Hello,
I've been a Christian my whole life. I was raised in a fairly conservative Evangelical community (LCMS). I started examining what I had been taught when I was about 30. (I'm currently 49). My process of deconstruction has been quite slow and I stayed in conservative Evangelical churches during most of those years. Starting about 8 years ago, many more layers came off and I gradually found myself unable to stay in those communities any longer, there was too much internal conflict. I didn't feel it was fair of me to attend a faith community that was very upfront about what they believed and taught and then criticize what they believe and teach. My husband has also been deconstructing although he started later than I did and hasn't peeled back as many layers as I have. We currently attend a mildly progressive evangelical church. It's a great fit for my husband and kids, not so much for me. But it's a compromise I can live with, for now.
We live in a very conservative area, progressive is a highly inflammatory word around here. With almost all of my local friends and acquaintances, I cannot have conversations about topics that are important to me. I jokingly say I'm a heretic; of course I don't actually believe I am, as heresy is simply the ideas that didn't win in an argument a long time ago.
I'm looking forward to community and conversations here.
