I am SO GLAD that I left Christianity! - Lydie Bousch

Today I spoke with Lydie Bousch, who grew up in France in an Evangelical Christian home, in the midst of cultural Catholicism, but who eventually deconverted as she investigated the mythology behind the claims of the Bible.

As we talked through her story, we touched on many topics, including:

• The experience of sensing the Yahweh (god) character speaking to her as a small child.
• Growing up believing that we are wretched sinners, doomed to hell, apart from the blood of the Jesus character.
• Believing that the Bible was the inerrant, inspired message from Yahweh.
• Believing that Yahweh is in control, and that anything that seemed confusing to us about his character or plan was just part of the mystery of life, that he would provide the answers someday, and that we were called to trust him.
• Fantasizing about what happens after we die, when we see Yahweh face to face and understand "ultimate reality" better than ever before.
• Being terrified of unsaved family and friends going to hell because they did not believe in Jesus.
• Being indoctrinated into the thought habit of completely justifying the Yahweh character, no matter how bizarre or nasty he is described in the Bible.
• Believing that the Jesus character was coming back at any moment.
• How the Bible portrays god as being extremely unforgiving after each person's life is over.
• How the church clearly defines women's roles, in line with a patriarchal mindset.
• The ways that purity culture negatively affects people, including how it creates extensive shame and induces body images issues.
• How the American political scene of the last few years prompted serious questions about what Christianity means and what Christians stand for in our culture.
• The horrific notion of Christian parents worshipping Yahweh in heaven while their unbelieving children are being tortured in hell forever.
• The effect of realizing the origin and evolution of the Yahweh character, as originally a son of Elyon and Asherah, and then merging with Elyon--and thus having Asherah as his wife--and later having the Asherah character entirely removed from the pantheon, to ensure male dominance.
• Dealing with the finality of life after you deconvert and realize there is likely no afterlife.
• How the deconversion process feels like becoming an orphan.
• Realizing that human society has been duping itself for thousands of years.
• Dealing with the cognitive dissonance and intentional ignorance of Christians.
• The beauty of leaving Christianity and beginning the human journey free from the shackles of mythology.

Many thanks to Lydie for sharing her story and her infectious joy and passion for the beauty of life.

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Ending music by Eyal Raz, "Friends"

   • Friends  

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