From Minister To Atheist: A Story Of Losing Faith

[oilpro2]

MacBain, 44, was raised a conservative Southern Baptist. Her dad was a pastor and she felt the call of God when she was 6. She had questions, of course, about conflicts in the Bible, for example, or the role of women. She says she sometimes felt she was serving a taskmaster of a God, whose standards she never quite met.

For years, MacBain set her concerns aside. But when she became a United Methodist pastor nine years ago, she started asking sharper questions. She thought they'd make her faith stronger.

"In reality," she says, "as I worked through them, I found that religion had so many holes in it, that I just progressed through stages where I couldn't believe it."

.....



http://www.npr.org/2012/04/30/151681248/from-minister-to-atheist-a-story-of-losing-faith?sc=fb&cc=fp

[handmade34]

1. much like...

http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/life-without-god
and...
http://clergyproject.org/


of interest...
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/04/to-keep-the-faith-dont-get-analytical.html?ref=hp

[oilpro2]

3. Interesting links and it is evidently not that uncommon these days

for people of the cloth to leave it after years of service, and years of searching and questioning.

For any member of any clergy, I would think that asking these questions and finding answers one can live with would be a frequent activity. Or maybe not.

[cbayer]

2. Sounds like it was a great relief to her to stop living a double life.

Good for her for being honest not just with herself but with those around her.

[oilpro2]

7. A "double life" ? Who lives a "double life"?

Newt Gingrich lives a "double life", while he's married to some woman and schtucking some other woman.

This 44 year old woman has nothing at all to do with a "double life" she is all about investigating, and learning, and asking honest questions.

There is no "double life" involved in searching for real answers. Unless, of course, if you are implying that the religious belief life is a phony one.

[cbayer]

8. What are you talking about? She speaks clearly about how she was living a double life

in the article. Did you read the article your posted?

[oilpro2]

9. No, of course I do not read nor work on journalistic material that I

had a hand in producing. I don't look at the material, nor edit in my office while I make it ready for airing.

She reflects upon her life from her current perspective. and she uses expressions about her struggle to find truth, and finds some of her past moments in retrospect as a " double" for whom she finds herself to be in the present. She never says her life was anything like Newt Gingrich's, which, I am sure you will agree, is nothing less than a "double life".

The use of the term "double life" was present only twice in her interview. She elaborates on both of them, as events in the past, not like she was sneaking off on her hubby to have another life, but that she now sees them as something different than who she sees that she is now.

What part of honest intellectual questioning really makes one someone that lives to question a "double life"?

There is no simultaneity in her reflections, she now sees herself differently than before, pretty obvious in the context of her comments. She was and is no Newt Gingrich.

[cbayer]

10. I still have no idea what you are worked up about. This is a quote from her:

""I live a double life". I was noting that it must have been a great relief to her to come out and stop doing that.

Where in the world does Newt Gingrich come into this?

[oilpro2]

11. Simple: Newt Gingrich "double life"

Google it.

[cbayer]

13. I think I'll pass. I never said anything about Newt Gingrich.

[longship]

4. Dan Barker and the Clergy Project

The number of former theists who have come to realize that it is a hollow hull, figuratively speaking.

Skepticism is full of them.

Michael Shermer
The entire Reasonable Doubts podcast staff.
Dan Barker of FFRF

It goes on and on.

BTW, that category includes me. 13 years a church attendee. 50 years (or more) as an atheist.

[oilpro2]

5. Thanks for that. Do you have a direct link?

I'm exploring sites like that, but also exploring some religious sites.

I'd like to know the credible research on all sides.

[handmade34]

14. going to seminary

changed my life... I was raised in the Methodist Church and valued the church as community... I filled in (pulpit supply) a number of times... applied for candidacy for ordination and attended seminary (ANTS) once we understood that my husband was terminal ...

Seminary helped me understand the power structure, the politics, the games people play and what goes into managing a church...

I have many times recommended that people attend seminary as a way to direct their life (in the respect of thinking analytically about themselves...)

I still believe there is great value in community and using the church as community but have great disdain for dogma and fundamentalism...

I continue to be very sorry that so many people disrespect other's personal religious beliefs...

[cbayer]

15. Sounds like a fascinating journey.

I have not heard seminary described in this way, but as someone who enjoys the topic, I would probably enjoy the academic exercise.

So sorry about your husband. I hope you are well.

[HockeyMom]

6. You want to cure your daugther of Catholicism

Send her to Catholic school.

[oilpro2]

12. Just want to add...

to quote:

This is the first in a series of stories on losing faith.

Stay tuned to NPR, for really excellent reporting and presentations over the next few weeks.

[YankeyMCC]

16. I heard this on my local station yesterday afternoon

She clearly had a very difficult time of it and unfortunately it didn't sound like she had a large circle of support local to her after her coming out. It was courageous of her to take that step when she did and before that recognize and acknowledge her own true feelings.

Thankfully it did sound as though her husband was very understanding and supportive.

I would like to have heard a bit more because I felt questions coming up for me that I would have liked to ask her.

She spoke of religion in a way that sounded like she was commingling religion, theology and spirituality, which to my understanding are different things.

I wondered if she explored other spiritual careers, at a UU church, some more work on her own spiritual path.

It wasn't clear to me if she resigned before her public announcement or had some expectation of, if not employment at least some interaction after that announcement.

He husband seemed to handle it with understanding and clarity within his own understanding. Yes he 'prays' for her, and yet he respects her, he recognizes his love for her is stronger, more sacred than his need for others to believe as he does. He understands that his service to his country was all about freedom of thought and religion and practice.

[AlbertCat]

17. From Minister To Atheist: A Story Of Losing Faith

Again? Another one?

[progressoid]

18. Here is video of her "coming out" at the American Atheists Conference

&feature=colike

[Taverner]

19. It be nice for the DU Christians to read this...

Maybe, just maybe, they might experience an epiphany of empathy

However, I doubt it.

IN their eyes, this woman was not a victim, but a BLASPHEMER!!! And APOSTATE!!!!

[rug]

20. Here's more info.

http://www.religionnews.com/faith/clergy-and-congregations/For-clergy-lost-faith-can-lead-to-lost-family-jobs

http://www.religionnews.com/faith/clergy-and-congregations/Sidebar-Pastors-loss-of-faith-started-with-loss-of-hell

[cbayer]

21. Where have you seen christian DU members call her a blasphemer or apostate?

I may have missed it, but I don't see christian DUers ever saying things like that.



BTW, the ex-member who posted this is a repeating malicious disruptor who poses as an atheist (and several other things) in order to post flame bait and cause divisiveness.

[Taverner]

22. "Every knee shall bow"

Sound familiar?

[cbayer]

24. It's a bible verse. So what?

[Taverner]

25. It's always a favorite saying when Christians lose their argument

Essentially "GOD IS GONNA GIT YOUUUUUU!"

[cbayer]

27. Never heard it used in these parts. Ever.

[Taverner]

28. Google the usual suspects and you'll see it

[cbayer]

29. Who are the usual suspects?

I googled the phrase and found nothing that substantiates what you are claiming.

[Taverner]

23. Despite the OP'er, I heard this story on NPR myself

Really sad - so much for Christian love

[cbayer]

26. Yes, the reaction she got in her community is sad.

[cbayer]

30. This woman is being interviewed by Neil Conan on Talk of the Nation today.

Very good interview. Very thoughtful and well spoken woman.

[dimbear]

31. 100% agree and I would only add very brave.

It can't be easy in the face of her father being a minister also. She sounds like she'll be successful in whatever she does, tho.

[cbayer]

32. The show was great, I thought.

I am glad her family is supportive of her. What a hard and brave thing she has done.