Book Review: Spiritual Sobriety by Elizabeth Esther

I love so much of Elizabeth Esther’s writing because what she says fits my experiences in unhealthy churches. I preordered her book Spiritual Sobriety: Stumbling back to faith when good religion goes bad in spring of last year, around the same time that I interviewed her on my blog. Recently I re-read my copy beforeContinueContinue reading “Book Review: Spiritual Sobriety by Elizabeth Esther”

Book review: Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall

I got this book from a giveaway over at SpiritualAbuse.org a couple of summers ago, when I was blogging about leaving fundamentalism. Stolen Innocence is Elissa Wall’s memoir of leaving the fundamentalist Mormon church (FLDS) as an adult. She was told to marry one of her cousins when she was only 14. Elissa gives a good historyContinueContinue reading “Book review: Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall”

I am the thing I was taught to hate

My brother tells me a joke that he and one of the pastor’s kids laugh about at youth group. “Let’s go get Christian t-shirts from Mardel’s and drink beer like the New Life Christians! Hahahahaha!” I don’t laugh. I feel the gut punch. Pause. “Do you know anyone from New Life Church? Have you ever metContinueContinue reading “I am the thing I was taught to hate”

Why Joy Williams’ new music video defies purity culture

Joy Williams has left purity culture. Like, in a major way. Last year, she released a new music video for the song “Woman (Oh Mama).” My first thought was: if the contemporary Christian music scene shunned Jaci Velasquez for her underwear scene in Chasing Papi, what will they ever do with Joy Williams’ nude music video? ForContinueContinue reading “Why Joy Williams’ new music video defies purity culture”

‘No Longer Quivering’ webmaster thinks speculating about LGBT Quiverfull kids is okay

In January 2016, Vyckie Garrison, one of the founders of No Longer Quivering, started a public thread asking for speculations about the Duggar family for 2016. Her followers started guessing about the sexual identity of the Duggar children still living at home. The comments turned vicious, involving threats of violence towards other survivors and stalking. ReadContinueContinue reading “‘No Longer Quivering’ webmaster thinks speculating about LGBT Quiverfull kids is okay”