Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Sex, Mom, and God: How the Bible's Strange Take on Sex Led to Crazy Politics--and How I Learned to Love Women (and Jesus) Anyway
“A penetrating analysis of political extremism, with a moving and at times hilarious account of growing up in one of the Christian right’s most influential families. Few writers command Frank Schaeffer’s intimate understanding of right-wing radicalism, and even fewer are able to share their insight as entertainingly and with as much moral weight as he has in Sex, Mom, and...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
May 31st 2011
by Da Capo Press
(first published May 26th 2011)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
456)
Why did I read this? A pal sent...knowing there are some Religio Rt nuts on the estate, still to be smothered. Author Schaefer eviserates the religio right (and therefore the ReThug Party). He can do it: his parents were ministerial stars of the Relig Right. The writing is 3-stars, the content 6-stars. He strips bare key Rt points effectively. He damns the Neo-Cons (Normie Podhoretz & Co), but he's most effective on YouTube - don't miss. Now in his 60s, I ask: why did it take him til his 30s...more
Sex, Mom, and God , by Frank Schaffer (Da Cap Press, 2011), is an eye-opening exposé of American Right-wing socio-political history. I was out-raged, en-raged, and en-lightened in ways that were useful and unsettling. I’m grateful to the publisher for introducing me to this book, and to the author.
I talked with this author for one hour on The Politics and Patriotism Show. You can find that podcast on iTunes or through www.politicsandpatriotism.com
Religion in America, and what it means to be reli...more
I talked with this author for one hour on The Politics and Patriotism Show. You can find that podcast on iTunes or through www.politicsandpatriotism.com
Religion in America, and what it means to be reli...more
An angry little man rants about his childhood. It ranges from uncomfortable to incomprehensible. Half the time it seems that Frank wants to shock the reader with his opinions and the other half he just wants to lay down on a sofa and talk about how he feels about his mother. At some level, I think he really wants to talk about the intersections between politics and religion, but he can't seem to get over how personally affected he was by the whole thing, darn it.
On one level, it might make for...more
On one level, it might make for...more
I just read one of the most spiritually, politically, and psychologically significant books I have ever read: Frank Schaeffer’s Sex, Mom, And God: How the Bible’s Strange Take on Sex Led to Crazy Politics—And How I Learned to Love Women (and Jesus) Anyway. My God, America needs this book. We need it like a slap in the face, like a long cold drink of water, like a goodnight kiss on the crown of our beloved heads from a long-lost father. We need this book to heal.
I realized just how important this...more
I realized just how important this...more
Apr 03, 2012
Aspen Junge
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
politics-and-policy,
cheap-college-education
I really enjoyed this book. Frank Schaeffer is the son of Evangelical missionaries who went into the "family business," and in the process helped to create the pro-life movement, the Moral Majority, and the religious right as political powerhouses. However, with age and experience comes humility and wisdom, and he grew to disagree with the way that evangelicals were being used as money machines for the Republican establishment and came to understand that you cannot believe that every word in the...more
I haven't read any Franky Schaeffer since he abandoned his youthful evangelicalism in favor of the ineffable God of Orthodoxy. He has since repented from his part in creating the religious right (with his dad and others).
This book repeats intimate details of the Schaeffer house. If you want to know about Francis and Edith's sex life, the time little Franky put his *ahem* franky into an ice sculpture, the physical and verbal abuse that Francis inflicted on Edith, and the time Edith almost left w...more
This book repeats intimate details of the Schaeffer house. If you want to know about Francis and Edith's sex life, the time little Franky put his *ahem* franky into an ice sculpture, the physical and verbal abuse that Francis inflicted on Edith, and the time Edith almost left w...more
Why did I pick this up? I had no idea who Frank Schaeffer was before I noticed the title of this book at my local library. I'm not a member of the Religious Right, and neither am I an Evangelical. But it was interesting, nonetheless. As a moderately liberal agnostic, I have wondered why the Right is so vehement about its positions, why it's so rabid and hate-filled, why it refuses to admit that America is much more than its religious beliefs. Schaeffer blames the schism in America between the Fa...more
I think I'd like to have a beer with Frankie Schaeffer, while at the same time being very happy he's not a relative. His father was an architect of the Religious Right; this book is more about his mother, who sounds like someone I really missed by not knowing. The cultivated woman who wore Chanel, knew poets and loved great music -- from Bach to BB King -- also took her Gospel Walnut for witnessing on Italian beaches. Frankie's taken a lot of heat for showing the less attractive side of L'Abri a...more
113 SEX, MOM, AMD GOD, Frank Schaeffer, Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA, 2011
Note: If you're a "friend" on FB, there is a link to my Blog: "Bits of my Reading." It's a little better looking site and all 3,864 words are presented. Read pages 263 and 278 for sure. Then tell me what you think.
Excerpts
ix-x
Mom divided everything into Very Important Things, say, Jesus, Virginity, Japanese Flower Arrangements, Lust, See-through Black Lingerie (to be enjoyed only after marriage), and everything else, say,...more
Note: If you're a "friend" on FB, there is a link to my Blog: "Bits of my Reading." It's a little better looking site and all 3,864 words are presented. Read pages 263 and 278 for sure. Then tell me what you think.
Excerpts
ix-x
Mom divided everything into Very Important Things, say, Jesus, Virginity, Japanese Flower Arrangements, Lust, See-through Black Lingerie (to be enjoyed only after marriage), and everything else, say,...more
It is unfortunate that someone who grew up reading the Bible failed *completely* to understand it. The Bible is most decidedly not anti-women, anti-sex, pro-slavery, or any of the other things Schaeffer thinks is it anti or pro. It's stance on slavery, for instance, must be seen from the perspective of when it was written. Ancient-world slavery was not in any way comparable to the modern American's idea of slavery. Ancient-world slavery was meant to be a temporary state, during which the 'slave'...more
1 like · like · see review
I have met the author and am friends with one of his kids, so my take on this book might be a little skewed. Frank Schaeffer is an excellent writer, and reading his crisp prose was like easing into a relaxing bath after the poorly-written book I had read before. He is also very, very human, almost uncomfortably so with the accounts of his sexual life, but the word is in the title, so it is not as if I was not warned.
I'm conflicted because he presents a very vital, and disturbing, history of how...more
I'm conflicted because he presents a very vital, and disturbing, history of how...more
This book is more disjointed & rambling than Schaeffer's earlier memoir, Crazy for God. In Sex, Mom, and God, Schaeffer attempts some analysis of his parents' work and its effects on US politics & society. Although Schaeffer tries to explore the rather sadly conflicted relationship between his parents and their subsequent role as deified evangelists in certain circles, the narrative is too disjointed in many places to follow his arguments. The most interesting portions were Schaeffer's r...more
As someone who grew up within the fundamentalist milieu, I recognize much of what Frank Schaeffer writes. It has an unmistakable ring of truth, so much that it can be hard to read. On the other hand, sometimes it seems more like gossip, such that I feel excited to read about the sins of others and revulsion at my enjoyment of other people's heartache.
Schaeffer has a tendency towards polemic, one of his least endearing qualities. He has been unable to live down nor move beyond his political past...more
Schaeffer has a tendency towards polemic, one of his least endearing qualities. He has been unable to live down nor move beyond his political past...more
An entertaining, aggravating, and insightful book about the three topics in the title; Schaeffer likes the first two a lot, but not the third as traditionally viewed.
The book is entertaining because it is interestingly written with a lot of personal stories.
The book is aggravating because it contains a lot that seems to me to be too personal and told in too much detail.
The book is insightful because of the author's analysis of the Christian Right (which he and his father were a part of for years...more
The book is entertaining because it is interestingly written with a lot of personal stories.
The book is aggravating because it contains a lot that seems to me to be too personal and told in too much detail.
The book is insightful because of the author's analysis of the Christian Right (which he and his father were a part of for years...more
I picked this up off the New Books shelf because, come on - look at that title! I've not read any of Frank Schaeffer's stuff, and I've not read any of Francis Schaeffer or Edith Schaeffer's stuff, though I know a little bit about L'Abri.
I ranged back and forth from loving this and being entirely uncomfortable multiple times. I wished there had been some more information on his transformation from an Evangelical to an Orthodox Christian, but I am guessing that he covered that in his previous mem...more
I ranged back and forth from loving this and being entirely uncomfortable multiple times. I wished there had been some more information on his transformation from an Evangelical to an Orthodox Christian, but I am guessing that he covered that in his previous mem...more
This book was a mix of so many things! It's really hard to put into words. He does talk about sex, mom and god. It has a number of stories about his own encounters with women growing up, and he is very open and honest about those encounters.
He has only a little bit of respect for the bible, and speaks on the money chasing, sexual hypocrisy of the religious right movement he and his father helped start.
In this book he never quite documents his reason for leaving evangelicalism, I'm moving to hi...more
He has only a little bit of respect for the bible, and speaks on the money chasing, sexual hypocrisy of the religious right movement he and his father helped start.
In this book he never quite documents his reason for leaving evangelicalism, I'm moving to hi...more
This was my first book by Frank Schaeffer, but not my last. I RECOMMEND this book; however I'll point out that it poses hard questions about the Paradox nature of God, so it's not necessarily an easy read.
This is a very personal, intimate story of his life; describing his relationship with his mother, his religious & sexual identity journey, and finally the foundation of his faith.
I related to aspects of his upbringing; hearing his story, in his own voice, is helping me parse mine.
I also...more
This is a very personal, intimate story of his life; describing his relationship with his mother, his religious & sexual identity journey, and finally the foundation of his faith.
I related to aspects of his upbringing; hearing his story, in his own voice, is helping me parse mine.
I also...more
Jan 16, 2012
Elise
added it
This book was interesting to me because it helped me understand better how now religion and politics are mixed in the US. Being from Europe, it gave me good insights on the birth of the religious right, and the alliance between the Republicans and the Evangelical movement. I also couldn't for the life of me understand why abortion was such a controversial issue in the US, and why it was used for each and every election. Now I understand better.
It was also at times really funny - my favorite was...more
It was also at times really funny - my favorite was...more
Although parts of this book were very funny, much of it was tedious. The author continues his tell-all expose, begun in "Crazy for God", of growing up in a reformed, fundamentalist, Christian missionary family. His parents founded and ran L'Abri, a refuge for spiritual seekers tucked into the Swiss Alps. While his family definitely comes across as quirky, he got to grow up in the Alps for goodness sake, taking vacations on the Mediterranean. You can't not be a bit envious of that! I'm not sure M...more
Short Review - I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. There are parts that I think are very important for Evangelicals to hear (Evangelical politics, Christian Restorationists, Quiverfull Movement). But there are parts that I think will turn off those that I think most need to hear it (the early section on the bible.) It is a memoir(ish) book by the son of Francis and Edith Schaeffer. His last memoir (Crazy for God) was mostly about his dad. This one is mostly about his mom. But he spends a lot...more
Best part of the book is the things his grand children are teaching him, While I understand his running from many crazy fundamentalists, not sure why that should result in a rejection of the canon of scripture. I agree that many horrible things have been done by so called believers of many faiths. But, I do not view John Lennon's song Imagine as the correction to make all things right. The book is filled with a lot of stories of the judgement of others and self. i agree with one of his final sta...more
Frank is a substandard writer, his content is creepy (I don't care about his childish sexual escapades nor his adult fantasies) and this book was a complete waste of an audible.com credit. Uggghhh... Try Joan Didion's "Blue Nights" or Donna Johnson's "Holy Ghost Girl" Now there are a couple of real writers! I am not quite at the f/u stage of life that Frank brags about but I am close enough to say that this book is a revelation of nothing more than Frank's justifications of his own shortcomings.
Frank Schaeffer's somewhat odd but heartfelt tribute to his mother--Edith Schaeffer--a missionary who spent most of her life devoted to a theology and politics her son now can't stand, but also a remarkable personality in her own right. A fair amount of this book is spent discussing Edith's boundary-free attitude toward talking about sex, which leads to the absolute best scene in the book. It would spoil it to give it away, but it involves a fully functional ice sculpture of a naked woman. The s...more
This is an amazing book by an amazing person (Frank Schaeffer). We need to study (and even make heroes of) those individuals who have the courage to change their minds. We have a ridiculous culture war raging on, both sides populated with people who could never admit to the slightest possibility they might be wrong about anything. Schaeffer is an insider from one side of the culture wars, and he describes his history, the history of the Christian Right in America, and his own "conversion."
Did not finish this one. I was enlightened about some things but did not enjoy the writing. Frank Schaeffer seems to have an axe to grind and some of it read like a tabloid magazine. Some of his criticisms seemed overly harsh and almost vindictive. What's that phrase about the newly converted or unconverted? It has been 20 years since he left the faith and I don't think he has made peace with himself yet. Hard reading compared to Carolyn Brigg's Higher Ground.
1 like · like · see review
Jun 07, 2012
Deja .
added it
I saw this on my library ebooks as very popular and had to read. I have to admit I skimmed some parts but in general found this pretty hilarious. the use of capital letters to i felt lovingly portray the Persecution Of Evangelicals In America. i also really enjoyed the personal annecdotes on building the movement from someone on the inside. love the critiques. great book to explain evangelicalism to someone from the outside as well.
If you're looking for an interesting story, this is sadly not one of them. Maybe if I had perhaps read his other books I would have appreciated this one more. However, I felt as though the author was writing for an audience that he immediately assumed read his earlier works. The novel was also too argumentative. It was more about outlining certain points than creating stories behind the points. I really wanted to like this memoir simply because I enjoy reading books on religion and felt that I w...more
Really poignant book. I'm from that fundamentalist background which is so very damaging to anyone, especially a child or young person. This book will enlighten anyone who is wondering about how people in the plethora of fundementalist evangelical churches became that way, and why they are leading the Republican party down a dead-end road.
Mr. Schaeffer writes with warmth, humor, and a disarming passion for honesty.
Mr. Schaeffer writes with warmth, humor, and a disarming passion for honesty.
Can't recommend this book because Frank Schaeffer never did seem to have a mature understanding of the bible. What makes this an interesting read is that FS speaks with authority about the Religious Right - because he was smack dab in the middle of it. Most of my friends would hate this book. It did remind me of the time one of my friends said, "Do you think O'bama is the anti-christ" and I was.....welll... just speechless.
I really liked many parts of this book. The incisive analysis of how a fundamentalist reading of the Bible has informed the current political climate -- and the critique of evangelical attitudes toward sex, exclusion and evangelism were right on. I could have done without the descriptions of Frank as dirty old man, examining female colleagues' cleavage and the lingerie of young bus seat mates.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“I'd be adrift in an ocean of uncertainty." Yes, and perhaps that's the only honest place to be. Another name for uncertainty is humility. No one ever blew up a mosque, church, or abortion clinic after yelling, "I could be wrong.”
—
2 people liked it
“You don't choose anything important. It just happens. The only choice you have is if you'll make life's accidents work.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Jul 01, 2011 10:03am
updated Jul 01, 2011 10:10am
updated Jul 01, 2011 12:30pm