I feel like when I read the reviews and interviews you post of your book, a lot of people seem to gather that you have, for lack of a better word, "returned to the fold." But I don't get that at all from your writings; as far as I can tell, your experiences with Schuyler have reinforced your agnosticism. Is this what the Christian radio show was trying to get at? What do you tell them?
Actually, the program I was on was a show about parenting; while I was ready to address "spiritual" issues, they never came up. (I suspect that wasn't an accident; the host has read my book and the blog, and knows exactly where I stand, too.) In the end, the fact that it was a Christian station was almost irrelevant.
When the topic of religion comes up, I simply say that when Schuyler was diagnosed, I prayed the only prayer of my life, to take her monster away and give it to me instead. God said no, and that's when I truly lost my faith.
But Schuyler has given me a new kind of faith, and she's the one who leads me out of the dark when I get lost. And I accept the premise that in believing in Schuyler, I open a window back to the possibility of God, and of all things. Agnosticism, TRUE agnosticism, is about that door at least being left slightly ajar.
And if they get snotty about it, I remind them that in the Bible, the figures who end up doing God's work are also very grumpy and pissy about it, and don't take even a little of God's shit, holy or otherwise. "I'll do your work," they say, "but I'm getting a little tired of the attitude..."
8 comments:
I don't know if it's because I have a Mac. . .but there is nothing there. . .just a blank white square.
YouTube has been screwy today, I think.
People on Twitter are complaining about YouTube being down, too. Figures.
You're on Neil Gaimans blog! It's a pointer to Schuyler relating the plot of Coraline.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/06/taking-stock.html
That was a VERY fun video!
Wet and fat, maybe...but pretty darn cute nevertheless...!
I feel like when I read the reviews and interviews you post of your book, a lot of people seem to gather that you have, for lack of a better word, "returned to the fold." But I don't get that at all from your writings; as far as I can tell, your experiences with Schuyler have reinforced your agnosticism. Is this what the Christian radio show was trying to get at? What do you tell them?
Actually, the program I was on was a show about parenting; while I was ready to address "spiritual" issues, they never came up. (I suspect that wasn't an accident; the host has read my book and the blog, and knows exactly where I stand, too.) In the end, the fact that it was a Christian station was almost irrelevant.
When the topic of religion comes up, I simply say that when Schuyler was diagnosed, I prayed the only prayer of my life, to take her monster away and give it to me instead. God said no, and that's when I truly lost my faith.
But Schuyler has given me a new kind of faith, and she's the one who leads me out of the dark when I get lost. And I accept the premise that in believing in Schuyler, I open a window back to the possibility of God, and of all things. Agnosticism, TRUE agnosticism, is about that door at least being left slightly ajar.
And if they get snotty about it, I remind them that in the Bible, the figures who end up doing God's work are also very grumpy and pissy about it, and don't take even a little of God's shit, holy or otherwise. "I'll do your work," they say, "but I'm getting a little tired of the attitude..."
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