Talking Religion

There are times when faith is good. It promotes hope and peace and points to beautiful ideals.

But there are times when faith is difficult—for the faithful and those touched by them. There are times when religious passion destroys lives in a storm of brick and fire. There are times when people innocently and sincerely assume they are doing right while actually committing deeds that result in irreversible harm to themselves and others.

On September 11 and at other times in history, these flaws become obvious. But day after day goes by that faith—in a person, thing, or system—more subtly destroys, creating inner chaos and heartache that never makes the news.

I have seen both sides. I’ve balanced on the stony religious pathway of extreme legalism, and I now walk on a road marked by a beautiful blend of freedom and faith.

I know what it is like to be part of a cult-like group—one that regulated everything from your clothing to your mind. That is not to say there weren’t some benefits to this time in my childhood, and glimmers of the sunshine of a later, more complete faith experience. But it was hard to be in it, and hard to leave. It became an inescapable truth that it was wrong, but it was a paradoxical feeling when the group had trained you that no other organization could be right. Thus, I huddled together with a few other desserters in a makeshift church until we healed and realized there was more out there to discover—more freedom, and fuller faith.  

Wherever you are in your faith experience, feel free to discuss it here. If faith is making life difficult, it could be that life is just hard, and you’re blaming it on faith. But it could be that religion is weighing you down. Sharing perspectives often leads to a fuller understanding of our experiences.

I’m of the persuasion that faith is a good, healthy, and eternally significant thing—if it is placed in the right thing in the right way. I will not be shy about my perspective but I do promise to be honest. I ask you to do the same about what you truly believe (or want to believe), even if it does not happen at the moment to line up with what you’ve always been taught or the claims of your religious organization.

And so the quest for honest faith begins.