- The Great Disgrace

Dear Bulletin Board Users,

My name is Tim Griesmer and I have recently registered on this bulletin board. I am not familiar with the "assembly" or the "Geftakys family." But I am a born again believer and assumed other users on this bb were also. Soon after I registered, I received three private messages that seemed to prove otherwise. Here is an example. I have decided to leave the author anonymous for his sake, but he knows who he is and who he has to answer to.

Hey Daddys Boy...

Just wanted to let you know, that when I plug Tim Geftakysi nto the search engine on my internet, sites with your name, Jim Jones and David Koresh pop up. Just out of curiosity, how does it feel to have been one of the lieutenants in a CULT for the past 30 years.

Is it possible for you to have any dignity knowing that you have made your living off of people who thought they were putting their faith in God but were instead feeding your pocket books? How does it feel to be a middle age to old man, and to never have done anything that benefits society? How does it feel to have sat on the sidelines while your brother was beating the crap out of his wife and your niece. How does it feel to know that your dad (of all people) was having affairs on your mom...You probably didn't care...Like father like son! How do you want the word HYPOCRITE in capital or lower case letters on your tombstone.

Oh and finally...Are you a flaming homosexual or just a homosexual.

Hope Hell's not to hot for you!

Who are we to say whether or not Tim Geftakys was born again? And whether or not he was, does that give us the right to address him in this disgraceful manner? I believe that he was still created in God's image and should be treated as such. Many of you should reevaluate your thoughts and judgements about matters discussed on this BB.

Sincerely,

Tim Griesmer

Dear Tim G.,
You are correct that the message you posted was full of hate and not in the spirit of Christ.
You, as an Assembly outsider, should be aware though that the name of Tim G. probably pushed the buttons of a number of those on this BB. I would change your sign in name to one that doesn't confuse those who read here.
Yes, there are a couple of people here who are very angry at the Geftakys family, and for good reason. Please don't characterize the entire BB as a "hate filled" site "full of bitterness" for the actions of a few. In so doing, you could lend support to those who claim that because one is angry they no longer have legitimate grievances against the Assembly.
To help you understand how one could be so angry try to put yourself in their shoes. Held captive in a group that used abusive control methods (some for 30 years), these individuals were systemically stripped of their relationship with God and made lacky's of the Geftakys machine.
When the member finally realizes they had been tricked and used by those in power there are powerful emotions that are released; anger, resentment, confusion, etc.
By taking the PM and sharing it publically you use the same method the Geftakys' used in their means of control of members and that is an attempt to shame the objector into silence. This only makes the abused individual angrier, as you trigger deep pain in the wounded soul.
I know that this was not your intent, but I wanted you to understand the reason for anger expressed against the Geftakys name. It does no good to tell people not to be angry; we must help those dealing with it to find healing and recovery. This occurs when we try to understand the reason for the anger, let them know Jesus is angry too, that they are just in their anger, but that they can move beyond anger and find consolation in Christ.
Jesus was angry and had great reason for his anger, but he sinned not. Anger comes from a desire for justice and in the face of great wrong to be emotionless is not to reflect the image of God either. God's anger flowed from his great love for individuals and for what was right in their lives. This caused Jesus to rail against the Pharisees and those that offended His little ones.
The Assembly brought great hurt and damge to God's people and was able to continue because of those who silently supported the group. To not speak up now and object is to bring tacit support and comfort to abusers. The emphasis should not be for the offended to be silent and to speak kindly of their abusers, but for the abusers to confess and repent of their deeds.
Do I agree that we must not allow our anger to turn to hate? Yes, but this will not happen by exhortation, but only through the process of loving, understaning, and consolation of those in the grieving process. God can indeed recover the years lost and use our past deception as a means to help others. In this process we can learn to turn our anger into a positive expression that lifts the fallen brother and heals the broken heart.
God Bless, Mark

Beloved,

The reaction to seeing the name "TimG" is understandable, but does not justify aggression. Surely no one is so naive as to believe that there are not other Tims whose last names begin with G.

There is no reason to disbelieve that Tim Greismer is the originator of this thread, and unless reason to do otherwise is demonstrated, respect should be shown.

This is an opportunity to discuss points of view on respect, patience, trusting the Lord, the difference between anger and hatred, as Mark has begun. But, PLEASE, think and pray before you post. (i say this as one who has sometimes posted in haste, and later regretted it).

because of Christ's love,
al Hartman

thank you for your post, mark. i don't believe that anyone would discover this bulletin board, read through the posts, and then be foolish enough to register as TimG.

once again i want to remind all of you that while people on this board may well be born again christians, some may not be walking with the Lord. so, let's stop trying to brow beat them into acting in a manner with which we are comfortable. if we have learned anything from the Assembly, i hope that it is to let people be free to do, think, and feel as they please. it is not our duty to monitor, boss, or oversee what people on this board are doing but to pray that they are seeking to love the Lord and to enhance the lives of those around them.

i am not trying to tell anyone to do or not do something. i am simply saying stop making assumptions about the people on this board.

also, TimG if you are still out there, the next time you want to be a part of a community with which you are not familiar, i hope that you do a bit more research prior to diving right in. i am not sorry for the message i sent you (which isn't the one posted). i would send my same message if you were the real Tim G.

AssemblyBoard

General Discussion => Any and All Topics => : TimG April 06, 2003, 11:53:41 AM