When the blue bloods or well connected hit the low places in life, a vast network of support, a circling of the wagons, the pastor's daddy's friend has a job waiting for him or someone who is willing to help restore a fallen brother. And a lot of preaching about leaving this matter to the family. Of course they had spent countless hours crucifying, defaming and butchering the "lesser" guys when they were hurting or publicly humiliating folks, sitting them down, asking them to leave their church, when they had their fall.
When there's a bloody trail from the local church, the district and at HQ of folks that weren't extended grace, weren't given second chances, character was defamed, sometimes for innocuous violations like: cut hair on women, jeans on women, asking questions because a doctrine wasn't understood, speaking truth to power, or simply not maintaining "Apostolic Identity", it's not surprising that there are a lot of people who aren't willing to just simply say, "we're all human".
I've seen it many times that larger than life pastors who rule with an iron fist and manipulate the system to favor them politically, when their children fall or they themselves fall, suddenly become big believers in mercy. I don't rejoice at the fall of anyone or the hardships brought on by sin to a family, but when you've been on the receiving end of unfair and unjust treatment simply for asking honest questions, for simply not playing the image upkeep game and simply being real, it's tough to not feel vindicated.
True story. Last week an old friend (UPC minister) called to talk. Told me his wife had left him and that a divorce was next. Shocked, I asked "Why?"
Answer? Porn, masturbation, money spent on internet "dating." She found out and left.
He admitted he had messed up but defended himself with "Well, I don't believe what I did justified divorce."
The conversation eventually played out and right before we disconnected he stated that he had heard I left the UPC, and asked why. I told him of my disagreements with official positions.
This led to a 10 minute lecture comprised of pleas for me to return to "The Truth." "You know what's right," he said, as if I were somehow backslid.
I just listened, realizing nothing I would say could make him realize how warped he is.
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I'm (sic) not cynical, I just haven't been around long enough to be Jedi mind-tricked by politics as usual. Alas, maybe in a few years I'll be beaten back into the herd. tstew
True story. Last week an old friend (UPC minister) called to talk. Told me his wife had left him and that a divorce was next. Shocked, I asked "Why?"
Answer? Porn, masturbation, money spent on internet "dating." She found out and left.
He admitted he had messed up but defended himself with "Well, I don't believe what I did justified divorce."
The conversation eventually played out and right before we disconnected he stated that he had heard I left the UPC, and asked why. I told him of my disagreements with official positions.
This led to a 10 minute lecture comprised of pleas for me to return to "The Truth." "You know what's right," he said, as if I were somehow backslid.
I just listened, realizing nothing I would say could make him realize how warped he is.
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Master of Science in Applied Disgruntled Religious Theorist Wrangling
PhD in Petulant Tantrum Quelling
Dean of the School of Hard Knocks
True story. Last week an old friend (UPC minister) called to talk. Told me his wife had left him and that a divorce was next. Shocked, I asked "Why?"
Answer? Porn, masturbation, money spent on internet "dating." She found out and left.
He admitted he had messed up but defended himself with "Well, I don't believe what I did justified divorce."
The conversation eventually played out and right before we disconnected he stated that he had heard I left the UPC, and asked why. I told him of my disagreements with official positions.
This led to a 10 minute lecture comprised of pleas for me to return to "The Truth." "You know what's right," he said, as if I were somehow backslid.
I just listened, realizing nothing I would say could make him realize how warped he is.
So, to paraphrase his mindset... it is far worse to leave the UPC mothership than to commit sexual sins...
True story. Last week an old friend (UPC minister) called to talk. Told me his wife had left him and that a divorce was next. Shocked, I asked "Why?"
Answer? Porn, masturbation, money spent on internet "dating." She found out and left.
He admitted he had messed up but defended himself with "Well, I don't believe what I did justified divorce."
The conversation eventually played out and right before we disconnected he stated that he had heard I left the UPC, and asked why. I told him of my disagreements with official positions.
This led to a 10 minute lecture comprised of pleas for me to return to "The Truth." "You know what's right," he said, as if I were somehow backslid.
I just listened, realizing nothing I would say could make him realize how warped he is.
Amazing!
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Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
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Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)
Scripture is its own interpreter. Nothing can cut a diamond but a diamond. Nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture" Thomas Watson.
Yes, absolutely. Spot on. The well-connected preachers use the manual and affirmation statement as weapons against those who deviate - even sightly - from the formal or informal rules. At the same time they flout their own liberties with no fear of reprisal.
For instance, well-connected pastors and officials have been known to show up at the affiliated churches of garden variety pastors who allow ladies to wear pants on the platform. After they verify (read "spy), they report their findings, replete with pictures, to the District Board. A few years ago, a District official threatened to remove a Texas pastor because he had posted a list of his favorite TV shows on his blog.
I have experienced this kind of bullying, personally. Presbyters have called places where I was scheduled to preach to report that I was "liberal" and that the host pastor may want to reconsider letting me preach. Meanwhile, both the host pastors and presbyters routinely violate the manual and the affirmation they sign by attending MLB games and owning full seasons of TV shows, not to mention a host of other violations too long to post.
I have learned that we have a problem with the liberties of our peers but expect everyone to tolerate our own.
If some of these presbyters spent half their time actually helping people instead of burning up the telephone lines meddling in other men's business, they might be believable when they preach.
I'm so sick of these type of men putting stumbling blocks in people's way because they do not share the same cookie cutter ideas.
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It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)
I got emails from preachers wives and other upci women when my wife cut her hair and stopped wearing skirts. No one wants us in the upci now. I burned that bridge correction, I blew up that bridge. Don't know if I got a friend in the upci now.
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A religious spirit allows people to tolerate hatred and anger under the guise of passion and holiness. Bill Johnson
Legalism has no pity on people. Legalism makes my opinion your burden, makes opinion your boundary, makes my opinion your obligation-Lucado
Some get spiritual because they see the light. Others because they feel the heat.Ray Wylie Hubbard
Definition of legalism- Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. TV
True story. Last week an old friend (UPC minister) called to talk. Told me his wife had left him and that a divorce was next. Shocked, I asked "Why?"
Answer? Porn, masturbation, money spent on internet "dating." She found out and left.
He admitted he had messed up but defended himself with "Well, I don't believe what I did justified divorce."
The conversation eventually played out and right before we disconnected he stated that he had heard I left the UPC, and asked why. I told him of my disagreements with official positions.
This led to a 10 minute lecture comprised of pleas for me to return to "The Truth." "You know what's right," he said, as if I were somehow backslid.
I just listened, realizing nothing I would say could make him realize how warped he is.
This is probably one of the saddest posts I have ever read at AFF. What makes it even sadder is that I wasn't really that surprised.
__________________ "I think some people love spiritual bondage just the way some people love physical bondage. It makes them feel secure. In the end though it is not healthy for the one who is lost over it or the one who is lives under the oppression even if by their own choice"
Titus2woman on AFF
"We did not wear uniforms. The lady workers dressed in the current fashions of the day, ...silks...satins...jewels or whatever they happened to possess. They were very smartly turned out, so that they made an impressive appearance on the streets where a large part of our work was conducted in the early years.
"It was not until long after, when former Holiness preachers had become part of us, that strict plainness of dress began to be taught.
"Although Entire Sanctification was preached at the beginning of the Movement, it was from a Wesleyan viewpoint, and had in it very little of the later Holiness Movement characteristics. Nothing was ever said about apparel, for everyone was so taken up with the Lord that mode of dress seemingly never occurred to any of us."
Quote from Ethel Goss (widow of 1st UPC Gen Supt. Howard Goss) book "The Winds of God"
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