Stuff Christians Like<\/em> is a new book by blogger and first-time author Jon Acuff. The book is an expansion of the website<\/a> of the same name which has graced the internet since 2008. The SCL book<\/a>, like the blog, is a freeing look at our funny family of faith, even those less-than-flattering problem areas. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to mark the occasion by asking Jon a few questions. Enjoy!<\/p>\n What are the limits of satire?<\/strong><\/p>\n I don\u2019t think there are clear cut black and white limits. I try to only write what is honest of my own life. So if it\u2019s a situation I have not really experienced myself, that\u2019s a limit. I\u2019d also say that one of the limits is love. I care about love more than satire so if I think something is going to hurt someone, I don\u2019t write it.<\/p>\n Have you used humor as an an evangelism tool? What might be the pitfalls of doing that?<\/strong><\/p>\n I would say that the stuffchristianslike.net<\/a> completely uses humor as an evangelism tool. Laughter is a universal language. When you go on a mission trip, even though you can\u2019t speak the same language, you can laugh together. The pitfall is taking to too far. The pitfall is that you end up using mockery instead of satire. And God is not a fan of mockery.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t now that they are afraid to laugh. I\u2019ve had over 1 million folks laugh with me on the site, so I feel like they are not afraid to laugh. I feel like we just don\u2019t have a huge history of creating funny things. I am certainly not a pioneer in Christian humor. Folks like Matthew Paul Turner<\/a> and Lark News<\/a> have been doing this a lot longer than me but for the most part we don\u2019t have a rich history of comedy in our faith.<\/p>\n What is it about your blog that appeals to non-Christians?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think that it\u2019s honest. I admit the things I\u2019ve done incorrectly as a Christian. I write about our shortcomings.<\/p>\n How do you maintain a peaceable, welcoming environment?<\/strong><\/p>\n I only point one finger and that\u2019s at me. I attack issues, not individuals and that helps people trust I am not being mean or toxic in my humor.<\/p>\n Share with me, if you will, an example of healthy dialogue which has taken place on StuffChristiansLike.net<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n I wrote about the three most common types of pastor\u2019s wives. A pastor\u2019s wife commented that she didn\u2019t fit any of them and was actually a horrible wife who was hurting her husband\u2019s ministry. Without any input from me, a handful of other pastor\u2019s wives stepped up and commented back to her, encouraging her and strengthening her.<\/p>\n If you could do away with one comment, one regularly repeated sentiment, what would it be?<\/strong><\/p>\n That to do serious good you have to be serious. That\u2019s the mentality that gets me most. That you have to be somber and serious to really change the world. Not true. We raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam with just the site Stuff Christians Like. We did that through humor.<\/p>\n Which is the greater battle? Christians against \u201cthe world\u201d or Christians against each other?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think I would say against the world. We\u2019re surrounded by a world that subtly and deliberately wears away at the things we hold vital.<\/p>\n What have been the most interesting moments thus far in promoting the new book?<\/strong><\/p>\n The other day I was asked to do a radio interview in the UK. I got on the phone and the producer said, \u201cJon, you\u2019ll be on with the host and the Bishop of Buckingham.\u201d That was just so perfectly random. I thought to myself, \u201cOf course I am spending my lunch break at work talking with the Bishop of Buckingham about Twitter, that is exactly how I planned this day.\u201d I\u2019m just some random guy in his kitchen with a blog, all of this stuff has been fun and funny.<\/p>\n How did you concoct your particular brew of sincere sarcasm? <\/strong><\/p>\n I really believe that mockery is a great short cut to easy laughs, but it removes your ability to speak in love later. As a Christian, the love matters more to me. I can\u2019t reconcile being a jerk online and then being a compassionate Christian offline. I have failed at this. Please know that I have messed them up a lot, but I\u2019ve had some really generous readers and friends who have helped me shape this voice. I don\u2019t consider myself the \u201cowner\u201d of Stuff Christians Like because so many people have helped shape the place it\u2019s arrived at.<\/p>\n My mother-in-law tunes into Joel Osteen each week for the joke and then promptly turns the channel. Do you have any advice for Joel on how he might keep her attention for longer?<\/strong><\/p>\n That might be the most random question I have ever received. I would have to say this, if that spinning globe of metal behind Osteen is not holding her attention, I\u2019m not sure anything, including white Siberian tigers that appear carved from fluffy clouds, could hold her attention.<\/p>\n What is the stuff that you like? <\/strong><\/p>\n I like laughing. I like hearing my kids filter the world through their little heads. I like Seth Godin. I love my wife. I like being done with jogging but not jogging. I like techno music. I like salt & vinegar chips. I liked writing the book Stuff Christians Like. I like Joel McHale.<\/p>\n For more of Jon, follow him on Twitter @prodigaljohn<\/a> The author of “Stuff Christians Like” discusses satire, blogging, and the church.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1240,"featured_media":6478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,10,11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-general-culture","category-headline","category-literature"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAre Christians afraid to laugh? If so, why?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nYou can purchase Stuff Christians Like<\/a> <\/em>at Amazon.com.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"