I started observing Lent in 2006, and I blogged about it. No doubt my readers found these posts meaningful and inspiring. Yet reading them again now, I don't see anything "inspiring" about the way I lived out my faith whatsoever.
Deconversion: A Computer Virus or System Upgrade?
The moment I first considered that Jesus was not coming back was like opening a corrupted file. After three years, the system was completely wiped, gone, deleted. The faith that had been my operating system had been destroyed.
New Year, New Resolution
I always make a list of New Year’s Resolutions. Every year. Do I stick to them? Sometimes. Do I try for at least a little while? Always. Do I ever feel that my attempts to reapply myself to disciplines at which I may or may not succeed are a waste of effort? Never.
Santa’s Wager
Over the past couple of months, my six-year-old son has become more and more interested in parsing out fact from fiction. With the Christmas holidays approaching, the subject of Santa’s existence starting cropping up a lot. He began asking me questions like, “How does Santa get into Daddy’s house if Daddy doesn’t have a chimney?” [...]
Screen Doors and Porch Swings
Like one who didn't want to give a salesperson too much encouragement, people were standing behind their screen doors to talk to me. They weren't shutting me out completely, but I was no longer invited in. People I thought would surely always accept me for who I am began backing towards the house and behind their screen doors to make sure I didn't get past the threshold.
Tearing Down the Stigmas and Myths of Mental Illness
He replied, "What do you have to be depressed about? You shouldn't have anything to be depressed about if you believe in Jesus." Or at least it was something to that effect. The actual words have been blurred by time, but the gist remained crystal clear for the next couple of decades - if you're a true Christian, you can't be depressed.
10 Things That Royally Suck About Being A Single Parent
Back in the day, anytime the husband was out of town for a couple of days, I would lament dramatically about how hard being a "single parent" was. Then I became a single mother in real life, and I realized there are way more things that suck about being a single parent than just feeling and looking tired all the time.
What the Church Is Doing Right
Instead of always writing about what I think the Christian church is doing wrong, today I write about something I think the Christian church (and other faith-based communities) are doing very right.
Why I Chose the Atheist Label
A friend once asked, "Why do you think that being an atheist has become such a big part of your self identity?" Two reasons.
Where Do Morals Come From?
Quite often I find myself in conversations with folks who feel that my lack of religion is simply a failing to have been asked the right questions. One of the most common is this: If there is no God, where does your basis of morality come from?
