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: theology
Why the little purple alien in ‘Home’ is me
I’ve always known I was weird. An entire table of public school kids crowded around me in driving school, peppering me with questions. I was one of two homeschooled kids in the classroom. Elsie, the other girl, and I later became friends. We both felt like outsiders, but I told my mom later that I feltContinueContinue reading “Why the little purple alien in ‘Home’ is 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: Options, not ultimatums
Several friends were part of our network that helped Ashley move out of her parents’ house. This is another person’s part of the story, in their own words. It’s hard when someone you care about is stuck in an abusive environment. It’s worse when you feel like you could and should be helping them toContinueContinue reading “The UnBoxing Project: Options, not ultimatums”
Eleanor Skelton 