there was a family that were relatively new in my congregation. They had two little girls and a teenage son from the wife's previous marriage. They were so sappy about everything. They were the type that homeschooled their kids, absolutely 'loved' all the brothers and sisters, and would end every meeting talking about how that was such a good spiritual meal (barf). The saddest thing though was the teenage son was not a witness and lived with his dad but when he would come on weekends he was forced to come to the meeting. He would sit in foyer absolutely miserable. Once shortly before I left I went out and talked to him. I asked him if he liked coming to the meetings and of course he said no. I appologized to him for his mom making him come. He thanked me, and looking back I realize now that they bugged me so much because I really empathized with him. I was just as miserable as he was at that point.

"A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self." - Eric Hoffer