Does This Sound Like A Good Step?

[HoustonHorn]

I need a little input from those that have gone through deconversion with a spouse.

 

When my wife and I met she was going to a very fundy little American Baptist church. I started going with her because that was the only way I could spend time with her on Sundays. Sunday mornings became all day Sunday and Wednesday nights got added to the mix. Eventually I decided to get baptized there and became a member. We were married in the same church a few months later. Eventually we moved across town and got tired of the drive, found a church closer, moved again, but couldn't find a church we both liked. It worked out well that I was just about out of Christianity by this point. She now works on Sundays so it's really not an issue.

 

That's the background, on to the question.

 

She mentioned a few days ago that she wanted to look at denominations outside of Baptist for a new church. What she told me is something along the lines of "unless it affects salvation, everything else is just interpretation". Not those exact words, but pretty close. It seems that she's becoming much more liberal in her beliefs, which is actually a short step I went through although I never actually stayed at liberal Christianity because I felt it's either an all or nothing deal. So it seems like a good step to me.

[upstarter]

I'd say that once you start opening yourself up to the fact that xtianity is about "interpretation", then you're opening a window to xtianity being human bullcrap.

 

Sounds like a good step to me.

 

Heather

[Llwellyn]

I would attend some kind of Episcopalian or Anglican church. They tend to be quite theologically liberal and have a "live and let live" mentality with other belief systems. I would choose one that was high church and liturgical, perhaps with good architecture. You might as well enjoy yourself at church with sacred music, art and beauty. They are also gay friendly. The slide into non-belief comes quickly when you get liberal. That is why the liberal denominations are tiny and shrinking, while the conservative ones are large and growing. Give her a book by Marcus Borg or John Shelby Spong, and she'll be half way to sanity.

[Piprus]

Sounds to me like an ideal opening, HH...

 

I would first raise the issue of "salvation"...salvation from what? And why? Salvation as in "rescue"? Rescue from what? Where is there any evidence that we need rescue from something? And go from there...

 

Clearly your wife is questioning, and therein lies the opportunity to present alternatives to christianity. If you've done it well, you may very well pluck your spouse from the jaws of the xian death cult.

 

Good luck...