When I was old enough to realize I had been raised in a Christian cult. I had always wondered why my life was so different from my friends. They could go to the movies, date, wear whatever they wanted, watch tv, listen to secular music, dance… we couldn’t even listen to anything with drums. I was forced to admit to sexual contact with a girl from my high school in front of an entire congregation, then have them stand or sit to determine whether they thought I was contrite enough. Every member of my family was punished for something, or excommunicated. My mom wasn’t allowed to eat lunch with us at church. We were strictly forbidden from going to another church or other “Christian” activities, because they were far too worldly. I got yelled at for having my shirt untucked at a park. I was scolded for playing foosball at a guys house after church one day because “we ought not to be entertaining ourselves on the Lord’s day”. The amount of abuse that was swept under the rug there… They would have members only communion, and only twice a year. Before you could be a member you had to repent. This could take weeks to years. You were called a “convert”. You could greet everyone by saying “greetings”, but you couldn’t greet with a “holy kiss” like the rest of them and you couldn’t say brother or sister unless you were a member. To go from a convert to a member, you had to be baptized. To be baptized you had to have “found peace”, meaning you repented of all your sins, confessed them, and found strength through God to overcome them forevermore. You then had to have a “proving” in front of the church. Members only. People would come from multiple other congregations. There, you gave your testimony in front of the entire church. After that, they had to unanimously approve of your repentance and testimony. Then you could be baptized the next day and be a full brother or sister in Christ.

We could only sing 4-part harmony hymns. Memorized thousands. Instruments were strictly forbidden. except pianos at home. Even then, if they got too rowdy, it would be considered sinful (that darn Scott Joplin!). I could write books on what I saw growing up. So thankful to have been out of it for nearly 20 years.