A New York-based influencer has set himself the challenge of “pretending God is real” for a month, in a bid to see how his outlook on life changes.
Brian Guan, a former crypto founder, has been practising what he calls "faithless Christianity". He describes it as a commitment to "going through the motions before one fully believes, watching it change your life, [and seeing if] the belief comes after".
"Practice first, let faith catch up," Guan posted on Instagram, adding that although he "wrestles" with faith, he doesn't wrestle with the knowledge that God can be ultimately good.
Guan has been attending church, reading the Bible daily, engaging in theological debate and trying to mirror Jesus' way - all documented as part of his online challenge.
The influencer told Premier Christian News that he was raised with the Christian faith, but walked away from it during college. However, he left his crypto career feeling "jaded".
"Lots of issues with political identity and nationalism turned me away when I was younger," he added. "I'm looking for deeper meaning."
Five days in, Guan shared with Premier that he is feeling lifted, but isn't sure if the boost is from "all the love of going viral", or from God.
"I'm a guy wrestling with his faith, in public, on camera," Guan told followers. "You're welcome to wrestle with me."
His daily routine now includes a morning prayer, where he starts by confessing: "God, I don't know if you're real, but..."
So far, he has filmed himself reflecting on topics including addiction, dating and forgiveness.
When asked what he would like Christians to understand about non-believers, Guan told Premier it can be "hard to relate to faithful people."
"The best way to convert people in my opinion is just being really kind and happy and at peace," he said. "That's the best advertisement."
Guan is determined to keep going.
"We all believe in something," he said. "Believing in something beats believing in nothing. I've believed both. Nothing didn't serve me."