WHAT I LEARNED FROM LOSING 513 SUBSCRIBERS
And why it’s my writing’s greatest gift
I thought I wrote about theological control.
I uncovered a hidden nation.
The Exodus
513 unsubscribed in 24 hours. After “The Religious Prison You Don’t Know You’re In.” Each departure a verdict:
Too far.
Lost me.
Unfollow.
But something else stirred.
The Arrival
Thousands leaned in. My inbox overflowed with stories.
Comments raced faster than I could read.
$1,500 in support and book sales whispered:
Finally.
Who Stayed
The Preacher’s Daughter.
My dad shunned brain surgery for my girl’s cancer. Said faith would heal her.
The 62-Year-Old Believer.
Lifetime Christian. Your words speak truth.
The Data Analyst.
I’m logical—except with Scripture. There, I feel. I open.
The Mother.
We’ve been lied to about history. Yet we trust the Bible blindly.
The Pattern
Leavers wanted safety. Stayers want truth. Leavers sought validation. Stayers crave wonder. Leavers needed confirmation. Stayers hunger for transformation.
What 513(+) Departures Taught
Every unsubscribe is a gift. My work is not for everyone. I write for silenced seekers.
I’m not building a following. I’m looking for my people.
Those with ears to hear.
Not just creating "content". Voicing the echoes of the voiceless.
The Hidden Nation
Comments here and on Substack unveil for me an underground:
Ex-Christians praying in gardens.
Parents of spiritual kids, medicated not celebrated.
Believers finding God in nature, not pews.
Those who check "no religion" but pray nightly.
They lay low. Think they are alone. Until other people speak their truth.
The Opposition Clarified
Religious guards swooped in:
Seeker: What about Jesus’ missing years? Guard: Stop asking.
Seeker: I found God in nature. Guard: Wrong.
Each attack birthed more questions. Each correction fueled seekers.
The Math of Truth
Hundreds fled my words. God speaks beyond their channels. Thousands stayed, saying: He speaks to me. I’m not alone. I'm not broken.
Thank you. Truth repels. Truth attracts—fiercer.
What’s Happening
People aren't losing faith in God. Trump. America.
We're losing faith in gatekeepers.
Not less spiritual. Not less patriotic. More honest about spirit.
Not abandoning Him. Abandoning His self-proclaimed owners and decoders.
The Real Reformation
Not in churches. Not in theological nitpicking.
In comment sections. Kitchen talks. Nature walks. Children’s questions. Silent prayers.
To the 513
Thank you. Your exit sharpens my mission. Your absence clears space. Your judgment lights my purpose. I’m not here to confirm. I’m here to question.
To Those Who Stayed
You’re not alone. Not crazy. Not lost.
You’re finding. We’re finding.
Together.
The Lesson
Losing followers always teaches me the way.
Write for seekers, not settlers. Speak for the silenced, not the loud. Choose courage over comfort. Pick truth over tribe.
The prison of control is real. It’s cracking. You see it.
Each question a fracture. Each doubt a fissure. Each seeker’s voice a falling brick.
513 left to guard their prison. Thousands stayed to tear it down. I know my side.
To all who stayed, commented, shared: Your courage sparked fires. The seeking continues.
Interesting. Because I ALMOST unsubscribed then thought "wait a minute you've read his other stuff and this doesn't add up, so finish the article." I finished it and by the end you had not shunned church or Christ-believing people, you shunned the Pharisees and Sadducees of today. Nothing wrong with that.
Dear EKO,
Thank you for THE LESSON.
I've never had a blog. Never had followers. But there were always those who loved my comments and replied to them. They gave me strength.
I was one of those who thought they were alone.
Thank you all from the heart. Stay safe.