What do you think regarding your last question ? [ I assume you meant in the case of reposed family members who belonged to other religions ].
As for that book, Nearly Orthodox, I still can't get over the way the author and her husband had such a lackadaisical approach to religion. That was probably the one thing that stood out in my mind about the book. Otherwise, it was a boring exercise in narcissism. The author, Angela Doll Carlson, spent an entire chapter named "Inked" talking about her tattoos. From pages 111- 119, she described each disgusting tattoo in loving detail, as if any average reader would care. I was repulsed - but then so was I by most other things about her too, such as the way she brags about having joined a 'punk rock band' for which she moved to Chicago to be with them, or drops in carefully about her swearing, quite a few mentions ; way overdone in order to shock the reader. Not to mention her apparently heavy smoking or her repulsion from wearing a skirt.
When she goes to Chicago and searches for an Orthodox Church there, she is turned off immediately by one that asks parishioners to wear dresses for women and suits for men. She never names which jurisdiction, but reacts with horror. How dare they ask for respectability from a counterculture person like her ? She flaunts her regular wearing of army boots into Church, and on and on. Absolutely a horrible book ! I can hardly imagine why Ancient Faith accepted it for publication.
By the way, Ancient Faith's blog admirably spoke AGAINST both Sister Vassa [Larin] and I think Kallistos Ware for their pro-homosexual statements. But in this autobiography, Angela Doll Carlson writes that when she is beginning to consider whether she can possibly join a World Orthodox jurisdiction, she nervously confronts the priest at the Greek Orthodox Church in Nashville, Fr. Gregory, about 'her homosexual friends'. She has him respond 'gently' : "But it is not Orthodox to judge someone".
This is Fr Gregory Hohnholt, rector of a Holy Trinity Church there in Tennessee, though the author avoids giving his last name.
Apparently this was her most prominent 'deal breaker' as she termed it, to decide whether she could deign to become Orthodox.
At his reply, her clenched knuckles relax, she narrated.
What sort of Greek Orthodox Priest is this who would not speak out honestly what the Orthodox Church teaches ? I wonder whether his spineless reaction is common among World Orthodox clergy today, who must be afraid to drive away those potential converts who are thoroughly mired in the brainwashed contemporary 'culture' ?
A book like this could only appeal to other radical and very liberal Americans who are contemplating joining World Orthodoxy. That number, I would surmise, is quite small.
So I would NOT recommend this book to any Inquirer, which is the overall topic of the forum. Please, stay away unless you want nightmares ! It would almost repel any nice, decent person from pursuing conversion to Orthodoxy.
PS - Angela Doll Carlson has released a 2nd book, likewise through Ancient Faith, with the ridiculous title "Garden in the East : The Spiritual Life of the Body". Need I say any more about the suitability of the author as a useful authority on conversion to Orthodoxy ?
PPS - Her husband, who is never given even a face or any kind of identifying qualities except for his rejection of religion after years of joining pop "Christian" movements, remains with her up to the present, so there is a happy ending at least in this one respect.