Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang Book Review

About the Book:

In the spirit of George Carlin and Christopher Hitchens, the son of a former Catholic nun and a Franciscan brother delivers a deeply irreverent and biblically correct takedown of far-right Christian hatred—a book for believers, atheists, agnostics, and anyone who’ll ever have to deal with a Christian nationalist.

For more than two centuries, the United States Constitution has given us the right to a society where church and state exist independently. But Christianity has been hijacked by far-right groups and politicians who seek to impose their narrow views on government, often to justify oppressive and unequal policies. The extremists who weaponize the Bible for earthly power aren’t actually on the side of Jesus—and historically they never have been. How do we fight back against those acting—literally—in bad faith?

Comedian and broadcaster John Fugelsang finally offers the answers. In this informative, perspective-shifting book, Fugelsang takes readers through common fundamentalist arguments on abor­tion, immigration, LGBTQ rights, and more—exposing their hypocrisy and inaccuracy through scripture, common sense, and deeply inappropriate humor. It offers practical tips on how to debate your loved one, coworker, or neighbor on the issues that divide us using that Bible they claim to follow.

But Fugelsang’s message is about more than just taking down hypocrites. It’s about fighting for the love, mercy, and service that are supposed to make up the heart of Christianity. Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, comedy, and deep political and religious knowledge, Separation of Church and Hate is the book every American needs today. It’s a rallying cry for compassion and clarity for anyone of any faith who’s sick of religion being used as a cloaking device for hate.

My Review:

Fugelsang has written a scathing critique of people who claim to be Christian but are by no means followers of Christ nor like him in their behavior. He knows his Bible! He quotes many Bible passages and draws conclusions from them. He evaluates people who call themselves Christians in light of Jesus' teachings. Fugelsang is a comedian so he includes humor, some of it sarcastic.

Here are some comments from the book that impressed me. “If the USA was truly a 'Christian nation,' we'd vote to take care of the poor and sick and let private charity bail out Wall Street.” (181) Jesus gave free food to the poor and free healthcare, Fugelsang says. Jesus' disciples were not free market devotees nor promoters of wealth accumulation. (190) The early church model was of shared resources.

Fugelsang is a clever writer, such as on gun control. “Some Christians don't want the Prince of Peace; they want a prince who packs a piece.” (244) He can be sarcastic, such as on slavery. “Apparently Jesus died for our sins so we could commit all new ones, with brutal creativity.” (279) While he is critical of the harm done by those calling themselves Christians, he is quick to recognize the good done by believers of good faith, real Jesus followers embodying Jesus' teachings of justice and compassion. (280)

Fugelsang is brutally honest as he calls “Christians” to actually be Christ-like. What a wake-up call to those who want to be known as Christians but are not like him at all.

About the Author:

Actor, comedian & broadcaster John Fugelsang hosts 'Tell Me Everything" weekdays on SiriusXM Insight #121.  You can find out more at https://www.johnfugelsang.com/. 

Simon and Schuster, 304 pages.