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In this series I tell the story of my experiences with doubt, skepticism, mental health, and forging a different kind of faith.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
Part 1: Surviving as a Skeptical Christian<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\nHow do I\u00a0trust God when I\u2019m\u00a0no longer convinced\u00a0he even exists?\u00a0How do I\u00a0stop\u00a0myself\u00a0from being swallowed whole by the fear and despair that can\u00a0come from\u00a0seriously rethinking my beliefs?\u00a0How do I\u00a0pray when it seems like\u00a0there\u2019s probably no-one listening? Can my faith survive this?\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 2: Science, Atheism and the Search for Proof<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\nOne of the biggest steps towards learning to deal\u00a0with my own crippling skepticism has been to convince myself that Christianity is not irrational.\u00a0Deep down I had always feared that if I thought too deeply or learned\u00a0too much about science, this\u00a0faith that brought hope and meaning to my life would eventually be exposed\u00a0as wishful thinking, no more credible than an ancient myth or fairy tale.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 3:\u00a0Making Peace with the Messiness of the Bible<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nContrary to well-meaning advice from many a concerned Christian, reading the Bible is not a good cure for skepticism. In my experience, it usually magnifies it.\u00a0The Bible is messy<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s confusing and contradictory\u00a0and just plain weird in some places. For a skeptic like me, every passage raises new questions and doubts, and shines a floodlight on any that were already lurking in the shadows.\u00a0For a while I actually refused to read the Bible at all, for fear that my faith might not make it out alive. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 4:\u00a0Love as our Compass<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\u2018Deconstruction\u2019 is a bit of a buzzword at the moment in some Christian circles. For various reasons, many of us have found ourselves dismantling our belief systems and questioning long-held assumptions.\u00a0For some people, the deconstruction experience can be overwhelmingly positive and freeing. They are able to see things from refreshing new perspectives and discard aspects of their belief system that were oppressive or harmful.\u00a0For others, faith deconstruction can be like losing a parent. Utterly devastating and disorientating. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 5: On Losing Beliefs and Finding God<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are certain ways Christians talk about God that turn me into an atheist.\u00a0I can\u2019t help it. As much as I try to ignore it, my inner skeptic is constantly on the lookout for holes in the God theory. It will find a loose thread and keep tugging until the whole thing unravels.\u00a0Before I know it, my cherished beliefs in a loving God have disintegrated and I\u2019ve unwittingly written off the entire Christian faith as superstitious nonsense. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 2: Science, Atheism and the Search for Proof<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\nOne of the biggest steps towards learning to deal\u00a0with my own crippling skepticism has been to convince myself that Christianity is not irrational.\u00a0Deep down I had always feared that if I thought too deeply or learned\u00a0too much about science, this\u00a0faith that brought hope and meaning to my life would eventually be exposed\u00a0as wishful thinking, no more credible than an ancient myth or fairy tale.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 3:\u00a0Making Peace with the Messiness of the Bible<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nContrary to well-meaning advice from many a concerned Christian, reading the Bible is not a good cure for skepticism. In my experience, it usually magnifies it.\u00a0The Bible is messy<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s confusing and contradictory\u00a0and just plain weird in some places. For a skeptic like me, every passage raises new questions and doubts, and shines a floodlight on any that were already lurking in the shadows.\u00a0For a while I actually refused to read the Bible at all, for fear that my faith might not make it out alive. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 4:\u00a0Love as our Compass<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\u2018Deconstruction\u2019 is a bit of a buzzword at the moment in some Christian circles. For various reasons, many of us have found ourselves dismantling our belief systems and questioning long-held assumptions.\u00a0For some people, the deconstruction experience can be overwhelmingly positive and freeing. They are able to see things from refreshing new perspectives and discard aspects of their belief system that were oppressive or harmful.\u00a0For others, faith deconstruction can be like losing a parent. Utterly devastating and disorientating. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 5: On Losing Beliefs and Finding God<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are certain ways Christians talk about God that turn me into an atheist.\u00a0I can\u2019t help it. As much as I try to ignore it, my inner skeptic is constantly on the lookout for holes in the God theory. It will find a loose thread and keep tugging until the whole thing unravels.\u00a0Before I know it, my cherished beliefs in a loving God have disintegrated and I\u2019ve unwittingly written off the entire Christian faith as superstitious nonsense. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 3:\u00a0Making Peace with the Messiness of the Bible<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nContrary to well-meaning advice from many a concerned Christian, reading the Bible is not a good cure for skepticism. In my experience, it usually magnifies it.\u00a0The Bible is messy<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0It\u2019s confusing and contradictory\u00a0and just plain weird in some places. For a skeptic like me, every passage raises new questions and doubts, and shines a floodlight on any that were already lurking in the shadows.\u00a0For a while I actually refused to read the Bible at all, for fear that my faith might not make it out alive. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 4:\u00a0Love as our Compass<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\u2018Deconstruction\u2019 is a bit of a buzzword at the moment in some Christian circles. For various reasons, many of us have found ourselves dismantling our belief systems and questioning long-held assumptions.\u00a0For some people, the deconstruction experience can be overwhelmingly positive and freeing. They are able to see things from refreshing new perspectives and discard aspects of their belief system that were oppressive or harmful.\u00a0For others, faith deconstruction can be like losing a parent. Utterly devastating and disorientating. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 5: On Losing Beliefs and Finding God<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are certain ways Christians talk about God that turn me into an atheist.\u00a0I can\u2019t help it. As much as I try to ignore it, my inner skeptic is constantly on the lookout for holes in the God theory. It will find a loose thread and keep tugging until the whole thing unravels.\u00a0Before I know it, my cherished beliefs in a loving God have disintegrated and I\u2019ve unwittingly written off the entire Christian faith as superstitious nonsense. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 4:\u00a0Love as our Compass<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\u2018Deconstruction\u2019 is a bit of a buzzword at the moment in some Christian circles. For various reasons, many of us have found ourselves dismantling our belief systems and questioning long-held assumptions.\u00a0For some people, the deconstruction experience can be overwhelmingly positive and freeing. They are able to see things from refreshing new perspectives and discard aspects of their belief system that were oppressive or harmful.\u00a0For others, faith deconstruction can be like losing a parent. Utterly devastating and disorientating. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 5: On Losing Beliefs and Finding God<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are certain ways Christians talk about God that turn me into an atheist.\u00a0I can\u2019t help it. As much as I try to ignore it, my inner skeptic is constantly on the lookout for holes in the God theory. It will find a loose thread and keep tugging until the whole thing unravels.\u00a0Before I know it, my cherished beliefs in a loving God have disintegrated and I\u2019ve unwittingly written off the entire Christian faith as superstitious nonsense. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 5: On Losing Beliefs and Finding God<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are certain ways Christians talk about God that turn me into an atheist.\u00a0I can\u2019t help it. As much as I try to ignore it, my inner skeptic is constantly on the lookout for holes in the God theory. It will find a loose thread and keep tugging until the whole thing unravels.\u00a0Before I know it, my cherished beliefs in a loving God have disintegrated and I\u2019ve unwittingly written off the entire Christian faith as superstitious nonsense. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 6: Good Religion, Bad Religion<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\nI don\u2019t think religion itself is a good or a bad thing. It\u2019s just a thing. A human thing, which means it\u2019s bound to reflect the wonderful creativity and wild diversity of human culture. On the flip side, it\u2019s also bound to sometimes reflect the darker side of human nature: our tendency to twist and exploit things for our own gain.\u00a0Abuse of power is bad. Authoritarianism is bad. Empty ritualism for the sake of it, without the heart behind\u00a0it, is bad.\u00a0But saying all religion is bad is a little bit like saying we should burn all books. Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
Part 7: Rebuilding Trust When Belief Systems Have Crumbled<\/a><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s easy to trust in God when you feel sure\u00a0that he exists.\u00a0And it\u2019s easy to feel sure that God exists when your faith is built upon a\u00a0solid\u00a0foundation of beliefs.\u00a0I used to feel certain about my beliefs. It felt great<\/em>. No matter what happened,\u00a0I knew that God was on my\u00a0side and I had the answers to life\u2019s biggest questions\u00a0in my\u00a0back pocket.\u00a0But then\u00a0questions and doubts started hammering at the foundations.\u00a0The idea that I held the one set of eternally correct answers grew\u00a0increasingly implausible, and\u00a0I began to\u00a0notice how people can do horrible things when they hold their religious beliefs above all else.\u00a0Before long,\u00a0my belief system had collapsed\u00a0and I was left standing\u00a0the rubble, straining\u00a0to see\u00a0through the clouds of dust.\u00a0Read more ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPart 8: Mindfulness and the Doubting Christian: Finding Peace in the Unknown<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n