Hi cheerylizard I did ask for clarification when I wrote about Cedars house. As ThePetitor says, much in Struthers is clouded in mystery and one doesn’t get told the details about their many and various properties. So I don’t know all the comings and goings of Cedars House. I do know that residents all had to pay a rent. If it was once bought privately by Alison and Sheila, that’s fine. We all h
Forum: Destructive Churches

jj52 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Zentient, > > I don't know anything about the Unity Church, but > I did think it was really odd that a Church would > have Katie come do a seminar there when I saw that > event listed awhile back. Katie's belief system is > so Anti-everything-Christian... she doesn't belong > tea
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I received this message today from a friend/ex-member of TLWF: "William Branham was a phony snake oil salesman type. I don't recall JRS talking about him. But they both taught the same things and operated out of the same BS universe. This is a series. A bit dry, but, wow!" Larry Bobo, back in 2018, also mentioned the non-coincidental similarities of JRS and Bran
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The bond that explains why some on the Christian right support Putin’s war Russia has become an ally in a global movement. Image without a caption By Bethany Moreton Bethany Moreton is professor of history at Dartmouth College. This article draws from her book, "Slouching Towards Moscow: American Conservatives and the Romance of Russia," forthcoming from Harvard University Press
Forum: Terrorist and Extremist Groups

Here is substance: https://www.academia.edu/38329691/Universalising_Inclusivism_and_Its_Limits_Bhaktivinod_and_the_Experiential_Turn And here is the intolerant dictatorship of these groups masquerading as giving people the only best true spirituality: I especially like how easily they lump Christians with atheists and so-called mayavadis, aka, Buddhists/advaitans. Who are, in their e
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

That is your version of what you believe to be Krishna Consciousness Whirlwind. That is by no means what Krishna Consciousness means to Prabhupada and his ardent followers and other Gaudiya groups. Not by a mile. The Krishna conception is very specific (sectarian is an understatement), its process very specific. If it was what you describe, then it could have just as well been called garden va
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This article (below) must be referring to a different Gary Hargrave than the one we knew :) The Jerusalem Post September 21, 2020 Gary Hargrave on the Intrinsic Value of Giving "With decades of experience in Christian ministry and church leadership, Gary Hargrave is known especially for his message of unity through spiritual maturity. His teachings embrace the importance of givi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Posts by Larry, Paleface, FCSLC, Reep and Changed (2013-2017): Posted by: larry bobo Date: July 28, 2013 12:05PM Although John denied any involvement with the Latter Rain movement, I know from a family member that many reel to reel tapes were removed from the family home after Martha's death - the assumption by all was that they had once belonged to John. Some of the familiar doctri
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Larry or 'Paleface' might know: Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens Posted by: larry bobo Date: September 06, 2014 06:41PM Paleface said, “I had read that too. “The First Principles" were (so we were told) given to John from God as some new revelation. I understand that nearly all of it was already out there as Latter Rain teaching. John had merel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@Onion I received this email from Shiloh on 8/2/19. Subject: Requesting Feedback and Thoughts Invitation for Mending Broken Relationships: We are at the end of what has been known as The Living Word Fellowship. All of the entities that were part of the fellowship, including the Shiloh church, have been legally separated from it. In addition, the Shiloh church property is in the proc
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

changedagain Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > FCSLC Wrote: > ------------------------------------------------------- > > This Pope has been there and knows ------- > almost > > too good to be true. > > That's why it is baffling that Gary has chosen > this Pope to be connected to. They seem to have > opposite attitud
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

WARNING- I smell an "EVOLUTION": From the Facebook page of Bart Dame January 15 at 7:43 AM · I was in Kailua yesterday and when a neighbor saw me, he made a point of coming over to tell me that he participates in a non-political email group when a member called attention to the news of Tulsi's announcement she was running for president. My neighbor said one of the members s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

larry bobo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’ve posted this several times before, but some > may not have seen it. These are some Latter Rain > teachings – you decide if they sound familiar to > what you heard in TLWF: > > The Latter Rain, Restoration of the Church, > Restoration of the five-fold ministries, > Pre-rapture spiritu
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I’ve posted this several times before, but some may not have seen it. These are some Latter Rain teachings – you decide if they sound familiar to what you heard in TLWF: The Latter Rain, Restoration of the Church, Restoration of the five-fold ministries, Pre-rapture spiritual second coming of Christ, New revelation and prophecies, Manifestation of the sons of God, Overcoming death before Chri
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Factoverfiction Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @GoingRogue, > I think you're absolutely correct in that LW is > unique. Being unique is actually a common part of > many of these cult movements. Developing a shared > language helps build unity, and the feeling that > you're special. In this way, I'd compare LW to > Mike
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@GoingRogue, I think you're absolutely correct in that LW is unique. Being unique is actually a common part of many of these cult movements. Developing a shared language helps build unity, and the feeling that you're special. In this way, I'd compare LW to Mike Bickle's movement, International House of Prayer (IHOP). LW was even associated with them briefly in the 2000s, se
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

A "cult" is a mental dysfunction which is not limited to religious and spiritual institutions. It's a product of the mind which is not exclusive to "religious nuts". I believe it's reasonable to believe in there being one truth....the problem arises when you claim ownership of it. Speaking more philosophically, the Truth doesn't call itself the Truth. It jus
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It breaks my heart when I see a post like this, years gone by, that has gone unanswered. Mer, I'm not sure if you will get this message, but I would want you to know that your cry for help has been heard. It is so frustrating to watch people getting hurt and nobody seems to hear you or believe you! My prayer is that help has come in some other form and the harmful behavior you referenced
Forum: Destructive Churches

Good point kBoy. The unexpected Catholic connection sure has spawned a lot of joking and sarcasm speculation on the forum, but I don't think the Catholics are going to give up their doctrines that they are the one true church or is the LW going to give up their doctrines that they are destined to be the manifested sons of God. BTW, I doubt that the average Catholic worships Mary except maybe
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

This is probably the strangest post on this thread, by far. But when common sense and cooler heads prevail, amazing things happen. Last week marked the 2 year mark since I was "church disciplined" from the very NewFrontiers USA church which had helped us in our Statesboro, GA church... the one to which the poster Carl Kolchak referred in previous posts on this thread. His real name
Forum: Destructive Churches

I have been a member of this Church over twenty years. There is no foundation in the allegations levied against Pastor Sun or her Church members.I have been to mexico and other countries with the Church.Always with the intent purpose of sharing the love of Jesus. Through the preaching and applying of the Gospel.And although going to mexico can have it's dangers.The same could e said for goin
Forum: Destructive Churches

Quote: “The blogger calls Tulsi out as an anti-Muslim bigot because of her connection with Modi among other things. Fair enough. Perhaps this is true. She certainly wore the mantle of bigotry with her, previous, but now disavowed anti-LGBT stance which was directly correlated to her cult affiliation. So while I don't respect this blogger as a reliable source, he brings up a good point that n
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't buy the assertion that chaitanya or any modern day krishna cult does not recognize the varna and ashram system as a ideological system. I was in this cult for many years with many gurus. There are hundreds of quotes from swami bhaktivedanta and beyond about the caste system and it's so called benefits etc. Siddhanta saraswati put much emphasis on the brahmans thread as well as p
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

While the video clip of Butler making fun of the Christian God is awkward for the political alliance Chris was trying to forge, through Mike Gabbard and Rick Reed, with Christian fundamentalists, conservative Catholics and the Mormons, I think his criticisms of the Christian conception of God are fair. One can almost hear echoes of Thomas Paine, who cited Bible passages about the cruel nature of
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Good point, Lily. Copious liquor consumption could be the common connection...with (I think) TLWF setting the standard. lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Chaangedagain, it's weird that the catholic church > has given a pass to some gay priests who molest > children and excommunicates those in the > congregation who divorce; whi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Chaangedagain, it's weird that the catholic church has given a pass to some gay priests who molest children and excommunicates those in the congregation who divorce; while, TLWF gives a pass to those who divorce and excommunicates the gays/lesbians. But got to give them props in coming together in interfaith unity on one thing, both the Catholic Church and TLWF don't have a religious sp
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Joe Szimhart has background in studying gnostic groups. His entire essay on the ACIM can be read here. QuoteAt this point, we can look into the characters that developed ACIM. Helen Schucman, the channel or "scribe" for the ‘voice,’ grew up as an only child to Jewish parents in New York City. Her father was aloof to religious beliefs while her mother was an early “new ager” wh
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Paleface said, “I had read that too. “The First Principles" were (so we were told) given to John from God as some new revelation. I understand that nearly all of it was already out there as Latter Rain teaching. John had merely collected it into one book and called it his own. Seems a bit like biblical plagiarism to me.” I think there was definite plagiarism – I’m not sure how biblical it
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Happy New Year, everyone! It's so good to have an SMC-free Christmas and New Year, when one can choose what they want to do or not do at this season. It's good not to have to listen to a verbal lashing from the platform at New Year, telling us how we had slipped off the sharp edge whilst spending Christmas with our families and that we were thus unprepared to meet God at the New Year c
Forum: Destructive Churches

I love the story, Cornelius, a year off would be brilliant – I'd go for that one definitely! Funnily enough it really could be that simple, if only the lust for power and money didn't keep complicating things. Mat. 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in 'diverse places' (unusual
Forum: Destructive Churches