[Anon-San]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Mental and physiological pain is one of the hardest things to overcome. Although it’s maybe not as pronounced and not as mind numbing as physical pain in it’s ferocity and degrees, nevertheless the constant of the concealed burden that’s basically never visible or opened to an outside world is dramatic and can become unbearable.

As someone who has been through the experience of the local church with all of its rituals, shunnings & cutting off of all normal, natural human needs which causes extreme damage and pain to all involved and I also went through immense pain of sexual abuse. I will take the physical pain seven days a week and twice on Sunday over the mental & psychological issues that come from the Local church association. Being violated physically can be overcome by just a mere understanding of a fallen, wicked & unregenerate man, but overcoming mental and psychological issues and pain done to you under the structure and the name of God, can become overwhelming.

I am very sorry to hear about your experience, though your abuse should have NEVER happened from the beginning had it not been the neglectful and passive nature of the saints that harmed you and enabled your perpetrator(s).

Being out the church for some time, I do not get how any sane person can fully sit and listen through a meeting for 2-3 hours straight- let alone for those with short(er) attention spans. I remember one retreat I attended has one of leading brother the gall to tell us to try not use the restroom until the actual 15-minute break time (scheduled after a 2.5hr long meeting). The leading brothers, more likely than not, will blame you for being bored because you are not getting into the word enough. I'd rather be productive in my own hobbies than to hear from the elders reiterating how the world is fallen and that your own personal interests, desires, secular friends, and livelihood are distracting you from being one with the Lord.