Shedding the Shackles

SHARE:

By Cordova ~


My journey from being a staunch bible thumping x-tian to finally being free of the religious shackles was a long and hard one.  I grew up in a highly religious community and being an illegitimate child born back in the 1940's somehow made me a 'bad' person. Oh, I was good enough to play with on the school-yard but not good enough to invite to anyone's birthday party.  Many times I was told: "You're nothing but a whore's daughter."  I remember being very confused and hurt because I couldn't understand why I was being punished for something my mother did.  When I was about 16 or 17 years old I caught myself daring to question this 'god' character: "Who are you to demand I worship you; What makes you better than me?"  I was immediately overcome with fear, shame and guilt - exactly what religion is DESIGNED to do!!!  I begged for forgiveness because I didn't want to burn in hell for an eternity.  I became an obedient religious sheeple for another 30 years before I dared to begin questioning again!!   By that time I realized if I was intelligent enough to ask legitimate questions, I deserved truthful answers.  Of course the "church" couldn't (or wouldn't) answer my questions.  Questions like:  "Why would a 'loving' god demand a woman who is pregnant before she is married to be stoned to death" and, "why are the innocent illegitimate children subjected to cruel, verbal abuse from other so called 'Christians?"  I found one of the answers in  the book often referred to as the "good" book.  

"A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD." Deut. 23:2

That explained why I, an innocent illegitimate child, was subjected to cruel, verbal abuse.  I also find Deut. 22: 20-21 especially upsetting.  If people were to obey that 'law' my mother and daughter would be stoned to death for daring to be pregnant before marriage.  For me, that was the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak.  In my mind there is nothing, absolutely nothing 'loving' about a god that demands unwed mothers to be put to death and let the prick that got her pregnant in the first place go unpunished.  Slowly but surely I let go of the fear, shame and guilt that had enslaved me for oh so many years.  Today I am filled with anger (justified anger, in my opinion).  It has been about 20 years now since I turned my back on organized religion and there is no turning back.  My anger does concern me though and I wish I could get rid of that too.  Maybe someday.  Thanks for listening.  


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,708,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,25,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,Merle Hertzler,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,1004,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: Shedding the Shackles
Shedding the Shackles
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z-M6CnjkmCI/VbIcCNM5mWI/AAAAAAAAJj0/CI-23L8_8CA/s320/bastard.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z-M6CnjkmCI/VbIcCNM5mWI/AAAAAAAAJj0/CI-23L8_8CA/s72-c/bastard.jpg
ExChristian.Net
https://new.exchristian.net/2015/07/shedding-shackles.html
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/2015/07/shedding-shackles.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