"Is toxic religion simply misinterpretation? What is religious trauma? Why does Winell believe religious trauma merits its own diagnostic label? I asked her."
I'm honestly not sure how to feel about the article. A big part of me reads it and understands it. I was raised in a REALLY strict catholic home, and was absolutely terrified of the idea of God, death, and hell. Even as I grew up and began to shed my religious ideals I felt terrible for literally years because I felt deep down to my core that I was going to hell, and that I was letting God down. It wouldn't be until I was in college, and really began to absorb philosophy that I would be able to completely shed those feelings. Now, the other smaller part of me wants to chalk this up to poor parenting, and just bad environments. I know tons of people brought up in completely religious homes that are completely content, but that is because their homes taught only the positives aspects of their faith (tolerance, acceptance, and love). With that said there are a lot of really familiar things in this article that bring me back to a time that wasn't so great.
I have had a lot of experience over the years speaking with people who were really negatively impacted by religious upbringing. The more doctrinaire, the more strict, the more damage. It used to be something of a running side bet - "Catholic or Protestant?" Because that would tell you if you were dealing with guilt or shame.
Wow, this article hit home. "A common personality type is a person who is deeply emotional and thoughtful and who tends to throw themselves wholeheartedly into their endeavors. 'True believers' who then lose their faith feel more anger and depression and grief than those who simply went to church on Sunday." That is exactly how I felt when I lost my religion. And it's why I will never ever force religion on anyone, especially children.
Oh yes, that did resonate with me. One of the reasons I thought to pass it on.