Most religions are pure fiction... until they aren't!

For those of you who may not know, I lost my twenty-year-old son, Harrison, unnecessarily to a couple of crooks in the rehab industry who wanted to make a quick buck and cared more about money than helping people.

After his loss, and as a way to recover, I embarked on a nine-year journey to compare religions and various philosophies about the soul, the afterlife, and the credibility of different beliefs. That journey became a book called Dance with Angels.

Initially, I intended to provide an overview of the different philosophies and religions, compare them practically, and see if there was any evidence that they were based on fact. Something else started to happen to me as I delved into the different belief choices offered to us.

One of the most important revelations from my research was that there is very little verifiable proof surrounding most religions. At best, most of them are based on historical fiction. Surprisingly, the fact that they cannot be proven and are largely fictional doesn’t detract from the very real fact that religions offer tangible and provable realities.

I was a 747 captain for many years, and therefore am more analytical than most, and was determined not to follow a belief unless there was tangible proof that its foundations were likely true. I changed my mind!

Even though I am highly critical and often display tones of sarcasm about some beliefs, they all have many positive influences that I try to recognize as well. I was also struck by one pervasive thread—the importance of community, tradition, belief, social guidelines, and hope. The power of each overrides even the most preposterous stories and claims that are part of their foundation.

Fortunately, regardless of the dubious origins and credibility of most religions, the commonalities among them offer hope for us—not as a refuge to escape, but rather as a source of support while we battle through and face our challenges. They offer inspiration to keep going, whether on a project or in life, and can also help us recover from grief and overcome sadness and self-doubt.

After years of thought, research, and reflection while writing Dance with Angels—and perhaps with less anger—I am now far less likely to dismiss the empowerment and solace that people find in their faith. Even if, in my opinion, there is no underlying proof of their chosen religion and it lacks credibility, that doesn’t necessarily negate its benefits.

I have now concluded that these very real benefits are more important than proof when searching for recovery. All of these topics are covered in great depth in Dance with Angels. I also just finished the audiobook production, which is now available on LighthouseLaneBooks.com.