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For God's Sake, Shut Up
Charleston, SC
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Brian Kaylor has written a wonderful hymn book for the Return to Christian Civility Choir of which I am a card carrying member. Unfortunately members of the choir are the only ones who will read, For God's Sake, Shut Up. Although Kaylor is at times flippant and somewhat cavalier, he has accomplished his purpose in pointing out that many Christians would be much better witnesses for Christ if they would keep their mouths tightly closed.
He employs scriptural quotations effectively and has laced his small book with wonderful poignant examples of the excess of religious babble. His criticism is sharp and to the heart. He offers advice on how to approach an audience, use your voice advantageously and how not to defeat yourself with inappropriate body language. He is an excellent story teller.
There are two weaknesses in the book. The cast of characters he presents for criticism are the usual bunch from the religious right – Falwell, Colson, Dobson, Robertson, Vines, etc. He fails to mention that there are verbal sinners from the opposite camp as well.
In Chapter Three I am particularly disturbed by his recounting of being unfairly treated by his seminary professor for failing an English proficiency exercise because he wrote on a theme unpopular with the administration although the students were told that subject matter was not an issue. In fact he says that he was put on probation because of it. "I was placed on academic probation at seminary because of lying. Not my lies, mind you, but those of an administrator" He states that he still has the letter in his possession; however, he offers no supporting evidence. I do not doubt the accuracy of his claim, but this is one of the things about the opposition that he abhors – making unsupported accusations. I am a bit surprised that his publisher Smyth and Helwys didn't flag this.
Brian Kaylor is a doctoral student in Communication at the University of Missouri where he teaches undergraduate communication courses. He is also a communication specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Missouri.
He employs scriptural quotations effectively and has laced his small book with wonderful poignant examples of the excess of religious babble. His criticism is sharp and to the heart. He offers advice on how to approach an audience, use your voice advantageously and how not to defeat yourself with inappropriate body language. He is an excellent story teller.
There are two weaknesses in the book. The cast of characters he presents for criticism are the usual bunch from the religious right – Falwell, Colson, Dobson, Robertson, Vines, etc. He fails to mention that there are verbal sinners from the opposite camp as well.
In Chapter Three I am particularly disturbed by his recounting of being unfairly treated by his seminary professor for failing an English proficiency exercise because he wrote on a theme unpopular with the administration although the students were told that subject matter was not an issue. In fact he says that he was put on probation because of it. "I was placed on academic probation at seminary because of lying. Not my lies, mind you, but those of an administrator" He states that he still has the letter in his possession; however, he offers no supporting evidence. I do not doubt the accuracy of his claim, but this is one of the things about the opposition that he abhors – making unsupported accusations. I am a bit surprised that his publisher Smyth and Helwys didn't flag this.
Brian Kaylor is a doctoral student in Communication at the University of Missouri where he teaches undergraduate communication courses. He is also a communication specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Missouri.
Charleston, SC
843-556-2310
