I think something that doesn’t get talked about very much but needs to, is what happens to pastor’s kids. Specifically, the kids that are raised by Pentecostal pastors.
It’s bad enough being raised in a strictly religious household. Everything is a sin. Music is a sin, having non-believer friends is a sin, secular TV is a sin, having a thought that contradicts the bible or what the church is a sin, asking questions is a sin, every little fucking thing that ever so slightly contradicts the bible or the church is a sin.
But I’ve seen Pastors kids grow up to become among the most fucking miserable human beings I’ve ever known. To the point where, to this very day, I feel bad for them.
There’s a couple of instances where I saw a pastors kids grow up to become pastors themselves, or pastors wives. 2 come in mind, and both were the offspring of the lead pastor from the church I essentially grew up in. The son, despite being a pastor himself, was very clearly full of rage, bitterness, and would often tell stories about how much he disliked the strict and nonbending way he was raised (that he asked forgiveness for in regard to his bitterness). His daughter, a beautiful young woman who clearly wore the expression and mentality of a brainwashed and gaslit child, would often give the young men looks of lust and desire. She was essentially forced to marry a fat, unattractive man because she was raised to believe to be a pastor’s wife and that’s what that man aspired to be. Never really having a choice in the matter, via her beliefs, but clearly yearning for a mate that she was actually attracted to.
What people don’t realize about these unfortunate circumstances surrounding these poor kids, is not only did they not choose to be born into these disgusting situations, but they cannot escape. There are many instances of kids getting away from cults. Myself included. But Pastors kids are a special situation. Because they are born with a legacy to follow, and everyone knows that about them. And they themselves feel pressure for not only being devout, but being and example and becoming just as faithful, if not more so, than their parents. Getting away from the cult is especially difficult for them. They feel more pressure and face more brainwashing than kids that are simply PART of the cult.
It’s so sad to see, because many of them will overcompensate and become the exact opposite of what they were expected to become and turn out in the worst of ways. Others will follow their given path and become miserable in their own right.
I feel for them. Honestly.
