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dogmafree
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101# |
Rank:Poster Venti II
Score:7240
Registered:
21/02/2006
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(Date Posted:30/04/2007 06:04:52)
Have to agree with all you're saying their about selection criteria.
I recall my early days in the RCI/RF being 'full-on' and after a while being invited to do small talks in house meetings and such. As a mid-twenties young fella with scant experience, I recall the distinct feeling of being 'groomed' for the role of oversight. Thankfully, although I liked to give a talk here and there, I resisted this pull to be involved with the 'inner circle' of assembly life, and so avoided it.
I can't say for sure why, but I guess it was a sort of instinctual thing. I guess I felt that there was a degree of hypocracy in my life, and my inner world was not in harmony with my professions. (I had doubts about stuff). So, to be in a position of leadership would carry a greater degree of responsibility and scrutiny, and that didn't seem like a great prospect. Whatever the reasons, I'm bloody pleased that I put the brakes on there and then, even if I didn't break away all together for many years after.
Dog.
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"for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2)
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no1home
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102# |
Rank:Rookier
Score:1740
Registered:
01/02/2007
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(Date Posted:30/04/2007 07:39:35)
good on you Dog for being honest with yourself back then. so many guys get swept up in the 'grooming' process and you can't blame them really, it must be a confidence-booster to be thought of by the powers that be as having 'leadership' qualities, although for some it is more of an ego thing.
a while back JK sent an email around to the Adelaide RF pastors/area leaders with a list of what he called "capable young men", younger guys who he had singled out as having oversight potential in certain areas. somehow I got to see it  and most of the names on the list were genuinely nice guys, but from my point of view - and this is purely my opinion - the criteria appeared to be more about meeting attendance, conservatism and romantic history than qualities such as compassion, maturity and wisdom.
from what I've seen, the guys who do take up the offer either end up changing for the worse, or becoming disillusioned with what goes on behind the scenes.
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set free
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103# |
Rank:Regular Poster
Score:3140
Registered:
05/02/2007
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(Date Posted:30/04/2007 10:08:30)
One of the things that I've observed is that (even though I had more male friends than female) there are VERY few guys that still talk to us, while a lot of the girls still do. I believe that this is a result of that grooming process, coz most of the guys I was friendly with were in some sort of position or at least were kept involved by being given the responsibility of organising YP's events sometimes etc. I've found that there is only one guy around my age who goes there (in body not in heart) who still totally accepts us (in fact he was one of the contributors in me leaving, he told me he'd rather see me full on and getting persecuted than lukewarm and fitting in) the other couple of guys that still talk to us only do so in the hope that we'll go back there one day. I know coz I've watched them try and "follow up" other people who have moved on. Girls on the other hand tend to be (or at least act) a lot more geniunely in their effort to remain friends.
Another thing I've noticed is that younger people tend to be less mind-controlled than oldies. Quite a few of them that have contacted me (from other assemblies) oblivious to the fact that I've left have said "Your still our sister in Christ, we're not gonna stop talking to ya!" when I've told them I've left.
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http://www.myspace.com/theiheartrevolution
theiheartrevolution.com
"THE REVOLUTIONARY EMPIRE OF GOD IS HERE - ADVANCING BY RECONCILIATION AND PEACE; EXPANDING BY FAITH; HOPE AND LOVE, BEGINNING WITH THE POOREST AND THE LEAST. IT"S TIME TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING - BE PART OF THE REVOLUTION...
Brian D. McClaren (paraphresed)
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom"s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
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bindi
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104# |
Rank:Regular Poster
Score:3270
Registered:
10/09/2006
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(Date Posted:30/04/2007 11:30:25)
Reply to : set free
One of the things that I've observed is that (even though I had more male friends than female) there are VERY few guys that still talk to us, while a lot of the girls still do. I believe that this is a result of that grooming process, coz most of the guys I was friendly with were in some sort of position or at least were kept involved by being given the responsibility of organising YP's events sometimes etc. I've found that there is only one guy around my age who goes there (in body not in heart) who still totally accepts us (in fact he was one of the contributors in me leaving, he told me he'd rather see me full on and getting persecuted than lukewarm and fitting in) the other couple of guys that still talk to us only do so in the hope that we'll go back there one day. I know coz I've watched them try and "follow up" other people who have moved on. Girls on the other hand tend to b
Hi to everyone! Thankyou for the warm welcome back Earth, Dog and Moth... 
Set free... Its nice to hear that the younger ones are not as dogmatic and steadfast in the 'old ways' and do tend to be a little more understanding and, dare I say it, human! I think and hope that as time goes on and the older 'dogmatic' ones start to fall off the perch that things will change for the better in these churches. The old school were brought up in a different era. I admit, I was one of the ones that would only acknowledge a person who had left or had been put out merely to encourage them to get back on the 'straight and narrow' and hopefully come back. (cringe) But now being on the receiving end, ( Well, I say on the receiving end, but its been a few years now since Ive been out and I couldn't care less if anyone talks to me or not now! Bitterness and hurt has gone ) and going through it all has made me realize I would never do that to anyone again! That is of course if I was back in there again or any church for that matter! There are always two sides to a story however, when your so intrenched in these kinds of institutions, you only see one way and thats the institutions! I'm so grateful that I had loving family and friends on the outside to be there for me but I know through reading statements made on these forums, that many had nobody! How tragic!
T me, there is a BIG difference in having 'spiritual fellowship' with someone no longer attending, and just being just plain caring! I don't understand why people that many have spent a lifetime with could just 'cut' them off with out thought or feeling for that person and what they might be going through.
Still, like I said, hopefully the younger ones as they grow up and take over the reins, they will change things for the better.
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" IF I COULD WISH FOR MY LIFE TO BE PERFECT, IT WOULD BE TEMPTING BUT I WOULD HAVE TO DECLINE, FOR LIFE WOULD NO LONGER TEACH ME ANYTHING."
Allyson Jones
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set free
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105# |
Rank:Regular Poster
Score:3140
Registered:
05/02/2007
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(Date Posted:30/04/2007 11:46:38)
I hope so Bindi, I hope so. I guess it just depends on how much they get their wings clipped.
We can all only hope and pray that more and more people's eyes are opened.
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http://www.myspace.com/theiheartrevolution
theiheartrevolution.com
"THE REVOLUTIONARY EMPIRE OF GOD IS HERE - ADVANCING BY RECONCILIATION AND PEACE; EXPANDING BY FAITH; HOPE AND LOVE, BEGINNING WITH THE POOREST AND THE LEAST. IT"S TIME TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING - BE PART OF THE REVOLUTION...
Brian D. McClaren (paraphresed)
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom"s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
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old holborn
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106# |
Rank:Regular Member
Score:4430
Registered:
27/11/2005
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(Date Posted:01/05/2007 01:30:44)
Reply to : Sea Urchin
Reply to : old holbornI realise that these attributes dont nesceserily ammount to much in the eyes of the Lord, but they sure inspire more confidence in me, than the bunch of ignoramuses I put up with for 18 yrs who were self taught in scripture, and for the most part barely literate in education. un read, and.mostly un-successful in the world. I can think of no other organisation where these men could have advanced to a position of authority.Not all of course, but too many by far.Have to agree with you old h, the majority of house leaders, area leaders & pastors in RF were not selected because they were necessarilythe best for the job but because they had the ability to be ' yes men ' - that seemed to be the criter
Hi, yee ess s, Ezek34 all hi- lited in my Bible. it describes so well so many of those so called sheperds, who have scattered their flocks, driving sick or nonconforming sheep away, into the very "dangers " of a "world" that they continualy warned us about returning to . A place where we would rapidly become depraved, and lose our salvation. Thats some wierd kind of love alright. It's a good job the Good Shepherd never abandons us
And Praise the Lord, there ARE other flocks, with shepherds who lead, as you say, | | |
