I have learned to prize holy ignorance more highly than religious certainty and to seek companions who have arrived at the same place. We are a motley crew, distinguished not only by our inability to explain ourselves to those who are more certain of their beliefs than we are but in many cases by our distance from the centers of our faith communities as well.

I'm leaving out some of the hugely successful megachurches, of which I have very little experience.

It's difficult for me to ignore how many conflicts locally and worldwide have religion tagged to them.

I found myself in a maze where I'd taken the wrong turn. In my wish to do well for that congregation I wasn't doing particularly well for myself or my friends or my family, and I even found that the work for God was taking me away from God.

Beliefs have become unimportant to me. Faith as radical trust became even more important to me.

To get God on your side is a great way to feel powerful.

As a general rule, I would say that human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God.