Happy Survivor
Your treatment by the SMC leadership really has been appalling. It is so sad when people who are struggling are kicked when they are down instead of supported to stand on their own two feet. It is good to hear that you are moving forward however, and you have been withdrawn from the drugs. I am sure things will continue to improve, although life is rarely a straight-forward upwards path!
The arrogance of the SMC leaders truly is staggering. Not only to believe they have the right to judge others, but to be in charge of a church that is meant to be so much better than others yet be unable to offer any help. If they really had something to offer, then people would be benefiting – more robust and able to cope with whatever life threw at them, not less.
The detail of your experience of Grace Gault:
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Happy Survivor
Whilst I was attending SMC I once innocently asked a fellow member why Mrs Gault was not like other pastors I had known. I did not intend to criticise nor to be insubordinate. Mrs Gault got to hear about my question and I received a tongue lashing from her by phone one night shortly afterwards. I can still recall how I lay in bed that night believing that I had been rejected by God Himself. All the lights went out for me that night. I later asked Grace would she ever forgive me and she replied that she has a very long memory. I think I knew then that I was a failure in her eyes and always would be.
shows that the same things that were happening 20 years ago are still happening now.
And that brings me to the question you have asked – why other people post here. My own reason is very simple. Even after decades away from Struthers, I have really been helped by the other testimonies on this site. Because of that, I want to let others know that they are not the only ones, it is not their fault. That is why I post here.
The SMC leaders will of course, in their arrogance, tell us that they know our reasons better than we do. Even if they have not been in touch with someone for 20 years, or if they do not have a clue who they are, they will ‘know’ that the reason is “seeds of bitterness” or something like that. Apart form the appalling arrogance of suggesting that you somehow have knowledge of the motives of someone you do not even know, I do not think this conclusions is bourne out by the facts.
For a start, I have found this forum to be gracious and generous, with individuals apologising for things they get wrong and being kind and supportive to others.
I also find it interesting that no-one appears to have followed up recent posts about coverage of other stories by contacting the media about SMC. I am not saying it would be wrong to do that, I think it will hit the press at some point anyway, possibly when OSCR reports, but it is interesting that no-one from this forum appears to have stirred things up by contacting the press at this point. To me, that shows that people are not motivated by bitterness or a desire for revenge, they are motivated by a wish to help others.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2013 06:05PM by ThePetitor.