Imaginary Jesus

Feb 12, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

At first glance, this book appears horrifyingly irreverent. The horrifying truth, though, is the irreverence with which we find ourselves inventing Jesus for ourselves, based on what WE need him to be.

There is Free Will Jesus, who refuses to intervene in our lives, leaving our suffering to be the product of our own choices. He requires nothing of us, but this is hardly comforting when we face loss. There is also Meticulous Jesus, who involves himself in every detail of our lives. Reveling in ou...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Lola4 rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful satire on the many ways mankind remakes God in our own image, so we become the creator of a Jesus or several Jesuses (Jesi?) who fit neatly into our wants, prejudices, and comfort zones. Our relationship with our imaginary Jesuses turns out to be not dissimilar to a narcissist's relationship with himself, non-challenging but lonely, purposeless, non-fulfilling, and non-productive (same color, culture, and denomination as us; no demands beyond what we offer, fits neatly into b...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Lesa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had no idea what to expect when I requested this book…but once I started it, I did not want to put it down! I’ve struggled with what to write in this review without giving details away–all I can say is READ IT! It is FANTASTIC!

“My Imaginary Jesus” is an incredibly creative work that looks at all of the different ways that we perceive/imagine Jesus to be as opposed to what the Bible actually says. The author seeks to dispel widespread misconceptions about Jesus while sharing about his own true...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Chrissy rated it 2 of 5 stars

An entertaining, yet very strange read, this book will definitely make you think about how your perceptions can cloud the identity of Jesus. If you are a believer or not, this book will prove an intriguing read. Matt, the main character in the book is hanging out with Jesus in a cafe--but he's not the real Jesus. The reader quickly realizes this as he punches the apostle "Pete" in the face and goes on the run. Matt and Pete encounter many Jesus', all crafted by Matt's imagination. These imaginar...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christianity, philosophy, religion

So, there was this book. I read the sleeve and it sounded like a nice, satirical look at Christianity. I was up for an enjoyable, humorous look at Jesus.

I noticed it was a Christian publisher of the book so the author was probably a Christian. I almost put it back. I learned long ago that if you want a contrasting (and probably true) look at the Boston Celtics don't check out a book by a Boston Celtic fanatic. They will never give the Lakers a fair shake.

Anyways, I checked out the book even wit...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book. I have been a Christian all my life, and in the last year have been actually trying to figure out what that really means. This book took me on an adventure as Matt tried to figure out who the real Jesus is. I know that I'm in the beginning stages of that search but this book helped me to think about things that I hadn't thought too much about and reinforced some of my favorite things from the New Testament. I enjoyed Matt's humor, I didn't think a book about finding Jesus woul...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a unique book to read. Told from the first point of view by the author, it is touted as "a not-quite-true story." The story is fiction, and the author has quite an imagination, but by weaving a humorous and at times rather bizarre story, he tackles the issue of people having the wrong view of Jesus, and our making our own version of Jesus to follow and serve.

The book starts out with the author hanging with his own version of Jesus, Imaginary Jesus. He then goes on to meet several other...more

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May 30, 2012 Curtis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Do you have imaginary Jesuses in your life? Matt Mikalatos did. They came in all different varieties too... Harley Jesus Political Jesus, Magic 8 Ball Jesus, Testosterone Jesus, and Perpetually Angry Jesus. Add a talking donkey named Daisy, a Houdini dog, and a couple of apostles and you have yourself another great story. There is lots of humor throughout the book and some deep thoughts as well. This is not one of those books that tells it like it is and leave you no room to disagree. Instead, M...more

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May 03, 2012 Lisa Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Title: My Imaginary Jesus
Author: Matt Mikalatos
Pages: 288
Year: 2012
Publisher: Barna Books
Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
How would you describe your own spiritual journey to find the real Jesus? What words would you use to describe those other images or descriptions of Jesus that aren’t real or true? Have you ever suspected that what you believe about Jesus may not be real or true? In some ways, this is exactly what Matt...more Title: My Imaginary Jesus
Author: Matt Mikalatos
Pages: 288
Year: 2012
Publisher: Barna Books
Note: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
How would you describe your own spiritual journey to find the real Jesus? What words would you use to describe those other images or descriptions of Jesus that aren’t real or true? Have you ever suspected that what you believe about Jesus may not be real or true? In some ways, this is exactly what Matt has done and tried to convey on the pages of his book. In other ways, it was hard to follow until I continued reading.
Matt does an excellent job of exposing the imaginary Jesus’ we possibly learned from pictures, Sunday school lessons or perhaps in church. We don’t realize what pictures or ideas of who we think Jesus is until something calls it to the forefront. Sometimes it might be a crisis of faith or living daily. At other times it is in reading books.
In a mix of fiction and non-fiction, Matt shares his own journey of shedding the false for the true. It is truly an enjoyable book to read. Like Elijah, Matt shares how to hear God’s voice not in the big ways, but mainly in the quiet moments. The book in a way exhorts us to face our own journey in walking with God and learning to hear the true voice of God so we can be obedient. There is no room in our heart for the false Jesus’, just the One and Only Jesus. In a fictional way, Matt shares how hard it can be to shed the fake images and thoughts in order to grasp the real and true.
It is not a hard book to read; it is very easy to read as the chapters are short in length. Also, the book is written with adventure and action. It is set in real time and done is such a way of how life really happens so we can see how Jesus is not far from us, but right here through thick and thin. There is a challenge for the church as a whole to truly come together. The Body of Christ needs to open its’ doors and learn to interact with other members of the Body. Whatever the race, nationality, language, or theological differences might be, we all can learn from each other. Nowhere in the book do I see Matt place before us the idea that we should allow that which is unbiblical to enter in.
With unequaled transparency, Matt shares his heartaches, faults, and failures as well as trials with triumphs. He shares his journey with us, including his wife and family and how they are affected. At the conclusion, we see what life in the Body might look like if we allow Jesus to fill us and use us and learn to dwell with those who are “different” than ourselves. This reader learned some ideas of value and some that aren’t. Overall, it is a good book to read, enjoy and share with others. The rating I personally give this book is 3 ½ stars.
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Feb 06, 2012 Margaret Mcgaffey rated it 4 of 5 stars

For a humorous walk through a man’s struggle with faith, this quasi-autobiographical novel offers both real questions and real laughs. Imaginary Jesus transforms a metaphysical journey into a physical one that is full of true moments of humanity in which Matt looks at how people, himself included, construct easy views of Jesus that can cloud the reality of faith.

Now don’t get the sense that this is a religious tome full of hard lessons. There is one point toward the end when it gets a bit heavy,...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Michael Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think I can safely say that this is the best book about imaginary Jesuses that I've ever read. I recently read the author's more recent book Night of the Living Dead Christian, and enjoyed it so much that I went back to get a look at this one too. I'm so glad I did!

In this book, the hero (whose name happens to be Matt Mikalatos) discovers that the Jesus he's been hanging out with in Portland, Oregon, is not actually the real Jesus, but is in fact an impostor who originated in Matt's mind. Matt...more

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Nov 25, 2011 David Ketelsen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a very interesting and entertaining book. It might seem an odd book for me to read since I'm not a Christian but religion does interest me, from afar, and the playful writing style of Imaginary Jesus appealed to me. I read it in the Kindle format and the free aspect also appealed to me.

While the description of the book seems playful there's a lot of serious stuff going on under the surface of this book. Mikalatos essentially sets up strawmen arguments which are embodied by numerous false...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Rick Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bible-theology, fiction

It started as an ordinary day. Matt was hanging out with his bed bud Jesus at his favorite hip, vegan, communist café in downtown Portland. Everything is business as usual until a fat trucker comes in, calls Jesus an impostor, and punches him in the mouth. The trucker then claims to be the apostle Peter, and reveals that for years Matt has been worshiping an Imaginary Jesus of his own devising. Peter enlists the aid of a talking donkey named Daisy and an ex-hooker named Sandy to help Matt hunt d...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Steve Curll rated it 3 of 5 stars

I actually feel a bit guilty for the enjoyment I got from this book.It appears at first to be kind of a "Christian Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy". Our main character keeps Imaginary Jesus(his own created Jesus )with him from place to place. For the first few chapters, he deals with Imaginary Jesus as the only Jesus he knows, Making Jesus responses actually border on Blasphemy. Eventually he meets "Pete"(Yes, that Pete,who previously denied Christ) and his talking donkey, who apparently has near...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Scott Dickson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have an Amazon Kindle. Actually, I have two, an original Kindle that I recently replaced, and a brand spanking new Kindle 3G. I love my Kindle.

Unfortunately, I am not made of money. This has caused me to have to restrain my desire to purchase every Kindle book ever made and download them to my Kindle.

Well, that’s not actually true, I would probably skip purchasing chick lit, gay and lesbian romance novels and business books that have a number of steps, principles or secrets to success, prosper...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Miriam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Matt Mikalatos has written a charismatic novel called “Imaginary Jesus.” Once I began reading the book, I had a difficult time putting it down until I had finished it. The author has written a humorous story that really hit the spot. His underlying presumption is that we have all created a Jesus that we confuse with the real Jesus, one to simply meet our own needs. In the book there is this surreal reality in which all these different personalities of Jesus exist to stick themselves to us and pr...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Matthew Miller rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

In the journey of the Christian faith, there is a sense in which all followers are looking to know the "real" Jesus better. Jesus, as we believe, is the perfect representation of God, very God himself, and therefore the example to man of the Father's will.

That's all very theological, but Matt Mikalatos makes this journey after the "real" Jesus hysterical. His device is the Imaginary Jesuses (how do you make Jesus plural?) Showing up all over this story are the stereotypes that Christians use to...more In the journey of the Christian faith, there is a sense in which all followers are looking to know the "real" Jesus better. Jesus, as we believe, is the perfect representation of God, very God himself, and therefore the example to man of the Father's will.

That's all very theological, but Matt Mikalatos makes this journey after the "real" Jesus hysterical. His device is the Imaginary Jesuses (how do you make Jesus plural?) Showing up all over this story are the stereotypes that Christians use to make Jesus more manageable, more understandable, and less powerful as a result. In the first scene, Mikalatos is confronted with the fact that the Jesus in his imagination was not the real Jesus because he can't get him out of a parking ticket (not very powerful) and he's still wearing ancient robes (wouldn't Jesus change with the times?)

The ensuing race to rid the world of false concepts of Jesus proceeds to taking captive "Magic 8-ball Jesus" who only responds to questions (prayer requests) with the clarity of a Magic 8-ball. There's a race down Mt. Hood to see how Jesus actually knows the future, which involves bears and cliffs and karate kicks. There's a trip to the book store as seemingly Zombie-like Jesuses spring from the pages and chase Mikalatos, a talking donkey, a prostitute and the apostle Peter through the rest of the store. Harry Potter Jesus even flies alongside their car as they attempt an escape.

All this hilarity (I was laughing aloud so much that my wife was becoming annoyed), leads to a very serious realization. Mikalatos discovers that the Jesus that he imagines actually is himself. He hates the same things Mikalatos hates. He winks at the little sins Mikalatos continually commits (they aren't that bad, you're forgiven) and has very little power to control anything, from a parking ticket to a tragic miscarriage.

This book's cast of characters, quirky wit, quickly changing scenes, and final conclusion make it a fun, easy, and worthwhile read. And it may leave you seeing your own Imaginary Jesuses all over the place.(less)

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Mar 27, 2011 Jason (FNORDinc) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, reviewed, reviewed-on-fnordinc

This book was FUNNY. It is straight up Christian faux-fiction, a complex parable with all the standard moving parable parts: a moral to teach, animal characters, convoluted answers that force the reader/listener to consider various perspectives. To that point, Christian literature in general could learn a lot from how this book was presented. As an Agnostic, I read it based on the title, was sucked in after less than a page, and finished it thinking “Man. that was pretty damn good”. Imaginary Je...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Stephen Escalera rated it 4 of 5 stars

Imaginary Jesus is a helter-skelter, "not-quite-fiction" ride through the imagination of Matt Mikalatos as he attempts to humorously point out how we in 21st century American evangelicalism often create our own ideas of what or who Jesus is. From "King James Jesus," "Magic 8-ball Jesus" and "Testosterone Jesus" to "Free Will Jesus," "New Age Jesus" and "Meticulous Jesus," Mikalatos paints an absurdly funny narrative of someone trying to find out just who the REAL Jesus is. Accompanied by the Apo...more Imaginary Jesus is a helter-skelter, "not-quite-fiction" ride through the imagination of Matt Mikalatos as he attempts to humorously point out how we in 21st century American evangelicalism often create our own ideas of what or who Jesus is. From "King James Jesus," "Magic 8-ball Jesus" and "Testosterone Jesus" to "Free Will Jesus," "New Age Jesus" and "Meticulous Jesus," Mikalatos paints an absurdly funny narrative of someone trying to find out just who the REAL Jesus is. Accompanied by the Apostle Peter and a talking donkey (who I'm convinced is included only so King James Jesus can hurl the threat "Thine ass is mine!"), Mikalatos' journey gets personal in a few places where he talks about his own struggles of faith and his questions to the many Jesuses about his goodness and power.

Imaginary Jesus is one of those books that makes you laugh, makes you think and often makes you wonder "Where in the world is this going?" I laughed quite frequently at Mikalatos' many variations of "Jesus." The word pictures he creates will draw you into the story and make you feel like you are a part of the action. The book doesn't take itself too seriously, but that is perhaps its one major downfall. There are some serious questions of the goodness of God and faith in Jesus that are raised, but they are surrounded by the high-speed chase scenes (Mikalatos chasing fake Jesuses then fake Jesuses chasing Mikalatos), hijinx and silliness. When the real Jesus finally comes into view and offers answers, I got a feeling of mental whiplash at the sudden change in tone, only to reverse back to the silliness later.

In my experience, I've found that, in general, authors should not read their own books. While they might be great authors, they make lousy readers. Matt Mikalatos is one author who certainly does not fit into that generalization. He narrates the audio version of his book available from ChristianAudio (who provided me a copy of this book to review) and shows that he has the ability not only to be a story writer but also an excellent story teller.

Overall, Imaginary Jesus is more of a diversionary read than anything else, but it's definitely a fun read. (less)

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Oct 24, 2010 Fred Warren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Matt’s savoring a cup of coffee at his favorite Communist bookstore…with Jesus. He’s been enjoying Jesus’ company for a while now, and although Jesus seems to be invisible to everybody else, Matt’s found him to be a pretty regular guy and handy for heading off things like parking tickets and other minor inconveniences.

On this particular day, however, a big, hairy man barges into the coffee shop, full of righteous indignation and smelling of fish. He picks a fight with Jesus, and Matt’s tidy litt...more Matt’s savoring a cup of coffee at his favorite Communist bookstore…with Jesus. He’s been enjoying Jesus’ company for a while now, and although Jesus seems to be invisible to everybody else, Matt’s found him to be a pretty regular guy and handy for heading off things like parking tickets and other minor inconveniences.

On this particular day, however, a big, hairy man barges into the coffee shop, full of righteous indignation and smelling of fish. He picks a fight with Jesus, and Matt’s tidy little world comes crashing down. The smelly guy with the solid right hook claims to be the Apostle Peter, and worse than that, he insists that Matt’s Jesus is no Jesus at all.

He’s an Imaginary Jesus, and he’s up to no good. The bogus Jesus bolts, Peter and Matt in hot pursuit. Before they know it, they’re up to their armpits in Imaginary Jesuses, and Matt’s beginning to wonder if he ever knew the genuine article at all.

Matt Mikalatos’ Imaginary Jesus is a rollicking romp through time, space, imagination, and the human heart. No sacred cow is left un-roasted as the author fires up his satirical grill with a hefty squirt of comedic lighter fluid.

I loved the way Matt made himself the protagonist of this story, the knucklehead who thinks he’s the only guy in the world who’s gotten Jesus right–so right that he can actually see Him and interact with Him on a day-to-day basis. It’s a fun, lighthearted tale. We’re treated to the quirks and foibles of life in Portland, Oregon; a side trip to the Holy Land, circa 33 A.D.; a talking donkey with an above-average ration of common sense; and a whole slew of Imaginary Jesuses–from Magic Eight-Ball Jesus (who has only fourteen possible answers–nine positive, three negative, and two indeterminate) to Testosterone Jesus (built like a weightlifter, but sweet and vulnerable on the inside), to Perpetually Angry Jesus (the name says it all). You’ll probably recognize most of them.

Sadly, Matt is us. Matt is me. His illusions are shattered over the course of his journey across time, space, and Portland, and it left me pondering how many times I’ve done the same thing, presuming that Jesus and I are in agreement, that He sees things pretty much the same way I do, and that the world would be a better place if everybody would just get on the bus with Jesus and me.

However, Jesus doesn’t promise to see things our way. He tells us, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Being a follower of Jesus means becoming conformed to His image, not the other way around, and that’s the central message of Imaginary Jesus.

There’s another question at the heart of this story, a poignant question arising from a personal tragedy that drives Matt’s search for the real Jesus. After all the Imaginary Jesuses fall like tenpins and dissolve like smoke, leaving only the real Jesus, Matt poses his question again. He doesn’t get a precise answer, nor the answer he expected, but he does get an answer that ultimately satisfies him.

Is there a happy ending? You betcha.

In the final analysis, Imaginary Jesus is a personal struggle of faith cloaked in fiction. It’s a powerful tale, and perhaps more effective because of its humor and irreverence. It also takes a lot of guts to place your doubts, fears, and shortcomings on display in such a public forum, even in caricature. Kudos and thanks to Mr. Mikalatos for doing that and for telling us a fun, creative story along the way.

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Sep 01, 2010 Rachel Thomson rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story begins at the Red and Black, a Communist coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, where Matt (our hero) and someone he thinks is Jesus are just hanging out. Enter the Apostle Peter, a.k.a. “Pete,” who recognizes Matt’s Jesus as an imposter and quickly instigates a fistfight. Imaginary Jesus takes off running, Pete and Matt take off after him, and thus begins a story that’s funny, unpredictable, and would be irreverent if it didn’t actually have so much respect for the real Jesus, as He was in...more The story begins at the Red and Black, a Communist coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, where Matt (our hero) and someone he thinks is Jesus are just hanging out. Enter the Apostle Peter, a.k.a. “Pete,” who recognizes Matt’s Jesus as an imposter and quickly instigates a fistfight. Imaginary Jesus takes off running, Pete and Matt take off after him, and thus begins a story that’s funny, unpredictable, and would be irreverent if it didn’t actually have so much respect for the real Jesus, as He was in history and as He is in Matt’s life — and in ours.

As Matt, Pete, and Daisy the Talking Donkey chase Imaginary Jesus across Portland in an effort to unmask him and help Matt get back to the real Jesus — the one he actually loves, and who really loves him — they run into a host of other Imaginary Jesuses, figments of imagination and theological constructs that sometimes come close to being like Jesus but aren’t Him. They include such memorable figures as Magic 8-Ball Jesus (good for quick guidance, but rather predictable), Testosterone Jesus (who mostly goes to men’s mountain retreats and watches Braveheart for inspiration), and Portland Jesus (who likes art, social justice, jeans, and house churches).

Matt’s journey also takes him back to the first century, to locales all over Portland, into encounters with a pair of Mormon missionaries, a former prostitute, and the Atheists Bible Study, and finally into contact with an event in his life that hurt him deeply and led to the creation of his Imaginary Jesus in the first place. It’s witty, but also surprisingly moving and insightful at times — the honest, if quirky, journey of a man struggling to reclaim an authentic faith and reestablish relationship with a real Lord.

And that’s where my caution comes in: this book should not be read as a theological treatise on “the real Jesus,” but as the spiritual journey of a real Christian. Every one of Matt’s Imaginary Jesuses shares characteristics with the real thing, and this is where things can get hazy: this isn’t a book about discovering objective truth about who Christ is. It’s a book about getting out of our comfort zones and self-made safety nets and seeking to encounter Christ in our own lives. It is autobiography. It is not theology.

Also, it pokes fun at just about all of us. I don’t think it actually crosses the line into poking fun at God (the real one), but be prepared to squirm a little.

End of caution. Overall, this is a heartfelt call to seek truth and relationship with God. It has the potential to raise some great questions, and I think to point us to the source of the real answers.

- Rachel Starr Thomson, author, www.rachelstarrthomson.com (less)

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Jul 06, 2010 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to say that this book was so much fun. It’s one of those books that while it’s funny and fast read, it’s actually deep when you think about it. I got about 3/4 of the way through it and had a wow moment. During Matt’s struggle to find the real Jesus, he has invented all of these imaginary Jesuses. These Jesuses do what he wants them to do, say what he wants them to say, but when it comes right down to it, are they the real deal. I got through this book in just a couple of hours, but it wa...more

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Jun 26, 2010 Jill Williamson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review by Jill Williamson

Our hero, Matt Mikalatos, is sitting in a coffee shop with Jesus. They’re just hanging out, enjoying the atmosphere, when a man walks in and punches Jesus in the face! Matt is bewildered and angry. He tries to defend Jesus from this crazy stranger. The man claims to be the apostle Peter and tells Matt that the man who was sitting at his table is not the real Jesus. He is an imaginary Jesus.

Matt teams up with Pete and a talking donkey named Daisy and combs Portland in se...more

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May 03, 2010 Josh Morgan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review originally appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café.

The next book I have reviewed for the christianaudio Reviewer's Program is Imaginary Jesus written and narrated by Matt Mikalatos. As should be obvious, I did receive a free copy from christianaudio in exchange for reviewing it. As followers of my blog know, my other reviews of their works have been less-than-stellar (I wish they'd choose other options for review because they have a lot of great texts, er audio). So this positive review sh...more This review originally appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café.

The next book I have reviewed for the christianaudio Reviewer's Program is Imaginary Jesus written and narrated by Matt Mikalatos. As should be obvious, I did receive a free copy from christianaudio in exchange for reviewing it. As followers of my blog know, my other reviews of their works have been less-than-stellar (I wish they'd choose other options for review because they have a lot of great texts, er audio). So this positive review should emphasize that this is not an over-inflated review due to getting a free audiobook. :)

Imaginary Jesus caught my eye due to the title and the synopsis. It looked creative and in my interest area because of the idea that we have constructed a Jesus in our minds that clouds the real Jesus. That is precisely what this book discusses, but not in such a bland and boring way as I just described it.

Mikalatos (who does an excellent job narrating--I particularly love when authors narrate their own works, especially when they are of such a personal nature) does a very creative job tackling (sometimes literally) his imaginary Jesuses, guiding us through his imagination in what many ways makes this book feel like a novel. I must say that about an hour or so into the book, I got a bit bored with the Jesuses, but this gave way to appreciation. Without these descriptions, the final chapters, which were more propositional (although not terribly explicit), would not have been as powerful. The chapter, "Holy Mother of God," was particularly moving, I thought. I don't want to give too much away because the process of moving through Mikalatos' imagination is part of the power of the book.

In many ways, this reminds me of the mystical texts that some of the saints used to describe their inward journey to meeting Christ. Mikalatos takes a more humorous approach. However, it is funny because it is terribly accurate (in particular, I loved the Secret Society of Imaginary Jesuses). He does an effective job of crafting a modern mystical experience that is at once both individually contemplative and communal.

Further, I realized toward the end of the book that this is a perfect example of describing God image. This refers to the construction of God we have created and with which we interact. It's a natural psychological phenomenon everyone does with anyone with whom we relate. It can be a hard concept to understand, but this book makes it much more understandable.

In sum, I highly recommend this book. I'm not sure how it would be in written form, but the audiobook is excellent. In many ways, I the audiobook may be better if for no other reason than the author reads it himself. That conveys a message no written text ever could. (less)

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Mar 30, 2012 Eric Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christology, gospel

I was given this book by a mutual friend of the author. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but I was hooked by the second page. Imaginary Jesus is hilariously funny--one of the funniest books I've read in quite some time--and yet what begins as funny in the end is a sharp satire on America's consumer Christianity and the author's journey toward a more authentic understanding, and worship, of Christ.

I personally enjoyed the whirlwind tour of downtown Portland, including many of my own for...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Charlie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley

Gems:
Those who live in the Pacific Northwest will find the Portlander humor hysterical. There's something about sog on the brain that warps writers minds and makes them downright whacky. Perhaps it is because I went to school in Oregon (Portland) and now live in Seattle, that I find the vegan socialist cafes and Mormon missionaries knocking door-to-door hilarious, especially when the main character offers them a cup of coffee. The concept of imaginary Jesus is original and philosophical. Those...more

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May 17, 2012 Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars

To those concerned with my low rating: this is not my chosen genre. I tend to stay away from the latest books to hit Christian book shelves; so, this is actually the best default rating I can give to such a book!

Matt Mikalatos makes his humor shine through the ink in the pages of Imaginary Jesus. This witty quick read is more than just humor and sarcasm. Mikalatos hits home the point that, too often, Christians have become distracted from the real Jesus Christ of the Bible by newer, shinier, mor...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Krystl Louwagie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I will say, this is probably my favorite religious-preaching-hidden-in-a-story novel that I've read. Maybe that's because it's not all that hidden-it's one man's personal search for the real Jesus amongst many fake/imaginary representations of Jesus that he keeps getting pulled into. It's a mix of real and imagined events that the reader it just supposed to be able to interpret what's *really* happening, and what's just thought process. All the imaginary stuff makes for a pretty entertaining rea...more I will say, this is probably my favorite religious-preaching-hidden-in-a-story novel that I've read. Maybe that's because it's not all that hidden-it's one man's personal search for the real Jesus amongst many fake/imaginary representations of Jesus that he keeps getting pulled into. It's a mix of real and imagined events that the reader it just supposed to be able to interpret what's *really* happening, and what's just thought process. All the imaginary stuff makes for a pretty entertaining read most of the time, though it does go over the top and on too long eventually. Like my sister seems to always say, this book could've used more edits.
Plus, this story includes the talking donkey from the Bible, and I've always loved the talking donkey story (it never says it's the talking donkey from the Bible story, but I doubt it's mere coincidence).

Anyways, this story can have some real insights, and extremely good/obvious visuals for the reader to understand the points being made by the ridiculous nature of some imaginary Jesus(es), so, you can read it to look deeply, or, you can read it as interesting and unique. Up to a point-like I said, it just goes on too long. One huge chase with the imaginary Jesus and all the other imaginary Jesus(es) getting in the way is enough-I didn't need the whole second one at the end of the book at all, and it greatly slowed my finishing of the book. It just goes on for too long and is too over the top.

And, what can I say-all religious books meant to bring you close to God have extremely predictable endings with no interest. Obviously, this guy is going to find "the real Jesus" and have some profound moment, but someone can't feel a real life experience/revelation like that through a book-because it's fiction to you, even if it's not to the writer-you didn't experience it yourself, it can't make you find Jesus yourself. So, this book really stops being anything of value, at least to me, at about 3/4 through-with the exception that I liked the President story near the end.
At any rate , it's wroth a read, and more valuable to me as a religious teaching tool than "The Shack" or "Joshua". Also, it does a pretty nice job or staying mostly neutral on what type of Christian views are "right". Except, if I was a Mormon, I'd be pissed.(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting!

Please note this book is a work of fiction, although it does contain real people and places that exist in this day and age, it also does contain a whole bunch of made up stuff.

That being said. there is a message throughout the pages of this book that is as real as I am, that we need to consider in our own lives as we travel on our relationship with Jesus. The question we have to ask ourselves is, 'Am I believing in the real Jesus of the Bible, or have I made adjustments to suit my ow...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh how I wish I could find more like Mikalatos! Such a great story that I was lost in it. Such awesome pieces of wisdom that really spoke to me. I love how it was funny and even poked fun at different stereotypes. I could relate so well, especially when "Matt" was surprised by how Jesus looked when he traveled to ancient Judea. Is it bad that I have always thought Jesus was also more like a GQ model than a homely guy? (Of course no one knows for sure...)

One of my favorite passages: "There would...more

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