Reepicheep Wrote:
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>
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NancyB
>
> John was nothing like his father. WJ as i knew him
> was loving and kind. Anytime there was tragic news
> to deliver in town and they weren't members of a
> church WJ went with the police or sheriff to
> deliver the bad news.
>
> WJ opened the doors to anyone even the poorest in
> town whom other churches did not want.
>
> WJ had compassion. He did not put up with his
> flock being hurt. One of the sisters of a peer had
> gotten married and had 3 kids. The husband beat
> the crap out of her. WJ helped to hide her and the
> kids and encouraged divorce - he made a very clear
> statement that our believes do not promote divorce
> - in the event a wife and children are harmed he
> would not tolerate the abuse - He said it as
> father would say with love - this is not what JRS
> did in a few years to come.
>
> WJ called my mom when he heard one of my foster
> sisters talking inappropriately on the church
> phone. He really called parents when he knew kids
> were crossing the line.
>
> WJ was on the more slow and gentle side. When John
> came to town things got really jazzed up with
> energy from his charisma. The messages that WJ
> delivered were not chopped liver so to speak -
> they Biblical based. But when John came it was
> like the circus had come to town - new and excited
> shows to see.
>
>
>
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changedagain
> Thanks for sharing this NancyB, regarding John's
> father. Nice memorial day tribute to a man that
> sought to do good in the world.
> I never knew anything about him, other than that
> he fell out of his favor with his son toward the
> end of his life.
>
>
> I appreciate you sharing this, NancyB. Back in the
> 1970s when Shiloh was being built, an enormous
> workforce was needed. Since it was not going to be
> a well-paid workforce, young people were recruited
> from Walk churches everywhere to live in Shiloh
> and work for little to nothing. Lots of them were
> hippies and many were from California. The sheer
> numbers of these young people and the power given
> by JRS to young leaders from this group created a
> culture clash that grew in intensity. It's no
> wonder that those imported to Shiloh thought that
> going to the Washington, IA church was beneath
> them. They were encouraged to think this way. I
> wasn't there, but from what I have heard about the
> Shiloh “sieges”, the worship and “violent
> intercession" were crazy by most people's
> standards. They yelled and screamed and cursed.
> They banged pipes together. Meanwhile, the
> congregation in Washington, IA would come to
> church looking nice and have a more traditional
> Christian service. The Shiloh "gut-fighters" were
> not impressed. They felt superior because that is
> what they were taught.
>
> There were many factors that contributed to the
> chasm that grew between the two locations, but I
> wonder now after all that has happened, which one
> looks the most sane in retrospect? Did JRS receive
> resurrection life when all the screaming and pipe
> banging was done? Did the Kingdom dawn in 1979?
> That's what I thought.
Thank you so much Reep for sharing that part of the story.
This has been difficult for me to write. I don't want to upset anyone. Then again I feel like I have an enormous responsibility to tell the truth to my home town as I see it.
Please note I made typos and left out a few words.
"When I read that the leaders have directed members to NOT to seek medical care what I am trying to explain is the very root of raising suspicions in the community."
Again, thanks for your input. I want to give my family and friends the very best answers to their questions.