In our journey towards a mature and examined life, it is only natural that we revisit our faith. A good number of us – not least as a reaction to the influence religion has had on us since childhood – find ourselves journeying away from religion or, more precisely, the religion we knew as children.
While Malta is becoming more tolerant towards those who do not profess allegiance to any religion, the process of leaving religion should not be underestimated. To start with, a person who has relied on faith in challenging moments throughout his or her life might find him or herself feeling vulnerable, lost or confused without it. The more that faith was an integral part of one’s life and way of thinking, the harder it would be to rebuild a life philosophy without it. Secondly, coming out as a non-believer to family and friends might also be gruelling, particularly when jobs are at stake and when taking practical decisions such as having civil wedding instead of a religious one.
My personal experience of transitioning from a highly committed member of the Society of Christian Doctrine (Muzew) to a non-believer has not been without its challenges. It is because of my experience, as well as of those with whom I regularly come into contact, that I decided to start a group supporting those going through a similar process.
Recovering from Religion (https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org) is an international platform, the aim of which is to accompany those who are in the process of questioning their religion and possibly transitioning away from it. This is achieved not by depicting religion negatively or by luring people away from it. Rather, it is to provide a safe space where members can share their experiences, express their concerns, discuss particular situations and access the resources they may need.
The first meeting of Recovering from Religion Malta is scheduled to take place on 15 December. If you are interested, please do get in touch by joining https://www.meetup.com/RfR-Valletta-Malta/
Dr Christian Colombo