Has anyone been involved or worked for fundamental Christian group and now left it like me?

[pollypots2]

I was involved in a Fundamental Christian group for 15 years. i got involved when I was a student and through my boyfriend at the time. I eventually worked for the organisation, helping, counselling and teaching other women about faith and many different issues. At the heart of it, it was great in wanting to help other people have a better life and spirituality but sadly as the years went on, it became more focused on the numbers of people and money they were giving and how the church way was right and the only way. My husband and I tried for several years to stand up to these things and try to change the dogmatic teaching too but eventually left as anyone who was open minded decided to leave too. I'm happy about my expereinces overall and my marriage is stronger than ever and have 3 beautiful dd's.That was about 4 years ago and so we've had so much to cope with physically, mentally and emotionally in that time that spirituality has been last on list and also just needed a break. I still have a faith of sorts and believe in spirituality but not a specific religion or group. I would like to grow in my spirituality but not sure how to go about it as only thing i knew was reading religious books and praying.Also want to teach kids more spiritual values than just going to family service. Any thoughts

[puffling]

I was brought up in fundamentalist churches and lasted till 21. I'm now 36 and have never been tempted to return. However, unlike you, I don't believe in spirituality or have any desire to explore that area.I'm not sure how you can explore spirituality without attaching yourself to a particular group or religion. Hope you find some answers
Dawnx

[morningpaper]

I am very interested in your post. I was involved in a similar organisation for several years and left about 10 years ago. I was married at that time and left with my husband - we split up afterwards for various reasons. We are still on good terms, partly, I suspect, because we have a "common enemy" i.e. the community we left.

It took me several years to get back into religious life. I have now found a home in the high-anglican church. For years I found it very hard to go into a church without suffering from panic attacks and I also suffered if I saw an overhead projector. Sounds terrible but maybe you understand what I mean.

The hardest thing of all was re-building my world-view from scratch, because I had lost everything that I thought was true about how the world worked, as I had primarily thought in a spiritual dimension. I had a good therapist and also found that some retreats really helped me, when I was feeling up to that.

Regarding children, I found Parenting with Spirit a very good book for giving me ideas for bringing the spiritual into my children's lives in new and creative ways. (Can't seem to find it on Amazon UK)

Good luck

[pollypots2]

Hi morningpaper
Thanks for your msg and the book recommendation, I read about it in a magazine and wondered if it would be helpful. Do your dc's go with you to church. What drew you to a this and would you still read the bible if that's not too personal question.

[jasper]

I was raised in a Christian home and heavily involved with the Navigators at Uni.
My first marriage was heavily Christian/ Nav based (anyone reading this who has not experienced similar will think I sound loopy))

the marriage and the faith fell apart in tandem.
It was a terrible terrible time.
I still find it hard to talk about.

fast forward 20 years and I have a lovley partner(usually referred to as dh) and three young kids and guess what?
I want them to go to Sunday School.

have found a local church they love and am happy to take them along.
Still confused myself

[roseylea]

Hi, I am a happy christian (!!!) (that sounds loopy too!) but I know what you mean because when I converted at the age of 13 (I vcam e from a not-particulary-religious family) it was into a v. fundamentalist charismatic church, which I belonged to until I went to uni at 18 and discovered more moderate churches. I found some of the expectations in the charismatic church v. difficult and aggressive, and didn't agree wit the theology behond those expectations, which is why I left.

Also some of my friends from the charismatic church went to an independent charismatic christian school which I think was quite extreme and left many of them with strange ideas about what christianity is, and some who stopped going to church the minute they could. For example one friend told me that the prevailing thought on politics was that if you don't vote conservative you're not a real christian (this was the 80s). Another told me that she was hauled into the head's office to give a reason for why she had not raised her arms during the assembly worship time .

I am still in transit really - like morningpaper I have found a spiritual home in the CofE but atm am looking for a church to belong to. The one I really love is too far away from where we live (darn and blast).

I think the thing I'd say is don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Retreats are excellent ways of getting some time on your own so that you can mull over what is really there in your heart / mind. Spirituality is a journey and it's not always easy, sometimes it's tiring but it is worthwhile and when you find a place that feels like home it is so worth the journey. (IMO). HTH.