Fundies/Fundie Lites turned Atheist

[infooverload]

Am I the only one who finds stories of the highly religious turning atheist fascinating? I think the common thread in all the stories is the nature to ask questions. With this in mind which fundie/fundie light person would you be the most suprised by if they rejected Christianity? Which person in the families we follow do you think would be most likely to leave religion completely?

[FloraKitty35]

Am I the only one who finds stories of the highly religious turning atheist fascinating? I think the common thread in all the stories is the nature to ask questions. With this in mind which fundie/fundie light person would you be the most suprised by if they rejected Christianity? Which person in the families we follow do you think would be most likely to leave religion completely?

No, I find it fascinating. I also find people who join (especially leave) cults fascinating.

[Jana814]

I would love for this to happen to a Maxwell. Just one day one of them realizing how wrong the way they were raised. & wanting a "normal" life.

[uber frau]

I think the Maxwells are so, so fucked up, the chances of them leaving are practically nil. And even if they did leave, they would need to completely reprogrammed to be capable of something resembling a healthy and productive life. I don't see any good outcome for any of the Maxwell children other than Nathan, unfortunately.

[terranova]

The three oldest Maxwell's are done for. Unless Nathan and Melanie decide to move away from the compound (not happening) and slowly become more liberal. I don't see Christopher or Anna moving in that direction.

I also think Mary is deep in the Koolaid as she is the youngest. Perhaps John and Jesse have the best chance of getting out and finding themselves. They seem to have the most spirit, atleast, they used to. Maybe it's buried in there somewhere.

[uber frau]

Oh, I think they're all done for. I just think Nathan is 99.9% done for (his kids still see their non-Maxwellian family and he still does the occasional 'worldly' thing like going to the gym). The others are all completely, 100% screwed.

[Jana814]

I think the Maxwells are so, so fucked up, the chances of them leaving are practically nil. And even if they did leave, they would need to completely reprogrammed to be capable of something resembling a healthy and productive life. I don't see any good outcome for any of the Maxwell children other than Nathan, unfortunately.

Good point. I wonder how Nathan felt as he watched his family going down the Fundie whole.

[Cleopatra7]

I don't want to totally count the Maxwells out. If people can escape from the FLDS (which has it's own police force to keep members in), then there must be hope for the Maxwells. A handful of people even managed to escape from Jonestown during the final "White Night." The stories I've read from Homeschoolers Anonymous seem to indicate that the one who seems like the "true believer" may be the one with the most doubts and questions.

[Coconut Flan]

It's funny but I can see Nathan going at least church going fundie lite after Steve is gone. They'll be holiday celebrating and mild movie watching. Yep, I'm the eternal optimist.

[Ellimenopy]

I don't want to totally count the Maxwells out. If people can escape from the FLDS (which has it's own police force to keep members in), then there must be hope for the Maxwells. A handful of people even managed to escape from Jonestown during the final "White Night." The stories I've read from Homeschoolers Anonymous seem to indicate that the one who seems like the "true believer" may be the one with the most doubts and questions.

I think that's true, but only really applies to ones that give their own answers. They're trying to be "worthy" by being the best Christian that they can be. And I think that there's usually some signs of not being satisfied with pat answers. They usually impress adults with their "deep" thinking. I sometimes think Jill Duggar falls into this category, and I would definitely say that Jana does. I wouldn't be surprised to see either walk away in a few years if her Prince Charming took too long in coming.

The Maxwells... I don't think they're that kind of "believer." They're wholly under Steve's thumb. While none of them appear to be very happy, they don't seem to be very curious or even very ... unhappy. I'm finding it hard to describe the difference that I see ... it's a lack of longing for something better. Some kind of apathy towards happiness itself. I just don't see any kind of spark in any of them that would allow them to kick off the shackles and live a heathen life. Especially not while Steve's alive.

[SPHASH]

If any Maxwell kid bolts I think it will be Jesse. He always has this look of contempt aka sneer on his face like "yeah whatever". As for the Duggars I think it will be the middle kids-Josiah to Jason. And one of them will write a tell-all.

[slh12280]

Yeah, I think they are interesting too but I also find the reverse interesting. I myself have gone through somewhat of a change. Basically fundie lite/conservative evangelical to liberal Christian to sort of agnostic. Changed a lot of my political views too. It's weird when you can look back and it all seems so weird but at times you can still get back into the mindset. Full on fundie to atheist, though, that is a trip.

[Jana814]

If any Maxwell kid bolts I think it will be Jesse. He always has this look of contempt aka sneer on his face like "yeah whatever". As for the Duggars I think it will be the middle kids-Josiah to Jason. And one of them will write a tell-all.

I would love to read a Duggar or a Maxwell tell-all!

[nokidsmom]

I would love to read a Duggar or a Maxwell tell-all!

I do think that a Duggar writing a tell-all is a matter of a "when" and not an "if". Simply because of the number of kids, there's bound to be one or two, maybe more, that will do this. With the Maxwells, not so sure because they are their own brand of crazy and they are far more insular. Do think that out of all of them, Nathan has the most chance to maybe not turn atheist but just more normal. Because he married Melanie and moved out before things really got weird plus they do have contact with Melanie's family which is going to be a normalizing factor for them. This will probably happen after Steve passes though and who knows how long that will be.