I keep up with several ex-fundie blogs, many of which can be found on my blogroll. Most of these blogs are written by women who have left their backgrounds in Christian fundamentalism and embraced new ways of living. Many have left religion altogether; others have moved to more mainstream realms of Christianity where they focus on love instead of rules. I enjoy reading each person's story and seeing how their lives have changed (for the better) since making the fateful decision to leave fundamentalism. Some of them have moved on more easily than others, and it shows in their writing.
It isn't hard to spot who is still flaming mad. Vendettas and bitterness show through as they address their past (this isn't surprising, since many of their pasts are quite horrible). The term ex-fundie is an integral part of their identity. Their writing is predominantly angry and/or negative, and they tend to lump the people who disagree with them into one bad lump. Sadly, I think their anger blinds them to many things and leads them to say and do things that are more harmful than helpful. If you've kept up with my blog in the past, you may feel I just described myself. It's a fair point to make, and I won't deny that I went through the flaming-mad phase for quite awhile (as addressed here).
In contrast, some of the authors make it clear that they have cooled off.
They still get mad and still have negative things to say, but they've found balance in their writing. Well, more accurately, they've found balance in their lives and it shines out in what they write. They address the past without dwelling on it. The term ex-fundie helps them show where they've been on the map of life but their identity as a person is not built around it. They offer hope in addition to the horror their stories may contain. They don't go about slinging mud and tearing down the people who have hurt them. They are thoughtful, kind, and wise. I sincerely hope to become more like these writers. It is their writing that is truly inspiring to me.
The first time I realized that there were more ex-fundies out in the blogosphere, I began reading as many of their blogs as I could. I devoured their stories, their thoughts, their new world views, and was relieved to know that I wasn't alone. My personal story with fundamentalism was not horrific like many of their's were (with many forms of abuse and sub-human living), but knowing other people had also been burned and also saw the problems with fundamentalism helped me move forward in my own life. I enjoy seeing others address things that once were a big part of my life - things that I was concerned about as a fundie. But, over time I have tired of the profuse amounts of spouting common to the more flaming-mad blogs. I grew tired of it when I was writing it on my own blog, haha! Perpetually dwelling in the negative is unhealthy and unhelpful in the long run. It also shows a lack of maturity and wisdom, in my opinion.
I've tried to keep this blog from being a predominantly negative place, starting with Rachel Held Evans "Ask A" series. Wow! She's posted a lot of new material since the last time I shared it on the blog! I will do my best to post more positive things in the future, if for no other reason than to present a more balanced approach to viewing fundamentalism and religion. I have big plans for conducting some interviews of my own in the near future. Looking forward to that experience and being able to share it with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment