Not Quite Christian – Leaving A “Christianish” Religion

Leaving a religion that looks very Christian, but isn’t, and then moving into a true balanced faith, has got to be one of the hardest things to do. Humanly speaking, impossible.

I don’t speak from experience, only from what I’ve heard and seen.

Religious groups that use “Christian terminology”, or that claim to be Christian, or that use the Bible (or parts of it), plant so much confusion. That’s aside from spiritual and emotional abuse that may come with it, cultural challenges, controlling leadership. There are so many things that can leave a person hurt, angry, and maybe most of all, confused.

There’s a tendency to say,”Well, obviously none the Bible is true then!” and run far away from anything that looks religious. Or to move to another “Christianish” group, or to try to make up something of your own, with none of the grounding that a good, truly Christian community can provide.

Anyway, why am I talking about this? Well, first, because I’m concerned about many friends in this situation. But it came to mind again because of a book I recently heard about: The Long Way Home: Moving From a Pseudo-Christian Cult Into Genuine Christianity, by Paul T. Trask.

I haven’t read the book, but I have heard a little about it from the author (via a podcast interview). The purpose of the book is just what it sounds like – helping someone who is thinking of leaving – or has left – one of these pseudo-Christian groups – helping them to get started in a true, living faith in Christ. (Some might object to the term “cult” for many of these groups – “cult” has such a wide and varied meaning, I wish it wasn’t in the title.)

Again, I don’t know a lot about the book, but I think books like this are needed. From what I can see, this looks like it would be very helpful. The author was a part of the RLDS church (the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), which is now called the Community of Christ (it has a historical relationship to the LDS church, commonly called the Mormons).

Whatever not-Christian-but-a-little-Christianish group someone may have been a part of, it’s helpful to have help from someone who has been there before you. In fact, it’s helpful to know that someone has been there before you!

The book discusses what these groups tend to be like, and what key doctrines they tend to get wrong, what true salvation is, what the Bible is and why it can be trusted, and so on.

I imagine this would be helpful for a pastor, or anyone helping people in this all too common situation.

Have you read this book? Or is there another you would recommend? Or have you or someone you know struggled in this situation? Feel free to comment.