Reader Conversation Area
A New Place for Readers to Talk about Their Deconstruction Experience
This site is for anyone who is interested in reading our posts whether you agree or disagree. Yet, this site is mainly for those who are questioning some of the things we were taught in church, those who are tired of the religious dogma, and for those who are thinking about leaving or have left the institutional church.
There are many different stories and different ways we have come to this point, and if interested, feel free to post a paragraph or two about what led you to this point.
I know we do not all agree on everything, but hopefully we can accept one another even in our differences. I have found that talking about personal stories like this is always a help and encouragement to others.
This is not a place for debate and arguments, just a place to tell others how you got to the point of questioning your faith and/or leaving the institutional church. No right or wrong answers, just personal stories of encouragement.
I grew up in the Methodist church. I always accepted everything I was taught without question. As I got older, I began to question within myself some of the things that did not make much sense to me. As time went on, I had more and more questions that I could not let go any longer. Once I began to allow myself the freedom to ask questions and seek answers, I began to feel free to move on from some of the things I was taught. I am finding out that God is much bigger than I ever heard about in church. God is so much more than doctrines, religion, denominations, buildings and books. God cannot be contained in any of those. Being out of institutional church seems freeing to me and I trust the Spirit the lives within to be my teacher and guide. We are told the Kingdom of God is within us and that we are the temple, or dwelling place of the Spirit. I have been focusing more on what is within rather than listening to one person or one group tell me what they think God is saying. Although my wife and I no longer attend a church, I would never tell anyone else to stay away. It is a personal choice in how to follow the Spirit, but for those who may be thinking about leaving or have left, it is certainly not wrong not to attend church. Attend church or do not attend, it is your choice, but the main thing is to focus on the leading of the Spirit, love God and love one another. -- Michael Donahoe