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AnonymousThought I would give this a go. I have a mixed spiritual background (anglican, methodist, baptist, christadelphian) but it all really went pear-shaped for me when I joined the Christos (Christadelphians) – very legalistic/patriarchal, though I acknoweldge their religious system works well for some
….but my face didn’t fit. My story is here: http://beyondthechristadelphians.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/its-not-about-theological-correctness/Every blessing to you all.
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This topic was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by
David Hayward.
Welcome to TLS, fellow traveller…I’m sure you’ll find the room to ponder and grow in your own spiritual direction – with support and understanding.
AnonymousWelcome Dawn! Glad you have joined us! I’ve never heard of the Christadelphians before. I come from Evangelical Christian background and left the institutional church a couple years ago. I can’t even put into words how helpful and meaningful it has been having all these awesome TLS people to bounce ideas off of, share insights and frustrations, and support one another wherever we are at in our spiritual journeys. Again, welcome!
AnonymousI was reading a couple articles on that same website where Dawn posted her blog. Thought I’d share some interesting quotes from there…
“The characteristics of tribal behaviour are universal – whether your tribe is your country, your religion, your football team……people everywhere show that same need to reinforce group identity, to know who is in and who is out.”
‘We are not exiled from the garden of Eden but living in it still. Paradise is not in the past or future but only in the present, this earth an untamed heaven, a wild paradise garden.’ – Jay Griffiths (a Christian fundamentalist in her teens)
For those of you who still struggle with Evangelical/fundie parents I know you’ll be able to relate to this blogpost by a former Christadelphian:
At around 12 yrs of age I wanted to leave, but it was years later before I managed it… I realised that God is a manmade fabrication. Now it felt like pretending to my parents that Santa was real, in order to protect their feelings.Aged 34, I find my parents views so depressing. Dad witters on about how scientists are all hiding the truth, whilst wallowing in the fruits of their work – his computers, his car, his health care. In fact, he puts all of these things down to God.
I am sickened by his attitudes towards gay people and towards women, all inspired by his Bible. And worse, the joy he feels when disasters happen around the world. He gets a glint in his eye when talking about it. He knows how I feel, so masks it a little – “even scientists are saying there have never been this many storms”, as if I don’t know he’s really saying ‘the Lord is coming’. Despite (or perhaps because of) the horrendous suffering.
I didn’t quite realise how much my mother buys into it, until a couple of years ago when Dad left the room and I made some comment about his ignorance regarding evolution. She snapped – “so where do you think the animals came from? They didn’t just happen, did they?”
I feel that if you’re that stupid you should keep your mouth shut. I’m sorry to talk so disparagingly about my parents, but I feel that if the Bible and the Christadelphians had never happened to their lives, that they would be nicer human beings.
Perhaps unrelated to Christadelphianism, my mother often remarks (as she has done so for as long as I can remember), that I “think too much”. My retort remains the same, “no, you don’t think enough”.
Perhaps unrelated to Christadelphianism, my mother often remarks (as she has done so for as long as I can remember), that I “think too much”. My retort remains the same, “no, you don’t think enough”.
Anonymoussorry for the extraneous stuff – at least this time it came at the end instead of at the beginning.
Welcome Dawn. So nice to meet you! Thanks for sharing your story.
AnonymousThank you. For the record the link isn’t my personal blog – I just wrote my story for it called “It’s not all about theological correctness” (several other ex-Christadelphians also wrote their story on that site) and the owner of the site collated them all. She was interested in my story because I am one of the few who have not lost their faith totally. Christadelphianism can work well for some people, but it damaged me personally. I left it nearly 20 years ago and I found mainstream Christianity not much better, so hey-ho there you go, glad I’m out of it all and am spiritually independent. I like that. It really struck a chord with me
Hi Dawn. I read the blog. It was so well written and mirrored much of what I experienced with another Christian group early in my life. My favorite part was this right here (I hope it’s ok to repost)
My total closure on the whole of my Christadelphian background came mid 2010 as I began to see the absolute total power of redemptive love manifest through Christ and His finished work on the cross, to which I can add nothing. He has done it all; no amount of doctrinal correctness will earn me – or anyone else – anything in God’s eyes. This is not to say I am not grateful for my Christadelphian background and the knowledge and truths which it has imparted to me, and it is not to say that I will never go back into fellowship (only God knows or could lead that way).
How true!
AnonymousThank you Miriam! yes I wrote that bit which you quoted back in March 2011 and my faith got much more deconstructed since then, yet I am pleased you quoted that because I basically still believe it – that Jesus has done it all and there is nothing I can add to that. It’s good that you reminded me of what I wrote back then, If eel it has given me hope
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