Quote:
Originally posted by saltfish
Would you have found your religion in another way?
Now, on the other hand...
Do you feel you were served an injustice by your parents by being forced to practice their religion?
Do you regret any of the time that you spent in your religious activities?
-SF
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I cannot really say if I would have found religion. All else being the same, probably not.
Yes, I hated my childhood and dislike my mother directly because she forced me to be religious. I grew up a Jehovah's Witness in a small town in southern Iowa. (aka backwoods-hick-central USA) My mother made a point at the beginning of every year to come to school and tell all my teachers my religious beliefs and why I'm different. Thus, all the kids found out....thus, I was teased, harrassed, and/or pointed and giggled at throughout my childhood. Mom might as well have painted a big red "kick me" target on the back of my pants. At the start of every year I begged her not to come to school and talk to my teachers. She always refused..."We have to spread the word!" she'd always say. Fuck you, mom!
I hated it.
Yes, I regret almost ALL the time I spent doing that BS. While other kids were out playing, I had to finish my homework...THEN I had to study for the meetings, as we met on Sunday....Tuesday...Thursday....and almost every Saturday for door-to door work.
Imagine if you will: Being a 6-12 year old, having some serious shyness issues and being told/forced to knock on strangers doors and try to "sell" them on religion. If I didn't do it, I was a told (my my dear mother) that I was bad person for not wanting to help others find the "truth". Sometimes I'd get so nervous I'd vomit. Mom still made me go.
But I'm not bitter.....no....not me..... Ah the memories.