In Reply to: Berg is not the reference point posted by Bystander on November 16, 2002 at 10:55:57:
Well, yeah. But, I'm not trying to look at others. I'm looking at myself, yet other christians force me to look at them when they start judging and saying how people should live and act to be a good Christian or even a christian.
I did use the bible once to judge how I should act and live and fell into that abyss that berg created. My creed now is to do the best I can for myself and my family and others will see from that example. I no longer think I have to sacrifice everything, including families, children, my husband, my very living, etc., to be a good Christian. Remember that Berg used the parable of the rich man and how he couldn't follow because of all his riches. So we think we have to give all our possessions to the poor in order to be a Christian. Then there was the quote from Jesus himself about if you can't leave your family behind, then you can't be his disciple. Someone quote it, I don't remember it anymore. So, we sacrificied our families against our better judgment. Some of these things are what Berg used to keep me living and doing things I never would have done in my right mind. I just don't understand those things, they don't make sense and if the gospel is supposed to be so simple that a child can get into heaven, then what's the point of all these deep mysteries and hard to understand illustrations and/or moralistic stories? Also, I don't want to be like Mark Twain and feel afraid of what I am doing or not doing. If I am comfortable that I'm doing my best, I'm a law abiding citizen, I work hard, and do what's right by my family, then what else is there to do? I don't think God wants people to do things out of wanting something from him, or fearful that we're less than perfect or not close enough to him (whatever that means). I think we should do what we think is right simply because it's our duty. Like when people say, "oh, you're a good mom" - that's kind of silly. That's what we're supposed to be, good moms, or good dads, because that's our duty, otherwise we don't deserve to have children. I think it's the same thing with following God, we do things because it's our duty, not because we're going to get some mansion in heaven (a la David Berg, Sophie the Washerwoman, etc., etc.), or God's going to bless our life, our family, our finances. (another Bergism - staying under the umbrella of god's protection) No, that's our responsibility and our duty to take care of those things and if something beyond our control happens, we just pick ourselves up and go on, because that's life. On the other hand, I do believe one reaps what they sow and that's just another fact of life. I think being a Christian is being responsible, taking care of your family, being honest and not willfully hurting others and knowing that there is something beyond you that is our creator. Anyway, just some ponderings on a Sat. afternoon.