Meet the new breed of Christians shaping our culture.
Alisa Harris grew up in a family that actively fought injustice and moral decay in A... read full description
reviews
Jan 24, 2012
Leigh
rated it: 
I opened the pages of Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith From Politics (a complimentary copy from Waterbrook Multnomah), wondering whether I'd find author and journalist Alisa Harris to be a kindred spirit.
Harris's childhood years were exactly what you'd envision for a girl raised by conservative parents. She was home-schooled, attended a very traditional church, and spent many days picketing abortion clinics. Her parents' cause became hers. She was firmly entrenched with Republica More...
Harris's childhood years were exactly what you'd envision for a girl raised by conservative parents. She was home-schooled, attended a very traditional church, and spent many days picketing abortion clinics. Her parents' cause became hers. She was firmly entrenched with Republica More...
Dec 27, 2011
Carolyn
rated it:
Alisa Harris is the author of Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith From Politics. Alisa covered education, poverty and cultural issues as a journalist in New York City, and currently works in nonprofit development. Alisha's work is a Memoir in which she details her journey to separate her political views from her Christian faith.
Alisha (pictured above) grew up in an Ultra Conservative-Republican household. Some might call her family an extension of the Moral Majority. She accompa More...
Alisha (pictured above) grew up in an Ultra Conservative-Republican household. Some might call her family an extension of the Moral Majority. She accompa More...
Dec 14, 2011
Ben
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Raised Right is a memoir by Alisa Harris in which she details her journey to separate her political views from her Christian faith. Born to conservative parents who were extremely active politically, Harris was interested in government policies from an early age. While the other kids were outside playing, she admits that she preferred to listen to the adults talk politics.
Harris was steadfastly Republican and Christian, with a deep admiration for Ronald Reagan. But it wasn't long befor More...
Harris was steadfastly Republican and Christian, with a deep admiration for Ronald Reagan. But it wasn't long befor More...
Dec 14, 2011
Kathleen
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I really wanted to love this book. . .and I did for the most part.
Alysa Harris articulates the plight of a young Christian conservative raised on political activism with self-effacing humor and keen observation. She draws from eclectic influences such as Carman, an eighties Christian entertainer, as well as her personal hero in her adolescence--Ronald Reagan--to show how passionate she was for the GOP cause. But as the world changed in the nineties and into the new millennium, bringing wit More...
Alysa Harris articulates the plight of a young Christian conservative raised on political activism with self-effacing humor and keen observation. She draws from eclectic influences such as Carman, an eighties Christian entertainer, as well as her personal hero in her adolescence--Ronald Reagan--to show how passionate she was for the GOP cause. But as the world changed in the nineties and into the new millennium, bringing wit More...
Dec 10, 2011
Jennifer
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I remember hearing in church that you couldn't be a Christian and be a Democrat. I wondered where this was in the Bible. Where does Jesus say, "Ye must vote red to be born again."? When Clinton was elected president, we didn't know that blue could also mean dresses, we only knew it meant that God didn't win. Sitting with a couple kids from my youth group while watching returns, we prayed for the future of our country. We felt certain that there would be no future because every chi
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Nov 03, 2011
Colleenish
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I liked this book. The author's experiences growing up in an ultra-Conservative home were a little more extreme than my own, but I still know exactly what she's talking about. Her stories of being trained to argue, playing with plastic fetuses, and not fitting in ring true. I laughed when she talked about knowing that she could never date a Democrat. And my heart cheered when that turned out not to be true.
Separating your beliefs from what you've always know is hard, and it's even har More...
Separating your beliefs from what you've always know is hard, and it's even har More...
Oct 31, 2011
Sarah
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Alisa Harris was raised in a family that believed that conservative politics would win the United States back to Christ. Encouraged to vote, rally, and debate others who opposed her family's political point of view, Harris' Christian faith was intertwined in her Republican political views. Despite her homeschool past and frequent church attendance, Harris tackles what it means to be a Christian that participates in the political system of the United States.
Within her memoir, Harris a More...
Within her memoir, Harris a More...
Oct 25, 2011
Elizabeth
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This memoir by a women around my age really hits the spot! I love the title and the book lived up to the tag line. Two disclaimers-I get books for free by blogging about them from Blogging For Books, Multnomah Publishing and two, I grew up in a home that is rather moderate. This Harris grew up in a homeschooling, protesting, Republican-only-voting home, so I don't relate to that aspect, but I do see the issue of so many in America tangling their faith with politics, and how this is a huge iss
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Oct 21, 2011
Jonathan
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Alisa Harris' "Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics and Learned to Start Living the Gospel" is an interesting look into the evolving beliefs of young evangelicals raised by the now-aging members of the Religious Right and Moral Majority. The book charts Harris' conversions from the fundamentalist Protestant religion of her youth to the triumphalist Republican politics of her adolescence to the more uncertain, searching faith of her early adulthood.
The book fl More...
The book fl More...
Sep 27, 2011
Katy
rated it: 
If you are a Reagan baby, raised on Rush Limbaugh and spent Sunday morning/afternoon at church but now find yourself looking at the world and wondering if the worldview presented in childhood fits what you are seeing out in the real world, than this book is for you.
"Unless you are smuggling soup to Jews in your attic, I think that a political act can't be an act of love." P.25 When I read this I knew that there could be hope for those like me who are trying to sort out w More...
"Unless you are smuggling soup to Jews in your attic, I think that a political act can't be an act of love." P.25 When I read this I knew that there could be hope for those like me who are trying to sort out w More...
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Dec 01, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
I was SO impressed with this book! I wasn't sure I would like it because I've read other memoirs of people who've questioned their faith as they got older and basically turned away from God. But, that's not the case with Raised Right. Alisa Harris grew up in a very conservative Christian Republican household. She even went with her parents to protest outside abortion clinics when she was a kid. She had been taught that electing the right leadership to our country would fix everything and br
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Sep 13, 2011
Adenike
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This book might be more aptly titled "I was blind but now I see." I dog-eared many pages for various reasons. Here are quotes from some dog-eared pages:
pg. 25: "Unless you are smuggling soup to the Jews in your attic, I think a political act can't be an act of love. It can be a good act, even a noble and heroic, but love is not something that takes place behind a barricade; it happens in the breaking of bread and the passing of cups. Political love is theoretical, dire More...
pg. 25: "Unless you are smuggling soup to the Jews in your attic, I think a political act can't be an act of love. It can be a good act, even a noble and heroic, but love is not something that takes place behind a barricade; it happens in the breaking of bread and the passing of cups. Political love is theoretical, dire More...
Feb 07, 2012
Cassandra
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I want to reread Raised Right and spend some time thinking about the issues she raises. Are we called to participate in politics? Should we be fighting along party lines? Should we be fighting for or against issues that are being enforced by law or on the ballot? How should we relate to Christians who are more conservative or less conservative than ourselves?
Like another reviewer, I struggled with the stories and experiences being told out of order. It was hard to figure out at what More...
Like another reviewer, I struggled with the stories and experiences being told out of order. It was hard to figure out at what More...
Jan 15, 2012
Scott
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Hope to write a more comprehensive review soon. This book was a fun read for me, insightful at times, problematic at times, but overall refreshing. Raised similarly as a conservative Christian, I went through the same coming-of-age process, but unlike Alisa I rejected my faith rather than my conservatism--so I'm now secular and moderate. That made her take particularly interesting, as she criticized many of the same things I criticize but drew slightly different conclusions. I wonder if eith
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Oct 29, 2011
Coyle
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This book is part memoir, with Alisa Harris walking through key events in her life, and part meditation on the appropriate relationship between religion and politics. I highly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in thinking more carefully about church/state relations or the place of religion in the public square.
The strengths of this book are many. It is well written, and flows easily (I read the whole thing in three sittings of about an hour each), which I suppose is to be More...
The strengths of this book are many. It is well written, and flows easily (I read the whole thing in three sittings of about an hour each), which I suppose is to be More...
Nov 07, 2011
Pamela
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Alisa Harris was raised to be a Christian activist, even protesting at abortion clinics as a child. In her memoir Raised Right How I Untangled My Faith from Politics she reflects on the journey she has taken to re-evaluate and solidify what she really believes. Her topics range from political to cultural issues like abortion, the poor, immigration, and big government. As I read her thoughts, I found myself wondering if she is the voice of a new generation of Christians or is she “the voice of on
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Dec 31, 2011
Patricia
rated it:
Raised Right by Alisa Harris
As a child of evangelicals, home-schooled, and taught the conservative-Republican Christian way of thinking, Harris was on the front-lines of political activism before she could talk. As a baby she was in her parents arms on the picket lines of protest against injustice and the moral decline of America. As a teenager she was passionate about her faith and just as passionate about politics. Never questioning what she was taught.
While in colle More...
As a child of evangelicals, home-schooled, and taught the conservative-Republican Christian way of thinking, Harris was on the front-lines of political activism before she could talk. As a baby she was in her parents arms on the picket lines of protest against injustice and the moral decline of America. As a teenager she was passionate about her faith and just as passionate about politics. Never questioning what she was taught.
While in colle More...
Jan 06, 2012
Tim
rated it:
I was raised in the country. Not the coastal country of large houses, servants and sailing. I was raised in the truck-driving, hunting and fishing, surrounded by fields and forest that John (sometimes Cougar) Mellencamp sings about kind of country. I was raised in a warm, loving, caring home by parents who loved their family, their friends and their God. That love rubbed off on their kids. I was raised just a short drive from the town where my father was raised and where my grandfather served as
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Feb 07, 2012
David
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As a fast read, it's not a bad book. This is another in the I-was-born-fundy-but-now-I-see-the-world-is-more-complex genre (this happens to be a genre I really enjoy). The book will become dated soon, as it's kinda overly wrapped up in the minutia surrounding a particular set of politicians during a particular time. She sets up her young world view well, and at the end, her transformational contrasts, but there are long tedious bits in the middle that read more like a diary.
My favor More...
My favor More...
Dec 05, 2011
Andrew
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In Raised Right, Alisa Harris described the challenges she faced with politics and her Christian Faith. She grew up homeschooled and she eventually attended Hillsdale College and received her journalism degree. Her parents taught her the importance of standing up for what you believe in. In her early childhood, her parents protested at abortion clinics and she was picketing alongside them. Alisa Harris believed in standing firm against injustice and standing up for people who didn’t have a voice
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Feb 02, 2012
Kate
rated it:
Reviewing books on touchy subjects like politics can be tricky, so before I dive into this book review I feel like I should preface it with a brief overview of my own political views and history., so you know exactly where I’m coming from.
I’m a politically conservative Christian. I was raised by conservative Christian parents, but they never made politics a focus in our home and political beliefs were never shoved down my throat. I grew up in Massachusetts, the most liberal state in More...
I’m a politically conservative Christian. I was raised by conservative Christian parents, but they never made politics a focus in our home and political beliefs were never shoved down my throat. I grew up in Massachusetts, the most liberal state in More...
Oct 09, 2011
Audrey
rated it: 
Won, Thank you for picking me!
This was a difficult book to read. It read more like a rant than a story. I didn't get at all where she untangled anything.
She seemed to come unraveled in a few places, and this book seemed more like a "Raised Democrats, Voted for Obama" book than anything else. Her whole family sounds very confused and wishy washy to me. They were raised one way but neither of the girls live that way now. Even the Mom doesn't seem to feel the way she did when t More...
This was a difficult book to read. It read more like a rant than a story. I didn't get at all where she untangled anything.
She seemed to come unraveled in a few places, and this book seemed more like a "Raised Democrats, Voted for Obama" book than anything else. Her whole family sounds very confused and wishy washy to me. They were raised one way but neither of the girls live that way now. Even the Mom doesn't seem to feel the way she did when t More...
Aug 25, 2011
Erika
rated it:
Having grown up at liberal rallys rather than conservative ones, it is good to know that there is hope for those children who picketed abortion clinics with images of aborted babies in their hands. The author openly admits that this book is more of a personal journey of thought, and it reads with all the angst of a teenager/young adult struggling against the ideals of her parents.
Sep 25, 2011
Readnponder
rated it:
Alisa Harris was homeschooled and taken to prolife rallies from the time she could toddle. She was politically active in the Republican party through her teen years. When she gets to college (Hillsdale), she begins to re-examine some of her views ... to the point of voting for Obama in 2008. Her journey echoes my own in many ways. The book is short and a quick read. There are some issues I wish she had elaborated on further.
Oct 28, 2011
Rev. Sheila
rated it:
I received this book as a Goodreads FirstReads giveaway. I was drawn to the title.
I like that this book is about two subjects we’re always warned about discussing – religion and politics.
I always wondered how certain individuals end up holding certain beliefs. Well, it turns out they breed them. Alisha was trained from an early age to save the world from all its wicked ways. She took it to heart. While other children were watching cartoons or playing in the park, she More...
I like that this book is about two subjects we’re always warned about discussing – religion and politics.
I always wondered how certain individuals end up holding certain beliefs. Well, it turns out they breed them. Alisha was trained from an early age to save the world from all its wicked ways. She took it to heart. While other children were watching cartoons or playing in the park, she More...
Sep 17, 2011
Mandy
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I thought this book was a bit boring, maybe because I'm not very religious, or it just didnt move me in the right way. However, it seemed pretty well put together, and it did have its moments. Not an entire waste, but not something I'd choose to read again.
Nov 27, 2011
RD
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The idea of this book is vastly more intriguing than the book itself. This is a memoir with end notes, over half of which are bible verses, and it reads like a college freshman's first research paper.
Feb 20, 2012
Kirsten
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I loved this book. As someone who has been struggling with very similar issues as the author, I thought it was very compelling, challenging, and hopeful. I would recommend this book to anyone in a similar struggle, or someone (older Evangelicals?) who are seeking to understand this generations attempts to be true to their faith and their view of the wold.
Dec 18, 2011
Sarah
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The author wrestles with many of the same questions I've faced growing up in a strange conservative Christian bubble. My life was not nearly as politicized as hers, but mostly because my parents would rather read on the couch than protest with other people.
Her story was sometimes difficult to follow when she would jump around in time without explaining. I wasn't always sure if she was talking about her childhood or early adulthood. However, that's sometimes the nature of story and memor More...
Her story was sometimes difficult to follow when she would jump around in time without explaining. I wasn't always sure if she was talking about her childhood or early adulthood. However, that's sometimes the nature of story and memor More...
