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I’ve been reading Marlene Winnell’s book “Leaving the Fold.” She makes a very
good point, namely that the doctrine of original sin as taught by
evangelicals/fundamentalists is a source of tremendous psychological harm. As a
counseling intern, I could not agree more.

I had
become a Christian at the age of 18 largely because of extreme psychological
stress that I was experiencing in my life at the time. My parents had split up,
I was living in a fifth wheel trailer while my dad was reliving a sort of second
childhood, and my entry into active duty with the Air Force was on the horizon.
My family life was at an all time low, and I now believe that I was searching
for something to replace my family.

Too bad that the “Borg” came along!

I was taught by Calvary Chapel that I was inherently evil. I was
worthless and that only by filling my sinful self with the love of Christ could
I become whole. Once I did that, I was constantly reminded that my “flesh” was
evil. I must constantly surrender myself to Christ so that the “old man”
wouldn’t come back to haunt me.

Rather than being taught to face the
pain in my life, I was taught to simply blame myself, and then denounce myself
as hopeless. Surrender to Christ really meant “obey the collective mind of the
congregation.” Subtle pressures were brought to bear upon me. Shame was
liberally applied anytime my “thinking” started to get the better of me. Indeed,
during many Bible studies I was “corrected in love” for having “immature” ideas
about sex, the nature of God, the scriptures, whatever. This coercion was
reframed as the “conviction of the Spirit” and thus the “collective mind” of
fundamentalism became the “will of God” for me.

 

One weekend I developed car trouble. I had a problem with my starter, and I
absolutely had to get the thing fixed or I would not be able to get to work or
church for that matter. For one Saturday I decided to work on my car instead of
going “soulwinning.”

Of course when the dean of men read my activity
report he called me into his office. He chastised me for my unfaithfulness.
There was no mention of my spotless service to my “liege.”

And for the
first time, I found myself getting very ANGRY with my Christian “leader.” When
he told me I would receive 10 demerits I looked him in the face and said “Fine.
Give them to me.” I then turned and walked out of his office.

 

City: Yuma
State: AZ
Country: USA
Became a Christian: 18
Ceased
being a Christian: about 36ish
Labels before: Calvary Chapel; Independent
Baptist
Labels now: Atheist
Why I joined: read the post
Why I left:
reason

 

http://testimonials.exchristia...5/deprogramming.html

 

 

Original Post

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They are all one step from group suicide.

*********************************

Some yes, and that would be fine if they didn't take children and other innocents with them. Then there are those that never stop complaining, "oh. this old world is so bad, can't wait to go home to the lord and get my reward". Then what happens when they're sick? Why, of course they rally all the "prayer warriors", and if they recover it's "praise gawd I got a miracle". Sheesh, make up your mind.

Last edited by Bestworking

Crusty, my Friend,

 

So, you do not like Conservative Christians, those you call Fundamentalist?  Why?  Because they tell it like it is -- straight from the Bible.  And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 

Therefore, since you do not like God's Word, or Conservative Christians -- you have chosen to avoid God, the Bible, church fellowship, et al.   Please tell me how that differs from atheism/agnosticism/secularism?

 

Bless your confused little heart!

 

Bill

 

Believe Now - Or Later-1

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Last edited by Bill Gray
Originally Posted by Bill Gray:

Crusty, my Friend,

 

So, you do not like Conservative Christians, those you call Fundamentalist?  Why?  Because they tell it like it is -- straight from the Bible.  And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 

Therefore, since you do not like God's Word, or Conservative Christians -- you have chosen to avoid God, the Bible, church fellowship, et al.   Please tell me how that differs from atheism/agnosticism/secularism?

 

Bless your confused little heart!

 

Bill

 

________________

 

BWWWWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhaazhahhahahahah!!!!

 

No, Bill.  Jim Jones, Joseph Di Mambro, and Heaven's Gaters have no appeal for me, nor does your equally ridiculous take on the Bible.  None of them, nor you, make me tremble. None of you have a clue.

 

So you are envisioning me in a nighty. now?  Seek help for your latent homosexuality.  Remember, God hates homosexuals. 

 

I'm with God daily.  Whatever you dream up about my relationship with God is false, just like all your other reasoning when it comes Christianity and following Christ.

 

Last edited by CrustyMac
Originally Posted by Bill Gray:

Crusty, my Friend,

 And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 Bill

________________

Originally Posted by CrustyMac:

So you are envisioning me in a nighty. now?  Seek help for your latent homosexuality.  Remember, God hates homosexuals.

________

Billy seems to be getting more & more bold with his homosexuality, but for him to suggest imagining you in a nightie is just sick!

 

I guess God doesn't hate the OSAS homosexuals?

Originally Posted by semiannualchick:
Originally Posted by Bill Gray:

Crusty, my Friend,

 And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 Bill

________________

Originally Posted by CrustyMac:

So you are envisioning me in a nighty. now?  Seek help for your latent homosexuality.  Remember, God hates homosexuals.

________

Billy seems to be getting more & more bold with his homosexuality, but for him to suggest imagining you in a nightie is just sick!

 

I guess God doesn't hate the OSAS homosexuals?

===============

I always picture Crusty looking like Wilford Brimley. Just sayin'

Originally Posted by Bill Gray:

Crusty, my Friend,

 

So, you do not like Conservative Christians, those you call Fundamentalist?  Why?  Because they tell it like it is -- straight from the Bible.  And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 

Therefore, since you do not like God's Word, or Conservative Christians -- you have chosen to avoid God, the Bible, church fellowship, et al.   Please tell me how that differs from atheism/agnosticism/secularism?

 

Bless your confused little heart!

 

Bill

 ___________________

Uh, Bill,

 

Did you even notice that the "Leaving the Fold" article posted here was by a former stooge of the Calvary Chapel cult in its earlier years, a stooge who broke free from his stoogitude when he realized what a nutty bunch of control-freaky wackos he had come to be associated with?

http://www.answerbag.com/polls...ovement-cult_1876514

 

http://truthaboutthecia.org/my...t-of-calvary-chapel/

 

http://newbbcopenforum.blogspo...-church-or-cult.html

 

 

 

Last edited by Contendah
quote: Originally Posted by Contendah:
 Originally Posted by Bill Gray:

Crusty, my Friend,

 

So, you do not like Conservative Christians, those you call Fundamentalist?  Why?  Because they tell it like it is -- straight from the Bible.  And, that makes you tremble in your nightie!

 

Therefore, since you do not like God's Word, or Conservative Christians -- you have chosen to avoid God, the Bible, church fellowship, et al.   Please tell me how that differs from atheism/agnosticism/secularism?

 

Bless your confused little heart!   Bill

Uh, Bill,   Did you even notice that the "Leaving the Fold" article posted here was by a former stooge of the Calvary Chapel cult in its earlier years, a stooge who broke free from his stoogitude when he realized what a nutty bunch of control-freaky wackos he had come to be associated with?

http://www.answerbag.com/polls...ovement-cult_1876514

 

http://truthaboutthecia.org/my...t-of-calvary-chapel/

 

http://newbbcopenforum.blogspo...-church-or-cult.html

Contendah, my Friend,

 

What I did notice in that article was a young girl of 18 who was attending a Calvary Chapel fellowship -- and, although she claimed to be a Christian believer -- left to become an atheist.

 

Now, my Friend, does that sound familiar?  Does that ring a bell about a couple of our athiest/agnostic Religion Forum Friends?   Enough said on that!

 

Regarding your URL links.   The first and the third are attacks written by "unnamed" bloggers who want to bash the Calvary Chapel churches.   Nothing new there!  Most "bashers" are the type who will hide behind the toilet stall door and yell obscenities.  They are rather like those brave souls who will stand in the dark window yelling, "He did it!  He did it!" -- but, when anyone looks to see who is yelling -- they mysteriously disappear.

 

Yes, sir, they are very brave souls, very knowledgeable -- so knowledgeable that they fear to identify themselves. 

 

And, you second link, regarding the CIA (not sure why you posted that) raises a Virus Alert from my Security program when I tried to open it.  Are you trying to hack us?

 

Just curious, my Friend, how did you stretch all the way from my comment to Crusty about Conservative Christians -- to Calvary Chapel.   I never mentioned Calvary Chapel.  Matter of fact, I have never been a member of Calvary Chapel -- and have only been to their church one time for a Friday Night Bible Study on eschatology.

 

However, I do hold great respect for most Calvary Chapel pastors.

 

As usual, my Friend -- your attempt to throw dirty water on other Christians -- give the same results as "spitting into the wind."

 

Bless your heart!

 

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

 

Bill

Last edited by Bill Gray

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