The Trinity Foundation of Dallas, Texas
Posted by:
counselor47
()
Date: July 23, 2006 01:22PM
[i:4025b4a8e2]Doug, I understand you want me to read the book. I would like to. On the other hand, I want to know that it is worth buying. I have to have some reason to believe that it is a truthful account regarding Trinity. I need to believe to some degree that you are not just making money for the sake of your wife's bad experience.[/i:4025b4a8e2]
We have published this book at our own expense, and, at this point, are well short of even breaking even on it financially. Our only desire is to tell the truth about Trinity Foundation and our experience there. Also, my wife wrote about [b:4025b4a8e2]our[/b:4025b4a8e2] experience, not just hers. In fact, she was the pen for dozens of former members who are too damaged or too fearful to be able to tell their own stories.
[i:4025b4a8e2]I have read your posts on all the forums I could find, including your response to John Rutledge's rebuttal.(I believe it was him) I am unconvinced that your account is truthful.[/i:4025b4a8e2]
And yet, our account [b:4025b4a8e2]is[/b:4025b4a8e2] truthful.
[i:4025b4a8e2]Concerning quotes from your own website, I see a lack of truth. Specifically in the charges made regarding the teaching at Trinity. Here are some quotes from your site, namely from those who have reviewed the book:
"The book describes the abusive practices and strange beliefs that define Trinity Foundation as a cult..."
"She has done a difficult thing: made the process by which she was seduced into membership into a highly authoritarian group with bizarre personal reinterpretations of scripture seem both understandable and reasonable."
"Her revealing chapter on the doctrinal underpinnings that were used to justify such spiritual and psychological abuse will be helpful to former members of other religious groups."
Now the point I want to make is this Doug. As far as I have heard in the doctrines and teachings specific to Trinity Foundation, which I know pretty well, I do not find grounds to call them "bizarre personal reinterpretations" or "strange beliefs that define Trinity Foundation as a cult."[/i:4025b4a8e2]
But, Nathan, you do not know Trinity or it’s teachings as well as I do—not by a long shot. I was a member of Trinity Foundation from the time I was 21 until I left at age 42. I was a Bible study teacher, one of the elders, an employee, a [i:4025b4a8e2]Door[/i:4025b4a8e2] contributor, a member of the board of directors, and Ole's roommate for about 10 years. I think that trumps the fact that that you have listened to a few (edited) Bible studies over the internet.
[i:4025b4a8e2]You could make those same statements about any group teaching orthodox Christianity, which by the way, I do not believe Ole's teaching deviates from.[/i:4025b4a8e2]
Whether you are able, from your distant perch, to see how Ole’s doctrine deviates from orthodox Christianity or not, in fact, it does. I used to be a teacher of Ole’s doctrine, and now I am an orthodox Christian believer. There is a great deal of difference. It is difficult in this type of forum to go into all the detail of why this is so, but there is a chapter in my wife’s book ("Twisted Scriptures") that covers this quite well.
[i:4025b4a8e2]I do not see any area where their doctrines have been twisted from what we consider "the essentials" of Biblical Christianity. I find the charges on your website unfounded and misleading. That is why I make the statement that I believe the real twisting is coming from your end.[/i:4025b4a8e2]
Again, Ole/Trinity’s doctrine does indeed deviate from orthodox, Biblical Christianity, but it takes a little bit of time to develop the argument why this is so. Wendy does and excellent job of laying this out in her book, and I do not want to repeat the argument here. If you are truly interested, you will investigate this by reading the book.
[i:4025b4a8e2]I understand hurtful experience can occur in communities, and that Ole and others may have done some things to you and your wife that did not feel very good. I am not arguing with you about that. However, if those reviews represent what the book says about Trinity's teaching, it does not lead me to believe there is justification for buying it.[/i:4025b4a8e2]
You can either buy it or not at your own discretion, Nathan. However, it is disingenuous of you to keep posting these apologies for Trinity when you lack the integrity to read for yourself what we are saying.