I am grateful for how you have thought through this issue. I have been thinking a lot about agency and can definitely admit I have been quite passive in my life. Have you found it hard to navigate the relationship with control? Life has taught me quite forcibly I'm not in control but I hear your invitation to show up and take responsibility and I find it compelling
"as I survey the various #deconstruction accounts it seems many of them are stuck. They seem paralyzed, unable to progress or find true freedom. Unable to thrive. Iām bummed out to see how consistently cynical and spiteful some of them can be." YES. I reached a point where I needed to unfollow many of them bc there wasn't forward movement. Stuck in anger and pointing out flaws of the christian doctrine and continuing to live in that victim mindset. Once I decided to unfollow them I was able to heal more quickly. This is a big reason why I'm writing my book... To try and be a voice that goes beyond the anger and into true freedom.
Thank you for sharing your story! My path has been slightly different, but it's probably because I was spared the experience of growing up in the American Evangelical church. Many differences there. But I agree, there is a tendency to coast in your dis/beliefs. I guess because the perspective of carving them out for yourself (continually) seems too daunting? But the coasting doesn't come free either. The lack of agency is incredibly demoralizing, and so is boredom.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Funny, I was planning on writing something up related to this topic, however, I think there's a level beyond what you've described here, which is a deep surrender to God that is anything BUT passive. However, we usually need to go through the important step of personal empowerment before getting there.
I'll explain more in my future article, but here's the short version: Try this experiment. When you get up in the morning, ask God, "What do you want me to do today?" See where God takes you. God works THROUGH people. If you are being passive, expecting God to do something outside of yourself, you aren't letting God work through you.
BTW, I felt guided by God to start my Sufis Substack...it wasn't preplanned. Literally, I had a strong feeling the other day to start it, out of the blue, and took immediate steps to take action on it. We'll see where it takes me. :-)
I am grateful for how you have thought through this issue. I have been thinking a lot about agency and can definitely admit I have been quite passive in my life. Have you found it hard to navigate the relationship with control? Life has taught me quite forcibly I'm not in control but I hear your invitation to show up and take responsibility and I find it compelling
"as I survey the various #deconstruction accounts it seems many of them are stuck. They seem paralyzed, unable to progress or find true freedom. Unable to thrive. Iām bummed out to see how consistently cynical and spiteful some of them can be." YES. I reached a point where I needed to unfollow many of them bc there wasn't forward movement. Stuck in anger and pointing out flaws of the christian doctrine and continuing to live in that victim mindset. Once I decided to unfollow them I was able to heal more quickly. This is a big reason why I'm writing my book... To try and be a voice that goes beyond the anger and into true freedom.
Thank you for sharing your story! My path has been slightly different, but it's probably because I was spared the experience of growing up in the American Evangelical church. Many differences there. But I agree, there is a tendency to coast in your dis/beliefs. I guess because the perspective of carving them out for yourself (continually) seems too daunting? But the coasting doesn't come free either. The lack of agency is incredibly demoralizing, and so is boredom.
Can't help but feel there is also something else here--the way we think around submission/authority is completely fucked up, isn't it? Even the way we think of, say, Job. We're scared to think we might have to do the same kind of negotiation/raw rebellion that he did in his relationship with the Sacred, so we bring on some clichƩd interpretation or the other: he waited on God, he actually did sin, he never cursed God, all bs when you read that book closely. But then, we know what happens to a relationship where one partner just kind of absents themselves completely from any interaction. There can be no intimacy, no progress, no excitement there. We know it! And yet.
Sorry for the long comment--but this topic is so powerful!
Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Funny, I was planning on writing something up related to this topic, however, I think there's a level beyond what you've described here, which is a deep surrender to God that is anything BUT passive. However, we usually need to go through the important step of personal empowerment before getting there.
I'll explain more in my future article, but here's the short version: Try this experiment. When you get up in the morning, ask God, "What do you want me to do today?" See where God takes you. God works THROUGH people. If you are being passive, expecting God to do something outside of yourself, you aren't letting God work through you.
BTW, I felt guided by God to start my Sufis Substack...it wasn't preplanned. Literally, I had a strong feeling the other day to start it, out of the blue, and took immediate steps to take action on it. We'll see where it takes me. :-)