A Peace Corps Volunteer
I do not really know where to start. It felt so good to hear other people’s stories. I feel very bad for what some of them went through. I also had a lot of anger towards WCG-UCG (I refuse to call it THE CHURCH because I think that gives it more power and is incorrect grammatically— there are many churches and this being only one of them and certainly not the
best.) I started to dislike the church and its teachings at 13, but there was no way to get out. My parents would not allow it. At 18 I was very lucky to meet my best friend (a practicing physician in the area) and he allowed me to live with him for two years while I went to the local community college. For years, I could not talk about God without having almost uncontrollable anger. While doing my masters in public health I actually went to counseling and got most of the anger and hurt feelings out. One thing that my parents did do right is love me. Even though I am not a part of their church (UCG) they are very open about their love and have relaxed greatly in their strictness since I was a child. Well anyways thank you so very much once again. It is funny, that we all have so much in common. I wonder if people can truly understand how we feel when they did not have to go through this.
A Peace Corps Volunteer
Agnostic
January 1st, 2007 at 11:42 am
It’s nice to see that you are not bitter. I think that many of the children of church members are so angry and I think that it is a waste of time. I also grew up in WWCOG and found that education was the key to my healing. I don’t resent my parents (anymore than my nonchurch friends–haha) but I do feel that need to talk with others to heal. I joined at Unitarian church and I do pray and believe in God–whether its “true” or just something that I have created to make me feel better it works. I don’t really agree with “RELIGION” but I do think that there is a God.