Raise up a child in the way he should go.......

SHARE:

By Laura ~

I was adopted into a stable loving family in 1965. From the time I can remember (preschool), I was taught the Christian doctrine.

WarmImage by Casey David via Flickr
Vacation Bible School was never a choice, I had to go. The only kids I knew were from my church. I thought everybody lived this way.

By the time I was 8 I had learned every song that I was told would help me be a "good christian example"

That same year I was enrolled in a private Christian school. The only thing I remember about that school was that they had my parents permission to spank me. I was hit by these teachers from this "christian" school in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.

When I went back to public school for 6th grade,I was very naive. I can still remember my first traumatic experience.

That day I was out playing during recess and I remember hearing these new kids screaming and cussing at the top of there lungs. I was terrified. I really thought that the heavens were going to open up and a lightening bolt was going to strike down those "bad" kids. I remember thinking wow, I can't be friends with "non-Christians". What would my parents think? I wanted friends but who would my parents approve of?

When I turned 16 my thinking started to change. I had lived in a very sheltered environment all of my life. The only thing I wanted was to get away from these people who kept telling me that I was to live as an example of a "Child of God".

About that time I decided that I was the "prodigal son" that the bible told me, so I set out on my own path. At 17 I became pregnant. This was my 2nd traumatic religious experience. The bible said that I was not to have sex before marriage.

From then on I did a lot of things the bible told me not to. When the guilt crept in I turned to my friends who made me feel OK about what I was doing. By then I discovered just how naive I really was. Typically, their jokes went right over my head. I remember how embarrassed I was.

I had no point of reference to a lot of things. I didn't know what homosexuality was except what I was told the bible said. I also didn't know what my emotions were all about. I came from a home that was never hostile or angry. And I defiantly was not permitted to show anger at my parents. These people seemed to come from a different planet. I felt like such a black sheep around my parents and siblings. I was sure they could see my guilt and shame I carried with me.

Black sheep of the family, yes that is what I was. The 3rd religious trauma experience I had was the worst.

24 months after I graduated from high school, I had left the flock for freedom and a boyfriend and moved with him to Fresno, CA. Soon after, my 3 years of drug abuse finally caught up with me.

During a series of stressful events and culture shock from living "in sin" I became very emotionally sick. I couldn't sleep or eat. I felt judged by everyone in my life. I didn't know the first thing about taking care of myself. I became afraid and paranoid. My mind was playing tricks on me and I didn't know why. Soon my psychosis was very apparent. I began to believe that God was going to come down and take me to heaven or take everyone to heaven except me. That was very hard. But I still had more to learn.

A few years later I had an opportunity to find my paternal parents. I learned that my mother was an alcoholic and had an 8th grade education and my father was also an alcoholic and was obese and illiterate too. Many questions I had were answered. Turns out I came from 2 very dysfunctional and addicted people. They have since died from their disease.

Now at 46 I am able to see a clearer picture of who I am and why things happened the way they did.

Currently I am studying the disease of addiction and I hope to counsel people who want to stop their "internal" pain with drugs. I've sure had my share.

Thank you for your website. I am learning about this trauma I experienced and I thank-you for your research and tools to help me heal.

COMMENTS

Agnosticator,5,Al Wm Johnson,3,Alegria,3,Alen Basic,1,American Apostate,3,Andrew Jasko,3,Anne R Keye,6,AnonAgno94,4,Apetivist,2,Apostate Paul,3,Articles,707,Aspieguy,12,Astreja,9,atheistnurse,10,AtheistToothFairy,1,austinrohm,3,Avangelism Project,2,Barrett Evans,2,Ben Love,69,billybee,2,BlackFreethought,12,Bob Keye,3,Bob R,4,boomSlang,1,Bore Venal Charlatan,2,Brad N,1,Brian Kellogg,8,Brisancian,3,Bruce Gerencser,1,Bruno Corey,1,C. T. Ogden,4,Carl S,377,Carol Putnam,2,Carolyn Hyppolite,10,Cecelia,4,Cheryl Ensom Dack,6,Chris Highland,2,Chris W.,1,Christian Agnostic,2,Christmas,31,ChuckyJesus,1,ConversationsWithA,1,Daniel out of the Lion's Den,15,Daniel Payne,1,Dano,17,darklady,7,Dave8,1,DealDoctor,24,Dethblight,6,dharma,4,Discordia,5,Doubting Thomas,2,Dr. Marlene Winell,24,Dr. Valerie Tarico,150,DRC,2,dswrites,2,Easter,28,EChamberlainMD,6,Ed (Teapot),2,Edward T. Babinski,1,Eric Jeffries,2,eveningmeadows,11,Evid3nc3,3,ex-Pastor Dan,19,exfundy,2,exPenty,8,Faithfool,2,Fernando Alcántar,6,freddieb42,2,freeatlast,6,G.M. Gates,2,Gary T. McDonald,2,God-O-Rama,6,Godlessgrrl,5,Greenworld,4,hellboundsoul,3,Herb,3,Houndies,3,illu minati,2,Incongruous Circumspection,11,J.W.,2,JadedAtheist,2,Jake Rhodes,3,James A. Haught,3,James C,2,James Wilhelm,9,Jazzybelle,3,Jennifer,3,Jody,3,John Draper,26,John Loftus,2,John Shores,26,Kalos,3,Karen Garst,31,Kim Anne Whittemore,1,Klym,24,Larry C,5,Larry Spencer,3,Letters,149,Libby Anne,3,Log1cd1ctat3s,2,Luke,1,lungfish,1,Michael Runyan,36,Michael Sherlock,5,Mriana,17,MtlRedAtheist,1,Neal Stone,20,News,185,Nikki,1,NYdiva,2,ooglyman,2,Opinion,980,Patrice,2,Paul Hannah,1,Paul So,26,Philippe Orlando,3,Philonous,1,Politics,59,Positivist,5,psychman33,5,Rational Logic,3,Rational Okie,2,Renoliz,10,Rev Ex-Evangelist,7,RickO,3,Robert Conner,8,Ronna Russell,12,Rudy,4,Russ Hamel,2,Science,30,SeageVT,3,Shaolin,4,Simplex Munditiis,3,Son of a preacher,5,Steve Dustcircle,4,Stillunsure,4,Summerbreeze,25,Susan G. Bonella,3,Tania,22,tekHedd,2,Testimonials,1003,Thanksgiving,4,The STeWpId MoNkEy,4,TheThinkingAtheist,5,Thin-ice,4,ThinkTank,5,Tim Sledge,4,Tim Wolf,1,TinMan,1,True Anathema,4,TruthSurge,1,Ubi Dubium,4,undercover agnostic,25,unoder,7,Vadarama,2,Victor J Webster,2,Videos,102,Vyckie,10,Webmdave,9,WidePathGirl,2,WizenedSage,137,xrayman,2,xxkindofboredxx,2,Yak,9,
ltr
item
ExChristian.Net: Raise up a child in the way he should go.......
Raise up a child in the way he should go.......
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5399777536_ecc9a4d3c2_m.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5399777536_ecc9a4d3c2_t.jpg
ExChristian.Net
https://new.exchristian.net/2011/07/raise-up-child-in-way-he-should-go.html
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/2011/07/raise-up-child-in-way-he-should-go.html
true
1266985040290242663
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read more Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy