joyfulexchristian

[joyfulexchristian]

[joyfulexchristian]

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[joyfulexchristian]

my linktree ♡

[joyfulexchristian]

i used to think christianity was the only story that mattered

i saw everything through the lens of Christianity and if something didn't fit then it got stashed out of sight

but when I took off the blood-tinted glasses of christianity i could finally see all of the other stories around me

other gods and the people who worshipped them

how societies shaped their gods into what they felt they needed

the possible origins of gods, theories about lost leaders and memories made immortal

it's just one kind of story, there are so many others (don't come for me, joseph campbell)

it matters which stories we keep on our shelves

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[joyfulexchristian]

your body is better than a temple

[joyfulexchristian]

it's like this sometimes

[joyfulexchristian]

Friends don’t threaten you with enmity for having other friends.

(New chapter draft for my UnDevotionals published on Patreon)

[joyfulexchristian]

ick tract sketches on patreon

[joyfulexchristian]

I was raised evangelical, but I went to a public school. All the faculty and other students were mean to me. Growing up, I thought they hated me for being Christian (since my parents taught me that we were an oppressed minority). It wasn’t until I let the church that I realized that it was much more likely that schools hated me because I’m autistic.

Sorry you went through that. You deserved a safe, supportive environment to learn in.

I think you're pointing out one of the comforting (and damaging) things about the Christian persecution complex. Rejection can be written off as persecution no matter what's going on.

I was also raised to believe that people would reject me for being a Christian. Even growing up in the Bible belt, surrounded by Christians, I was still prepared for the world to hate me. But then I went on a mission trip and met actual persecuted Christians and that snapped me out of it real fast. That's a story for another time.

I'm neurodivergent, too (autistic/adhd). And while that definitely did not help me fit in at school, it did help me form deep friendships with some weird, wonderful people later on.

Thanks for sending this 💜

[joyfulexchristian]

i can't believe how normal it felt to me when i was a christian for people to interrupt conversations and start praying

we're in the middle of talking and you're making a phone call?? rude

[joyfulexchristian]

What do you think the relationship might be between modern toxic positivity and Christianity's insistence on always being joyful? I'd be very surprised if there weren't a link.

I'm sure there's a huge overlap between the two in Christian-dominated cultures. They definitely have a lot in common, even if the stakes are different.

I think the main goal of toxic positivity is to keep things running smoothly. Pretending there are no problems is much easier than solving problems. It's a cheap (and very disrespectful) shortcut.

Toxic positivity is not a good long term solution to anything and it can degrade trust in relationships and communities. Constant affirmations can just feel depressing to hear if real problems are never addressed. If people express negative feelings, they are punished or ignored. The squeaky wheel can't get any grease because toxic positivity doesn't allow wheels to be squeaky!

Toxic positivity is already bad. Adding in the high stakes of heaven and hell doesn't help. When you're being joyful for people, you might get a moment to yourself to drop the mask and recover. An all-seeing god expecting constant joy is too much pressure for anyone to live up to.

Christians are also supposed to live as beacons of Christ's love to draw others to him. Joy-as-ministry can be emotionally crushing. If you failed to express the right joy at the right time for the right person, that soul could be lost to hell. There's a lot of pressure from all sides with a constantly surveilling god and billions of souls in danger. Trying to be joyful in that situation can feel impossible. That's how it felt to me.

I know it's funny for me to answer this, considering "joyful" is in my username. I am a joyful exchristian. I am also an angry/sad/disappointed/frustrated/anxious/overwhelmed exchristian sometimes. Being able to express my emotions genuinely, good and bad, has helped me build my emotional skills after the strict emotional deprivation of Christianity.

Thanks for this question!

[joyfulexchristian]

You don't have to be constantly joyful, prayerful, or thankful.

New Un-Devotional chapter draft up on Patreon!

Huge thanks to my patrons! I know there are only a handful of you, but it means a lot that you want to support my work.

I'm glad I get to give my gratitude to the people who actually deserve it instead of being a perpetual prayer machine for the Christian god!

[joyfulexchristian]

vampire stardew valley on twitch

[joyfulexchristian]

doodlin'

[joyfulexchristian]

biblically accurate bunny playing stardew

[joyfulexchristian]

Skepticism issue:

I repeatedly see discussions about how "humans needs spirituality." Sometimes this is followed by "you don't need religion, but you need something. "

I'd like to push back on that. What I often see described as the "necessary" parts of "spirituality" is mostly connection. Connection with others, connection with a sense of self, goals and hopes and community. And then they'll have a line about the "soul". (Which does not exist as a separate entity from the mind unless you have spiritual beliefs).

Connection and community do not require spirituality. Self-worth and a sense of self do not require spirituality. Tying these things inherently to spirituality is not a given. Belief in a soul is not necessary to be happy.

You are not required to believe in non-evidentiary things to be a full person.

[joyfulexchristian]

The world needs you more than it ever needed God.

God is a story. Stories can inspire us and make us feel less alone. And the story of God used to be important to a lot of us.

But every one of you is more important than the story of God.

Your story, your compassion, and your participation are all more impactful than an ancient character.

Because you are alive and capable of change. Because you can grow beyond a book. Because you are not alone like a jealous god.

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