My entrance into Christianity began at age 19 with a sincere desire to fulfill the purpose for which I thought all people were created: to love one another. Despite being baptised, raised, and confirmed in the teachings of a conservative Lutheran synod, I knew that I had never given that serious consideration before. My desire combined with an overwhelming sensation of peace and relief that followed was enough to take me on an odyssey. I began to read, observe and experience anything and everything that had the name of Christ attached to it. I would read the Bible extensively on my own and use this as a means of sifting through everything else. I was always looking for pure Christianity I suppose, in my self as well as in others. Fourteen years later, I had experienced enough confusion and frustration to make me reexamine Christianity again, as if for the first time.

This time, it seemed far from credible. These things I have learned:

• The truth never changes, but our perception and understanding of it does.
• If our beliefs don't change over time, we are probably not seeing clearly.
• We can easily be sincere yet mistaken.
• Genetics and environment greatly shape who we are and what we believe.
• The success of a Christian organization has much to do with charisma, right timing, and smart business practices.
• Christian workers are not above misleading, omitting, misrepresenting, exaggerating, manipulating and lying.
• There is no hard evidence for the miraculous: wonderful extraordinary events do happen, but not the miraculous.
• There is certainly as much "good" outside of Christianity as there is within.
• Faith that contradicts reason is not commendable, but foolhardy.
• There is no guarantee of life after death, only a hope.

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