Blog reader Caitlin writes:

II don’t know what story im replying to but that’s not why I am here. I need to ask questions, I need to know. What is it like to be an athiest? How can you feel fulfilled? i am a 14 year old girl, and never ahve felt so strongly in God in my life. I was always brought up as a catholic bbut I still didnt feel special because I really hadnt become serious about God. Then 2 years ago my life became more stressed and I had to face God Myself. I thought I’d “give it a shot” and talk to God. I was skeptikal because I believed a prayer would be wasted. But I prayed to God, and as minutes past and I continued to spill my problems to him, I suddenly felt lighter, my heart began to lift. I could’nt explain it I just felt like soemone lifted my head up as to say “I am listening.” And I kept talking to god all night long until I fell asleep finally. I wake up and I feel the same joy I felt last night. It felt like a dream, but It was so very real. I then relieazed I was happy. I felt fullfilled, because I was sincere about my relationship with someone and something. Over time I became stronger and to this day I feel the joy I felt that one night very morning when I wake up. I know it was the act of God because my life has been filled with only true acts of god. Recently my dad was deployed to Iraq, has been there for 6 months. He’s doing great and absolutely has had some protection from above.This Summer eevry time I think about my dad and bow my head for a quick desperate prayer, I feel a breeze against me. I just know it. God Exists. It seems that hes always listening.
Wouldn’t you want that?

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Leadership, a “practical journal for church leaders,” did a very nice story on the eBay auction.  It’s in the Summer 2006 issue.  Read it by clicking on the image (if the image is too small, click the “expand” icon on the bottom right):

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Monday night, Stephen Colbert ran down his Threatdown list on the Colbert Report. #5 on the list? Camp Quest, the atheist summer camp.
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I was at a church this morning (for a separate project)… and inside the book of hymnals near my seat, I found this activity pamphlet for children. Page one is below.

It took me a while, and I had to ask for some help, but I think I finally figured it out…

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According to Ben Joravsky of the Chicago Reader, Loyola University, a Jesuit school in Chicago, was given $54,000,000 from the state of Illinois for redeveloping a campus building.

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As an atheist, I must endure:

– Not being able to run for public office in some states at all. (Link)

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I promise there is a non-political point to this:

If you don’t already listen to Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, the NPR news quiz show, go to their website and listen. The podcast is one of the most downloaded programs on iTunes each week, and the show has an estimated audience of 2,000,000 people.

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I’ve made mention before of how much I loved seeing the one-woman show by Julia Sweeney (a.k.a. Pat from Saturday Night Live). The show is called “Letting Go of God” and it’s one of the best stories I know of someone going from religion to atheism. If you haven’t heard it yet, an excerpt was broadcast on NPR’s “This American Life” a while ago and you can hear it here:

[tags]Julia, Sweeney, Letting Go of God, God, NPR, This American Life[/tags]