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[quote=Anonymous]This post my get a little lengthy, but I feel like I need to give thorough background information, in order for you to fully understand my scenario.

I am one of seven, raised by ultra religious parents.  My father was a preacher for The Church of Christ for most of my childhood, then broke off into his own even more fundamentalist section when I was a teen.  My mother never worked outside the home, as my father thought that was a great sin.  We were home-schooled and by the time I was 14 my father had a church that had become very cult like.  We all lived within the same stretch of land, and every single one of us attended my father's sermons for four hours every single day, except Sunday in which we attended his 8 hour sermon.  Imagine every day of your life hearing hours and hours of speech I can only compare to Jonathan Edwards.  It's so hard for me to remember myself then, I don't think I completely existed.  How can you in such a restrictive environment?  This is not an ant-religious post, I have friends of various religions and find them to be overall nice, caring, and tolerant people.  My father was not.  I was one of 5 girls, my two brothers were told they were superior and they definitely let us know.  We were not to leave the house without a man, we were not to leave our rooms when menstruating, we were to live as servants. I knew nothing different.  Fortunately, my father grew very sick and lost a majority of his money from the church and myself and my two younger sisters were sent to live with a family member when I was 17.  I had never attended school, I was only literate enough to read the bible...I had the math skills of a 5-year-old.  My eyes were opened during this time, and I began to go to a public school.  I started to enjoy life, see that I had other options.  I was 19 when I was told I had to move back to West Virginia (where my family lived) and I refused to go.  I guess I had enough spark in me to see that the life I knew before was not a life.  When I refused to go back I had received much backlash.  I was called a "whore" and a "slut" by my older brothers.  My father told me I was going to get raped, and when they bought my body back to be buried he'd throw it out with the other animals carcasses.  It. Was. Bad.  I had pretty much figured out I was better off without them, it was hard...believe it or not because I did love my family.  Being rejected by family members, no matter how insane they may be, is horrible.  I had no contact with any family members besides the ones I lived with for a few years until I was married and in my late 30's.  My oldest was 2, and I got a phone call from my older sister.  I was so happy, I didn't realize how much I missed her voice!  Over the past few years slowly I have reunited with all my family members except for one brother.  Last year was the first time I saw my dad is almost 30 years.  We had written letters, he has said he "forgave me for forsaking the family" and "prayed for me every night and day".  I could tell he had turned a new leaf, and although we still definitely live two very different lives...I AM glad that he is somewhat apart of mine now.

Ok, if you made it past my life story congratulations!  Here is me problem.  My children start back to school in a few weeks, my mother wants us to come down and visit for a week.  My children have never seen nor spoken to my mother or father.  Two of my sisters have visited, that's it.  I'm really torn.  On one hand, my parents are old.  They won't live much longer, I don't know if I could forgive myself if they died and I denied them to see their grandchildren.    However, there is a lot of issues I have with how I was raised, and who my mother and (especially) father are... I don't like it, nor do I really want my children exposed to it.  My husband isn't pleased with the idea, he's heard my horror stories.  He is supportive of any decision I make, I just can't make one.  I already decided we are DEFINITELY not staying at there house (my childhood home).  I have friends who have been in similar situations.  A friend who was raised by racist, went and married and had children with a black man and was told never to speak to her family again.  A friend who came out at 17, was kicked out of the house and threatened to be murdered if she ever returned.  Yet both of them, as do I, still love their family.  It has been eating me for the past couple of weeks, I just need some outside advice.

Thank you.[/quote]

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