Pat let's go of God

Julia Sweeney, most famous for portraying androgynous Pat on SNL, has been touring the country performing her monologue, "Letting Go of God," which chronicles her journey from a good Catholic girl who idolized nuns to an atheist. My dad and I went to her Chicago performance for Father's Day, and while neither of us could agree with her conclusions, her insights and jokes made us both think and laugh. She recounts her experience at a parish Bible study--which only made her more confused and less clear on her faith--as well as her spiritual journeys into other faiths in an earnest but still light-hearted way. Talking to some atheist friends after the show, they did not appreciate the humor in the Sweeney's memories of growing up Catholic as much as my dad and I did.

You can watch the first 15 minutes of the show, in which Sweeney describes turning 7, the age of reason, and meeting Mormon missionaries on TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an interesting site in itself, with 15 minute videos of various people just sharing what they think about a topic.

If your faith is strong enough to take a laugh or two, and a serious question, you can see where Julia Sweeney is preforming next on her website.