Losing My Religion : How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America

When editors at the "Los Angeles Times" assigned Lobdell to the religion beat, he believed God had answered his prayers.

As a serious Christian, he wanted to report objectively and respectfully about how belief shapes people's lives.

But something very different happened. Slowly his reporting drifted to the paradoxes of religion - how can Mormons believe their own scripture?

How can Christians?And soon to the underbelly of religion: why do so many churches become corrupt?

Why does faith drive people to refuse to accept criticism or questions, and even to demonize apostates?

Each story chipped away at his faith. Eight years later, after intense encounters with believers of all sizes and shapes, he realized that his faith in God was gone. "Losing My Religion" takes readers on a profound journey from agnosticism, to a born-again conversion, to a roller-coaster of extremes of the spirit - and ultimately to a new, deeply satisfying form of contentment without God.

This courageous memoir speaks both to the doubts of believers and the yearnings of doubters.