Traumatized by Christian Dogma & The Evangelical "Good News Club"

a reply to: pennydrops

I hear this about the OT god all the time, never does anyone mention the reasons for destroying these cities, something to do with saving the human race from the Nephilim infection. But if you dont believe the Bi8ble anyway, why even bring this up?

The point is that there are preachers, pastors, parents, youth group leaders, who don't BOTHER with that - they just want the kids to know how awful things will be if they don't OBEY.

That's totally the topic.

As for your cautionary statement to me: Yes, I realize "telling people how to raise their children" is a rocky road. I prefer to think of it has a contribution to the betterment of society by SHOWING people the effects of raising their children with shame, self-loathing, fear, and guilt. If we DON'T want a world full of ISIS/Islam State murderers, and Evangelical tyrants, we need to speak to the issue of indoctrinating kids.

I'm just as upset about seeing videos of toddlers throwing gang signs, calling their parents 'niggah' and 'beeotch' - or hearing about children left in hot cars - or locked in rooms with no contact - or orphanges where kids receive NO nurturing at all. It's all the same. Child abuse is horrible, preventable, and needs to be addressed if we are to arrive at a more peaceful place as humankind.



(P.S. - "Telling people" to not vaccinate their kids, or to beat the everloving daylight out of them if they misbehave, is quite different from suggesting that they not feed them simply twinkies and coke. The point is "education." As long as people know that what they are doing as parents CAN cause damage, that's the point.)

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a reply to: nfflhome

You sound like another Liberal trying to take another constitutional right away.

That's your opinion. I'm a secular person who knows about early childhood development and parenting issues.

I'm not trying to take away any rights. I'm trying to help the world become a less dreadful place. It begins with parenting.

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originally posted by: pennydrops
a reply to: Krazysh0t


Hey mate, I totally understand. I despise what the roman catholic church preach. No true Christian values in that organisation im afraid.

But here is the crux of the problem, all Christian denominations are offshoots of the RCC, except maybe Greek Orthodox or Christian Gnosticism. They all take and build on the same teachings that they took from the RCC, just interpreted slightly differently.

I dont mind what you believe, Im glad it is important to you though as it is a fascinating topic.

I hope you are happy in whatever you believe and I would always support others beliefs even if they are totally opposite to mine.

That's fine. I don't care what you believe either. Forcing opinions and beliefs is how the world has gotten into the mess it is now. The best answer is to educate, enlighten, and let the person come to their own conclusions.

( sorry for any randon numbers and letters in my posts, faulty keyboard)

It's fine, I just assumed you were on a cell phone.

a reply to: pennydrops

Just feeling a bit defensive as some Christians are lovely people and we keep getting insulted and critisized because of the few bad ones (mainly the US based Christians).

Yes, I thought I was careful to state that this is not meant to be another "Christian bashing thread." It addresses only one faction of "Christianity", and one man's anecdotal experience - and there are lots and lots of kids getting the same message he did.

MOST Christians are fine, loving people. It's the damage done by people such as Fred Phelps and other preachers that scares me.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I haven't read the full article yet, only what you posted, but man does it ring truth. I'm an old man(35), but back when I was 18, I made a mistake and got in some bad trouble at school. One funny(not really) thing my family loves to do when someone gets in trouble, is gang-bang you with verbal abuse. It's like a horrible gauntlet, you walk into the kitchen, and there's 10+ family members yelling at you as loud as they can. Pretty ridiculous.

I mention this, because I have an uncle who was hardcore christian(though not a nice christian by any means). Around that time I was going through what I consider my own personal spiritual path. Let's just say I didn't believe in christian beliefs. He kept telling me that all these bad things are happening to me because I didn't believe in god. I always found that funny, because if god was real, and wanted me to believe, the worst thing he could do is punish me for not believing. All that would do to my mind is make me want to not believe more. lol

But it gets worse. Around that time, my cousins where very young, maybe between 5-9. Been so long, I don't remember. Well, what I do remember is one time they ran up to me, wrapped their arms around me, and pleaded with me to believe in god.

"Please believe in god, please!"

I laughed, and asked why. They didn't want me to go to hell. What a nice uncle I have, telling his young daughters terrible things about their cousin, and telling them that I'm going to hell. They literally sounded traumatized. They really believed I was going to suffer. Why would anyone do that to their children?? It's a shame, really.

a reply to: pennydrops

People tend to teach their kids whatever it is they know.

I chose to eliminate mot of the BS, so no hell, or Santa, or any of that rot. I believe it to be psychological abuse, but YMMV.

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a reply to: Necrobile

Thanks for your post, and for understanding what I'm trying to say.

Yes, why would they do that??? Why would anyone harm, neglect, terrorize, or abuse a child? (Answer: FOR CONTROL, or because they don't know any better and it's how they were raised...or how else they might do things.)

People don't seem to see how this works on people - it is a control issue. A conspiracy to force "behavior" that the adults want. That is not loving, or nurturing...it is terrorism. And people wonder why the world is falling apart.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Religion sucks as it is in the world today, no doubt there.
But to put the ultimate superior being, of obvious intelligence
so far beyond our own imagination. When we lean in towards putting
God on the couch, so to speak.That's simply the point where we prove the
ignorance he is obviously trying to abate.

a reply to: pennydrops

Do you thinkpeople should be told what they can and canyt teach their own kids?

Rather, I think people should KNOW what the results might/will be if they teach certain things - or FAIL to teach certain things (like good nutrition, for example) to their kids. As I said, each child's temperament is different. What comes from the parents will influence their development. I just want people to be aware of the damage they might be (unwittingly) causing.

Parents have a responsibility to do the best they can - no parent is perfect. There's no "perfect formula" for raising a kid.
I just want people to be aware of the negative outcomes that often occur from well-meaning but destructive parenting. We bitch and moan about the state of humanity - but if we keep raising kids who are filled with hatred, guilt, shame, judgmentalism, and self-loathing, what do we expect?

originally posted by: pennydrops
a reply to: Krazysh0t

That is true . That is why a lot of Christians do not claim to be any denomination, as that is the religion side not the belief. The Christian religion has been totally dominated by the RCC.

My dogtags in the Army listed me as Christian Non-denominational.

Lots of us in other countries do not associate with this kind of labelling, we are Christian, thats it. We follow the Bible, not man. We dont go to churches, full of abominations. We dont call priests 'father' as the bible says this is too an abomination.

Well denominations DO exist in parts of Europe. Catholics get heavily mistreated in Great Britain for instance. But I can see where you are coming from and that is fine.

Belief is a beutiful personal thing, not something we need to be taught by others. Thats the mistake so many Christians make. Christianity is the Bible, nothing more.

I've become so much happier since I stopped believing. More peaceful and striving for tranquility. If I wasn't agnostic, I'd probably be labeled Buddhist now. Though I have a tough time subscribing to their mysticism as well. Reincarnation does make a bit more sense then the one and done way that Christians and other Abrahamic religions approach life. The idea that you get many chances to reach enlightenment and goodness makes WAY more sense. Also none of the guilt and everyone wins in the end (reaches enlightenment). It just takes longer for some than for other. Isn't that what we all should want? But as an agnostic, it is still an assumption that I am not ready to make without testable evidence.

I also like the teachings of the Satanic Temple. It's sad that most Christians I talk to on these forums write that religion off completely without even looking into it all because of the name. Yet if they were to look at the tenants they'd see that the tenants are all pretty much ways of rewording "do unto others". They also don't actually worship Satan either.

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a reply to: pennydrops

Im just a little sad that the emphasis in this thread is aimed at Christians yet we all condition our kids beliefs to some extent. ALl of us.

Yes, we all do. That is the point, penny. What we do as parents DOES influence our kids. We need to be mindful of how that works. The article I found, that inspired this thread, is talking about Stockholm Syndrome and its similarity to Evangelical Christian upbringing.

We as parents MUST be mindful - look at the bigger picture and help steer our kids toward positive outcomes.

a reply to: pennydrops

The thread is emphasized on christians because the article is about someone's christian experiences as a child negatively affecting him. Being sad about that would be like going into a thread about pepperjack cheese, and being sad because there's all kinds of great cheeses, not just pepperjack. Seems a little silly.

Yes, you are right, everyone conditions their children in many ways negatively/positively. But the thread isn't about all of that. Many of the people ringing in here have probably been negatively harassed by these beliefs. I know I have. It's happened to me so often by so many people that for many years, I hated christians. It was so bad that if I even saw a cross around someones neck, I wouldn't even associate myself with them. I was so tired of people judging me, belittling me, or trying to convert me. 20+ years of it tends to grind one's gears.

Thankfully I worked with some wonderful people at my old job that changed my viewpoints. They were the nicest, kindest, most non-judgemental christians I have ever met. Never once did they tell me I was going to hell. In fact, one of them prayed for me every time I was sick. The old me would've been offended, but instead I appreciated the concern.

a reply to: Necrobile

I hope you get applause for that post!!
Thanks!

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originally posted by: Necrobile
a reply to: pennydrops

The thread is emphasized on christians because the article is about someone's christian experiences as a child negatively affecting him. Being sad about that would be like going into a thread about pepperjack cheese, and being sad because there's all kinds of great cheeses, not just pepperjack. Seems a little silly.

Yes, you are right, everyone conditions their children in many ways negatively/positively. But the thread isn't about all of that. Many of the people ringing in here have probably been negatively harassed by these beliefs. I know I have. It's happened to me so often by so many people that for many years, I hated christians. It was so bad that if I even saw a cross around someones neck, I wouldn't even associate myself with them. I was so tired of people judging me, belittling me, or trying to convert me. 20+ years of it tends to grind one's gears.

Thankfully I worked with some wonderful people at my old job that changed my viewpoints. They were the nicest, kindest, most non-judgemental christians I have ever met. Never once did they tell me I was going to hell. In fact, one of them prayed for me every time I was sick. The old me would've been offended, but instead I appreciated the concern.

Very sorry, I will not participate any longer.

a reply to: pennydrops

Sorry I was referring to the Irish Catholics being mistreated by the Protestants. It may not be a current problem, but it was a recent one.