Silvercat: Would you be willing to discuss what led to your change of mind regarding channeling, and the history which led up to your post? Thank you. Respectfully, Terry Huffman
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Howdy Joe and to all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Before : Deck the halls with pagan folly Fa la la la la La la la la After : 'Tis the season to be jolly Fa la la la la la La La LA ! (I ripped this format off of G Tobin) :D
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hello to Hope and everyone else: Your point about bad health being the cause of certain problems re. recovery and not being just the effect of the abuse is very interesting (if I have restated your thoughts wrongly, please let me know). Clear thinking is important in recovery. We need to regain critical thinking and perspective. This is work, and like muscles, they atrophied thru lack of exercis
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I wd. like to focus on our taking responsibility for ourselves. Often pride is one of the snares that pull us into an elitist group. We like the idea and feeling of being in this special group. We, the faithful remnant, are on a pedastal looking down on the others who don't have the light that we do. Then because of our pride, we are blinded to our own faults and that of the group, its leade
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings David: You might be interested in The Founding of Christendom by Warren H. Carroll vol. 1 in "A History of Christendom" series. He writes as a historical scholar, giving out tidbits of archeological evidence along the way as he looks at the cultures from which Abraham and on up came out of. Of course Egypt is mentioned in connection with Moses. There is lots of documentation
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings Inspector 8: Thanks for getting back. I concur with you to a degree and think I understand your viewpoint so far (your message ended abruptly so I think it got cut off). I wd. go even further and say that not only do these "entities" or spirits not have your best interests in mind, but may be malicious to the point of seeking to harm you. It seems to me that you are wary abou
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Michael D : Try SCP in Berkely, CA. Tal Brooke, the president of this org. is knowledgable through study and experience( he spent time in the past living in India under a guru there) and cd. be a great help. He has also authored several books, a cpl. come to mind: Avatar Of Night...experience in India under Guru Sai Baba. Riders Of The Cosmic Circuit...a study of "consciousness."
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Joe: Sorry about thst one. I forget, checks are not accepted. So much for being "people of the "book(s)."
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Joe: Have I got a shortcut for you! Tell everyone you have a "burden," write a few letters (resumes)to key people, and make a large donation anonymously(but not too, the recipient needs to know who you are and the size of your "burden"). Soon everyone who is anyone will realize and acknowledge your delegated "worthiness." Simply make out your check to : Eccle
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings inspector 8: I was wondering if you thought that there ARE "entities" that are communicating through channelers (at least through some of them, anyway)? By "entities" I mean disincarnate, spiritual beings of some sort with their own personalities/consciousness-seperate from the channeler-that use human beings as a vehicle of communication. I am interested in your vi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hello Mark: I for one wd. be glad if you addressed this topic. Knowing the source(s) of some of his thoughts/theology wd. be very enlightening, especially when his distortions have made for some "a poisoned well" of so many useful things, incl. the Bible itself. For those who have been chewed up and spit out by a supposed servant of god and his dysfunctional system, even the idea of a
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings everyone: I was wondering if anyone ever met a girl from Spfld., Illinois who lived and went to university in the Fullerton area for about 1 semester back in about 1987 or so. Amy D. returned to Spfld and attended 1 meeting and then was never seen again. I can't help but wonder if she had some bad experience while out there. She was a nice gal. Appreciate any info. Terry
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings Mark and everyone else: Thanks for the clarification. I really don't think that we are that far apart on the subject. I do believe the Scriptures contain propositional truth. In the assembly frequently it was "what the Lord spoke to me," etc. It's more important first to find out the burden of the writer rather than "what spoke to me." Some of the authors
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings to David and all you non-mystics ( Ha HA): Thanks for the info David. Years ago I understand that when Geo was first coming to the Midwest, a gentleman from the Ply Brethren, Dan Smith, also had been invited and spoke I think either in Champaign or Tuscola, Illinois. It turns out Geo bad-mouthed him, too, and accused him of "trying to take credit for the Lord's work." I
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings Mark + everyone else: It was a great point how "mystics" were shanghaied by GG to serve "corporate" ends. While in the assembly I read a lot of A.W. Tozer, and then purchased the authors he (Tozer) mentioned or quoted from. For me they (the mystics) were a saving grace, as I realized they had a depth of communion with God and it didn't involve a frenzied sche
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings: I am appreciating the insights gotten from the regular contributors (Mark, Brent, Joe, David), and now from Eric, too. It helps fill in the blanks for me, and more importantly, it is helping those folks out there who prefer for the moment to remain anonymous. Since the format here does allow for anonymity, I am asking those who have insight- but prefer to remain so- to please share th
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Mark and everyone else: I didn't know that about Kenya. Also, if anyone might know more details about Africa, it wd. be great. From a different angle, cd. Geo be throwing money around there to buy influence? Terry
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings to everyone: I have a question. George used to speak of his journeys to Africa and gave the impression that all the people that gathered were there because of him. I have heard-and can easily believe-that he greatly exaggerated his importance in terms of Christian work there. Does anyone know any specific details re. his past and present role, if any, that he really played in Africa,e
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings; I can't resist sharing this after reading David, Joe, and Mark. One day I was in the living room of the bros. house listening to music. I had an album on (yes, its been awhile) by Phil Keaggy. For the unfamiliar Phil is a Christian musician going back to about 68-69. He is one of the best guitarists I have ever seen or heard. His albums often are a mix of acoustic and electric. W
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings Joe and others: Joe, your post about the guest that came to a tape meeting brought the following to mind. George, and therefore the rest of the leaders here in the Midwest, had a real problem with charismatic Christians. The charismatic movement was frequently hammered, and individual charismatics were made fun of even to the point of scorn. Woe to the guest if they were found out to b
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

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 goi
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings Mr. Buchmann and everyone else: I was told by a current assembly member that one shd. give the benefit of the doubt to others (in context it was re. George Geftakys). I very much agree with the principle, and believe it to be the christian thing to do. But when someone's behavior too often belies their words, they remove enough of the doubt and the associated benefits. One must
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Brent + others: My apologies Brent, for assuming that you were the author of the article. Also, I didn't mean to suggest that the author of the article on the RR website - see Coffee Breaks- personally participated in this "therapy" referred to in my last posting. It takes time to process all the experiences, doctrine, and other baggage one picks up during their involvement i
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

For the uninformed some assembly members were doing coffee enemas as per Betty Geftakys at one time. Talk about about a caffeine buzz! I'll bet you cd. stay awake at the meeting after a bag of that! Anyway, it wasn't our inherent unworthiness, necessarily, that made us the object of other members/leaders cruel comments or attitudes. We, not being leaders or especially useful to them for
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings David + others: In 1983 I became an insulin-dependent diabetic while living in a "brothers house." After being in the hospital for a week (some were kind enough to visit) I returned a little depressed to the house. One person approached me and asked what it was about my lifestyle (I was running every day almost until my diagnosis and not overweight) that caused me to become
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

P2 When I approached this leader shortly afterwards, he stated that for him to make such a comment wd. mean he wasn't applying the ministry to himself! "Uh Huh. Well, did you do that?" I asked. " I don't remember," was his only reply. I expect this kind of doubletalk from politicians, not from "spiritual leaders". He was guilty - I cd. tell by the look on
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

An example....When I left the assembly the first time I departed already depressed, and basically an agnostic, which lasted for a time. When faith returned ( in Christ ) I sought out a leader and told him I wd. like to start attending meetings again. He seemed reasonable enough, but the thrust of repentence seemed to be to get right with the brethren. He mentioned that everyone who leaves usually
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

" so when I faced all of the legalism and fear I yearned to return to that Good Shepherd who had called to me softly and blessed my heart with comfort and love. I yearned for the first day of my salvation...." I cd. say the same thing Joe. I too wd. contrast my past adult conv. exp. w/ what I had found thru involvement in the assembly. On the one hand feelings aren't going to alw
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings to all: One thing that was noticeable in the assembly I attended was the great inexperience of the leaders that were chosen, not to mention their relative youth at the time. Often Paul to Timothy was quoted..."let no man despise thy youth...." - yet the Scriptures cont. w/ " he must not be a recent convert "(1 Ti. 3:6 ). All 3 leaders chosen didn't even conside
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Greetings: Just last Christmas season my family and I rec.'d a visit from some carolers. My wife answered the door, and when I heard from the kitchen while cooking I realized this was the local assembly folks. In short they presented my wife w/ a turkey, homemade bread, a gift certificate, pointsetta, and a card and then left. In any case, I went to the closest assembly member's house
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups