As 6th grader in a catholic school 1966 I was being taught the 10 commandments. Also I was at a retreat for extraordinary gifted children and heard the gospel preached by catholic brother. I believed what I heard about God and committed my life to him. 2 months later like a child with a bone trying to understand the hypocrisy of people kneeling and praying to statues when clearly the commandment says don't. Mom says to dad, he really believes. What are we going to do. Dad says never speak to him about god again and he will forget. I did forget. Even though I scored the highest scores for both electrical and mechanical aptitude, 2 times each and 100% was considered impossible, the priest told my father your son is an idiot and we will not accept him. Starting in preschool I have been called idiot, spas, retard, and all my life. That is one kind of persecution.
Finishing high school early and fleeing the rage at home I joined the Air force, protected President Ford and saved hundreds of lives simply by doing my job with extraordinary accuracy. Yet my coworkers, jealous of my achievements and I achieved rank of E 5 1[SUP]st[/SUP] time at bat, filed false charges trying to send me to prison with court-martial. That concluded with the 4 conspirators filing false charges, (carrier soldiers all with 20 years time in service) being forced retired as E3, and I was retire with special order issued by General David Jones, Chairman Joint chief of staff as E4 with less than 4 years in service.
Yet the response to me from my entire family of 9, my wife and her family all said lucky S.O.B. should have gone to prison yet Air Force gave him pension for life. Lacking any coping skills being raised godless I turned to drugs to suppress the murderous rage I felt from massive rejection coming from every direction.
Finally 1982 the Lord enabled me to believe and I remembered my love gospel and promise of heaven and as child was always saying when I grow up I will never do the abuses done to me. I looked to heaven said if it is true what people say you are good and the devil is bad I want to know you because I want to be good. God the Father responded to that prayer and loved me. Then he said if you want to know me read the bible. I obeyed that commandment, learned to live sober, how to consider my neighbors need = to mine, not turn to rage when people do me wrong but rather pray for them. Yet from 1982 to present I have not meet 12 people that were would listen to the commands that enable me to live sober, without rage; giving me the gift of self control, saying no to perversion.
All praise and Glory to Jesus for having grace and mercy for me.