For anyone who thinks that raising children in church, and according to the bible, doesn't harm them. Think again.
After walking away from the baptist faith, well religion in general, I've had a couple open talks with my kids about this. I was sad and surprised by some of the things they have shared with me.
My daughter is 25. It was only a couple years ago that she admitted to me, for the first time, that when she was little, she was constantly worried that she wasn't really "saved", and would go to hell.
She felt that every time she did something really bad, (in her mind), that jesus would be mad at her, and then she worried that maybe she wasn't going to heaven, so nearly every night, she went through the salvation process of admitting sin, and asking jesus into her heart. My son admitted to often feeling the same way.
This went on for years, unknown to me. All because of her fear of hell.
Mind you, I was a stay at home mom, and very close to my kids. We talked about anything and everything. Naturally, I asked her why she never told me, and she said it was because she felt bad....she didn't want me to know that she often didn't "feel" saved. She thought that was a sin too.
Another big issue for my kids, was when one of their grandmas died, who was an outspoken atheist. Not only are they devastated at the loss of grandma, but now they are facing the images of her burning in hell. Sadly, at the time, I was still very much a christian, and struggled in what to say to comfort them.
They also felt pressure to witness to anyone they cared about, because they worried that those people would burn in hell. What a horrific responsibility to put on any child ever.
We do so much to protect them from any type of brutality while they are growing up, yet don't even consider what they are being exposed to at church.
After walking away from the baptist faith, well religion in general, I've had a couple open talks with my kids about this. I was sad and surprised by some of the things they have shared with me.
My daughter is 25. It was only a couple years ago that she admitted to me, for the first time, that when she was little, she was constantly worried that she wasn't really "saved", and would go to hell.
She felt that every time she did something really bad, (in her mind), that jesus would be mad at her, and then she worried that maybe she wasn't going to heaven, so nearly every night, she went through the salvation process of admitting sin, and asking jesus into her heart. My son admitted to often feeling the same way.
This went on for years, unknown to me. All because of her fear of hell.
Mind you, I was a stay at home mom, and very close to my kids. We talked about anything and everything. Naturally, I asked her why she never told me, and she said it was because she felt bad....she didn't want me to know that she often didn't "feel" saved. She thought that was a sin too.
Another big issue for my kids, was when one of their grandmas died, who was an outspoken atheist. Not only are they devastated at the loss of grandma, but now they are facing the images of her burning in hell. Sadly, at the time, I was still very much a christian, and struggled in what to say to comfort them.
They also felt pressure to witness to anyone they cared about, because they worried that those people would burn in hell. What a horrific responsibility to put on any child ever.
We do so much to protect them from any type of brutality while they are growing up, yet don't even consider what they are being exposed to at church.
![[Image: graphics-rain-426733.gif]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.picgifs.com%2Fgraphics%2Fr%2Frain%2Fgraphics-rain-426733.gif)
