Is My Church a Cult? Potentially unsafe groups or leaders come off very nice at first; they go for vulnerable people who are looking for answers, lonely, what you’d call ‘normal people.’ They’re very good at what they do and can get people to believe anything. You might think you’d never get taken in, but don’t bet on it. “ – Margaret Singer, Ph.D[1] Is your church, political group, or other organization considered a cult? When I supported and attended... Read more
The Real Neuroscience of Religion – Doing Drugs in Church After serving as a pastor for 20 years and reflecting on those services, it seems that there is a process we might not fully understand, but one that gains momentum, produces results, and keeps drawing people back. From attending and leading churches for several decades, I have observed that most services are designed to influence our emotions subtly. The movement of the music is carefully timed and choreographed to achieve... Read more
Excerpt from the book Campfires in the Desert: A Deconstruction Travel Guide Copyright © 2025 by Karl Forehand Why Does God Enable Evil? “Questions are never indiscreet, answers sometimes are.” – Oscar Wilde As I grew up, I believed that everyone shared my convictions. Living in the Bible Belt, we often nurture this assumption of unity in our beliefs while overlooking and mistreating those who disagree. When I attended an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist church and later a Southern... Read more
My Top 10 Suggestions for Theologians Note: I respect progressive theologians for making “progress,” but in many ways, they are still clinging to systems that are flawed and using methods that foster abuse, neglect, and ineffectiveness. Some recent events have led me to believe that popular progressive theologians are ignoring survivors and still harming people because they haven’t done the necessary work. It’s easy to criticize Evangelicals, but it’s essential to do the internal work before starting something new. What... Read more
Excerpt from the book Campfires in the Desert: A Deconstruction Travel Guide Copyright © 2025 by Karl Forehand Am I Getting Better? “The smart ones ask when they don’t know. And, sometimes, when they do.” – Malcolm Forbes Every so often, I attempt to carry the coffee filter filled with used grounds and the coffee pot to the sink simultaneously. I know it’s a bad idea since I’ve done it many times before, yet something inside me keeps trying,... Read more
Excerpt from the book Campfires in the Desert: A Deconstruction Travel Guide Copyright © 2025 by Karl Forehand Does God Change? “Immutability means God does not change in any way; He is unchanging and, for that reason, perfect in every way.” – Gospel coalition The universe is constantly evolving, mainly because it is consistently expanding. This indicates that galaxies are drifting further apart over time, and this expansion is even accelerating due to a mysterious force known as dark... Read more
All Beliefs are Assumptions Once you realize all beliefs are assumptions, your life begins to change for the better. ~ Karl Forehand I grew up hearing the phrase, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it!” Since I started deconstructing, these kinds of assumptions have raised many questions and few answers. First, how do we know God said it without initially assuming that God exists, and how can we verify what He actually said? My friends, over the years,... Read more
Behavior as Communication Because of my upbringing, I was taught to think a certain way about behavior. In short, behavior was seen as either good or bad, right or wrong, accepted or not accepted in our environment. We were sometimes rewarded or even ignored when we behaved properly. It was just expected! When our behaviors differed from what was expected, we were punished, shamed, and even shunned, especially if our actions embarrassed those in charge. We assumed that kids and... Read more
Excerpt from the book Campfires in the Desert: A Deconstruction Travel Guide Copyright © 2025 by Karl Forehand What Do I Feel? “Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” –James Stephens Understanding trauma and healing involves recognizing the importance of expressing feelings and identifying their sources within ourselves, which is crucial for recovery. While this concept is significant, religion may not always address it comprehensively. Faith often prioritizes established narratives over individual feelings and particular facts. During my deep... Read more
Excerpt from the book Campfires in the Desert: A Deconstruction Travel Guide Copyright © 2025 by Karl Forehand Is God Retributive or Restorative? “Ours is a justice system that harms people to show that harming people is wrong.” – Bryan Stevenson In his famous Letter from the Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.... Read more
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