#toxic religion
Toxic religion totally exists. Sometimes, if we are happy within our own religion we are quick to defend all religion, but we must acknowledge the existence of toxic religion. It’s very important to help people who are survivors of religious abuse and toxic religion and cult survivors. It’s so hard for them to leave and a lot of people don’t understand. It takes guts to leave and from there healing still has to be done. It is possible to leave and be happy outside of your toxic religion.
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Healing from the church is possible. Leaving and recovery are so hard, but it’s worth it. Holding onto a toxic thing for a long time can be discouraging and more damaging than letting go. Letting go hurts in the beginning, but as time goes by you learn to heal by coping, reaching out, and recovering.
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Once you get out of the church, especially if it was toxic or abusive to you, it’s the most freeing feeling. You can make your own choices without fear. You can do what you want, believe what you want, be your own person. You are free to choose what to do in life without the threat of eternal damnation in front of you. And for some people, it’s as basic as their sexuality that got them condemned by the church forever. Loving someone you truly love, or transitioning finally is an amazing feeling.
Don’t get me wrong, leaving the church (or any toxic situation) won’t solve all your problems right away. You need to heal and recover and have time to blossom and find your way. Spending your whole life or a little chunk of it believing in something (especially if your whole family is in it) then suddenly having a faith crisis and leaving can be draining. There will be bas days when you’re scared and wanna run back. You made this decision for a reason and you will feel so much better once you start to heal and process and find your way. It’s hard, believe me, there are times I just wanted to be able to not feel shame and guilt but you will find your way slowly. Whether it’s through therapy, a life makeover, new clothes, a different dating life, new beliefs, you will find your path.
It’s okay to not believe what your parents believe.
It’s okay to still believe part of what they belive, but reject the rest.
It’s okay to form your own opinions outside of your toxic parents/church’s.
It’s okay to leave a toxic religion.
It’s freeing to leave a toxic religion.
Everything gets a little brighter once you have that freedom.
You can breathe and make your own choices without fear.
And that is the most amazing feeling.
Hi, if you’re being forced to go to church today or being forced to pretend to believe in something you don’t, it gets better. You get out, you’re able to heal, explore your own beliefs.
I was trying to remember the first time I consciously realized I was gay, but.. By time I knew what it meant to be lesbian I was neck deep in the “you can’t be gay and Christian” mentality and immediately suppressed those feelings for years. I can’t even remember the first girl I was gay for :(
