The dedication to Jason Berggren’s 10 Things I Hate About Christianity says it all, “to those who continue to doubt, are curious about spiritual ideas, and are courageous enough to search them out.”

Berggren takes you on a page by page journey of his life through the eyes of a child, a student, and finally a father and husband as he searches for his personal path to the almighty.  Regardless of your faith, this book will be a pleasant read, filled with humor, drama and moral lessons that don’t come across as preachy or proselytizing.

At times, Berggren uses personal quirks that we might not all share, but that we can all relate to on some level.  We all have things in our life that we constantly struggle to keep at bay.  For me, I am a Coke addict myself, so when his book started out that way – I chuckled to myself.

You see, I have known Jason since high school, where he was my bus-mate for a magnet school; that meant we spent a great deal of time together as we transitioned from place to place and challenge to challenge in our pursuit to find out who we were.  He was always the really cool, down to earth “Christian” guy who I looked up to as an underclassman.  He also had a three foot red mohawk but could carry out a theological or philosophical debate with anyone on the planet.  This book shows me that he still can, and does.

The provocative title of the book has a double effect, in that it will draw away some “Christians” and possibly pull in some atheists.  But, it is like escargot, I didn’t know I liked it until I tried it.  Jason’s book is a lot like that for me, I am glad I tried it, and it is GREAT with garlic (and Coke).

If you want to attack his arguments, you really can’t because he puts things in a personal perspective that defies theological criticism.  Can anyone, can any one man,truly say they know what God is, what is the correct path to take, or even the right “voice” to use to get to him – or her.  That is me talking by the way, not Jason.

But, it illustrates the point, finding God is a personal journey.  So, pick up Jason’s journey, enjoy this book, don’t be taken aback by the title.

Be brave enough to read this book, and you will see how Jason came up with the title, it was another bit that made me chuckle.  And, Jason, I think God would be very proud of you – and the other Jason as well . . . I shall always consider you my friend.

Rick Swift