It comes back to the old question: How can the Bible be so wise in some places and so barbaric in others? And why should we put any faith in a book that includes such brutality?
I don’t believe that prayers actually change God’s mind – if there is a God – but I liked praying for people in need. It was like moral weightlifting. I tend to be self-obsessed, and it was nice to get out of my brain once in a while.
My immune system has always been overly welcoming of germs. It’s far too polite, the biological equivalent of a southern hostess inviting y’all nice microbes to stay awhile and have some artichoke dip.
After a while, if you’re committed, you start to believe in the things in which you’re praying. It’s just cognitive dissonance. You can’t live a completely religious life and not start to have it sink in.
![A. J. Jacobs Quote - How do you gag the voice in your head that says, ‘You don’t have to [do it] today. There’s always tomorrow.’?](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/how-do-you-gag-the-voice-in-your-head-that-says-yo-683x1024.jpg)
