If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk: Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

by John Pavlovitz

Overview

Thou Shalt Not Be Horrible.

Imagine for a moment what the world might look like if we as people of faith, morality, and conscience actually aspired to this mantra.

What if we were fully burdened to create a world that was more loving and equitable than when we arrived?

What if we invited one another to share in wide-open, fearless, spiritual communities truly marked by compassion and interdependence?

What if we daily challenged ourselves to live a faith that simply made us better humans?

John Pavlovitz explores how we can embody this kinder kind of spirituality where we humbly examine our belief system to understand how it might compel us to act in less-than-loving ways toward others.

This simple phrase, "Thou Shalt Not Be Horrible," could help us practice what we preach by creating a world where:

• spiritual community provides a sense of belonging where all people are received as we are;
• the most important question we ask of a religious belief is not Is it true? but rather, is it helpful?
• it is morally impossible to pledge complete allegiance to both Jesus and America simultaneously;
• the way we treat others is the most tangible and meaningful expression of our belief system.

In If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk, John Pavlovitz examines the bedrock ideas of our religion: the existence of hell, the utility of prayer, the way we treat LGBTQ people, the value of anger, and other doctrines to help all of us take a good, honest look at how the beliefs we hold can shape our relationships with God and our fellow humans—and to make sure that love has the last, loudest word.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780664266844
Publisher:	Westminster John Knox Press
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	238
Sales rank:	69,630
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

John Pavlovitz is a blogger, author, and pastor based in North Carolina. His blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said, recently surpassed one hundred million views. His previous books include A Bigger Table, Hope and Other Superpowers, and Low.

Editorial Reviews

"A sobering yet inspiring discourse for open-minded, thoughtful readers." —Library Journal, starred review

"With conviction and clarity, If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk advocates a life based on empathy and acceptance in the powerful, earnest voice of 'an honest and stumbling disciple trying to find the truest truth and live it.’ It’s hard to imagine a more urgent and vital message for today’s spiritual seekers." —Foreword Reviews

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2021

With blogger, author, and pastor Pavlovitz (Hope and Other Superpowers), what you see is what you get. Fans of his Twitter account or his blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said know that he's a progressive plain talker in his writing, religion, and politics; his latest book is no exception. Pavlovitz identifies dangerous and destructive paths that the United States has taken, particularly in the early 21st century, as the result of the union of the MAGA movement and Evangelical Christianity. Pavlovitz was raised Catholic and now identifies as a Unitarian Universalist, and he points out that by some right-wing standards, neither he nor Jesus is a Christian. With candor, the former megachurch pastor states that we can all do better; he powerfully advocates for a more equitable and loving society and emphasizes that Christians shouldn't oversimplify or cherry-pick from Scripture in order to justify beliefs. Pavlovitz decries mistreatment of LGBTQ people, immigrants, and other marginalized groups, while exploring the purpose of prayer and the value of anger. The basic tenet of his personal and professional philosophy is "Thou shalt not be horrible." VERDICT Complete with a discussion guide, this is a sobering yet inspiring discourse for open-minded, thoughtful readers.—Gail Eubanks, Univ. of Missouri, Springfield

Library Journal