Ryan George spent the first 20 years of his life in a cult, attending a series of Independent Fundamental Baptist churches including one where his dad was the pastor, whose word was the ultimate authority. It wasn’t until Ryan was confronted with the truth that his father was a serial sexual abuser hiding his sins behind Bible verses, that Ryan realized his faith was built on a foundation of lies. He’s spent the last 25 years reevaluating what he truly believes, and miraculously, while he left the spiritually abusive IFB movement, he didn’t leave behind his faith altogether.

In this episode, Ryan recounts his experience of confronting his father and the complex path of untangling his personal faith from the harmful tenets of American fundamentalism and the teachings of Bill Gothard. Despite the spiritual and physical abuse he endured, Ryan managed to reconstruct his faith and find redemption. His new book, "Hurt and Healed by the Church: Redemption and Reconstruction After Spiritual Abuse," delves into these experiences and his journey toward healing.

Rachel and Ryan also explore the broader implications of abuse within religious settings and how it impacts families and communities. Ryan's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking out and finding one's own path to healing and faith.

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