Losing Religion
People Are Leaving Religion In Droves. What’s Next?
This is the preface to my newly released book ‘Losing Religion’ available as an ebook on Amazon. https://amzn.id/9oVO0Vn
As I sit down to write this preface, I recall the winding path that has led me to “Losing Religion.” My journey with faith and reason has been far from linear, mirroring perhaps the complex relationship many of us have in between belief and doubt in our modern world.
For most of my life, I considered myself an agnostic. Raised in a household where spirituality was a personal matter rather than a prescribed doctrine, I sometimes found myself curious about life’s big questions but skeptical of easy answers. I never felt compelled to have definitive answers about faith and religion.
It wasn’t until later in life that I found myself fully immersed in Christianity. The catalyst was not a sudden revelation, but rather the influence of the Christians around me. Surrounded by individuals who found meaning and purpose in their faith, I began to explore Christianity more deeply, seeking to understand its appeal and perhaps find answers to long-held questions. The concept of resurrection was always a stumbling block for me. I initially drew the line at the notion of Christ’s reanimation, viewing it as magical thinking. But over time, I convinced myself that an all-powerful God could indeed resurrect whomever He chose. Baptized at forty-two years of age, I was a late arrival to the fold.
However, over the years, as I delved deeper into Christian doctrine, I found myself increasingly troubled by certain aspects, particularly the concept of the Trinity. The more I studied, the more this fundamental tenet of mainstream Christianity seemed at odds with my understanding of spirituality and my own logical reasoning. This disillusionment led me to explore alternative interpretations of Christian teachings.
It was during this period of questioning that I discovered Red Letter Christianity — a movement focused on the direct teachings of Jesus, emphasizing social justice, compassion, and peace. This approach seemed to offer a way to reconcile my interest in Christian ethics with my longstanding commitment to rational inquiry. By focusing on the words attributed directly to Jesus, I found a form of Christianity that aligned more closely with my values and skepticism towards religious institutions.
Yet, the more I studied and reflected, the more I found myself grappling with contradictions. The compassionate teachings I admired often stood in stark contrast to the actions of religious institutions throughout history and in the present day. Faith and religion seemed more about control and submission. Additionally, the more exposure I got to church, the more clearly I could see the delineation between the church and the state is not a wall of separation but an amorphous fuzzy gray area.
This process of questioning led me to where I stand today — as an atheist and a humanist. It’s a position I’ve arrived at not through rejection of spirituality’s beauty or denial of religion’s historical importance, but through a careful examination of evidence and a commitment to intellectual honesty. To be clear, I am not a historian, a philosopher, a bible scholar, or a scientist. I am just someone asking questions central to religion and faith, and looking at answers.
“Losing Religion” is born from this personal journey, as well as a few decades of weekly church attendance both before and after I was baptized. And multiple Bible studies, men’s groups, small groups, and Christian fellowship. It is shaped by previous friendships with religious leaders and devout practitioners, and deep reflection on the role of belief in our society. This book is not intended as an attack on individual faith, but rather as a critical examination of religious institutions and an exploration of how humanist principles might offer a path forward in our complex world.
In these pages, we will traverse the landscape of religious influence, examining both its triumphs and its failures. We will confront difficult truths about the abuse of power within religious organizations and secret societies. We will grapple with the challenges of maintaining ethical behavior and social cohesion in a world where traditional religious authority is waning.
But this book is not merely a critique. It is also a vision of hope. In the second part, we will explore how humanist principles can provide a foundation for a more just, compassionate, and rational society. We will examine practical strategies for fostering critical thinking, promoting secular ethics, and building communities based on shared human values rather than religious dogma.
I write at a time when our world faces unprecedented challenges — rising authoritarianism and the ethical quandaries posed by rapid technological advancement. It is my firm belief that meeting these challenges requires us to move beyond the limitations of religious thinking and embrace a more universal, evidence-based approach to ethics and governance.
To those who hold religious beliefs dear, I invite you to approach this book with an open mind. Having walked in those shoes, I understand the comfort and meaning faith can provide. My intent is not to denigrate your beliefs, but to challenge us all to think critically about the role of religion in our shared public life. To those already inclined towards secular thinking, I hope this book will deepen your understanding and provide you with tools to engage constructively with others on these vital issues.
I am sincerely grateful to the Christians and others who have demonstrated true grace, mercy, and compassion to myself and my family over the years.
Ultimately, this book is a call to action. It is an invitation to envision and work towards a world where reason, compassion, and human dignity are the guiding principles of our societies. It is my sincere hope that these pages will spark thoughtful discussion, challenge preconceptions, and inspire readers to play an active role in shaping a humanist future.
In closing, I chose not to cite any of the factual references in this document. In today’s world these things are easily verifiable on the internet. This is a narrative book about humanism and not intended to be a scholarly reference.
This is the preface to my newly released book ‘Losing Religion’ available as an ebook on Amazon. https://amzn.id/9oVO0Vn
If you liked this article, please consider following me. In the meantime, here is another post by me about atheism that you might like, Rock It Science. Thanks.
