Atheists & Agnostics

I can see why that would make you turn away from it all, and if your Dad's religion was the only one out there and all religions taught people to do those things, I wouldn't be a believer either.

However, I was raised with a completely different take on God, one that came from New Testament and the example of Jesus who said, "Suffer not the little ones." Jesus was a huge carpenter, when being a carpenter meant dragging the logs by hand. I could see him picking up someone who hurt a child and giving them, "the look" and one chance to take their head out of their rear.

He told his disciples in no uncertain terms that to hurt children was the biggest wrong that could be done.

His relationships with women in the Bible is one of seeing their worth, not confining them to proscribed roles.

At any rate, how you were treated was wrong. It was abusive.

How mankind abuses religion and their families is turning people away from God in huge numbers.

I hope whatever does bring you peace works for you. I wish your Dad had known a better way. Glad you got out.