Do you wonder why people leave church? Just ask them. Do NOT rely on the assumptions that those who are still in church make about those who have left church. Anger and Freedom When I meet someone who has left their church, I always ask if they are still angry. Invariably, they either say, “Of course, I’m still angry.” Or “Well, I used to be angry, but I’m almost over it.” No one has ever said (as you... Read more
Readers teach me a lot about the challenges of religious deconstruction. These conversations help me to talk and write about my book in ways that are more relevant to readers. Religious deconstruction involves reexamining beliefs and practices. Many people leave their religions because of some of the supernatural beliefs, speculative doctrine and unkind practices of 21st-century Christianity. Others leave because of religious trauma (emotional, financial, physical, and sexual abuse.) Sadly, one-third of adults report experiencing religious trauma. In... Read more
Spiritual inquiry requires open-heartedness and open-mindedness. My work is more reporting than apologetics or polemics. In my speaking and writing, I ask a lot of questions, and I leave a lot of room for differing interpretations and varying worldviews. Realizing that all religion is cultural and that all theology is speculation, I know one thing, namely that everyone is related, and everything is connected. I do NOT believe too many things. Most people are asking questions themselves, and... Read more
Cities change. Churches change. How will we accommodate change, while retaining what is worthy in our cultures and traditions? I studied city planning in college, and I am fascinated by the history of cities. I just finished reading Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz. This insightful book contrasts the traditional narrative that “civilizations have ‘classical’ or ‘peak’ phases that we can contrast with a ‘collapse’ phase.” Newitz continues, “The idea of collapse comes... Read more
Do we actually know Ultimate Reality or do we we only know ABOUT it? On Facebook, a good friend, who is a modern mystic, said, “The Transcendent is universal, but not personal. It is beyond all thoughts and ideas of being. It is Nameless, and It is Formless.” I expected an eyeroll from some of our conservative Christians friends. So, I added that this understanding is NOT foreign to Christianity. Christian mystics, like Meister Eckhart, have written about “the Godhead.”... Read more
Should we be concerned that society is becoming more secular? This is something that I talk and write about a lot. Today, a friend texted me this photo, explaining, “I came across this dilapidated, old church with vultures all over it, and I thought of you.” Haha, thanks, I think… Analysts estimate that between 75 to 150 churches close every week in America. Generally, attendance is lower at those churches that remain open, too, especially since the pandemic.... Read more
We may see more by the light of the moon than by the light of a bulb. The Real World We spend two months each year in Crestone, Colorado, near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Crestone sits in the high desert at the base of several 14,000 foot peaks in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There are plenty of hiking trails and hot springs nearby. Crestone has a great art gallery and over 20 spiritual centers, where... Read more
What did The Way look like to the early followers of Jesus? My book is called The Way, which is what many religions, including Christianity, were called at first. Originally, the founders of the religions, as well as the early mystics and the sages, prescribed a way of life, often based on the Golden Rule. Eventually, the later priests and theologians supplanted the early founders, mystics, and sages. Instead, they proscribed a way of belief, often based on... Read more
Some people want churches to focus on values, not just beliefs. In last week’s post, I asked if seeking truth means letting go of beliefs. I never know which posts will resonate with readers, and that one did. I linked to the post in several Facebook groups, and I got a lot of comments, likes, and shares. In a preface to the post, I observed that many churches post “What We Believe” statements. Does anyone think that these... Read more
Our spiritual practice should focus on our interrelatedness. In The Way, I described my search for universal Truth, rather than the truth in a particular tradition, so I explored Eastern religions and Western religions, and I studied the mystics of many traditions and the luminaries of modern science. We Can Find Truth in Objective Evidence and Subjective Experience The mystics seek experiential knowledge of God and metaphysics, and the scientists seek evidentiary knowledge of the Universe and physics. The... Read more
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