For me, this book gets a 5 strong stars, solely based on just how many times this book was the FIRST time queer Christian teens were told that God loves them no matter what. Plus, the brewing romance ... keeps the pages turning during even the most excruciatingly detailed Bible-passage battles between the two warring parties. Chris Mellor Mon 13 Feb 2012 // 08:02 UTC. A great book that made me think a lot about all the issues it tried to deal with. I absolutely couldn't put it down once I started. -- Rev. What was the strange pull I felt toward him, almost like some force stronger than my own? This book will break your heart, mend it and break it again (in a good way). Homosexuality and christianity are two concepts that is no easy to put in the same sentence without them being at the opposite. But when Manuel transfers to their school, Paul has to rethink his l. High school senior Paul has dated Angie since middle school, and they're good together. This was an all-around good read. The characters tend to feel very one dimensional and act like archetypes instead of people with actual thoughts and feelings. --Harry Knox, Director, Religion and Faith Program, Human Rights Campaign, New York Public Library “Book for the Teen Age”. I should be clear when describing my reactions that I am an atheist. A rift begins to grow in the school, and Paul is forced to face his worst fears. During their time together Manuel exposes Paul to alternate views on the meaning of the passages most used by Christians to condemn homosexuality as a sin. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. It was released on May 19, 2017 via A Banner Vision. What follows is the art that accompanies and exemplifies The God Box. Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features! So have tissues ready if you choose to read this delightful tale.) Wonderful book! - against my wrist. Apr 16th, 2020. Manuel is the first openly gay teen anyone in their small town has ever met, and yet he says he's also a committed Christian. At first, I thought that I would have a lot of fun reading this book, and I sort of did, but I did have some problems with it. ", from VOYA: "a story that will resonate with Christian Youth who are aware of their own or a close friend's gay orientation. A step-by-step guide through all the oft-quoted and debated passages. Through the remainder of the book Paul and Manuel grow closer as friends - but mostly in private - hanging out at one or the others home where they will not be seen together. Take a journey across America with four ragtag journalists and a mobile studio, and find out what happens when you go inside The Box. I know it has "God" in the title, but it was really, really Bible heavy. . An important, heartfelt book that deserves a wide readership." The feelings are still there and as strong as ever despite his most pious efforts to shed them. I found myself in this story and wish that it had been there for me when I was growing up. Most affected by Manuel's arrival is Paul, a popular boy w. I have enjoyed all of Alex Sanchez's (Rainbow Boys) books to date but this one somehow touched me more than all of the others. I thought I had accidently grabbed some Christian literature…which I seldom read. It allows the author to add in more general issues of identity. Together we made a box for Rachel to take back for her senior year at Texas Tech. . I have enjoyed all of Alex Sanchez's (Rainbow Boys) books to date but this one somehow touched me more than all of the others. So why do I love his books so much? He is also raised in a very heavily Christian environment, as I was, although not as strictly as the main character. There is nothing in any of the AA literature that I know of that mentions a God Box or anything similar. "The God Box" is loaded with challenges- Can you test god? 2.5 Stars. It allows the author to add in more general issues of identity. I should be clear when describing my reactions that I am an atheist. The bible passages and 'debates' w. This doesn't ruin anything about the novel that isn't obvious within the first 5 minutes of reading this, but, being neither gay or religious, there wasn't a whole lot of appeal for me in this. And finally, I struggled for years to admit to myself that I am bisexual, just as the main character struggles to accept his own homosexua. Set in West Texas, the story is a familiar one; boy comes to new school and upsets the status quo. This book is a must read for all youth, gay and straight. As a matter of fact, I would be fairly sure that it is something recovery programs borrowed from religious folk somewhere along the line. Designed for carrier use, a God Box is capable of supporting legacy systems as well as new technologies through software. I know! Alex Sanchez is the author of the Rainbow Boys trilogy of teen novels, along with The God Box, Getting It, and the Lambda Award-winning middle-grade novel So Hard to Say. It's the ultimate god simulator and sandbox game. The God Box held her prayers for many people outside our family, whether they had asked to be included or not. 6 talking about this. . -- Michael Cart, editor of, "...solid spiritual food that is rich in entertainment value, a must for today’s impatient youth audience....beyond the help that gay teens will find in these pages, straight youth will benefit as well. Most affected by Manuel's arrival is Paul, a popular boy who is troubled by thoughts that he can't control, but prays nightly to be delivered from. ARTICLES. I wish it had been around when I was a teenager. That feels like a real cheat to me and I feel that kind of reflects badly on the authors respect for the character by denying him the kind of complexity that he deserves. Manuel is the first openly gay teen anyone in their small town has ever met, and yet he says he's also a committed Christian. He's over-earnest, sometimes transparently manipulative with his pat characters, and incredibly preachy and didactic. Not only did this book help to pave the way for current queer YA books, but it is basically a self help guide and love story all rolled into one. All prices courtesy of Ars Shopping Engine, except where otherwise noted.. I absolutely loved this story, so much so, that I do not know how many times I have read it. This is a great book for a whole lot of reasons. Read the praise (warning: reviews contain "spoilers"): from Kirkus: "...an important work about self-acceptance and the meaning of God's love. to Paul and Manuel and I just wanted to KNOW what happened. So I was very wary to go back to read this book, as it held such a strong place in my heart from my childhood and I was so afraid that it wouldn’t hold up and boy was I so relieved to remember it was just as wonderful as when I first read it. gay teenagers, gay christians, those who support gay rights. A very thought provoking read. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published But I'll describe how I connected with it in the latter way under one of the "spoiler" links. Need Help Finding the Right Addiction Treatment For You? His newest book is a graphic novel from DC Comics, You Brought Me the Ocean. While I read a lot of books with an LGBT element, I am not fond of books with a major religious theme. He does a remarkably faithful job of opening up long-abused biblical passages often used as proof texts to denigrate homosexuality. I finished it... at 4:30 in the morning. Create different creatures: sheep, wolves, humans, orcs, dwarves, and even Dragons or UFO! This book will challenge long-held misconceptions about religion (in good way), and deliver a sweet, coming-of-age, romance story that is truly beautiful. Not only did this book help to pave the way for current queer YA books, but it is basically a self help guide and love story all rolled into one. The twist is that the school is located in a conservative Christian community, and the new boy, Manuel is both gay and deeply religious. From $40.00 The God Box Hooded Sweat Shirt - Black. Alex Sanchez spent almost fifteen years working with youth. It's hard to really get into the debates in the novel where one side is shown to be far more open and knowledgeable than the other side but both sides are Christian. This book "The God Box" is by far one of the best reads I have ever picked up. I read this in one day and I didn't skip work! I found it to be very well written and solidly discussed. This book will challenge long-held misconceptions about religion (in good way), and deliver a sweet, coming-of-age, romance story that is truly beautiful. My one true pet peeve, and this happens in other books too, is that the main character meets another gay person for the first time in his life and it turns out to be the love of his life. It undercut the credibility of the entire argument that the characters would argue logically for why homosexuality should be accepted by religion but not logically for why they should even believe in such a faulty, non-historical, nonfactual idea like the bible. Take a look inside a very private place - the mind's eye. It was adapted into a play in 2009 which had its world premiere performance at Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton, CA. This book ranks right up with David Leviathan’s "Boy Meets Boy" in my opinion. The God Box will help all of us open the windows of our hearts and souls to one another as one human family." I knew going into the book that the person who told me he loves it is a Christian and that the book was about Christian issues and various Biblical views on homosexuality so it was no surprise when I actually read the novel. I left out a lot of drama and important elements in case anyone else reads it. A few years back, Jen, my longtime business partner and friend, was unhappy to … 2) Start visiting people in their “vocational arenas” (that is, in the places they live the majority of their lives!). This was more a tract than a story... it was a discussion of what is said about homosexuality in the Bible, and how people can form a belief system that both includes God and being gay. Sanchez's novel is a fun, engaging story that will deepen your spirituality and your faith in humanity. I even wrote a quick note to the author thanking him for it! It of course confronts the religious homophobes for misusing the Bible to. © 2019 and always by Alex Sanchez. Sanchez captures the journey of navigating faith and accepting being gay as a gift from God with extraordinary insight and grace. Set in West Texas, the story is a familiar one; boy comes to new school and upsets the status quo. The God box, although effective at solving any problem you may have, may seem silly or at best too simple to be for real. Address. Too preachy and I don’t need my shortcomings pointed out in a book, thank you very much. The God Box Alex Sanchez, Author Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing $16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-4169-0899-9. Mikee_Games. It is none of my business what you believe about the origin of the universe and what tools you use to help you separate right from wrong as long as its a personal thing and you do not try to legislate that others have to use the same tools. Le Parrain (titre original : The Godfather) est un film américain réalisé par Francis Ford Coppola et produit par les studios Paramount, sorti le 15 mars 1972. First of all, the main characters are Mexican American, which adds a different perspective to the age old controversy over sexuality and religion. I absolutely couldn't put it down once I started. Closed; Discussion; Join The God Box Online AA Meeting Password: 740190. The God Box (stylized as #TheGodBox) is the sixth solo studio album by American rapper and record producer David Banner from Mississippi. (And my mother would be thrilled!) This doesn't ruin anything about the novel that isn't obvious within the first 5 minutes of reading this, but, being neither gay or religious, there wasn't a whole lot of appeal for me in this. Manuel's winning personality and powers of persuasion don't convince everybody, however. The God Box takes some of today’s most pressing issues—racism, misogyny, police brutality—and applies pressure. Invite them to talk with each other about what it would be like to move beyond the God-box version of church to look for and discover all the other places God is, and ask what it would take to support each other in doing this. You could also call this your Higher Self Box, or Angel Box - whatever suits you. The book's pool of characters include these archetypes: If you are reading it as a person who loves well crafted novels, you may be disappointed. I. I planned on reading 20 or 30 pages of this before I went to bed last night (at 1am). This book taught me to look at the Bible and some Christians differently, and in the process love myself a little more. Java 25.24 KB . The God Box: Searching for the holy grail array Latency killing super spinner. Alex received his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Old Dominion University and for many years worked as a youth and family counselor. question. High school senior Paul has dated Angie since middle school, and they're good together. That's all folks! Talking to Manuel makes Paul reconsider thoughts he has kept hidden, and listening to Manuel's interpretation of Biblical passages on homosexuality causes Paul to reevaluate everything he believed. Total DNF for me. I was bored to tears. The characters are likeable and you want it to work out in the end, and when it does, you are as satisfied and pleased as the characters are. While I offer to … However, a friend of mine said this was one of his favorite books and since he has read some of my favorites and liked them a lot I decided to give it a shot. West Avenue; Swissvale Group; … An important, heartfelt book that deserves a wide readership." It’s non-conventional. Give this story a chance. I was drawn to it because I can relate to it on multiple levels. The story was really good, but the author telling the story did not do a particularly good job. Sanchez captures the journey of navigating faith and accepting being gay as a gift from God with extraordinary insight and grace. It's a wonderful way to show people you care and create legacy too. Can you test your faith? Too many of the arguments were too tired and cliche for me, though. His novel, Bait, won the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for YA fiction. I guess I am in the minority. This is not a book I would have ever selected for myself. It's so near we can almost smell it: the Holy Grail storage array combining server data location, solid state hardware speed, memory access speed virtualisation, and the capacity, sharability and protection capabilities of networked arrays. Manuel's outspokenness triggers dramatic consequences at school, culminating in a terrifying situation that leads Paul to take a stand. "Like" your favorite trailer - the 10 with the most "likes" get accepted into the festival! His thoughts and actions felt so intense while reading that it put you into his mind like you where him. "The God Box is a remarkable gem. These rightfully thought-provoking debates-most of which happen either in after-school Bible study or between Paul and Manuel-make Sanchez's latest an intense, necessary addition to the burgeoning LGBTQ teen lit canon. Mateo Askaripour is a Brooklyn-based writer whose debut novel, Black Buck—which Colson Whitehead calls a “mesmerizing novel, executing a high... To see what your friends thought of this book. This is a hard one for me to rate. They will learn the awful consequences their (and their pastors') often flippant and at times hateful language can have on their schoolmates. The characters and what plot existed (the only plot was basically the closeted & Christian main character coming to terms with who he is, and integrating being okay with being gay into his Christian belief system) were basically an excuse for the aforementioned examination of the intersection of homosexuality and religion. But if you think of the book as an allegorical tale like John Bunyan's Christian classic Pilgrim's Progress where the story's progress matters more than character development for anyone except the main protagonist you may find it a decent read. Although I've read and enjoyed most of his books now, Alex Sanchez isn't technically a great writer. Steve Kindle, Clergy United www.clergyunited.org, "...a breath of fresh air, from a young, passionate spiritual perspective. I thought that you, dear readers, might like to create a God Box of your own or for someone else who might appreciate receiving one. The God Box. The God Box T-shirt - Black. I have no problem with religion itself as it applies to people in their personal lives. Okay, is the book a bit cut-and-dry about the message it’s getting across at times? I hoped the sting would help me forget the sex dream that had woken me. And what was up with those earrings?'. This all starts to change with the arrival of Manuel, a cute and openly gay boy from Dallas who also happens to be Christian and extremely good at explaining how the scripture's condemnations of homosexuality are not actually legitimate reasons for people to hate gay people. I ended up in the end really liking the characters and caring about their story and I appreciated the different character points of view from dad to grandma to the various classmates. . Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. This is certainly the case with Alex Sanchez's new coming-of-age story, The God Box. It of course confronts the religious homophobes for misusing the Bible to condemn gays, but it also subtly admonishes all those gay people out there who have strayed from their belief because they felt Jesus couldn't love them. . From $75.00 The God Box/Black Fist Stickers (set of 2) Regular price $5.00 The God Box Stickers (set of 2) Regular price $5.00 The God Box Gold Pin. The characters and what plot existed (the only plot was basically the closeted & Christian main character coming to terms with who he is, and integrating being okay with being gay into his Christian belief system) were basically an excuse for the aforementioned examination of the intersection of homosexuality and. In Worldbox you can build your own world and fill it with life. That’s why I have a mother. But when Manuel transfers to their school, Paul has to rethink his life. Homo sapiens is the only species in all of nature that responds with hate to homosexuality.”, “the church should just stay out of people's pants.”, Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters, A Debut Novelist's 2020 Reading that Mirrors Our Timeline. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The God Box. Sure, but for this book it. He is also raised in a very heavily Christian environment, as I was, although not as strictly as the main character. Welcome back. We’d love your help. Pros first. I don't know what it was that kept me turning the pages. I did like seeing how one might struggle with the conflict between religion and reality; that is, what a person is born as (sexual orientation), and what their decided religion tells them that should be. Too many of the arguments were too tired and cliche for me, though. Every other page, I kept saying "I'll go to bed at the end of this chapter" but I never did. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Thursday, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm. 645 likes. The major issue that this book tackles in a pretty great way is homosexuality and the bible. wristband - snap! Paul is a high school senior in a small Texas town, and he is devoutly religious. It makes you ask your own questions right along with Paul. "The God Box" available now: https://Empire.lnk.to/TheGodBox Mass Appeal Premiere “The God Box” Will Be Released On 5-19-17 David Banner is a name that needs no introduction in most rap circles, in the early 2000’s Banner stormed the scene from his home state of Mississippi – where no rappers had traditionally come from before him. First of all, the main characters are Mexican American, which adds a different perspective to the age old controversy over sexuality and religion. I don't know what it was that kept me turning the pages. to Paul and Manuel and I just wanted to KNOW what happened. When I was a young man, I thought I had God all figured out. I absolutely loved this story, so much so, that I do not know how many times I have read it. The story still had a unique voice, despite covering familiar ground: coming out, high school, and family issues. This was more a tract than a story... it was a discussion of what is said about homosexuality in the Bible, and how people can form a belief system that both includes God and being gay. Watch how civilizations progress and interact with each other. This rating is mostly about the writing. Proudly created with. The God Box Foundation. ", from School Library Journal: "... Sanchez's cleverly diverse characterizations, conversational stylings, and sense of humor lighten this potentially daunting theme. Secondly, it deals with religion in a very nuanced fashion. The book is essentially a coming out story. So I asked my future daughter-in-law, Rachel, to help me in this DIY project. The Christian belief (atleast in that small town) is that being gay is sinful, yet how can it be sinful if it's just a matter of falling in love? It features guest appearances from Raheem DeVaughn, WatchTheDuck, Big K.R.I.T., Big Rube, Black Thought, Cee-Lo Green, Devon Lewow, Kap G, Kenya Jori, Tim Wise, Rudy Currence and Tito Lo. They have a lot of the same interests, like singing in their church choir and being active in Bible club. At first, I thought that I would have a lot of fun reading this book, and I sort of did, but I did have some problems with it. I think what touched me most in this book were the recurring themes of love of self and forgiveness. The twist is that the school is located in a conservative Christian community, and the new boy, Manuel is both gay and deeply religious. Straight Paul is a mask worn by Gay Pablo, and he realizes the importance of both by the end of the book. This eventually helps Paul (who goes back to being called Pablo) come to grips with his feelings and come out to his family and friends (who are not really surprised). A God box is any container with a slot or opening on top. This art is authentic. You write your current problem, worry, desire, or hard-to-make decision on a small piece of paper. More importantly, this story reminds us that love is never wrong because that is the way God designed it to be. There is no dancing around topics or scriptures, it’s just clear. I finished The God Box by Alex Sanchez last week. He does a remarkably faithful job of opening up long-abused biblical passages often used as proof texts to denigrate homosexuality. Build your own world. I'm sincerely glad this book did and continues to exist. "Alex Sanchez evokes the crucifying experience of adolescents wrestling with their sexual identity and their identity as Christians. "The God Box" was about Paul (Pablo) and coming to terms with whether or not he's actually gay. This book ranks right up with David Leviathan’s "Boy Meets Boy" in my opinion. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, "With candor, conviction, and compassion, Alex Sanchez dramatizes the plight of teens who struggle to balance their homosexuality and their deeply felt religious beliefs. The God Book: 'During the remainder of homeroom I tried not to stare at Manuel. I went to bed last night ( at 1am ) pretty great way is and... His feelings mend it and break it again ( in a good way ) at 1am.! Title, but to those who love and work with them. the author thanking for... Most in this DIY project prices courtesy of ars Shopping Engine, where... Time I read this delightful tale. compelling to teens, and if history holds any clues 's Publishing 16.99. Paul and Angie are committed Christians, and in the morning to new school upsets... 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