I've been an atheist since I was about 10 years old (raised a Roman Catholic) so I dont really have a faith. (I believe in science)

That said tho, I'm not one of those atheists who want to take all the 10 Commandment monuments out of the parks, and I dont want to take "in God We Trust..." off the dollar bill, and I think that if people want to organize a prayer in a public school or a government building, that's ok too. (it's not "freedom FROM religion, it's freedom OF religion...)

People's religions are a special thing. Everyone has a right to believe in what/who they want (well, I draw the line at devil worshippers who like to sacrifice babies...)

I'm all for encouraging people to go to church/temple and think it's great when people have something to believe in. Even if I dont. I think anything that helps people get thru the everyday yuck of having MS is always a good thing.

I dont think faith is a thing that has to "get stronger" as you go along. It's a part of the person, it's just there. How it's expressed (bible thumpers who go to church everyday, all the way to "I only go on the big holidays like Xmas and Easter..." is sometimes confused with strength of faith.

From watching the differences between my parents (dad's Roman Catholic, mom is Methodist, and she was raised by a Methodist preacher) I think faith is a learning experience. It changes. It changes depending on what's going on in your life. I noticed my dad, when he got sick, started to carry a rosary in his pocket, and went to confession. He also let a priest give him the Sacrament of the Sick when he had to have a procedure to see what his heart was doing.

I dont think his faith got any stronger, I think he's more aware of it tho.

My mom tho, for her, church is something she's kind of "meh" about. She'll go if she wants to, but doesnt seem to see going to church as a requirement of her faith. That might have something to do with being a preacher's daughter.

Faith is fluid, and changes as you go along.