I sometimes refer to my mother as a jesus addict. To me, I see her clinging to religion to try to convince herself that this gives her some measure of control over her life. It saddens me.
I don't know what goes on in her mind, nor can I really find out, but I think her actions are representative of who she is. She does not like being questioned, even on the smallest issues, about her position. Sometimes her argument is "Isn't it obvious?" If it's so obvious, it should be easy to defend.
It's gotten in the way of her job. It has disrupted our family life. She's been disrespectful towards others because of their faith or lack thereof. She's used money earmarked for bills, clothes, food, among other things, for tithing. She's ignored her children in favor of praying. (I have a vivid memory of tugging on her sleeve, bleeding rather profusely from a cut finger, and her swatting me away, saying she was praying.) She's gotten into a couple car accidents while praying; at least once because she didn't have control of the car because she had one hand in praise position (I can only vouch for this one, because I was in the car, although she has mentioned being distracted while driving because she's praying for the others).
But mostly, and most importantly, it hasn't made her any happier. If anything, it seems like it's made her more unhappy. She overeats and procrastinates. There isn't any lightness in her being. And there's always a frown on her face.
I'm not saying that everyone who's Christian is an addict, although that is often my first thought. In this case, though, it seems like it to me. Though it's not like I could take her to a rehab program to detox her, since her drug is inside her head.
Writing this has made me feel sad. I don't think I'll speak of this anymore.
3 comments:
So sad. My take on people like this is they are usually terrified by death, and this makes them feel like it gives them a better chance at heaven. Altho, they would deny that supposition with their dying breath....
my take on this is a little less nice...
while religion isn't necessarily a bad thing, weak people often use it to hang up any sense of thought, logic and reason to sacrifice themselves to a larger entity;
understanding that you may not have all the answers and there is a creator is fine, but when you strive to do nothing in this life to reward yourself in the after life, you essentially forgo and give up the one thing you have that god has given you - life.
people who would give to church when they must go without are essentially enslaving themselves to god. they are taking the path that says that the greater good is more important then the individual, and devaluing the life they are given - in the here and now.
i would agree that your mom is has a serious problem, and find some sort of relief knowing that you seem to have not inherited it. you use your brain, as god gave you and question without blind belief that you surely have been taught...
pretty much the same thing as bob; religion is (I am Christian) essentially what each individual person makes it and it's pretty important that you don't enslave yourself while using it as an excuse.
Damn sunspotbaby you are harsh. You're talking about his mom like that?
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