I feel you. I was raised Southen Baptist but left religion many years ago. In the immediate years following my departure, I struggled to use the words. With each use, I felt a pang in my gut. Over time, I worked through these feelings and developed a deep appreciation for using the words to connect with others, particularly my family, regarding spirituality — even though I now view spirituality differently than they do.

From the outside, it may sound like I am religious. But I know what I’m talking about. And I know that my intentions are purely to connect over truth rather than get hung up on words or dogma.