See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8. An Allegory: The Edgy Chef Few communication mediums are more powerful than stories. So this week I offer an allegory to my continuing discussion. *** Imagine that a large restaurant association, founded back in the eighties, is well known for its kosher cuisine. The association board has always prided itself in its sensitivity to the religious convictions of its Jewish customers. It has agreed never, ever to allow its restaurants to serve ham, bacon, or sausage. But as times change and restaurants struggle to stay open due to tough economic times, standards change too, especially since some Jewish customers have become more enlightened in their eating choices. In fact, chefs at some of the association’s biggest restaurants have begun offering daring entrees with just the smallest bit of bacon or ham sprinkled in. “Hey, it’s not like we’re serving ham…
Read moreTenth Plague Cover Unveiled
Finally, the cover of my next novel, due out on January 15, is here. What think ye? Special thanks to the designers at Kirkdale Press (Logos) for their hard work.
Read moreYes, I’m Thankful
Note: I’m taking a brief hiatus from my series on clean speech due to Thanksgiving plans with family and related time constraints. I plan to return to the series next week. In the meantime . . . I decided to compile a list of some of the biggest reasons for me to be thankful; that way on Thanksgiving day I’m not just stuffing my face with turkey. I’m actually approaching the occasion with a heart befitting the season. My Wife Kim got only a little sleep last night due to a nasty cold (of course, just in time for holiday travels) and a migraine. Yet she always keeps moving forward: getting stuff done, taking care of all of us. Whether she feels like it or not. This past November 2 marked our sixteenth wedding anniversary. Sixteen years—how is that possible? She has put up with me and fed me and…
Read moreIn Defense of Clean Speech in Christian Fiction, Part 5
See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8. Flawed Arguments Most Christian novelists would agree that God prohibits His children from using unclean speech in everyday dialogue. But some apparently think their novels fall into a different category. One that is beyond biblical critique. “He’s a bad cop,” they say, “and for him and my story to be realistic, I wouldn’t be doing him or the story justice if I sanitized the language. I wouldn’t be intellectually honest.” They are, after all, seeking to depict reality. They are creating art. And art is honest, they say. Though plausibility is important in good fiction, this logic is flawed. Let’s take a closer look at their arguments for using unclean speech. 1. I want my novel to be realistic. This is fiction. No readers seriously want stark reality in the form of foul language—that’s depressing. They want the impression of reality (the…
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