I watched "Shiny Happy People," the docuseries on the Duggar family, and I did not expect it to hit so close to home. I experienced so much of the way they were brought up, just dialed down a bit. I was #homeschooled until 4th grade, my father a preacher, I went to a conservative Christian school in Arkansas. The concept of "authority" was huge. Our behavior, as well as our thoughts, were moralized by threat of Hell.

#cult #cultsurvivor #fundamentalism

Most disconcerting, the mom's eyes and smile remind me eerily of my mother's.

I have done lots of #deconstruction since I left, but I still struggle with social skills and connecting with other people deeply. But I think I need to be more open about the conditions of my upbringing. Not to generate sympathy, but to help others understand me.

#theduggars #fundamentalism #exvangelical #churchofchrist