I want to encourage you to read this woman's blog at My Life in Fundyville.
This is a brand new blog. I'm sure you'll want to read all her entries
and definitely read the comments where others have told their stories. I
know this is going to be interesting and I'm looking forward to future
posts.
Everyone's journey in/through/&
out of "fundyville" will be different. I have considered what I grew up
in as an average fundy church. I've been to "fundy lite," average, and
even a couple of extreme fundy churches and there is a difference.
In
some ways, I think that "fundy lite" can be more dangerous because it's
subtle. It's easier to overlook because you don't realize the hold it
has on you. As I went through life, what I thought was the Holy Spirit
was just the "principles" and "guidelines" that I was taught to be a
good Christian. It's not that the principles and guidelines were wrong
but the things that we did and didn't do based on them caused us to
think we were sinning, that others were sinning, or if they were better
Christians, they wouldn't do certain things.
When you
only show up for church services and not involved in any part of the
ministries of a "Fundy lite" church, it is very easy to think that
you're church is different and not involved in the power, manipulation,
and control that you hear about it "other" churches. It's easy to miss
that only certain people get "loved on" when sick or having a baby. Or,
that only certain people, no matter talent or experience, get to teach a
class, sing in front of the church, or be visible beyond working in the
nursery.
You also come to believe that all other
churches outside the baptist "umbrella" are wrong and teach a false
gospel. When you finally venture out from under that "umbrella", you
realize that this is not true.
One of the problems of
growing up "fundy lite" is that it preps people for "hardcore fundy."
I've seen multiple people make that step and it seems to be a natural
transition. Unfortunately, these people see this step as a growth of
spirituality instead of another level of control.
Anyway,
I'm looking forward to reading Fundy Rebel's blog. I know there are too
many people out there who will be able to relate to her story.
