Colum McCann Quotes

The man of faith who has never experienced doubt is not a man of faith.

I had a lot of guilt and shame when I was running from God, but nothing like when I was running for God. I was always looking for God's approval, and that's where the guilt and shame came out in a big way.

I spend a lot of time balancing between faith and disbelief.

I went to America to convert the Indians, but, oh, who shall convert me? Who, what, is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief?

Religion has stayed with me even though I rebelled.

God, I am trying to recover my faith. Please don't abandon me in the middle of this adventure, I prayed, pushing my fears aside.

I did spend a lot of time as a child very confused about whether I had a devil in me, or whether I was in a state of grace. I mean, these ideas are so potent to anybody with half an imagination.

But after he was pleased to reveal himself to me I did presently, like Abraham, run to Hagar. And after that he did let me see the atheism of my own heart, for which I begged of the Lord that it might not remain in my heart.

All around me insisted that my doubts proved only my own ignorance and sinfulness; that they knew by experience they would soon give place to true knowledge, and an advance in religion; and I felt something like indecision.

I'm always in a place that is sincere but conflicted about different things that come with being a Christian and being an active, churchgoing Christian.

'Faith and Will' sprang from my personal experience with passing through a dark spiritual time.

Perhaps God chose me to be an atheist?

I always knew I had a relationship with God. But I wasn't sure God had a relationship with me.

Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.

I want to be a good person. I don't want to fail. I want to learn from my mistakes, rid myself of distractions, and run into the arms of Jesus. Most of the time, however, I feel like I am running away from Jesus into the arms of my own clutteredness.

I grew up an Orthodox Jew, and now I'm not an Orthodox Jew. So I have sympathy for people who lose their faith.

Sometimes I feel like those born-again folk, always working on their faith, but I'm always working on my atheism. We all have our struggles.

You know, a lot of people give up their religion, but, oh, my goodness, they go through such agonies. I never did.

My faith is a wounded faith, but it's not without faith. My life is not without faith.

Do I believe? God only knows.

The mature religious sentiment is ordinarily fashioned in the workshop of doubt.

Ever at Thy glowing altar Must my heart grow sick and falter, Wishing He I served were black.

Some days I feel like I'm an atheist. Most days, I feel like an agnostic. On a very rare day, I feel like I'm a believer in something.

God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down