Thank you RRModerator for taking the decision to ban Bingowings. I may have been one of the contributors whom you have saved from being publicly smeared and discredited. Are there no lows to which SMC will not stoop? They really take the biscuit.

My health is suffering from the fallout surrounding my decision to leave SMC on Saturday 31st August. I am feeling the wrath and extreme displeasure of SMC. My fiancé wants me to retire from posting on this forum for both our sakes. I still have so much more of my story to tell though. My revelations will be very damaging to SMC and to Cedars School of Excellence. I would not be continuing with all of this if I was not passionate about the truth.

The One that I follow declared Himself to be "the Way and the Truth and the Life" (John14:6). He will protect me and keep me safe from every attack against me.

I need to rest for a few days before posting again.

I will be back though, God willing.

Hey guys

Welcome Saturdaynightfever, will you join me in my Happy dance? I'm soooo glad you have made the move to extricate yourself from the SMC madness and I'm sure you will find blessed freedom in the weeks and months ahead. We'll all be rooting for and supporting you.

Happy Survivor, please don't stop posting, you have no idea how many people are being helped by this forum. There are a multitude of people who have been hurt by SMC who don't post here but take great succour and strength from what we are posting. We all know how difficult it can be when you leave SMC and how the lies and rumours get spread from the public platform about you. Just remember that there are way more people who are supporting you than those meagre 300 or so still burying their heads in the sand and glued to the SMC pews. The most important thing to remember is that it doesn't matter what human beings think of you - God knows the truth and he won't let you down. Now is your time to really start living!

Also, thank you rrmoderator for letting us know what happened to Bingowings, I did wonder about them - the hostility was quite apparent and getting a bit close to the bone so I'm not surprised to hear that they were banned. It's such a shame that SMC folks just couldn't be a bit more loving in Christ and show the Christianity and Holiness they profess to have.

It does show though, that they are running scared if they have to resort to nasty tactics to try and discredit those who post here. Don't they realise that they are only strengthening our arguments regarding just how UN-holy and UN-Christian they really are? God would never allow such harassment of any of his children so it's blatantly obvious that SMC'ers are very misguided and walking down a spiritually dangerous path.

I agree with you, Saturdaynightfever, Miss T. was a nasty wee wummin who's lust for power killed any chance for revival in SMC. She was insanely jealous of the constant growth in the satellite churches because she was not in complete control of what was going on in them. Hence the removal of all those pastors who WERE doing the work of God and seeing the fruits of their labours in increasing numbers in their branches of the church. However, the Greenock church actually had LESS members attending there than the satellite churches had in those days - and that didn't please Elizabeth Taylor one little bit because she was a control freak and needed everyone to be prostrating themselves before her and revering her. She was a complete megalomaniac and totally stifled the work of God in the church and it seems like her legacy has lived on in the current leaders.

It's so wonderful to see that more and more people are beginning to wake up to the truth of what's happening in SMC and perhaps they will eventually be left with no congregation at all and no one to damage any more. Oh, yes ... the times they are a-changing!!

Stay strong guys and close your ears to the nastiness and lies coming from SMC against you. They are few, but we are Legion so you have way more SUPPORT than the few who will speak against you.

Nehemiah 8:10: Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.

As always biiiiiiiig love and huge hugggggggs to all
God Bless xxxx

Happy Survivor, I am truly sorry that you are getting appalling treatment from smc. It is their way and there is no surprise. Good news is they are cowardly and soon their corrupt, malicious behaviour will be in the past. You have been brave and proved your strength exceeds theirs. How that must sting for them. And getting someone to post personal attacks (well they failed anyway, thanks to the moderator..) is a sign of spite and desperation, in my opinion. I hope you can weather the storm. Remember they are nasty but few. Soon the good folks in your life will outweigh them. And you have our fullest support here.Please do keep posting about how they are misbehaving. This is where people come first when seeking truth about smc. Many come, many see. It is good. But arduous, your health comes first. Be well.
Saturdaynightfever, are you getting this as well? I mean, freedom is good, which I hope you are enjoying, but have you had "the treatment"? Maybe you are too busy living happily now to notice. I hope so.
Regards good folks of the forum, and happy days, Cornelius Dredd (Once Ifellaway)

rrmoderator – thanks for confirming the reasons for banning bingowings. Like others, I think it is really helpful to have this sort of info.

It is so sad that bingowings was attempting to post personal attacks. I certainly can’t see how making personal attacks is consistent with the Christian message so, even if there had not been any other concerns, that would immediately make me wonder about the standards in the church. Disappointing, as is the cold shoulder that Happy Survivor is getting at the moment. Again – how does making someone feel unwanted fit with a Christian message? It really is nonsense and, as Cbarb says, simply confirms that we are right and all is not well in SMC.

Happy Survivor – I am so glad that you have been able to share some of your experiences here. Many of us know just how difficult it can be when leaving Struthers. I know that I found it really hard. The way I described it to friends at the time was that it was like knocking on the door of my parents’ house and a stranger coming to the door. When I asked whether my mum and dad were in, they said, “What are you talking about? This is our house – we have lived here for the last 20 years.”

That was how it felt to me – people that were my family were suddenly unrecognisable strangers.

The thing is, they now know the kind of effect it can have on people, so it is not accidental. What they are trying to do is make your life outside of Struthers so miserable that you have to return. Many people have done that, and have ended up deeply unhappy and ineffectual as they are not actually being true to themselves or to God, they are simply giving in to bullying.

It was tough for me when I left but, with supportive friends and family, I began to realise there was life after Struthers. Apart from anything else, I had largely lost the ability to make my own decisions, and it took a while (and a lot of bad decisions as well as good ones!) to get that back. Let me assure you that the pain of the journey away from Struthers is well worth it however. The life you will find at the end of the tunnel is of course challenging and can be difficult, but there is freedom, confidence, acceptance, and independence; and all of that is fully compatible with a deep Christian commitment and experience.

One of the things I found difficult was that friends who had not been in Struthers (once I made some – my whole life had been Struthers, so I didn’t really have much in the way of friends) were quite dismissive about it – “well, you will be glad to be out of that” kind of attitude. While that was right in many ways, I personally did not find it helped me, as it did not reflect the fact that I was on a long and painful journey away from Struthers.

That is why (many years later) I have found this forum so helpful. It meant I could see that many others had gone through the same experience – it wasn’t just me. I guess many people would see me as a strong and successful person, and I am certainly happy, but I still find each testimony makes a difference.

So, to everyone out there, keep up the good work all – every little helps!

Welcome, SaturdaynightFever. I am glad you are yet another survivor after, I presume, being brought up within SMC along with your family, some time ago. You've got us all dancing, I think!

I'm thinking that it's a bit ironic that Bingowings has been banned, when it's the SMC leaders who go around banning folk from the church!

Happy Survivor, I can re-iterate what The Petitor has said above, that leaving SMC is, for many people, a very traumatic experience which can affect one's health. Can I try to reassure you that this will pass in time and you will soon definitely feel much better in every way. As Cbarb has said, we are more on here than them and they cannot do us further harm once the necessary inner healing has taken place within our life. Please don't let what they've said to you or perhaps threatened you with verbally, get under your skin. That is not who you are in reality. They cannot affect your life long-term. They speak lies and empty threats to people who decide to leave and then leave SMC.
You've made the correct decision and things will get easier, I promise you. I found leaving SMC and losing friends (who cut me off when I left) very traumatic and it took time for me to feel whole again, but I got there and made lots of new friends and found a good, lively church. As have many other ex-SMC folk. Don't believe the SMC lie that there are no other good churches out there. There are great churches out there, where you wont get treated at all like you have been treated when in SMC. Hang in there!

Hi folks

It is a pity that no one from inside SMC seems to be taking us seriously and, for a Christian group - not to mention how much MORE Christian they believe themselves to be than everyone else - this is diabolical and proves beyond a doubt that these people are LESS Christian than any other normal church group.

Do they seriously believe that we would be publicising our pain and confusion if everything we have said here is just lies and bitterness?

On re-examining the posts made by Bingowings, I'm inclined to believe that this is no ordinary member of the church but actually one of the 'esteemed' leaders themselves. The wording is so typical of the leadership.

On rules and regulations:

To the Petitor:

Quote

You know there is no such thing, so stop the nonsense.[unqote] - 'stop the NONSENSE' who exactly does this person think they are? Does this sound like someone who is taking responsibility for the things they say and do which harm so many people. It sounds more like someone who thinks they are talking to a bunch of 10 year-olds and is quite inflammatory.

Then they contradict the statement above by posting the following to ChesterK55:

Quote

I'm not very interested in what you claim are the rules, but what they actually are. Times, dates, people that can be verified. If that can't be done, where does that leave you?[[/i]unquote] - If there is no such thing as rules and regulations in SMC, why would Bingowings be 'more interested in what they ARE, rather than what we knew they were (and all those still attending know they are). We are all well aware that there has never been a handbook produced and this is exactly what we have been asking for. Why should SMC function any differently from any other Charity - all of whom have this kind of handbook for the public to see what they are about, how they conduct their duties and what they expect from registered members. This is not something we just made up - it is fully compliant with the law regarding Charitable companies, clubs and associations.

I'm not even going to bother quoting the rubbish posted, by Bingowings, to me. I am neither a child nor a liar, if we were lying on here it would be easily provable and Bingowings can quite easily find all the evidence, of the truth of what we post here, in a vast number of sermons already beautifully analysed by Latigo214.info. We have no need of reproducing these here when they are already available to all who wish to see them.

The level of hostility and the tactic of answering questions with accusations is VERY typical of SMC leadership which is why I'm inclined to believe that this person is in fact a leader themselves. Which also begs the question - if the members are being BANNED from reading this site and the Latigo site, why are the leaders allowed to break their OWN rules? Which brings us back to what we've been saying all along - there's ONE rule for the members but the complete opposite rule for the leaders and this is what we have all noticed during our time spent inside the church. The leaders believe themselves to be completely unaccountable for the setting of or breaking of ANY rules they care to impose on the ordinary members of the church. This is completely against the teaching in the Bible regarding those who are would-be leaders of God's people.

I have to ask myself - "What Bible are the leaders of SMC preaching from?" because the majority of what they say and do is AGAINST the teachings of God in the Bible I own and read.

Just my thoughts on recent postings!

As always, biiiiiiiig love and huge hugggggs to all
God Bless xxx

You could be on to something, cbarb. There is a proud tradition of a bingowings appearance among SMC leaders!!

By the way, I escaped from SMC over 20 years ago. But would be delighted to join you on a happy dance!! :-)

cbarb-again wrote:

Quote

Do they seriously believe that we would be publicising our pain and confusion if everything we have said here is just lies and bitterness?

Corboy comment:

There is little risk in praising any group, guru or church.

But there is considerable risk of unpleasantness if one publishes a post describing troubles or worse.

How often have we witnessed trolling in response to endorsements of a group, leader or church?

(Pause; crickets chirping)

By contrast, how often do we witness troll outbreaks when someone writes about troubles in a group or church?


I have read many posts put on this message board during the eleven years of its existence.

And have watched discussions on other venues, too.

There seems little or no risk if someone chooses to write in praise of a church and its leaders, or of some other spiritual group.

No risk in giving praise. Often, others will step forward supporting and praising the ones who give glowing reports.

But...trying to describe problems in a group or a church, trying to describe something that is not a happy story, one encounters shaming, blaming, ridicule, accusations of negative thinking, etc.

Again, in 'spiritual matters' there seems little or no risk in giving praise.

Describing abuses of power and money are what get a person in trouble.

As in Jesus kicking over the money changers tables in the Temple, saying Gods house had been turned into a market.

When a church is a market, thats when to speak up.

Ditto if turned into someone's private fiefdom with members as the serfs.

Someone passed this onto me.

mark.mcgivern@trinitymirror.com is looking for further examples in Scotland of where religious groups, particularly those that represent right wing, intolerant and creationist views, are gaining a foothold with schools, wither through chaplaincy or youth clubs etc. Any help you might give would be appreciated.


he works as a journo here:

[www.dailyrecord.co.uk]

maybe someone here can help him ....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2013 11:21AM by Clive.

Clive
I think this newspaper link is to do with a story that was in the Scottish news last week concerning a primary school where local church-workers were involved at the school and some parents complained. However, I don't think it is relevant to our cause here.

Others may disagree with me, but I don't think the issues to do with Struthers are relevant to this. I am not an atheist and I have Christian beliefs, as do many others who post here. The problems and error at SMC aren't that they have Christian beliefs and teachings. The problems and wrongs being done are concerned with control of other people of all ages, manipulation of individuals, a leadership with too much power, a "women only" leadership, insular and isolationist policies, no complaints procedure, favouritism especially for family members, control over people's relationships including marriage, criticism and rejection of other churches and Christian groups etc. These behaviours do not exist in healthy churches, of which there are huge numbers in the UK and overseas.

Need I say more. I know we've had this discussion before, but it isn't Christian beliefs and teachings that are the problem concerning SMC. So I don't think it would be helpful to contact this journalist and could just cause confusion.