For those who want to know...RULES at my church!

[Joseph Miller]

Originally Posted by Thad

I've seen MANY dictators! It seems to be more prevelant in the west for some reason.

carey, you are right, many that have not been around it cannot comprehend it. People, trust me, they are out there!! even in the year 2007!!

We had one in our area (back in the 80s & 90s) who use to beat his members up physically if they disobeyed him.

I have a friend who told me about another one in his area who had a paddle in his office and would give grown Men and women a whipping for breaking the standards or rules



.

It might suprise that one who would whipped if it was tried on the right person.

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

What scares me is the possibility is that there are a couple of people here who are thinking "so what is so unreasonable about these rules?"

Some people like things like this... I've seen several families leave church's and follow a men like this to other towns...

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Revelationist

Some people like things like this... I've seen several families leave church's and follow a men like this to other towns...

I have too.

I have also seen many people do nothing but complain, then when YOU actually leave, they do an about face and suddenly support the "man of God".

I am tired tonight...and so I am not going to respond right now...but I want to say Thank you all for your wonderful posts...I am so please at how this has gone...I will be here bright and early and respond to you all....


Goodnight and God bless may you all have peaceful rest tonight as the universe takes a spin....God knows where we are...He knows where we have been, and He knows where we are going...so we have nothing to fear and hope beyond measure for out tomorrows!
Good night............................................

[JaneEyre]

Originally Posted by Sister Truth Seeker

I am tired tonight...and so I am not going to respond right now...but I want to say Thank you all for your wonderful posts...I am so please at how this has gone...I will be here bright and early and respond to you all....


Goodnight and God bless may you all have peaceful rest tonight as the universe takes a spin....God knows where we are...He knows where we have been, and He knows where we are going...so we have nothing to fear and hope beyond measure for out tomorrows!
Good night............................................

Sis, I've had the long lists of rules..I've had the rules change so much that I could hardly keep up with 'em....I've had women in the church try to straighten me out for some of the silliest things - like wearing denim, not buttoning my top button, not keeping my hair up in a bun, wearing black pantyhose, wearing lip gloss, etc. etc. I love God too much to let those kinds of things turn me around and lead me to hell. Those with the bad attitudes who shun others and condemn them to hell for man-made rules are the ones with the real problems. I want to obey ALL that the Bible requires and I want to respect my pastor - but those things that you mentioned are too extreme.

Thank God you were not collateral damage.

Originally Posted by The Mrs

Aawwww...STS...that is so sweet of you to say all this.

You have been such a wonderful friend to me, and an awesome 'gma' to my children.

Those were some VERY rough years. It's so hard to come out from under that type of leadership. I knew you were in a place that you couldn't help but think the stuff you did about us...I'm so glad that's all behind us now!

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

When we left my wifes church because of the new nuttso pastor, we left because of all his hang-ups regarding marital relations, meaning his long list of "don'ts". His only "DO" was absolutely positively NO birth control. In fact, the sole purpose for marital relations was to have babies.
Most of the congregation was shocked when he started teaching this stuff. We of course left that first day we heard it, but nearly two years later, almost everyone there has done a 180 and now fully support it. In fact the church has grown by 10+, using the breeding method.
We were at a function where we met many of the church members and virtually every woman under 35 had an infant or toddler AND was very pregnant.

I can't say it was ever incouraged that families have lots of babies, but we had a real baby boom, (I used to laugh about it being one way for the church to grow)but then again we did not attend marriage classes or the parenting class, I did go to one class for ladies only and it was just a bit to personal for me...espcially sense I am a mature grandma and have been married 37 years....didn't think I needed all that!

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

What scares me is the possibility is that there are a couple of people here who are thinking "so what is so unreasonable about these rules?"

OH I am sure we have lurkers that are reading and thinking this is all blown way out of purportion...and there are some that will watch this tread and never see themselves.....there are saints that will read all this and say...."this is how it's suppose to be"...we must obey the pastor no matter what.....because to do otherwise is to be rebellious and that is a ticket to hell...

Originally Posted by Blubayou

I think this is the positive power of the INTERNET. It has opened up a world to us where we can exchange information and create relationships. I was afraid this thread would turn into bashing the church, but I think the spirit of the people on this thread has caused it not to turn into bashing. I have shuddered to read some of the oppression some of you have lived under. My first pastor was very authoritarian. There were times when I would come home from church and feel like the congregation was the "whipping boy". Soon, I stopped going to Wednesday night services, because that is when he would take out his frustrations on us and lay down the law. I do not think I could ever sit under a controlling pastor again. I appreciate the opportunity to share in your experiences.

Yes.....yesss and yessss....and thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope it helps many...my prayer is for those that are still sitting in these churches...I want so much for them to be set free!

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

So were the most nutso pastors and churches truly confined to that state? After all the Contentions Contender WAS published there during the 80's....

These churches are all through the organization, some more extreme than others...I don't like to use derogatory references...I prefer to say they are decieved...I don't know what is in their hearts...I have to believe they are well intentioned....I don't think they are evil, they are deceived!