Review: One man's odyssey from atheism to belief in God
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 14, 2012
I read a fair number of Kindle Singles, and I check every few days for new releases. I'm glad I checked this morning and saw "The Convert" listed. It was one of those "can't-put-it-down-until-I-finish-it" stories, perhaps the most intriguing Single I've read. Erin Mounsey's story of surviving and recovering from horrific burns that would have killed most people was remarkable enough, but combined with the author's intermingled thread about atheism versus belief in God made for a really unique story.The story began with the 1999 house fire that severely burned Erin and his girlfriend Megan. With flashbacks, the author delves into their lives and how they came to the fateful point where both of their lives were changed forever by the fire. The next few years for Erin were a topsy-turvy existence, with restraining orders, drug use, a failed business, alienation from his family members, burglary arrests, and years in prison. Finally, in a most unlikely way, he has an epiphany and goes to his knees to pray to the God he has always denied the existence of.Paralleling Erin's story are the author's thoughts on atheism. Now I should note that "The Convert" is not your typical Sunday School lesson conversion story. This is a tough, gritty narrative about a man and his remarkable odyssey from atheism to finding God. About conversion stories, the author writes: "They challenge our identity by raising the question of whether our beliefs follow or precede it." It's food for thought for anyone who has ever questioned their beliefs about God.But don't think this is a story that only religious readers would enjoy. Until the climactic event that ended the narration, Erin Mounsey was about as unreligious as they come. The comments on atheism are from the author, and they're very literate and well thought out, but if you're not interested, then read "The Convert" for Erin Mounsey's absorbing story. On either or both levels, it's some of the finest writing I've read in a while.Note: The author has changed the names of some characters. In the story, "Megan" was Erin's girlfriend's name. At one point, he inadvertently used her real name ("H****"). It's not a big deal, however, since Erin Mounsey's story is easy to find on the Internet, including his girlfriend's identity.