Religiously Transmitted Diseases: Finding a Cure When Faith Doesn't Feel Right

As already stated in the title, RTD is a phenominal book for decontaminating Christians from Religion. I'll use Scripture to describe (what better words are there). Matthew 5:20 NIV For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Mark 7:7-9 NIV "'They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" RTD is a God inspired, commen sense inspiration about Christianity. Enjoy the paradox!

I have had most of the questions presented in the book, myself and yet could find no one who really addressed the possibility of answers. I was in St. Louis during the time Pastor Gungor was a ministering in that area. I was impressed with him in person, and I'm definitely impressed with him in print. Most pastors looking to keep everyone happy won't go anywhere near the issues that Ed Gungor faces with direct, boldness, and creative insight. It's a must read for anyone having issues with "church" and my recommendation would be to read it through entirely whether you agree with everything or not, because at the very least, Ed Gungor will make you think, and that makes his book excellent.

Upon observing Ed Gungor's new book Religiously Transmitted Diseases for the first time, the reader might be forgiven for thinking that the provocative title will deliver a stinging rejection of American organized religion from a hostile critic, such as the recent bestseller Letters to a Christian Nation. However, the reader quickly discovers that Religiously Transmitted Diseases is not an argument that religion has become a disease in American society, but rather a sympathetic call from within the Christian church to heal what has gone wrong within it. Gungor, the senior pastor at Peoples Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, argues that every American Christian church and member suffers from time to time from one of a number of spiritual maladies. All of these maladies reflect a state in which something that was good has broken down in some way, as a disease affects the human body. Yet Gungor does not believe the patients are terminally ill-far from it. He believes that by recognizing these maladies, and by opening themselves up again to God's grace, Christians can get back to a healthier and, above all, more joyful state. The target audience of Gungor's book is his fellow evangelicals, and in particular those who have lost the joy of their belief or who feel this has happened to their congregation. He speaks to the reader's yearning to return to the joy felt, in the words of the hymn "Amazing Grace", "the hour I first believed". He urges the readers to think back to the time when they chose to accept Jesus and what a joyful experience that was. However, even those Christians who haven't had a cataclysmic, born again experience will find much that is useful in this book. Many of the "diseases" Gungor notes are from over-seriousness or loss of joy, and his enthusiasm for his faith is (if you'll pardon the expression) infectious, even as he is very understanding of the problems people face in their faith. (One is not completely surprised to read in this book that Gungor was one of the "Jesus People" in the 1970s; he still reflects the fervor and the joyfulness in faith for which they were known). This is not to say that Gungor does not recognize the pain in so many places in the world, but he urges the reader to see how pain sometimes can be a gift from God. One would expect in this type of book that the author would have a strong command of the Bible, and Gungor does. Perhaps more noteworthy, however, is that his command of popular culture is outstanding as well as entertaining, and he is able to make most of his points in a way that readers will appreciate. In addition to his agility to speak about popular culture and the state of America throughout his lifetime, another of the of the themes of this book is that Christians should be open to new ways of looking at things. In one chapter, he notes how as a Republican and an evangelical how disappointed he was in the election of President Clinton in 1992, but that a conversation with a woman

Escellent practical analysis of some of the reasons why the society sees the church as irrelavent or downright damaging.

From the moment this book was delivered I was eager to begin reading. While the book cover did not tempt me, the title peaked my curiosity. The author's attempt to get the reader to examine their faith was a success. I found myself examining my faith and comparing it to the illnesses he discusses. The author uses witty illustrations to connect with the reader. I felt as though I were having a discussion with him. His style is simple and clear. Some of the many "diseases" Rev. Gungor discusses are Borg Disease, Pharisaic Disorder and Deadly O. Those with Borg disease want everyone to be just like them. They think all people should dress and think alike. They do not allow for individual ideas, personality or thinking. Those with Pharisaic Disorder are caught up in laws. "We've always done it this way" is one of their favorite phrases. They like to build fence laws to protect others and themselves from sinning. They end up placing restrictions on their and other's lives. Those with the Deadly O are striving to be good rather than accepting the Grace that God freely offers. The diseases are traps we allow ourselves to fall in. Rev. Gungor offers a prescription for prevention and a cure. I'm glad I read "Religiously Transmitted Diseases." It is well written, humorous, easy to read and very interesting. I think Ed Gungor has written a winner. I intend to recommend it to my friends and don't be surprised if a quote or two doesn't end of in one of my sermons.