The Cross in the Closet by Tim Kurek

The title of this book is The Cross in the Closet. That is exactly what Tim Kurek has done. He has put following Jesus in a closet. While I can appreciate the idea that he wishes to understand other people, the fact that he hurt so many other people for an experiment is very disturbing.

The book is laid out in parts with names following Biblical order: (1) Genesis (2) The Old Testament (3) The New Testament (4) Revelations. He continues his story chronologically through the year. He shares his experiences of “coming out,” exploring the gay life, and trying to understand people who live this particular lifestyle.

The fact that the author entered into this “experiment” with the intention of temporarily lying to everyone about him sounds very unethical. While I can appreciate the idea of living a year “in someone’s shoes,” it is disturbing that the author would inflict so much pain on everyone dear to him for the purpose of writing a book.

It is doubly sinful to engage in homosexuality with the intent of purposely lying to everyone around you just to experience how this behavior. There are dangerous consequences to this kind of intentional hypocrisy – not just his Christian friends and family, but also to the people whom he wishes to emulate. It is as if he is acting like a double agent with a selfish purpose in mind. He admits that he is deceiving his family by “coming out of the closet.”

Writing this book may have given Kurek more respect for the homosexual community. However, in doing this experiment, he has left me wondering why he had to use deception and not truth to find the answers he was searching.

As I wrote this review, I found that there were many people who had mixed reactions to this book. The guys at the Gospel Coalition were properly critical of the book. Another blogger called his book “nonsense.” I have to agree with their assessments.

This book review was for Speakeasy.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.