It began with a simple accident—a moment of curiosity that changed everything. I had wandered into a small church in Belfast, not as a believer or even as someone searching for answers, but as an outsider intrigued by what lay beyond its doors. I had no plan, no expectations—just a sense of wonder about what might happen in a place so unlike anything I’d known before. That single act of stepping inside, into the quiet stillness of the church, set me on a path I never anticipated—a journey of questioning, searching, and discovering what faith might mean in a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain.
I still remember the day I left the church in Belfast, stepping out into a world that felt both new and unfamiliar. The cool air greeted me as if to mark the beginning of something significant. What had just unfolded in that quiet, sacred space had little to do with rituals or sermons—it was about something deeper stirring within me.
To understand why that moment mattered, you have to know where I came from. I grew up in post-revolutionary Iran, a society where religion wasn’t just a personal choice—it was a force that shaped every corner of life. It wasn’t faith as I know it now; it was control. The Supreme Leader’s interpretation of Islam dictated not only spiritual practices but also political allegiances, personal freedoms, and even relationships. Religion was a command, not an invitation—a chain, not a path.
But here in Europe, religion felt different. That church I stumbled into wasn’t crowded with angry voices or oppressive demands. It was quiet, open, and strangely welcoming. It didn’t demand anything of me; it just was.
A Quiet Invitation
I couldn’t help but wonder: Why were people here drawn to places like this? What did religion mean to them? Back home, it was hard to separate religion from politics or authority—it often felt like a tool for division and fear. But in that little church, there was no sign of that power struggle. It seemed like a place of choice, not compulsion.
As I walked the streets of Belfast afterward, I realized something was shifting inside me. For so long, I had seen religion through a singular lens—one clouded by experiences of oppression and disillusionment. But what if faith could be more? What if it wasn’t about chains, but about connection?
That day marked the beginning of a personal journey. I didn’t yet have the answers, but I knew one thing: I was missing something in my life. I needed to figure out what was stirring deep inside me.
Wrestling with the Unknown
The world outside that church felt vast and unpredictable. Having grown up in a tightly controlled society, the openness of this new world was both exhilarating and unsettling. I didn’t know what to trust or where to turn. But I did know this: The ache inside me wasn’t going away.
I began to ask myself questions that I had never dared to ask before: What is faith, really? What does it mean to believe in something greater? And most importantly, what was I searching for?
These weren’t questions I could answer overnight. In fact, they weren’t even questions that could be answered with certainty. But they pointed me toward something important—something that felt worth exploring.
A Common Thread
As I delved into the history of the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—I discovered a common thread that fascinated me. Beneath the layers of rituals, dogmas, and centuries of interpretation, there was a shared longing: the desire to understand the divine, to connect with something beyond ourselves, and to find purpose in the chaos of life.
That realization changed the way I saw religion. It wasn’t just about rules or doctrines; it was about seeking. About asking the big, scary questions and daring to believe there might be something more.
For the first time, I began to see faith not as a set of answers, but as an invitation to a journey. And that journey wasn’t about perfection or certainty—it was about wrestling with the unknown, about discovering meaning in the midst of life’s struggles.
A Conversation Worth Having
I don’t have all the answers yet. In fact, I’m not sure I ever will. But I’ve learned that the search for meaning is not something we have to do alone. Faith—whatever shape it takes—has the power to connect us, to bridge our differences, and to inspire us to build something better together.
So, here I am, sharing my story with you. Maybe you’ve felt that ache too—that sense that something is missing, that there’s more to life than what we see on the surface. If so, I invite you to join me in this conversation.
Through this blog, let’s explore these questions together. Let’s wrestle with the unknown, share our experiences, and inspire each other to live with greater purpose and hope. Because at the end of the day, the search for meaning isn’t just a personal journey—it’s a shared one. And together, we can find the courage to take the next step.
Will you join me?
