Lydia Sherman: A free-form rant

[Jebediah]

That is possibly the greatest idea ever, Renae.

[Spark]

Jun 5, 2009 17:13:16 GMT -5 Nutcase said:

Jun 5, 2009 15:30:40 GMT -5 Spark said:

My mother shares a lot of the same views as Lydia Sherman and this is exactly what happened to me as a result. Years of social isolation combined with emotional and physical abuse have turned me into a complete mess. I usually feel pretty miserable and I have severe anxiety issues and very low self-esteem. Unfortunately, aside from losing the desire to die in my sleep, I haven't made much progress in repairing the damage.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that. You might actually get some solace out of this blog: 2spb.blogspot.com . The women who maintain it are ex-Quiverfull, and recovering from the damage of it.

I would also suggest, if you're comfortable with the idea, that you seek 'spiritual direction,' if you're at all interested in maintaining any part of your faith. I assure you, it's not as hokey as the name suggests. Just be sure to find someone who respects your decisions instead of judging them.

If you can't afford it, or there is no one with experience in your area, check out Quaker Jane. She's a 'plain clothes' Quaker, so she looks a bit weird, and likewise her manner of speech is unusual, but you might find a spiritual direction dialogue helpful.

It was probably going to far to say that they share a lot of the same views. I didn't want to make my post too long, so I left out a lot of details. Though my mother is definitely a fundy, she isn't quiver-full (I'm the first of only two offspring) and her controlling behavior isn't religiously motivated. She's just a very manipulative, domineering person with a low capacity for empathy.
I should have said that she shares the views expressed in this particular article, like these:

There is no guaranteed safe place in a public setting unless their parents are with them. There is certainly nothing risky about keeping our children around us. It is better to be safe, than to be sorry.

Daughters are not safe, even with a group of girls their own age, at a mall. In fact, that attracts more attention. Rarely does anyone "lose" their daughter when she is with the family or with her parents. The family was created to provide the protection that daughters need.Personally, I see danger even in allowing girls to spend the night at others girls homes, for slumber parties, when there is a low adult/young person ratio.

She kept me as isolated from society as possible, supposedly because it would never be safe for me to go anywhere on my own or with a group. I was trying to say that I know from personal experience how much of a setback it is to be raised that way. I can't even communicate with people over the internet without feeling a great deal of fear of saying something stupid or off-putting.

I've been agnostic for a few years now and don't have a faith to maintain, but I'd like to look at those sites you linked to anyway. Thanks.