Growing up Lutheran
By Nate Bender – 3/12/2014
The setting for this story is rural,
northeast Iowa, contained in the little village (population 250) of
Westgate. Virtually all the adult residents
were first generation offspring of German immigrants. In addition, they were card-carrying
Lutherans, of the Missouri Synod brand.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and its
adjoining school facility (covering grades kindergarten through 8th)
was the center piece for socialization, learning and worship.
Most homes contained denominational
study materials to be employed as part of meal-time activities. Of course, prayers were said in unison before
and after meals. Unlike in the South,
unscripted praying was not in vogue!
Indoctrination began early in
life. Expectations held that all of
God’s little Lutheran children would grow to be devotees to the faith and
conveyors of the Word to the next generation.
My parents, Erwin and Lena Bender,
lacking formal education, were life long practitioners of a belief system that
eschewed other denominations and religions, including Judaism.
Once my school years began, exposure
to the full depth and breadth of Lutheran dogma came to the forefront, leaving
wounds that required a goodly amount of healing later in my adult life.
In my early school years, images and
stories of hell and its having eternal flames were presented with grand
clarity. It felt like I was being
slapped in the face by a punishing God, one who showed no mercy for those who
didn’t walk the straight and narrow path of righteousness. Fears of dying and
being condemned to eternal damnation held a relentless grip, resulting in night
mares and night terrors. Additionally, I
developed eczema rashes over most of my body.
The traumas surrounding my early religious
exposure were assuaged by sporting activities.
Playing football, basketball and soft ball filled my waking hours with
dreams and visions of glory in other domains.
These outlets carried me to a larger world,
quite removed from the constricting
life in which I was raised. Expansion of my perceptions became a life long pursuit
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