Lay down your shovel

I can remember one of the first moments when I began to doubt my own atheism, and it was not due to a theological argument, but to great literature.  Here it is, from Steinbeck's East of Eden:

Will and George were doing well in business, and Joe was writing letters home in rhymed verse and making as smart an attack on all the accepted verities as was healthful.

Samuel wrote to Joe, sayings, "I would be disappointed if you had not become an atheist, and I read pleasantly that you have, in your age and wisdom, accepted agnosticism the way you'd take a cookie on a full stomach.  But I would ask you with all my understanding heart not to try to convert your mother.  Your last letter only made her think you are not well.  Your mother does not believe there are many ills uncurable by good strong soup.  She puts your brave attack on the structure of our civilization down to a stomach ache.  It worries her.  Her faith is a mountain, and you, my son, haven't even got a shovel yet."