Wish I could have done that

I have tore through few books as quickly as I went through, A.J. Jacob's The Year of Living Biblically. It is quite a good read. Jacob, who self describes himself as Jewish the way the Olive Garden is Italian, set out to follow every law set down in the Bible. He does this partially out of curiosity, partially out of showing how next to impossible that sort of thing is.

In doing so Jacob, an admitted agnostic, has a very interesting social commentary. The rituals seem to connect him more to the faith of his past, in a more direct way than he anticipated. By focusing on not lying or the Sabbath, he is forced to confront the very shallow nature of modern society.

Another great facet of the book is that, even when it would work for an easy joke, he refused to simply use those who's faith and practices are way out of the mainstream be the needless butt of the joke. He goes and takes the time and effort to get to know creationists, the Amish, those who slaughter chickens and snake handlers. In doing so he makes them much more like us and less foreign.

And as interesting, he shows his own struggles for faith and spirituality. Jacob realizes this and assembles his own faith council. A diverse body of religious tutors and mentors which help guide him. These guides help keep Jacob grounded to the fact that this more than just a set of rituals for him to pretend in. Which helps the book transcend the travelogue.

But unfortunately, the ride slows considerably when he sets his sight on Christianity. And it is in this very aspect where it slows. When he is in his own faith, Judaism, he seems to get more out of the rituals as a link to the past and he is able to internalize them into himself.

Unfortunately, one of the major aspects of Christianity is the removal of many of the rituals which he is now engaged in. This since there are almost no new acts to do, and since he barely believes the message in Judaism, he does not seem to get nearly as much out of his time with Christian Bible thumpers.

To somewhat counter the effect of his unbelief in Christianity, we learn more about his wife and their attempt at invetro. This begining of new life sets the course for the last part of the book. And while it was interesting, it brings up the question, just how has this challenge changed him in the long run? I really would like to know if he still follows the Sabbath or, as he shows in the book, how easy it is to go back. As he admits that he Google searches himself sometimes, A.J. go ahead and drop a note.