The last time I heard from my mom she was "dis-inviting" me from the Memorial Day family reunion. Last night, I get an email from her telling me that she believes the rapture is happening in the summer of 2007. She used a lot of fatalistic language, said that God told her she wouldn't live past 50 (she's 48), and of course all of that hysteria was wrapped up in a "get right or get left" message.
She also sent this message to my two younger brothers, Jared 20 & Sam 22. I told her that if this was bothering me, who knows how getting emails like this is affecting them.
It's almost like I can handle her abusive words, but when she starts talking about how God has told her when she would die... I get a little freaked out. I *think* that what I'm feeling are some of the emotions of someone who has literally lost both of their parents. It's like a really empty sense of being alone in the world... a sense of grief...
Please pray for me. Pray for my mom. I don't know what to do.
Also, there are several young people in the ministry I lead who are going through similar things... Your prayers are appreciated.
If you have any advice, I'll also send that on to the young adult ministry.
Peace, Nate
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Perfect love casts out fear. God is love. Anything else is a lie.
I'm so sorry you are having to endure that. I wish I had magic words to make your mom believe differently, or to make it easier for you to hear such things, but I don't. The only advice I would have is to not get into arguments with her, just let her say whatever she is going to say. Then change the subject. I don't think you can argue with someone who believes like that - just let her say what she needs to say. Just keep being the Godly man of integrity that we all know you are!
I'm sure you know this, but your young people are welcome to email me if they ever want to talk to a "mom"! You too, for that matter!!
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Grace is the acceptance of that which is rejected. ~Paul Tillich
I am afraid that your mom has fallen into a religious cult. Jesus said that NO ONE besides God the Father Himself knows when it will be time for His return. Thanks to the craziness going on in the Middle East, all of these crazy cults are having a field day, claiming that this is the start of the battle of Gog and Magog and will lead to the Rapture. As a fan of the "Left Behind" books, myself, I know how one's "enthusiasm" for the return of Christ and our loved ones can make these events seem like "signs". The simple truth is that NO ONE is SUPPOSED to know when Jesus will be back, else they would be living in outright sin and then "repenting" five minutes before the Rapture. Your mom needs serious help.
As for thinking that she won't live past 50...I know how that can be. I once thought that as a gay man, I wouldn't live past 35. Here I am, one month past turning 36, and my life is better than ever! I am afraid that your mom is having a hard time with dealing with her life and is trying to find an "escape". This might also explain why she is so interested in the Second Coming.
I would try to reach her, inspite of how she feels about your homosexuality. She needs someone to come alongside her, letting her know that she isn't alone in whatever she is trying to deal with in life. Does she have any friends outside of her cultic church that she can talk to? Or has she completely cut herself off from the rest of the "non-believers" of the world?
I will pray for your whole family.
Dear Lord,
Help my friend's mom realize that she has fallen victim to a cult that is taking her both out of the real world and out of real biblical doctrine. She is feeling afraid, even though she is trying to appear like she knows what's going to happen next. Take her out from her crazy church and bring her back to her family, as well as to her senses. She isn't crazy, Lord...just a little lost and can't find her way back to reality. Help heal whatever rifts there are within her life and family that has led her to this. Bless them all and bring them together. Show her that You have a wonderful future for ALL of Your children. For in Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
If she wants someone to talk to about the "end times", give her my e-mail and we can discuss more about stuff like this. I went a little "Left Behind-looney" too in my ex-gay years and tried to escape my homosexuality through this stuff.
