An additional note about my relationship with my Grandmom. As I have mentioned in previous video titled “Boss Level Karen says 'There's not enough room for both of us on this planet, Mother-In-Law!'” Following the patriarch's decision to move back to his place of birth where my Grandmom still lived, I began spending Friday nights with her.
Having been isolated from every conceivable social, emotional and psychological sphere since I was snatched away from my grandmother in 1973 and moved a state away, I quickly developed a curiosity about her religion.
Grandmom Gertie was Baptist. In 1973, my parents had abandoned traditional religion and forced us to begin attending a cult, “The Worldwide Church of God,” once known as “The Radio Church of God,” since it was primarily found on radio.
One of those Friday evenings, in an act of quote unquote, “sinful rebellion” I attempted to sneak a Christian publication out in the back of my pants. I had called a 1-800 phone number advertising it for free, and received it by mail.
Immediately, the matriarch suspected I was hiding something and performed a physical search. She was not at all happy about the presence of religious literature contrary to the cult's doctrines. However, she allowed me to slip out with the booklet.
She would later accuse my Grandmom Gertie of teaching me to “Rebel against her authority.“
After a few weeks, my Grandmom Gertie invited me to attend her church with her. Surprisingly, my parents granted permission.
After a few weeks, Grandmom Gertie invited me to attend church with her. Surprisingly, my parents granted permission. (Parents agreed? Or did the Matriarch with-hold the information from the Patriarch, just to enrage him?)
I went with my Grandmom to her Baptist church and heard songs I had not heard before, listened to the sermon and carefully observed my surroundings. After years of hearing in the cult how Baptists... protestants and Catholics were the spawn of Satan, I realized the only thing I was observing was that I was surrounded by “normal” people.
Satan was not present. When the church service closed and Grandmom and our cousin Josie drove to a local restaurant called the Silver Hill Grill and we ate lunch together, it was the happiest... and the closest to normal I had ever felt in my life.
But that dream would come crashing down when Grandmom drove home that Sunday.
When we arrived back on the property, I got out of Grandmom's car, and watched her drive off, waving goodbye to her. It had genuinely been the happiest day of my life that I could remember.
Suddenly, the Patriarch came out of the TV Repair building and approached me, shaking his fist violently and screaming. He was so loud, that everyone in the surrounding neighborhood heard him.
“You know which day is the TRUE sabbath! You will never go there again! Never again!“
He ranted and raged for several minutes, shaking his fist in an explosive, mind-melting rage.
I slinked away, counting my blessings that I wasn't beaten to death on the spot. But just around the corner, my grandmom was just getting out of her car and heard every word of his violent rage.
I didn't see my grandmom for several days. When I did, she was sorrow-stricken, and her eyes were red from tears. She said she would not bring me to church with her again because of all the trouble it had caused.
