🎙️ Episode 15 — “When an Affirming Home Isn’t Enough”
How the Church Still Pushes People Away
This week on The Awakening Podcast, Tamara and I sit down with David, a gay man whose story challenges one of the church's greatest lies.
David grew up in a loving, affirming home, supported by his family and encouraged to be fully himself. And yet, the church still did profound damage. Through shame-based theology, subtle messaging, and spiritual pressure, David internalized harm that ultimately led him to deconstruct out of Christianity entirely.
Today, David identifies as an atheist, not because he lacked love or support growing up, but because the church could not offer him a God that felt safe, honest, or life-giving.
In this conversation, we talk about:
- Why affirmation at home doesn’t cancel out church harm
- How theology, not family, is often the deepest wound
- What deconstruction looks like when belief no longer makes sense
- The freedom — and grief — that can come with walking away
This episode is especially important for parents, allies, and anyone who believes the church is harmless if someone is “loved enough” elsewhere.
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🎶 Music Credits
Intro & Outro Music: “Your Poison” by Rox Knox
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