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LONGFELLOW -- The title could be misleading in passing. A recently-published book, "We Spanked God: Biblical Thoughts," by Mike Tovar presents one-liners as biblical truisms, followed by a short prose summary of Judeo-Christian doctrine. As for the title, life experiences influenced the author's choice.
"It was a second choice, after realizing the first was too long, and also the subtitle," Tovar said of the title. "The first [choice] is the first line in my book of one-liners. Back when I was reading the monthly of the Amish-Mennonite congregations, Calvary Messenger, I submitted it to the editors. They list what they call 'thought-gems' on the back cover."
The book was published in November 2022 by BBookBaby of Pennsauken, New Jersey. It is available in paperback and eBook from Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Tovar, now a Bratton Township resident, was born in the city of Manila in the Philippines, officially a child born abroad of U.S. citizens in the American Embassy community. One of six children, he spent eight years in Catholic parochial schools before attending Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island and the Baguio City campus of Brent Schools in the Philippines. His senior year was completed at Walt Whitman High School in Maryland. Tovar studied architecture for one semester at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.
"After the semester of college, I went back to the rudiments of beginning to make my own living, which I had begun in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. at age twelve," Tovar said. "Three paper routes and mowing lawns kept me busy during summer vacation. My later teenage years saw me occupied assisting the bartender, waitresses, and cook at a tavern."
Tovar's travels had him criss-crossing the globe, experiencing life and adopting religious perspective.
"One of my aunts gave me the big idea to try and emigrate to New Zealand," he said. "From my parents' house in Bangkok, the New Zealand consulate rejected me, probably on the basis of having enough enterprising youngsters of their own. However, an American businessman there hired me to help his son my age on a dairy farm he had purchased in Quebec, Canada. But for occasional Christmas visits, I stayed there for sixteen years."
By his own account, he "began confessing Jesus Christ in 1975."
Tovar returned to the United States, settling for a time in Maryland. He worked in auto parts, flower delivery, day-labor, and security guard work.
"In early 2001, family friends from Manila who owned an old property in Virginia hired me to be caretaker," Tovar said. "While looking for fresh eggs one Saturday, I met the Amish-Mennonite community in Orange and Madison Counties. They checked me out for a year, then membered me. I looked for a woman to marry in the congregation."
He eventually married Sarah Bender in 2007. The couple has one son, Bernardo Ray.
"Sarah was already maxing-out her baking, but I contributed to her system, including taking over the baking of the half-moon pies," Tovar said. "Property improvement and upkeep got me outside. My son kept me outside for many additional hours. That was hard work, down by the creek, letting my child adventure and discover, on my time."
What inspired Tovar to write a book?
"Reaching out as part of the great commission of Jesus Christ," he said. "In hindsight, in both my life and looking at U.S. history, I'm convinced the only reason this country exists in the eyes of God Almighty is to send out bibles and bible-explaining people into the world."
The book, in Tovar's own words, is "general knowledge as human interest, and biblical facts as I've learned them."
While some may see the book's title as controversial, Tovar's reflections offer thoughtful interpretation of religious philosophy.
"Understand, my one-line observations, beginning in 2005, were generally oriented as Christian Doctrine," he said. "In 2012, and knowing Christendom was confused about the mode or manner of corporal punishment, being dual or a choice of two, I went in to Children and Youth Services for counsel."
Tovar's inquiry was supported by Samuel Martin's e-book, "Thy Rod And Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians And The Spanking Controversy."
"[Martin's] book is a slow and careful exposition of what amounts to across-the-board 'private interpretation' by King James and friends in Proverbs," Tovar said. "I reiterate in my text key facts from Sam Martin's, facts so simple to see, if I first agree to not read into God's text beforehand what I want to. The real pressures of social correctness are involved here, as they always are since Eden. Therefore, when I found myself not satisfied with my long first choice of a title and subtitle, it was simple to choose the second and final title."
Tovar's book is the culmination of his life's travels and experiences. He was born again, and now hopes to spread the message.
"We Spanked God: Biblical Thoughts" is available at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/ and https://www.kobo.com/.