Ex CoC member and PK
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:11 pm
Hello everyone,
I formally left the church as a teen over a decade ago. My father was a minister for most of my youth (fills in for other preachers now, rather than serving a specific congregation).
Doubt was festering in me at a pretty young age, but I shared with my family my doubts starting at age 16. The church and my family formally withdrew fellowship from me when I was 18. It has had some pretty huge impacts emotionally and mentally, which I'm sure many of you can relate to. Therapy related to Religious Trauma Syndrome has helped me make sense of a lot of it, and has been greatly beneficial. Someone I dated was a disowned member of an Anabaptist cult community, and so we were able to help each other make sense of the impacts growing up the way we did had on our psyche.
Now, many many years later, I know I am in the right place. But I still struggle with my family dynamics, as well as pestering feelings of guilt, anxiety, and abandonment. I also know what it is like to go through this process, and the fear and courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in despite very real consequences. I hope I am able to give back to the community in any way I can, and offer support to those going through struggles with the transition out of their faith.
Thank you!
I formally left the church as a teen over a decade ago. My father was a minister for most of my youth (fills in for other preachers now, rather than serving a specific congregation).
Doubt was festering in me at a pretty young age, but I shared with my family my doubts starting at age 16. The church and my family formally withdrew fellowship from me when I was 18. It has had some pretty huge impacts emotionally and mentally, which I'm sure many of you can relate to. Therapy related to Religious Trauma Syndrome has helped me make sense of a lot of it, and has been greatly beneficial. Someone I dated was a disowned member of an Anabaptist cult community, and so we were able to help each other make sense of the impacts growing up the way we did had on our psyche.
Now, many many years later, I know I am in the right place. But I still struggle with my family dynamics, as well as pestering feelings of guilt, anxiety, and abandonment. I also know what it is like to go through this process, and the fear and courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in despite very real consequences. I hope I am able to give back to the community in any way I can, and offer support to those going through struggles with the transition out of their faith.
Thank you!