In Reply to: Re: Murmur???? posted by Believer on July 18, 2004 at 02:43:47:
How many times do you think I have petitioned God to help me, to be with me, to guide me? I'm tired of it, I am waiting on God, and until then I'm living my own life without His interference or direction. The greatest Oriental belief I am subject to is a belief in yourself and belief in doing good to and for others around you. Is this not a good belief system? Is it evil?
And what about the things that happen to people in the name of God? Do they not have a right to be angry or hurt or reject God if they have been hurt and mistreated and abused in God's name?
I've brought this arguement up before. If you heard that someone was doing misdeeds and crimes, but doing them in your name, would you not do whatever you could to stop it from continuing and to ensure that everyone KNEW without a doubt that you were true and not responsible? Why did God not do this for my generation in the Family? Why did He allow atrocities to continue for so many years? And these to children, just children, who had a sincere love and belief in Him, who in their hearts were pure in their belief, who did all things unto Him to the best of their ability. Our generation was a unique one, totally sold out, giving everything we had within us at the ages of 5,6,7... we were the elite, we were the tops, we were God's chosen, and we believed it. Whatever happened to us, we didn't question, we just kept giving all we could.
And our reward? We were used, we were deceived, we were lied to, we were molested and abused, we were left with nothing, no skills to choose another direction in our life, no support system in case we decided we weren't cut out for the missionary life, many of us starting our lives over with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. Where was God for us then? It seems to me that He was the 'fair-weather' friend, as soon as we decided we'd had enough, God abandoned us.
Which brings us to the very difficult and confusing decision we have to make, "Was God in the Family, or is there a God? If God was not in the Family, why isn't He here for me now?" If we believe in God, then we believe He is the God we were raised with, and that is not the God we can accept. It is easier to discard our faith and start all over, seeing where it leads us, than to continue 'crying out to HIm for answers". In my opinion, it's God's turn to make the next move. And if He does it in a way that causes grief and heartache, it will only serve to drive us that much further from Him, not closer. We had enough grief.
--I can't say that every single SGA feels the same as I do. Some are even more angry and others have come to terms and returned to God.