09/02/2026
This is THE HEALTH WEALTH HACK of The Aquarian Age!!!!
One aspect of the religious deconstruction process is how a person is damaged by toxic religious indoctrination. It's necessary to identify and disentangle ourselves from the specific lies we were taught about ourselves.
What follows is a short list of religious lies, and a corresponding truth in parentheses to consider as an alternative:
I am inherently bad.
(I am inherently human, which means that I have the innate capacities and tools to be a person of goodness, integrity and compassion in the world.)
I can't trust myself.
(Critical thinking, self-reflection, intuition, feedback from my feelings and body, and personal agency are all reliable pathways at my disposal to skillfully and meaningfully guide my life.)
My heart is wicked.
(Living in alignment with my innermost self is healthy and liberating.)
I deserve punishment.
(There is no sky-God who looks upon you with judgment, condemnation or intent to punish.)
I don't measure up.
(There is no standard of perfection or performance that you must meet to be worthy of acceptance, love and positive regard.)
I am powerless.
(Every human being comes into the world with a level of consciousness, self-awareness and agency, which endows us with the opportunity and responsibility to create what we become.)
Self-denial is holiness.
(True spirituality is never: the repudiation of your humanity; suppression of your feelings; liquidation of your individuality; vilification of your intellect, or nullification of self-care.)
I need forgiveness for who I am.
(There is nothing fundamentally bad or wrong about you in need of forgiveness.)
I need saved from myself.
(The best thing you have going for yourself is yourself and all that this means.)
I am worthless on my own.
(You do not need any outside agent to establish or validate your inherent worth.)
I am less because I am a woman.
(A person's value and significance is not based on gender; one's dignity is not conditional, one's humanity is not hierarchical.)
Being devoted to God means staying in an abusive relationship.
(There is never any religious or theological rationale for tolerating or remaining in an abusive relationship.)
Therapy or medication is a lack of faith.
(Addressing mental health challenges and struggles through professional help and support is being responsible for your health and well-being.)
Self-care is selfish.
(Prioritizing self-care is foundational to healthy and whole living.)
The world is evil.
(The condition of the world is the byproduct of the sum of mindsets, choices and actions of Homo sapiens.)
If I mess up I will lose my salvation and go to hell.
(Eternal conscious torment or Hell is an invention of the church, and is not real.)
People I deeply love are in hell or will go there.
(Eternal conscious torment or Hell is an invention of the church, and is not real.)
Everything outside my church culture is a threat.
(Everything within toxic church culture is a threat to your health and well-being, but help and support can be found outside it.)
I can never be good enough.
(There is no external standard you must satisfy in order to be worthy, and offering yourself unconditional love, acceptance and regard is essential.)
Feelings are dangerous and not trustworthy.
(One's deep inner feelings, stirrings, promptings, and intuitions are more reliable pathways to what is real, than what we have been socialized into through external conditioning.)
I am not capable of thinking for myself.
(What distinguishes Homo sapiens as a species is the power and abilities of our mind, which we may currently only be accessing a small percentage.)
Obedience is true discipleship.
(Obedience and conformity have never been a recipe for self-actualization, but disobedience and defiance has.)
Questioning is a spirit of rebellion.
(One of our greatest virtues as aware human beings is our willingness to question anything and everything.)
I must be perfect.
(Your underlying and fundamental nature and essence is whole and complete, and you get to learn how to be this as a human person.)
My struggles mean I am not trusting God.
(Every human being has struggles, difficulties and hardships, including and especially Jesus.)
I am nothing without Jesus.
(You don't need Jesus in order to be a person of inestimable worth, but you are free to make Jesus an aspect of your spirituality if you choose to.)
I am weak and he is strong.
(Everything that "God" fundamentally is, constitutes your true nature, essence and essential being-ness.)
God will fix it for me.
(Through human agency, you are capable of managing the struggles and hardships of your life, which includes seeking the assistance and support of others when needed.)
Jim Palmer
