Bad Christian Childhood?

[TaemJ]

I was just wondering how many of you had bad Christian Childhoods? I'm sure there are good memories.. but they're just so vague that I can't form them with words..

My childhood wasn't really that bad. I wasn't beaten or forced to drink alcohol. Wasn't raped or molested. My parents cared about me enough to call the cops after 2 hours of playing the Lion King super nintendo game at my friends house and not checking in. I have all of my limbs..

But there are just things I think about that I can't stand now.

Church camp.. was torture. They did a few fun things that I wasn't really interested in back then.. like fishing. We also went swimming.. which was fun.. even though I got such a bad sunburn that my shirt was stuck to my back the whole week. But then they made us do some stupid games they made up.. An obstacle course that consisted of weaving in and out of sticks and then sticking our hands into a mixmatched pile of goop to find some odd object that no doubt symbolized a line from the bible. Stuffing your mouth full of marshmallows and trying to quote the bible.. I still hate Marshmallows! Church EVERY night. The same repetitive bands over and over again.. playing the same Christian songs over and over again.

Christian music I was forced to listen to.. I was told the Beatles, AC/DC, Metallica.. and so many other bands were evil. It wasn't about the Christians around me being too afraid of change.. I listened to the Beatles and it all became clear.. I was being brainwashed by the music to believe my parents were insane. GUITARS DON'T GENTLY WEEP! THAT'S SATANIC! And remember the Christian music we listened to in Church camp? It wasn't until later that I realized those songs were just altered pop songs with added Christian words. Now.. I realize that isn't exactly legal.. I don't know if they paid the band so that they could do that or what. Country Hymns played in church 24/7 with the same lines over and over again. "We raise you up Jeeeeesus! x6 We love you Jesusssss! x6 *CHORUS* Jesus, we love you!"

And Halloween.. I can only remember one time where I actually talked my mother into letting me dress up and go TRICK-or-TREATING! I didn't have time to go with friends.. so it was just me and my mom. "Don't walk too far away from the van. People will kidnap you!" All of the other Halloweens I was dressing up as bible characters and going to Church... On HALLOWEEN.. to perform SKITS.

Halloween is one of the most creative holidays.. I could have been carving pumpkins.. going to haunted houses and being scared by clowns (I went once with a friend! It was a blast!).. deciding what I wanted to be.. going on Haunted Hayrides.. but I was forced to wear gray beards and robes like every other Christian child in Church and perform in some boring skit..

I was never allowed to buy comic books.. and I remember being a teenager and being told that the Lord of the Rings was evil. Wasn't allowed to watch Harry Potter (thank god) because it would tempt me with fantasy and candy. When I got into art, I always heard GASSPPPPPS when I found nude references for anatomy studies. Don't even want to know what my parents would think if I went to an art class where there was a nude model now.

My pastor use to say the Computer was evil. She gave in and started using one but soon after said the Internet was evil. Also gave in to that..

OHHHHHHH.. And those WEEKS where some pastor would show up and PREACH ALL NIGHT, ALL WEEK! 7-12am.. Monday - Sunday! Wake up in the morning and head off to school.. then go back to CHURCH 4 hours after getting out of school! Oh boy did I enjoy hanging out with the pastors instead of my friends!

Does anyone else have these bad memories of Church?

 

[justvisiting]

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy what your parents were trying to do to help you. If you only knew how easy it is to mess up a life, when you have the wrong friends. Someone I met when I was 13, affected my entire life adversely. Sounds like what the biggest problem was, is that they forced you into things. There is a real art to training up a child...and having them WANT to follow right ways. Believe me. They love you...and were interested in your well being. Seems you ran into some legalistic influences though.
Do this...Don't do this.
Christianity is the right way, but you have to want it for yourself...not because someone made you. It happens a lot to those that grow up in Christian homes. They think they missed something. You didn't. There is a whole lot of "hell" out there. One bad mistake can wreck your entire life.
You just need to go a Church of your choice, that you like. I prefer Evangelical Protestant churches.
Apostolic, Baptist, etc. The most important thing is to find friends and a minister that inspire you in the Christian faith.
Do yourself a favor. Don't try out the dark side...just to see what's over there. It's only hurt and perhaps years of heartaches.
You're on the right side, just find the right type of church that isn't legalistic.
Good Christians are the best people you will ever find. They forgive like no others, and care for your well being. Find a church that's like that.
Hope that helps you. Remember Christians aren't perfect either...in fact sometimes they are even worse for gossip mongering and backbiting. Somewhere out there, there is the church of believers you need to be in. I'm praying for you.