Background: A Rough Outline
My name is Autumn. I am a fairly conservative Christian, married, mother of four. I grew up in and out of the church as it suited the needs of my parents at the time. If they needed people to believe us to be religious, we attended church. If that wasn't the goal, we did not. Church was used as a camouflage that allowed abuse and neglect to hide in plain sight. Having a deep and personal relationship with Christ was not the point. Church was used to present the best image of yourself (and more importantly your family) as possible. This meant using purity culture, modesty rules, and huge doses of shame to belittle and manipulate children obedience. Granted, it was obedience based in fear rather than respect, but no one cared about that. I stepped away from church my junior year of high school and didn't return until my senior year of college. When I came back to the church I tried desperately to follow the rules that I had been taught were crucia...
