Thoughts on Theology

Religion was a huge issue between myself and my wife in our early relationship because she was from a Mormon family. She herself was "one foot out the door" but she still went through major bouts of confusion and indecision. As far as I could tell, she wanted to leave but she was afraid to do so without feeling like she'd found the "real answer." Naturally, this led her to become very frustrated when arguing with me because my ultimate answer in my personal life is there is no answer in life. I can't see what happens after we die, and I don't believe anyone else can either. Why, then, should I place faith and devote my valuable time in life to some person who claims to have some understanding of the afterlife? Lots of people have claimed this in the past, and their religions are all dead and/or dying. What makes Christianity any different? For me to say that I'm happy focusing on life rather than spirituality, it really threw my wife off. She couldn't grasp the concept of not caring whether or not Jesus was real.

So, she read all the information available online (particular the infamous ex-mo discussion board) and eventually came to terms with the fact that a religion which is constantly changing its teachings to suit the changing ideals of the world around them couldn't be the one true church. After all, shouldn't THE TRUTH remain constant? So, in short, she sent in her letter and removed her name from the church records.

Even then, she went through times of fear over whether or not what she'd done would in fact condemn her eternal spirit to damnation, but then she rethinks every reason that freed her from (in my personal opinion) one of the most oppressive churches of our time and realizes also that worshiping some "perfect being" for doing a good job doesn't make much sense anyway. What kind of accomplishment is that, really? If you're perfect, of course you'll do it right. Not to mention, what kind of perfect being would condemn an imperfect being for making a mistake, especially when they were fumbling in the dark? Last of all, why model yourself and your life after someone who was so very possibly made up or greatly exaggerated when there are so many great examples in life? Mother Teresa herself never claimed to be in direct contact with Jesus, she just did things because it suited her image of a good human being and what she wanted to be.