SubscribeMy mother-in-law was up visiting us last week. I’m sure its no surprise to you that I don’t always see eye to eye with her. Really, not ever at all. We are VERY different people, but that fact notwithstanding, I understand the important role she plays in the life of my children. When she has time for them anyway. But really people, I’m not here to complain about my mother-in-law per say. I’m here to complain about the fact that she is brainwashed by a crazy religion.
I felt we had a really nice visit with her and frankly I was relieved. But as she was about to leave, she told Chris and I that she wanted to speak to us privately. She then proceeded to tell us about a dream she had the first night she was here, wherein we were all miserable in the afterlife because we weren’t Mormon anymore. This dream was so troubling to her that she awoke after startled and was unable to get back to sleep for hours. She went on to explain that she was racked with guilt that perhaps she had done something wrong that had lead Chris away from the church.
I probably don’t need to tell you that I was pretty pissed off and sad. Not at my mother-in-law, but at this church for making her live this way. She is a good person, she doesn’t deserve to feel fear and guilt and be haunted by dreams. I wanted so badly to tell her that she doesn’t have to live that way, that it’s all for the glorification of a long dead, horny, opportunistic, megalomaniac and she needs to be free of it. But instead I didn’t say anything, and Chris just said something about how it wasn’t for us, and she was on her way.
I really wish this would mark the end of our families trying to get us to go back, but that’s just too much to hope for. I know there will be more scenes like this one for us in the future. More heartfelt pleas for us to quit stumbling around in darkness and return to the fold of the one true church. Something good did come out of this crazy dream episode for me though, it reminded me why I left in the first place.
And it does no good to try to explain to them the “downside” and the irrationalities of what they have been brainwashed to believe. I tried to voice my opinion when some of my family members confronted me and they got all bent out of shape and put me on the prayer list at their church! It is very frustrating. Believe me, I know what you are dealing with. It’s MADDENING and it IS sad that they are sucked into this belief that makes them feel sad and guilty all the time. Nobel prize winning author Jose Saramago wrote about those who are “Blinded by their own beliefs” and this I see is so true with so many people, unfortunately. It also amazing how some people are more interested in seeing you after you are dead than when you are alive!
It also amazing how some people are more interested in seeing you after you are dead than when you are alive!
Amen, Sister! Amen.
Really great post, Danica. Have you thought about putting a counter on your blog, so you can see who’s reading it and how many are reading it? I only mention it because I’m going to put your name up for nomination at the Koufax Awards website (http://wampum.wabanaki.net/) and thought it might be fun for you to see if you get any hits off it. Someone did that for me and Pearlswine and it’s been kind of fun seeing how many new people it brings in. Just a thought.
P.S.
http://wampum.wabanaki.net/vault/2005/12/002172.html
Scroll down to the bottom.
I do have site meter on my blog…and thanks so much for nominating me. It will be interesting to see what traffic it brings.
I thought I had given up on wanting those same things for my family years ago. I’ve recently realized that as long as I love them I will never stop wishing I could rescue them from all this horrid guilt and the inevitable neurosis it causes. The best I can do is give up and let them live the lives they choose without interfering. Sometimes the path to peace is live and let live. Down with guilt, I say!!!