UPCI was so strict it was almost Amish: Kings of Leon

Originally Posted by DividedThigh

too badddd, lol the devil deceives folks every day, and these boys are deceived, and drawn of course by the fame, fortune, and whatever, sad story,dt

they aren't decieved by the devil, they were killed by us...

The devil didn't have to do anything... Our rules were so far from where they should have been, regulated against so many things that didn't need to be, that when they got "freedom from them" and because they didn't have a relationship wtih Christ (because all that they were taught was following the rules, like many young people), that they went "hey, this isn't bad" and just kept pushing it...

the Devil didn't have to do anything with these boys, he let us take them so far from the world that when they were released on the world the slingshot of where we took them put them so far out there that they might never get back...

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

Ya know...

the sad thing is that the rules are part of our heritage... To say they aren't is, well, to be blind to what we've been...

our only heritage should be a relationship with Christ, but we didn't stop there and it hurts young people like these 4 young men...

It is part of our heritage but these men need to get the bible out and see what is of Christ and what isn't. There is no reason to take all the good out with the not so good. We are all responsible for our own relationship with Jesus Christ. It seems to me that with age, people should mature enough to study the word for themselves. There is no reason to throw it all away.

[Coonskinner]

[QUOTE=tbpew;262668]

Originally Posted by CC1

You should have highlighted the last paragraph. That is the saddest.

QUOTE]

It would seem that was not the point Daniel wanted to bring emphasis to for the readers of his posts at AFF.

Right.

Another slam against the UPC was the point.

Ridicule, mockery, criticism.

Since when has any backslider ever had much good to say about the church?

I've heard all that before.

[DividedThigh]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

they aren't decieved by the devil, they were killed by us...

The devil didn't have to do anything... Our rules were so far from where they should have been, regulated against so many things that didn't need to be, that when they got "freedom from them" and because they didn't have a relationship wtih Christ (because all that they were taught was following the rules, like many young people), that they went "hey, this isn't bad" and just kept pushing it...

the Devil didn't have to do anything with these boys, he let us take them so far from the world that when they were released on the world the slingshot of where we took them put them so far out there that they might never get back...

ok young man, you can sit around the rest of your life and blame the church, but whether you like it or not they are deceived and on the wrong path, and it doestn matter who you blame it is still true, i agree with much of what you said, but what i said is accurate, because no matter how they go into the mess they are in now, it is all the same, to bad and very sad, dt

Originally Posted by MrsMcD

It is part of our heritage but these men need to get the bible out and see what is of Christ and what isn't. There is no reason to take all the good out with the not so good. We are all responsible for our own relationship with Jesus Christ. It seems to me that with age, people should mature enough to study the word for themselves. There is no reason to throw it all away.

YES IT IS!!

When you've been hurt by things for long enough, you stop caring what the truth behind them is...

There is a point where we can do so much wrong to someone that they reject God because of us...

The problem isn't these young men, its the rules that killed thier willingness to even try and seek God...

Originally Posted by DividedThigh

ok young man, you can sit around the rest of your life and blame the church, but whether you like it or not they are deceived and on the wrong path, and it doestn matter who you blame it is still true, i agree with much of what you said, but what i said is accurate, because no matter how they go into the mess they are in now, it is all the same, to bad and very sad, dt

I'm not saying they're not in a mess...

I'm saying thier blood (and the blood of those souls who can't bring themselves to find God because of the pain and hurt we've caused them because of our rules) is on our hands.... its our fault...

[CC1]

I have a very close relative who is almost 50 years old now and was raised in one of the absolute top tier large UPC churches.

This person heard the absolute best in Pentecostal preaching and teaching and had a wonderful pastor.

Yet they managed to backslide as a young person around 20 or 21 years old and at the time the rationale was that they had done something wrong that had been exposed and they were going to be kicked out of choir!!!

I could not believe that for this person being in choir was all that church really was.

It just goes to show you that the old saying about leading a horse to water but not being able to make it drink is absolutely true.

This person juked and jived to the great music and shouted with the rest of the church when emotions were high but the fact remains as a young adult theyhad not really listenened to or understood the thousands of hours of teaching and preaching she had heard about Calvary and relationship with Christ. Unbelievable.

Today that person is an alcoholic and has reaped the results of sin sowed over the last quarter century.

[DividedThigh]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

I'm not saying they're in a mess...

I'm saying thier blood (and the blood of those souls who can't bring themselves to find God because of the pain and hurt we've caused them because of our rules) is on our hands.... its our fault...

well while i agree it is on somebody, that somebody isnt me, i didnt do that to my own kids or anybody else, i spent 4 of my first years in ministry doing nothing but telling kids they were loved by god and he wanted to have a relationship with them, then i spent 10 years as a pastor preaching and teaching the same, i dont have time to blame the church or anybody but myself for any messes in my life now, and i dont think any of us do, I believe it is our responsibility to make things good with god and move on, my humble opinion, dt

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

YES IT IS!!

When you've been hurt by things for long enough, you stop caring what the truth behind them is...

There is a point where we can do so much wrong to someone that they reject God because of us...

The problem isn't these young men, its the rules that killed thier willingness to even try and seek God...

You can keep wailing the blues all you want, but that won't fly in the judgement, for them or anybody else.

I promise you there are those who were treated worse than them, or you, who are living for God and making it.

No excuses.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

YES IT IS!!

When you've been hurt by things for long enough, you stop caring what the truth behind them is...

There is a point where we can do so much wrong to someone that they reject God because of us...

The problem isn't these young men, its the rules that killed thier willingness to even try and seek God...

It was unrestrained carnality and love of the world.

Believe me, their dad was no hard core conservative.

I knew him well, and the boys too.

The hypocrisy they saw probably contributed more to their demise than anything else.

It sounds cool to talk about what a victim you were...all part of the mystique.