“Jesus Swept” is an engaging, hilarious critique of Christianity, sexuality and modernity.
James Protzman’s “Jesus Swept” (Kitsune Books, $12.00) is a laugh out loud look at
the sacred and profane, through an engaging human approach to understanding the
divine in the everyday lives of an unlikely Jesus, his disciples and those he never
meets. With a creative use of word play, an adaptation of the myth of how “Jesus”
comes to be, and a multifaceted critique of both the absurdity of modern religion and
the crassness of today’s society – Protzman takes the reader on a satisfying journey
of self awareness through the disparate lives of his humanely crafted characters. The
book’s unflinching willingness to present its character messengers, warts and all,
makes the bumper sticker theme of “Do Good. Be Nice. Have Fun.”, that much easier
to understand that life is a journey, whose destination is the “sweetspot” at the nexus
of the three.
The journey of Protzman’s unlikely Jesus embraces this life as the one that should be
fully filled. The secret to this is doing good, being nice and having fun, all at the same
time. The author clearly had fun writing the book, as he embraced modern technology
to engage in agapic word play with computer assisted messages in crafting characters
that you wish you knew, or do know. Protzman’s staccato chapters develop characters
in layered fashion – motivating the reader with carrots of linguistic pleasure to discover
new depths in the familiar archetypes of druggy dropout, moon-eyed hippie,
homosexual thug, red-necked bigot, lecherous clergy, and intellectual whore, (the sort
of people Jesus would have spent time with while on the Earth) – as compatriots on a
journey to living a “life fully filled.”
The crassness of modern society comes under scrutiny in a non-judgmental way that
forces us to consider our own use of profanity in everyday discourse. Protzman’s
critique of our vulgarity takes shape in the beatitude, never uttered by Jesus of
Nazareth, “blessed are they that don’t say fucking so much.” This critique comes from
the Jesus of Carolina, and joins the philosophy of living a better life by being nice to
those around you, even the ones that make you want to cuss.
The asexuality of the biblical Jesus is preserved in this book – while at the same time
the reader encounters homosexuality in a way that, to the uninitiated may seem
shocking, but strikes true an understanding of what it is like to seek love in a gay
relationship. Protzman is not gay, yet he surprisingly approaches the struggle for gay
identity and love in a non-patronizing fashion that is true to gay experience. This
exploration of homosexuality is nonthreatening to the straight reader, and will allow
them to understand just some of the gay angst their friends experience.
”Jesus Swept” is a quick read sure to provide more satisfaction than the “De Vinci
Code.” Be ready to laugh and cry in the course of a few pages on this hilarious and
poignant roller coaster. This may be Protzman’s first book, but I’m sure that it won’t be
his last.
A minister and activist living in Laramie, J. David Nichols is co-host and co-producer of
Shared Sacrifice Radio.
James Protzman’s “Jesus Swept” (Kitsune Books, $12.00) is a laugh out loud look at
the sacred and profane, through an engaging human approach to understanding the
divine in the everyday lives of an unlikely Jesus, his disciples and those he never
meets. With a creative use of word play, an adaptation of the myth of how “Jesus”
comes to be, and a multifaceted critique of both the absurdity of modern religion and
the crassness of today’s society – Protzman takes the reader on a satisfying journey
of self awareness through the disparate lives of his humanely crafted characters. The
book’s unflinching willingness to present its character messengers, warts and all,
makes the bumper sticker theme of “Do Good. Be Nice. Have Fun.”, that much easier
to understand that life is a journey, whose destination is the “sweetspot” at the nexus
of the three.
The journey of Protzman’s unlikely Jesus embraces this life as the one that should be
fully filled. The secret to this is doing good, being nice and having fun, all at the same
time. The author clearly had fun writing the book, as he embraced modern technology
to engage in agapic word play with computer assisted messages in crafting characters
that you wish you knew, or do know. Protzman’s staccato chapters develop characters
in layered fashion – motivating the reader with carrots of linguistic pleasure to discover
new depths in the familiar archetypes of druggy dropout, moon-eyed hippie,
homosexual thug, red-necked bigot, lecherous clergy, and intellectual whore, (the sort
of people Jesus would have spent time with while on the Earth) – as compatriots on a
journey to living a “life fully filled.”
The crassness of modern society comes under scrutiny in a non-judgmental way that
forces us to consider our own use of profanity in everyday discourse. Protzman’s
critique of our vulgarity takes shape in the beatitude, never uttered by Jesus of
Nazareth, “blessed are they that don’t say fucking so much.” This critique comes from
the Jesus of Carolina, and joins the philosophy of living a better life by being nice to
those around you, even the ones that make you want to cuss.
The asexuality of the biblical Jesus is preserved in this book – while at the same time
the reader encounters homosexuality in a way that, to the uninitiated may seem
shocking, but strikes true an understanding of what it is like to seek love in a gay
relationship. Protzman is not gay, yet he surprisingly approaches the struggle for gay
identity and love in a non-patronizing fashion that is true to gay experience. This
exploration of homosexuality is nonthreatening to the straight reader, and will allow
them to understand just some of the gay angst their friends experience.
”Jesus Swept” is a quick read sure to provide more satisfaction than the “De Vinci
Code.” Be ready to laugh and cry in the course of a few pages on this hilarious and
poignant roller coaster. This may be Protzman’s first book, but I’m sure that it won’t be
his last.
A minister and activist living in Laramie, J. David Nichols is co-host and co-producer of
Shared Sacrifice Radio.
A SATISFYING LAUGH AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR
SAVIOR. IT'S SPECIAL.
19 March 2009
by Rev. J. David Nichols, J.D.
SAVIOR. IT'S SPECIAL.
19 March 2009
by Rev. J. David Nichols, J.D.
| SHARED SACRIFICE THE JOURNAL OF PROGRESSIVE THOUGHT 19 MARCH 2009 |
 | |  | |  |
| ALL CONTENT COPYRIGHT 2009 SHARED SACRIFICE MEDIA |