My mom left my dad when I was a toddler. Raised by mom (who believed in God for a couple of hours one day each week) and stepdad (not sure he ever believed) until I hit adolescence, when she finally kicked me out of the house. Although she tried to inculcate religious language in me, it never really stuck because I couldn't square the religious language with the years of physical and emotional abuse. I did have a strong interest in the paranormal, however. I remember listening to Art Bell on the radio a lot. Aliens, remote viewing, Area 51, etc. Entered the group home circuit for a stretch. Lost whatever religious language remained. Spent a couple years in therapy but the healing never happened. Introduced to Carl Sagan and fell in love with cosmology and popular science books.
Rediscovered biological father and moved in with him. Raised by him (militant atheist) and stepmom (quasi-Wiccan pagan) until I was 20. Extraordinarily strong bond between me and my dad. He was a student of Theravada Buddhism and instilled in me a fascination for philosophical thought. I studied Theravada Buddhism too, but ended up preferring Mahayana Buddhism. (If you know anything about Buddhism, you might detect the minor irony there.) Explored numerous world religions, mostly eastern.
It matured into a passion for debate, which I particularly enjoyed with a certain friend of mine who was a sharp Christian. His arguments completely demolished my views. Since I had nothing left to combat with, I started listening instead. At age 25 I converted to Christianity. Continued studying philosophy but now had theology to explore too. Met a new friend in 2004, who did to my theology what my previous friend did to my philosophy. At age 32 I converted to Reformation theology. Continued studying philosophy and theology, but now began exploring church history too. My philosophical studies have concentrated on logic, epistemology, and ethics. Theological studies have concentrated on theology, soteriology, and biblical hermeneutics. Church history studies have concentrated on the period from 11th to 17th centuries.
Rediscovered biological father and moved in with him. Raised by him (militant atheist) and stepmom (quasi-Wiccan pagan) until I was 20. Extraordinarily strong bond between me and my dad. He was a student of Theravada Buddhism and instilled in me a fascination for philosophical thought. I studied Theravada Buddhism too, but ended up preferring Mahayana Buddhism. (If you know anything about Buddhism, you might detect the minor irony there.) Explored numerous world religions, mostly eastern.
It matured into a passion for debate, which I particularly enjoyed with a certain friend of mine who was a sharp Christian. His arguments completely demolished my views. Since I had nothing left to combat with, I started listening instead. At age 25 I converted to Christianity. Continued studying philosophy but now had theology to explore too. Met a new friend in 2004, who did to my theology what my previous friend did to my philosophy. At age 32 I converted to Reformation theology. Continued studying philosophy and theology, but now began exploring church history too. My philosophical studies have concentrated on logic, epistemology, and ethics. Theological studies have concentrated on theology, soteriology, and biblical hermeneutics. Church history studies have concentrated on the period from 11th to 17th centuries.
Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
