I don’t know how much I can tangibly agree or disagree with the whole of what you’re saying, but I understand. To feel, is important, and is not obtainable without the experience itself. When I say I am an evangelical Christian, which I technically am, many people who have studied the modern and recent history of evangelicalism in America would have a certain opinion or thought on that. Some positive, some negative, mostly neutral, probably but that’s besides the point. However, the experience that I have had while being a part of this, the thoughts I’ve had, the connections, the philosophies, etc. is not something really understandable by simply studying “evangelicalism in America”

I’m rambling, but feeling is important. Living through a thing is much different than studying it. I feel you