Today I spoke with Dawne Anthony, who placed her faith in Jesus at a young age and got involved in ministry, but ultimately deconverted as the truth claims of Christianity fell apart.
We touched on many topics, including:
• Being in church multiple times each week during childhood.
• Seeing her parents have problems with each church they attended and consequently church hopping frequently and no longer talking to the people at the previous church.
• Giving her life to Jesus as a young child, but repeatedly rededicating her life to god to be sure her salvation was secure.
• From an early age, having questions about theological concepts that didn't make sense, but being very careful about who she spoke to about them.
• Feeling like she would sometimes sense god's presence and voice, but other times she couldn't.
• Attending a Christian Missionary Alliance Bible college to prepare for missions and ministry.
• Seeing overwhelming hypocrisy at Bible college that drove her to even more concerns about the Christian worldview but fearing hell if she focused on her doubts too strongly.
• Being told by her church to never use birth control and to see having lots of babies as a blessing from god, but realizing over the years that she was overwhelmed and depressed by the situation.
• Becoming disillusioned by her worsening marriage and very difficult home life.
• Realizing that while she was divorcing an abusive spouse, she was concurrently divorcing an abusive and toxic religion.
• As she slowly escaped Christianity, realizing that her identity as a Christian had been based on mythology, but still fearing what other Christians would think.
• Being able to talk through her deconversion with her father, who had deconverted a few years before she did.
• Realizing that there is no power in the Gospel and what appears as power is just humans doing good things in their own power.
• Perceiving that Christianity does not transcend the human experience.
• The importance of giving ourselves time to heal as we go through the lifelong journey of recovering from religious trauma.
Thanks to Dawne for sharing her story!
_________________________________________
Some of Dawne's recitals:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=61otY5D2HaU&si=yOpUW_hG6k-0sTsF
https://youtube.com/watch?v=-sVvu8ExN7g&si=fWg8STyP2lPbLXZK
_________________________________________
Mentioned in this video:
Christopher Hitchens' book "God is not great"
https://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446697966/
_________________________________________
Check out the other projects I'm working on and find other ways to connect with me:
https://linktr.ee/harmonicatheist
Tim may be reached on FB (preferred) at: harmonictim
Or by email at: [email protected]
_________________________________________
Your support for my channel, Harmonic Atheist, is very needed and appreciated!
One-time donations:
PayPal: paypal.me/harmonictim
Venmo: @harmonicatheist
Zelle email: [email protected]
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tim-stay-full-time-on-harmonic-atheist
Monthly donations:
https://www.patreon.com/harmonicatheist
Thanks!
--Tim
_________________________________________
Ending music by Kazuya / Eyal Raz, "Friends"
https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/friends/2825
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qbqNO6DdAQ
_________________________________________
If you are facing emotional distress, please call 911 or the National Suicide Hotline
1-800-273-8255.