I think I might get C.S. Lewis's book "Mere Christianity" in the near future, because it's something of a cornerstone of apologetics.
I just finished Mere Christianity this week. I thought it was ok, but definitely did not live up to the hype in my mind. Maybe that stems from the original radio medium that it was intended for, because I found most of the arguments pretty superficial and insufficiently intellectual.
I actually read a book recently by the mathematician/physicist Blaise Pascal (his Pensees for those keeping score) that was really thought-provoking and, I thought, philosophically compelling. At the time I was reading it I was about *this* close to setting up a meeting with wifey's priest to discuss my spirituality (I still feel spiritual even without the current belief in a God). I'll probably skip the rest of C.S Lewis' writings and go straight to some stuff by Thomas Aquinas, another famous Catholic apologetic like Pascal.
Yeah, Prowler, wifey is not all that thrilled with the current status. She knows full well my position on things and the fact that I've basically been atheist since my early teens. We talk about it all the time, and I not only attend services every week (and even crazy days like Ash-leigh Wednesday) but I also am typically reading a book about Christianity at all times. I find it really fascinating, but I just have this visceral feeling that keeps me from jumping in. Hard to describe, really. I dabbled in buddhism (Theravada to be precise) a couple years ago and felt really attracted to many of their practices and beliefs, but it really put a strain on our relationship. I thought she would be excited that I was finding a spiritual path (she had always said that she just wanted me to find what worked for me) but it turns out that she is not really fully satisfied unless I believe in some sort of God as the basis of my spirituality. So not necessarily Catholic, but some sort of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam, I guess. I've contemplated the idea of merging many of the buddhist practices I found useful along with a really loose interpretation of Christianity, but am a little hesitant to do something quite so radical just yet.
Longwinded, sure. Interesting--maybe? I'd love to hear everyone else's take on the situation and/or suggestions on how someone who was raised areligious can come to grips with a belief system that (excuse me for being blunt) is just so dang far out there.
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