wildcard, it doesn't sound callous. I know it sounds as if all I cared about for my son was the monetary side of life. I was just telling about how this church finacially raped him. My small family, spouse, myself, three children have never had much monetary worth. I never cared for more than to keep us comfortable. I taught my children to take care of what money they had/have and it will be useful to them someday. Also, I believe that when one is given such a tremendous gift, (such as the scholarship money), one should not flush it down the toity. My point with the money thing was to show the "greed" of this church.
That aside, this church has "spiritualy" raped my son. What he has allowed them to do just boggles my mind. I don't understand how this bright, loving, young man got sucked into this awful church. He comes from a family who has always, absolutely loved him. We all miss his great sense of humor, his funny stories, the plays he and his friends wrote, starred in and directed. They wrote songs too ! I miss his smile, his laughter, his spirit, how it lit up a room. I miss being able to introduce him to new friends. I miss having dinner with him.....shall I go on? I think what I failed to say is that this church took more than money, they took MY SON from me and his dad and our daughters brother. My girls long for the company and companship of their brother. They invite him to their home in the city they live in and he won't go. It's thirty miinutes from his house and he won't go. He's always busy with "church" stuff. And his "before I joined the church" friiends still stop by the house to inquire about him. his old buddies miss him too.
I see my son and his family twice a yr. He comes to the house when his wealthy granny is in town and on Christmas day. I feel deep sorrow that ii don't know my two grandchildren. If my son stays in that church, I may never know his children. He has taught them to be leary of me, his dad and his sisters. when he came to see his granny last summer, his son spit on my daughters instead of hugging them goodbye when they left. My son laughed, thought it was funny. It wasn't funny. My girls love that boy and were hurt by his actions.
Anyway, widlcard, I to have lost family because of this church. If he ever leaves, I'll be the happiest mom on earth. I'll make him all his favorite foods to celebrate! I'll squeeze him so tight he will think his head is going to pop off his 6'5" frame, (and make him about 8" shorter!). My girls and I have discussed his homecoming many times. My door and heart are ALWAYS open. He is my son.