In Reply to: Re: Escaping Dominionism posted by Perry on January 09, 2008 at 16:41:24:
I read the article, and one thing it didn’t mention was the particular Assembly where these things took place, if all of them took place. More than anything it stood out to me that rather than accuse the Assemblies of God for what allegedly took place, it would seem blame should be placed on her parents. I can look at this article from both sides. I spent some 30 years associated with a cult; I know what a cult is and what cultic clutches are. As far as a denomination is concerned I know what the Assemblies of God are and what their doctrinal stance is. I am well aware of the programs they have for children, youth, young adults, adults, and senior adults; none of it involving coercion or the things discussed in the article. In my particular church there are Royal Rangers and Missionettes, one for boys and one for girls, they are good programs led by Godly people who love children and love Jesus. I believe you have no concept of the motivation of people who love and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You know the Jesus of the Family which is a very perverted picture of the truth. People in the Assemblies believe in a personal relationship with Jesus as do other Evangelical denominations; that does make these denominations unique from say Catholics who from all I can perceive do not have a personal relationship with Jesus.
(Instead of being so indignant about her experiences, perhaps you'd be better off channeling your energy towards fixing what's wrong in your churches.) If this person had these experiences in one of the Assembly churches I am sorry for her and the ones that did it will were wrong and not acting according to church tenets. Since I see nothing wrong with what is in “my churches” I will not be channeling my energies toward that, but rather channeling my energies toward helping others come to a saving knowledge and a personal relationship with Jesus. I may even work on you!