Here are some of my assumptions to finally answer, from the outside, the original question above.

1.  I think one probably motive for some of these deconstructions is acceptance.  This takes a few forms.  They are celebrities and in order to stay acceptable within the celebrity class, there are certain views that are unacceptable and others that are required.  We have seen celebrities at the height of their careers vanish from publicity the moment they convert to a traditional version of Christianity e.g. (Kirk Cameron, Bob Dylan… of course, people’s beliefs are always complex).  In today’s climate, it is difficult for anyone to maintain a defense of the infallibility of Holy Scripture, especially regarding topics around sex and marriage; how much more difficult must it be when ALL of one’s celebrity friends despise your “conservative” views on such topics?  This version might be thought of as “cultural pressure.”

Another version of this has to do with acceptance of the de-converts own sins, desires and mindsets.  If I accept that the Bible is authoritative and the Bible condemns or forbids something that I am doing/want to do, then I either have to change my behaviors or my beliefs.  If I want acceptance for my divorce, addiction, abortion, infidelity, or even unbiblical political views, I will have to look for that acceptance somewhere other than the Bible.

Finally, and this one is the most heart-breaking is that we want acceptance for our friends.  Consider the first paragraph (acceptance from others) and the second (acceptance of my sin) added together and multiplied by family and friendship.  If someone I love wants me to accept them and their sin, how can I tell them I cannot?  This is such a challenge for all of us that it has become, by far, the most common question I get from believers when I open up the floor for questions on any topic.  This motivation might be thought of as choosing friends or family over God – something Jesus predicted (Matt 10:16-22, Luke 14:25-33).

2.  It is very possible that their psychological unbelief comes from disappointment.  Keep in mind that “belief” or “confidence” are really just psychological states.  We can find ourselves in psychological states for good reasons or poor reasons… and our psychological state alone is not good evidence of reality or truth.  Hopefully we are always in the state of aligning our states with the truth.  When we learn something new that we do not like, we experience grief and often disappointment.

So, if I believed that God was a certain way, and He wasn’t, or if I trusted God to do something for me and He didn’t… my state changes.  My father shouldn’t have died; my child shouldn’t be sick; my career should have taken off; I should have a spouse my now… God is not who I thought he was/demand that He be.  This is strongly connected to the problem of suffering in the minds of many.  

Consider what was written by Joshua Harris above.  His model of courting promised things – created expectations and entitlements.  Do it this way and things will be great… or at least better than the other options.  This is how it should work… but it often didn’t.

But wait, who made these promises?  Was it God?  No, it was Joshua Harris.  In a multitude of places, the Holy Scriptures point at injustice, evil and unfairness.  Jesus promised trouble for His followers.  We may think God promises things that He does not and then we get angry when He doesn’t follow through with what He never promised.  In the case of pain, sickness and grief, this is so understandable and worthy of comfort and sympathy… but at other times it is little more than a sense of entitlement, I think.

Submitting to the truth doesn’t require us to be jerks, legalists… nor does it require us to like the truth.  Nor does it require to promise anything more than He actually promises to His New Testament Church.

I will add that I think it could be common for someone deconstructing in this way to be a believer, truly, but to be hurt enough that though they still believe, they are not on “speaking terms” with God.  Their relationship is sound, but their fellowship is broken, if you will… and there are a couple of other options, too.