God speaks, spreading the LOVING gospel . . .


[www.youtube.com]

kBOY Wrote:
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> God speaks, spreading the LOVING gospel . .
> .
>
>
> [www.youtube.com]


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Why is it so many old farts in the South are convinced that they are reincarnated Old Testament prophets? Go figure.

Hi, everyone!

I really haven't contributed much to the conversation lately. But I always read your postings.

I joined the group after I found out about Marilyn's death. I was very curious what was happening to TLWF as a result. Along the way I gathered insights, learned news, walked down memory lane, and enjoyed the humor.

But, really, not much is brought up on the current state of affairs (pun not intended) with churches closing like after JRS died, or the power strugle, if any, between Gary and Rick, or how people are doing. I realize now this isn't really the forum for that! So, I guess I need to stop caring about that world. None of the info I've sought really has sny place in my life at all and it's just been morbid curiosity on my part!

Thanks for making a place for me. I am so happy that y'all have found your freedom and continue to reclaim yourselves. You have added to my own journey.

Love always ~~ Paula Browning



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2016 12:03AM by TheSarge.

TheSarge Wrote:
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> But, really, not much is brought up on the current
> state of affairs (pun not intended) with churches
> closing like after JRS died, or the power strugle,
> if any, between Gary and Rick, or how people are
> doing. I realize now this isn't really the forum
> for that! So, I guess I need to stop caring about
> that world. None of the info I've sought really
> has any place in my life at all and it's just been
> morbid curiosity on my part!
>
> Thanks for making a place for me. I am so happy
> that y'all have found your freedom and continue to
> reclaim yourselves. You have added to my own
> journey.
>
> Love always ~~ Paula Browning

Always good to hear from you, Sarge. And BTW, I am completely support morbid curiosity...well, at least when it involves TLWF :)

TheSarge,

I like your posts. People come to this forum for many different reasons. When I came here I think it was because of Invisible as the quality of his/her posts made me think this was a safe place. However, somehow I think I eventually managed to alienate Invisible and for that I am sorry. Truth be known, I also think I came here because of my morbid curiosity about changedagain but that's another story! Ha.

TheSarge wrote: “Thanks for making a place for me. I am so happy that y'all have found your freedom and continue to reclaim yourselves.”

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“Reclaim” ----- Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary: 2 a: to rescue from an undesirable state; also b: to restore to a previous natural state.

Rescue from an undesirable state and restore to a previous natural state. Yes, that has much meaning for me because TLWF submission indoctrination destroyed my natural God given ability to stand firm against falsehoods and spiritual bullies with total confidence. Allowing other humans to gain the upper hand over your own personal spiritual identity is hell. It’s hell on earth.

Fortunately, everyone here is in some phase of reclaiming their true self, something we were so easily talked out of in another time. No good ever comes from allowing doctrine to trump truth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2016 11:33PM by kBOY.

John used to preach about the how essential it was for everyone to have their personal walk with God, and be directly led by His spirit. But then he countered it with placing more weight on the Lordship of Christ, which became expressed later (during Marilyn and Gary's reign) as serving leaders, often dysfunctional, in a perverse, oppressive system of 'designated relationships.' The net result of this arrangement is that those subject to these arrogant misfits, even after being 'freed' from the fellowship, have found it difficult to make even the most basic decisions in their life. The longer your exposure, the greater the difficulty. I think one of the purposes of this discussion we've had has been to restore a healthy sense of self/free will--and find the path for others. Yes, the exchanges can be ugly at times, but I find it preferable to living in the zombie-like state that so many afflicted by TLWF abide in.

BTW, I was the designated relationship to a few people that once had 'important' ministries, but fell out of favor. Fortunately, for the most part, I sense how ridiculous it was for me to lord it over this person, and pretty much refrained from exercising a heavy-hand. After I eventually became weary of all the politics, and the requirement to kissing ass in order to move up in the TLWF authority chain, the extent of my ministry to the few under my charge was to encourage them to do pretty much whatever the hell they wanted, unless it caused harm to others. In one case, it meant a father being free to take his son on weekend outings to the desert, searching for lizards. That was fine by me.

My biggest question is this: How much was this "shepherding" mess that Marilyn and Gary were so much into, a natural growth from what John was into behind the scenes, and how much was it just another total flip flop of Gary and Marilyn, such as the whole Catholicism thing. I know that lots of the stuff that the Hargraves got into after John died was something they really had in their heart the whole time they were pretending to support John, but I just wonder if the "designated relationships" idea was really John's to begin with.