This Shift in Thinking Made My Deconversion Possible
Seeing the world from outside yourself
I had no shortage of questions when I was a struggling Christian.
Where is God when I pray? Why is the Bible so problematic? How can Christians disagree so widely when the Holy Spirit unites us?
Many of my peers who were raised Christian have had these kinds of doubts. And yet, most of them have not left the religion — and likely never will.
Why is it that they stayed faithful while my doubts led me to disbelief? What’s the difference between us?
Some people think I lost faith because I never had a “true encounter” with Jesus. But there are many lifelong Christians who never experience Jesus as a personal entity they can dialogue with, no matter how much they try, and they maintain their beliefs just fine. I don’t think that’s the only reason.
There was an underlying shift in my thought process that was more significant than any of the nagging theological questions. I suspect this new way of thinking is what allowed me to change at a fundamental level.
If I were to describe this thought process as a question, it would go something like this:
