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Gospel of Lies by Promise Backlund addresses many of the popular and extremely harmful mindsets in evangelicalism and provides thoughtful counterarguments that readers can use both when conversing with other people and when doing the work of deprogramming themselves from religious indoctrination. The author includes plenty of personal anecdotes about her Christian upbringing that let readers see that yes, many families really do live like this and believe these things, but obtaining mental freedom is possible.

In reading this book, I found many parallels between my own home life and upbringing under evangelicalism. The persistent fear of hell at a very young age is one of them. I remember the dread I felt about turning thirteen because it meant I would no longer be a child; I would begin the life of a teenager. One belief I was raised with is that all children automatically get into heaven, while everyone else is a sinner whose final destination is judged by their earthly actions. As a child, I’d often wished that I would die before I turned thirteen so I’d have a guaranteed spot in heaven and wouldn’t have the potential of hell hanging over my head for the rest of my life. Super fun things for a kid to be worried about.

It’s hard to tell people about the beliefs and behaviors prevalent in this religion when they haven’t lived that reality, because so much of it is completely absurd. To other people, it all just becomes a joke. Something not real and not worth listening to. Like we’re the insane ones for giving any weight to it, as if we had any control over the way we were raised or the brainwashing we’ve endured.

In each chapter, the arguments that Backlund presents against popular ideas in Christianity are helpful and enlightening for alleviating personal fear and beginning the process of peeling back layers to find the truth. I likely won’t be engaging in any debates any time soon because they’re not worth my sanity, but there are plenty of effective talking points to share with people who are actually willing to listen and consider. The inclusion of Bible verses throughout also makes it easier to connect evangelical beliefs with the source and see for yourself the points that Backlund makes in the text.

Ultimately, the message to walk away with is that it’s up to us to save ourselves in this world. It’s better to spend time honoring yourself, doing things you love, and helping other people in whatever ways you can than waiting on a deity to come in and fix everything for you. So many people waste their whole lives on fear and misplaced belief when there are simpler answers that don’t require you to undergo lasting trauma.