williamlobdell.com

Melana Lott, who reviews books at Bookgasm: Reading Material to Get Excited About, has written my new favorite review about my book. Here are read it here. Some excerpts:

The first thing a reader should know is that LOSING MY RELIGION: HOW I LOST MY FAITH REPORTING ON RELIGION IN AMERICA — AND FOUND UNEXPECTED PEACE is not anti-anything. In fact, William Lobdell, a former journalist for the LOS ANGELES TIMES, purposely carved out a niche for himself as a religion columnist to find interesting, relevant stories to share about all religions because he didn’t think faith was getting good coverage. His hope? To give back and hopefully enrich his own faith along the way.

Lobdell’s memoir is heart-wrenching and honest, something all great memoirs should be. And like a great journalist, his stories were unbiased — he wrote of miracles and also of scandals. His personal position shifted like a tide waxing and waning.

[snip]

Another “revelation” for me in the book was the research and simple question we can ask ourselves about believers: Are Christians more moral than non-Christians? Do they divorce at a lower rate? Do they have fewer abortions? You may be surprised — but not shocked — to learn that no, Christians are not less likely to sin.

While reading the book, you will likely explore your own faith journey, no matter your age. I have often been amused that the people who claim to be the most religious are also the most close-minded and — at least from their actions — spiritual in word, but not deed. Why bother to ask “What would Jesus do?,” but then do whatever the hell you want anyway? You can argue all you want that it should be about God and not people, but who is the church filled with? Lobdell’s book focuses more on the people than the ideology, but there’s some of both in his true story.

While I would hope LOSING finds a wide audience of believers, skeptics and non-believers, I have my doubts. Prove me wrong. Don’t judge the book by the cover, the title or, more specifically, the subtitle. For God’s sake, don’t e-mail Lobdell and tell him that you haven’t read the book, and yet you’re praying for him and hope he’ll write another one about finding it again. Instead, read the damn book and then do something — like, say, volunteer, feed the poor or help those less fortunate, like Jesus wanted, and not pester someone like Lobdell. He does not speak from a bully pulpit, but through his factual, real experiences, and how that intersects with his true yearning for a faith he could believe in and, yes, practice.