I am an atheist, a total atheist, and am more than happy. What I write
is what I write, what I am is what I is.

Yes, much of my own background goes into what I write. In the case of
religion, and spirituality...a writer's job is to be as honest as he can in
telling a story. My canvas (for lack of a less grandiose term) is the human
condition. And since the dawn of sentience, humanity has been trying to
figure out its place in the universe. The religious impulse is as much a part
of that process as anything else, and it must be treated with integrity and
respect, as I would have my own views respected. I try not to exclude
something just because I don't agree with it, because that corrupts the whole
purpose of writing, which requires an honest look at the subject.

And as a writer, there are parts of the religious impulse that I want to
examine, and explore, and raise questions about, just as much as I'd like to
explore the scientific aspects of living in space, and the more personal,
emotional repercussions of this. It's all a part of trying to figure out who,
and what, and *why* we are.

jms