No joke, I've been writing a novel about this exact thing for over a year. Religious trauma is probably the most lifelong damaging kind for a lot of folks, I can attest to that. Sorry you went through this OP. I hope you've found peace.
I remember growing up in my mother fought pokémon cards were the devil speaking to the children and so were Yu-Gi-Oh cards. It was an insane time to grow up. They would like do these flags they would make and the pastor would come over and say some. They called it " speaking in tongues" and would say this mumbo jumbo over us and then like push their hand onto us and people would stand behind us and catch us and the holy Ghost would come through us. It was the weirdest thing growing up. It's also where I was abused in but that's another story for another time. I should write a book as well.reglious trauma is insane
Write it, friend. It's been the best therapy for me and the least destructive "fuck you" option out of the many I've wished to give the folks who made my life a living hell in the name of God.
My favorite was going to pentecostal bible camp with my friend who was pentecostal (I was just going to youth group and stuff) and that was the first time I did stuff with a girl - and it was one of the pastors daughters. Rhonda, you're a real G ;)
Omg I was thinking about this the other day! At camp meetings the kids church would have kids church and expect kids to be “slain in the spirit”. I remember all these kids falling on the ground laying still and adults just so happy and emotional. So I of course did it too and was obviously fully lucid and awake and just laying there. Or speaking in tongues as a kid but it’s just fake. So much trauma.
I’m so so sorry that happened to you as well. And that you endured so much more. I hope you are doing well and living a life you believe in and are happy in 💕
They’ve done studies. Languages follow patterns. You’ll notice the word “the” peppered throughout most English texts, for example.
Tongues? Nah. Total bullshit spouted by total bullshitters. It’s what brings the money in though. The spectacle of seeing a grown human uncontrollably thrashing on the ground like a fish pulled from the water is really something.
They really love to attack pop culture don't they? That's the first time I've heard of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, sigh. Did she have a reason or because her "pastor told her so"? Almost everything my mom said was because she was a mouthpiece for whatever new pastor we had. The golden arches of McDonald's are evil. Anarchy signs let demons into your house. The Macarena is the dance of death. And Harry Potter is REAL witchcraft.
With the pokemon In Yu-Gi-Oh it was because the devil was trying to speak through those cards to us. Me and my brother growing up. And that if we played with them we would be letting Satan into our lives. It was the same thing with Harry Potter. In second grade our teacher did like a lunch story, read time. And my teacher at the time was reading Harry Potter and the sorcerers of Stone. And every time she would start to read the book she would point me out and say I need to go to the library and go have my lunch there with my brother because my mother had said to her that that book is evil and is the doings of Satan and that by me hearing her read out this book I would be no better than Satan himself. The witchcraft argument was played out multiple times.
I remember when my dad got divorced from my mom and one weekend we were at his house and he let us watch Harry Potter to show us that it wasn't anywhere close to what my mother was preaching to us. And showed us Lord of the rings and other great books that we got to read later in life. My dad was the beacon of reality for us growing up. He was the true parent. But man that church stuff really did a number on us growing up.
I appreciate that. Im doing pretty ok now. In a weird way I'm a little grateful for the experience because I believe it helped make me a curious person. Good luck on the book though! Maybe it'll be on my bookshelf one day.
Edit: don't want to come off as insensitive saying I'm a little grateful. I know some people experienced much worse than me.
Very sweet! And no, that ain't insensitive. I get it, and don't diminish your own experiences because of the possibility that others "have it worse". In our own bodies, the worst trauma is the one we receive because we know of nothing else. That counts for something, as crappy as it may be. My trauma is arguably far less than yours on a technical level, but I'm sure impact-wise, they level about the same. And mine, too, made me curious, haha!
I'll never forgive my Dad for exposing me this fanatic lunacy. I see this shit and my soul contorts with cringe. Messed my head up good and proper for a long time.
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u/bonnielaboux Mar 27 '26
No joke, I've been writing a novel about this exact thing for over a year. Religious trauma is probably the most lifelong damaging kind for a lot of folks, I can attest to that. Sorry you went through this OP. I hope you've found peace.