As someone who was once a thoughtful atheist, and now a Christian, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this excerpt. It's not only a reminder that we're not alone in questioning things, and that Jesus isn't just someone for the religious right, but a seemingly honest portrayal of a wide spectrum of thoughts and feelings on the subject. I would think no matter where you are, spiritually speaking, you could get something from this book.

This should be an interesting read. And yet again proof that intelligent people can and do put their faith in Christ for salvation.

I find this exerpt very moving when the author is being authentic - but I openly cringed at the segments about being in San Francisco picking at sandwiches of sourdough and veggies. There is a middle-ground between the two "blue" and "red" states (of being). Maybe the book is trying to lay the groundwork for that...I'm intrigued but still not sure if she's going to get where she wants to go without insulting believers on both sides of the spectrum.

You're wrong. There were at least two. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Kinda makes you think, doesn't it?

Really, Salon, I'm disappointed with you. This is the stuff of those idiotic touchy-feely liberals who hate Christianity simply because it's the mainstream, but will happily latch on to any new-age crap that will let them say "I'm spiritual but not religious".

I call bullshit. My problem with Christianity and religion in general was never that it's 'oppressive' or that it 'restricts free thought' or all the evil that's been done in its name historically, etc. In fact, I think a religious worldview is great in that it neatly explains the universe and gets rid of a boatload of complexities and contradictions. Trust me, if I believed in god, I would be the most hardcore anti-abortion gay-bashing Baptist/Catholic ever. But there's just one little problem: It's wrong. Believing it is completely illogical, and no matter how many mental acrobatics you do, there will never be any concrete evidence for believing it.

Either god exists or he doesn't. How it makes you feel or what good deeds it drives you to do means shit.

I didn't find it overwrought or false. I liked it.

I can relate completely to her small-child sense of wonder, majesty, connectedness.

I admire her for realizing tenderness what was her friend needed.

I am curious about her journey, enough to read her book.

To me, this is good memoir.

Sounds to me as though she understands the loving and sacrificial side of religion.

That's a good thing.

So easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I can completely relate, having been raised in a secular, Sunday Times-reading, leftie, New York City household myself. . .I met Jesus four years ago and life hasn't been the same since. Hallelujah. And yes, my Buddhism-dabbling, yoga class going, Ivy-educated, sophisticated, intellectual artsy friends think I'm nuts too. Looking forward to reading the book.

it's the new convert thing....you guys are all the same. Overly zealoous, strange, and well, just the same as any lefty or righty...another zealot. Many of us go to church, read the NYT and read the WSJ and you know what? We aren't weirdly as zealous as you Sara. We remain normal. It really is you. Not everyone else. The rest of us don't need as many rule books as you Sara, we can cherry pick, we understand mere mortals wrote the rules and that as individuals we have to make our own choices. Your article is naval staring nonsense.

I read through this entire excerpt looking for a hint of why she felt the need to turn to religion. She skirts around the issue but never states it outright. What was she looking for? What was lacking in her life? She looks at the people in church and thinks, "Do you really believe this?" but she never answers whether she really believes it. Why Christianity? For what purpose? Sara sets off to answer this question, but instead dances around it -- dances, and dances, and dances. She's a good dancer, but she's dancing alone.

Like Ms. Miles, I was raised in a loving but largely agnostic, if not entirely atheistic, household. Most of what I knew about religion came from a few bad childhood experiences in church and my dealings with some religious "friends" of mine in school, as well as listening to jerks on radio and TV. I thought that it was impossible to be a reasonable, compassionate human being and a Christian at the same time.

I was greatly mistaken. Again like Ms. Miles, my 'conversion' has been a slow, heartbreaking, painful process. A lot of people assume that religion is supposed to hand you all the answers and an easy worldview... this is simply not the case. A lot of people assume religion is for the weak-minded, because it is an "opiate" for troubled minds. Also not the case. I am far more deeply troubled and conflicted as a Christian than I ever was before. And this is a good thing. My own relationship with God has been somewhat rewarding, but mostly frustrating.

Anyway, kudos to Ms. Miles for having the courage to think beyond 'reason' or 'logic' or 'fact.' There is much more to life than can be proven or supported with fact or evidence, and it takes true courage and strength to entertain the notion that maybe "knowing things" is not nearly as important as living rightly and following life's troubling questions, no matter where they lead.

Doubt is a good thing. Questions are a good thing. Keep asking the important ones.

"It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt."

Fyodor Dostoevsky

I think it's great the author found purpose in Christ. I have too. So many good things have been done in His name whereas the hysterics just want to point out the historical abuses of the religion.

One can be a Democrat and a good Christian. Most Democrats are good Christians.

If the Salon readers want to bemoan this, than they should be prepared to be a permanent minority.