🌈 "I Don't Believe in Sin Anymore."

Join Authentically Us, a community and support space for late blooming lesbians! Find us at https://www.annemariezanzal.com

Lotus Community Coaching is a 6-month program for women who are reevaluating their sexual identity, coming out as LGBTQIA+, and transitioning from a straight, married life to an independent life. If you're struggling and need help during this challenging time, learn what Lotus Community Coaching can offer you: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-community-coaching/

TW: Religious trauma

Mike Maeshiro (he/him) is the founder of Numa, and organization that supports people recovering from religious toxicity. Mike is gay, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and a queer theology enthusiast. He is an ex-pastor who now works with gay men recovering from evangelicalism. Mike's story reflects his journey from being a deeply involved evangelical pastor to embracing his identity as a gay man. In this conversation, Mike reflects on his spiritual experiences that affirmed his identity, the cultural conditioning that led to his initial homophobia, and the eventual decision to live authentically. He emphasizes the importance of finding community and support, exploring inclusive theology, and the challenges of coming out publicly. Mike shares his journey of coming out as a gay man and the subsequent challenges he faced, including public backlash, mental health struggles, and family dynamics. He discusses the importance of self-acceptance and the process of deconstructing his evangelical faith, highlighting key issues that many face in similar situations. Mike also reflects on his professional shift towards supporting the queer community and the impact of media on societal perceptions. Ultimately, he emphasizes the significance of finding safety and authenticity in one's life.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🏳️‍🌈A story of facing fear of losing community and identity when coming out.

🤗Emphasis for the need for compassion in discussions about sexuality.

💞Acknowledgment that self-acceptance is a journey that takes time.

💬Discussion about key issues in evangelicalism that include views on hell and the Bible.

✨ Why This Matters:

Cultural conditioning is a strong contributor toward internalized homophobia. This is a must-listen episode for any person who is recovering from evangelical faith traditions. Reaching a place of self-acceptance and authenticity is a vital aspect of personal identity.

Authentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Coming out later in life is often accompanied by suffering. Whether you're looking to deconstruct messages from a conservative faith tradition, experience divorce-related guilt, or struggle with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you. Monthly subscription to Authentically Us on Mighty Networks is $35/month, but you can try your first week for free. Find Authentically Us at https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us

💬 Join the Conversation:

Are you someone who has been negatively impacted by conservative faith traditions? Let's talk about it in the comments!

Connect with Mike....

https://www.mikemaeshiro.com/

Mike's Substack: https://mikemaeshiro.substack.com/

Mike's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH5vGo6yRl6Gay-wbJ7F6og/featured

Mike on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikemaeshiro/

Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemaeshiro

Books Mike recommends is Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129659-adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents

and The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us unable to Read It by Peter Enns: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20262405-the-bible-tells-me-so?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qi...

Mike regards Taylor Swift's story as instrumental to his coming out process. Find the Taylor Swift documentary, Miss Americana, on Netflix.

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