Murder-Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem: Strange Stories from the Bible to Leave You Amused, Bemused, and (Hopefully) Informed

This humorous book is full of new insights into ways we?ve been missing the point of so many beloved Bible stories.Approximately 80 percent of Americans admit they haven?t read the Bible. If they did, they?d be pleasantly surprised by its impressive quantity of sex and poop jokes.David danced naked. Noah was basically a moonshining hillbilly. Ezekiel baked poop bread. Herod was eaten by worms. Jesus cursed a fig tree, just to prove he could. Mark went streaking. Hosea married a prostitute. Lot was date-raped by his own daughters.It turns out, there?s a lot of weird stuff in the Bible. Murder-Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem is a funny look at some of the stranger tales in the Bible. From Elisha, who loosed homicidal bears on some kids because they called him bald (it?s a long story), to the story of Ehud, who gets away with assassinating a tyrannical king because his servants think said king is taking a dump (also a long story), this book examines and casts new light on some of the Bible?s stranger moments.Organized by topic (poop, genitalia, weird violence, prostitution, gratuitous nudity, seemingly pointless miracles, and other fun stuff), Murder-Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem is a thoroughly researched (really!), reverent, and insightful look at the amazing book at the center of our faith.Review'Harrington's book is priceless--I read it in one sitting and laughed till I cried. The humor is cutting and relevant in a way that often is missing from Christian writing. I appreciate that he doesn't shy away from complicated relationships and questionable decisions in the stories found in the Scriptures. Five stars!' Amanda Martinez Beck, author of Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me'What Murder-Bears gets right is that the best way to take the Bible seriously is not to take it so seriously. While its purpose may be divine, the Bible is a deeply human book, full of deeply human things. Human things like farts and over-the-top murders and butts and ding-dongs.' Benito Cereno, cohost of Apocrypals, writer for Tales from the Bully Pulpit and The Tick: New Series'We've grown bored of the socially acceptable version of the Bible. That's why we need someone like Luke Harrington who is somehow able to see the Bible for what it is: a book full of gross, disgusting, scandalous incidents. By forcing us to reckon with the more unbecoming details that get left out of our children's story Bibles, Luke reclaims the Bible for adults and teenage boys everywhere.' Richard Clark, former editor for Christianity Today,former editor-in-chief of Christ and Pop Culture'The Bible is many wonderful things, including weird. We need more weird writers writing about it. And I say that as the highest compliment because Luke writes with verve and fun and style, and there aren't many who can do that. He makes us see weirdness in a fresh way, which, as it turns out, is a beautiful way.' Brant Hansen, radio host and author of The Truth About Us, Unoffendable, and Blessed Are the Misfits'Finally, someone has written the definitive work about homicidal animals, divine poop, and foreskins. But not only that, Luke Harrington has also redeemed these disparate ideas by explaining and celebrating their correlation to the Holy Scripture. I wish all books about the Bible were this much fun.' Knox McCoy, author of The Wondering Years and All Things Reconsidered'As I was reading this book, my eight-year-old wandered into my office and started reading over my shoulder. 'He's very connected to poop,' he commented. It was an accurate observation. But there was more than just poop. Or butts. Or man-eating bears. Or circumcision jokes. Beneath the edgy hilarity I saw a real affection for the Good Book and the God who inspired it. Harrington just better hope that God has a sense of humor--or those bears might be coming for him.' Drew Dyck, author of Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Br