My thoughts on Faitheist by Chris Stedman.

I read Faitheist by Chris Stedman as part of Teo Bishop's book club over at The Bishop in the Grove.  How did I feel reading it?  Inspired.  He sets an example of strength and perseverance in the face of some hefty obstacles, both personal and cultural.  And I want to grow up to be just like him, except for already being twice his age, pagan, straight, and female.  Still, I want to be part of building bridges between the different religious and nonreligious communities.  .

Even though this book is called a memoir, it is far more than a string of anecdotes about his life up to a given point.  It is a journey from the relative innocence of the love of family through the fervor of belief in God through disillusionment and bitterness back to the fervor of belief in humanity and community and finding his place within it.  Many would have simply sat down and kept their opinions to themselves when faced with disdain, disbelief, dismissal, and even violence against their efforts.  But Stedman held steady, faithful that building these bridges was the right thing and that telling his story was essential.

I look forward to watching this very young man work to further the building of bridges between communities for the betterment of the world and its people for a very long time to come.  Telling one's story and listening to the stories of others is a simple step that is often overlooked and dismissed in the bigger picture of religion and politics, but it's one that works.  Seeing individuals and knowing their motives counters the stereotypes the media attempts to feed us.  So, to paraphrase Stedman at the end of Faitheist, what's your story?