Demons and the Consequences of Feeding Children’s Fears

Feeding children’s fears, rather than dismantling them, is a terrible idea.

Finding Freedom from My Demons: Nicholas Ducote’s Story, Part One

“Many people will call me embittered, angry, or any number of pejorative terms to delegitimize my story, but I am not telling my story in an attempt to lash out and hurt my parents. I am telling my story because I now know that my story is not unique. All across America, former homeschoolers are dealing with convoluted and dysfunctional relationships with their parents.”

They’ve Got The Fear

“I was 20 when someone tried to exorcise me. Specifically, she intended to set me free from depression, and somehow she thought laying her hands on my head in public, without prior warning, and praying the ‘depressed spirit’ out of me would improve my outlook on life.”

Call For Help: Sarah’s Story

“My fear of hell and demonic possession drove me to pray for hours, forego food and sleep and pace for hours in the middle of the night. My family treated my OCD like silliness or sin that could be rationalized or prayed away. Worse, while they disregarded my obvious need for mental health assistance, they treated me as though I was already possessed by demons.”

I Don’t Pray Anymore

“My parents said that this was all part of god’s plan and nothing could have been done to stop it. My dad somehow worked the love of god and the salvation message into the eulogy, talking about how it was a good thing, and told us kids how this would be a good opportunity to get my catholic grandparents to convert.”

Copy Kids—The Immorality of Individuality: Jessica’s Story, Part Three

“At the age of 15 I started cutting myself. My mother’s tactic for dealing with this was to hypothetically lecture me on how stupid it was to cut yourself, but she never actually acknowledged that I was doing it. I cut myself for 3 years without anyone ever trying to stop me.”

Copy Kids—The Immorality of Individuality: Jessica’s Story, Part Two

“The assurance wore off and a new sense of terror joined the terror I had about demons and the 2 am hour when my father came home from work. I still wasn’t saved. I had doubts and I was told Jesus would take all my doubts away when I became saved. I must broken, why can’t I get properly saved?”

Copy Kids—The Immorality of Individuality: Jessica’s Story, Part One

“There was blood running down his naked body. Then we went to the hospital for stitches. We had to practice saying, ‘He tripped in the shower.’ This was my first introduction to the government. If we didn’t say what we were told, the government would take us away and put us with awful people that wouldn’t feed us.”