A NEW CONFIGURATION OF CHURCH
Predictably, relationships with our church friends suffered when we quit church because we were no longer in agreement about what church was. We began to learn what Jesus meant when he said he came with a sword — not to bring peace. However, even though we missed the social opportunities that church provided, we were never entirely alone after we left church.

Since then we have been part of a series of very small study groups with people who were more or less on the same journey as we were. And God has been generous to introduce us to many new people who have enriched our social and spiritual lives. These people kept us from total isolation and provided a stimulating learning environment for us — even though we did not always agree on how to interpret the Bible.

In that evolving community of ex-church searchers we learned that relationships with like-minded people are necessary to spiritual growth — as long as we do not look to any one person (e.g. Pastors, Priests, Rabbis, Apostles, Bishops, Elders, Deacons, Overseers, Rabbis, Popes, Missionaries and Evangelists, etc.) as the only one with all the answers. We are all in process together and all are equipped to apply spiritual gifts for our mutual benefit.

Because of the respect we have for our own history and the personal spiritual journey that others are on, we hope that the forums in the Religious Detox Network will be a place where Christians, Jews, members of all other religions, and even atheists an agnostics, can come to together to share their journeys and their doubts about God and religion.

We had a small community of like-minded people like that during the early years of our transition and it was very important to us because it replaced the fellowship and learning environment we enjoyed while we were still religious. It is because of that community experience that we want others who may feel alone in their thinking about religion to have a place to share their journey and find someone with whom they might travel. That is why we created this website, and it is why we emphasize networking with others for study.

However, being in a virtual community is not the same as being in a religious community or a small group of like-minded friends. That is why we did not develop the Religious Detox Network to be like so many other superficial social networks found on the internet. Internet friends are nice, but they are no substitute for friends with whom you can talk face-to-face and study the Bible. That is why we have structured the Religious Detox Network so that it encourages and facilitates networking of small groups of people who can relate to others who are at the same place, more or less, on the religion spectrum.

To emphasize the importance of these networking relationships, we must say that we would not be where we are today if we did not have a few friends who wanted to engage in sustained, serious Bible study with us. While meeting and studying with these friends, we have learned that there is a special dynamic in small groups that facilitates spiritual growth in ways that organized religion never could do or would do. That is why we call this the Religion Detox Network, and why we have provided opportunities for Nones, Dones, Spiritual But Not Religious,  and Still Religious people to connect with and communicate with others who might be in the same place as they are regarding religion through online forums.

The big problem with religion has always been that it always has charismatic leaders designated to do the teaching. This habit does not provide a good environment for asking questions, raising doubts and exchanging personal insights gleaned from personal Bible study. These limitations are overcome in small groups where all come as equals and all participate with equal responsibility. But, finding  a local, accessible group is hard, and maybe impossible, unless a mediator helps individuals make connections. That is where the networking forums can be helpful.

When we decided that we would no longer depend on charismatic leaders to teach us, we created the opportunity for God to teach us directly according to the terms of the New Covenant. And, by studying with others, we created the environment in which we can learn from others who also earn by listening to God’s spoken voice. So, it is with this experience clearly in mind that we encourage Religion Detox Network participants to scan the forums for potential friends with whom they can study, grow together and experience the “iron sharpens iron” and “wherever two or three are gathered” principles.