Compelling Read, Part 2

By the way, if you want a good soundtrack to go with the aforementioned book, try Derek Webb's "Mockingbird". Much of the lyrical content is similar in theme to Sider's book.

And now a brief word of caveat ... the theme of these posts and the next few will be how we (as American Christians) are falling short in so many ways of the standard set before us by Jesus. I am in no way un-American or one who delights in criticizing other Christians. I desire to be, however, one who thinks critically and asks hard questions of myself and others in order that we might best imitate the one person who lived a faultless life on this earth. American Christians are perpetrators of much good already, but how much more glory could we bring to the Father if we were more faithful to Him in some areas? If by examining our actions, thoughts, biases, idols and sacred cows we might open ourselves to a closer communion with Him, I'm all for such introspection and the pruning that's likely to follow.