Reviews of Arguing with God: 

 “Hutcherson is a light in the spiritual and religious darkness. He offers an analytical offensive—a loving and informed response to Christian fundamentalism. Using weapons of theological knowledge and mature discourse, he faces the ultimate challenge of “The Other” and gives answers to young Christians and adults estranged from the ordinary. He not only finds a place for himself, but becomes a model for all those disenfranchised and criticized the world around.”

Charles K. Bunch, Ph.D., author and transpersonal therapist

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 5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary Reading for the debate, July 21, 2011

By 

Ron Johnson "Spokane Man" (Spokane, WA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Arguing with God: A Dialogue: Fundamentalist Christianity versus the Gays (Paperback)

The debate between the religious and the gay activists is driving not just religion but vital parts of our economic, political, social, and psychological life. Politicians are quite literally getting elected or not getting elected by their stand on this issue. Gays feel shut out of of nearly every normal institution that most of us take for granted. What drives this phenomena? Quite simply, it is the belief that God says in the Bible that homosexual activity is evil and can't be tolerated. What's more, evangelical Christians feel extremely fearful that toleration will lead to "God's judgement" and the end of America. Now that's a profound fear that goes deep into the American psyche.

As a former evangelical, a heterosexual, and a mental health counselor, I find this book to be the most important information I have ever encountered on this topic. Evangelicals virtually state that one can't be a Christian while supporting gay rights. Gays who are Christians feel shameful, cut off from themselves and others, and locked out of any authentic expression of intimacy and spiritual expression. Their choice is to risk the loss of faith, family, and even economic survival; or to completely deny any expression of intimacy and personal fulfillment.

This author has obviously dealt quite personally with these horrible choices. He clearly recognizes what others do not consider: that while this issue is a civil rights issue, it goes much deeper into the dark fears of the Evangelical mindset which permeates our culture. He goes to the heart, where others do not, by honestly and respectfully engaging in a discussion with Evangelical Christianity. He works within the context of Biblical Scripture and poses powerful and honest questions about how the Bible is being interpreted. For instance, did you know that the same bit of scripture that condemns homosexual activity, also condemns the eating of shell fish? Why is one activity okay, and the other not okay?

If you are an evangelical Christian, you will find yourself being respected in this book. You will also find your traditional view accurately represented (which is unfortunately not the case in most debates). Why should you read this book? Quite simply, you owe it to yourself, to God, and to your neighbor to understand another viewpoint, even another viewpoint of scripture. The traditional view quite literally leads to emotional, economic, and psychological devastation of other human beings. These human beings have names. They are our children, our parents, our co-workers, and our friends. You need not feel threatened in this book, but if you are going to participate in the devastation of human beings, then you need to take the time to at least weigh both sides of the evidence, as if you were trying to be a fair-minded juror.

If you are a Gay person who is trying to decide between your spiritual expression as a Christian and and your expression of intimacy and love, this author can give you the hope that this is a false choice. The author will show you that God has created you as you are and you can love and be loved without guilt, shame, or spiritual isolation. You owe it to yourself to weigh the evidence about the false choices that are being presented to you.

If you are "progressive person" who simply regards scripture as an outmoded fairytale, you also owe it to yourself to understand the profound agonies that Evangelical and Gay believers have to make. Simply dismissing the argument as hogwash won't make the critical issues go away. I feel it is important for you as a "progressive person" to understand and empathize with the arguments.

This is a dense book, sometimes technical in its arguments, but I finished it in one day! I am like all other Americans as I have had to make critical moral and spiritual choices; and I find this book refreshing in its ability to make clear what these choices are based on. I think this is a must read for Americans.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful, July 10, 2012

By 

Riemer55 -

This review is from: Arguing with God: A Dialogue: Fundamentalist Christianity versus the Gays (Paperback)

I'm still working my way through the book but I'm finding it to be helpful in looking at the contrast of the fundamentalist view of homosexuality (which all my life was held out as the Biblical view) and an alternate view of what the Bible really means. All my life the phrase "as it's properly interpreted" was held up to "those cults" as a perversion and their way to support their view. Now I can see that that same dilemma exists with the fundamentalists view.