In Reply to: Re: ...one more opportunity!? posted by Farmer on February 25, 2009 at 22:14:13:
Don't know if this is purely an A--B conversation, or not, but, I resonate, Farmer, with your comment that "...journeys for me is life (faith...convictions/orientation) after TF...no matter whether young in leaving or older...". I was 19 when I joined, and was 22 when I left--pretty young. And pretty dumb.
I sent letters to the 50 COG/FOL addresses entailing why I though Berg was a false prophet and an evil con man, with experiences and copious Scripture to prove it.
I tried to build a center for recovery for exers, with another exer (two centers, actually--one in Oregon and one in Oklahoma); with an intention to help with spiritual recovery, retrain people in trades, etc. It flopped; no one wanted to "bell the cat", including exers.
One guy, a Jack Wasson, was on the 700 Club and I contacted him( I had read a Christianity Today article: "Children of God: Disciples of Deception?", but he proved to be undependable, and too grandiose, and too much still like Berg to work with.
I've posted here consistently, in spite of terrible and possibly life-ending personal problems, with the sole motive of helping. So what if I am imperfect?
Yes, people were harmed by me, by my giving them Berg's literature--I almost got charged with a permanent sex offense for handing out lit near a school in Texas; fool that I was at the time.
Berg's whole trip was cruising for babies and young girls, including his own daughters, and he even felated a male member at one point (or a member's member--one Timothy Concerned); let's remember the vile bastard accurately.
Yes, I fronted for him before it became obvious to me who he was. But I left when it did--immediately.
But I was completely celibate till I married my wife, and left immediately when asked to share her. Why? The Bible; that's why. And a still-intact sense of manhood and a conscience. And no one, excuse me, even a broadly-condemning SGA can take that away. I harmed no-one sexually, and never had the motive--ever!
My own son has a two-word description for me and will not communicate: "Inept provider". He and his mother are hardcore atheists, now, and post as such on the Web.
My daughter is somewhat agnostic. But, my ex made her very strong impression, on both of them, with her self-pity atheism. There aren't that many kinds of atheism, and NONE hold up under honest scrutiny of ACTUAL scientific data, philosophical honesty, or moral and emotional integrity.
I warn against strokes with a broad brush upon the art of another's life. I am for communicating as well as possible--life's to short.
But TOO broad a stroke of the brush is socio-pathological, and, as the weird guy in the 2nd Mad Max movie said, "Wherever you go; there you are"; warm climate or not. We should strive to keep inapplicable blame to ourselves. It rebounds.
Sincerely,
OT2