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Having once lived in Tennessee, I knew some people who were friends with the folks at that church where the late pastor held forth. They were in utter shock when this happened, because, as is true in many fundamentalist homes, many things are not discussed or even contemplated. One the one hand the pastor, it seemed to me, was a horse's rear end, replete with all of the hangups and power plays found so often within fundamentalism/pentecostalism/charismania. She, on the other hand, was an insecure girl in a woman's body who apparently never voiced her opinions to her husband for fear or some sort of reprisal.

Yet from what I have continued to hear from down south, is that the sex thing was what really outraged the congregation--along with the killing, too. There is such a narrow-minded view of what is "proper" sex within a marriage and that outside the bounds of that is considered utter evil--you know, things liberals do. The whole thing to me just reeked of a lifestyle and mindset that is so terribly restricted, so totally based on unrealistic and fantastic beliefs, that such tragedies are not to be out of the ordinary.

I am sure we all know (or were ourselves in such disfunctional relationships ourselves) of people still living their lives of quiet desperation, fearing that to speak out against the tyranny of their religious beliefs will gain them eterna, damnation. I feel bady for the woman--having known many such people like her--and for the death of her husband, too. If he hadn't been such an overbearing, self-righteous, and hypocritical SOB, maybe this tragedy would have been averted.

I daily am thankful that I no longer belong to that lifestyle, that belief system, that sham of ideology that enslaves people rather than what Jesus intended: the truth will set you free.

Well said, Jimmy! (I'm glad for myself in the same way you are glad for yourself.)

The amazing thing in my life, though, is that Truth is proving to be something entirely OTHER than what I once thought it was! The "ride" that has ensued as a result is proving far richer and more full of fun than I ever dreamed possible. It's as if those variaties of religion that I embraced in my younger years were actually necessary and only served to set the stage for where I am today ... a far, far better place.

Naomi