thats terrible 2nd timothy it sounds like your family were involved in the more cultish sects.
I can see why you'd think that . . . makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, we're talking about the average, garden-variety "christian" you'd find in any non-denom, presbyterian, baptist . . . you know, all the standards. I've attended many, many churches, but unfortunately, all I saw was corruption, and I would know because I was involved with that corruption (of the sexual kind). I was physically involved with the worship leader of one church . . . our second date was sexual and the following morning, dressed in several hundred dollars of clothing, I watch this lady whom I don't think I even knew her last name, was waving her hands in the air as she led the entire church in worship . . . as if she hadn't just done what she had done with me. Stunned, I simply stood above my metal chair, shocked at this woman's arms waving upward towards Christ . . . I was disgusted myself and couldn't even sing. I was utter trash and I knew it.
At a younger age, I had another incident that was similar, with a woman who sang in our worship team at another church. I was the drummer for two years straight. She was in her forties and I was a 26-year-old virgin absolutely afraid to eat the meal mounted on my plate . . . so I settled with an all-night fest of tenderness on the couch. It was wrong . . . what we were doing was absolutely wrong.
Lanolin, I could go on and on and on and on . . . and after listening to me for maybe two for three days, you'd know that this life of mine is nothing short of a miracle. All that I have seen, experienced, been a part of, and led others into horrible sin . . . it could have only been this way if not led down this path . . . something sort of like an Ultra-Like Job. Ultimately, and now soon to be 54 years old, the decades of evidence, unfortunately, exists that Truly caring Christians are most rare. What type of person am I referring to? Check it out . . .
John 15:13 NKJV - 13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
1 John 3:16 NKJV - 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.
About 4.5 years ago, I was threatened to be murder by mutilation/dismemberment. To make a long story short, myself and the 79-year-old who was also to be dismembered (a man who was like my father), I was willing to be killed by this young demon-possessed boy who had enslaved my "father." As I gave my life to this man, to risk it . . . sacrifice it so that he might live . . . I was shocked to find that no one cared about all that had just taken place. What I found was that no one wanted to discuss their role in why and how this man, the man who was like my "father" was nearly murdered. There were several key players with massive roles in allowing this elderly man to become enslaved . . . I know this because I led the pack of six people. I was guilty. But . . . I took responsibility for what I had done; for not acting decades prior when I knew that I needed to . . . so as to prevent the kind of circumstance that this elderly man was in at that time.
As I took responsibility (as a True Christian will), never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that no one would follow my example. I mean, to me . . . being responsible for sins that hurt others is so, so, so easy. But no one ever did . . . and in fact, I ultimately found out that none of those people, both sides of my bio family and the family of this elderly man all want nothing to do with me. All former friends are gone . . . and not all at their choice . . . but mostly of mine. The bottom line is that I found out that these "christians" . . . my own family and friends . . . did not care if I were dead or alive to the degree that they could actually speak with me to this day.
I hope that I don't sound like I'm whining. I'm not. In fact, my life has been so horrible; so miserable, that I've actually learned to become unimpressed by it any longer, and it doesn't determine anything within me. I'm over it all and am actually incredibly grateful. And again, this story should not be a surprise to anyone, for this is much of the life that Jesus promises will be given to those who follow Him. Once I realized that my life was taking on a similar image to what we might find in the Bible . . . that was it . . . and I became extremely thankful and grateful. I am so stinkin' lucky!
You know this . . . God loves the poor and the oppressed. Well, if a "christian" is a True Christian, they too will love the poor and oppressed, and they will act when they see it!
Too all: we should not be sad if our lives are a difficult struggle where it seems like we've never had more than a couple of weeks of peace at a time. Jesus suffered, so His True children will also struggle. We know these things because we know our Bible. Don't be ashamed of hardship, but instead, do your best to pay no mind to it, knowing that the Lord is testing you; refining you, and turning you into the kind of person that can assist many people regarding a plethora of different issues. When we endure such struggles, we arrive on the other side ready and waiting . . . stronger than ever before . . . ready and waiting to tackle anything. Absolutely anything.
Lanolin . . . what I have described above, I have never witnessed this in another human. I hope that one day I might find someone that had been touched by the Power of God, perhaps in a way as that of Saul on the Damascus Road. Yes, the Lord is still touching people in a most Powerful and convincing way that causes people to turn and change for the full of their lives.
So no . . . no cultish sects or cults . . . just behavior from the average American "church." My report sucks, but it is what it is and I can't change it. I am so thankful!