Intriguing. I remember that fine ex-missionary couple and their flat. I am sure your own identity will come back to me soon too. Better stop this one-on-one for a bit lest we clutter the forum.

Question:

Does anyone know what became of Bob Morrison? Quirky chap, very good pianist. I'm sure he had 1, maybe 2 daughters?

Hi again.

As far as theology goes, I believe that We should be interested in theology. We should be good bereans and study scripture. That is why so many cults succeed, because people don't know and understood scripture.

When I was there, I approached Mary Black a couple of times about things said from the pulpit. She reluctantly listened but nothing changed.

Unless people were regulars and "committed" to the church, I guess it would be hard to see all that was going on and to be under the same control. Many came from far and wide to sit under the "anointing" of whatever "preacher" was speaking.

I hated camps but thought that I was the only one. Everyone spoke of how wonderful they were but all I saw were stressed faces with most people not speaking to one another for fear of giving away some secret sin, like the sin of reading a newspaper. I remember hearing of one young person being rebuked for listening to ABBA.

I also remember a sermon being preached more than once about how there were some in the congregation who would stand before God as spiritual dwarfs because we weren't growing spiritually. This was a terrifying thought and I spent much time thinking about my lack of growth.

Then there was the "stare". Does anyone remember the way that some would just state into your face as if they were trying to read you in some way? I remember I used to ramble on like an idiot because I felt so uncomfortable. Towards the end of my time there, I know that my attitude was not good because I started staring back and letting the uncomfortable silence continue until one of us walked away. Why did they do that? It was when I started to read my Bible and see my own sin instead of what others thought they saw,that I saw much that wasn't right. I'll expand another time.

In the meantime, it is reassuring to know that we are ALL sinners saved by Grace and NOT of our own doing, so that no man can boast. No one is Holy, no not one except God alone

Thank you for listening to my ramblings

Thanks, Escapesoon. I do not in any way see your post as mere “ramblings”. What you’ve said hits the nail on the head exactly. Yes, I do remember the stares. I recall stares from whichever leader was up on the platform preaching, or even in one-to-one conversations (so-called interviews for counselling) with someone in leadership. Sometimes you felt that a leader knew all your sins and shortcomings when they gave you a look from the platform. This led to low self-esteem and feelings of failure. It’s hard to understand this unless you’ve experienced it for yourself. Looking back, I can hardly believe the way I used to feel in Struthers meetings. I never feel that way now. Of course, at any church that I’ve been to, the minister or leader does not engage in this staring, intimidating behaviour!

I think the staring is a form of control and an attempt to subdue a person’s feelings and thoughts, so that they will be forced to conform to what the leader is telling them. I believe staring techniques are used as a form of intimidation in countries where there are dictatorial regimes and when someone is caught for disobeying orders.

blackwatch, I have a vague memory of Bob Morrison and his daughter(s). I think he must have left Struthers way back in the 1980s because I have no memory of him after that time. Perhaps his piano-playing did not measure up to the “anointed” standard which was sought after and prized. It always had to be done a certain way or the musician was sidelined.

Another name from the past, AlDuff, you mentioned Susan Latham, a young woman with various disabilities. Back then, there was less awareness and understanding of neurodivergent conditions as there is now, and Susan was not always treated with kindness. I know that when she died in her late 30s, many in SMC were racked with guilt because of the way they had ignored or treated her. In this case, it wasn’t the leaders, it was ordinary people in the congregation. But people who are controlled become controlling and hard-hearted, I believe.

Rainbow, I very much enjoyed reading your recent posts although I felt sad at the same time because of the way you and other young folk were treated in SMC.
I do remember being told about the young woman, who was living at the Cedars house and who was asked to leave, after being caught practicing witchcraft in her bedroom. I found this so hard to believe at the time, but nobody could explain the situation further. As usual, swept under the carpet and kept secret. Do you know anymore about this incident, Rainbow? I don’t know what happened to the young woman as nobody saw her again after that. Why couldn’t the leaders offer her help and pray with her? Why did they simply condemn her and tell her to leave after several years of faithful commitment to SMC? They are supposed to be experts at getting people set free!
* Incidentally, this is not the same situation as the one written about a number of years ago on this Forum about a lady supposedly involved in witchcraft and given deliverance ministry at the time.

Looking forward to reading more of your stories!

Like Rensil, I am not sure what happened to Mr Morrison or his family. Perhaps someone else has some intel.

I must confess I am having a great laugh imagining someone being caught practicing witchcraft in a Cedars bedroom! Were there tarot cards laid out on her prayer mat? Or some unholy brew boiling over a bunsen burner? Or maybe the perp was just reading Harry Potter?

What I do know, because she told me, is that another fine woman, Jane Fraser, was caught using hair dye shortly after she moved in. Alison Speirs found it in the bathroom and gave her a right good row. She never used it again, till the day she died (also too soon, alas).

Really enjoyed reading recent posts. Very much enjoyed your witchy imagery Al!

Spiritual dwarfs, the death stare, leaders somehow "knowing" all your sins, witches caught in the act, illicit hair dye. That's some of the latest highlights for anyone unable to read it all. What an absolute bucket of horse-dung. This is what happens when otherwise wholly unremarkable people are allowed to hold sway over others,ie, when they're given that power by others. It's nothing short of utterly delusional, mild madness really.

Even more ironic is that the vast majority of people that DO subject themselves to the leadership are actually 'better' people in general but just can't see it.

It’s brethren without the scarves the ladies wear.
Now the ladies use hair dye. They actually think people are mugs, not to question it.
Anyone hear about the recent death after deliverance?

No, sounds interesting Daisy. Can you expand?

From the rumour mill, a man having deliverance dropped dead shortly after. They are proudly talking about it.

Deliverance is dangerous, the Anglican Church don’t do it, unless there is a medical assessment I believe. Even then they wouldn’t normally do it.