I just stumbled across an interesting blog, Real Live Preacher, hosted on Salon and mirrored at its own site. The (anonymous) blogger says he was raised Baptist but lost his belief in God while doing a hospital chaplaincy after seminary, then regained it, sort of. Here's a sample:
In our world we have separated mind from body to our great loss. Here a man may betray his wife and neglect his children, but say he loves them ?down inside?. B**s**t. There is no ?down inside.? Love is something you do, not something you feel.(Emphasis in original.)Likewise, we think having faith means being convinced God exists in the same way we are convinced a chair exists. People who cannot be completely convinced of God?s existence think faith is impossible for them.
Not so. People who doubt can have great faith because faith is something you do, not something you think. In fact, the greater your doubt the more heroic your faith.
* * *
What does matter is whether or not I am faithful. I think faithful is a hell of a good word. It still has some of its original shine. It still calls us to action.
Once I stumbled upon this very old truth, I prayed the most honest prayer of my life.
God, I don?t have great faith, but I can be faithful. My belief in you may be seasonal, but my faithfulness will not. I will follow in the way of Christ. I will act as though my life and the lives of others matter. I will love.
I have no greater gift to offer than my life. Take it.
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