As part of the SF paper’s "Finding my religion" series, they interview former SNL star Julia Sweeney, who has moved from Catholicism to atheism, done a one-woman show about it, and has a book forthcoming

It’s an interesting interview, with a path that’s by no means unique. From what she says, it’s all about deciding to investigate the claims of Christianity via reading the Bible closely, finding it contradictory and rather primitive, and calling it all ridiculous. One might wonder how closely she actually read it though:

To me, the Iliad offers more insight into human character and lessons than the Bible. You know, like Jesus was angry a lot. When he turned all those people into pigs and made them run off a mountain, it was so hateful, not just to people but to pigs. I felt upset for the pigs!

Someone else has a different take on the passage.

Anyway, it’s kind of sad, mostly because Sweeney seems to have left so much unexplored and unexamined and can’t conceive of the possibility that anyone who has, indeed, closely explored the possibilities of God’s existence and the truth of Christianity could come to a positive conclusion, and that theists are, by definition, unthinking and blind.

I’d ask you to refrain from sneering in your comments on this post. Instead, address Sweeney as if she were your own sister (which, of course…she is.). What would you say to her in the hopes of encouraging her to be more open-minded?

Sweeney has a blog, which she updates very sporadically. You might know that she’s also battled cancer in the past, and is currently writing for Desperate Housewives.