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When my dad was reaching the end of his life, my mother’s Christian friend made a case for him accepting Jesus. Wouldn’t want him burning for all eternity, right?

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If there is a God, I believe she would be less interested in the specifics. There would be no tally system of how often you prayed to her or who you successfully converted.

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For a while, I used to hope something would change my mind. I’ve fantasized about finding religion in some romanticized way, like those washed up actors who suddenly have a mid-life epiphany. They spout Bible verses like everything finally makes sense.

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He is in a better place, she hums into my ear. It sounds like confrontation, though she means it as comfort.

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The undeniable awkwardness of praying with your friend’s family at dinner.

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As previously stated, I come from solid Presbyterian stock.

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But weak minds crave certainty, which is why most people seem to fall rigidly within one of the two camps.

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People are difficult; many are self-centered, negative, hostile, and sometimes do things that are plain and simply evil.