After leaving fundamentalism, some of my friends left organized religion because of spiritual abuse, or identified as anarchists because they’d seen systems of power oppress people. I can’t blame them really, even if their choices seem more extreme than my own choices, because I don’t trust authority, either. Authority more often uses power to control ratherContinueContinue reading “Why I have trust issues with authority after growing up in Christian fundamentalism”
Tag Archives: emotional abuse
Internalization, boundaries, and me
Communication is amazing, when it actually happens. It’s cliche, but both sides have to be willing to exchange and receive information. I’m trying to talk to my parents again. This is a choice I have made, not out of obligation. I’m told that I’m naïve, but there’s this little flicker of optimism inside me that refuses toContinueContinue reading “Internalization, boundaries, and me”
You don’t have to look: Revisiting how we tell the Easter story
I have problems with Easter. My church attendance has been irregular since I left fundamentalism, which I’ve been told is normal for people who have suffered spiritual abuse. This year, I tried to go to church on Easter Sunday. I drove to the parking lot. Panic rose in my stomach until I thought I mightContinueContinue reading “You don’t have to look: Revisiting how we tell the Easter story”
The UnBoxing Project: Gissel’s story
Gissel dyed her hair red for the first time during the week after she left home. | Photo: Ashley Kavanaugh In July 2014, Ashley came over to my apartment to visit one Saturday morning. While we were talking, Ashley got a text message from Gissel, one of her friends from the First United Pentecostal ChurchContinueContinue reading “The UnBoxing Project: Gissel’s story”
The UnBoxing Project: Ashley’s story
Editorial note: Although Ashley is a survivor of a Christian fundamentalist cult, unfortunately she became abusive herself. She has been reported to several law enforcement agencies for human trafficking others from 2017-2019. She is the abusive partner mentioned in this post from 2022. I keep Ashley’s story on the blog as a reminder that thoseContinueContinue reading “The UnBoxing Project: Ashley’s story”
Eleanor Skelton 