“I met the preacher’s homeschooled kids, and they will be shell-shocked when they transition into the real world.“

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Please note: This article includes personal stories about leaving the church, including discussions of abuse that may be sensitive for some readers.

"Sometimes it is enough, and sometimes I have to work harder to find the meaning and the good. I usually know I am getting closer if joy, laughter, and peace are involved. But when organized religion gets in the way of all that, that’s when going to church becomes something that is not worth doing. I was finding enough spiritual fulfillment outside of church every day that I knew that I didn’t need that church. It was just getting in the way of my best lived life."

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.