Friday, March 23, 2007

SWOON!

Update to "Jesus Land"

Turns out that the person who recommended we read the book went to college with Julia Scheeres and that Ms. Scheeres will be answering questions from us via the phone. She couldn't be there in person, though she only lives a few hours from here, because she has small kids. Since our book group grew out of one started within a moms' group/playgroup, we do understand that.

What can I say? What can I ask? Will I gush and make a fool of myself? Must organize thoughts!

Or else go watch Chocolat (the one with Johnny Depp, not the French one about colonialism and racism) because it's due at the library soon and it keeps coming up in conversations later.

2 comments:

Sheri said...

How bizarre is that... I was best friends with Julia's older sister, Laura, in college. Julia was still in high school at the time. Possibly not at home--I can't remember for sure, it's been over 20+ years now. I do remember Laura talking about stuff that had happened, about her brother's death. Laura got married a while back and I haven't been able to contact her for several years...

I looked at Julia's book online once. Some of the stuff is true for our backgrounds, some of it I think has some exageration. I was around her family, her other brothers, and her folks--they aren't the monsters she tries to make them to be. At least not while I knew them. The stuff with David--I remember it was pretty intense and David played his fair share in the turmoil. He wasn't just an innocent victim, and neither was Julia, but I know that isn't how she sees it. Wonder what her folks think of her book?

Philippa Lodge said...

Well, they weren't monsters, but it only takes one incident with a 2x4 that breaks your brother's arm for you to lose respect.

Well, and all the years of whipping with a belt and leaving huge scars? Yeah, that put me off, too. Or hitting and choking? Or even just never, ever telling your child you love her? And then screaming that you hate her and that you love the dog?

The nasty food, even the stuff that's been in the back of the freezer for a couple of years, is almost bearable without the beatings.

The book doesn't present anyone as an innocent victim. Julia never, ever tries to present herself as an innocent victim.

But you can't even start to tell me that any child deserves scars and broken bones.

Or deserves an evil camp that claims to be bringing them to Jesus, but instead tries to brainwash them, teaches them to lie and cheat and snitch to earn privileges, encourages the 'spiritual advisors' to punch and hit and force hard manual labor.

Try reading the book.