Crazy

[samurai10]

My friend's mom is nuts. Absolutely nuts. She's totally, 100% into religion, saying that painting nails (she's a manicurist) is sinful, going to church at least 15 times a week, and running around after all these visionaries that are saying that the world's gonna end soon. It's driving my friend crazy. If she wasn't worried about what would happen to her, she would have run away from home a long time ago.

I used to see her every week at a certain church function. Then that became once every other week, then once a month, then once in a blue moon. Why? Because her mom said that it didn't satisfy her spiritually. And now, I only see her twice a year, when her mom brings her to my house on my birthday and on her birthday.

It totally sucks, especially since she's my closest friend, and the one that I've had the longest (six years). She totally supported me when I had my big break up, (even though she did say I told you so. Meh, I needed it) and she's one of the sixteen friends I've met IRL.

But now her mom has come up with another crazy idea. Moving to Indiana. Why? So that she can become a country bumpkin and be away from the sin of the city. (Sin of the city=painting nails) If her mom does move to Indiana, I won't see her for years. Then use the phone! Talk on the internet! you would probably say. BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME.

Basically, please please please pray that her mom won't move to Indiana. I really don't want her to go, and my friend will be even more miserable than she is right now, since she's not physical at all. And my friend really doesn't adjust to new places very well. She's been at her current church for over a year, and she hasn't made one friend. Not even one acquaintance under the age of 20.

Thanks so much in advance.

[Xeno]

My friend's mom is nuts. Absolutely nuts. She's totally, 100% into religion, saying that painting nails (she's a manicurist) is sinful, going to church at least 15 times a week, and running around after all these visionaries that are saying that the world's gonna end soon. It's driving my friend crazy. If she wasn't worried about what would happen to her, she would have run away from home a long time ago.

Ah, fundamentalist christianity sure is fun isn't it? Also, I'm sure that fifteen times a week is a bit of an exaggeration, most fundamentalist evangelical churches have two Sunday services, a Wednesday service, prayer on Tuesday or Thursday, and depending on congregation size and racial make-up they might have a foreign language service on Friday or Saturday. We're up to five times, make it six if you throw in a youth service.

By the way, aren't all Christians supposed to be 100% into it?

I used to see her every week at a certain church function. Then that became once every other week, then once a month, then once in a blue moon. Why? Because her mom said that it didn't satisfy her spiritually. And now, I only see her twice a year, when her mom brings her to my house on my birthday and on her birthday.

It totally sucks, especially since she's my closest friend, and the one that I've had the longest (six years). She totally supported me when I had my big break up, (even though she did say I told you so. Meh, I needed it) and she's one of the sixteen friends I've met IRL.

You mean the big break up that there is an incredalong thread about on this site? Also, you've met 16 online friends in real life? Geez.

But now her mom has come up with another crazy idea. Moving to Indiana. Why? So that she can become a country bumpkin and be away from the sin of the city. (Sin of the city=painting nails)

You really have no idea how this works. Painting nails is only one of MANY things fundamentalist christians are going to be against. Attempting to get away from the "sin of the city" is an attempt to get away from a number of things, not just nail painting. You only know one aspect of the situation.

If her mom does move to Indiana, I won't see her for years. Then use the phone! Talk on the internet! you would probably say. BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME.

OH NOEZ! Tell me about it, I make a large move on average about every 3.57 years (7 moves in 25 years). You make friends, you lose friends, you make new friends, and then you lose those friends. Adapt.

Basically, please please please pray that her mom won't move to Indiana. I really don't want her to go, and my friend will be even more miserable than she is right now, since she's not physical at all. And my friend really doesn't adjust to new places very well. She's been at her current church for over a year, and she hasn't made one friend. Not even one acquaintance under the age of 20.

Seriously, this is kind of confusing. She's not physical? So she's a non-corporeal being or she's unattractive? What are you trying to say, I don't understand? As far as her not adjusting well to new environments or making new friends very well, that's really on her. Life throws curve balls at people and they have to learn to deal with them, it's best to learn to handle them when you're younger, such as in your teens, so they don't faze you as much when you're an adult.

[Atria35]

^ I think Xeno summed that up quite nicely. Yes, it will be hard for you to make new friends, but you will. And you should. Not just online friends you meet IRL, but people you know IRL to begin with. And she needs to learn how to make new friends as well. The sooner the better.

Her mother's situation is very rough on your friend, too, I'm sure. She has to learn to deal with her mother's beliefs! So praying that she finds some sort of solid outlet for her stress and frustrations. It's always difficult when someone's religious beliefs are a lot stricter than what you're used to.

[samurai10]

Ah, fundamentalist christianity sure is fun isn't it? Also, I'm sure that fifteen times a week is a bit of an exaggeration, most fundamentalist evangelical churches have two Sunday services, a Wednesday service, prayer on Tuesday or Thursday, and depending on congregation size and racial make-up they might have a foreign language service on Friday or Saturday. We're up to five times, make it six if you throw in a youth service.

I am not exaggerating. She seriously drags my friend to church at least twice a day. And if you want correct numbers, my friend calculated that she goes to church 16 times a week. Three Mass services on Sunday, morning service everyday, an hour adoration in the evening, and Bible study conducted by some prophet on Wednesday.

By the way, aren't all Christians supposed to be 100% into it?

Valid point. But I don't think they're supposed to be so into it that they forget all prudence and want to quit their jobs so that they can be at church all day. (And yes, my friend's mom has quit two jobs for this. She now only works three days a week, which makes barely enough to get by.)

You mean the big break up that there is an incredalong thread about on this site?

Yes, I do mean that big break up. I'm sorry if my troubles concerning my ex have been annoying you.

Also, you've met 16 online friends in real life? Geez.

Including my ex, yes. And I'm not quite sure what this means.... But for clarification, I meant that I only have 16 IRL friends. The one I'm talking about USED to be an IRL friend, but yeah.

You really have no idea how this works. Painting nails is only one of MANY things fundamentalist christians are going to be against. Attempting to get away from the "sin of the city" is an attempt to get away from a number of things, not just nail painting. You only know one aspect of the situation.

Point taken. I still don't think she should move halfway across the country just to get away from the city.

OH NOEZ! Tell me about it, I make a large move on average about every 3.57 years (7 moves in 25 years). You make friends, you lose friends, you make new friends, and then you lose those friends. Adapt.

Look, I just don't want to lose such a close friend after having her as a friend for six years. Is that such a bad thing?

Seriously, this is kind of confusing. She's not physical? So she's a non-coporeal being or she's unattractive? What are you trying to say, I don't understand? As far as her not adjusting well to new environments or making new friends very well, that's really on her. Life throws curve balls at people and they have to learn to deal with them, it's best to learn to handle them when you're younger, such as in your teens, so they don't faze you as much when you're an adult.

She's not physical as in she's very bad with hard labor. I didn't know that statement would be so confusing, sorry. She's one of those brainy, nerdy type kids. Personally, I think thrusting someone like her on a farm and forcing her to do hard labor when she's really bad at it would make her depressed. That could just be me though.

I just want prayers that her mom won't move half way across the country.

[MrKrillz0r]

I'm sorry to hear that her mom have turned out like that, and I'll be praying for her, as well as your friend and you. Remember to be there for her in hard times like these, and also remember that her mom is probably hurting in a way as well, buying into lies which makes life without joy.

[DaughterOfZion]

So your friend's mother has joined a cult and wants to run off to Indiana to some compound or something? Is that basically what your saying? I'm just a little confused, clarification would help.
There seem to be key gaps in the story, like you jumping from moving to Indiana to physical labor, which greatly confuses me. Is she just moving to Indiana in general, or is there already some actual farm up in Indiana run by this church or whatever they are that mom wants to move to and work on? What denomination is this? When you say "prophet" do you mean some Jim Jones type or do they just consider him to be able to prophesy about this that and the other?

[Bio_Plus]

Praying for you and your friend Samurai.

[Xeno]

Sounds like she's joined a cult and is moving to Indiana to get to the main headquarters or compound. Prayer isn't going to change that. A healthy dose of reality might, but not prayer.

I still don't think she should move halfway across the country just to get away from the city.

It's not your life, not your decision. So what you think she should do really doesn't matter. That being said, if she has joined a cult, I would urge you to try to get your parents or someone you know who has their head bolted on nice and tight to try to get your friend's mother to snap back to reality.

[samurai10]

So your friend's mother has joined a cult and wants to run off to Indiana to some compound or something? Is that basically what your saying? I'm just a little confused, clarification would help.
There seem to be key gaps in the story, like you jumping from moving to Indiana to physical labor, which greatly confuses me. Is she just moving to Indiana in general, or is there already some actual farm up in Indiana run by this church or whatever they are that mom wants to move to and work on? What denomination is this? When you say "prophet" do you mean some Jim Jones type or do they just consider him to be able to prophesy about this that and the other?

Eep, sorry.

She's a Catholic, as well as I. But she's in a certain group of Catholics, those who are totally against anything that came out in Vatican II (It was a huge meeting of high church authorities from all over the world). They're called "Traditionalists" since they keep to tradition and refuse to change. And she has some ideas that are totally against the Catholic faith.

She wants to move to Indiana, since there's a group of Traditionalists over there. She wants to buy some land and start her own farm.

And there are a bunch of so called prophets popping up all over the place. This guy's just one of them. They're saying that the end of the world is near, and that you have to get your house ready for the days of darkness and all that sort of junk.

Is that clear enough? Sorry, I tend to go all over the place.

That being said, if she has joined a cult, I would urge you to try to get your parents or someone you know who has their head bolted on nice and tight to try to get your friend's mother to snap back to reality.

I have. My parents know all the stuff that's going on with my friend's mom, and they agree she's crazy. My mom has tried multiple multiple times to get her to snap out of it but she is stubborn. Last time they talked, they got in a discussion that lasted nearly two hours. Didn't work. I haven't yet told them about this new idea of my friend's mom, but I will.

[DaughterOfZion]

Much more informative, thanks. ^_^

Anyways, sorry about the situation. :/