AH HA!!!! THIS is the point I was hoping to get to but I needed someone to say it before I could make the point. Thank you, Praxeas, for setting me up for the spike.
This gets SOOO old!!! If any of us have the audacity, the unmitigated gall, the nerve to call out the UPC for its abuses, heavy-handedness, political gimmickry, doctrinal heresies, or acrimonious dealings with individuals or groups, we get labeled "Bitter", "Angry", "Whiners", and the list goes on forever.
We have refused to be a part of THE SYSTEM. The only difference between us and John A. is, we have the guts to say "Why"!!!
It's interesting that SO many hold up Martin Luther as a patriarch, a bold confronter, a pioneer and a revolutionary. But us? If we DARE speak out about the untouchable UPC? We're "Bitter", "Blasting it", blah, blah, blah.
Jesus did it. Was he a bad buy too? Look at what he called the religious system of His day. If I came on here and said what he said, I'd get infracted for name calling!
John gets tired of the UPC being criticized. I, on the other hand, as well as many others, get TIRED of you people crying about some of us pointing out the TRUTH.
Actually, you are wrong. I did not say anything about calling out the UPC on any deficiency it has. Nor did John mention anything about not being allowed to criticize the UPC ever,
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
Actually, you are wrong. I did not say anything about calling out the UPC on any deficiency it has. Nor did John mention anything about not being allowed to criticize the UPC ever,
Actually, it's you that is wrong. Nothing unusual, though. For crying out loud, I highlighted what you said. "...while blasting it like everyone else." I, and others have CRITICIZED it, and it always gets labeled, "Blasting", and lots of other names. That was the entire point of my post. Read it again, it it'll help you.
I have to say that I don't get the "own your own life" comments... I know that leaving was my first step in "owning my own life".
I think what they mean is that if you feel any anger towards the abuse you've suffered, and you speak about it, that you don't own your own life. To an extent, that's true. But it is a growth process. When UPC'ers beat people who are growing, they actually keep the process from going forward as fast because they reopen the wound. That's not all bad. Sometimes the pus needs to come out. Eventually though, all the pus is gone and then a person truly does own their own life and they can get past the anger. Anger is part of the process though and not bad or wrong in and of itself as a UPC'er would try to force a person to believe.
If a person actually followed the advice of the UPC'er who was beating them, they would never grow or progress and never heal.
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
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