#leavingreligion

[stephybear1990]

[bradyhardin]

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Leaving religion can be scary. You don’t have to do it alone. @thelifeafterorg Podcast & Community #empowerment #leavingreligion #faithdeconstruction #exchristian #exevangelical #exvangelical #nodogma #nomoredogma #emptythepews #churchtoo

[exmuslimladies]

Why do I need to call myself an ex-muslim?

There are two parallel roads Muslims usually take when the horrendous topic of ex-muslims comes up

“You don’t like islam? Fine whatever, that’s your life, but why do you have to make such a big deal out of it?”

and

“How can you even call yourself an ex-muslim. There’s no such thing as an ex-muslim, you were never muslim to begin with”

Well let me break it down for you

I choose to call myself an ex-Muslim because leaving a system of living that is culturally, morally, and socially drenched with Islam is fucking difficult.

I choose to call myself an ex-muslim because -for many people- I don’t seem to exist. My reasoning for leaving and experiences are apparently invalid, and that my very personhood is negotiated as soon as it becomes apparent that I don’t share the beliefs of mainstream muslims.

I need to call myself an ex-muslim to make it clear that someone who is born into islam can leave islam, that someone born into a muslim family doesn’t have to conform to so called family values.

And most importantly, I call myself an ex muslim because i want to represent the opportuity for a meaningful life after leaving a system of thought that convinced me for so many years that everything unrelated to a specific definition of allah is meaningless.

[stephybear1990]

[stephybear1990]

[stephybear1990]

[stephybear1990]

[exmuslimladies]

There is no God but Chocolate cake

This is why "there is no God but Allah" really means "there are lots of gods but Allah is the special one"

I am trying to convince my friend that I ONLY like chocolate cake with my afternoon tea. Not a Victoria sponge. Not ginger bread. Not cheesecake. I don't like shortbread. I don't like Welsh cakes. I dislike battenberg and I don't dare acknowledge spotted dick.

There is no cake fit for afternoon tea other than chocolate cake. Afternoon tea is so important, in fact, that to consider anything else is to commit an atrocity against chocolate cake.

There is no cake but chocolate cake.

"But" my friend raised an eyebrow "other cakes are enjoyed very much. Some people enjoy cheesecake. Some people enjoy croissants instead. There's definitely at least one person out there confidently ordering spotted dick for afternoon tea"

"NO" I screech "HOW DARE YOU THERE IS NO CAKE BUT CHOCOLATE CAKE. I'M GOING TO GO AROUND AND SMASH UP ALL THE OTHER TYPES OF CAKE AND GONNA BURN THE RECIPES AND CAMPAIGN TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO SELL OTHER CAKES AND WHOEVER ASSOCIATES CAKE WITH AFTERNOON TEA OTHER THAN CHOCOLATE CAKE...."

My friend looked concerned with my obsessive and jealous craze, they could see the fire in my eyes.

Cake I thought There is only one cake. Whoever associates cake with afternoon tea other than chocolate cake...

".... they won't get any fucking supper because I'll put a bullet through their head"