Editorial Note: The following is reprinted with permission from Mary Nikkel’s Substack. It was originally published on June 12, 2025. By Mary Nikkel I was trudging through a slurry of chemicals, holding a metal rod with a razor blade attached to the end, when my 11-year-old legs gave out. I slipped, landing on hands and knees in theContinueContinue reading “What child labor taught me to believe about myself”
Tag Archives: religious trauma
Statement about “The Program” documentary exposing abuse in troubled teen homes
Photo: Courtesy of The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping By Vashti Initiative Staff The Vashti Initiative offers support for spiritual abuse survivors. We know that the troubled teen industry affects many survivors of religious and spiritual abuse. The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping is a new three-part documentary directed by Katherine Kubler that exposes howContinueContinue reading “Statement about “The Program” documentary exposing abuse in troubled teen homes”
The Most Important Insight I Gained after Deconstructing
Photo: Image by Felix from Pixabay By Celestine Alderwood Upon leaving a lengthy, highly conservative relationship with my children in tow, I began rethinking my beliefs. This was only possible after we found safety and freedom. I remember feeling grateful to the higher power we were taught to believe in. Still, a flood of emotionsContinueContinue reading “The Most Important Insight I Gained after Deconstructing”
Statement on the “Let Us Prey” documentary covering abuse in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement
By Vashti Initiative Staff The Vashti Initiative wants to announce that we are offering support for anyone who is processing their experiences in light of Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals, a new two-part documentary from Investigation Discovery that aired Nov. 25 and 26, and is now available on various streaming platforms. “Let UsContinueContinue reading “Statement on the “Let Us Prey” documentary covering abuse in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement”
You Can Move On
Photo: Image by Couleur from Pixabay. By Melissa Neeb In response to those who tell you that you should stay at your church even when church people hurt you because “You are there for God, not people,” or that “Every church is full of sinners,” you could respond by saying… Nothing. Noth-ing. You don’t oweContinueContinue reading “You Can Move On”
What Purity Culture Didn’t Teach Me
Photo: Image by Heiko Stein from Pixabay By Eric Skwarczynski I know what you’re thinking… “Oh great, another guy offering his unsolicited takes on purity culture. Just what the world needs.” You’re probably not off-base for feeling like that. The staggering amount of opinions swirling around the internet right now in the wake of theContinueContinue reading “What Purity Culture Didn’t Teach Me”
They Told Me I Would Never Be Happy. They Lied.
Photo: Image by phfilipposarci from Pixabay Editorial Note: The following is reprinted with permission from Laura Launderville’s blog. It was originally published on July 31, 2023. By Laura Launderville I recently attended a workshop that the nonprofit that I volunteer with hosted. It was a writing workshop and I had never done one before. So I didn’tContinueContinue reading “They Told Me I Would Never Be Happy. They Lied.”
Racism: IFB Style
Photo: Image by LeoNeoBoy from Pixabay Content note: Descriptions of homophobic and racist situations the author was present for during their coming of age years in two Independent Fundamental Baptist churches and their associated schools. By Rebekah Palmer In my childhood church, we used to bring in an evangelist who would preach that anytime aContinueContinue reading “Racism: IFB Style”
It’s Not Fair: Living with Chronic Illness
Photo: Image by StockSnap from Pixabay Editorial Note: The following is reprinted with permission from Laura Launderville’s blog. It was originally published on June 25, 2023. By Laura Launderville One of the things I feel that has helped me with my own battle with facial pain is helping others. I volunteer with a nonprofit that supports patientsContinueContinue reading “It’s Not Fair: Living with Chronic Illness”
Whispers of Resistance: Nothing taught me to be different the way fundamentalism did
Photo: Image by Hello Cdd20 from Pixabay By Evan Jones My entire life I’ve been told to submit. My earliest memory of singing is me belting out the OBEDIENCE song in Sunday School. As a youth and young adult, I took high school and college courses on submission and a woman’s purpose. I’ve heard demandsContinueContinue reading “Whispers of Resistance: Nothing taught me to be different the way fundamentalism did”
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