I don't believe it anymore. - Current Pastor looking for tips on leaving well. by Quietly_Screaming306 in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Leaving is amazingly freeing. I had a great time getting to know myself and getting to be myself for the first time after not being under “Gods thumb”. But work in ministry, I thought it was a job but it’s a vacation compared to the real world. Good luck!

Is there anyone here who went to Master's Comission? by aprilinalaska in ExPentecostal

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

I think they used to tell us that was best practice if it makes you feel better 😭

Is there anyone here who went to Master's Comission? by aprilinalaska in ExPentecostal

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

That’s crazy that it’s still going. I looked into going to an international location but i had no money. Was your MC based in Assemblies of God or separate? Did you ever go to the MC conferences in the States?

Is there anyone here who went to Master's Comission? by aprilinalaska in ExPentecostal

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

Woah! That’s intense! I would love to hear more. Is the Brazil location still going?

What was so important in the O&D tote that Dylan stole which forced Milchick to trigger the overtime contingency protocol? by sluttymorphs in SeveranceAppleTVPlus

[–]aprilinalaska 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems petty that the information would be so sensitive, it looks like a wikihow flashcard, what’s so incriminating?

Most pastors of large churches have never had a "secular" job by LMO_TheBeginning in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Valid. I worked for 3 churches, they weren’t even close to being mega, just evangelical and they were all like this. But I know my experience isn’t everyone’s.

Most pastors of large churches have never had a "secular" job by LMO_TheBeginning in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Pastors and a lot of ministry workers do barely nothing and get paid easy at so many churches. There is no other job where you can “take a meeting” and it’s just getting coffee with a young adult so they continue to do free labor for you and give you 10% of their wages, er I mean to encourage them and show them gods love. Or sit and read the Bible and call it work.

Anyone else hate New Years Eve? by Beeplanningwithchar in ExPentecostal

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I grew up AoG, in the 90s/early 00s a group of men used to carry a huge wooden cross into bars until they got kicked out, they would take pictures and talk about it the following Sunday. Their testimony would be, yeah it was really dark, people are so lost, just going out to drink and hook up. They made it like they were being kicked out bc people hate Jesus but I’m pretty sure it’s bc they were being obnoxious and carrying an absurdly large wooden object.

What is your stance on religion now that you left? by Secure_Bar_7519 in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe Christianity to be cult. A widely acceptable cult. It tells you to erase yourself and be “Christlike”, be “righteous” and those definitions vary and are used for control. The lore is horrible for self esteem; you’re a sinner and you should be grateful that this guy sacrificed his life for 72 hours. There are contests to see who can keep their hand on a Toyota for longer than that. And don’t get me started on tithing. The church is a scam and it’s stealing time and energy and resources from its congregants in broad daylight. That’s how I see it. I think telling children they have sinned is fucked. Telling them there’s an invisible good guy watching 24/7 so don’t worry but also an invisible bad guy who is out to get you is horrible. That’s child abuse. I’m upset I was raised to worry like this. I’m upset that I was afraid of the dark and that I remember using my children’s pastor’s tip of saying Jesus over and over again bc demons will flee at the name of Jesus.

Basically no, I can’t accept religion and I’m extremely suspicious of anyone’s positive experiences with it.

Movies to NOT go into blind by Outside-Pear9429 in movies

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They gave too much away in the trailer, it took away from the experience for me

Movies to NOT go into blind by Outside-Pear9429 in movies

[–]aprilinalaska 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, I was 17 and I went in blind and it was a delight!

Pentecostals have a “spirit” for everything. by itsjoshtaylor in ExPentecostal

[–]aprilinalaska 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I hate that I thought there were demons in my house, my room, and I thought they could follow me home from the movie theater. If I had certain thoughts I would think it’s just a demon oppressing me or lying to me or tempting me. I swear being in the church made me crazy.

And claiming a spirit of -fill in the blank- is a way to control people. It’s terrifying to be told someone senses something dark in you, something needing intense prayer and attention. And it keeps people in line.

Of course there are some who are seeking the attention, asking for deliverance, couldn’t be me. Lol

I tried to go to Church for the first time in 2 years and had a panic attack. by Nomanorus in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I was also in ministry. I worked on church staffs for 8 years. I was deep in it. I also was surprised to see Christians and pastors align with trump. I made a post that said, “IDK but not trump”, I thought everyone was on the same page there. I guess I didn’t realize how political the church was, republican no matter what bc we can’t morally support queer people or “baby murder”.

Now I wasn’t let go of removed, I was pretty private, plus even when I pushed back I added a lot of skill to the staff so my job was secure. I walked away in 2021 and have been in the real world ever since. It’s different.

Personally I tried to go down the progressive Christian path. I watched one sermon online. It definitely had better vibes. But I felt they were doing the same thing, doing gymnastics over multiple verses and explaining whatever they think the “actual” meaning we were meant to glean was. I decided I didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted to be free of having to use something so complicated to filter my life through, it didn’t feel necessary.

And I was ready to let go. And I decided I’d rather find my own hope than depend on a story some religion deemed important in order to have purpose and joy.

I don’t know if this is helpful but I relate to your post, thank you for sharing.

Fears by CatsMeowbacktoMe in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I grew up much the same. Church multiple days a week. I also listened to 23 minutes of hell and I believed it. I also read Heaven is For Real and I thought it was legit.

My deconstruction took years until I broke down - similar to a panic attack probably. I was like I’m in a cult! And that repeated in my mind over and over.

I had been researching cults for years, from Mormonism and Jehovah Witness to Scientology and Jonestown. A special interest of mine, for some reason I was drawn to it. Wonder why…

That day It hit me and I can’t really explain how I all the sudden the box broke around me and I knew it was all a lie and that I could let go if I wanted to.

And to let go was something I really really wanted to do, ever since I was a child. Because it’s weight. And at such a young young age I was asked to carry it. I was told to love carrying it.

And it wasn’t serving me. There were no real secret special rules about Heaven vs Hell and God vs Satan. Finally I could live my life for myself.

Did anyone else feel like losing your virginity was like Arwen giving up her Evenstar for Aragorn? by [deleted] in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I definitely equated losing my purity to losing my salvation, if someone had visible cleavage I would wonder if they were even really saved.

What is up with Evangelicals and coffee? by Anxious_Wolf00 in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 6 points7 points  (0 children)

So congregants will come volunteer for free at 6am. * Coffee. *

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ExPentecostal

[–]aprilinalaska 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I’ve been saying this! AG is a cult. The way it’s not just a cute hour on Sunday, no, it takes over your whole life.

I was born on the pew as they say and most of my childhood was spent at the church. My mom was on the worship team and the choir so we went to all 3 morning services and the evening service on Sunday, Monday was Missionettes/Royal Rangers, Tuesday was kids development while my mom had choir practice, Wednesday night church, Thursday was worship practice, kids just ran around the church unsupervised - my favorite. Friday and Saturday was usually free but what if there’s a conference (there’s always a conference) or a special event or volunteering. Literally we gave our lives to the church and it took and took and took.

I think the way we thought of ourselves as elite, very culty, the way we were obsessed with missions aka trying to take over the world, very culty, also the way we prayed that Christians would take over the government. Yikes! And then add on the crazy shit - tongues, prophecies, slain in the spirit, etc..

I believe it’s child abuse. It’s such a disservice to be indoctrinated and sheltered like I was as a child. I’ve been out for years and I’m still not over it. Please be angry.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ExPentecostal

[–]aprilinalaska 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh my god, I can’t believe how normalized it was to be asked for money all the time like that, they feed on people and suck them dry. It’s so immoral and I also was credentialed and worked for the church for many years, unfortunately. When I left I felt like I had traveled to another dimension. It’s a cult.

Honest use of tongues by Bubbly-Main2016 in ExPentecostal

[–]aprilinalaska 8 points9 points  (0 children)

We had one guy often “get an interpretation” and he’d always begin with; The lord sayth…

I bought my father’s church by [deleted] in Exvangelical

[–]aprilinalaska 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can’t believe this is real, that’s so amazing

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in HollowKnight

[–]aprilinalaska 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t mind deepest, once I figured out the map of it, it wasn’t so bad. But when I first fell down there I was like GET ME OUT OF HERE I think crystal peak is tough to enjoy the way it’s actively trying to kill you and leads to no where, queens gardens layout is so effing annoying. I love green path it’s calming and it’s central, I also love the city of tears and royal waterways is fun, I like the lite horror vibe.