A Hibbard post I enjoyed:

I had the unique experience of growing up the oldest of nine children, sired by a dad who was an atheist, and a mother who was a Roman Catholic.

My dad didn't make a big deal of his atheism. He simply would have nothing to do with attending church.

He allowed our mother to try and bring us up in the Church by sending the first four of us to parochial school. She gave up trying to send the last five to parochial schools, probably more from financial insecurity and inability to support the parish in any way.

At our Saturday breakfast, one of our group, the retired math professor, often defiantly proclaims his absolute conviction that he is an atheist. He cannot understand how his professional son will contribute a large amount to his church while the old man math professor struggles with medical bills for him and his wife. Their son never offers them any help.

This past Saturday he brought up the just released diaries of Mother Teresa. In her writings she revealed she did not, or could not believe in God.

The Math Professor roared that Mother Teresa was an atheist, “like me," he insisted. I personally haven't seen her writings, only his interpretation and that of the priest who edited her writings. And they want to make her a Saint, he laughed. He felt some reassurance that he had found a fellow traveler on the atheist's road. Deceased, unlike him.

I said I didn't know that Atheists could not be Saints. Why should a Saint be prohibited from being a Saint just because of their beliefs? Their works must qualify them for sainthood.

What is all this talk about faith anyhow? Some folks talk about having faith, like it is some valuable piece of mortgage-free real estate or fancy Cadillac. Something they have acquired that makes them special, born again, or what have you. Just yesterday I read Jerry Falwell put his money on his life with huge life insurance policies designated to pay off the debts of his Liberty University and his own church of the everlasting almighty dollar. His faith appears more practical than most men of the cloth. He wasn't one of those shiney-eyed types who prayed for the Lord to provide. He bought nearly $60 million of life insurance, if I read the article right. $54 mil for Liberty University and $5 mil for his church.

Mother Teresa sounds like someone who had the most honest form of faith – the kind that is never assured, that must be wrestled with in one's conscience, constantly reexamined and held up to the light of truth. And if their struggle for faith leads them to believe there is no God, what of it?

Atheists and Believers, just as debtors, loan officers, the uninsured and the well insured, all of us, find a common resting place in the earth.

Even Jesus had his doubts when he called out on the cross, Father, why hast thou forsaken me?

Good question. Folks have been trying to answer it ever since.