What Would Jesus Buy?
Reverend Billy's Fabulous Prayers in the Face of the Shopocalypse
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Reverend Billy's revival tour across America is the subject of the upcoming Morgan Spurlock film What Would Jesus Buy?, his first movie since the national hit Super Size Me! The book is an inspiring -- love-a-lujah! -- compendium of the reverend in full flow, from his exhortations from the pulpit to his reflections on why lesbian marriage will save the Spotted Owl. Reverend Billy believes big box brainless consumerism is destroying our culture and our planet.
Reverend Billy first began preaching in Times Square and has since been incessantly spreading the word at major retail stores from San Francisco to New York City. He has been regularly featured in the national media, most recently in the New York Times, and was arrested with great panache as he led prayers against consumerism in Disneyland. What Would Jesus Buy? will entertain, convince, convert, and give readers actions they can take to become a member of the Church of Stop Shopping.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Billy, the ringleader of the "Church of Stop Shopping"-whose protests have gotten him arrested multiple times-presents his philosophy and plan of action in this tongue-in-cheek guide to buying less and loving more-what Billy calls the "Love-a-Lujah Revival." Despite this welcome thesis, Billy's mission barely gets off the ground amid his slim volume's jokey tone. With a sermon-like delivery, Billy can prove amusing in small doses, but quickly overwhelms readers with too many odd phrasings, vain attempts at comedy and random capitalization: "Let me ask you a question. IS THERE ANYONE HERE AMONG US WHO HAS NOT BEEN CHASED DOWN AND KILLED BY A DISCOUNTED LUXURY ITEM?" Paradoxically, Billy's plea for honest expression gets mired in new-age vagary: "We have learned in the Church of Stop Shopping that memory reclamation is key, then sharing and comparing." Even when these kinds of statements get proper support, they're undermined by Billy's punch-line-happy prose, making it tough to take the actor/activist/author seriously. Relentlessly sarcastic, deadly repetitive and almost entirely reference-free, this book feels more like an attention-getting device than an earnest attempt at either social change or satire.
