About a month ago, I wrote about A Crisis of Healthy Skepticism. I pointed out that we can often verify or disconfirm information with a 15-second Google search. But when I was a Christian fundamentalist, we never took advantage of that 15 seconds if it could challenge our pre-existing beliefs because we so needed to… Continue reading Disconfirming the Second Coming
From Canadian news, “Republicans face backlash for speaking out against Trump ahead of impeachment trial.” This report made me realize something about cults. Something I’ve been struggling with ever since I was shunned from my old religious community. You see, we didn’t have an explicit shunning policy. But I was shunned anyhow. I was shunned… Continue reading Shunning
Here’s a good example of the religious brainwashing that I had gone through, and the political brainwashing I believe many Republicans have gone through. Seen on Facebook: Atheist: Man wrote the Bible. Me: Man wrote the theory of evolution. Every book you’ve read that attacks the Bible was written by man. Now listen here, knucklehead.… Continue reading Religious and Political Brainwashing
What if we’re wrong? What if there is a god up there listening? And what if that god is the Flying Spaghetti Monster? 🤔
I’ve described to friends how the Trump ecosystem reminds me of the religious fundamentalism that I grew up in, the religious dogma that took me almost 45 years of my life to escape. Farhad Manjoo’s commentary in the New York Times, “The Capitol Was Just the Start,” so vibrantly describes the reality-bending insanity of the… Continue reading The Fundamentalism of the Trump Ecosystem
There’s a “Dear Facebook friend” meme that has been making the rounds in Christian fundamentalist circles for a couple of years now. I ran across it recently. If you haven’t lived in this world, you may not know how to parse the toxic repackaging woven throughout this narrative. If you have, it may trigger you.… Continue reading Dear Evangelical Friend
From Axios, on “The raging trust crisis and its consequences”: A majority of people around the world believe that journalists, government leaders and business leaders are all purposely trying to mislead people by spreading misinformation. Most people have terrible information hygiene, and admit that they don’t actively verify information, avoid echo chambers or share things… Continue reading A Crisis of Healthy Skepticism
I recently ran across this song, originally performed by the David Crowder Band, which we used to sing in church all the time. It was a big hit, especially for our kids (thanks to Hillsong Kids). Every move I make, I make in You.You make me move, Jesus.Every breath I take, I breathe in You.… Continue reading Every Move I Make
This month’s issue of the Human Givens journal has a cover article on religious trauma syndrome. Stevie Noah describes the Christian fundamentalist upbringing that left her with religious trauma syndrome and how human givens is providing a framework for moving on. In early 2009, I hit the lowest point in my life. I was suffering… Continue reading Religious Trauma Syndrome
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple.” ~ Luke 14:26 Someone recently asked me how many people among a person’s friends and family need to be gay before being gay becomes okay. This was… Continue reading How Much until Being Gay Is Okay?