This is a book for those that believe in a higher power but are somewhat disillusioned by religion. As the blurb says ‘God is real. Everything we say about God is made up. Holy Rascals is a rousing call to anyone ready to go beyond “isms” and ideologies, and live in the world as a liberating force of justice, compassion, and joy.’
Inside it reminds us that twenty-five hundred years ago Diogenes exclaimed, “I am not an Athenian or a Greek but a citizen of the world.” Today many of us are struggling to make those words our own. “We have come to the point in history when anyone who is only Japanese or American, only Oriental or Occidental, is only half human. The other half that beats with the pulse of all humanity has yet to be born.” HUSTON SMITH, The World’s Religions.
But for you to really get the feel of this book and whether you are or want to be a ‘Holy Rascal’, the best way is to quote from it directly.
“Holy rascals are spiritual culture jammers who use humor, play, creativity, and critical thinking to reveal the human origins of religions— and how religions mask their true origins behind the conceit of divine origins,”
The book is in three parts, part one is about the making of a holy rascal and the great task of “freeing religion from the parochial and for the perennial.” Part two explores the art of “hacking the holy,” or pulling back the curtain on religion’s fear-based mechanisms of control. Part three presents some of the provocative tools and one-of-a-kind practices of the holy rascal, with guidance for creating your very own “rascally” ways.”
To be honest I found it a bit repetitive, but I loved the way it presented erudite and profound ideas with childlike joy and enthusiasm – it made it very accessible.
If you are religious – read this. if you’re not religious – read this! Throughout there is no pressure or suggestion that anyone should change their religion (or lack of) only that we should live it in love, compassion and joy.
4 Bites
NB I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review. The BookEaters always write honest reviews.
Jean-Michel Basquiat became an idol of modern art. His transition from the subways to the chic gallery spaces of Manhattan brought him into the company of many of New York’s established and aspiring stars. He became friends with fellow artists Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, performed with Debbie Harry and Fab 5 Freddie and dated Madonna.
In 1899 Spiritualist séance’s are sweeping through Europe. But men of science are ready to denounce every act as trickery and fraud. When skeptical, Jewish psychiatrist Camillo Lombardi sees a photo of Alessandra Poverelli levitating a table in Naples he immediately goes to investigate.
Two people were born on the 2nd March 1975, one in Eritrea one in London. Thirty years later Yonas has to leave Eritrea and travels to England as a refugee, when he arrives he has to ‘work off his debt’ in a factory and so fails to register as a refugee.
The most extraordinary, exciting, moving, wonderful, enjoyable and unusual biographies I have ever read. Tom Carew served in the British army in WWll , like most others he never talked of his wartime activities, only to mention in passing that he parachuted behind enemy lines to help the resistance. When Tom was in his eighties and showing signs of dementia, his daughter Keggie decided to write the story of this charming and irrepressible man, before his memories were lost forever.
This book and its author caused one of the great literary scandals. JT Leroy was a recluse at the start of their literary career, then they became a Warhol-esque celebrity and then they were discovered to be a fraud.
Washington Post writer Wesley Lowery was in Ferguson reporting on the murder of Michael Brown when he was arrested himself for charging his phone up in a local McDonalds. The McDonalds hadn’t complained by the way, the police just didn’t really like black reporters hanging around and doing their jobs it seems.
An unusual book by an unusual publisher. I came across the publishers “Unbound.com” about a year ago. Unbound is a crowdfunding book publisher. Potential authors submit an outline of their book which Unbound.com then publicise. If sufficient sponsorship is found then the author writes or finishes writing the book and it is published. Funding a book in this manner means that the publisher knows in advance that the book will be a financial success. Sponsors receive a copy of the book and all books include a tribute list showing the names of the sponsors.
Michael Palin called this book ‘A clarion call to all of us that we should not give up. Somewhere there is a voice in the wreckage.’ 
This is the story of Charles Strickland as told by a writer who at first is an acquaintance of his wife.
