This I Used to Believe

On the way home from class Friday night, I caught This American Life on NPR.  The theme this week was "This I Used to Believe."  I wanted to share Act II because it was my former self in a conversation with my new self--faithwise.

A woman, grieving an inexplicable death of her close friend, is a former Catholic who thinks she may be agnostic now.  She has a (frustrating) conversation with an evangelical Texas football coach.  He goes all arrogant and apologetics (Josh McDowell style) on her, when all she seeks are a few answers to her questions about God and why do bad things happen to good people.  

I know that answers to her questions probably don't exist in this lifetime, but I grew so sad for the woman.  In the middle of pain and hurt and grief, nobody CARES whether Genesis 1 is literally true or whether postmodernism is wrong.  All she needed was a fellow human being to just listen and BE with her in her questioning and doubt.  Act II demonstrated why (aside from the church's love affair with militarism, patriotism, and consumerism), I have no desire to be involved in an evangelical church.  You can throw all the answers and arguments and facts at me you want, but if you have no way to address the gaping wounds in the world, you won't get very far!

The episode can be found here: This I Used to Believe.

Comments

[Monk-in-Training]

That is so sad, and unfortuantely often typical. When people hurt they need compassion, not to be brow beat with conservative theology.

[Kevin Beck]

I heard the story too. It was one of the most compelling stories ever. How easy it is to not be present with people simply becuase we have an agenda. We turn people into objects and miss the true stuff of real life.

[art]

We all want answers to tough questions. I used to be in the Evangelical world. Those apologetics/intelligent design people, over time, develop answers for Frequently Asked Questions. Now that I'm older, I shake my head that when think of these folks and their FAQs.

As for the young woman, I feel for her. I understand her desire and need for answers. Many of us go through what she is going through at some point in our lives. But methinks that we'll never find satisfactory answers to a number of tough and thorny questions. I certainly don't want to ask pastors, theologians and evangelicals to answer these questions. Life's too short to be listening to their b.s.

As always, it's good to read your blog.

[Trisha Lynn]

Thank you so much for listening and for your kind words.

[Howie Luvzus]

Thanks for sharing! Great stuff. I'm still hanging in there, but it's because of Jesus' message, not his "followers." They really make me sad!

[Ernesto Tinajero]

I agree with you and wrote something similar my blog. The question I have is that about the stance the coach had. He was ready to defend God, when he just need to be with Trisha. I wonder if he would have allowed her the space to be angry with God, (not popular with evangelicals but very biblical would she have been more open to God? I think to often we use Apologetics when we would be better off with compassion.

[Sean Janelle]

I find your blog particularly interesting. I myself wrote a simple "This I Used to Believe" essay after hearing TAL's episode. I had some of the same sentiments listening to the podcast that you did. I am a Christian, even having gone to the epitome of evangelical colleges in America - Jerry Falwell's Liberty University - but I cannot blame anyone for not wanting to attend an evangelical church. I do think we Christians try to throw theology in the faces of people and don't let them respond. We try to give staple answers to questions. Christians would be more of an impact in the world if we admit we don't have all of the answers and reach out to people in a way they need us, whether it's listening, advice, a shoulder, medical attention, food etc, not shoving theology down their throats as if that's God's only commandment for us. In fact, we Christians get so self-absorbed in our thinking that we need to do what's right, not do what's wrong, impose our beliefs on others when God says that the greatest two commandments are loving him and loving our neighbors, then even says out of faith, hope and love the greatest is love. Just as I became overly frustrated with Falwell's (and many other's) avenue of getting the message across via one way media, I am doing the same. I hope nothing I say gets taken out of context. One can only truly be understood via engaging conversations.