A Word Of Advice

[Sethern]

Originally Posted by Jay

Matt, I was raised in the church while being homeschooled. I am sorry that it did not work out for you, but I would never trade it for anything. I can generally tell if a young person is homeschooled because they seem to be more (((((intellegint)))))) than those who go to a modern public school. I do not think that I have missed a guess yet (if I did, it was because they went to private school).

Matt, ((((((I would recommend that you find some homeschoolers to talk to. I can promise that we blow minds.))))))

[Jay]

Hoovie, growing up we knew people from nearly every walk of life. I do have some social problems, but those have been with me since early childhood, and I can prove it.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by Sethern

No more like this.

[Sethern]

Originally Posted by Jay

No more like this.

Lol, I am just playing of course Jay :3

[Jay]

I know. However, I have always received a perverse enjoyment watching people be astonished at those of us who were homeschooled. I have in mind a game of Trivial Persuit that we played against some of Mom's relatives who thought that my brothers and I would be easily bested because we were homeschooled and were conservative Christians. It has been 10 years, and that is a game that is still remebered by the family. Especially when I answered a question that everyone else in the family did not get right. The only ones who refused to oppose my answer were Mom and Dad (not because they knew I had it correct as that I was the one who would know). I have since bested others in games of information.

Btw, my maternal Grandmother refused to play against us because we had already proven ourslves to her. In fact, she told them before our family walked through the door that they would have a tougher game than they anticipated.

[Sethern]

Originally Posted by Jay

I know. However, I have always received a perverse enjoyment watching people be astonished at those of us who were homeschooled. I have in mind a game of Trivial Persuit that we played against some of Mom's relatives who thought that my brothers and I would be easily bested because we were homeschooled and were conservative Christians. It has been 10 years, and that is a game that is still remebered by the family. Especially when I answered a question that everyone else in the family did not get right. The only ones who refused to oppose my answer were Mom and Dad (not because they knew I had it correct as that I was the one who would know). I have since bested others in games of information.

Btw, my maternal Grandmother refused to play against us because we had already proven ourslves to her. In fact, she told them before our family walked through the door that they would have a tougher game than they anticipated.

Jay... How old are you? And, what branch of Pentecostalism do you belong to?

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Mmmmm, I can think of plenty of Catholic nuns who are FAR more Christian than many UC OP's I have run across.....

I have to agree. When I was little and my mother became very ill I lived for two years at a place called Maryvalle in Los Angeles. A home for children run by nuns, it was a remarkable place. I remember hearing the nuns praying each morning, which was fully recalled to me the first time I walked into an apostolic ladies prayer room... The same sound, prayed to the same God.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by Sethern

Catholics are not Christians, they are pagans that use a Christian branch in their teachings...

Sethern one of the most important things we can learn as humans is that we do not have to step on the faith of others to build our own. Or crush others to elevate ourselves. Especially among those who worship One Creator God and his son Jesus Christ- whatever other doctrines they hold, it is better to try to see the good and work from there to move them toward God, rather than alienating them.

One of the ways we might see good in the Catholic church is to realize that they carried the torch for Christ for the nations for centuries. We have a shared history and a debt to Rome for that. Our most ancient and treasured manuscripts for the bible live in the Vatican.

While there is no doubt that there has been corruption among the RC leadership and a huge disservice to the people by them, there are many among the ministry and the laity of the RCC who love God and are doing their best to serve Him with the light they have. Faulty leadership is also seen in many OP organizations with infallible mini-popes ruling over people and all kinds of other issues. Remember that the Apostolic Pentecostal movement has been around less than 100 years, born in modern times and has not had to deal with many of the issues that the RCC church has. I am sure that given another 1,900 the Apostolic church too will have a colorful history, a huge disaster or doctrine, and a checkered past, or at least they seem to be working on it.

Originally Posted by Sethern

Being separated from the world is rather a good thing, when I was growing up in High School... A cesspool of drugs, sex, and disgusting people in general, it began to change me, and I know a lot of pentecostal people that would go into those types of schools and come out just as bad as the world ever got... Being separated is a very good thing if you don't want to adopt the ways of the world. Trust me, it will happen, because it happened to me even though I strictly told myself I would NOT get involved and do as they did, and I was very firm in my standings but eventually they got to me and I backslid... So, yeah... However, love and compassion. Least for my churches I have never found a single person in the entire world more giving and helpful/loving then a Apostolic family is...

Maybe a little more gratitude for being born into a faith that you see as 'the best' and a little more humility in admitting that you were willing to throw that away for something as petty as high school popularity, over a little peer pressure would be more appropriate here.

You are no longer a child and it is time to put away the childish things of blaming others. Repentance (required before receiving the HG) begins at acknowledging that you made choices and that no one had to drag you anywhere or force you to do anything. The personal responsibility plan goes far with me... and with God. Not wanting to be hard on you but blaming others and getting away with it is how sociopaths as made.

I will be praying for you this morning.

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Mmmmm, I can think of plenty of Catholic nuns who are FAR more Christian than many ______'s I have run across.....

Amen. I bashed Catholicism for many years and then realized that just like OP, or any other organized religion (or state), there is a division between the religion and the people. If you are in dire straits, secular, and need help today, you are most likely going to be helped by Catholics. And their current mystics are over the top (tho the ones I'm reading may have been excommunicated, lol).

I work with homeschooled kids at wikiHow, and I must say I'm impressed. They're the only ones who can even spell.

[KeptByTheWord]

T2W - you gave some excellent advice. You have a way with words, and maybe we should send all the wayward sons your direction, a little healthy work on your farm, and some good godly teaching would probably do them a bit of good!!!!

I think the most important thing I might add to what has been said is this. It is far more easier to judge someone else, than to judge yourself, and do something about what is wrong in your own life. It is far easier to look at the mote in someone else's eye, and not see the one in yours. Reading the gospels one at a time is a real eye opener... if you really want to understand how love works in the kingdom of God.

I will be praying for you too Mr. Sethern.