Have You Tried To Visit Your Former Congregation Since Deconverting?

[♦ Fuego ♦]

I went to a nephew's wedding a couple of years ago, and it was full of praise songs and preaching. That was close enough for me. I felt as odd as if I had been in a temple of Zeus and the people around me were really taking it seriously. No emotional connection with things that used to have me on my feet with my hands in the air swooning over... well you know. No desire at all to go back to church. I do look forward to meeting some people from my early Christian days and talking with them. They were significant friends, but we have long since drifted apart. The shared mythology was what drew us together. Some have gone complete mindless fundy, others I really have no idea.

[owen652]

I've only been back once since deconversion, and that wasn't our old church, it was a relative's church, and boy was that awkward. Very interesting though, to see the process of a church service from an outsider's perspective for the first time. The most memorable bit was when our three year old daughter, who had never set foot in a church, saw everyone around her with their hands raised during worship time, so she did the same thing. I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

[Ellwood]

Went to "our" church yesterday after not attending a Sunday service in about 2 months. I say "ours" because my wife has chosen to react to my deconversion by becoming a very devote christian and she is attending more often(not sure that speaks well about her authenticity but . . .). So I agreed to go this week to see if it would help her deal with my deconversion. Many know of my deconversion at the church including the pastor.

 

The sermon topic was on prayer. As I listened to the message it did nothing but confirm my deconversion reasons. I would simply say that, to me, his message might as well have had the topic of: "How to Compose Your Wish List for Santa".

 

So much of the reasoning when it comes to preaching on prayer is to prepare the believer for a non-answer and to accept that non-answer as all in god's plan and that it actually is an answer. My answer to it all - there is no god to answer.

 

And, of course, I was hoping he would open the floor to questions so I could ask why god never heals amputees. lol!

[kclark]

I went to my old church a few months back as a Mother's Day gift. It was okay, but I felt so removed from it now that I'm not a Christian anymore. I still haven't been back to the church I played music for though. Going in and showing my face then leaving would almost seem cruel to me, like I was dangling the possibility I might come back in front of them then snatch it away. Then again they're probably doing fine without me lol. Maybe once a year has passed, I can attend a service.

[jdog]

I have no desire to go to my last church or any other one. I am not curious in the least because I know what goes on behind those doors and I have no need to subject myself to that. I do not miss anyone or anything from that life. I am even uncomfortable at the thought of entering a church for weddings and funerals. I don't want to be around it.

 

I drive past my old church regularly and sometimes on Sundays where the parking lot is filled to the brim.

I left four years ago. At that time The pastor was wanting a larger building as the church was getting crowded.

He brought this up At the services and asked for prayer. The prayer that god would lead them to a building or a piece of land to build upon. and also a fund had Been created for the future new building. But a location or building had not been found at that time and they were looking. We donated to that fund.

 

I am guessing 4 yrs on nothing has changed and they never moved. The same church sign is there and I recognize the pastors car is still there sometimes during the week. I don't know if their quest for a new location is ongoing. And I wonder if they are still asking for money for the fund.

 

[Vigile]

My mom talked my wife into trying it out once while we were visiting. I decided to go along with it just to let my wife have the cultural experience and see for herself. My parents were going to a church that was renting a HS basketball stadium to hold their services. It was hilarious to see my wife's reaction. To her, this is church, not a basketball court: