The good and bad of religion

My novel The Remainders will be published by Black Rose Writing on September 2, 2021. I will describe my book in this series of posts. You can read other posts in The Remainders category on my website. Also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as I reveal the book’s cover.

I live a few miles from Saddleback Church. Its world-famous pastor Rick Warren recently announced his retirement. He’s the author of the Purpose Driven Life series, and he gave the invocation at the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. Saddleback Church plays a prominent role here in Lake Forest, even for those who don’t go to its many services and programs. My daughter performed at concerts there. They provide food banks and other services to the community. And you don’t have to go far in Lake Forest to find someone who is an active member. There were a few times during our family’s moments of spiritual exploration that we went to their services.

I write about religion in The Remainders and how it influences characters in both positive and negative ways. Both of these appear in this passage (spoilers and strong language removed):

We joined one of those megachurches near our home. I liked it at first. I liked the singing and worship. I liked how the pastor told us how much Jesus loved us, that he died on the cross for us, and that he would forgive us for…