The ‘Shiny Happy People’ documentary on Netflix (which I haven’t seen because I don’t subscribe to Netflix) is helping quite a few Christian people escape the shame they felt for nursing bitter grudges against fellow Christ followers. Dozens of alleged Bible believers are climbing onto their social media platforms to tell the world that they suffered abuse from ‘Purity Culture’ upbringing and now God is calling them to trash their Christian ancestors.

I grew up in the ‘Purity Culture’ so I understand why you’re upset. I hated being told that my raging hormones were not a valid reason for shirking moral responsibilities. It wasn’t okay to indulge my lusts without a thought for anyone else. I was indoctrinated by Christian adults to expect my decisions to have consequences and that God expected me to live by a pretty high standard.

It was stifling! I wanted to write a book about my oppressive childhood which would (God willing) become a documentary on Netflix which would (God willing) let the world know that American Christianity is oppressive, and also (God willing) make me enough money to buy medication, therapy, and a house in Europe so I would finally get the healing I deserve.

My plans crashed when I realized my book would be nothing but page after page of toxic bile. It would not honor Christ. It would not encourage other people. I was sad about this because my ego really liked the idea leading a cult . I realized that as terrible as ‘Purity Culture’ might be, ‘Impurity Culture’ is worse.

Impurity Culture prioritizes my feelings over everything else in the Universe. It is a culture centered on MY thoughts, MY opinions, MY experiences, and worst of all MY desires. And after years of self-indulgence brings me to brink of despair, Impurity Culture blames someone else for MY unhappiness.

(1 Peter 3:1) Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.