I Just Lost Faith In Faith

Dan starts out describing religion as a trap and a miserable experience. If you're a Christian and this is true, I'd consider what you believe, and question your facts, because the bible explains that God desires you to live life, and to live life to the fullest. It says that you will be filled with joy. I wouldn't ever tell anyone to force themself into joy, it should come as a consequence of what God shows you.

John 15:9-11 (NLT) I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Dan further defines his "Christian" accomplishments and tells us that he "pretended to love all individuals". I hope none of us act in this same way, to work for Christian accomplishments and to pretend to love things. Our works are out of faith that God has designed this world to work best under His ways, and that He is pleased when we work according to His ways which are natural and good for creation, for us. I hope none of us go on pretending to love, but to actually love by act. Your heart, or feelings, can drive acts of love, but it is your faith in what is true that can be even stronger and long lasting when you work to love others. Our Christian accomplishments should stem from love for God and others. They should not be empty, or for one to gain or save their own life.

Mark 8:35 (NLT) If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.

James 2:22 (NLT) You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did—by his actions.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT) Jesus replied, " 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

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Dan's first sentances in this chapter are quite poetic,

"It is the siren who entices the wandering traveler with songs of love and desire and, once successful, turns a mind into stone."

I wondered while reading this how Dan stands now as an atheist. Has he been turned to stone; is he entrapped by the enticements of atheistic "freedom"?

Now this next quote actually hurts. Not in the sense of taking an offense, but hurting "for Dan". How can he write a book like this and be so off base!

"My folk's sprituality was so strong that they often found it hard to find a church that met their needs. So we church-hopped for many years."

Wow Dan! Your folks must have been so spiritual that they needed to be served by churches! And oh, of course, they must have been so far above them all that it was just pointless to help anyone in the church out. Too bad; it's a shame.

Later in the chapter Dan tells us that Christians feel their life is better with their faith. I would disagree... if Jesus is not God and did not rise from the dead to save us from separation. I can't just do whatever I want. I have to deal with being out of the crowd. I am labeled as a Christian crazy because there are so many out there that claim to be Christian and ARE crazy. I have to deal with crazy Christians! And if I were in another country, for now, it would be much worse! Some are killed, some have their children killed in front of them, some are torchered, some are imprisoned, etc. etc.. The Christian life has been horrible throughout history! There MUST be some underlying joy and peace that keeps people from abandoning their faith when their families and lives are at stake. But, then again, most religions hold followers who go under torcher and do not repent from their beliefs. So it's not that our current life is better, but we believe our futures are better.