Thanks for this post. It resonates with me deeply. I grew up in a leftist home, was an atheist, converted hard in my early twenties, failed to financially support myself, interpreted all these signs that God was calling me to become a priest, became a Carmelite friar, and by my mid-30's... it all dissipated. I don't care about religion anymore. I'm still a friar, teaching theology in a Catholic high school, but I'm grateful to go home to my unit in a townhome (a few retired priests live above me) and just be myself. It's odd, having to play a public persona. I admire your position to be able to say these things publicly. I think there is a problem with "identity" in modern society. We're so lost and confused, without fulfilling social roles, and cultural communities that incubate normal fulfillment, so we try on these persona hoping they will solve the problem. LARPs can only last so long. I sympathize greatly with de-transitioners, and I encourage any deconverting Christians to sympathize and speculate about our similarities. Cheers. I enjoy the podcast.
Thanks for this post. It resonates with me deeply. I grew up in a leftist home, was an atheist, converted hard in my early twenties, failed to financially support myself, interpreted all these signs that God was calling me to become a priest, became a Carmelite friar, and by my mid-30's... it all dissipated. I don't care about religion anymore. I'm still a friar, teaching theology in a Catholic high school, but I'm grateful to go home to my unit in a townhome (a few retired priests live above me) and just be myself. It's odd, having to play a public persona. I admire your position to be able to say these things publicly. I think there is a problem with "identity" in modern society. We're so lost and confused, without fulfilling social roles, and cultural communities that incubate normal fulfillment, so we try on these persona hoping they will solve the problem. LARPs can only last so long. I sympathize greatly with de-transitioners, and I encourage any deconverting Christians to sympathize and speculate about our similarities. Cheers. I enjoy the podcast.