gina welch & what's expected of us

Maybe you've heard of Gina Welch - she pretended to be an evangelical Christian, spent time with a church and then wrote a book about her experiences. I think she's a-theist.

Well, Trevin Wax has interviewed her (great interview, TW) and in response to his asking if there things about evangelical belief she'd like to be true, she replied:

There are plenty of ideas in evangelical Christianity that appeal to me. It would be nice to know that even the most hideous acts of violence and destruction happen for a reason. It would be nice to know that this short life isn’t the end, that there’s something better on the other side, and that when I lose someone it’s only temporary. It would be nice to know what’s expected of me. It would be nice to know when I have dark thoughts or do something I know I shouldn’t it’s because that’s my natural sinful wiring, that I shouldn’t feel guilty about it. I think that’s why evangelical Christianity is such a popular formula–because it answers our common longings.

What really struck me were her words, It would be nice to know what's expected of me. The need for boundaries, for purpose, for structure, for significance - all testify to a Creator who has made humanity in his likeness and for displaying his image in the world.