Samantha.......... I identify with your post very much. Your post below of the things you have witnessed and done yourself is very much ditto for me.


Here are some things that I have witnessed and done myself:
1. People Worshiping People
2. Promoting Drunkenness (not on the pulpit though, I guess it's only behind the scenes)
3. Sexual Sin
4. Manipulation
5. Control
6. Distorted Doctrine
7. Alienation from Family Members
8. Back Biting
9. Gossip
10. Slander
11. Tongues Shmounges! Which is what Pastor Tony preaches on the pulpit? Be careful that is a divine language which edifies!!!

I thought this might be helpful to someone.

Samantha,
WOW! What a powerful post. Thank you so much for exposing your thoughts. Your feelings and experiences seem very similar to mine. Though it hurts to see you hurting, it also brings joy to me to see you experiencing life and God the way you are. I agree to the things you witnessed. It seems most everyone has seen the same things. Its not a coincidence. You cannot have a network of so many people who have seen, felt and experienced the same things and be hurt the same way and not see that this is real. How can anyone ignore this or deny the validity of ALL these claims?

Addressing the leadership at RLC:

Please don’t turn your face away from this anymore or ignore the facts and stories of the people. They “were” your responsibility and Under your care to love and serve and protect. God gave you these sheep which belong to Him and he seems to be very Jealous for them. Please STAND UP and acknowledge the hurt and wounds of those who have been wounded. There are many more going through it as we speak that are still attending. If my heart grieves for them, I can’t imagine how God must ACHE for his children. PLEASE, do something. Act on it even though some may want you to ignore the claims or try to tell you that We are just “Aggressive Weeds” now.

-Ryan-

well all i can say is wow! it's crazy how this forum has grown... thanks matt, ryan, nicole, waj, samantha... and last but not least my good friend dan. thanks everyone for posting as you have been... i told myself and others it would just take time to see the word spread... but then again... diseqase spreads quickly and it is very obvious. ppl hasve heard testimony after testimony of what has happened. ppl have expressed themselves on this forum way more than anything i could have imagined. as for me... i'm still antonio... still dealing with my day to day bulls**t! still dealing with my bad habits...but a hell of alot better being out of the RLC (the castle of Grayskull...lol) just a little sarcasm... for all you 30 somethings like me...lol. anyways... thanks to everyone... the truth has been told, i will agree there are some things on this forum that were a bit odd and crazy...but we got to express ourselves and i continue to do it! please remember to say a prayer for a brother... cuz my ghetto ass needs that... no bullsh**ing on my end folks... those of you that kno me personally ... you know i don't ever hold my true feelings back! yo kevin reta... i read your post bro... glad to see u came on this thing and dropped a line man!!! well all i can say is much damage has been done... many others including myself have been thru it of course... but u know what... we all have to continue in just moving forward... and those we can help out along the way... damn! let's do it!! well anyhows... just a big thanks... i really don't have much else to say except thanks...

ANTONIO

P.S. yes... the same Antonio you all know!!!

Whatajoke you are forgiven. seriously i would rather you say how you feel then have to hold anthything in. I have nothing against you and actually i am curious who you are maybe one day you'll let me know. And I was serious about my apology and I have learned what it means to pay restitution and I actually enjoy trying to straighten out any mess i have made. I also think you should change your name to brave warrior or something tough because for you to share how you really feel takes balls and i commend you for that! I'm learning how to start to share what i really think and feel then to hold everything in. I did that for so long! and i will never go back to that. So as far as you and i go even if you did'nt like me, I respect what you have to say because it's how YOU feel and how you feel is important to me as well as everyone else.
thank you everyone else for your support AND AS FAR AS THE PREACHING STUFF GOES DEAL WITH IT. I WILL ALWAYS TESTIFY ABOUT GOD'S GOODNESS AND LOVE. But i will also be considerate about the shiate WE ALL have been through.

I'm am so greatful for EVERYONE who has shared thank you, many people read and watch this forum and our freedom will liberate other's to wellness. Thank Uncle Shane, love you man.

Samantha what you shared was good and right, thank you!

So this message goes out to all who might see this; THERE IS NOTHING UNGODLY ABOUT SHARING HOW YOU REALLY FEEL! BEING TRAPPED MENTALLY AND FEELING ISOLATED AND ALONE IS NOT HEALTHY!

Sorry forum pals if you felt that was preachy i'm just very excitied about the freedom that is taking place and the restoration of us all.


Sincerly,

Kevin Reta

Quote
Ring barer
By the way… I forgot a very important family when speaking about people that have been hurt yet people that could be powerful… necessary casualties as I called them… I said that the list was not comprehensive so please if you know of people mention them…

The Majewski family… how could I forget? The very loving people that befriended my wife and me during a confusing time… these people, and i mean the whole family (Mike, Heidi, Wade, Beau, Megan, Zack and Annie) extended themselves to my family and continue to do so for which I am very happy… I value each one of them and their friendship…

Ok the list continues… can’t believe I am forgetting very important people and if I have forgotten you trust that I am thinking of you…. Bridget Reta!!!!!!!!! Talk about endurance… most of us have no clue… talk about a victim… talk about a serious loss to RLC… I don’t think she was meant to be a casualty yet in a strange way I rejoice that she is… sooo glad my cousin is out and sooo glad she is another with a testimony that could shake most of us… powerful people with powerful testimonies means powerful results… make no mistake Bridget is one of those…

Hope you can see this cuz…

Just some research Ryan was doing that he shared with me and I came across this…


CONFUSION.FEAR& GUILT
The dangers of involvement in
cults are not always easily discernible.
After a carefully programmed initiation
it is often too late for one caught to recognize
his predicament. This is mainly
because he has slowly undergone an alteration
in his thinking processes. Even
if he eventually comes to realize he
might have made a mistake, it becomes
difficult to leave because of uncertainty.
He may become confused due to guilt
placed upon him by the cult; he may
worry that he would be falling away
from God should he leave the group. -
In order to determine whether or
not a group is adhering to biblical truth,
it is necessary to understand how the
group defines its terms. This is a genuine
problem because cults often change
the meanings of words in order to confuse
the thinking of the unwary and reprogram
them into conformity with the
cult's tenets.
Because of this confusion of language
it can be extremely difficult to
determine the group's actual beliefs
and lack of conformity to biblical standards.
It is necessary therefore, to not
only look at the group's teachings, but
also at its practices. Teachings and practices
combine to fann an overall climate
of mind control which is evidenced in
certain characteristics.
To help Christians determine if
they (or someone they know) may be
under cultic influence, we present the
following questionnaire. Check the appropria
te boxes.

- A BIB Lie A LAN A L V .5 I 5 0 F R EL I G IOU 5 & 5 E C U L A.R M E D I A

Let me toss this idea out again as it was a post script thought in another post..

Here is the idea that I would like to pose.. to set up an evening for us (the victiums of rlc) to get together for an evening of testimony & prayer of cource we would have some great fellowship and food. An evening to help heal the wonds to encourage and prayer?
what do you think?

[[i]quote kevinreta]Whatajoke you are forgiven. seriously i would rather you say how you feel then have to hold anthything in. I have nothing against you and actually i am curious who you are maybe one day you'll let me know. And I was serious about my apology and I have learned what it means to pay restitution and I actually enjoy trying to straighten out any mess i have made. I also think you should change your name to brave warrior or something tough because for you to share how you really feel takes balls and i commend you for that! I'm learning how to start to share what i really think and feel then to hold everything in. I did that for so long! and i will never go back to that. So as far as you and i go even if you did'nt like me, I respect what you have to say because it's how YOU feel and how you feel is important to me as well as everyone else.
thank you everyone else for your support[/i]


Actually, KevinReta............ I like you very much. I even love ya bro. You will understand soon. I have been through the same mess as you but as a very less significant person or authority at RLC. I experienced it from the peons level. I guess I am so afraid to reveal my name because I think that because I was an insignificant person at RLC, my testimony will be discounted. But I can tell you I felt it and experienced as much as anyone here. I started out blaming everyone but Tony. I blamed the people that discipled me, people who were in authority over me in ministry, SOMA, SOMA people, everyone but Tony, the pastors, and the elders. I had to really step back to see things and I realized that everyone had a hand in perpetuating this but when examining Tony and his teachings it really did fall from him. A very rigid, control oriented, and nasty culture was created. Things definately became cultlike. Immaturity reigned while Tony continued to manipulate and spiritually abuse the flock. I started to see in SOMA alot of personal agenda in his teaching. I saw a huge amount of blame shifting and public embarrassment and humiliation in his teachings. I had to look back to examine this. The problem with me was at the time I did not know who the teaching was for or the reason why but looking back I now know that they were intended for certain things that happenned or in regards to certain ministries and people. Blameshifting instead of godly instruction and correction. Public humiliation instead of godly instruction and correction. Too much ego and contol issues on the part of Tony.

I have spoken out at times about people like Ryan, you Kevin, Paul Childs, Brandon, Michael R, Dennis Ott, Joe L, Love, and I don't know who else, but looking back at some point I realized that all of you all are victims also. Ryan and Matt did a good job to come on here and share their experiences. While I thought I was alone, and the leaders at RLC had no clue I was wrong. While I was hurting some of those same people in leadership that actually put on a very good front were hurting also. I can tell you this. I loved God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul at one time. I long to experience that again in a very real way. I have made great progress especially in the last month or so since Ryan and Matt came on. For that I am grateful and I am sure god is grateful. I am injured and crippled but am trying to drag myself to walk again. I have had some very private moments of crying and tears trying to sort it all out and get back on my feet again. Me and my family have made it back to church a couple of times this last month and it has been good. I believe I can be a powerful instrument for God some day but feel dragged down at times by this Christian World that seems twisted at times. I cry and really wish that Tony, Brandon, the pastoral staff, and the elders understand and see what has happenned. I really don't want bad to happen to them. That is not my purpose. A matter a fact I believe I am capable of loving them. If you guys are reading this I can tell you i am further in my healing and forgiveness than ever. I believe I love you guys more today than I did yesterday and am capable of loving you more tommorrow than I did today despite what I have gone through. I just want you guys to see what has happenned and genuinely change so that there are no more casualties. Repentance and apologies are in order and really not the type we were programmed into at RLC. You see it was always taught to me that Repentance does not require tears and a big ordeal.......... but that is with jesus. People are different. When they are injured or lost they need nurturing. Wounds need to be cleaned to heal and not get infected, bandages need to be changed. medicine given for the pain. "You are forgiven" in some instance may satisfy your guilt but words are easy to blurt out especially in a robotic way. It is harder to show the forgivness and more appropriately act the forgiveness when it comes to humans. And I can tell you I am one who has gone the route of being apologized to in the robotic way and given the robotic response of You are forgiven. But you know I walked away feeling that was hollow and nothing changed. Remember it is the lost or strayed sheep that Jesus would be looking for. He wouldn't be at church on Sunday at RLC or anywhere for that matter but looking for those that got lost or strayed along the way.

You might wonder that if I was so insignificant while at RLC why am I still on here carrying on? Well I guess I can just tell you that it is my nature. I guess when I see something that is grossly wrong in my own funny way I want to fix it. When I think about other people out there that had the same experiences and feeling as me i want to do something in my own way. I think in a funny driven way I want to keep others from going down the same path as looks definately are deceiving at RLC. Tony, Brandon, and all the rest. I don't know you guys too well but feel for you and am beginning to love you through all of this. In some way you are all injured. Tony included.

Jesus help me.

Much Love and Peace Out

WAJ.............BraveWarrior



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2008 10:34AM by whatajoke.

PS Braveheart............. FOOD, yea.

Welcome Samantha thanks for sharing your testimony.

I was just thinking about some teaching that I once received from a Godly man. Often times people get offended and then they leave a church. That really is no reason to leave a church because lets face it, we wouldn't stay at any church for very long. But he gave some very good insight as to why an individual should leave a church. They are as follows:

1. The leadership is in sin. (Not a sinner because we all are but is actively engaged in sin).
2. The word of God is not being taught. In other words a maligning of the scripture.
3. The Lord flat out calls you out to serve elsewhere.

If anyone is thinking about where God would have them and you can answer yes to any of these, perhaps its time to make a move. This is what I often thought of when I was contemplating leaving. I struggled with my thoughts. I always thought that I would stay at the same church forever. I never wanted to be part of the problem so I stayed quiet. I allowed things to happen around me that I shouldn't because I didn't want to be 'divisive' or speak against the authority. I thought that speaking out could not be what God wanted me to do I mean how could I ever speak against God's 'annointed'? I mean look what happened to Miriam and Aaron. Well let me just say this, by the grace of God I have yet to turn leprous. I am learning to think and speak for myself. That process started the minute I decided to leave and started approaching leadership with things I knew to be wrong. As I stated before, a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders when I left.

God bless you all,
Karen