Greetings:
I finally got my folks to come out to hear George one evening. As was/is his wont, George made many references to his past experiences, spinning out many stories that tended to cast him in a very favorable light. During the sermon he mentioned several times "when I was a young marine...." It just so happens my Father was also a marine, enlisting at 17(said he was 18) and going to Iwo Jima and other places from which many didn't return. After the meeting dad naturally approached George to talk about the Marines-where did you serve, etc? As soon as he began to speak about it George shut him off and went to make small talk elsewhere. Later, after I left the assembly, my dad told me his impressions from that night.
1. George is an arrogant man-not to be trusted.
2. He has something to hide.
3. Mark M. -the top leading bro. then-is his P.R. man.
From 1 meeting only, my dad was able to accurately size up George and Mark M and not have anything else to do with them. It took me several years. Funny isn't it? As I get older my Father seems so wise now. Peace to all.
Terry

Terry---

It's funny you mention your father and his distrust. I remember
when I had to sell my car my father had left a note inside of
it which read: "Dear God, once you get approval from the Assembly leaders, please let my son have his car back." It was
sarcastic to say the least, but hilarious. My father had warned me about the Assembly, especially after this occurrence with the car. He was "sure" I was in a cult, because "Only a cult would make someone sell their own car in order to remain in a house". He was very distrustful of the leaders and the fact that all dealings with money in the Assembly were kept "secret". He tried and tried to get me to leave--and at heart I wanted to, but was filled with fear. Like you Terry, it was only afterwards that I realized how right and wise my father had been.

--Joe

Ji Eric remember me David Mauldin MTT 94? I am courious to know whats been happening in your life? I always felt you wold leave someday. How is your wife? Any kids? What happened in the Valley assembly these past 8 years? I remember it was pretty small? Is it still? Any one I know still around?

Hey whats up with all the unknowns? Isn't this "Walking in darkness" Come out into the light!

David---I was interested when you were asking if the Valley Assembly was still small. I attended the Valley Assembly a
long time ago(1975-1980). It wasn't called an "Assembly" yet--
we would drive to Fullerton for worship, but did have our own Bible studies, etc. during the week. But I remember leaving for
about a year, and then returning one night to a Bible study. I was amazed to see that the same exact people were there--no new editions at all. That should have served as a warning to me, but I rejoined just the same. The Assembly defense for this has always been "Despise not the day of small things", but what it really was was a stagnation and holding back of the Spirit's power through legalism and "works". I remember one night I invited a girl we had met going door to door. Her name was Dolly and she was a young black girl absolutely filled with joy. She radiated joy like the sun. When she met us at the door she said "Children of God!! Praise the Lord!" I invited her to a tape study at the house. It was amazing to see the joy completely drain out of her as George's voice went on about the gifts of the Spirit not being for today, and his warnings about "losing out". I wanted to jump up and turn the tape off and yell "Dolly, leave now while there's still time!!" That may sound funny, but I really felt that inside. I didn't want to see her lose her joy!! She never came back and I'm thankful for that. But that night I saw the Spirit being stifled in a person first hand, and realize now that that is why there was very little growth in the Valley or the Assembly either.Instead of rejoicing in the salvation that we have, we sat listening to George talking about how you might lose out instead. Fear through legalism and false teaching strangles joy. --Joe

Hi I would like to submit the following experience, During 1983 I moved into a brothers house. After I moved in I discovered that I was in for much more then I bargained. I also dicovered a practice of hypocracy that I believe is prevelent amongst the "Saints" It happened like this. I was sitting at the dinner table one evening when we (The brothers I lived with) Began discussing Japanese culture. (One of the bros was Japanese) I mentioned that I had watched the movie ( Merry Christma Mr. Lawrence) The movie explored the conflicts between East And west culture.
I was sharply rebuked "We don't watch rated R movies" The manner I was treated It was a very humiliating experience. Personally I saw nothing offensive in the movie. I'm sure anyone who has seen it would agree

The pressure I recieved made me "repent" for seeing a rated "R" movie and from that time on I didn't dare attend one. To me it was sin not because of personal deciscion but because it was not acceptable to the assembly. Yet during the 1994 MTT I learned from a leader that He T.G. allows himsel to go to rated "R" movies based on his own judgment. But he would never tell other "Weaker" saints because it would stumble them. Another experience happened when one evening I offered to share a glass of wine with a brother I was living with. (It was a Christmas gift from a co-worker. Together we were having a glass when he noticed another brother pull up outside. "Quick" "Hide it" was his response. To me this was hypocritical behavior. Yet I suspect it goes on a lot in the assembly.

David---

That's hilarious!! I can just see you both scurrying to hide
the glass of wine and bottle!! I saw much hypocrisy like that while in the Assembly too. One brother used to talk about the scourges of Rock music, yet one day as I walked past the room he lived in with open door, I heard the refrains of "Dazed and Confused". He had headphones on but had the volume turned up so loud I could hear the song. I signaled to him and he took off
his headphones---"Led Zeppelin 1 was a good album" I said. A look of exasperation crossed his face as he realized he'd been nailed. Another time while away from the Assembly I saw a leading brother standing in line to get a present gift-wrapped at Christmas time. This brother had staunchly said that Christmas was a pagan holiday and it was wrong to celebrate it. I was too afraid to confront him, but I'm sure he would have been very embarrassed had I done so. People also had "secret" televisions in their homes at that time which I found to be very funny. The Assembly's stand on TV's was that they were "The devils ears" as George would say. One day one of the brother's children said:
"Folger's---it's the richest kind". It was hilarious as we realized that this family had been secretly watching TV at home. I can imagine them saying "Quick!! hide the TV, some brothers are here!!" and placing the TV in some hidden chamber for safe-keeping. There were and still are I'm sure many hypocritical things like this all of the time, and some with hilarious results!!
--Joe

Hi Everyone,
Well, my vacation is over and (unlike some Assembly leadership) I have to go back to work. This is why I haven't been posting so much lately. That, and working on the article for the new website (check it out I really would like to hear everyone's feedback. Joe-- Parts of it come right out of the Valley situation and I'm sure you'll remember).
Re. the Valley attendance level: In talking to recent departees from same they said there were less than when I was going 11 years ago. The brother put it at about 25, but according to him 90% didn't want to be there! Sounds like a barrel of monkeys around the ol' homstead.
I remember taking a whole bunch of Brothers to a movie in the Valley once. It was recommended by Mark Miller and so I thought it would be okay. There was one part in the movie where the romance got a little heavy and all the brothers turned over at the same time and looked at me! They let me know that I led them astray (nobody left though) and after that I stayed away from any movies. I still remember one particularly stunning event while trying to watch "Kung Fu" on a little TV Mark Arambula sneaked into the house. We had no antenna and we were trying to tune it in when a Easter program about the Cross came on instead. That was it. Judgement had fallen! We knew God had spoken and we never tried to watch TV again. God Bless, Mark

Mark---

That's really funny!! I remember Marc Arambula and his secret
television--he loved Star Trek. Imagine having to sneak around
so you can watch Captain Kirk!! I remember in the Valley in the time period I was there the illnesses that befell many. Do you remember that Mark? Even Dan Ryan after visiting this mysterious doctor was told he had a "heart murmur". Al had one, Tom had one, Marc Arambula had one, Dan and a few others too. Everyone seemed to have a "heart murmur". This doctor prescribed Beef Heart tablets to combat the heart murmur. Many were on this special diet of Yams and vegetables too. it was kind of a fad to be sick---I actually felt sorry that I didn't have a heart murmur too so I could eat the special food and stay home from meetings once in a while. Maybe if I had gone to the quack doctor I would have been told I had a heart murmur too. I remember asking Al how it was possible that so many people had heart murmurs and maybe they should suspect the doctor. Al said that it was an attack by the enemy on the saints. So, I felt bad that I was not worthy of an attack of heart murmur by the devil. Years later I saw an article about how you can tell a quack doctor immediately if he prescribes liver pills for the liver or beef heart to cure the heart. Half the Assembly at the time was on some special diet, or special medication. And they were all being deceived by quack doctors!! It's amazing when I remember these things now and how funny it all sounds now. --Joe