Christianity Woes

[Squirrel698]

So I just got word from my mom's church that people are currently fasting and praying on their knees for hours for my salvation.

I wonder if they are flogging themselves as well because that would be interesting ...

This is just so insane I really don't know what to do.  My parents continue their campaign of not having any contact with me or my children out of 'love'.   In case she tries to see the children at their schools we have alerted them to not allow her on the grounds.  I will get a restraining order if I have to because the last thing they need is this kind of poison in their lives.

[Silver]

Wow. Some people are just crazy.

[Squirrel698]

Are they the kind of church who perform physical exorcisms as well? Because those can be pretty damn dangerous - not to mention illegal. More than one person has died from being kidnapped then drowned/burned/stabbed during one of these 'rites'.
A restraining order sounds like and excellent idea.

Nice tongue.  They could be for all I know.  I shudder to think what Mom has told them.  I'm surprised the possibility of me being possessed by a demon hasn't come up yet.  At this point she is mostly blaming my partner which is a huge strain on him.  I swear if all her hate causes him to leave me I will never forgive her. 

[TheOtherSide]

lol well remember my mom wants to perform an exorcism on me. She's actually seeing a priest this week. Strangely I am a very strong catholic but I believe the Bible is 100% metaphoric and should be read personally. When people come together to "pray" for God to "cure" homosexuality/transsexuality etc. it just seems like cult like activity.

I feel so bad for God. He loves you, you know!

[Squirrel698]

lol well remember my mom wants to perform an exorcism on me. She's actually seeing a priest this week. Strangely I am a very strong catholic but I believe the Bible is 100% metaphoric and should be read personally. When people come together to "pray" for God to "cure" homosexuality/transsexuality etc. it just seems like cult like activity.

I feel so bad for God. He loves you, you know!

Yes I remember that.  God be with you brother.  The right God, the true God who loves you exactly how he made you.  Yes I know he loves me and I know this is my plan for my life.  After much soul searching I am convinced of this. 

Of course try telling that to a woman who runs retching from a room whenever there is the slightest hint of lesbianism on the television screen. 

[notyouraverageguy]

Dang wtcrap, that's a trip.

[Devin87]

Let them and try your best to ignore them.  I used to be a very devout Catholic (aka-- went to Mass every single day and prayed liturgy of the hours with our friars every single day) and I'm converting to Judaism tomorrow (nervous!!!).  I have all kinds of priests and friars and nuns and old church ladies praying rosaries for me to come back to Catholicism.  I hate the feeling of it.  I think maybe it's the fact that they don't see me as good enough and not only do they see themselves as good enough, they see themselves as so good that they can will me into being good enough.  It's a very degrading feeling.  I HATE when people tell others that they'll pray for them against their will.  But I'm too much of a nice guy to shoot anyone down when they tell me stuff like that, so I just ignore it and avoid those people.

[Nygeel]

One thing that might be able to help if you are involved with religion then seeing if you can get yourself and them involved with a Unitarian Universalist Church it could help ya.

I would go with the thought of "it's their choice to do what they are doing."

[uni]

Sorry to hear that. I too have been a victim of needless praying and am living proof that prayer doesn't work.

Stand your ground and do what it takes to protect your family because a christian's version of "love" can be very different than how sane people view love.

[Arch]

I have to say that in my opinion it is bloody rude and presumptuous to pray for someone who explicitly doesn't want it.

Squirrel, I'm sorry this is happening, but you seem to be taking it in stride. Maybe you should get that restraining order ASAP. You do NOT want anybody mucking around with your children, and some folks will do just that "in their best interests."

Stay strong, man.

P.S. It's not really Christianity woes, is it? More like extremist woes.

[Lachlann]

I've been thinking about this.
You should tell them that you feel you'll be cured if they fast and pray to the exclusion of everything else for 4 weeks.
When it doesn't work, tell them that they obviously didn't try hard enough (their faith isn't strong enough) and that they need to try again.
And again, and again.
Until they get the picture.

Lol, that's so cruel, but it'd work.

Or I'd hope it would work... they might be too far off the deep end.

[Squirrel698]

Thanks you guys.  I do feel violated to be honest but what can you do.  People have extreme views and if that's how they want to burn away their lives it's not my problem. 

I am secure in the fact that I am doing the right thing.  Clearly this is not going to be an easy road for me but I have to do what I have to do.  Since I am so sure I am doing the right thing I just have to believe that one way or another it will all work out. 

I suppose it is a belief of my own but I do believe the universe does balance itself out in the end. 

[Janet_Girl]

Prayers, fasting and flogging are forms of placing a curse on someone.  Which is against their precious book.

[Lachlann]

If it's any consolation, my parents are fundies in the opposite direction. They're atheists and biological essentialists who believe that I'm just crazy and need to be fixed with therapy - no matter how extreme that therapy may be.
Fortunately I signed my enduring power of attorney over to my boyfriend, so that they can't commit me to a mental institute.

Ugh, I've met someone like that. It wasn't fun at all.

[cynthialee]

Get a restraining order.

[TheOtherSide]

Get a restraining order.

LMAO

[Squirrel698]

She is just trying to be helpful.  Why are you laughing?  I don't get the joke.  A restraining order does seem reasonable when she is being so unreasonable.  Of course I need proper cause but if I get it I will act rationally.

[lightvi]

I'm a christian and that's just ridiculous! My mom did kind of the same thing with me. She thought she had to hold my hand and pray that the demons would go away and I wouldn't want to be a girl anymore. IMO they just don't understand it well enough, I tried showing me mom some books about it and stuff but she just ignores them. She only wants me to talk to a pastor or someone about it and not a therapist. She even refuses to help me out with finances because she thinks I'm being evil and she doesn't want to support evil. So I can't use her insurance. Oh well with hard work I'm sure I can do this myself and (hopefully) move out so I don't have to deal with my mom anymore. Anyway, sorry got a little off topic there.

[justmeinoz]

Have you told them you are praying for them to be blessed with understanding of you?
Joining another Denomination might be an option, if you find one that is welcoming, but I would go with the Court order, if they are as extreme as you say.
It might be expensive in Dollars, but cheap in the long run.

[zombiesarepeaceful]

I'm not at all Christian. I'm anything but. I'm Wiccan/Pagan, but I'm not religious. I just like alot of the wiccan beliefs and also some pagan ones, and I form my own beliefs around those and personal experience. If they're going to cut you off, cut them off. YOu don't need them. It's their loss.