FREEDOM CELEBRATION!!!

[Kimberley Tobin]

Kimberly,
I didn't answer your post for the obvious reasons.  It was not an "assembly fellowship".  In other words, just because you're a Christian, or an ex-assembly person, you should feel like you should be invited.  Haven't you learned?  There are different rules for friendship out in the "real" world.  They are based on common interest, love, compassion, sympathy.

I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought it was very rude that you and Brent would assume that the invitation was open to you at a private party at a home of an individual unknown to you.
SA

Hi Struggling,
That was my purpose for responding to Kimberley. I did think it was kind of cheeky of her to invite herself to your party. She claimed to not care about your identity, but yet she wanted to know where your party was to see if it was within driving distance of your home? I think it's best to ignore her.
Rylan

Are you two for real? You're both a couple of whack jobs. Kimberly did no such thing and neither did Brent.

Brent's line was, "Hoist a cold one for me." He said he wished he could go to a party like that, also. He was obviously being facetious about attending anything.

Kimberly inquired if this was a party of like-minded people and if other like-minded people would be "allowed" to attend. That's hardly being cheeky and inviting herself.

On top of that, Kimberly made a very personal statement about missing the circle of friends she had previously and hoping she could reconnect with some people she was very close to.

I don't think she is the one that needs a lecture on working and playing well with others in the real world, Rylan. Give yourself a few more months before you start spouting off.

Scott McCumber

I'm at a loss for words.....................(great escape of breath)

Sometimes I wonder how people can read the same words (i.e. Brent and Scott got what I was trying to communicate) but Struggling and Rylan?  I don't even know how to respond to you!!!!!!!!!!

Have you changed your way of thinking having left the assembly, or have you left?  I thought this was a party of like-minded individuals (as Scott said) and perhaps even people I hadn't seen in a long time and I would like to reconnect with them (don't you even read what I write?)  I didn't "invite" myself.  I asked if it was an "open" invitation to people who had come out of the assembly, wanting to rejoice in their new found freedom and reconnect with one another (isn't that even what you alluded to in your post?)

Just because I'm a "christian or an ex-assembly person" does not mean I feel like I should be invited to some party you host.  You publicly posted that there was a party to celebrate those who left.  I simply INQUIRED if it was an invitation to others.  GET A GRIP!  And yes, you were rude, not the way you think.  You were rude in your response to me 1/20/04.  You and Rylan both assumed I "knew" the party was at "your home".  I didn't.  Your responding to me (could have even done it privately) would simply communicate if it was an "open" party or not.

Now who has been "cheeky"

[Kimberley Tobin]

I think it's best to ignore her.
Rylan

That's exactly what we were taught in the assembly, ignore people.  That's why I like most of the people on this board.  We can disagree with people, but we don't IGNORE them.

Rylan, I think you need to take Struggling's advice and remember the "rules of friendship" out in the real world.  Just because you get your underwear in a knot (to mis-quote Tom Maddox ) try and play in the sandbox nicely.

[delila]

Today's celebration:

I've hardly ever allowed myself a holiday.  But today, I went on a laddies day away to the mineral spa in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Imagine this: seven 'christian' or formerly christain, whatever you want to call them women in a van, soaking, laughing and enjoying themselves all day, without ONE single person exhorting another or shaming anybody about just letting loose.  It was, well.... It was just a miracle.

delila

[Kimberley Tobin]

Delila:

YEAH!!!!!!!!!

[delila]

Although I said I wouldn't, I went again to the Salvation Army worship service.  And cried, sowhat.  But what Captain Linda (Married to Captain Kirk no kidding) preached about - and yeah, she did preach as much as this fact will offend some assembly members to the core - was about the passover celebration.  Christ was giving it to the money changers who were ripping people off. The idea of passover, the sacrificial lamb and the so called finished work of Christ as taught in the assembly is yet processing in my brain, like peeling onions or perking coffee, I dont' know which.  

Anyhoo: I arrived at this question:
At what point did the finished work of Christ get replaced with the sacrificing of the sheep in the assembly?  At what point, where was the line I crossed or you crossed that we accepted this?  Again and again we laid our misgivings, our consciences, our better judgement, our common sense on the altar to sacrifice to George.

I remember especially some of the early ministry when I first came into fellowship.  In Estevan our pioneer brother was raised Catholic and then found the saints in Disneyland and came back here after being trained in Tim Geftaky's home to start 'the work' in Estevan.  I remember that dear brother (and I don't mean this sarcastically, I really loved and respected him) preaching about how Catholicism was a cult because it set priests as the intermediary between man and God.  Now as I see it, I have to agree with Brent when he says the assembly itself was an idol.  We sacrificed all to it and we set George and the assembly itself up as mediator between us and the will of God.  So I feel pity for that brother now, because he's lost everything, his family, his assembly (RIP) and, most sadly, himself.  He considers himself a complete failure.  Yet he maintains that almost everything the assembly taught was true.  "And could we start again, please?" JCSuper Star.  I have tears for that.  Yup.  I have tears for him, even though to him, I am yet the scarlet woman.  I pity him.  Poor guy. Still, there's nothing I could do or say that would set him free.  He's trapped in the house of mirrors.

delila

[Recovering Saint]

Brent when he says the assembly itself was an idol.  We sacrificed all to it and we set George and the assembly itself up as mediator between us and the will of God.  So I feel pity for that brother now, because he's lost everything, his family, his assembly (RIP) and, most sadly, himself.  He considers himself a complete failure.  Yet he maintains that almost everything the assembly taught was true.  "And could we start again, please?" JCSuper Star.  I have tears for that.  Yup.  I have tears for him, even though to him, I am yet the scarlet woman.  I pity him.  Poor guy. Still, there's nothing I could do or say that would set him free.  He's trapped in the house of mirrors.

delila

Delila

We all have a very sad story to tell. My story is very upsetting to me. When I first felt the whip in Ottawa I told myself it is part of the cost. Now I know God allowed it for me to come to Him. I don't believe I could have accepted the truth back then but now I see how blind I was and know that those who remain choose to stay because of blindness like I had. Jesus says behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open the door I will come in. No one is listening to the door they have closed their ears and eyes because the Assembly has made them deaf dumb and blind. I cried oh how I cried but now I know that God can save anyone but they have to be willing as many here were to accept their guilt in being stubborn and insensitive and uncaring and selling themselves cheaply to someone who would flatter them.

Lord bless where there is Jesus there will always be hope.

[M2]

...
I remember especially some of the early ministry when I first came into fellowship.  In Estevan our pioneer brother was raised Catholic and then found the saints in Disneyland and came back here after being trained in Tim Geftaky's home to start 'the work' in Estevan.  I remember that dear brother (and I don't mean this sarcastically, I really loved and respected him) preaching about how Catholicism was a cult because it set priests as the intermediary between man and God.  Now as I see it, I have to agree with Brent when he says the assembly itself was an idol.  We sacrificed all to it and we set George and the assembly itself up as mediator between us and the will of God.  So I feel pity for that brother now, because he's lost everything, his family, his assembly (RIP) and, most sadly, himself.  He considers himself a complete failure.  Yet he maintains that almost everything the assembly taught was true.  "And could we start again, please?" JCSuper Star.  I have tears for that.  Yup.  I have tears for him, even though to him, I am yet the scarlet woman.  I pity him.  Poor guy. Still, there's nothing I could do or say that would set him free.  He's trapped in the house of mirrors.

A sad story indeed.  This brother considers himself a complete failure.  The way back for him is quite simple, yet very difficult.   It should never have been about "us" anyway.  It should always have been about the Lord.  Of course this brother feels like he is a complete failure because he chose the assembly way of climbing the ladder.  When this brother left the Catholic church, his Mum &/or his Dad probably felt like they had failed too, because he had left their way.  It is the very same for him now.  Oh to just come to that place of admitting "I was wrong" and then going on from there.  If the loss of his family and his assembly has not brought him out of the demonic fog of deception, I wonder what will.

At what point did the finished work of Christ get replaced with the sacrificing of the sheep in the assembly?  At what point, where was the line I crossed or you crossed that we accepted this?  Again and again we laid our misgivings, our consciences, our better judgement, our common sense on the altar to sacrifice to George.

If a frog is put into a pot of hot water it immediately jumps out.  I believe this came upon us as the frog who is put in a pot of cold water and the heat is turned on and then slowly and surely it meets its death as the water comes to boil.  For myself, I made a conscious decision, about 2-3 years ago, that I did not want to have anything to do with climbling the assembly ladder. But I did not see any reason to leave as I had learned to be at peace with all (as much as possible) and I had learned think for myself though I felt constrained.  I still had/have problems of my own too so hey...  But anyway I am very glad to be free of the assembly and its system.

Lord bless,
Marcia