Healing The Hurt We Inflicted Because Of Our Faith

My children seem to have gotten the worst of it, and I admire how they are recovering. My fathering was spoiled with painful experiences stemming from my unconsciousness, as I seemed trapped in a religious loop. I am not sure if I fully understand what happened.

I brought harm to people outside the family with my idealism, thinking that an inherently racist and homophobic church world could be transformed.

I can’t say that I planned my escape

I left that world behind after countless conflicts and unnecessary turmoil, watching women be subordinated while men talked from both sides of their mouths. The same thing when it came to the recognition of “the sin of racism.”

People everywhere are seeing the light (or more light)

The term commonly used to describe the experience of leaving religion, especially white evangelicalism and its harms is “deconstruction.”

It is time, however, for those who are going through what many describe as a painful undertaking, to know that deconstruction will go further. It must. People who fully recover from abusive religion will acknowledge the victims they created. In my case, it was my family and the people who called me pastor, and others. If you are white, cisgender and heterosexual, then please consider how you participated in a white supremacist project that injured those who could never have become full members.

As you grieve, don’t forget those who suffered then and the society that suffers now because you were complicit.

I think about them daily.

 

 

 

 

 

Brittney Griner

we love you.

Brittney Griner we love you.