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Politically Incorrect Guides
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Christianity
You think you know about Christianity, but did you know...
Michael Foley is an associate professor of patristics in the Great Texts Program at Baylor University. He is also the author of Drinking with the The Sinner's Guide to a Holy Happy Hour.
Michael Foley is an associate professor of patristics in the Great Texts Program at Baylor University. He is also the author of Drinking with the The Sinner's Guide to a Holy Happy Hour.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
17 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Michael Foley
128 books55 followersOriginally from Killavullen, Co Cork, Michael Foley has written Kings of September, winner of the 2007 BoyleSports Irish Sportsbook of the year. He also ghostwrote Harte: Presence Is the Only Thing, the autobiography of Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte, shortlisted for the 2009 William Hill Irish Sportsbook of the Year.
Winner of the GAA’s McNamee Award in 2008 and shortlisted for Sports Journalist of the Year in 2003, he is acting sports editor and GAA correspondent for the Irish edition of the Sunday Times. This is his third book. He currently resides in Macroom, Co Cork.
Winner of the GAA’s McNamee Award in 2008 and shortlisted for Sports Journalist of the Year in 2003, he is acting sports editor and GAA correspondent for the Irish edition of the Sunday Times. This is his third book. He currently resides in Macroom, Co Cork.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 26, 2018
A Very Judgmental Editorial Founded In Historical Fiction and Obvious Biases
I cannot tell if the author genuinely does not get atheism and genuine criticism of the church, or if he is just a bible thumping jerk pushing his agenda.
I wanted to give a complete opinion of this book so I read it from beginning to end. It was like accidentally climbing a mountain to the summit, only to discover at the end that it was a mountain of dung the entire time.
To summarize this book, every other religion is wrong and anyone left of center is out to destroy the moral fabric of the universe.
This book is basically a conservative manifesto disguised as religious commentary. The author links any left leaning politics to being anti-theist, amoral, elitist, anti-man and basically destructive to all decent society. Apparently, according to the author, it is impossible to be a decent human being, unless you are toting a bible in one hand and your Republican party card in the other.
He actually goes as far as to equate planned parenthood with the barbarism of the Spanish Inquisition. I'll let you read the book if you need elaboration on that one.
As far as his criticism for atheism, he obviously does not get it. According to the book, all atheists are simply a result of not having a father figure in their lives or simply being morally corrupt. It is as if no one that does not worship daddy long fingers in the sky has to be a demon incarnate.
I feel that this author is a poor representative of the Christian faith. Although I am not a believer, I do not think any less of any good human being, no matter their religion or lack thereof. Apparently though, any Christians that act badly are simply the expected exceptions to any large group of people, and all of the good from the religion is really what should count. He fails however, to extend this latitude to any other group of people.
He then feels the need to spend a bit of the book actually trying to prove the existence of god. Arguing the existence of god is probably the least fruitful way in which anyone, a believer or not, can spend their time.
If the book spent as much time preaching the virtues of loving and helping your fellow man instead of constantly rationalizing every legitimate criticism of Christianity and tearing down everyone else, it may have actually been worth reading.
I cannot tell if the author genuinely does not get atheism and genuine criticism of the church, or if he is just a bible thumping jerk pushing his agenda.
I wanted to give a complete opinion of this book so I read it from beginning to end. It was like accidentally climbing a mountain to the summit, only to discover at the end that it was a mountain of dung the entire time.
To summarize this book, every other religion is wrong and anyone left of center is out to destroy the moral fabric of the universe.
This book is basically a conservative manifesto disguised as religious commentary. The author links any left leaning politics to being anti-theist, amoral, elitist, anti-man and basically destructive to all decent society. Apparently, according to the author, it is impossible to be a decent human being, unless you are toting a bible in one hand and your Republican party card in the other.
He actually goes as far as to equate planned parenthood with the barbarism of the Spanish Inquisition. I'll let you read the book if you need elaboration on that one.
As far as his criticism for atheism, he obviously does not get it. According to the book, all atheists are simply a result of not having a father figure in their lives or simply being morally corrupt. It is as if no one that does not worship daddy long fingers in the sky has to be a demon incarnate.
I feel that this author is a poor representative of the Christian faith. Although I am not a believer, I do not think any less of any good human being, no matter their religion or lack thereof. Apparently though, any Christians that act badly are simply the expected exceptions to any large group of people, and all of the good from the religion is really what should count. He fails however, to extend this latitude to any other group of people.
He then feels the need to spend a bit of the book actually trying to prove the existence of god. Arguing the existence of god is probably the least fruitful way in which anyone, a believer or not, can spend their time.
If the book spent as much time preaching the virtues of loving and helping your fellow man instead of constantly rationalizing every legitimate criticism of Christianity and tearing down everyone else, it may have actually been worth reading.
January 2, 2026
Obviously, there is a bias here, but it is not hidden. I don't agree with the author on everything, (politically or theologically) but there were some fascinating things throughout.
February 13, 2022
Politically incorrect must mean, to Foley, just throwing some buzzwords around and being theologically careless.
July 17, 2018
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Christianity is one of a collection of Politically Incorrect Guides on a miriad of topics from historical to religious to political and more. They are written by various authors so I think of them as a collection rather than a series. They looked intriguing so I decided to try this one to get a feel for how the rest of them might be. This one covers the history and evolution (no pun intended) of Christianity including facts, myths, and comparisons and relationships to other great religions. I was impressed enough that I will definitely be working my way through the rest of the collection. Based on this one book so far, I would recommend them to anyone who is focused on specific topics and subject matter to check them out.
December 18, 2017
A parody of Christianity (exquisite example of Poe's law), a veritable catalogue of all possible logical fallacies, baseless scientific claims and just plain nonsense. The only reason I know this is actually for real is because I read another book by the author where he is equally disdainful of anyone not sharing his chosen religion.
January 11, 2018
Can't believe I've read such a non-sense book. Okay, I didn't finish it. When I found that it's poorly-written, I picked several paragraphs in the next chapters and realized I really should waste my time.
Read
January 25, 2018I started reading this book looking for an analytical view on Christianity, unfortunately it seems instead of looking from a impartial view point the author was simply pushing his own view point.
February 6, 2018
Read something by Chris Hedges -- I don't Believe in Atheists is the closest to this book only, you know, clever.
Sorry Foley, you lost me by starting with the Ontological BS and never recovered. Not a Chrsistian myself, but heaps of respect for the Liberal Church, and the reforms the Catholics are making lately, plus their work fighting the US terrorism in Latin America -- but this book wouldn't have swayed me in the least back when I still passionately hated Christianity for what people did to me in its name when I was young. People like Chris Hedges, and realizing that the Prosperity Gospel and Evangelicals are heretics helped with that; the same way and for pretty much the same reasons knowing Islamist terrorists are heretics leaves me with no ill will towards Islam. Tho I'd like to see more and faster reform towards social justice in the moderate Muslim-majority nations, a lot of what stereo-typically think of as obvious barbarity there is largely a result of US and other foreign terrorism and wars of aggression in their nations. In other words -- that's a lot more politics than it is Islam. Islam can modernize, just as Christianity has to a degree. And the same goes for any religion -- it's a bad thing for bad people, and a good thing for good people. The difference isn't even hard to spot once you learn one thing -- which one you are.
Sorry Foley, you lost me by starting with the Ontological BS and never recovered. Not a Chrsistian myself, but heaps of respect for the Liberal Church, and the reforms the Catholics are making lately, plus their work fighting the US terrorism in Latin America -- but this book wouldn't have swayed me in the least back when I still passionately hated Christianity for what people did to me in its name when I was young. People like Chris Hedges, and realizing that the Prosperity Gospel and Evangelicals are heretics helped with that; the same way and for pretty much the same reasons knowing Islamist terrorists are heretics leaves me with no ill will towards Islam. Tho I'd like to see more and faster reform towards social justice in the moderate Muslim-majority nations, a lot of what stereo-typically think of as obvious barbarity there is largely a result of US and other foreign terrorism and wars of aggression in their nations. In other words -- that's a lot more politics than it is Islam. Islam can modernize, just as Christianity has to a degree. And the same goes for any religion -- it's a bad thing for bad people, and a good thing for good people. The difference isn't even hard to spot once you learn one thing -- which one you are.
November 9, 2023
It was politically incorrect. Much of what was said, I could track with and even agree with to a degree. I think that what turned me off the most was the sarcasm. That surprised me. I love sarcasm and probably use it far too much. For some reason, in this setting it just sat wrong with me. Unfortunately , I cannot state why. I am trying to figure that out myself. I will probably use this book, more as a reference book than anything else. I can see me going back to it for quotes, and maybe some directional insight in a few areas. My rating has more to do with where it landed compared to my expectations rather than where it's absolute rating should be. I really wanted to enjoy this book. But what became tiresome wasn't the content so much as it was the delivery.
July 1, 2021
Read my mid way comments.
I’ll add that even when deriding something that the US right is famous for, such as damaging the environment or undermining the notion of truth, he can’t bring himself to mention that.
So overall the effect is probably to confirm right wing US Christians in their political views, rather than equip them to discuss their faith.
Surprisingly he strikes a reasonable line on evolution/ creation. He seems reasonable on the Crusades, but I can’t verify him on that
I’ll add that even when deriding something that the US right is famous for, such as damaging the environment or undermining the notion of truth, he can’t bring himself to mention that.
So overall the effect is probably to confirm right wing US Christians in their political views, rather than equip them to discuss their faith.
Surprisingly he strikes a reasonable line on evolution/ creation. He seems reasonable on the Crusades, but I can’t verify him on that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2021
An Inspiring Essay!
This excellent book is both well informed and smoothly written. A must for modern day Christians who are surrounded every day by the lies and half-truths professed by today's secular humanist society.
This excellent book is both well informed and smoothly written. A must for modern day Christians who are surrounded every day by the lies and half-truths professed by today's secular humanist society.
March 24, 2022
Малко късно пиша това ревю, след като я изслушах в сторител и споментът ми изобщо не е пресен. Но книгата бих я изплушал отново - тази и онази за библията.
Това което ми прави впечатление е наистина че просветените либерални хора с добри намерения са готови наистина на първо място да лъжат без да им мигне окото в името на идеялите си. Да лъжат без да се замислят също така и по адрес на другите хора. Реално сме заобиколени от идеолози лъжци. И понеже са навсякъде около нас и ни мързи да проверим за това им вярваме на глупостите.
В книгата имаше доста митове, които и аз съм считал за христанството, които изобщо не са верни. Митове от библията и митове от историята.
Това което ми прави впечатление е наистина че просветените либерални хора с добри намерения са готови наистина на първо място да лъжат без да им мигне окото в името на идеялите си. Да лъжат без да се замислят също така и по адрес на другите хора. Реално сме заобиколени от идеолози лъжци. И понеже са навсякъде около нас и ни мързи да проверим за това им вярваме на глупостите.
В книгата имаше доста митове, които и аз съм считал за христанството, които изобщо не са верни. Митове от библията и митове от историята.
September 12, 2021
One of the more mediocre PIGs, this one offers an attack on the offenders of the Christian Faith, especially amongst the intellectuals. It's not the best the series has to offer.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews