T H

I don't see that you have stepped out-of-bounds anywhere, in fact, your input is exactly what this forum is for.  Your perspective is unique, being one to have viewed us swimming in a 'fishbowl of fantasy', while you were smart enough to not jump in.

We will add your wishes to ours, hoping for healing to come to all who have suffered.

TH wrote:
As a footnote..I might suggest that there are many "hidden" things we all don't know about JRS. It is apparent to me, this is the case as I learn more about how the walk evolved! Thank you all for your patience as I muddle through this stuff

Welcome to our 'muddling through this stuff' discussion group, TH. :)

BTW, one thing I am really encouraged by is that not one person has expressed sympathy for Gary after receiving the news that he has been pruned from the tree.
There seems to be a solidarity here about having the right attitude toward this development. :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2020 10:49PM by changedagain.

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> T H

> We will add your wishes to ours, hoping for
> healing to come to all who have suffered.

Yes

kBoy, it was not the fact that I was smart enough to not jump in, JRS was a charismatic man, and if not for God just literally closing my ears and eyes in the moment, I'd probably got sucked in! God, as I said in earlier posts, shielded me! It is a very good thing that this forum exists, God Bless its the creator!

th231955 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kBoy, it was not the fact that I was smart enough
> to not jump in, JRS was a charismatic man, and if
> not for God just literally closing my ears and
> eyes in the moment, I'd probably got sucked in!
> God, as I said in earlier posts, shielded me! It
> is a very good thing that this forum exists, God
> Bless its the creator!

Yes

WOW I just watched a video and read a blog from a woman that filled in some gaps! I remember now being invited by Enos bender, to go to the "Bless in" in Washington Iowa several Saturday nights! Being the case that I didn't have any experience with "Christian" things, church, meetings, etc. I found the various strange practices being taught, a little weird, but exciting! there was one I remember fully, where 2 people would face each other, and with palms at chest height, we would "meditate on God and transfer power from one to another simultaneously! Something went on there, probably my youthful imagination, but most certainly dabbling into witchcraft, as best I can explain! Do you all remember the Bless Ins? This is the site by No nonsense mama is this legit? [nonon-centsnanna.com]

T H

You represent one of the few voices on this forum who has history going farther back than most regarding early Iowa days.  The majority of 20-somethings signed on after the 'show' was already underway, and the reviews were just too good to be ignored by many.

I do not believe that every side eddy that JRS investigated could be categorized as 'occult', since many fields of natural health will confirm the mind's ability to control the body's energy (SPIRIT) flow, something that the Bless-Ins were attempting to illustrate.

The woman healed in the presence of Jesus was told, "Your faith (power of belief) has made you whole."  We easily forget we are SPIRITUAL BEINGS having a physical experience, and SPIRIT over flesh is the proper order of things.  Everything Jesus taught was to direct our attention to our CREATED SPIRITUAL abilities, and not on the frailties of our flesh.

The (The Walk) vehicle began to leave the road with the redirection of our focus from SPIRIT to flesh (Door-Opener Apostle/Christ in the flesh), in direct violation of the admonition, "Call no man, Father."

From there on out it was an accident waiting to happen.

TH, yes. I remember the Bless Ins of the late sixties and early seventies. JRS claimed that spiritual energy flowed from the palm of one person's hand and could be "drawn" by the back of another person's hand. He also said that spiritual energy flowed from left to right. He would have two or more people form a circle with right hand under their neighbor's and left hand over the hand of the person on their left. Whether that is occult teaching or a bunch of baloney that he dreamed up to amaze people, I have no idea. I remember a lot of bobbing and weaving and falling over. I now suspect that a lot of what happened was due to the power of suggestion.

R E E P


The bobbing & weaving was definitely subject to suggestion, similar to what is seen with all the 'healing' ministries strewn across the Christian landscape. As with many of these 'healings', they miraculously wore off as quickly as they had miraculously occurred.