Again, I failed in my goal to write two chapters of Kids Who Know this week. I got through half of one. There is, however, a reason for my slow output on that novel - I've been working on another writing project.
Allow me to introduce my new blog, Biblical Proportions. Those who know me, know I have a bone to pick with organized religeons, Christianity in particular. There's a fair bit of that in my latest novel, Epoch, and a whole lot more in the upcoming (soon, I hope!) The Right Hand of Evil. I've collected a whole bagful of religious tracts over the years, some for research purposes, some for story ideas. I finally decided to do something really fun with them, and Biblical Proportions is the result. In this new blog, I review tracts. I treat them as a form of art, and critique them based on five categories:
1. Likely to Convert
Exactly like it sounds. How likely is it that the tract I'm reviewing will achieve its goal of converting its reader to the Christian faith?
2. Artwork
Some tracts have striking images. Some have lame images. Some have only one picture on their cover, while others are cartoons. The best and worst of tract artwork faces judgment here.
3. Ability to Hold Interest
Some tracts are boring as hell (pun absolutely intended). This category lets readers know which ones have content worth actually looking at, such as...
4. Unintentional Hilarity
Some tracts are really funny for all the wrong reasons. They try to be deadly serious about the peril of your mortal soul, but end up providing guffaws instead of Salvation. They are so serious that you can't take them seriously (seriously!), which is at least better than the final category...
5. Level of Disturbing or Offensive Content.
I've read many that go after the gay community, citing a few out-of-context Bible verses as their justification. Others attack other religions, saying that Christianity is the only way to God. Some are simply in very bad taste - there's one I've just reviewed that suggests the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks might be in Hell now if they hadn't accepted Jesus. These are the tracts that fill me with anger, and deserve to be exposed for what they are.
So that's what I've been doing with most of my spare time. Check out Biblical Proportions, where tracts (and someday, videos and websites) face the wrath of my judgment!
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5 comments:
"Biblical proportions" is a good idea for a blog. I dislike tracts in general-- they're often poorly written and steeped in fundamentalism. People are more complex than the tracts would lead you to believe. By the way, I wish I could remember who said this, but I appreciate the quote that, "The only people who interpret the Bible as factual are fundamentalists and athiests."
I think I need to return to Madeleine L'Engles memoirs again. Madeleine L'Engle gives me some jolts of courage that people can be intelligent, introspective, compassionate and religious.
P.S. Has anyone ever told you that you look a bit like Neil Gaiman? There must be a British science-fiction writer spore out there somewhere that infiltrates its way into the human genome.
Me again. I just can't get away...
no, but it just occured to me that you've probably already read Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, but if you haven't, you must run out and grab a copy right away. It just occured to me that this novel might be right up your alley. I was riveted. (I still have the rivet marks.)
I like it! I love crazy religious comics. I'm sure you're aware of America's greatest contribution to this sort of ridiculousness, Jack Chick. His stuff is sexist, racist, completely illogical, and tons of fun.
Here's a particularly awesome anti-Catholic Chick cartoon:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0082/0082_01.asp
Well done Tim, two blogs is a good occupation, I'll check it immediately! The idea is simply genius ;-)
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