Welcome to Biblical Proportions, the blog dedicated to reviewing religious tracts, videos and occasionally websites. For the time being, my focus will be tracts; there are so many of them, and chances are good you've read at least one. Once I get into the swing of this, I'll add in a few videos and the like.
So, what is a religious tract? A tract is a small pamphlet of writing and sometimes artwork, created to promote the Christian religeon. There don't seem to be any tracts created by Muslims, Buddhists or Hindus, at least not that I've seen. The only slightly non-Christian ones are those created by Jews For Jesus, but there's not a lot of fundamental difference in their message. So if it seems like I'm taking an underhanded potshot at Christians, just remember that they are the only ones creating and distributing them.
Another good question is, why would I bother to write reviews of tracts? Collecting tracts (and other forms of religious propaganda) is something of a hobby of mine. I write fiction, and a number of my stories deal with the world of angels and demons, heaven and hell. Sometimes I get story ideas from tracts. Other times their content makes me angry. Some of them make me laugh (unintentionally), and others disturb me greatly. I've been meaning to do something with my collection for a while (I have a whole bag full of them), and this blog is the result.
But it's not all about mocking them. I intend to treat each tract as a work of art, or at least a work. Someone took the time to create them, with the intention that people should read it and be influenced to choose Christianity as their religeon. So, I will judge them on that basis. To put that another way, I will say in my reviews how likely a given tract is to achieving its desired effect. I will also rank tracts in terms of Artwork, Unintentional Hilarity, Ability To Hold Interest, and Level of Disturbing or Offensive Content.
Like I said, the chances are good you've seen at least one tract lying around somewhere. Some are handed out on streetcorners, others are left in places where they are likely to be found. If you're curious about them, and want to know if the one you've found is worth reading, then this blog is the place for you. Enjoy, and please share your comments. Also, if you've seen a tract that hasn't yet been reviewed, and you think it should be, let me know and I'll try to find it.
And to those who would be offended at the very idea of this blog, all I can say is... try to be a good sport.
Where tracts, videos and even websites face the wrath of my judgment
About Me
- Timothy Carter
- Timothy Carter was born in Farnham, England during the week of the final lunar mission, and he turned 13 on Friday the 13th. He is a novelist, screenwriter, movie lover and Transformers fanatic.
5 comments:
Are you familiar with Jack Chick? He is the best/worst. My husband and I actually collect tracts for fun and amusement. Is that weird?
If you aren't familiar with Jack, you can read all of the tracts on his website. And sign up for emails that will send you scans of each new one as soon as they're released. If you want to give him your money, they'll actually send you a copy of each of the in-print tracts (around 100) for like, 17 cents apiece. (you'll have to call them, that can be awkward, but I've done it).
I have a few choice tracts from multiple publishers that I may be willing to sacrifice (pun not intended) or trade just to see what you make of them. I'm glad someone else out there shares this interest. Makes me feel likeI'm not so awful after all.
http://www.jesus-international.com/T-117.pdf
this one's actually decent...most of these ones are... what do you think?
Jenefur:
I am absolutely familiar with Mr. Chick! I'll be getting to his work soon enough, don't you fret. Like you, I'm amazed to find there's someone else out there who thinks tracts are as kooky as I do.
I checked out the one you showed me. Thank you. Not bad, but not very interesting either. I might review it here just for you. No need to part with any of your collection just yet - I still have a big bag to go through - but thanks for the kind offer!
Thanks for the comments. I hope this site continues to amuse you!
I sent you that link because I found it to have a high "convertability" factor. Not many of them make me go, "Huh. Maybe that whole God thing isn't so bad, and maybe not all the people who hand this stuff out are entirely crazy." Cover art was decent. Not terribly funny or witty, but actually left me feeling okay instead of murderous.
Timothy, I love your blog! I've always had a fascination with religious tracts, especially Chick tracts (which I review at my blog from a Catholic perspective). Oddly enough, though Texas (where I've lived most my life) is part of the Bible belt, I've found very few tracts here. I found more tracts during the short time I lived in Boston. Given the fact that Boston is much more secular than Texas - and that Texans tend to think that Texas IS the promised land - I suppose people see Boston as being more spiritually lost.
I'd like to add to and correct some of what you said above.
First, a few years back when my parent's neighborhood was being developed, several Muslim families moved in and built a mosque in the area. Around that time, they went about the neighborhood distributing leaflets on Islam.
Also, a few weeks back I found some information on Scientology at my door.
Neither of these were tracts, per se, but the methods were the same.
Second, I'd further limit a tract something designed to promote Protestant Christianity (and more specifically-Fundamentalist Christianity). I've never heard of a Catholic or Orthodox Christian distributing them. (Furthermore, many tracts, as I'm sure you know, are explicitly aimed at converting Catholics who, at best, are seen as unsaved pseudo-Christians, and at worst (Jack Chick style) part of the world's biggest deception/conspiracy.)
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