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Tony Mel · (This post was last modified: 10-14-2011 10:23 AM by Tony Mel.)

There are many, many excellent stories here that could be a blessing to someone considering departing from Fundyland. How many of you would be willing to let me copy your story and post it on the Post-Fundamentalist website?

If you are willing, please let me know the degree of privacy and anonymity you would prefer.

Papa Bear · 10-14-2011, 11:03 AM

(10-14-2011 10:21 AM)Tony Mel Wrote: There are many, many excellent stories here that could be a blessing to someone considering departing from Fundyland. How many of you would be willing to let me copy your story and post it on the Post-Fundamentalist website?

If you are willing, please let me know the degree of privacy and anonymity you would prefer.

Do you have a website? I'd like to look at it first to get a feel for the theme. Some parts of my story might fit that theme, some parts wouldn't, and other parts I'm not sure about.

Tony Mel · (This post was last modified: 10-14-2011 12:10 PM by Tony Mel.)

(10-14-2011 11:03 AM)Papa Bear Wrote:
(10-14-2011 10:21 AM)Tony Mel Wrote: There are many, many excellent stories here that could be a blessing to someone considering departing from Fundyland. How many of you would be willing to let me copy your story and post it on the Post-Fundamentalist website?

If you are willing, please let me know the degree of privacy and anonymity you would prefer.
Do you have a website? I'd like to look at it first to get a feel for the theme. Some parts of my story might fit that theme, some parts wouldn't, and other parts I'm not sure about.

It will officially launch next week, but I'm thinking of having one or two stories at that time. The format will be similar to: http://www.recoveringgrace.org.

Papa Bear · 10-14-2011, 02:43 PM

(10-14-2011 12:09 PM)Tony Mel Wrote: It will officially launch next week, but I'm thinking of having one or two stories at that time. The format will be similar to: http://www.recoveringgrace.org.

It's hard to know how to best encourage someone thinking of leaving Fundydom, because its borders are a bit vague. I went from IFB (GARBC) to IFBx (but still GARBC) to Grace Brethren, to Evangelical Free, to toxic IFB, to Evangelical Free, to SBC, to BBF, to Episcopal, to Anglican where, for the first time in my life, I felt at home.

During those years, I wandered in and out of the fringes of Gothardism, the christian school movement, and libertarianism. I got married and had children. My wife and I were sucked in at various times by home-schooling onlyism, anti-contraception, quiverfull, Mary Kay, homebirth, anti-vaccination, pro- and anti-circumcision, babywearing, family bed, Ezzo-ism, herbalism, homeopathy, and accupunture. We learned most these ideas in various churches, where each was presented as "God's way".

An elder in one church I attended was a chiropractor. I should have been more skeptical, but I trusted him. I became a chiropractor. I later came to the conclusion that the chiropractic hypothesis is not only untestable, its founder intended that from the beginning, and practicing chiropractors were either frauds or fools. I would not be a fraud, and I could no longer be a fool, so I left the field.

Every point in my story is sure to offend someone and make it harder for him or her to hear the points that might be helpful. I want to stay on-topic, but all these threads tangle together, and it's taken me a long time so sort out what I believe or don't believe, know or don't know, whom I can and can't trust.

**Presbygirl** · 10-14-2011, 02:55 PM

Papa Bear, you are fascinating! That second paragraph above made me Lol.

Papa Bear · 10-14-2011, 04:32 PM

(10-14-2011 02:55 PM)Presbygirl Wrote: Papa Bear, you are fascinating! That second paragraph above made me Lol.

Why, thank you! Blush

I'm new to the SFL Forum, but have been reading the SFL blog for several months now, and I always enjoy reading your posts.

Monipenny · 10-14-2011, 07:33 PM

Tony, how do you want our story told, here in this thread or a personal interview?

Papa Bear, I became a good back cracker, I went to college at Hyles and learned there how to do it. My roomate from the beginning asked me to walk on her back. I did, and I did that just about every single day, boy did her back crack. I got real good at it. My feet can feel in your back where it needs cracked, it's weird but I can actually tell what spot needs it. I have been walking on my hubbys back since 1986.

Tony Mel · (This post was last modified: 10-14-2011 08:10 PM by Tony Mel.)

If you had not written your story on SFL before, you could write it here on this thread or create one for yourself on this forum.

Papa Bear · 10-14-2011, 08:42 PM

(10-14-2011 07:33 PM)Monipenny Wrote: Papa Bear, I became a good back cracker, I went to college at Hyles and learned there how to do it. My roomate from the beginning asked me to walk on her back. I did, and I did that just about every single day, boy did her back crack. I got real good at it. My feet can feel in your back where it needs cracked, it's weird but I can actually tell what spot needs it. I have been walking on my hubbys back since 1986.

And I bet it didn't take you 4 years and >$100,000 to learn! I agree it feels good. What I don't agree with is the idea that it can heal every disease known to man (because all disease is the result of spinal misalignments pressing on nerves) and all the mystical nonsense that goes along with it. That, and the dubious other treatments chiropractors sell to pad their bottom line. I mentioned it here because I felt like I left one cult and got sucked in by another.

Papa Bear · 10-14-2011, 09:01 PM

(10-14-2011 08:10 PM)Tony Mel Wrote: If you had not written your story on SFL before, you could write it here on this thread or create one for yourself on this forum.

Other than mentioning a specific incident here and there, this is the first time I've tried to outline my experience on SFL. I could fill in a lot more detail. Any particular part(s) you'd like me to expand on?