Fundamentalist: Stories of a Mentally Ill, Obsessive Compulsive, Legalistic Youth Group Kid Turned Pastor

by Joey Svendsen

There's a stigma attached to mental illness and with the good Lord's help, Joey Svendsen is about to blow that stigma up. In a Christian-like way, of course.

Pastor Joey Svendsen, co-host of the BadChristian podcast wrote Fundamentalist with one to obliterate the reluctance people often have to speak transparently about mental illness.

Joey recounts stories from his life with brutal, hilarious honesty. Stories of irrational thinking and depression so bizarre, you have to laugh or you'll cry. Add a huge dose of holier-than-thou churchy hand-wringing, and Joey takes his obsessions to a whole new level.

Feel free to laugh and shake your head at Joey's expense. It's entertainment after all. But his primary goal is to "bring the issue of mental illness into the plane of reality" and normalize crazy with a little comedy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Faith

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2017

Reviews

[Jake Steffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short read, but really funny and relatable in many ways.

[Álvaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

... those with the gift of faith often have an extra helping of religious dogma on the side. This causes genuine fear in the face of God’s mysteries. You like black and white. You prefer to connect the dots. You like to put things in boxes. I get that, but the Bible that you use as your box says that God can’t be put in one.

Si quieren leer a una persona exponerse, casi al nivel del ridículo... este es el libro indicado. Joey Svendsen es un pastor, padre de familia que sufre de depresión y de trastornos obsesivos compulsivos... no que se pone triste de vez en cuando, o que se lava las manos muchas veces, sino que tiene una enfermedad mental.

Algunas de las historias las conocía, ya que escucho The Bad Christian Podcast, y en los casi tres años del programa, alguna que otra vez han tocado la temática, pero de todas maneras, en Fundamentalist, Joey va un poco más y analiza y detalla a fondo las situaciones, probablemente porque tiene más tiempo para contarlas y pensar que escribir.

Tal vez el libro no es una maravilla literaria, se nota que no es un escritor profesional, en algunas partes parece un poco repetitivo, y hasta marea, pero por otro lado es informativo, honesto y entretenido. Por momentos no sabía si reírme por lo increíble de la situación, o lamentarme por lo triste.

Se que para algunos la idea de un pastor con depresión puede ser contradictoria, pero es claro que una cosa no quita la otra, porque al final, como dice Joey:

We are all broken people in need.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, I highlighted vast swathes of this book. Joey Svendsen is courageous and a little crazy for writing it, but I am so glad he did. Are there some swear words? Yeah, and if you can’t handle that, then you definitely can’t handle the subject matter. But maybe you should try, because I guarantee you know someone - a family member or a friend - who is mentally ill. (Or maybe it’s you, and if that’s the case, you will appreciate Svendsen’s, um, candor, as I did.) Not nearly enough has been said about religious legalism and OCD behavior, and about depression and the struggling Christian. I love that Svendsen continually points to Jesus as the answer to what ails us while conceding that mental illness is real, painful for those suffering and those who love them, and not able to be dispelled with “pray it away” bumper sticker advice. This book, along with a few others, has pushed me to be braver and more authentic, and to ask myself once more if I really have understood the gospel message.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Legalistic, fundamentalist Christianity coupled with mental health issues is not a good combination. Joey Svendsen recounts stories of his struggles with depression and OCD, painting a picture of how these conditions distorted his perspective of God and negatively impacted much of his life. This is a very important topic that needs attention. Yes, some of the stories are hilarious, but this is a good reminder of how vital it is to talk about mental health - particularly in church circles. A short, accessible, funny read with a good message.

[Jameson Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

You won't meet a more honest and genuine guy than Joey Svendsen. This is an amazing portrait into mental illness and Christian legalism. It's hilarious in one moment and heartbreaking in the next. A great read!

[Quincy Warkentin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may not be a 5 star for everyone, I just relate a lot to his struggle with mental illness and I found this book very comforting

[Hayden French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly honest story from a pastor. Very encouraging to read and not feel like I’m the only one who has struggled with similar things. Great quick and easy read.

[Cassie Leavenworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good I read it all in one sitting

Wow. This book is excellent, I think I highlighted most of it. The best part being that Joey is so RELATABLE, first and foremost. He is brutally honest about his struggle against OCD and depression, and how he at last found his peace and hope, which was there all along. I will certainly be returning to this book for comfort on dark mental health days and would recommend for any Christian struggling with OCD.

[Andres Marin Solis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cant believe there are no reviews yet.
So let me start by saying that i listen to the audio book. Toby Morrell did an awesome job. It crack me up so many times. Yes its awkward and difficult to swallow sometimes but is great to see a pastor been so honest. My only complain might be the size. Too small in my opinion, but Joey went to the point on every subject. I really enjoy all the weird analogies.
The baby spiders one was the weirdest!

[Cory Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who struggles with OCD, and has dealt with the religious side of the coin as well, there were definitely moments in this book that my heart and mind resonated with. Moments that made me feel less crazy and moments that made me feel understood. Howeverrrrrrr, if I’m being honest, the biggest problem is this book is just not well written. It bounces all over the place like a bouncy ball and says a whole lot without saying a whole lot.

[Mark Archibald · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars is for the sake of those unfamiliar with Joey Svendson and the Bad Christian Podcast. Joey's a familiar "voice" in my life through listening to the Podcast. Those unfamiliar may find this book more of a peculiar read with the conversational writing style.
I read the book in just a few days - easy to read at a quick 115 pages. Discussion guide questions at the back are excellent.
Joey's blunt honesty of life with depression and OCD is both sobering and humorous. Some readers will think, "Man, he was messed up!" Having grown up in fundamentalist circles with OCD my response was "Sounds familiar!" I could relate to lots in his own story.
The book gets better and better towards to end, finishing on a vital mic drop. (Especially for anyone on any spectrum of church leadership) Important read for anyone suffering with mental illness or anyone who knows people suffering with mental illness.
So. . . basically everyone??