Susan Gray Blue

Hello! 

I'm Susan, and I'm a former fundamentalist. Now I like helping people escape and recover from fundamentalism. (I like a few other things too, of course.)

That's me as a kid in the '70s over there, in the pink dress. Remind me to tell you about my mom's spectacular fur hat someday. 

I grew up an earnest evangelical Christian in American’s heartland, wanting nothing more than to please Jesus.

It took me awhile, but I un-converted myself. Like, all the way. You might say that I lost my religion but found my soul.

Here on my website, you'll find more about my un-conversion, including tips and resources. You can read more about my story, see a list of books that helped me change my mind or get started with some merit badges or an un-conversion map. Thanks for being here. 
 

Your Guide to Leaving Fundamentalism

Finally, the board-game-style guide you’ve been waiting for! Escaping fundamentalism is one of the world’s trickiest psychological feats, and sometimes it helps to see a path out. Here's a map.

My Un-conversion Story

In which I was lost but thought found, then found but feared lost. How I went from an earnest evangelical fundamentalist Christian in America's heartland to un-converting myself ... like, all the way, not only changing my beliefs but the underlying patterns. 

Anatomy of a Soulful Life

As a girl, I thought my soul was a bone in my body, and I thought I knew exactly what it looked like. Most medical professionals seem fairly certain I was wrong, but the metaphor feels so right. Metaphors are the best. 

Merit Badges for Distinctive Acts of Badassery & Aplomb

Why merit badges? Because being bold takes heart, and having heart in this rough-and-tumble world isn't always easy. Surely by now you've earned a badge or two! 

Recent Essays

I Was a Strict Evangelical, Until My Faith Unraveled

The pink sweater my grandmother once made me is a reminder of who I used to be.

Apocalypse Then: Meet the Original Rapture Novels

Whether I believed the Antichrist would actually posses a ruby laser ring, I definitely believed he have lots of tricks up his sleeve.

The Best Time I Went to Christian Charm School

It was sort of like home ec meets the apocalypse and included instructions about how to style our hair and how to not “usurp the role of the male.”

Recent Blog Posts
 
Flower Wings: Get Some!

But what if that whole "Bloom where you're planted" thing is wrong? The flowers, wings and dark nights you may find along your path toward bliss.

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A Congregation of Books

A few years ago, I wrote about how I went from fundamentalist to feminist, and (praise be unto libraries) books played a major role. Here's a short reading list.

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What to Do If You've Been Duped

Starting to wonder whether something you believe is true after all? Ugh, I know how it feels. But it’s not your fault, so go ahead and change your mind!

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Signs, Wonders & Graffiti

The funniest things can happen when you leave religion behind. Like, you might end up in the most religious place of all. (I used to think that was a metaphor.)

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Plenty Witchy

Ways in Which My Fundamentalist Childhood (1969-1987) Was and Was Not Like the Salem Witch Trials (1691-1692)

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Sign up for the Soul Bone

Get a free "un-conversion" map when you sign up for the Soul Bone monthly letter. It's a dispatch that goes out each new moon, usually with lists and links about life after fundamentalism, sometimes also about notebooks or lip balm or metaphors.

Sign Up

© 2019. Susan Gray Blue