One.
A strange thing happened when I left church and any form of Christianity that is recognisable to proper Christians. I ceased to exist.
Note: This post is not about what you or I believe, it’s about the way humans associate and categorise
What happened was that I truly believed the things that Christians are supposed to believe. Then my beliefs changed and I didn’t.
Within Christianity there are explanations for people like me who leave.
”They didn’t truly believe.”
”They just wanted have sex with people they aren’t supposed to.”
”They have unresolved bitterness.”
Stuff like that. But none of the explanations are “They became honestly convinced that something other than what we believe is true.”
Outside Christianity, the acceptable narrative says that I’m supposed to be a born-again atheist laughing at the backwards superstitious people I left behind.
No. Thank. You.
I don’t fit the categories of what is deemed possible, therefore I don’t exist.
This isn’t just about Christianity. It’s true for leaving any belief system – religious, political, philosophical.
Maybe you’ve discovered you don’t exist either. Welcome to the FFOREST.
Two.
Playboy bunny
Three.
And yet…
A thing I love about FFOREST people is you are dedicated to becoming your greatest selves1 even when it means your beliefs have to change
Keep growing slowly! We’re doing this together.
Jeff
Thank you for that line, Little Simz.
Can definitely associate with this. When I wanted to leave the pentecostal church I went to the elders had a meeting and decided I needed a spiritual cleansing as I obviously had demons in me.
I'd had one of these 'exorcisms' before and while they were praying and summoning the demons out of me, I just thought how ridiculous it was and had to stop myself from laughing. Instead of laying hands on me they were actually applying force so I'd lose my balance. So I was doing my best to stay upright so they couldn't day they had 'beat the demon'.
Very relatable experience. Thank you for sharing. It was a wake up call for me, from my own identity, to what it meant to be a Christian and who Jesus really was.