My Journey from Christianity
My first book, Up in the Air: Christianity, Atheism & the Global Problems of the 21st Century details some of the ideological differences between Christianity and Atheism.
Here, I focus more on the experiential side.
Let me explain.
In school, I considered it a personal responsibility to testify to others about my walk with God not only with my words but in how I treated others. My faith was not merely that I chose not to swear, drink alcohol, or participate in what I thought to be ungodly behavior, like cheating on tests and gossiping about others.
My commitment was less about abstaining from behavior and more about delighting in different behavior, namely communion with God. I was often found with a book and was happily ostracized because of my commitment to Jesus. I never thought I was unique in this.
Nor did I feel particularly burdened. As I said, I may have abstained from the mundane pleasures of my peers, but I was a part of something that I cherished so much more.
Early Church Involvement
My commitment was also seen in that I attended every conference, Bible group, and youth meeting made available to me. I played in every worship group, and at the age of 14, when I was baptized, at times even led my congregation in…
