Let’s Talk About Faith

I needed God to get through my life and heal,

but not the God my mom knew.

Let’s Talk About Faith

Faith isn’t easy. For those of us who have been abused and traumatized by it, faith can be a nightmare. Let’s talk about what faith is and what it isn’t.

I grew up Catholic. I was 5 years old when I first began to understand who God was. My mom told me, “God punishes those who have done terrible things.”

Instantly, I knew I was doomed. My dad was abusing me, and I couldn’t figure out what I had done so badly to deserve it. I spent my entire life trying to get God to love me—to prove I was a good person, to earn His love.

My faith journey has not been an easy one, and I suspect that for many of you, yours hasn’t been either. However, I wouldn’t be speaking my “little voice of truth” if I didn’t emphasize how important faith is to me. I needed God to get through my life and heal, but not the God my mom knew.

This matters because at Little Voices of Truth, I will often refer to faith and healing. I do not want to hurt or offend you, but rather to share what I have learned about who Jesus is—and who He is not—along with what faith is, and what it isn’t.

Run the Other Way If…

• Someone uses scripture to put you down or make you feel guilty.

• They challenge your belief system in a way that feels destructive or dismissive.

• They tell you or your loved ones that you’re not going to heaven unless you’re “saved.”

• They explain that you have to "take up your cross" and imply that knowing Jesus means life must be hard. Life can be hard, but Jesus isn’t.

• They force you to forgive your abuser. After Jesus healed someone, He didn’t tell them to run and forgive their abuser. Forgiveness is personal, between you and Jesus, and no one else.

• They fail to recognize that your beliefs and experiences may differ from theirs.

• They tell you anything other than “you are loved.”

Help us learn more about you and your faith experiences and practices by sharing on our website under “Our Truths”. All are welcome and we can share our truths.

For more, visit our podcast Little Voices Big Impact and follow @littlevoicesoftruth on IG and TikTok.