E52 - Oppressive Religion & Religious Trauma Syndrome

Before you get started with today's episode, I just wanted to address the fact that we are going to be talking about religion today. Religion is usually something we stay clear of because this topic is quite triggering for us and other survivors of spiritual and religious abuse who are part of our community. This is why we ask our members to stay away from religious expression, unless… it is part of your story or experience.  This request has led to quite a few questions, so…  Today, we are talking about religious abuse and religious trauma syndrome. That means we are obviously talking about religion as part of our stories.  >> Special Guest: Brady Hardin <<  Brady Hardin is one of the hosts of The Life After Podcast. In it, he and his co-host, Chuck Parson, interview special guests with diverse, life-changing exoduses away from oppressive forms of Christianity. Brady was part of a fundamentalist church where he was committed to dedicating his life to the faith and was on course to becoming a pastor or church planter. When he turned to his pastors for help with his failing marriage, that planned trajectory soon changed. It eventually led to the breaking up of the marriage, and his leaving the church.  *Carrie quotes Tash Agaffanof about grace being given by God to people, not people to other people. Find out more about Brady:  Website: https://www.thelifeafter.org/  Podcast: https://www.thelifeafter.org/podcast  Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/thelifeafterorg/videos/508652112862038/  Brady's Story: https://www.thelifeafter.org/spiritual-abuse-religious-trauma  >> Links to Resources <<  Here are the resources we mention in this podcast: I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough" - Brene Brown: https://amzn.to/2qJ7efG (I reference some information that I got from this book)  10% Happier - Dan Harris (book: https://amzn.to/2T5mmB1 | podcast: https://www.10percenthappier.com/podcast/)  The Power of Myth - Joseph Campbell (book: https://amzn.to/2PNG6dJ | Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70281117 (availability depends on your location))