John the Baptist and Elvis Presley

[Wanda]

I'm reading the book of John, and recalled this memory from my childhood, that was both happy and traumatic. An experience of both good and evil.

When I was very young, Elvis recorded the song, "Love me tender".  My mom listened to the radio quiet a bit so I learned all the words and sang along. Oh how I loved his gental voice and those words. When I turned six, the movie "Love me tender", was playing at our local theater, and mom took me to see it for my birthday. Great memory.

Comparing  that sweet experience with my granfather's gift to me,  is in stark contrast. He took me to the local drive-in theater to see John the Baptist. This grandfather was a Baptist hellfire preaching minister, who preached against movies, music, unless it was gospel,  and some of the most innocent things you could think of.  I was captivated by the movie and watched intensely for being so young, until the gruesome scene when the lid was removed from the large silver platter,  exposing the severed head of John.

I was first horrified, then devastated to know this man I loved had his head cut off. I had never even thought of such a thing and now I was seeing it. I became inconsolable and my grandfather had to leave the theater before it ended. I was still crying when he took me home. My mother was furious and I had nightmares for a long time after.

My granfather's sermons about hellfire caused me great anquish and fear. I had nightmares, mostly in vivid color,  of fire and brimstone raining down from the sky. I used to sleep very restlessly, all over the bed, tangled in my covers and fall out of the bed quiet often too. Child abuse comes in many forms as I've come to know. Thanks be to our merciful and loving God he freed me from those horrors. I've also been able to  forgive my grandfather, knowing it was God's will for us both. But I do hate that hellfire doctrin.

[Nelson Boils]

Hi,

Not nice at all watching that at a young age.
At my adult age I cannot even watch passion of the Christ.My mind would not handle the scenes,so I can only imagine for a child how bad it can get.

Thank the Lord you made it through that.

Grandad no longer around I assume, correct?
Whatever happened though after the experience,your relationship with your Grandfather?

[Wanda]

Hi Rolihlahla,

No he's been gone many years now.
I wasn't  particularly close to him before seeing that movie, because of who he was while preaching. He was a very quiet and mild mannerd though, never raised his voice,  except in church, but I could never seperate the preacher man from the grandfather. I was always on my very best behavior around him,  for fear the preacher would come busting up out of him like some kind of demon.  I can laugh about it now and look forward to seeing him again. I'm sure we'll have a much closer relationship.