Dave

Back when I was writing books, I encountered another writer named Dave. Dave was also a writer. He's a British man living in Spain. He was also an outspoken atheist. It wasn't a problem, but it was definitely a big part of his personality.

In the past handful of years, Dave has faced what I assume is his first real taste of adversity in life. Like, where bad things happened in his life. His marriage ended. He lost one of his brothers after a brutal battle with cancer. These things really affected him. I can relate to trauma. I get it.

But, imagine my surprise when he started posting things on social media like, photos of himself being baptized in a river, profile pictures of crosses and scripture. He has written and released a book called Come to the Table, where he lays out his story of salvation. I haven't read it. I don't need to. I know exactly what it says...

Since releasing this book, Dave has become your typical newly converted, over the top, insufferable Christian. Suddenly trying to spread the good news and talk all about amazing grace, how sweet the sound. The whole nine yards.

Now, me... I can't help but look at that and roll my eyes and think, ope they got him! They saw a man down in despair and they told him he was broken and sold him the cure. I know why it worked. Especially for someone who had never been down that road of emotional manipulation before. Dave was desperate. He no doubt couldn't understand his own suffering. He didn't know what to make of his grief. And in his darkest days, someone came to him claiming to be the light. They sold him something and he took it hook, line and sinker. You can't blame the guy. Suffering and death are horrific. And if someone can claim to show you a way to avoid it, or at least give you a way to make it make sense and take some of the anxiety and pain away, you might just listen to whatever they have to say. 

And I believe that's where Dave is. He is on a mountaintop because someone made him a promise. A promise of an afterlife. A promise he will see his brother again. A promise that all his sins are forgiven and he is a beloved child of the creator deity. It's a heck of a sales pitch. 

And suddenly, this man who used to use logic and critical thinking to view the world, now believes in fairy tales because it makes him feel better. Religion really does give people peace as it can serve as an answer for them, to life's toughest questions about pain and suffering and death. It's not a good answer in my opinion, but it's an answer. And in a vulnerable state, you just might believe anything if it makes you feel better about everything. 

I'm waiting for Dave to come down off the mountain and start to live a normal life again. Will he stay a Christian? I don't know. Sometimes I see people like this or people like Kevin Wheeler or John Waite and I think about how interesting it would be to sit and actually have a conversation about all of this. I have had hypothetical conversations many times. But, it's not really something I talk about with anyone. I live and let live. And I will let Dave live as well. I'm glad he's not suffering. Maybe I'm a little envious.