My Childhood experience <thanks for reading in advance>

I remember being afraid of the dark sometimes mortified to the point I would rather wet my own bed then brave the dark hallway to the bathroom. I remember getting myself in to such a fit of fear by imagining all the things that lived in the dark. However it wasn't just in my awaken state I would imagine these beasts and phantoms but they would haunt my dreams. There was a time where my older brother and I would both awaken in the same night from night terrors. They were never the same dream of course but now when I think about it the timing was always within minutes of each other. Well one night my mom had had enough she must have been awoken from one or both of us each day of that past week. She had come up with an idea of taking us down to the kitchen and having us sit at the table and draw our our nightmares. We would draw them out and she would then crumple up or rip the nightmares to shreds and then throw them away. Telling us our nightmares are garbage now and they will never bother us again. However this particular night my brother was drawing a man getting shot and my mothers answer was stop watching crime movies as she crumpled up the nightmare and disposed of it. Mine, now mind you I was 4 years of age tops, was of two demons a male and a female. I explained how I knew because the female had breasts and I was in hell. My mom looked at it then looked at me then looked at it again and said she will tell my grandmother to stop showing me the Holy Mary tapes and she ripped it up and tossed it. Though I still saw and detected an uneasiness with her. The Holy Mary tapes were tapes my grandma recorded off the tv they were shows about the Lady of Fatima and other such miracles and visions of Mary. But thats not were I saw the demons. I only had seen then in my dreams or in my mind as I imagined the horrors of the dark. My mothers disposal of nightmares only lasted for awhile until the nightmares returned again however prior to that I asked my Dad about demons and angels and he told me to pray if ever I was afraid of demons and remember I had a guardian angel watching me always. Around this time the night mares began again this time in my dreams I was being chased by evil I would run and run in my dreams and the imps would gain on me fast and soon be cornered against a wall when all seemed lost I would pray a prayer so powerful that light would emanate from my body and I would cry and immediately awake after I said "Amen". After that I had very good dreams after that although I would get the occasional chasing/prayer dream. It was then that I thought God was talking to me. I will explain, being around four or so I didn't know any specific prayer besides the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary". What ever I wanted or was afraid of I would just give to God and tell him to help me. I remember once though I was distraught about something I am not particularly sure why or what but I didn't know how to ask for help from God in a better way. So I asked God to help me pray. And as I child I swore I heard him in my head recite to me psalm 23 "the lord is my shepherd". Of course I didn't know the name of it but I remember being elated hearing it because to me it was so beautiful. I couldn't recite it to you now for anything however whenever I hear that prayer now I feel lifted and happy. Along with that as a child after my father told me about guardian angels I was obsessed with putting a face and description to mine, so when it was dark at night I imagined a beautiful angel at the edge my bed with crimson lips and a deep green robe and stain glass wings. Braving the hall at night was no choir but a delight as I imagined my angel lighting the way. As well as during the day if I was naughty or screaming at my brothers or parents something would fall on my head and they would tell me my guardian angel was doing it to keep me good. Now, I am much older and I don't quite fantasize about my angel however I do get a voice from time to time whispering in my ear to take another route when driving or leave a place that may seem harmless and unthreatening. I have many examples 3 times I can recall, when I was driving and something told me to turn and go a different way and inevitably there was an accident.
Now a days I noticed it seems less and less people believe. Yes I am sure a lot of what happened to me as a child and as an adult could be explained logically and scientifically if need be. But however is it so wrong to have faith? I hear and read about people who believe the Bible is junk and its just words. However I would like to make a counter point to those who don't believe. The Bible itself is so simple of a book, a book of rules that plainly state not to steal not to kill not lie against others, etc.. And even more simple in the new testament it was narrowed down to two of the commandments, Love thy neighbor as yourself and treat others as you would want to be treated. As well as there are people who try to destroy the bible by applying science. Remember the bible was written by men of faith not men of science. So when people say the world couldn't have been made in 6 days. Does it really matter if the world was made in 6 days or many centuries what it does come down to is the awe and the miracle that we even exist at all? And that we have still managed to after many generations to keep on existing. The point in which I write this isn't to preach and it isn't to force my veiws on anyone. It has been something I have been thinking about for a long time. Remembering the happenings that went on with me as a child that made me want to post it. So thanks for reading.

Please use the SPACE bar because your post is very dense and that makes it difficult to read.

Originally posted by LauraCarenNow a days I noticed it seems less and less people believe. Yes I am sure a lot of what happened to me as a child and as an adult could be explained logically and scientifically if need be. But however is it so wrong to have faith?

There's nothing wrong with faith as long as it isn't imposed upon others. But there are lots of people including me who cannot believe in something without there being any evidence for it.

Does it really matter if the world was made in 6 days or many centuries what it does come down to is the awe and the miracle that we even exist at all?

Yeah it does. Humans are curious, we want to know the truth. And the truth about where we come from has not been found in the bible, but in science.

And that we have still managed to after many generations to keep on existing.

And yet so close to self-destruction, and bringing other species to extinction along with us :shk:

Originally posted by LauraCaren
when all seemed lost I would pray a prayer so powerful that light would emanate from my body and I would cry and immediately awake after I said "Amen". After that I had very good dreams after that although I would get the occasional chasing/prayer dream.
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So I asked God to help me pray. And as I child I swore I heard him in my head recite to me psalm 23 "the lord is my shepherd". Of course I didn't know the name of it but I remember being elated hearing it because to me it was so beautiful. I couldn't recite it to you now for anything however whenever I hear that prayer now I feel lifted and happy.

Thanks for sharing, Laura,

So true, children are especially close to God.

Were there any other special moments that you recall?

STM

reply to post by DarkSide


darkside
I was using a different word document then i cut and pasted it to this so if this is how it turned out then this is how it turned out. I wasn't imposing my beliefs on you you chose to read my post all by yourself.

It is still a miracle to me that we are all around the earth the planets other galaxies and such. And in miracle I mean in a pretty broad sense in the word.

I thank you for you're opinion.

reply to post by seentoomuch


seentoomuch, those are the ones that stick out the most. besides the things I told you in U2U's. I have to remember if i have anymore. will post about them later

[edit on 10/14/2007 by seentoomuch]

Originally posted by LauraCaren
darkside
I was using a different word document then i cut and pasted it to this so if this is how it turned out then this is how it turned out. I wasn't imposing my beliefs on you you chose to read my post all by yourself.

It was just a tip to make your long post easier to read, that's all. I never said you were imposing your beliefs

It is still a miracle to me that we are all around the earth the planets other galaxies and such. And in miracle I mean in a pretty broad sense in the word.

I thank you for you're opinion.

Fascinating indeed. The good old "existence over non-existence" problem.

Perhaps, when I talk about my beliefs I come off as naive. I am sure all the things I experienced can be explained logically. My belief in God or a god doesn't mean I walk around in life with rose colored glasses. I know what is going on in the world today and I do in away understand why people lose they're faith. Why just watching any news station any day of the week can make even the strongest person wince. George Carlin I believe once said (and I loosely quote)" I would rather believe in a God and when I die find out there isn't one, then not to believe and find out there is". I take this as isn't it good to have a little faith than none at all?
My belief I feel doesn't fit into any major religious category. i was raised a Catholic but I never really understood or liked the fact we have to give money to the church, or that only until recently the Pope pardoned Galleao for saying the Earth was round. Little things like that, that aren't what God wants but what people want and wanted at the time they were made Catholic law. I mean the fact that I married my Husband and he is who he is I am sure there is a law that states I should be burnt at the stakes.
Yet however with the way I am comfortable and interpret the Bible I probably wouldn't be considered a protestant or baptist either. My faith is based solely on my own personal relationship to God. Sure I want to know all about the universe and how it was made and who/ what made it. I want to know if there is other life out there. That is the miracle I see as well as the miracle right here on Earth.
I will probably get attacked for this too, but I figure Religion has always been a touchy subject and debate is fun.

The Bible itself is so simple of a book, a book of rules that plainly state not to steal not to kill not lie against others, etc.. And even more simple in the new testament it was narrowed down to two of the commandments, Love thy neighbor as yourself and treat others as you would want to be treated.

Dudes...the ten commandments came from the Egyptian book of the dead, there's no truth in copying ideas from one religion and then silently integrating them into another.