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

[ThePastorsCoach]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Thad, it's probably best she just move on.

Yes - Move on to the DA and the media and sue him for everything he has - turn that CULT CHURCH building into a Community Theater or Daycare and put him in PRISON for Sexual abuse. What a SICKO!

[Thad]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Thad, it's probably best she just move on.

Why??????? ????????????????


So he can continue to abuse others and destroy lives ???
Think about the young people who will be turned off and wouned for life!

would you feel this way if your sister or daughter was in a Jim Jones Cult???

think about how this shames the name of the church and GOD!

[Thad]

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

Yes - Move on to the DA and the media and sue him for everything he has - turn that CULT CHURCH building into a Community Theater or Daycare and put him in PRISON for Sexual abuse. What a SICKO!

Renda is wrong on this one and we are right

Originally Posted by The Mrs

LOL...yes, I've seen that show, and I understand.

I also understand why it's almost absolutely unbelievable to her...she knows who we are talking about, but my guess is she is only an acquaintance, not a good, close friend of theirs. I will say this; they are some of the kindest, gentlest, wisest people I know. But it doesn't change their leadership ability. This is how they were taught to run a church, and have gathered through the years what it takes to keep people 'saved'. They put their whole hearts into it. But it doesn't make it right. It's still controlling with cult-like tendencies. I'm sure that if they knew that, they would make changes immediately.

Another factor is, these were not 'set in stone' rules. If you were to go up to their face and ask, 'Do you demand your people to consult with you before they make a major purchase?' I'm sure they'd say no. They didn't DEMAND anything. It all came subliminally through messages. It would be the story of the lady who went on vacation without asking 'permission' from the pastor first who was badly injured in a car wreck. If she had asked the pastor first, and he could have prayed about it, then surely God would have directed him and impressed on him 'yeah' or 'nay' as to whether it would be a good idea or not. He could have saved her from that terrible wreck.

I remember one time one of the elders who had been there for YEARS getting up and saying, 'If you go on vacation, and didn't consult with the pastor first, and you get in a wreck, don't you DARE go calling the pastor and ask him to come pray for you.' At the time, I remember amening it on the outside, but on the inside, I think something died in me. It shocked me and hurt me, but I didn't realize it at the time.

Looking from the outside in, you would never guess these kinds of things were being 'taught'. But they were. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the verse 'Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls'. I trusted them completely, totally, and blindly. Without question.

I think one of the main problems with how things were running when we left was that it bred fear, even among the saints. You couldn't even hardly fellowship with any of the saints in your own church for fear that someone would be offended by something someone did wrong, and even worse, our children molested, or commit adultery among ourselves. These were the SAINTS. Those who you labor amongst. Those who should be your best friends and help through the years. Those who were supposed to be 'holy'. I understand the need for caution, but it went overboard to assume distrust first. Looking back on it now, it really saddens me. We were all such good friends, but it became all very superficial because of the distrust.

I think our very close relationship is one of the reasons they drove you out...it scared them...I am sure they thought it was totally inappropriate...I can remember the pastor telling my husband and I that there were those in the church that were deceived and they could be sitting right beside us...I was so dense it never occurred to me he was planting seeds against you...I was so manipulated by them. I know I have apologized to you, but dear friend I will never ever get over how I treated you my very most bestest friend who saw me through so much...your so dear to me I can not express my remorse enough...what they did to you, your family, our friendship was a SIN....

[Theresa]

speechless..................

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by Theresa

speechless..................

Me too!

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Thad

Why??????? ????????????????


So he can continue to abuse others and destroy lives ???
Think about the young people who will be turned off and wouned for life!

would you feel this way if your sister or daughter was in a Jim Jones Cult???

think about how this shames the name of the church and GOD!

Well, it was AWFUL - yes. I'm not saying it's not.

However, we don't know how long ago this took place - - it could have been 10-15 years ago. Did she make a police report of the beating? She can't just get mad about it now and file something against the man without a formal complaint, police report, etc.

I'm assuming there was nothing of that because she was still "in" that church at the time.

I'm praying that once she got out of that situation that she was able to help her sons also realize how WRONG it all was.

[Theresa]

I have to ask....does this kind of thing STILL go on in the churches STS and freeatlast know about??

[Theresa]

STS, was your church, or is that church, UPC?

Originally Posted by Theresa

I have to ask....does this kind of thing STILL go on in the churches STS and freeatlast know about??

Yes its still going on...I even went back for a time, because I had heard they had gotten it and things had changed....they didn't. On the surface it all looked better, but as the weeks went on I could see it was still the same...I didn't want to leave, but I was not allowed to be me...I was expected to conform again...I can't and won't!