Ex-Fundies, Identity, & Finding Balance

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.

Article: Domestic Violence in the IFB Church Movement

Please read the article here.

"Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone."

This goes on in IFB circles ALL the time. I saw it go on in friends' household when I was a child. I watched it go on at the Baptist college I attended. I watched college friends go through it. I experienced it personally in at least one major friendship in the past. People I hold very dear have gone through so much abuse at the hands of fundamentalism.