Boen Wang

Well, how about all the free stuff that you and dad got when you were first in Oklahoma?

Well, how about all the free stuff that you and dad got when you were first in Oklahoma?

Over the years, my mom's been really hurt by people from church. She'd raise questions about the Bible. Like, if God created everything, why did he also create Satan? Why would he allow Satan to tempt Eve into eating the forbidden fruit? Why would he even create forbidden fruit in the first place? No one at church would ever fully engage with her.

Over the years, my mom's been really hurt by people from church. She'd raise questions about the Bible. Like, if God created everything, why did he also create Satan? Why would he allow Satan to tempt Eve into eating the forbidden fruit? Why would he even create forbidden fruit in the first place? No one at church would ever fully engage with her.

They'd give her surface-level platitudes that never satisfied her. There was also a period when she was depressed. I remember coming home from school and seeing my mom lying on the couch, with the lights turned off and the curtains closed. My mom tells me that while some people at church helped her in this moment, others weren't so kind, and some actually seemed happy that she was suffering.

They'd give her surface-level platitudes that never satisfied her. There was also a period when she was depressed. I remember coming home from school and seeing my mom lying on the couch, with the lights turned off and the curtains closed. My mom tells me that while some people at church helped her in this moment, others weren't so kind, and some actually seemed happy that she was suffering.

Wait, really? Yeah. At church? Yeah. Why do they think that you're a non-believer?

Wait, really? Yeah. At church? Yeah. Why do they think that you're a non-believer?

Why did you stop participating?

Why did you stop participating?

She hasn't been there since the pandemic shut everything down and is much happier for it. But as my mom withdrew from church, my dad got even more involved. He became a deacon and spent more and more time at church functions and less and less time at home with his family. If someone needed a ride to the supermarket, he would do it. If someone needed a ride to the airport, he would do it.

She hasn't been there since the pandemic shut everything down and is much happier for it. But as my mom withdrew from church, my dad got even more involved. He became a deacon and spent more and more time at church functions and less and less time at home with his family. If someone needed a ride to the supermarket, he would do it. If someone needed a ride to the airport, he would do it.

My mom was not happy about this.

My mom was not happy about this.

So do you feel like church almost destroyed our family?

So do you feel like church almost destroyed our family?

So my mom finally put her foot down and gave my dad an ultimatum.

So my mom finally put her foot down and gave my dad an ultimatum.

It was almost comforting, realizing I wasn't the odd one out in my family. I thought I was the only one who was damaged by Christianity and who left the church. I thought it was me against them. But it turns out that my mom was actually on my side this whole time. Who knew? I wasn't surprised that my dad gave in to my mom, though. When it comes down to it, he puts family first.

It was almost comforting, realizing I wasn't the odd one out in my family. I thought I was the only one who was damaged by Christianity and who left the church. I thought it was me against them. But it turns out that my mom was actually on my side this whole time. Who knew? I wasn't surprised that my dad gave in to my mom, though. When it comes down to it, he puts family first.