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Your God is Too Boring
Some say, “Catholicism is outdated. It’s behind the times. It’s boring.” I say we’ve forgotten our story. It’s time to rediscover that there is genius in Catholicism. Christianity has captivated the world for more than two thousand years. Look a little closer, and you’ll see that it is the most dangerous and exciting thing on earth. Catholicism is a game changer. This book looks at the big picture of who God is, what he has revealed to us, and how that will radically impact our lives if we let it.
153 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 24, 2016
I want to begin by saying that I am, indeed, an atheist. After reading this book, I am still an atheist. However, please don't misunderstand. I'm not here to mock or tear apart this book or Catholicism or Christianity. I'm just here to give something of an "outside opinion" that I don't think this book has gotten before. Or, if it has, it has gotten very little.
I'm not sure where the statement that "your god is too boring" came into the author's life. Perhaps he knew one or two non-religious people who said that, but I certainly wouldn't say the god of the Bible is boring, nor do I think many, if any of the atheists I know would say that, either. The Bible can be a really interesting story, and the divine characters in it aren't boring so far as I'm concerned. I find them interesting, though not always appealing. However, if we were to compare the god of the Bible with other mythologies, such as Greek, Norse, etc, then yes. I suppose that god is boring in comparison, because those mythologies are just off the wall, whereas Jesus/Yahweh would appear tame next to them.
Catholicism itself, so far as I'm concerned, isn't boring, either. In fact, of all the different branches of Christianity out there, I find Catholicism to be the most romantic of them all. If I were going to be a Christian, I would be a Catholic because it DOESN'T seem boring at all.
If I compare books I've read about atheism to this one, I can't honestly say I found the content to be more compelling. I personally found the books on atheism to be more convincing. That isn't to say the author didn't do well. He writes very well, actually. I imagine hearing him speak in person is actually rather entertaining. He comes off as quite good at talking to people, but his arguments against atheism and for Catholicism just don't quite meet the mark. In a lot of ways, it felt like he was, for lack of a better way to put it, "preaching to the choir". Catholics (and many general Christians) will nod and smile and say, "Yes, yes, indeed!" But atheists or other non-religious people aren't likely to say, "I never thought of it that way. I think I'll be making a philosophical change." I'm not sure if that was the goal of the book, but if it was, I don't think it's going to work as it was hoped.
As I said, I like the author's writing. He seems like a "people person". I bet he's a great guy to know in person. He seems, for the most part, to be a happy fellow. I'm glad he is, and I'm glad he loves his religion so much. That's good! If you're religious, you SHOULD love your religion as much as this guy loves Catholicism. His book didn't change my mind about anything, but I'm not sorry I read it. I was glad to get to know this guy in some small way. I wish more people, religious or not, could be as thoughtful and passionate as him.
I'm not sure where the statement that "your god is too boring" came into the author's life. Perhaps he knew one or two non-religious people who said that, but I certainly wouldn't say the god of the Bible is boring, nor do I think many, if any of the atheists I know would say that, either. The Bible can be a really interesting story, and the divine characters in it aren't boring so far as I'm concerned. I find them interesting, though not always appealing. However, if we were to compare the god of the Bible with other mythologies, such as Greek, Norse, etc, then yes. I suppose that god is boring in comparison, because those mythologies are just off the wall, whereas Jesus/Yahweh would appear tame next to them.
Catholicism itself, so far as I'm concerned, isn't boring, either. In fact, of all the different branches of Christianity out there, I find Catholicism to be the most romantic of them all. If I were going to be a Christian, I would be a Catholic because it DOESN'T seem boring at all.
If I compare books I've read about atheism to this one, I can't honestly say I found the content to be more compelling. I personally found the books on atheism to be more convincing. That isn't to say the author didn't do well. He writes very well, actually. I imagine hearing him speak in person is actually rather entertaining. He comes off as quite good at talking to people, but his arguments against atheism and for Catholicism just don't quite meet the mark. In a lot of ways, it felt like he was, for lack of a better way to put it, "preaching to the choir". Catholics (and many general Christians) will nod and smile and say, "Yes, yes, indeed!" But atheists or other non-religious people aren't likely to say, "I never thought of it that way. I think I'll be making a philosophical change." I'm not sure if that was the goal of the book, but if it was, I don't think it's going to work as it was hoped.
As I said, I like the author's writing. He seems like a "people person". I bet he's a great guy to know in person. He seems, for the most part, to be a happy fellow. I'm glad he is, and I'm glad he loves his religion so much. That's good! If you're religious, you SHOULD love your religion as much as this guy loves Catholicism. His book didn't change my mind about anything, but I'm not sorry I read it. I was glad to get to know this guy in some small way. I wish more people, religious or not, could be as thoughtful and passionate as him.
November 21, 2024
Kind of boring, ironically. But some good stuff, to be sure.
February 3, 2016
I received this book after attending a talk by Matthew Kelly. I liked it, and some quotes I liked included:
"Whenever we run away from God, he is running after us." (p. 30)
"It's not fair -- the "prodigal son" (as we've learned to call him) went and wasted everything his father gave him. It's his own fault that he was hungry. The older brother did everything his father asked him to do. He never did anything wrong. But who gets the big party? It's not fair! These are exactly the objections the big brother raises, and we understand them perfectly.
But all those objections come from looking at the story from the outside, using our reason and not our hearts.
If you're a father or a mother, you can see the story from the inside. How many times has your son or daughter insulted you? How many times has she disobeyed you?
Do you think in terms of abstract justice then? Do you say, 'This is a disobedient child, who no longer deserves a place in the family'?
No, of course you don't. If your son ran away from home and fell in among drug dealers and prostitutes, you'd worry yourself sick. You'd pray night and day that God would just send him home safe. And if, against all odds, your son did come to his senses, sober up, and come back, you know exactly how you would feel.
The important thing to know, Jesus says, is not that God is just. The important thing is that God loves us like a father -- a real father with a heart, not an abstract father dedicated to justice. God loves us more than he loves justice." (p. 67)
"One of the great things about getting to know the saints is that you're not just hearing stories -- although they're great stories, and I don't want to diminish the power of a great story. You're making friends -- real friends, not imaginary friends, because the saints are very much alive, and they actually do care about us.
That's what we mean when we talk about the 'communion of saints' in the creed. God's people on earth and God's people in heaven -- we're all connected. The saints really are watching over us.
Ask for their help. They'll pray for you, and God listens to them.
That's why we Catholics make such a big deal of the saints. They're our friends, and they're the kind of friends who come through when you really need them. So we Catholics often pick favorite saints, people whose lives really inspire us. And on important occasions, we like to remember those favorite saints." (p.105)
"So, many of us have got a big hole in our lives we're trying to fill. And as I've made pretty clear, I think all those things are symptoms of the same problem.
We try to pound money, and status, and self-indulgence, and whatever else into that hole. But none of those things fit. They seem exciting for a while, but selfish indulgence is the wrong shape to fit into the hole. Because what we're looking for is something exciting to make our lives worthwhile, and -- here's that dirty little secret again that no one tells you in our pop culture -- selfishness is boring." (p. 125)
"Love isn't a soft-focus dream of running in slow motion through a field of daisies. Love isn't just sitting back and letting fuzzy feelings wash over you. Love is action." (p. 129)
"Think of Mother Teresa again. She spent her life doing hard work, harder than most of us can imagine doing. And she did it in spite of the fact that she sometimes went for years without feeling the presence of God in her life. What sustained her was faith and love -- faith that God would be there for her, even when she didn't feel it, and love for God, and for his people, who are the image of God." (p. 130)
"Whenever we run away from God, he is running after us." (p. 30)
"It's not fair -- the "prodigal son" (as we've learned to call him) went and wasted everything his father gave him. It's his own fault that he was hungry. The older brother did everything his father asked him to do. He never did anything wrong. But who gets the big party? It's not fair! These are exactly the objections the big brother raises, and we understand them perfectly.
But all those objections come from looking at the story from the outside, using our reason and not our hearts.
If you're a father or a mother, you can see the story from the inside. How many times has your son or daughter insulted you? How many times has she disobeyed you?
Do you think in terms of abstract justice then? Do you say, 'This is a disobedient child, who no longer deserves a place in the family'?
No, of course you don't. If your son ran away from home and fell in among drug dealers and prostitutes, you'd worry yourself sick. You'd pray night and day that God would just send him home safe. And if, against all odds, your son did come to his senses, sober up, and come back, you know exactly how you would feel.
The important thing to know, Jesus says, is not that God is just. The important thing is that God loves us like a father -- a real father with a heart, not an abstract father dedicated to justice. God loves us more than he loves justice." (p. 67)
"One of the great things about getting to know the saints is that you're not just hearing stories -- although they're great stories, and I don't want to diminish the power of a great story. You're making friends -- real friends, not imaginary friends, because the saints are very much alive, and they actually do care about us.
That's what we mean when we talk about the 'communion of saints' in the creed. God's people on earth and God's people in heaven -- we're all connected. The saints really are watching over us.
Ask for their help. They'll pray for you, and God listens to them.
That's why we Catholics make such a big deal of the saints. They're our friends, and they're the kind of friends who come through when you really need them. So we Catholics often pick favorite saints, people whose lives really inspire us. And on important occasions, we like to remember those favorite saints." (p.105)
"So, many of us have got a big hole in our lives we're trying to fill. And as I've made pretty clear, I think all those things are symptoms of the same problem.
We try to pound money, and status, and self-indulgence, and whatever else into that hole. But none of those things fit. They seem exciting for a while, but selfish indulgence is the wrong shape to fit into the hole. Because what we're looking for is something exciting to make our lives worthwhile, and -- here's that dirty little secret again that no one tells you in our pop culture -- selfishness is boring." (p. 125)
"Love isn't a soft-focus dream of running in slow motion through a field of daisies. Love isn't just sitting back and letting fuzzy feelings wash over you. Love is action." (p. 129)
"Think of Mother Teresa again. She spent her life doing hard work, harder than most of us can imagine doing. And she did it in spite of the fact that she sometimes went for years without feeling the presence of God in her life. What sustained her was faith and love -- faith that God would be there for her, even when she didn't feel it, and love for God, and for his people, who are the image of God." (p. 130)
May 3, 2016
This book races through salvation history as presented in the Bible in a very upbeat way, pleading with us to find it exciting. I think the author actually does a decent job, but as I have already drunk that Kool-Aid, it did not do much for me. This would probably be useful for someone who is vaguely familiar with the Bible, not too terribly opposed to the Church, and simply needs a kick in the pants.
June 29, 2021
I really enjoyed this short exploration of the Catholic faith and overview of some of the many ways that Jesus fulfills the promises of the Bible. The author is an excellent storyteller and weaves parts of both the Old Testament and the New Testament together into a light but compelling narrative that serves well to fire up a Catholic's passion for their faith!
March 1, 2021
A bold and hopeful man, a gifted story teller, a voice in the wilderness. Mr. Leonetti is truly, as kids often say, "the bomb." I don't say that though, I say he's "the balm," for an ailing world. He is a fine writer, helping us understand the greatest story of all.
December 16, 2019
I wish I could give this more stars. I love his message. The conclusion has my mind spinning with ideas and what I should do next. His passion is infectious.
December 31, 2021
Lots of great takeaway points!
April 29, 2023
it was kinda boring
December 28, 2014
I received a copy of "Your God is Too Boring" by Jon Leonetti as part of a Christmas present. After I read the back of the book, I became deeply intrigued by the contents therein. Then I read the section entitled "So There I Was" and was tickled to realize this book dealt with issues other members of my church and I had discussed in the past, especially related to evangelizing and misconceptions regarding our faith. I like the easy-going nature of the author's writing and his engaging, often amusing, writing style. I liked this comment Mr. Leonetti made on page 111, "I think when a lot of people consider saints, they think first of the martyrs. I purposely didn't start out with the martyrs, because I didn't want to suggest that you had to get yourself killed to be a saint." (Leonetti, 2014)
August 9, 2018
This book is like the cliff notes version of all of all Christianity, Catholicism in particular. Leonetti writes in a conversational, accessible style with lots of modern-day and pop-culture references and jokes mixed it. He goes over all of salvation history in a way that is easy to understand, and his passion and enthusiasm is catchy. He does an excellent job helping the reader imagine the significance of biblical and historical events, but relating them to modern concepts.
This book is not the for serious biblical scholar. It's audience is definitely people who think church, God, and Christianity are boring.
This book is not the for serious biblical scholar. It's audience is definitely people who think church, God, and Christianity are boring.
December 18, 2014
Leonetti lays out a powerful reminder that God cannot be compartmentalized. Presented in fun, engaging prose that reads like the author is speaking to you, this quick-read is a whirlwind journey through salvation history that explains important context behind the Bible stories we know well. Leonetti also brings in an important cast of saints and wise (wo)men to add color and explain the practical applications of a radical, world-altering God who wants to be in relationship with you.
If you read just one book on the Catholic faith this year, choose the Bible. If you read two, pick this one.
If you read just one book on the Catholic faith this year, choose the Bible. If you read two, pick this one.
January 5, 2016
This book was a very fresh perspective on why the God of the Christian faith is not stale, but is rather a very fascinating and unique being who did very revolutionary things during His time on earth and throughout all of history. This book opened my eyes to perspectives I had not considered before due to God just being a "status quo" part of my life. I highly recommend checking this book out as it is not very long yet can be quite life changing.
April 1, 2015
Really enjoyed this book about catholicism and how people who think it's boring really don't understand our faith. It is written as a conversation with the author and he also has a sense of humor while explaning in simple terms different parts of scripture. Would recommend to anyone who is interested in learning about our faith.
October 11, 2015
An easy to read book on why so many people find Church boring. The writing style comes across as if he was speaking to you while you are waiting for a bus. He makes a sound argument that God, Christianity, and Church is far from boring! They are radical and life-altering if you take time to search for the truth, and for what God wants of you.
November 30, 2014
A gentle yet powerful reminder of the wonders of the Catholic faith, and a challenge to do all that we can to help the Church succeed in its mission.
March 19, 2015
Quick and easy read. Jon does a wonderful job of telling us why God is not boring by revisiting many of the stories of the bible and asking us to join him in spreading the good news.
May 7, 2015
This book is well written in that it speaks in laymen's terms. It is easy to follow and very engaging.
May 29, 2015
Ok but not as good as the first. Is thoughtfully written
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews