ev Karla
YOU’RE NOT
GOING TO HELL
3 Things To Assure You That
Questioning Your Faith Is Not A Sin
revkarla.com
Hello, Beautiful Soul :
I wrote this just for you. I know what it feels like to feel as if you are going to hell for
questioning your religious beliefs because there was a time in my life when I did the
exact same thing.
Make no mistake about it—I was a committed Christian. I lived my faith in action and
words. I constantly tried to be the “good Christian,” desperately seeking the approval
of church leaders, because I had been taught that they were God’s chosen. To be seen
as a good Christian by them must have meant that I was doing my faith right.
Right?
Except my faith was crumbling. With each passing year, my spiritual struggle
intensified until I could no longer fake it in the pews. I began to ask questions to
church leaders about why they judged one church member so harshly yet gave a free
pass to another for the exact same offense. I pushed back on the notion that we were
a “welcoming church” 1 when I knew that we would deny them membership or refuse
to officiate a wedding for them.
Time and again, instead of answering my questions they would turn the tables and
imply my faith was weak for questioning their authority. I then became a target for
their judgment in an attempt to bring me back into submission.
It would take me finally leaving church and untangling from my religious heritage
and this toxic theology to understand that those church leaders wouldn’t answer my
questions because they couldn’t. In this type of religious patriarchal power structure,
to answer my questions would have compromised their leadership. “No one
challenges church authority—no one.” That “rule” may not have been spoken that
plainly, but it was implied. Yet here I was, doing just that because I could no longer
ignore what was rising inside of me.
What was rising inside of me was that my religious heritage had cracks in its
structure, and that structure could no longer support my spiritual growth.
The tension finally became too much for me, and I knew my only option was to leave
church. I’m so thankful that I did, and I have never looked back as I embrace and
thrive on the spiritual-but-not-religious path.
1 A welcoming church openly accepts and invites all individuals into its congregation, but this acceptance doesn't
always translate into full affirmation or equal participation, especially concerning the LGBTQIA+ community's roles
and rites within the church.
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But what of you, Beloved?
If any of my story resonates with you, it is because you are not alone. The data prove
that those questioning their faith or deciding to leave church continue to rise.
But this resource guide isn’t a proselytization convincing you to leave church.
Far from it.
This resource guide is to assure you that:
The journey to explore the roots of your spiritual journey is a sacred
experience.
Examining your conditioned beliefs will help you release the ones
that no longer serve your highest good.
Questioning your religious heritage doesn’t make you a sinner, and
certainly doesn’t mean you are going to hell.
There are many spiritual paths, and church attendance or even
religious affiliation is not a requirement to validate your spirituality.
I’m honored you’ve chosen to take the first step by reading this resource guide. As an
ordained Interfaith minister, spiritual mentor and sacred advocate, I now walk the
spiritual-but-not-religious path and help others find their authentic spirituality as well.
I’ll be with you every step of the way.
arla
Rev K
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A Journey Beyond Judgment and Toward Truth
The path of faith is as unique and intricate as a fingerprint. Along this journey, you
may encounter moments of doubt, inquiry, and profound revelation. These aren’t
markers of weakness, but signposts of growth and deeper understanding.
It's natural, even necessary, to question in order to deepen our convictions and find
our authentic spiritual truths. This guide will shed light on why it's not just okay, but
essential, to question. As you read this resource guide, may this serve as a balm for
any wounds from past judgment, and a beacon guiding you towards a more
authentic spiritual life, free from constraints that no longer serve you.
Here are three things to assure you that questioning your faith is not only not a sin—
it is sacred.
1. Questioning Your Faith is Empowering
No doubt you have heard of Mother Teresa. She was a Catholic nun and missionary
renowned for her humanitarian work in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India. She
founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to aiding the
impoverished and the sick. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she's
remembered as a symbol of selfless service to the needy, becoming Saint Teresa of
Calcutta after her canonization by the Catholic Church in 2016.
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Mother Teresa, often seen as the embodiment of unwavering faith, carried a secret
that many of us bear: a deep spiritual longing and moments of profound doubt. Even
though she served the destitute, bringing light to the darkest corners of the most
depressing and painful human experiences, she privately navigated her own spiritual
darkness, feeling at times an overwhelming absence of God.
Her personal letters tell a tale of a soul in search of divine connection, proving that
even the most devout can grapple with spiritual uncertainty. What's profoundly
inspiring about her story isn't just her global legacy of service, but her inner resilience.
Despite feeling abandoned by God, she pressed on, seeing her mission as a deeper
communion with Christ's own feelings of abandonment.
What meaning can we learn from Mother Teresa’s spiritual struggle? After all, we
most likely are not founders of a global network of Catholic nuns called to help the
world’s most vulnerable people. Mother Teresa’s story reminds us that our doubts
about God and our calling shouldn’t impact our desire to be connected to how we
feel we are called or designed to show up in the world. For Mother Teresa, that meant
to stay true to the work she had begun. For me, it meant leaving church to explore
my spirituality, spiritual education and ordination outside the construct of my
religious heritage, where I sensed that God had been placed in a box that limited my
understanding and experience of the Divine.
The Bible also contains stories of people facing moments of doubt or questioning,
such as:
Abraham
Though promised numerous descendants, he doubted due to his old age and Sarah's
barrenness, leading to the birth of Ishmael through Hagar.
Moses
Initially hesitant and doubtful, he questioned his ability to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt when called by God through the burning bush.
Elijah
After a major victory against the prophets of Baal, he questioned God's plan and his
own ability to be victorious when threatened by Queen Jezebel.
“Thank you for all you do to help people find
their way out of the darkness. I'm so glad I found you on TT.
It always helps to see that I'm not alone on my journey.”
—ZB
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Job
In his suffering, Job intensely questioned the reasons for his misfortunes and sought
answers from God.
David
The psalms often reflect his moments of despair, questioning, and pleas for God's
presence during times of distress.
Thomas
One of Jesus' disciples, he famously doubted the resurrection until he saw and
touched the wounds of the risen Christ.
Peter
Though a close disciple of Jesus, he experienced a moment of doubt and fear, leading
him to deny Jesus three times before His crucifixion.
Mother Teresa's journey, the stories in the Bible of people who questioned their faith,
not to mention the countless creators on social media now sharing their own stories
of deconstructing and questioning their religious heritages, serve as a poignant
testament: doubt doesn't diminish our spirituality; it deepens it. It's through
questioning, seeking, and even experiencing moments of absence that we can forge
a more authentic spirituality.
Your questioning your faith and your religious heritage will lead you on a journey that
is uniquely and inherently yours.
2. The Fear is valid, it’s part of your religious conditioning,
AND it’s time to be freed from it:
Many of us experienced it. We just didn’t know its name—fear-based theology.
Fear-based theology is a religious approach that emphasizes divine punishment and
eternal consequences to control and influence believers' behavior and beliefs.
Throughout history, fear-based theology has been wielded by certain religious
authorities as a powerful tool to maintain control over the masses. From the concept
of eternal damnation to the selling of indulgences,2 many doctrines were leveraged to
not only regulate moral behavior but also to secure power and financial gain. Over
time, however, as societies modernized, and as theological, philosophical, and
academic pursuits began to challenge age-old beliefs, the church underwent
significant shifts.
Many factors, including internal theological debates, began to reshape Christian
theology. This resulted in some Christian denominations becoming more progressive
in their ideology and moving towards a more compassionate, love-centered theology
that emphasized a personal relationship with God and community support over the
stark fear of eternal consequences.
2 The church practice offering remission of sins in exchange for cash donations to the church.
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Still other Christian denominations doubled
down on their use of fear-based theology by
adapting new teachings about end-times
that included the belief in the rapture.3 This
“doubling down” of fear-based theology led
to preachers solely focusing on warning
about the perils of hell if believers didn’t
abide fully with the teachings of the church
and, more importantly at least in the eyes of
church leaders, didn’t submit to church
authority without hesitation.
Having this fear-based theology as your
foundation for your religious heritage has a
profound impact on how you view your
faith. If the consequences of not believing
and living as the church insists you should is
hell, then that fear permeates the entirety of “You’re helping heal my
your spirituality and even your life. religious trauma 100%. I honestly
gave up on my spirituality
Once you begin to unpack this and because I felt like I couldn’t be
recognize that fear-based theology is simply with god and be a gay man.
the weaponization of Christianity, then you But every time you come across
can begin to be released from its hold it has my fyp, that voice inside my head
on you. gets quieter and I start feeling
hopeful. You’re making a
Diving into the history of fear-based
difference in my life. Promise.”
theology provides you with the framework
—BL
to do just that. This type of study will invite
you to consider what you actually believe in
hell and what, if anything, it has to do with
your spirituality going forward.
3 TheChristian belief that was first taught by John Nelson
Darby, a 19th-century Anglo-Irish Bible teacher, who was
one of the influential figures behind the rise of the
evangelical Christian movement known as
dispensationalism. Darby is credited with popularizing the
pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, which refers to the
prophetic event when believers are suddenly and
miraculously taken up to heaven before the tribulation and
the Second Coming of Christ.
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3. Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs
This concept is one of the most challenging, yet liberating, concepts to understand
when questioning your religious heritage and your beliefs.
At various crossroads in our spiritual journeys, we find ourselves tightly gripped by the
chains of dogma.4 This stringent adherence can feel stifling, much like trying to
squeeze the vast expanse of the ocean into a tiny glass jar. It's a difficult realization: that
sometimes, the very beliefs we grew up cherishing become the walls confining us.
So many of us begin this journey by desperately trying to reconcile our questioning our
faith with our beliefs and our religious heritage.
Let me offer this piece of wisdom to you as plainly as possible. In order to do the work
of reexamining your religious heritage, you must be willing to accept that there may be
no reconciling the spirituality to which you are moving toward to the religious heritage
of your past.
4 Dogma is a set of principles or beliefs accepted as authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted within a
particular religion or doctrine.
“Thank you. It’s so hard to abandon a belief, even after it harms
you so much. You’ve helped me so much. ” ❤️
—BF
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“You really helped me more
than you’ll ever know. I am a
pastor's kid and lived with this Moving toward your true authentic
spirituality means being inspired by
fear forever. Thank you for
ancient sacred literature, including the
giving me courage and tools to Bible, instead of looking at it for your moral
do…actual research and not compass and all the poignant answers to
just follow blindly out of fear. your questions that surround your lived
Keep doing what you’re doing. experience. These ancient texts can serve
You’re amazing.” as beautiful inspirations, like ageless
melodies that echo through time. But they
—UA
don’t necessarily need to dictate the
rhythm of our everyday lives. Instead of
viewing them as rigid roadmaps, what if we
saw them as artistic expressions, offering
insights and stories to inspire our own
personal journeys?
This shift changes everything about our
lives and our spirituality.
Our spirituality then is free to become
more about how we show up in the world
instead of hyper-focusing on behaving well
to avoid the torment of hell.
Your spirituality, when liberated from the
binds of strict dogma, becomes a living,
breathing entity. It's no longer just about
rituals, doctrines, or traditions. It becomes
about how you resonate with the world,
how you touch the lives of those around
you, how you find joy in everyday miracles,
and how you dance to the unique rhythm
of your soul's calling.
Remember, it's okay to shift your
perspective from seeking external
validation to nurturing internal growth. It's
okay to revere ancient literature as
inspiring stories rather than binding
mandates. By doing so, you're not walking
away from faith; you're walking towards an
authentic, freeing, and encompassing
spiritual embrace. One where love,
compassion, and presence overshadow
judgment, fear, or limitation.
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“Wow! Thank you for
all that you do! You have
helped me with deconstructing
my spiritual trauma.
You explain things in such
a profound way, and I love
hearing more loving context.”
—CT
Beautiful soul…
As you tread this path of introspection and questioning, understand that true faith is a
dynamic, ever-evolving dance between doubt and belief. Every twist and turn, every
pause and leap, carries with it a deeper understanding and intimacy with the Divine.
Your journey isn't just about answering the questions that rise from within but
embracing the transformation that they bring about. Let go of the fear, for it has only
tethered you, and embrace the vastness of a spirituality that speaks to your heart,
resonates with your soul, and aligns with your authentic self.
Remember, there are millions of us who celebrate the courage of those who dare to
question, and who dare to live on their terms, forging a spiritual connection that's
unbreakable, genuine, and uniquely their own.
You are not lost; you are on the sacred pilgrimage of discovery.
Embrace it, for in this exploration, you're finding the real you, and in that truth, there is
infinite love and acceptance.
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Your spiritual journey is uniquely yours,
and we are here to guide and support you every step of the way.
If my words resonated with you, let's connect.
Click the links below to learn more.
A few recommendations:
Join Rev Karla‘s private Facebook community: Rev Karla‘s Inner Circle.
A Safe and Supportive Community for Spiritual Growth and Healing.
Subscribe to Rev Karla’s YouTube channel “Spirituality Matters.” Here Rev Karla explores
topics ranging from healing religious trauma, what it means to embrace the spiritual but
not religious path, and what it means to be a sacred activist. Like and subscribe to be
notified when new episodes air.
Join Rev Karla in a supportive and safe space to explore your spirituality. Choose from,
monthly live conversations, join a program, or review our resources. We offer different ways
to connect, to deepen your spiritual journey at your own comfort level. Let's connect and
explore together!
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"Deconstructing from
my religious heritage
gave me permission to
explore my beliefs and
expand my spirituality
beyond what I knew
and what I had been
taught."
arla
Rev K
Rev Karla, Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister
As an ordained interfaith minister and sought-after spiritual
mentor, Rev Karla shines a light on the path for those
struggling with religious trauma or those questioning their
religious heritage, offering a way to reclaim authentic
spirituality.
With a robust following across social media and an innate gift
to connect deeply, Rev Karla’s content is a call for all seeking
clarity beyond religious confines. She explores topics from
deconstructing Christianity, healing religious trauma, the
spiritual-but-not-religious path, and the dangers of Christian
nationalism.
Rev Karla is breaking down barriers and creating a more
inclusive and compassionate world. With her unwavering
commitment to this vision, she is a passionate advocate for
social justice and equity and teaches people how one’s
spirituality is more of a reflection of our kindness and
compassion than our focus on the afterlife. She helps those
inspiring a journey towards empowered living and authentic
spirituality.
TIKTOK @REVKARLA @REVKARLA YOUTUBE
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