Straight to Hell: Memoir of an Ex-Evangelical Pastor
Straight to Hell: Memoir of an Ex-Evangelical Pastor
Straight to Hell: Memoir of an Ex-Evangelical Pastor
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Description
Description
John Wesley Wilson, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, author, and former Evangelical pastor whose life journey bridges faith, identity, and healing. Raised in poverty and abuse in the deep South, he found early refuge in a small Pentecostal church-a place that offered belonging and safety. But when his sexual orientation emerged at age twelve, he found himself caught between an indispensable faith and an unchangeable truth.
Clinging to the belief that God would heal him if he remained faithful, John married his high school sweetheart, became a father, and rose to the pulpit-preaching a gospel that condemned the very core of who he was.
After decades of repression, his internal world began to collapse-culminating in the moment he removed his straight brother from life support so he could die of AIDS. That breaking point became the beginning of his transformation.
Straight to Hell is a raw and compassionate exploration of what happens when faith and truth collide. It speaks to anyone who has wrestled with identity in the shadow of religion, and to those seeking healing from spiritual abuse, identity shame, and internalized rejection. This is not just a memoir of survival-but a story of reclamation, authenticity, and the courage to stop running from yourself.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"Straight to Hell is John Wilson's remarkable account of losing his lifelong faith and finding his true self. With candor, insight, and emotional clarity, he shares hard truths without a shred of self-pity, illuminating the deep damage caused by rigid fundamentalist belief systems-and the generational grief, shame, and pain they leave in their wake. Wilson's story is a powerful testament to the courage it takes to say, "Enough."-Elizabeth Ridley, coauthor (with Pamela Jones) of The Dirt Beneath Our Door: My Journey to Freedom After Escaping a Polygamous Mormon Cult (Matt Holt Books, 2025)
"A vulnerable, generous, and impressively polished memoir, this story pulses with grace, emotional clarity, and fierce authenticity. The writing is vivid and image-driven, with moments of devastating insight. With memory as a central character and a narrator who earns our trust from the first page, this is an unforgettable journey of resilience, transformation, and truth."-Lia Ottaviano, New York-based editor, book coach, and content strategist; former Associate Editor at John Wiley & Sons
"For a book about secrets, Straight to Hell has an incredible amount of honesty. I believe this story is for everyone-it challenges judgment and invites empathy in a world that desperately needs more of both."-Niki M., Advance Reader
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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