Question for people raised in Christian homes?

Question

Did you grow up believing you are bad and always wrong, and most certainly doing something bad at any momoment without knowing it?

Answer 1

Yes. I was raised by a domineering father who used the spankings as a beating session. He quoted the Bible and scared us by his temper and fear tactics. My mother is very manipulattive and means well, but is very serious in her relationship with God (she says it's not a religion, but a relationship). However, no matter what I do, I seem to hurt her when I do something she doesn't agree with and she thinks is bad. Sometimes I think she has emotional problems and is threatened by my independence as she needs to be close to me. But on the surface she married a pastor and her dad is a pastor. Others love her and open up to her. She appears the most peaceful Christian, with such an imtimate relationship with God. Sometimes I feel it messes with my mind. Like I am the only person who sees this (the critisism she cannot see), and so once again, I am wrong, just like she makes me feel! I know she spends hours praying for me, which is insulting. I feel that she extends grace and forgivess to me and feels I am in need of prayer. I think I am just fine. I have left Christianity and my anxiety has gone way down. I have learned the power of the mind and trust that I have never done anything wrong. My energy comes from my intentions. i have learned to let it go. I don't think of it much, and when I do, I say to myself 'that was meant to be to bring me to where I am now, and I like where I am'. Also, I put geogaphical space between us. Christmas is a time of peace as I listen to all the pastors stories ad 'sermons' over Christmas carols, and I realize, that I can seperate myself from this, even in the midst of it. With all the interest in my life, the too many compliments (that are maybe to convince me of something?), the over concern, the over caring, the over loving, the over emotional, the over hurt and total imbalance of everything emotional, the emotional cling on symptoms, I remember that this was my past and without it I would not be where I am today. I let it go. It still hurts. My dad has mellowed and although emotionally distant, he seems accepting and is fun to be with. My mom is worse as her 'relationship' with god grows and now she has married a pastor like her.... lol, I didn't know there was more like her out there. I feel bad that she is hurt by me, but I don't take responsiblity for it. It is over. I used to fear the bad things life had for me and that I would be abused or tramatisized again, until I leaned what MY spiritual beliefs were, and there were all my answers. My mom, who does have alot of good always said, 'let peace be your guide' and so it is. I just don't think she realized or even believes that I found peace in Deistic beliefs.

Answer 2

I hope I understand your question. It seems to me you are asking if anyone in a christian home grew up with a guilty conscience? If that is your question, I would have to say, to some degree, yes. But not the kind of consciencousness that made me feel I was bad or a bad person. I actually thought more highly of myself than I should have.

Now I know that every human sins. We all break God's commandments. We all fall short of the glory of God. The wonderful, awesome, amazing thing about realizing that I am a sinner, just like you, is that I have this thing in me, this desire, to have peace between me an the Living God.

God showed me something when I was a kid. Some people say He "revealed" something to them. What He showed me was even though I was in sin, He was still in love with me. Why, I do not know... But He showed me that of all the people on planet earth, He was intimately aquainted with me. In fact, He showed me that before I was born, He knew me!

The greatest thing that He showed me was the truth that His Son, Jesus of Nazereth, is indeed the Saviour of the world. He forgave me of my sins, placed His Spirit within me and even though there are times when all hell seems to be breaking loose in my life, He takes these difficult moments and times using them to shape me more into the likeness of His Son.

Some things hurt. Sometimes I feel confused. There are days when I make wrong decisions. So I stay in prayer daily, and ask God to keep changing me by the renewing of my mind. As I grow spiritually, I mature. There is much more that I could say about the real guilt that haunts me at times, but in every single thing I come out victorious and 'more that a conquerer', through Jesus and Jesus alone.

Answer 3

No. I am sorry if this happened to you. If it didn't, and you just think that way about Christians, well you are wrong. I was raised by my parrents who love me very much. Yes, I didn't and occasionally don't do the right thing, but I know right from wrong. But I ask forgiveness and I keep on trying to do the right thing. Jesus is love and He is forgiving, He doesn't make you feal like you are a bad person that is worthless. Sometimes we beat our own selves up becauses we refuse to forgive ourselves and recieve God's forgiveness. But God is the loving Father for the fatherless and He is forgiving. Don't think that all Christian parrents teach their children that they are worthless, that is totally wrong. If yours did, well God forgive them. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior then you are a chlid of God, don't beat yourself up because you think that you are a worthless sinner,because God loves you.

"That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."-Romans 10:9

Answer 4

Guilt is definitely a unit used for control in many Christian homes. From little things like, "eat your food, little children are starving", to the ever present, "how can you dare say/do that, when you know how we sacrifice for you".

Yep, guilt and the carrot on the stick of do good and you will go to heaven; be bad and burn in Hell, kept many of us in line (read: when people were watching us).

Answer 5

No, I was taught that Jesus loved me so much and that I should try and honor him with my life..I was also taught that we as humans sin and that if we do we should repent. I was never made to feel like a horrible person or anything.
I believe some with a warped sense of Christianity have done that to their children. Very sad indeed!

I am sorry if that happened to you.

Answer 6

i am Christian, however i did not grow up in a strictly Christian home, i never experienced that. my mom did--catholic.
i think she suffered a bit of unescessary guilt, as i believe catholisism does not leave children with a very clear understanding about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

my children will know Jesus first, religious understanding will be just that. They will know how much God loves them, and what a loving and forgiving God He is.

Answer 7

I think that is more of a Catholic/Baptist or extreme Pentacostal feeling, isn't it? Non-denominational Christian churches teach more of a loving God.

Guilting people into always thinking they are bad and wrong keeps them in torment and a bad state of mind. I highly doubt that's what God is all about.

Answer 8

No. I grew up believing I was loved, even when I did do something wrong. I didn't always feel like I was bad because we focused more on who God is, not our shortcommings. I learned that everyone makes mistakes (sin) but that God forgives us because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Answer 9

Absolutely.

My earliest recollections of church involve a preacher jumping up and down condemning everyone to hell.

And the rules weren't real clear on how to avoid hell, but it was made clear that everyone was wicked and evil and going to hell.

But, I got over it.

additional comment:

Don't know what kind of churches those above saying "no" attend, but Pat Robertson and other tv preachers are still condemning people to hell. And, still promoting the message that all humans are wicked and evil.

Answer 10

actually,i was raised in part by that kind of home.i had traditional teaching my first six years,then raised by my step-mother,taught by bible and belt....i felt some of those things,yet inside i felt Strong and loved my the good maker,not all bible teachings include such hard or fearful feelings.i think that i am lucky to have two spiritual teachings,it gives me a clearer,more accepting way know that there is such a stronger force out there,watching over me.