I know you're out there, but your voices are seldom heard. I'm not sure whether it's because there are so few of you or because you haven't yet taken the difficult step of letting others know where you stand. I'm referring to those of you who, having grown up in a warm, nurturing evangelical Christian home, eventually came to the realization that the faith of your youth had no foundation. This realization came suddenly, with horror, or over a period of years, with a mixture of anguish and excitement at what might lie over the horizon.
I have in mind those of you who eventually left the faith out of an informed conviction that the evidence not only did not support your former beliefs, but positively ran counter to them. It was a matter of integrity, a duty not to pretend to believe that which you no longer considered to be true. You looked at the alternatives and found some form of rationalism--deism, agnosticism or atheism--to be more consistent with your understanding of science, history and human nature.
But you had loved ones--parents, brothers, sisters, maybe even a spouse or children--for whom the evangelical faith remained dear. The last thing in the world you wanted to do was to hurt them. You read books and articles by unbelievers, some calm and conciliatory, others angry and condescending. You vowed not to become angry or bitter but to remain in good standing with your loved ones. You expressed your doubts to some or all of them, acutely aware of the object of scrutiny you would now become. You are now under the microscope and you want to show others that your unbelief is not rooted in some form of unthinking adolescent rebellion and that you are still every bit as moral now as you were when you believed. But you are lonely. There's no one else out there like you. Or so it seems.
This is my first blog post. I don't have a clear idea where it will go, but I'd be interested in hearing from any of you out there who identify with my story. I grew up the son of missionaries and became one myself, until I broke under the weight of biblical inconsistencies and a sense that the Christian world view is inconsistent with reality. I recount my journey at www.danielshouse.com/ken.html. It's not short, but I trust it will encourage you. I'd love to hear your own story!
Ken
I have in mind those of you who eventually left the faith out of an informed conviction that the evidence not only did not support your former beliefs, but positively ran counter to them. It was a matter of integrity, a duty not to pretend to believe that which you no longer considered to be true. You looked at the alternatives and found some form of rationalism--deism, agnosticism or atheism--to be more consistent with your understanding of science, history and human nature.
But you had loved ones--parents, brothers, sisters, maybe even a spouse or children--for whom the evangelical faith remained dear. The last thing in the world you wanted to do was to hurt them. You read books and articles by unbelievers, some calm and conciliatory, others angry and condescending. You vowed not to become angry or bitter but to remain in good standing with your loved ones. You expressed your doubts to some or all of them, acutely aware of the object of scrutiny you would now become. You are now under the microscope and you want to show others that your unbelief is not rooted in some form of unthinking adolescent rebellion and that you are still every bit as moral now as you were when you believed. But you are lonely. There's no one else out there like you. Or so it seems.
This is my first blog post. I don't have a clear idea where it will go, but I'd be interested in hearing from any of you out there who identify with my story. I grew up the son of missionaries and became one myself, until I broke under the weight of biblical inconsistencies and a sense that the Christian world view is inconsistent with reality. I recount my journey at www.danielshouse.com/ken.html. It's not short, but I trust it will encourage you. I'd love to hear your own story!
Ken
posted by Ken Daniels | 12:43 AM
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