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{"id":12154,"date":"2012-09-20T15:00:43","date_gmt":"2012-09-20T19:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nakedpastor.com\/?p=12154"},"modified":"2012-09-20T15:00:43","modified_gmt":"2012-09-20T19:00:43","slug":"interview-by-deity-shmeity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/nakedpastor\/2012\/09\/interview-by-deity-shmeity\/","title":{"rendered":"interview by Deity Shmeity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I gave a written interview to Grundy\u2019s atheist site, Deity Shmeity. This is one of his questions and my answer. You can read all of the interview on his site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve mentioned on your site that the combination of the your reputation and small town living has caused some discomfort in past church appearances. Overall, how are you treated by Christians as an \u201cout\u201d atheist and ex-pastor?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s interesting that you call me an \u201cout\u201d atheist. Some would say I\u2019m an atheist. Some would say I\u2019m a Christian. I would identify myself as a Christian in the broad sense. But I would also identify myself as a non-deist or non-theist. I guess I resist labels of any kind because I don\u2019t comfortably fit into any one category. I am, like many people, very complex in what I think is true. I think truth is very complex and mysterious and defies pigeon-holing. We can claim allegiance to this school or that party or denomination or religion today. But what will we be tomorrow?<\/em><\/p>\n

Living in a small city with a somewhat tarnished reputation as a pastor and a Christian has made things difficult in some ways because people want to know exactly where you stand. I get asked, \u201cDo you still believe in God?\u201d, which I find impossible to answer. Or \u201cWhy did you become an atheist?\u201d That question is just as perplexing. \u201cGod\u201d and \u201catheist\u201d are so weighted down with tons of baggage that if I said yes or no, all that baggage comes pouring in and informs people of what they believe about you no matter how differently you might believe.<\/em><\/p>\n

As an ex-pastor, I think for many it is a symbol of failure. It means I gave up. It means I rejected the church and God. I feel no compulsion to correct people about that because they\u2019ll believe what they want. I feel no shame at all and have given up worrying about what people think. I\u2019m searching hard for what\u2019s true, and life is too short to keep worrying about making other people comfortable and secure in their beliefs.<\/em><\/p>\n

(Read the rest here<\/a>.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"