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Mt 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Lu 6:27
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Lu 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Ro 13:10a
Love worketh NO ill to his neighbour:…..

Ga 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 4:2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Eph 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

1Jo 3:14b
… He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

1Jo 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Ask your self the following question:


Is it motivated by love???!!!  Do you post out of love, and care for your brother, or sister?  PLEASE consider this!!!!!  

If you find yourself doing this out of hate, or you want a justification for past events, REPENT!!!!  Take six weeks off this web site!  (sorry Brent) Consider your reasons for being on here.  God has called us to love the MOST vile sinners ever!!  God calls us to turn the other cheek, not look for the sinners weak spot and attack.  Many NEED to forget their ideas, agendas, and crusades, and get before God as to how they should approach a situation.  GET IN THE WORD!! We want Gods mind, not another sinners mind!!!  If you don’t have the love for your brother or sister, then ask God for it.  Keep asking yourself, “Do I have room in my heart for this brother/sister?”, and “Why am I posting this message?  Is it from Christ, or is it my personal agenda?”  You can have the greatest words, the richest thoughts, but without love it's just a sound!

1Co 13:1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.


If you find you are here out of GENUINE care and compassion for your sisters and brothers, and would REALLY, truthfully, with out a doubt forgive them for their past sins, then stay and continue to pray, post, and believe God for these people.

Don't reply to this post telling me why you post!!!  It is a searching question.  It's for you to ask yourself, and if you find you are doing it in love, then as I said before, continue.  I haven't named names, said anyone wasn't posting it out of love, so if you feel convicted, and blow up at me for posting what the bible says, you need to seriously put your heart under the magnifying lens.

READ 1 COR. 13!!!!!!!

Oh, and I might reveal who I am in the future.  ;D

Yep.... Amen.

Thank you.  
God Bless you.

Dear Humbled by Love,
    Human nature in its fallen state is unbalanced. This is sometimes seen on this BB, either by blind defense of the assembly status quo, or by iconoclastic destruction. I appreciate this thread as it seems to want to strike a balance from a biblical standpoint. seen in I Cor. 13. Never forget the ministry we have received is one of reconciliation, even in the unpleasant business of exposing sin. This is a needed reminder to all of us involved. If your motive here is to 'settle the score' against an offender, consider whether you are engaging in Christ's work or someone else's.
'But Jesus, on his part, was not entrusting himself to them (the crowd), for He knew all men....for He Himself knew what was in man.'  JN 2:24-25

Dear Wayne

May we never try to settle a score.  Vengeance is the Lord's.

We are given a Biblical mandate to expose the unfruitful works of darkness.  Furthermore, we have an example of this work in the person of Paul the Apostle, particularly with the Galatian False Apostles.

That is what I am attempting to do with the website, and what I am hoping to spark others to do locally.  If people had been willing to speak up years ago, this would not be necessary.  

Sadly, even now, with all the evidence, there are still people who think that George is godly, blah blah.  I find this deeply disturbing.

I can understand why people want to preserve the Assembly, even if I don't agree with their desire, but I have no idea how someone can still serve George.

In addtion to this, I am concerned that some of George's disciples will attempt to rise up and try for their day in the sun, at the expense of the freedom and joy of God's people.

If someone disagrees with something going on here, with regard to MY actions, (not someone else's)  please email me, or call me.  I am easily entreated, but have little patience for, "You are being divisive, it's all lies."  If you think something is untrue, say so, but don't yell, "It'a all lies!"  We all know it isn't.

Brent

Hey Brent,
   
  I appreciate your response and I believe a genuine mark of your authenticity is your willingness to be accountable to input/correction.  That was and is a major issue that people (moi included) need to repent of who have followed 'this ministry'.  This humble openness to correction is such a refreshment to see in spiritual leaders. I met today with one of the pastors of New Covenant Fellowship, where we have recently visited, and he was refreshingly and disarmingly frank about his faults and limitations, at the same time exalting Christ. It was such an expression of grace! Anyway, this openness is expressed in your response, Brent.  All of us, let's meet before the throne of grace before we post.
Wayne

It is not us who changes this.  Truth has been brought to light. Let God work in hearts.

Also, I asked before and am not sure if you answered, does your "Take 6 weeks off" include the web site?  My reasoning is based on the purpose behind the 'sabbatical' being to step outside the "assembly box" and to help view the problem by removing everything from fellowship to meetings to communication (to an extent i know).  Leaving the website on seems to only hinder rather than make this effectual.

Luke,
May I suggest that before someone takes those 6 weeks off that they read this website - at least the articles. I've talked to people who say things like "the website is  full of lies" and when I ask them if they've read it, they say, "well, no, but I've heard about it."  I think if one is going to take a sabbatical one ought to at the very least have the information that the articles provide so they can make an informed decision in their 6 week sabbatical with God.
Was that 2 cents or 3? ;)
Pat

In order to win you !!

Paul posted too .....(spoke out)

He went to the temple and  told the truth
But they only saw hatred ..

Yet he showed Love ....

i was assuming that if they were considering the 6 weeks off, that they had read the articles in the first place - leading them to seriously consider what they should do ;D

Dear Luke

If you take six weeks off the Assembly, and it's meetings, then you may also take six weeks off the website.  I give you permission to do this.   ;)

If you say you are taking six weeks off, and then don't, I will give you a consequence. ;D

I have no problem with people taking six weeks off BOTH the website and the Assembly.  However, it is most important to take time off of the latter.

Forget the website and read these books on your six weeks vacation:



The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse--David Johnson

Be Free--Warren Wiersbe

Why Grace Changes Everything--Chuck Smith (this one is pulp, you'll read it in an hour, but it is a great book.)

The Bible---but not too much...you have already been indoctrinated as to what it all means. That's why you need six weeks off!!

We won't see you around for a while then?

Brent

I didnt mean my comment as a demand for that condition to be added, i was just wondering what you thought. :)
(it was also meant to help answer the goal of the furlow - at least in my mind)

I post because I'm unhappy...I'm unhappy because I post...its a viscious cycle...

JohnMaloneFan

Hey, Mark I like you, buddy!

You're okay with me!

Chuck Vanasse

Mark,

I'm glad you acknowledged who you were and that you started this thread.  I, for one (a 39 year old with a 16 year old daughter) will listen to you ESPECIALLY because you are a 17 year old ;).  I don't know what your other reasons are, but one of the things that I think was greatly lacking when I was in the assembly, was the micromanaging of our children tended to bring about NOT LISTENING to our children.  Children have a lot to say!  The Lord gave us these kind of parables, remember?

Some of my most enjoyable dialogues have been occurring with the youth on this BB.

Please keep dialogueing with us, we need you here.

Why do I post?

I post because.... No one ever forgets what happened in SLO. Even if I have to become the tinkling cymbal or the big drum.  Abuse occured where there is no love. No love, no grace, no responsibility for our own actions, no fruits of the spirit, no self-control. I think it is airy fairy (couldn't resist) to talk about love and what our motivations are to post here. My motivation: JUSTICE! Plain and simple.....

'airy fairy' - i've heard that a few times somewhere  ::)

Nice to see you back Rudy!

Mark,
You keep posting and don't worry about those who may not listen because you are 17.

I post in hopes of being an encouragement to others.

Heide,

     i ran across this quote today,
and it reminded me of your post:

     "I have always found that mercy bears
     richer fruits than strict justice."
              Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
              16th U.S. President

brother al

I simply do not understand why people keep on complaining about the posts on this website.  If you don't like what is going on, you are not obligated to even come in here.  I have said this before, and I will say it here again: I refuse to be silent about all I have experienced in the Assembly.  I am a human being with emotions, and I feel free to express them.

Eulaha,

To put it in a nutshell - there are people fresh out of the assembly that are
defending it. Others don't see the abuse as a big deal. I for one am in
agreement with you. There have been several occasions in private and in
public where I have been 'pressed' to be silent. Actually their behavior can
be considered harassment. But that decision would rest with the Moderator  8)

Rudy

Ok, I get it now Rudy.  I guess I was the same way when I first left the Geftakys cult.  

It just makes me mad (yes-an EMOTION!!!) when people come in here  telling us to behave a certain way.  That is so Assembly like.  I refuse!  I promise to be as respectful as possible, but in no way will I hide my feelings.  God felt all of our human emotions, and he thought nothing of expressing them.  Why can't I???

Eulaha---

I agree with you 100%. Posting how you really
feel is very important. As I have mentioned before
in another post: there are those today who if they
were to go back in time to the day when Jesus cleansed
the temple, whipping people and overturning tables
in anger, would say to him "That's not very Christ-like
of you Jesus". I've always felt that the Geftakys Assembly
website and Bulletin Board are a "cleansing of the Temple"
so to speak, where the Assembly and it's practices were brought to light and exposed for what they are. Speaking harshly and truly about our experiences there is a good thing--it helps us all realize how many people were deeply hurt there, and how many more have never let their feelings out--who really need to do so to get free. "Don't speak hasrshly about the practices of brother George" is like telling Jesus "drop the whips and stop turning over the tables Jesus, be kind instead". So keep telling it the way it is Eulaha-----and God bless you.      --Joe

I received an E-mail regarding my last post and wanted
to clarify it. i am not encouraging vindictiveness by any means--I am simply stating that expressing your emotions is part of the process of healing. Healing takes many steps--one of those steps is anger--you become angry when you realize that much of what you suffered and went through was unnecssary and wrong. If you weren't allowed this step in the process it would be stifled and you would never come to a place of healing. It's like being "ripped off" or stolen from--how can you NOT be angry? Should your response be "Oh, my car's been stolen--but perhaps the person needed a car far more than I do--let him have it, I refuse to be angry--being angry is unchristian"? No--of course you're going to be angry--someone just ripped you off.  The person who Emailed me stated that the sheep who have recently left the Assembly need to realize" there is a way to be free of anger"--I agree with this---but the way you get past the anger is by expressing it first!! If someone tries to stifle the emotions you are trying to let out they are hurting you far more than helping you. I was also told that Jesus himself cleansed the Temple, not his disciples. But Jesus isn't here physically--if Brent Tr0ckman hadn't picked up the whips and turned over some tables this BB and the Assembly website would not exist. For anyone on this bulletin board to try and stifle the anger anyone is feeling ,ESPECIALLY newly departed ones, is wrong for that is EXACTLY what the Assembly did--they stifled emotions, called sadness "sin in your life" or anger
unchristian. There is nothing wrong with someone coming on this Bulletin Board and expressing EXTREME ANGER at the Assembly---and I'll repeat that---there is nothing wrong with being angry---newly departed ones---if you feel angry it's HUMAN--I repeat, HUMAN--don't be afraid of being angry!! There are those who would try to stifle that and call it wrong, just like the Assembly did---don't believe it. Express yourself--if you need to cry, cry. If you need to scream, scream. That's all part of healing!! So, once again, I say I agree with Eulaha 100%--I choose to be human, not a Geftakysite.

sincerely,  Joe

quote> There is nothing wrong with someone coming on this Bulletin Board and expressing EXTREME ANGER at the Assembly <quote

To Joe and all else concerned:

Don't cross the line or even see how close you can get to it when
expessing anger. 'Be angry but sin not'. If you want to express
extreme anger w/ someone do it personally. There are still
'consequences'  ;)

do you make a difference in your mind between 'the assembly' and the people of which it is comprised? if yes, then would you support expressing extreme anger towards individuals in the assembly, or only the assembly system, or both? either way, when exactly does someone stop being assembly? and when they stop being assembly, should you stop being angry with them? just because they are no longer assembly does not mean they did not do the things they did, any more than you can erase the things you may have done when you were in the assembly that pissed others off.

its is not healthy to repress your emotions. it is not healthy for you to abandon yourself to them either. it seems to me that working ourselves into a big cathardic frenzy is only letting the unhealthy aspects of the assembly system, which we already fed into once, control us again. when the assembly is no longer affecting our decisions, either proactively or reactively, then we are truly free. this is a complex topic - i'm just thinking out loud here.


its human to join the assembly. its human to leave. its human to be extremely angry, and its human to forgive. sorry, there are no easy, clear-cut, black and whites here. thats why i want this board to be a place where people still in the assembly can be comfortable posting, and people out of the assembly can be comfortable posting. to say that neither party has a right to the feel the way they are currently feeling is invalidation. i want people to be able to get things off of their chest here, and i don't want people to adopt posting habits that are destructive to the community.

so what exactly does that mean, brian?  we can post as we see fit or we should watch what we say and express in our posts?

as you see fit, certainly. i was just discussing the topic, not trying to tell people they were out of line. sorry if i came across too strong. anyone who disagrees with or wants to expand on what i wrote, i'd like to hear your thoughts.

One of the most difficult things when posting is that
you are writing words---your facial expression, the tone of
your voice are missing. And maybe I'm not making myself very clear either. I am definitely not talking about coming onto the BB and railing against an individual. What I am trying to say is that it's OK to be angry with Assembly, and angry with yourself too. If you can't express that you will not heal inside. One of things I remember the most about the Assembly was the reaction to emotions. If you were "bummed out" you were told "Rejoice brother!" and
whispered to "your bumming everyone else out too" and
told that you are in sin or you would be rejoicing. if you tried to state your case you were in "rebellion". So, I guess what I was trying to say is that no one should be stifled here to express their feelings. Using the term "Exreme anger" was pushing it and I apologize for that. But I went for years with people trying to stifle my emotions and when I feel someone is trying to do the same to someone else I get angry. When I hear "Oh, you shouldn't say that opinion, it's too harsh" I get angry. Why shouldn't you be able to share a harsh opinion?  Perhaps I should just shut up.

--Joe

I have a confession then I'll shut up. After reading my own
posts and a couple of Emails I sent out I realize that after
all of this time after having left the Assembly I still have issues i haven't resolved. I think of things that happened and I just get plain angry. I apologize for this--not because it isn't a valid thing to be angry, but that I guess deep inside I find it hard to forgive everyone involved--and that includes myself. I get angry that I let people dominate me. I get angry when I remember pleading to God with tears that he would make me so I wouldn't be "rebellious" and could accept the brothers who had "the rule over me". I get angry when I remember how some of my brothers suffered and I couldn't really help them. I'd try to speak up for them, be told I was "rebel" and go and plead to God some more.
I get angry when I remember how I treated my own family during those years. I guess I could go on and on.  Whenever I see an attempt, or feel that anyone is trying to stifle someone else's feelings I react--I get angry--it triggers that same feeling I had in the Asssembly, of being stifled or caged up. It triggers the old conception of God as one you need to "earn" favor from, instead of the gracious God that he is.  I thought I had gotten past this stuff, but I guess I really haven't. I'll stick to the humorous post areas from now on.

Take care,  Joe

Brian - I see what you are saying.  To me "the Assembly" was  George, his sons and all of their franchises.  Now that George and his sons have been exposed and the different "assemblies" no longer report to him or apparently anyone for that matter, I see "the "assembly" as no longer truly existent.  Basically, all these groups that continue to meet are simply people trying to figure out what to do.  Frankly, since this ministry has proven to be a total fraud, I am shocked that they continue to meet instead of going and finding a new church.

 Now, if a certain group of people is still under the direction of George and his sons, then I guess they would be referred to as "the assembly".  Or, if this is simply damage control, and only a cooling off period, and someone becomes the point person for all of the "former franchises" that are now meeting individually, and these former "franchises" go back to doing things the way that they were originally, I would say then that the assembly is back in full swing.

With this being said, I think it is pointless to be mad at the assembly.  That would be the equivalent to being mad at a noun.  I think it  is only natural to feel anger at the individuals responsible (ie. Geftakys') for this, and even the individuals/ leading brothers who fell hook, line and sinker for George, David and Tim's act and imposed all of the rules, regulations, and mind controlling activities upon the assembly.

May these men never be able to influence anyone ever again!!!

By the way...I find VBeers below comments very sarcastic and offensive. I think she should keep her negative thoughts to herself!!!

I remember going door to door on the east side of Hastings College.
There was a guy we talked to that had beer on his breath and was
telling us that 'if you want to know the bible, you have to go to Texas'.
If I had known then what I know now things would have been different.

Otherwise, the issue of what is 'acceptable' is being evaded.
You won't know till you've crossed the line.

Be advised: Vbeers and Bluejay are brother and sister....they're having fun.  :D What's family for, after all?

     Each and every one of you posts as if you and you alone are the center of the universe and the final authority on all topics of discussion!

     You fail to take into account one vitally important reality:

     I am the center of the universe and the ultimate authority on all things.  I know this is true, because when I go to sleep all of you disappear.  I am going to go to bed now, so pffft!!!   :op

Don't wake me until I'm ready to confront you again!  ;o)
al

     Anyone who took my last post seriously deserves to be shot by a firing squad of super-soakers!!!

al

Now you know the rest of the story.......Good Day!

pat- you gave us away...   :o

bluejay- it's all your fault...  

but, i do, afterall, have two brothers so your anonymity, bluejay, is safe with me...but only if you stop being mean to me on the blackboard!   :P

by the way, bluejay, your last post was very true and well thought out.  i completely agree....i too am confused as to why anyone would want to continue meeting as a secluded group at this point.  i believe that some truly do want to learn new ways, but who are those still 'in fellowship' going to learn from?  it just doesn't make any sense.  

on another note, i did get a very sincere (in my opinion) e-mail from cheryl zach.  i believe that her heart is in the right place.  

Pat - you figured us out!  I sincerly mean it when I hope that all is well with you and your family.  Wayne and yourself were always so good to me and my siblings when growing up!   You were always very sincere and very caring.  I have and always will appreciate that.

VBeers, I see that you have decided to forego all normal means of communication (cell phones, email, work phones) and communicate strictly by means of this bulletin board.  

Dear Joe,
  I think the process you described of understanding oneself and sharing it here is of great value.  From your post's I have learned much and I am sure others have as well.  It would be a poorer BB if you were to decline to participate except to crack a few jokes(though your humor is greatly appreciated as well ;D).
  I agree that posting is an imperfect means of communication that lacks body language, but that's what the smilies are for ;).  We are chatting, venting, and kind of thinking out loud.  The BB is not a place for perfect expression or super accurate reporting.  No single person has the final word of "truth" re. the Assembly experience.  We all have a perspective and suffer from the ability to exaggerate, especially due to the fact that it was such an emotional experience.
   As in regular relationships, there is room here for a tremendous amount of tolerance with each other as we seek healing and to help one another with same.  It is only in an Assembly styled environment that we will use an occasional emotional outburst by a poster as a reason to control them with a kind of "political correctness" in re. to their "speech".
   There is positive therapy when we can feel free to share our feelings with one another, without being deluged with scripture explaining that silence is golden (sometimes it is yellow)! ;)
   I say, vent on bro.!  Don't keep the anger inside!  I think most understand that it has been "the silence of the lambs" that allowed GG and company to continue their spiritual abuse for so many years.
   As long as those posting follow the guidelines that were given by Brian when they signed up they are welcomed and encouraged to share.   God Bless,  Mark

Mark----

Thanks a lot for your E-mail. I appreciate your words
and thoughts very much. I must admit I've been bouncing
back and forth on the issue of expressing anger on this
BB. And that makes me very angry! Ha Ha. But after reading your post I must whole-heartedly agree that internalizing anger is unhealthy, but expressing it and getting it out of your system is part of the healing process.

Thanks,  Joe

Hey Joe!
  I'm glad I could be of some help.  Please see my response to Jacques and see what you think.  It kinda of deals with what we were talking about.
   Thank you for bringing back some fond memories of ol' Bros. house life in the SFV.  I had forgotten the "Guru Deborah speaks" incidents.  "Guru" Deborah has three children of her own with one more on the way!
                God Bless,  Grandpa Mark! :)

When the attitude is that of 'fighting' then I exclude myself from the discussion.  Some discussions I do not enter because I do not have anything to say or to add to what has been said.  Sometimes it is difficult to remain objective, but it does help a discussion tremendously if we can 'reason together'.  If another chooses to be subjective, then I can still choose to remain objective.  Of course, when we interact with others we expose ourselves for who we are and it is not always a pretty picture.  We could always just become monks and hide out in Never-never-land, but then that closes the door on communication and change.  So many dilemnas...

Marcia

P.S.  This is not in defense of anyone, nor in opposition of anyone.  They are just some thoughts-out-loud about BB communication.
MM

Marcia,   I do agree with you on this point or thinking out-loud....I prefer  "whatsoever things are Good, lovely,etc..and the God of Peace will be with You" from Phil 4. Although we are in a Warfare and we need to fight the good fight of Faith...Some times we are not wresteling with Flesh and Blood as is evident recently....in other posts...I do have to say Verne is one Post I do look forward too...When I first found this sight I did'nt GET his thinking now I do see him as really an Honest Voice of Reason...All these difference make-up our individuality, and uniqueness it would be very boring if we were all the same...God does have a sence of Humor ....God  Bless..Sum007

perhaps subjectivity and objectivity are both constructs of our own individual minds, but we can call them what we like, that's the power in thinking, call something a dog and it barks, call it a god and you can worship.
d

Just the facts Maam! ;)

M

     NO!  I forbid it!  We have enough problems within the order without going co-ed!

     Get thee to a nunnery!

Brother Aloicius

Marcia:
About facts: who reports them?  The mouth of some subject, subject to the beliefs of the rest of that body.  I think.
d

E.g.

Fact: the holocaust happened.  Why do some people deny that it did??

Fact ;): Fantasia, Latoya, and Diana are the top three on American Idol.  Why did Latoya get voted out this week and Jasmine remains?

Marcia

 :o
MARCIA:

JUST SAW YOUR POST: AMERICAN IDOL:
WELL WELL,  HAS TV. INVADE YOUR LIVINGROOM ;D :D ;) :) :D :o

GOOD FOR YOU:

I WATCH THE LAST TWO AMERICAN IDOLS: BUT I DIDN T
GET HOOK ON THIS SEASON ONE.

DID YOU WATCH LAST YEARS CANADIAN IDOL.

WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR?
I VOTED FOR RYAN OF COURSE. THE OTTAWA VALLEY
PEOPLE MUST STICK TOGETHER  ;D ;D :D ;)

I GUESS I GOT A NEW TOY NOW!!!!! ::)
THE COMPUTER HAS BECOME MY PAST TIME NOW ;D

WHAT OTHER SHOWS HAVE YOU GOTTEN INTO?

REMEMBER I AM TV ADDICT FROM A WAY BACK:
I HAD SATILLITE: I LIKE WATCHING THE OLD 60'S RERUNS.

BUT SINCE I HAD TO GO TO THE THREE CHANELL THREE STATION TV.

I LIKE CSI, CSI MIAMI, ER, THIRD WATCH, COLD CASE, LAW & ORDER CI,  SUE THOMAS FB EYE(THIS IS MY FAVOURITE NOW),

THOSE ARE THE MAIN ONES.
SINCE I GOT THE COMPUTER MY TV WATCHING HAVE BEEN FOR A VERY SELECTIVE FEW.
SUE THOMAS FB EYE IS ABOUT AN FBI AGENT WHO IS DEAF AND USES HER ABILITY TO READ LIPS , TO HELP HER PARTNERS SOLVE CRIMES ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

IT IS NOT VIOLENT, IT JUST A GOOD CLEAN, MYSTERY SOLVING  SHOW.

I USED TO LIKE DIAGNOSIS MURDER WITH DICK VAN DYKE.

THIS WAS ALSO A MYSTERY SHOW, WITH OUT THE  ALL THE DETAIL  VISUAL AIDS.

CSI , SINCE I WAS INTERESTED IN NURSING, THIRTY YEARS AGO, I LIKE MEDICAL SHOWS. TO ME EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GATHERING EVIDENCE FOR COURT TO SOLVE THE CRIME, IT IS THE GREAT LENGTHS THEY GO THROUGH IN EVIDENCE GATHERING, LAB WORK AND YES THE AUTOPSIES.

THERE WERE A FEW COMEDIES I USE TO WATCH. BUT I GOTTEN AWAY FROM THEM. LIKE I SAID I PERFERRED THE DEJA VIEW ONES OF 60 ERA.

WHAT WAS I TALKING ABOUT? OH YES. AMERICAN IDOL.

REMEMBER PEOPLE ARE PICKY, ONE MINUTE THEY LIKE THIS SO CALLED IDOL, THE NEXT THE OTHER.
MY FAVOURITE SINGING STAR WAS ELVIS PRESLEY.
AS A TEENAGER I HAD DAVID CASSIDY PICTURE UP ON THE WALL, BOBBY SHERMAN.
MUSIC, MOVIE, TV STARS ARE ALL HERE TODAY , GONE TOMORROW.  EXCEPT FOR THE ONES WHO ARE NOW DYING OUT, THEY SEEMED TO HAVE LEFT A LEGACY BEHIND , THAT TODAYS STARS CANT SEEM TO MEET THE STANDARDS.

YOUR BOOK WRITER SISTER IN THE LORD.

Verne,

     Close.  It's AL-oh-ISH'-us.

     I tried to observe the vow of silence :-X,
                         but somehow I caught a CODE!!! :o ::)

bro. alo. ;)

Jasmine's still in?  Yikes! With the flat performance she gave in the disco set?  Then there is no justice.  Fantasia gone home, Simon must have wept.
d
Oh: about the holocaust: yeah, exactly.  And we were never crucified were we?  Current assembly leaders would see it so, though they served up gall and vinegar and told lies about us, all in 'good faith' though, I'm sure.  

My Jasmine is still doing quite nicely.  I can smell it every time I go out the front door.  It is almost overpowering.

here's to things that bloom.  Our tulips, now that the last of the snow left them today, bloom yet. Selah
d

The Fragrance of the LILAC are so powerful now.
I have found the  flower this year the colours are so
vivid. You smell the blooms, and you see the blooms.
And the crabby apple blossoms are very pink too. SO pretty, especially if it is near a lilac bush. The pink and purple is very pleasant to the senses. God is good.

     As we traveled through WV, NC, & VA last week & the week before, the honeysuckle was in abundant bloom, so thickly in some places that its sweet aroma would fill the car, even when travelling at freeway speeds.

     Why do I post such a thing?  Because the earth declares the Glory of our Lord, and it is pleasing, not only to observe it, but to share it.  Taking time to smell the flowersd is a God-given privilege...

al

There's two different poisons here:

For the person who wants to live a victim lifestyle, the board is poison when someone makes them feel guilty about being a victim.  They want to be told it's OK, and good to be a victim.

For the person trying to grow and escape their past, and move on in life,  the emotional nature of the discussion here drags them back to the pain they felt when trapped in the group.  They want to find strength and encouragement to heal, but instead only find the old wounds opened up.

Some of us may be immune, but I wonder.....

I had actually deleted the post mentioned below just as Brent was posting. It was unfair
to say that someone was "following" someone else's lead by making the comment they
did. Perhaps Brent is correct in saying that the BB can be like a poison by focusing some
on their "victimization". But to me there are two extremes: You can ALWAYS be the victim,
and that is all you talk about, or you can say "I'm beyond all of that" and act as though
none of it ever happened. There is a danger in both extremes.

In the first extreme you never live beyond what happened before, but in the other extreme
there is the danger of forgetting what happened and repeating the same mistakes. Everyone
has their own definition of what the BB is, or what it should be. When I said I was "immune"
it was a figure of speech--because I know I am drawn to the BB because of the past--to say
differently would be a lie. I am "linked" together with several other people due to a past ex-
perience and life style. Did I first come to the BB to talk about the Beatles? No, I came to
find answers, exchange ideas, and give my own testimony to past events.

As time has gone on I come more and more just to read the tamer threads, to talk about
music, and other every day hobbies, etc., but what links me, and continues to draw all of
the "guests" and "users" to the board is a common Assembly "experience" we all went
through. That was the true poison, not this BB. Brent is correct in stating that it is not
healthy to go through life rehashing the past--and that truly is a type of poison. But in
some ways it will always be with me, like a scar someone has on their face. When someone
asks them "How did you get that?" they repeat the old story "Oh, I fell off a bike when I
was ten years old", etc.  So, like that scar, the Assembly will always be part of me. "Hey,
what do you know about the Assembly?" "Oh, I was part of that group a long time ago,
etc. etc."  The scar doesn't have to keep me from living a great life, but it will always be
a reminder of an error I made a long time ago.

--Joe

Joe,

I want you to remember that crash.  I want you to feel the pain.  I want you to remember suing the bicycle company, and I want you to remind yourself that it wasn't your fault you fell off that bike...it was Schwinn's fault.

Everyone here has fallen off a bike, and in each and every case, it was due to a faulty bike, or a person who didn't adjust the seat properly.  It wasn't our fault!  We still hurt from this.

As an expert bicycle rider, I want to make sure that no one forgets how my bike, and the people who built it wrong are at fault, because it caused me pain.  I want to be able to teach people how to ride, and tell them what kind of bikes to buy, because I'm an expert bike rider.

At the same time, as an expert rider, I don't want people to forget how faulty bikes caused us to get hurt....

 :) ;)

Brent

Whether I rode puposefully into a tree, or Scwhinn is at fault, I'll still
have the scar. I'll sue the hospital.  ;)

--Joe

Now you've got it.  You're a victim!  Don't let us forget it, and DON 'T YOU FORGET IT!

Sondra---

Thanks for the post, your points are well taken.

--Joe