A women who has been my friend for many a year is no longer.
I have lost to God, or a cult in a way.
About 4 years ago she started to go to this new church.
She lives in the country and these are country folk, farmers, mostly Germans, many Lutheran.
This small country church is very very strict, very clannish (sic).
They only socialize with members of the church, everyone else is a sinner and not to be trusted.
I am so sad about this. I feel she is being brainwashed and yes she has changed. Every word out of her mouth is God this and God that. The bible says this bible says that. She does not have one independent thought in her head. It did not happen over night but it did happen.
After her mom died I think that is when she went off the deep end.
I know she is unhappy about her weight and her looks.
"not aging well " is her term. She wants to do something about that but the church feels that would be vain. She used to go to WWatchers but that has stopped, which is a shame because she seemed so much happier when she lost some of the weight. I fear it will become a health issue soon. She is about 250 lbs that is 100 over what she should be.
If I try and ask her to do something fun it's "I have to do this for the church or I have plans with my friends." The church has just taken control.
The same thing happened to my friend when a highschool friend of her's became a Jehovah Witness. All the old friends who were no JW were out of her life.
Why does a belief in God sometimes have to isolate people instead of bring them together?
My poor beautiful friend, now a mindless zombie without a single thought of her own. It really really makes me so sad.