Building a New Community
We still need connection after leaving church
Submitted by James Fielding
Most people would probably agree that the hardest thing about leaving a religion is the loss of community. For many of us, we lived our entire lives immersed in a group of people that think just like we do. We agreed on most things and generally supported one another.
That all sounds great on the surface. However, once you are away from the pervasive and often damaging nature of that kind of indoctrination, hindsight shows you just how detrimental it was.
So, you break free. Now what? Does this mean you have to sever ties with your entire “tribe?” How will these people interact with you now that you are an outsider?
It’s probably time to find some new friends. I will admit that I had an advantage when I finally left religion. I had already moved over 500 miles away from my hometown. The issue is that most of us live our lives within 50 miles of where we were born and don’t have that option. You have to build a new community where you are.
Why a Community?
If there is one thing I would have done differently when leaving religion; it would have been to connect with more people early on. I was lucky to find a transitional state in the form…
