Strawberryhousemouse.... you will overcome this and you and your children will be in a better place for it. These are hard times and you can draw strength from your friends here and those who are near you and don't forget, if you don't have a church family.... you can always seek one out. The churches are there to help.
My church has assisted me in many ways... food drives, help paying a utility bill.... made me a shaw when I was in the hospital, helped clean my gutters and plowed my drive.... I have made many dear friends and the most important thing is they offer me up in their prayers as I do of them.
and Sunnydawn... I wanted to let you know how your words have touched me. It speaks volumes about the person I found myself married to. And there is life after this junk... a brighter and more hopeful life awaits us all when we can free ourselves from the abuse.
Sorry you had to make that decision, but if he can't answer that question with a resounding "no" then he should not be around your children. This is a Jim Jones kind of question, and shouldn't require an "I don't know". You shouldn't even consider killing your children in the name of God.
If he is true to his new religion, he will be out of the house from sometime this evening through the day tomorrow. I would take that opportunity to remove what you need to. Make sure you get copies of all the important papers too. You may not get another opportunity. You and your girls will be better off without this jerk.
I wish you every luck and good thing.
Maybe this will be enough of a wake-up call for him to return to his senses and decide what is really important to him. Most religious groups don't try to separate you from your family, and put you in a position to split your home.
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Whether or not it is just the "religion" or if it is something more, you made the right choice and as hard as it was you did what you needed to do to protect your children and yourself. His total lack of uncaring and unwillingness to change or work on this told you everything you needed to know. If it is in fact another woman and not the "religion" that will become apparent soon enough.
When you go back remember to bring someone or alert the authorities to stay on the cautious side... it's when a man is loosing parts of his world that he may and I say MAY become more hostile or desperate.
So please please err on the side of caution. May God be with you.
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He doesn't have to "allow" you to do anything. Remind him that God gave you a brain and free will to go with it. Do what you want. If he decides that he can't be be in the house because you are celebrating a holiday in your traditional fashion or because you are eating bread, it's his decision, his problem and his fault. Don't fall for the guilt trip. He is testing you. He is attempting to see if you can be dominated and pressured into submission. Remember, people (including husbands) can only use you as a doormat if you lay down and let them. You are obviously of two different religious beliefs. Talk it over. If you can communicate and work out the differences, great. If not, you might have irreconcilable differences. Marriage is a two way street.
ETA: Never mind. I posted before I read the rest of the thread. Be done with the man. It's one thing to do what God guides you to do, but totally another to do things that a cult and its leaders guide you to do. Just warn him to not drink the koolaide when his new friends offer it to him.
Oh honey I am so sorry. You made the right decision. I agree with the previous poster, while he is at service or out of the house tonight, get everything you need/ can. I don't even know you and if I was closer I would come and help you. Important documents, bank info, pictures, girls clothing, some of their favorite toys. You can get through this. If you need help there are secular groups out there too. United Way is big here in Cincinnati and I am sure they are out there as well. Big hugs and know that you have many people here pulling for you.
I'd suggest you talk to a lawyer ASAP and start the paper work on getting custody of the kids. As this point he has a much right to them as you do and that is a scary thought.