BustedHalo.com's Renee Lareau Reviews Googling God

Renee LaReau--superstar reporter for NCR and BustedHalo weighs in on my book.

Googling God

The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s

By Mike Hayes (BustedHalo Books)

$16.95, 208 pages

Reviewed by Renée LaReau

In many ways, the 18-to-34-year-old crowd is a sought-after demographic. Advertisers continually try to lure young fashionistas, techies and foodies with their cutting-edge wares. Television executives craft sitcoms and reality shows hoping to capture the interest of this population. The Catholic Church, too, seeks their energy, enthusiasm and talents.

But appealing to these young adults in way that leads to lifelong commitment presents a challenge. How can an institution with a 2,000 year history, that’s not typically known for its innovation or it speed, attract and engage young adults, who prize the immediacy of text messaging and Google searches, change careers every two to three years, and thrive in a culture that promotes individualism and personal choice?

Read the whole review here

The Googling God post of the day

I will expound on a topic each weekday that I think pertains what I'm trying to say with Googling God. Today's topic comes from Lincoln, Nebraska:

LINCOLN, Nebraska (AP) -- A legislator who filed a lawsuit against God has gotten something he might not have expected: a response.


State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said he sued God last week to make a point about frivolous lawsuits.

One of two court filings from "God" came Wednesday under otherworldly circumstances, according to John Friend, clerk of the Douglas County District Court in Omaha.

"This one miraculously appeared on the counter. It just all of a sudden was here -- poof!" Friend said.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha sued God last week, seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty for making terroristic threats, inspiring fear and causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers, a self-proclaimed agnostic who often criticizes Christians, said his filing was triggered by a federal lawsuit he considers frivolous. He said he's trying to make the point that anybody can sue anybody.

Not so, says "God." His response argues that the defendant is immune from some earthly laws and the court lacks jurisdiction.

I think it's funny that someone assumed God SHOULD respond to this kook, but it goes to show that people think God should work on their time. Whoever wrote the response was quite ingenious actually and exhibited my points about God often working beyond the boundaries of human experience and the need for good mentoring (which the writer seemingly has cast himself into that role) to assist someone when God doesn't miraculously intervene in human affairs. People need someone to help them re-form religious meaning at these key moments of their life.

Read the whole article here

Buy Googling God here

Book Review: U.S. Catholic

Matt Bigelow---U.S. Catholic reviewed my book!

Googling God
By Mike Hayes (Paulist Press, 2007)
Mike Hayes left a 12-year career in radio to minister to young adults following an invitation from his parish priest. In his five years of ministry, Hayes has found that technology has fundamentally shaped their approach to information.

“We need always to assume that a large percentage of young adults believe that instant gratification is merely a click of a mouse or a touch of a button away and that they can apply this to every area of their life, religion included,” Hayes says.

In Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s, Hayes explains that although the current information landscape is characterized by instant access, religion and faith don’t have easy answers....

Read the whole review here

Summed up nicely---if I do say so myself!

An excerpt of the book is here

BustedHalo asked for an excerpt which you can read here. I'll try to include more pieces of the book here in the upcoming weeks.

Catholic Online also asked me to write a piece for them which you can find here.