Sometimes I miss my ignorance. When I was young, I would attend Sunday school, and instead of

exploring ideas, I would be told defenses of what we as a church believed. And it felt good.

Adults would cheer you on as you learn to quote the Bible verses out of context and recite the

apologetics that they really wanted you to learn. Ultimately, authentic learning

requires one questioning one's own belief, including one's faith. As I started to question everything,

as the Bible does, in fact, say to do in First Thessalonians 521, I was met with accusations of

arrogance of trying to make myself my own God or of giving into sin by not towing the party

line. This was all before I even deconverted. I was still a believer at this time, thinking that I was

just looking for a more pure version of belief. The community became ugly, but even now, I miss

aspects of Sunday mornings when everyone would put on their best clothes and kindly as smiles and

choose to ignore reality together.

The path I'm on now, one of earnestly and honestly seeking truth, is much harder.

And even though I miss the simplicity of fake smiles on Sunday morning,

I would rather face reality with all of its difficulty than waste my entire one life living in a dream.

Are you an atheist who misses the church?

An apostate who totally doesn't agree with anything I'm saying?

Or a member of a faith that thinks my use of the word truth here is totally satanic.

No matter what, give us a call because the show is starting now.

Welcome, everyone.

Today is February 2nd, 2025.

I am your host, Sophia Spina.

And joining me is the wonderful, lovely co-host, Christy Powell. Howdy? Yeah, excited to be doing this with you. Yeah, I don't. We've never actually hosted a show before. Oh, yeah, been waiting for it. Glad to be here. Oh, sorry, you can continue and tell me how awesome I am and how much you've wanted to have to show me. Yes, yes, yes, yeah. Come on. That's how all great podcasts start really is just by the host

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