Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
I was in the local church in Anaheim, California from the age of 12 to 17 when Witness Lee was located there. Being in this cult is one of the worst things that happened in my life! My whole family was involved in it. My family still got together every Friday night just to socialize. I was told by an elder they were praying for my family to break apart. When my father lay dying in the hospital, they refused to come and give us comfort or prayer. When I finally worked up the courage to leave, I was told by an elder I was like the dogs of hell barking at the gates of heaven. Years later I was told by the Rapaport family they always celebrated Christmas and watched television at their grandparents house. What an insult! I no longer go to church anywhere. I can't take the judgment of everything I was taught at such an impressionable age. But, I refuse to let the Local Church ruin my life!
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The local churches is not indicative of most churches. Ones I have attended since are no where near the sectarian and legalism the local churches are. Having been raised in the local churches I don't have any regrets up until the age of 12. Beyond the age of 12, there was peer pressure. Not just me, but parents too. Trying to conform to LC norms came with a price even if it meant becoming socially dysfunctional. Lessons been learned. No way no how was I going to let my role as a father be undermined by the local churches.
Each LC households I was among raised their children differently. Some had TV's and some didn't. From 1975 forward we had Christmas presents but without the Christmas tree and decorations. Years later as an adult I reasoned why each of these families were raised different was due from the different Christian backgrounds they came out of. Mennonite background, you wouldn't find a TV or radio. Jehovah witness background, you wouldn't see birthdays being celebrated. In Anaheim, I attended many a birthday party for fellow churchkids.