Don't be confused that my interest in religion, faith, and spirituality is driven by any sense of faith or spirituality of my own.

I am sensitive to the value of faith and religion and spirituality in people's lives because I'm a journalist.

I think you can be cynical about religion on occasion, and certainly skeptical about the degree to which some people use religion to manipulate other people.

I've always shied away from conventional wisdom, though I know the power of it.