Recently Nancy Flory interviewed Mary Jo for The Stream. Here’s a Preview:

Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist Shares Her Story on Why She Became a Christian and an Apologist

Mary Jo Sharp’s agnostic parents introduced her to nature, science and art. The amount of beauty that she saw in the world, especially in nature, impressed her. She felt a sense of wonder and awe at the universe. “I began to wonder what all of this meant. Was it just that we lived and died and there was nothing more to it? It didn’t seem to match up with my experience of it.”

In a way, her agnostic parents accidentally pointed her to Christianity. 

A Love of Beauty

Mary Jo, a former atheist from the Pacific northwest, is now a Christian author and apologist. Her newest book is Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist’s Reckoning With the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God. Mary Jo spoke with The Stream about her book and how she became a Christian, even with agnostic parents. 

As a musician, she played works of art intended to move people. “I thought, ‘Move them to what? What are we looking for? What are we trying to experience?’” She began to look for the meaning behind all of the beauty she saw in the world.

In high school, Mary Jo’s Christian band director talked with her about Christ. He then gave her a Bible. When she read the Bible, it all made sense — beauty, goodness and truth; a sense of right and wrong; and justice and injustice. “It was giving a grounding to all of those things. And that’s how I moved out of my youthful atheism into belief that there must be a God behind the universe.”

Accepting Jesus — and Disillusionment With the Church

Mary Jo gave her life to Christ at 20. She decided to go to church for her first worship service. She put on her best dress. But when she stepped inside the church, the pastor’s wife confronted her. She told Mary Jo that she needed to find more appropriate clothing — “something that doesn’t show cleavage.”

Mary Jo wrote in her book that “first-time church attendance should come with a disclaimer. Churches could post a sign or place fine print at the bottom of the bulletin: ‘Church attendance may cause extreme discomfort. Side effects of interactions with humans include, but are not limited to, doubt, anger, disappointment, and disillusionment.’” She immediately began to distrust the church leaders. Read the rest of the article here

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