"Religion is a practical discipline that teaches us to discover new capacities of mind and heart...It is no use magisterially weighing up the teachings of religion to judge their truth or falsehood before embarking on a religious way of life. You will discover their truth - or lack of it - only if you translate these doctrines into ritual or ethical action...Some people will be better at it than others, some appallingly inept, and some will miss the point entirely. But those who do not apply themselves will get nowhere at all."

     This excerpt comes from a book called The Case For God. Now, anyone who knows me may find it weird that I'm reading a book titled thus as I am a self declared Agnostic. However, anyone who knows me well knows that I am still interested in things of a theological nature.

     All that is really besides the point, it is just a little background information. So back to the quote. This particular passage struck a chord with me (although so far the entire book has impressed me greatly) as it is something that I have thought about before although maybe not so eloquently as this.

     Karen Armstrong (the author) also examines religion from a different point of view. One that I think that I would actually be able to stand behind, and is for me embodied by this quote.

      "In particular, the meaning of the word "belief" has changed, so that a credulous acceptance of creedal doctrines became the prerequisite of faith, so much that today we often speak of religious people as "believers," as though though accepting orthodox dogma "on faith" were their most important activity." 

      She has managed to make me examine myself and my beliefs within the introduction to her book. Maybe it is through the fact that I have wanted to believe but haven't found a Way that suits me or maybe its because I need something more right now.

     And yes I'm 19, but you're always told that University is the place to re-invent yourself. And I know that in my (almost completed) first year at WLU many things have changed about me, from the way I act to how I think. Anyways this book has made me realize that I have some serious thinking to do.

Its never too late to change. RC