In our son's case the other kids at church picked on him. We were always the poor people and lived an hour and a half away from services. I remember the time our son got a serious scalp condition and we had to put a thick ointment on his head. He was ridiculed over that and later when the kids his own age were having a Y.E.S. party, he wasn't invited because we had earlier kept him back a year in school. So he was left out once again. 

There was such intense hatred there are services that one time it was all we could do to keep a fight from occurring. Today we wish we would have let him go at them--a minister's kids and an local elder's two sons. In a way I think our kids suffered in ways we never fully understood until years later.

Those that grew up in WCG lived a totally isolated life if they were far from the church and church kids were few and far between in those days. So when you are different at school and also at church, things go wrong in your life. We all need friends and he began to pick the kind that got into trouble.  Today our son says he preferred his time in the lock-up over any time in the cult--ever. How interesting that the grown children of the members still in the cult are not attracted to it at all. That should tell them something, but as usual they all defend their religion.

None in the WCG ever seemed to be merciful. They don't know how. HWA sure wasn't. The ministers aren't, so naturally most of the followers aren't either. Everyone is more concerned with the law. The ministers we endured under were dictators. Today my husband and I have taken up photography. We have a daily walk by faith. I'm so glad Jesus is merciful. 

By Sandy
August 13, 2003

Articles For Those Who Were Emotionally and Spiritually Abused

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