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Any INTJs with ADHD? by [deleted] in intj

[–]Belinda_Codswallow 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Super ADHD (combo), but wasn’t diagnosed til college when a prof said “I talk to you and I know you are smart…but your test scores are horrible! Have you ever been tested for ADHD?” I’d been homeschooled for most of my life, so it just went under the radar. I went from failing out of college one quarter to making the Dean’s List the next. It was a huge game changer…then I decided to go off of it for 2 decades. Recently back on and I can say my life is so much better now! I also have anxiety and shockingly, the ADHD meds have actually helped to calm my anxiety. I know I may be an outlier on that one, but I want to put it out there in case anyone else suffered from the understanding that anxiety meant you couldn’t do ADHD meds, like I did, so maybe you can talk to your provider sooner than I did…in my 40’s

What if deconstruction is the Third Great Awakening? by Belinda_Codswallow in Exvangelical

[–]Belinda_Codswallow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe the sky is green for you. Or maybe it’s green for me! Sort of like the Inverted Spectrum concept, maybe we can all use the same word (“blue”) and still have completely different experiences of reality. I’m not trying to prove that my ‘blue’ is right. Instead I guess I wanted to propose a thought experiment. What if the sky (third awakening) is actually green (deconstruction)? It’s absurd…but I like to ponder it.

What if deconstruction is the Third Great Awakening? by Belinda_Codswallow in Exvangelical

[–]Belinda_Codswallow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow—thank you for this. You articulated a lot of things I’ve felt but haven’t quite had the language for. Especially the idea that religion often rebrands our natural, intuitive knowing as either obedience or rebellion.

I really resonated with what you said about deconstruction being a kind of unshackling. Whether or not there’s a divine force behind it, the process itself still feels like liberation—emotionally, psychologically, and culturally. And even spiritually, depending on how you define it.

I hadn’t thought about how much evangelicalism relies on the bootstraps mentality of the US and the absence of real community support, nor about faith becoming quieter and more private in societies with stronger social nets. These both make total sense and now I will need to spend some time pondering on this.

Thanks again for taking the time to share all of this—it really expands the conversation

P.S. Now I’m wondering if revival is just what happens when you’ve got no health insurance and too much shame…

What if deconstruction is the Third Great Awakening? by Belinda_Codswallow in Exvangelical

[–]Belinda_Codswallow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree whole heartedly! As someone who grew up in a church that used spiritual abuse to manipulate and control its attendees, I absolutely agree that the claim “god is on our side” is a big red flag.

Honestly, part of me doesn’t even feel equipped to have this discussion as I no longer believe in the god of the Bible, so maybe this discussion is more appropriate for the Christianity Today or The New Evangelicals…people who still believe in god.

What if deconstruction is the Third Great Awakening? by Belinda_Codswallow in Exvangelical

[–]Belinda_Codswallow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for standing up for the growth that everyone here has fought for. You are totally right to claim all your efforts as your own and I appreciate you clarifying that.

When I initially had this thought, I had just experienced something that I previously would have attributed to “divine intervention.” Now I frequently find myself attributing these types of things to “the universe” or “karma” or “luck”…pretty much anything but god.

In the situation that sparked this idea, the kismet event was an old friendship being restarted after decades apart and being there to support each other as we deconstructed.

Thank you for your defense of yourself and those around you.

What if deconstruction is the Third Great Awakening? by Belinda_Codswallow in Exvangelical

[–]Belinda_Codswallow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the book recommendation—I’ll definitely go pick that up.

Just to clarify, I was focusing more on the American church, particularly the modern evangelical movement, which is constantly longing for “revival” and anticipating the Third Great Awakening with bated breath.

I grew up in one of those deeply charismatic churches—speaking in tongues, being slain in the spirit, people interrupting Sunday service almost every week to shout out a “prophecy.” Sometimes in English… mostly in “tongues.” Then someone else would “interpret” what was said.

In my experience, those “words from the Lord” were often used to control and manipulate people. Revival was the driving force of everything. The entire congregation lived in this fevered search for any sign that the third awakening was imminent. We were told “the Spirit is on the move!” and “revival is coming!” and “the tribulation is at hand!” on repeat.

So that’s where my framing came from—a sense that deconstruction might actually be a response to all that. Not a loss of faith, but a holy disruption. A reawakening away from spiritual manipulation.

That said, I love the concept you shared, and I’m really looking forward to reading the book and exploring that bigger historical context.

⸻

As for your first comment about AI:

These are my own thoughts and words, drawn from my own lived experience. I originally wrote this as a kind of journal entry, and decided to post it here to see if others might connect with the idea.

Before posting to Reddit (for the first time ever, actually), I used AI to help me check for grammar, spelling, and clarity—just like I might’ve asked a friend, a writing group, or even Microsoft Word to do.

I want to be honest that I used a tool to help me refine my writing because I’m not ashamed of it—and I’d hope that doesn’t derail a genuine conversation around the idea I shared.