When I very suddenly became a Christian, I was in a supply closet at my job. By the time I was coming out of that closet (har! okay, grow up) — and I mean the exact thought that very strongly came to me as I was turning the doorknob that would lead me back out into the real world — I knew that I was never going to evangelize to others. Can you imagine? You fall on your knees; out... Read more
Lately I’ve gotten in a few requests for a sample of what’s in my book, “Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: Why I Do the Things I Do,” by God (as told to John Shore). Here, then, is the dedication, Table of Contents, and introduction (or what, in this book, is called the “Opening Part”) of that book. Dedication To you, the reader. And to all other humans. Well, to all mammals. And birds, too. And fish — we can’t... Read more
What in the end proved most true for Jack is the same thing that in the end we all hope (and many of us trust) will prove most true for us. Read more
A young Christian guy wrote to ask, “Do I really have to care all that much about the Old Testament?” My answer: If you want to care about something Jesus himself was deeply passionate about, then, yes, you need to care about the Old Testament. (more…) Read more
Physician + patient access = example of marketer’s wet dream. Denomination + pastor + congregation = even wetter. Beware, okay? Read more
Here is the very quick version of the publishing saga of my book, I’m OK-You’re Not: The Message We’re Sending Nonbelievers and Why We Should Stop. 1. I have my conversion experience. 2. I get intensely interested in helping my non/anti-Christian friends understand how it is that just because I suddenly became a Christian doesn’t mean I also suddenly became a homophobic, misogynistic, narrow-minded moron. 3. I write my Christian apologetic, Penguins, Pain and the Whole Shebang: Why I Do... Read more
An earnest-sounding young Christian woman wrote to ask me why she shouldn’t “dress sexy” if she feels like it. “Why not?” she wrote. “We’re not living in the time of the Puritans anymore. I should be able to dress in whatever way makes me feel good.” (more…) Read more
I’m in a hurry just now, but I wanted to throw this out there real quick, and then see what you guys might have said about it once I return from my trip to Trader Joe’s and the post office and getting lost for at least fifteen minutes because I’m not actually sure where the post office is. I’m going to speak tonight at/to/in front of a group of Christian artists. So I was thinking about what I might say.... Read more
The other day a reader wrote me the following: “John, would you comment on something I heard last night at church, which is that God uses people to deliver messages? The idea is that the delivery is usually made by someone who has no clue what the message means, to someone who is desperate for the message. Do you think that’s a possibility, that God really uses people to deliver his messages?” I’m not sure people have any other purpose but to... Read more
Zero study of history + “Catholics aren’t really Christian” = please shut the f up. Read more
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