature film director and producer -- of four low budget Hollywood features Frank has described as "pretty terrible." Frank lives near Boston with his wife Genie. They have three children and four grandchildren.

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Product details

Publisher : Outskirts Press (September 4, 2013)
Language : English
Paperback : 326 pages
ISBN-10 : 1478700017
ISBN-13 : 978-1478700012
Item Weight : 1.06 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 0.73 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,186,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #103,046 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
140 ratings

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4 star		19%
3 star		15%
2 star		13%
1 star		11%

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s.h2ocasa

Did God really say that?

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2014

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I had read a few other books by Frank Schaeffer, so when I bought this one I sat down to read it with a different frame of mind. At first the book seemed to be all jumbled up to me not making any sense whatsoever. When I finally realized it was satire, then I was able to read with enjoyment.

The book pokes fun of fundamentalist. The main character, Billy Graham, not the evangelists, thinks he's on a quest for God to make a Christian movie one day, but before he gets to the task he encounters life. He deals with life by quoting scriptures to justify his behavior, and communicates with the various voices in his head, including God. His rationales are beyond belief. I found myself laughing at him, judging him or seeing today's so called Christians in him. With the politics of USA being so polarized today I can imagine the "far right" acting justified with their unChristlike behavior towards others and falsely backing up these beliefs with the misuse of scripture. (I almost felt ashamed to be called a Christian seeing how the foolish souls operate in today's society.)

If one is part of the far right thinking, then this book will not be enjoyable to read...may feel offended and see it as blasphemy. Others may read it and say, "see...this is the reason I don't want to believe" but yet there will probably be a people who will just read it as satire and then walk away thinking it's a so-so to good book to read. I find myself in the last category.

Will I recommend this book to others? I guess this will be determined by the audience asking the question. Not for young people just getting started in the faith, because it could confuse/or lead to atheism. Not for sceptics or judgemental Christians. Recommend only to those who have open minds and can appreciate good satire.

2 people found this helpful

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PJGavigan

Struggle for faith based in reality.

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2013

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The following is an email I recently sent to Frank Schaeffer about the impact his book had on me. It was quite a reading experience and well captures the worldview of a survivor of what I can only refer to as religious abuse.

Recently purchased your book at Amazon and could not put it down. I came at the "faith thing" from a completely different angle - atheism - and was probably (!) spared a good deal of what your character endured. My father, the dominant personality in my parents' marriage (because my mother died young) is an atheist and believes perhaps correctly, perhaps not, that religion has been the source of mankind's ills. I came to Christianity through reading Bible stories and religious experiences that compelled me to find a framework into which to make sense of them. However, I did go through a series of steps in my spiritual journey. one of them being to buy too much into fundamentalism and some of the rigidity of Catholic orthodoxy. Your book, especially the last half of it, really helped me to begin to crystallize what that journey has been in a number of ways. I don't often write "fan letters" to authors or to anyone else for that matter, but I have enjoyed reading your posts on the Huffington Post and have purchased others of your books (and will now make sure I read them, LOL:)). Anyway, when you posted something about self-publishing this book, I thought, "why not?" and was very glad I had done so.

There are three things that stand out in your writing for me: your honesty, your courage, and most of all your tenacious love for your family.

Insisting on a "fact-based" reality would seem to be self-evident, but it is sadly surprising how that seems to escape so many people of faith! Your honesty in describing the inner workings, however shocking, of your main character's mind, is breathtaking - and it makes the internal changes he goes through all the more dramatic and heartrending.

As I read what you have written in the Huffpost and in your books (I have read a bit of each, just not completely finished the other two I have - Crazy for God and Sex Mom and God!), I know how much courage it must have taken for you to simply tell the truth as you see it. It must have felt like leaving your family and all that was comfortable behind you. I imagine there must have been some backlash, and here you can see I probably have not done a heck of a lot of research on you, LOL:). I have seen where power is threatened, those in power react and sometimes not in the kindest way. A friend of mine from high school who had been molested for years by a Catholic priest (whom we all idolized, of course) told me of how he had been pretty badly intimidated after he and his family went to the parking lot of a parish to which this priest had been transferred and handed out leaflets telling them what had happened. It wasn't until some 16 years later when he was on a train with Theodore Hesburgh, that my friend John got an actual apology!

What amazes me - and this may either be care on your part or your Christian upbringing - is what appears to be a complete lack of rage in your Huffpost essays. But then I suppose you wish to be effective - and who wants the Religious Wrong (as my Dad calls them) to have another basis to discredit you? I do love the irony of the part of your book when Billy finally curses and screams and discards the God of his youth, that it is then that God truly appears to him amid all that death in the form of the humble Father Dmitry.

Your recent post about your mother was truly the most loving testament I have ever read: it moved me to tears. They say it is a sign of being a grownup when we can love our parents and yet see them as they really are.

Well, I've been rambling on, hopefully somewhat coherently:) so I'm going to close with this: I am currently in a class at my church. It's called EfM - Education for MInistry - a thoughtful (I think) study of theology. The dialogue between Billy and the monks at the end of your book are so moving and such a beautiful statement of theology. As you can imagine, atheism and agnosticism used to threaten my infant faith. Neither do any more. In fact, they enhance it - probably because they keep me honest. Go figure;) I would love to read some of your book to our class.

Thank you.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A modern-day "Pilgrim's Progress" turning presumed assumptions inside out!

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2013

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As a Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College graduate I have lived from “within” the framework of personal involvement with the fundamentalist, evangelical and post evangelical experience. Like the author I have not lost faith but outgrown most of what if was taught without regret or diminution of my love for God
I have a good friend who is retired the Presbyterian Church USA who sees things much the same way. I laments that the old way of seeing things was never true because in his youth it was so comforting but like you and me he is a lover of what is, what is true and has of necessity moved beyond. He says that ministers who are moving beyond are constrained by congregants who would fire the minster who would dare have an “authentic” message from God. He asks, what are such ministers to do? Resign, keep quiet, etc.? You write it so well, in “Hello Billy” what the comment is made that the Indian Muti shop owner does not believe in what he advises and sells any more than “all pastors”—so true. I call most pastors “Sunday Morning Atheists”---who deal with fantasy and would tremble in their robes if they believed that there really was a God, the kind of God they reference. And, if they preached that kind of God, that kind of God would be unworthy of worship or obedience. I tell those who would listen that I do NOT worship God….because all worship is a kowtowing for manipulations in my favor….as if I can get God to change its mind. Instead I readily express the gratitude that enlarges my heart.
I admire the author’s candor, bravado and willingness to tell his own story in opposition to any incredible received theology –which in my opinion denigrates the very notion of God’s character. In “Hello Billy” the author makes this point throughout . Frank is among the growing number who will risk much by telling their own understanding of things based on a first-hand relationship with God and Christian institutions.
In “Hello Billy” contrary to some comments reviewed on this site I did decidedly not find the book at all humorous. If I had been an outsider, perhaps so, but as in insider who is empathetic to Billy’s emerging painful understanding of the nature of God and things, I saw struggle, comic in its being pathetic, but not at all funny. Billy, in my opinion, lived out to the fullest, even to the point of banal trivialities (as so many do in real life as they imagine the petty and as you so well point out, often with immoral motive or consequence). That Billy would have a Bible verse for virtually anything Billy wanted to do is right on target—and from my experience so realistic and not humorous to Billy or the millions of “Billy’s” out there. These Billy’s as you write are cheered on by national Christian characters mentioned in the book and so many more.
I read “Hello Billy” with great interest and appreciation as a modern “Pilgrim’s Progress” –painful, slow, and demanding hard work of from Billy in developing a revised meaning for his own life.. But, I was not sure early on the direction of the book and its intended readership. Also, I being no stranger to expletives of all sorts was somewhat “off-put” by their generous use and I do not for a moment think that your characters do not talk that way, but rather I am considering reader reaction. This is not at all a “moral” matter with me but a matter of maintaining reader attention and interest.
The author’s treatment of sexual hypocrisy is right to the point and an important part of “Hello Billy”---In my opinion, Christianity has never had a theology of sex except “don’t”---and so-called biblical view of marriage does not hold up even with a casual reading of scripture. In fact, the Bible’s very first commandment was the only commandment supported by “instant gratification”---“be fruitful and multiply” and then human kind is for the most part told “don’t.” “Hello Billy” in passing realistically touches upon this conundrum.

Lou Tulga

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Ray V

Very Funny and (Almost) True

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2014

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This book paints a deliciously satirical picture of a certain kind of charismatic fundamentalism, familiar if a bit exaggerated. At the same time it is a good story full of suspense and a surprise in the tail: I found it hard to put down. Perhaps a rather deeper (if longer) novel could have been made by making Billy a little more normal and his process of changing more gradual. In the first part of the book he seems to be not just a religious extremist but also suffering from a mental illness, literally hearing voices etc. This kind of religion is ridiculous and mad enough without that added factor. Also I felt that his mental illness was cured and his attitude changed a bit too easily and quickly. It would have been good to read more about the actual process of his growth into a deeper understanding of God and how he coped with the challenges and uncertainties of his emerging new insight.

Anthony Linford BA(Hons)

Post Modern Relevant Exciting and Readable in the extreme

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2014

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A remarkably honest work of fiction from I man I have researched as a founding Father of seventies religious revival in his own country.
Truly explores the dangers of religious fundamentalism and. Ind control. Humours, well paced, very visual and memorable.
The book shines a light of tolerance and empathy in an equally dogmatic world today. Much of it resonated with. Y own personal experiences of fundamentalism and the last pages had me in tears.
Essentially an excellent read and I would rate it alongside books by Mel White, the founder of Soul Force in the USA.
Thank you Mr Schaffer, your words mean a lot to a fifty something who remembers the origins of much of which you satirised in these pages.

mr colin finlayson

I did not like this book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2014

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Whik
Me

While recognising the issue and the need to adress it,I felt the book was full of unecessary gratuitous sex and swearing. It felt long and repetitive and only got interesting in the last pages. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

One person found this helpful

Matte

The story follows the downward spiral of a delusional filmmaker and sadly, for me, the novel ran parallel to its content

Reviewed in Canada on March 31, 2014

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I couldn't identify with any of the characters and found the premise implausible and moderately sensationalist. I was tempted not to finish the book, but stuck with it to the end. What must have begun as a good idea in the author's mind ended being up a garish, unlikable tale, at least for me. A bit more subtlety and nuance would have gone a long way. I also sensed that the author had some disdain for his characters which might have been why they came across as caricatures. Too bad.

@tone0189

Good book.

Reviewed in Canada on May 23, 2015

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I really enjoyed this book. It is a good read and very thought provoking. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book.

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