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
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
Ran across this perennial social-media favorite, on Facebook, about Christian voters: It’s a little unfair to describe them as “Christian voters,” though. Really, these are Christian nationalist voters. (Most progressive voters are also Christian. Don’t they count? Joe Biden is a Christain, for crying out loud, to the point that it annoys me.) The Christian… Continue reading Christian Nationalist Voters
Facebook reminded me of one of the seeds of my deconversion, 8 years ago today… I read today on a friend’s status: “A female law student goes to Congress to claim that she and other women at Georgetown University are having SO MUCH SEX that they can’t afford their birth control and therefore the government… Continue reading Is That Really True?
I was just watching political commentators from yesterday talking about how they believe Trump’s defense is short-sighted. His legal team in the Senate trial claims that there was no quid pro quo and that everyone who talked directly to the president knew that. We of course already know that this is false. But additionally, they… Continue reading The Republican Fundamentalist Cult
Seen on social media: a meme quoting J. Mark Johns, pastor of Canvas Church (the one in Alachua, FL): “Don’t let a bad church experience stop you from going to church. We’ve never let a bad restaurant experience stop us from eating out. #tryagain” This is a hoary chestnut right out of the Evangelical gaslighting… Continue reading A Bad Church Experience
There’s a church near Worcester that I end up driving by frequently on the way to lunch. On the lawn outside sits a prominent sign in modern blues and greens: “Life Source.” The logo consists of a Latin cross, coupled with a symbol indicating three bars of Wifi available. Across the bottom is the church’s… Continue reading Spiritual Gaslighting on Display
When I was little, we went trick-or-treating. I remember doing that for a few years, way back in the day. Then everything changed. At some point, my parents became wise to the fact that Halloween is a pagan holiday, All Hallows Eve, dedicated to glorify Satan and demonic forces. Yeah, we were pretty ignorant, blissfully… Continue reading An Evangelical Halloween