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November 16th, 2006 by 
soulster
Drunken TuneAtheist | drunkentune[at]gmail.com | http://drunkentune.blogspot.com
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SoulsterChristian | ben[at]thetruthtree.com | http://metrosoul.org/ben
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I was born a skeptic. I’ve always questioned the way the world operates, and have never been satisfied with the answer ‘It just is.’ However, for many years, I partitioned off a part of my mind from rational thought. I went to Sunday School, knew the stories of the Bible, and even taught there for a few years. I learned Hebrew and tutored children. Even though I was brought up in the Jewish faith, I read the New Testament and Koran in passing. While I lived in the Abrahamic culture, there was a small problem: I prayed, but no one answered. I thought there was something wrong with me. My friends and family all seemed ecstatic, communicating with a god. So I read into faith in science texts, philosophical debates, the history of religions and saw a different world. Once I gave it thought, I could only conclude that I had been living amongst diluted people. I loved them dearly, but the truth was certain and simple: God did not exist. I became a vehement atheist, and have been so for years. But I am more than just an atheist; I remain a skeptic, questioning the way the world works, and always asking for evidence. These days, I run a small personal site where I rant about the dangers of faith in politics. I don’t like talking about my job.
I was raised in a Christian home fully rooted in a culturally conservative and theologically fundamental branch of Christianity. At best, my early religious commitment could be called nominal; intellectual assent not followed up by action. During my early twenties I underwent a personal revival and decided to enter college to study Bible and ministry. Towards the end of my college degree, however, my experiences and intellectual exploration led me to become agnostic, though I still participated in religion. Just after college, I “discovered Jesus” in a new way that reframed my understanding of faith and reality and set me on my present course. While I never returned to cultural conservatism or theological fundamentalism, I find faith essential and the worldview of Christianity coherent and beautiful. Now, I work to develop grassroots faith communities in the New York Metro area in population groups that are underserved or marginal.Posted in Uncategorized | 
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November 16th, 2006 by soulster
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