That's actually great to hear about your son. I've been playing with the idea that since they have made it so difficult not to be a part of the system, as long as you're aware of what it is, you may as well as use certain aspects of it. Staying out of debt slavery is important, beyond that? I went as far as I could, threw out my driver's license (all of my documents) at one point even, but found that while I could get along perfectly fine without these things, it would be incredibly limiting for my kids. So I play the game when I absolutely have to, knowing that's what it is. And hoping one day enough people will recognize it, they'll stop being a part of a script someone else wrote and start writing their own :)

That church thing, it's very cult like isn't it? It's so strange to look back on it now and realize that's what I was a part of, particularly since they are the first to call anything outside of whatever doctrines they're subscribing to a cult. And I feel a kinship with your daughter, because once I broke free of it, empowered might not even be a strong enough word. Though this was something that had tentacles in every aspect of my life from infancy until my twenties. To be honest, when I initially forced myself to say, out loud, that I no longer believed, my world tilted on its axis. It was so critical to my foundation that I had to build a new one, fortunately I had something salvageable to start with, love, and then I realized that's all I needed it to be. Just not the love of some grey beard in the sky and his sinless son, but the love that comes from within.

I understand, keeping up with the connections I've already made here does make it difficult to branch out even more. I would love to hear your possibility! Big, big hugs to you my beautiful friend!