Every week I go in and tell my therapist these fantastic stories about the religion I was raised in! I think he believes me, but then when I think about it, it sounds too fantastic to be true. He must think I'm absolutely insane. Any moment the people from the state hospital are going to pull up in an ambulance with a straight jacket for me.
Tonight I told him about three factories in the NY/NJ area called Bethel where they do nothing but print religious propaganda. The people who volunteer to work in these factories are bright young men who have chosen to go there instead of college. For this, they get to work 8.5 hours a day, five days a week, and half a day on Saturday for their room, their grub, and a stipend of $16.00 a month. I told him it used to be $14.00 / month but was raised to meet inflation and may have been raised again, I don't know what the current amount is. Their spare time is spent engaged in Bible study, congregational meetings that they need to travel to, and the door to door ministry. They get 2 weeks a year as a vacation, but have to have their family or congregation pay their travel expenses back home. If they can't go home, they are stuck there. They used to work for a minimum hitch of four years, but that has since been relaxed I believe.
He must think I'm crazy to tell him a story like this. When I look at it, it doesn't seem believable at all.
OH MY! It just hit me. I WAS RAISED IN A RELIGIOUS CULT! This is absolutely incredible.
Tammy <=== pinching herself