You Can't Ask That!: 50 Taboo Questions about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity

by Christian Piatt, Jamie Wright (Foreword)

Have you ever had a burning question that seemed off limits or inappropriate to ask about Christianity, the Bible, or Jesus? You Can’t Ask That! gathers 50 of the most provocative, challenging, or otherwise taboo questions that many of us have wondered about but few have actually asked. Edited by Christian Piatt, who once had a bible thrown at his head for asking too many questions during a Sunday school class, this collection considers nothing off limits and takes the hard questions seriously. Responses from theology professors, pastors, lay leaders, and other progressive Christians range from the personal to the profound and from sarcastic to deeply touching. By offering multiple perspectives to those banned questions, readers can craft their own answers. Better yet, they’ll understand that questioning faith is not taboo; it’s the foundation of a strong and growing faith.

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

I once heard a surgeon tell an author that he had always wanted to write a novel.

"That's funny," said the author, "I've always wanted to perform brain surgery."

Writing as a hobby is one thing; writing as a passionate obsession is entirely another; writing professionally is equal parts megalomania and masochism.

I started out writing arts reviews for a local paper, moving on to features and a few op-ed pieces after a while with some other publications. I picked up a few pieces for some magazines, and from there, got my opportunity to do a weekly column in the paper, a regular column in a national magazine and my first two books with a national publisher in the relatively short span of eighteen months.

It took me a decade of preparation to get there, though.

I hooked up with a literary agent in 2007, who has been focusing on shopping a novel and a memoir for me. Meanwhile, I do articles for various websites and magazines, and I'm in the process of acting as a series co-editor for a string of young adult theology books for Chalice Press. I'm also working as volume editor on a couple of books in the series. The first two books in the series will be out in 2009.

I'd insert something cute and funny here, but then you'd only be disappointed if you ever met me and thought, "Hey, he's not cute and funny like his bio at all. He sucks." So I'll just leave it at that.

Reviews

[Lena VanAusdle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't really rate this book on its writing because it's just a collection of responses from different theologians. I was excited about this book because I love apologetics and being able to have biblical discussions. But this book isn't apologetics; and there is not a variety of views in this book. I couldn't find a single conservative voice in the mix.

I don't agree with much of the theology of the authors, given that I am religiously traditional, but I found their theological maneuverings to get the Bible to say what they wanted to say disingenuous at best, and downright anti-Bible/anti-Christian at worst. At times just saying, the Bible says this, but we don't have to believe the Bible to be Christian.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has had their faith shaken over the past year, some serious questions have started to pop up. I picked up this book, hoping to answer them.

This book addresses 50 questions about Christianity that were sent in and several different Bible experts give their take.

It was alright. It definitely was a good starting point and gave me some good resources and things to think about but it wasn’t mind blowing.

Good to look through and read what relates to questions you have and then think for yourself!

[Austin Allred · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book through a goodreads giveaway for an honest review.
The Cover worked! The Title worked. I was excited to read this book. I like learning about religion and People answer "Taboo" questions about the bible screamed to me to read.
However that all this is. A good title and an interesting cover.
These "Taboo" questions are not very taboo. As somebody who wasn't raised religious, i wouldn't have a very hard time defending and answering some of these questions.
Maybe these are taboo if you really do not want anybody asking anything to learn more about religion.
Clearly I am not the demographic for this book. That is probably why it did not work for me.
The author did have a list of all of the "answerers" with a little blurb about who they are. But it probably would have served better if the little blurb was next to their name on their answers.
A lot of the Answers didn't even answer the question in my opinion, some seemed like a mess with a lot of answers being "the bible says this" "This verse says this" and it just didn't seem to answer the questions.
I don't know. Ramble over. I didn't like it, probably because again I am not the Demographic.
Im giving it two stars because it did mention other books that I am going to check out. But other than that, it was a dud.

[Hil · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not Christian apologetics!! This is barely even Christian. It has exactly zero information from a biblical worldview included.
Try Alisa Childers, Natasha Crain, Mike Winger, John Cooper, J Warner Wallace, Scott Klusendorf, Gary Habermas, Hugh Ross, Kirk Cameron, Tara Leigh Cobble, etc. Just leave this book right where it's at.