What happens when a liberal student from Brown enrolls, secretly, at Liberty University? That's the subject of a new book, The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University.

Anyone who grew up in the Christian culture might have to stifle a guffaw at that description of the Lynchburg college. No offense to "Jerry's kids," but we've heard the stories. And besides, we're all sinners.

Still, I loved that the NPR article about the book included this snippet about the reaction author Kevin Roose got when he told his new friends about his undercover assignment:

He expected them to feel betrayed — and expected to do a lot of apologizing. Instead, he says, something amazing happened.

"Everyone forgave me — immediately," he says. "It was unreal how quickly their surprise turned to real compassion and excitement."

Good for them. Although the best part of their reaction followed:

But there was just a little disappointment. "They thought, given the semester with me, that they would have done a better job of converting me," Roose says.

(Image © Kevin Roose)