Pastor Father's Emails

[marroncream]

Dear All,

 

Thank you for all your replies, they've been very useful. My dad emailed me this today: 'At least you won't be kicked out of heaven. But you need to re-examine your relationship with God' (in response to my worries about having to leave the UK due to visa requirements tightening). Receiving that at 9 in the morning set a moody, stressful tone for the rest of the day, but I remembered the comments for my post on this site and I felt better.

 

Hi William, yes I'm the eldest of two daughters. My sister, in contrast to me, is highly devout, to the point of superstition. I think it's her way of understanding the world, putting things in black and white boxes, so that everything can be explained and everything is for a reason. It helps her deal with her insecurities.

[ShallowByThyGame]

I'm amazed you can hold up against your father like that. I don't know what I'd do if mine was more aggressive towards me concerning religion.

 

Regarding the fatherly power stuff, that is amazingly arrogant of him. What 'western' culture teaches is that we all command our own destiny and thought, and those ideas have improved the lives of many, and brought the world out of the dark ages.

 

To quote Aragorn of LOTR: "You bow to no one."

 

It's funny how he criticizes the tyranny of China while tyrannizing you, as if a Christian China would suddenly stop arresting anyone who questions the government.

 

I don't have any great advice for you, but never back down from your beliefs. You can say 'I don't see it that way' or 'my experiences have shown me otherwise' or even 'you speak of Christ's love and forgiveness but your disrespect of me says otherwise' if you want to go the offensive.

 

Wish I could add more to help but I hope that you pull through, and tell your story to others who also are struggling with their families.