Hi Susie Meister, I appreciate your willingness to be honest and put yourself out there by acknowledging how you struggled with your faith after learning about alternative points of view. I’m sure you’ve received some criticism for this, but in fact such learning is the most we can ask from any human being, and I think you are to be commended not just for changing your views (too many people either cannot or will not), but for being brave enough to share it publicly. Likely many of your critics are incapable of that same self-reflection.
However, the real reason I chose to respond is to share the link to a draft piece I have written but not yet published. Since you have a PhD in religion, I would appreciate your thoughts if you have a chance. I’m neither a celebrity nor a PhD, but I was a religious studies major as an undergrad, however my path into the field was much different than yours; I was drawn by an academic interest in understanding a phenomenon (religious fervor) that I witnessed frequently growing up in small town Mississippi, but which never took hold with me personally.
As someone who has shifted from being devout to perhaps being slightly less devout (I recognize the article was about your political views, not your faith), and has also rigorously studied the topic academically, I’d be very interested in your reaction. Thanks.
