Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.

Healing is as incremental and mysterious as the damage ... what took time, takes time.

I think my books give people a language to have a conversation about God that's not religious. There isn't enough new literature that brings the conversation of God into a modern context. I love the Bible, but in the West we've analyzed it until it fits into a structure of control. We need more new stories. We need different ways of looking at things, and I think it's coming.

"So, why do I have so much fear in my life?" "Because you don't believe. You don't know that we love you. The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe that I am good not know deep in your heart that I love you. You sing about it, you talk about it, but you don't know it."

I really do believe that God is love, one of deep affection and grace and forgiveness and inspiration.

Nothing in life is ritual.

I'm trying to get far away from [picturing God as] Gandalf or Santa Claus.