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In Reply to: life on your own posted by mattkeeper on October 05, 2003 at 01:09:09:
I was living the "Family way" for 28 years and I ALWAYS felt weak... but of course I always felt better than the systemites and worse yet... the church Christians! I viewed systemites as potential supporter and kings. I viewed church Christians as weak with noodles for a backbone... oh, pity them! But you see, that in itself is how distorted the doctrine of the Family is... it's not even a Christian way to think! We are not to view people in a condensending way and we are not supposed to see how much we can rip off of them! Jesus never ever did that! But, as I've recently learned, this is the same way all cults and closed societies make their members think. They have to use some sort of technique to keep people "in".
In the Family how many of you actually thought in a prayer that your parents or relatives would "go to be with the Lord" so you could quickly inherit their money or be free from their ties. I know I did and i know people who have this same thought and see their parents as a super burden. Even Berg talked about blessing your parents, but the Family teachings contradicted this. Going to take care of your parents was taking you off the wall of God's "higher" calling. Jesus said that whatsoever you do the least of these my bretheren, you have done it unto Him... and your parents are not the least... they are certainly in the number one or two spot of priorities, just like your own children. Berg said it, but we had to forsake our kids to the Family and to the Lord.
I'm reminded of that movie "The Forth Wiseman"... this wiseman had to go off his course to help people in need and at the end he found out it was all the Lord's plan for him and he got to see Jesus. You are doing a wonderful work and stop condemning yourself! You are strong man and stronger than those weaklings living the Family lifestyle when they know in their hearts that they don't really believe the full message of the Family even though that is a basic rule of Family.
I found out it takes guts and strength to pull out of something when you know you need to, then to stay in just because you've been doing it for so long and you don't know what else to do. To stay in is sickening and unhealthy to keep turning a blind eye to all the weirdness and lies.
Never mind if they label you a "backslider"... when you stand before Jesus He will be the only one who will judge you and He won't be judging you by the Family's interpretation of the Bible... He will be judging you with real LOVE. It's going to be a wonderful awakening!!
