The Black Church: Where Women Pray and Men Prey (New Book Alert)

Hello World,

I’m always on the hunt for the next new and interesting book! And y’all, by the title alone, this book is sure to get some buzz….Based on her inflammatory blog post  The Black Church: How Black Churches Keep African American Women Single and Lonely (which had the blogosphere blowing up) dating expert Deborrah Cooper has penned a new book “The Black Church: Where Women Pray and Men Prey.”

In her original blog post, Cooper asserted that good black men were not likely to be in church, and in fact, if you did happen upon a black man in church, he would fit into one of these categories:

  1. A loser working a 12-step program. These guys are in church looking for structure and something to believe in besides themselves, because they are weak and confused. They need help getting their lives back on track and are seeking solace and comfort in church. If they can hook up with a woman looking desperately for a church-going man of any ilk, they’ve got it made.
  2. Openly or in the closet gay men, neither of which is interested in marrying. Some gay men are wrestling with severe guilt and confusion about their desires, which they hope to pray away. Others are openly gay and attend church seeking acceptance from a community which turns its nose up at homosexuality; they are also seeking forgiveness for their sins. Whatever may be this guy’s issue, he is emotionally and psychologically unavailable.
  3. Opportunistic players on the prowl. Every player I know goes to a couple of different churches… some of them go quite regularly. They have easy pickings amongst the hundreds of horny, lonely single women that will cook and give them free meals and satisfy his sexual urges (though these players have no intention of marrying and committing to anyone). Since sex amongst unmarried singles is a sin, it is easy for him to gain the assurance of the women that they keep things secret and not speak of their “transgression” lest they feel the wrath of the Pastor. This secrecy makes it easy for him to hide the fact that he is bed hopping with four or five single ladies, right under their respective noses.
  4. Elderly reformed players. These guys have played themselves so hard and so long, they’re worn out. Their old butts finally realized that the end may be near and playtime is over. Worried about dying alone, they bring their behinds back to church to find a “good Christian woman” for marriage. Essentially they are looking for a free nursemaid and bed warmer… someone to provide comfort and take care of their old broken down a$$@s before they die.

I felt some kind of way about her blog post and wrote about it here so I’m not sure what to make of her new book. But I’ve got to admit, Ms. Cooper knows how to get a reaction! That’s for sure! Below are a few of the points Cooper says she will address in her new book:

    • Why the majority of black women in church will hear nothing but false promises made by false prophets
    • The real reason there are few single black males of marriageable quality in black churches
    • How to take charge of your financial future and spirituality without ever setting foot in a church again
    • How biblical scriptures are cleverly twisted to manipulate your thoughts and behaviors with guilt and shame

 The book will debut this month, according to her website Surviving Dating. Will you read it?

Any thoughts?

Irreverent Christian Memoir Comes to the Silver Screen!!!

Hello World,

Back in 2009, I wrote a book review about “Blue Like Jazz,” an irreverent Christian memoir and New York Times bestselling book written by Donald Miller. I must say it is one the best Christian memoirs I’ve read in a long time…What I like about Miller is that he is Christian enough to be a saint and worldly enough to be interesting…lol…And we have all met Christians who are too holy to be any earthly good…And we have also met some worldy Christians who may as well not be Christians for their lack of discpline when it comes to Christian disciplines….Well, now Miller has taken his memoir to the big screen! The movie debuted on Friday, and the trailer is below…

 This is what Lou Carlozo, contributing writer, watchgmctv.com, had to say about the film:

“…’Blue Like Jazz’ is almost sure to offend some Christians who’ve come to equate ‘faith” with ‘family friendly.’ It’s not exactly a spoiler alert to say that one scene shows a church steeple draped in an enormous condom. And it turns out that’s just one of many shocking moments in the film, which some evangelical film heavies have criticized because of its edgy content.

“Critics and fans alike should leave their expectations and stereotypes at the door. Taylor and Miller, with co-screenwriter Ben Pearson, have crafted the most honest, satisfying depiction of young man’s faith trials ever produced by filmmakers with evangelical ties. The fictional Miller (Marshall Allman) leaves his Texas Bible Belt upbringing for Portland’s Reed College, the center of ultra-liberal thought and outlandish student behavior. Straight-laced and proper, Miller dumps his teenage faith after his mother has an affair with the youth pastor at his home church – an event that has tragic consequences.”

“…’Blue Like Jazz’ shines, from its use of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ to its humble, anything-but-predictable closing.

To see where this movie is playing in your town, go to  www.bluelikejazztickets.com!

Any thoughts?

 

I’m Bout It Bout It aka Marketing & Promotion Month 6 (Book Release Party Details!)

 
Hello World,

You know what. I kinda fell off….What do I mean? This post should have been written in December as it is about my marketing and promotion activities for December, but y’all…I’ve been sooo immersed in doing it all that it was difficult to write it down….Forgive me? At any rate, I want to invite y’all to my BOOK RELEASE PARTY!!! I had originally planned it to coincide with the release of my book on February 14, but it will now be on Feb. 10!!! If you can make it, please come out…see all of the details above…

Also, if you’re a book lover as I am, you also don’t want to miss best-selling authors Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley as they will be in the A this week to promote their latest release “Sinners & Saints.” They will be signing their book at the Clark Atlanta University Bookstore, 223 James P. Brawley Drive SW, tomorrow at noon and at the Hammonds House Museum on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Below are more details about their discussion &  signing at the Hammonds House Museum….

Best-selling and award-winning novelists Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley bring their favorite heroines together in a novel that will delight their legions of fans. Jasmine Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical first ladies. But they’ve overcome their scandalous and drama-filled pasts to stand firmly by their husbands’ sides. When a coveted position opens up–president of the American Baptist Coalition– both women think their husbands are perfect for the job. And winning the position may require both women to get down and dirty and revert to their old tricks.

Just when Jasmine and Rachel think they’re going to have to fight to the finish, the current first lady of the coalition steps in . . . a woman bigger, badder, and more devious than either of them. Double the fun with a message of faith. “Sinners & Saints” will delight readers with two of their favorite characters from two of their favorite authors.

Your R.S.V.P is requested  – Admission Choices

$15 – Admission FREE with Pre-purchase of book ($15 savings).
$10 – Admission RSVP / general.
$5   – Admission RSVP / members of Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha and
Hammonds House Museum.
FREE Admission for Persons Who Join or Renew a Membership to HHM

For more information, please go the Hammonds House Museum website.
 

Also, check out a video about their book…


 

This is all so exciting…

Any thoughts?