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- From Preacher to Atheist
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- Jeremy Richards
When Rich Lyons first moved to Seattle, he didn’t talk much about his past. People who know him now have a hard time believing that for over 20 years, Rich was a preacher at a conservative Pentecostal church in East Texas. But after Rich started to object to what he saw as hatred and intolerance, he began preaching acceptance, and the church officials pushed back. He lost his job and his marriage, spiraling into a suicidal depression. Rich explains how he came out of his depression and found a new community as an outspoken atheist.
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Piece Description
When Rich Lyons first moved to Seattle, he didn’t talk much about his past. People who know him now have a hard time believing that for over 20 years, Rich was a preacher at a conservative Pentecostal church in East Texas. But after Rich started to object to what he saw as hatred and intolerance, he began preaching acceptance, and the church officials pushed back. He lost his job and his marriage, spiraling into a suicidal depression. Rich explains how he came out of his depression and found a new community as an outspoken atheist.
Broadcast History
Originally aired on KUOW 94.9 FM Seattle on 1/8/11.
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Maurice Rasmussen
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 06:54 AM | Permalink
Me too.
I left organized religion at the age of 19. I felt that youthful arrogance of freedom of the 60s. I did not feel a depression at all. I spent about a year calling myself an atheist. Then I saw other athiests as just as shrill and absolute as were the diests I knew. For the last fifty years I have called myself an Orthodox Agnostic in the sense that not a day goes by that I don't ask and try to answer the question, "What's going on here?". More importantly, I feel that if I don't answer this question by the time I die, that will be ok too.