Re :   Tacky tacky christian merchandising

---

He is a just God and for you to say something like that you should at least gain a relationship with Him to ever make a judgement like that.
Stephanie

Re :   StopBaptistPredators.org

---

Don't Forget to take into account ALL the other Baptist Churches around ...its Good to have a broader look at the problem of child abuse within the Baptist church in general...

It could be happening right inside your own church! Don't assume anything - particularly that your child is safe!

and don't blame it ALL on just the Independents - that's just too silly.

Re :   Charles Shifflett is in Prison

---

Here is a link to one of the news stories:


http://www.starexponent.com/cse/news/local/crime/article/shiffletts_enter_plea_deal/17494/

Charles Shifflett was the former pastor of Calvary Baptist church in Culpeper Virginia and is currently the pastor of First Baptist of Culpeper. While in his former pastorate, he turned his Christian school into a labor camp for the boys 12 years old and older, beatand humiliated students, sodomized some of the boys and molested at least one girl. In December 2006, he went to trial in Culpeper, where the Sheriff's Dept and local magistrates clearly had favored him all along and kept him out of jail. He pled guilty on seven felony counts of indecency, abuse, and child endangerment. In return for the guilty plea, six opf the seven felony counts were reduced to misdemeanors. he was released on probation and never saw jail time.

I have prayed since then for the Lord to execute justice in spite of the corrupt system in Culpeper. In April 2007, about five months after Shifflett beat jail time, one of the victims wrote to me and told me to check their newspaper.  Shifflett was charged with 51 counts of fraud and embezzlement. His victims included Calvary Baptist but also a couple insurance companies and the State of Virginia.  Shifflett's lawyer kept getting continuances. The investigation actually started from the grievances of Shifflett's child victims (now adults). And finally, this past week, Shifflett took another plea agreement and pled guilty in exchange for 30 of the 51 counts being dropped.

Different ending though. In spite of the plea, Judge Cullen, a Circuit Court judge and not a local Culpeper judge, revoked Shifflett's bond and had him put in prison immediately until the sentencing hearing on Oct 6. Shifflett's lawyer insisted that Shifflett had gone to the hearing eyes wide open. But the prosecutor called the events of the day a wake up call to Shifflett.  Lawyers agree that if Shifflett gets the full extent of the law, he will be sentenced to 310 years.  Such a sentence is unlikely, but many hold out hope that he will, at least, receive a substantial or even a life sentence.

I produced an audio documentary about the abuses of Charles Shifflett in his pastorate at Calvary Baptist in Culpeper. It's available for free download at this URL:

http://www.jeriwho.net/lambs/lambs.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the download links.

Topic :   George Carlin on Death...RIP George

---

Topic :   THE MIST..the movie - brilliant film example of the fundie in action

---

Crazy cunts that they are...



who is the MONSTER?

Topic :   Ex fundies contaminate "liberal' churches

---

Yes I can see how that can be an issue for some 'christian' churches where ex fundies join up and want to have influence. Btw..there is a fair bit of info about that on the net....people like the Methodists see it as 'an attack'.

http://ird-info.com/

Re :   Escaped being sucked in?

---

P.S. so I feel like I'm the one that got away!! ;-)

Topic :   Escaped being sucked in?

---

My boss asked me a while ago if I wanted to join her church's choir.  I have been known to sing on occasion and boss said I have a beautiful voice plus two of the other three colleagues who I work closest with had joined.  I said OK because I am not having to do an extra job like everyone else.  Thought about it, decided I wasn't really keen on it at all but boss DID give me an extra job so I thought SOD the choir anyway I have reclaimed my weekends (from church) and I want to KEEP it that way!  Next it was one of my colleagues wanted to invite me as a "guest" and I said maybe but then me and a different colleague said we grew up with that stuff now we are taking a break!  Noone asked again.  BUT
So
like I said two colleagues joined the choir.
Later on one of them tells me they were told to keep singing in the choir they had to be confirmed into the church!!!
So they had to go to classes, probably preached at, saying they believed this and that.
THEN they have joined the youth group helping to run it (Friday nights) and went on a trip with them last Saturday no the one before.)
And I feel like the choir thing was a hook like
join the choir, sing and later on oh you have to be confirmed and then extra duties! 
And I am SO glad I didn't join their choir!!!!
Cos I've BEEN down that road and with Christianity - I have nothing against others who believe but FOR ME - it is a door that I have closed, locked and bolted and I am NEVER going BACK to it!!

Re :   Dating Christians after walking away

---

P.S. I have mentioned this before here at least twice but freebird since you asked!  There was the guy who was SO UGLY that I wanted to pretend I wasn't me (blind date) and THEN we got into an argument about whether couples should wait for sex till they are married.  I was saying no, what if they never GET married.  (I think even then there were signs.) 
Then there was the guy who lied about his looks (hair colour, facial features, build  etc.) but it got worse!  He was aggressive.  He wanted to choose where to eat dinner - it was a double date and there were three other people involved but he didn't give a DAMN!  He wanted to eat at Denny's BECAUSE he could have a free drink while waiting!!!  And he got into a huff till we gave in!  Then he whispered to me "I think you look very nice" and when I ignored him - well the feeling WASN'T mutual and I didn't know how to respond - and I started to talk to the other guy, my date snapped "Didn't you HEAR what I said?!" He put his arm round my chair when I leaned forward - not the back of it but so that if I leaned back  his arm would have been around ME so I kept leaning forward!!  Got snappy cos I wanted to pay for dinner!  We three ditched him in the end saying we were tired and went off for ice cream together!
Then
there was the gorgeous guy and he WAS and he had a degree, brains, good job, had travelled and could use chopsticks!  And was sexy and thought I looked good TOO! BUT on our SECOND date he REALLY blew it!  We'd agreed on the movie, it wasn't showing at the place we went to so he decided to see a graphic horror - on a 2nd date!  I went to the ladies and - my bad - came back and feined a family emergency.  But he snapped at me "Well I'M going to see it ANYWAY!"  I let him watch the slasher movie with it's blood and guts all by himself and went off to do kareoke with my friends!
Then there was the just a friend guy who I made a mistake OK I stayed with him.  But I was in a different room did NOT flirt and had made it VERY clear he was just a friend and so on.  But then he gave me a friendly hug which lasted too long for my liking his voice and eyes got horny and I thought OH HELL NO! so got the fuck out of there and stayed with other friends I'd made in his city! 
Then there was the guy whose best friend I was dating and he kept going on about liking me wanting my phone number etc. even though I kept saying I was NOT interested!  But even WORSE!! One day I gave him and the best friend a ride somewhere and creepy guy says "I used to have a problem with the sin of masturbation."  Just out of the blue HOLY FUCK I DID NOT want to KNOW that!  (Maybe I should have kicked him out of the car then?) 
There was a hot Christian guy that had his own underage!! nightclub, degree and popular and he asked me out with his friends but I literally had car problems and when I told him snapped "Don't worry, we had fun ANYWAY!" and when I was not in a relationship he was and when he was not in a relationship I was....
Ew then there was this guy I met at a church I went to.  We became friends at a young people's Christian music etc. camp thing.  A week later I made ANOTHER boo boo went out with him cos I felt sorry for him cos he cried when I said no stupid STUPID ME NEVER AGAIN!! BECAUSE a week or two after that...he'd told me that he'd pushed his dad AND his sister to the wall.  Then one day I called him and he said mum and dad were angry at him.  I asked WHY are they angry at you? Because I cut up the hose.  Uhm, WHY did you cut

Re :   Dating Christians after walking away

---

Oddly enough I married a Muslim and about a year and a half later was MY walkaway! He said it would be great if I went to church but when he saw I wasn't into it he was fine.  It's weird that this is working fine (married five years now!) but I feel like I don't think I would have wanted to marry a Christian.  I think I feel there would be too much pull from the past plus if he tried to convert me say it would be a BAAD combination!  I used to WISH that the Christian guys I liked would like me back but now I'm really glad that never worked out.  Believe me when I was a lot younger I'd even cry about it but now I just feel HUGE RELIEF!  If our marriage ended I wouldn't be looking for Christian guys.  I'm not saying someone who has walked away and a Christian can't work but in MY case NO.  It just reminds me too much of what I left behind.  A lot depends on the two people in the couple.  A REALLY BIG factor is how big they are on conversion.  If they kept trying to convert you well!  Freebird that guy - - - WHAT AN ASS HOLE!!!  I don't mention this often at all but I had an abortion and my Muslim husband (then he was an ex boyfriend I was still friends with) was the first person to encourage me to well he said "Can a doctor take the baby out?"  But he was referring to abortion NOT labour and when I told him I was having an abortion he was supportive.  He sat with me in a park after the operation, just being there for me, making sure I was OK, physically and emotionally.  The actual would be father didn't give a shit.  He denied it was his for starters!  So I knew that my Muslim ex boyfriend accepted me from that.  And I've never told him this but I always feel like if he could support me with THAT and respect my decisions (esp when it wasn't his - we hadn't even had sex then!) then he was a good guy.  So far I've been proved right!
I've had some disasterous dates with Christian guys but your one is worse, freebird!

Re :   Tacky tacky christian merchandising

---

Re :   Recovery from Fundamentalism

---

I live in the Bay Area. I am desperately in need of a support group, or a retreat. I just really want a weekend with a good group of people - hopefully focused around recovery from fundamentalism. Does anyone know of something? I can afford to travel in driving distance.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am desperate.

Topic :   Feeling ripped off by 'jesus'? because you take the bible version of christian life seriously?

---

Well....no wonder you are pissed off and feel ripped off!

According to

This passage is John 14:12-14. The context is Jesus speaking to the apostle Philip:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."



so....what?

Re :   Christian Pride

---

Yes...its about the individuals IDENTITY - how the person identifies themselves  to the world and to themselves.
  and the christians identity is mostly defined by their particular religion or in other words ...you could say, the identity depends on how others define them rather than  self discovery or other more authentic ways that allow for variations  , imperfections or change!
  Yes...Tricky stuff...what happens to the inner self or finding out 'who you are' when the 'faith' or beliefs come crashing down.
yep...You guessed it. Loss of identity - pretty much common in people who attach themselves to outside sources such as religious belief or as commonly to their occupation or profession.
The christian doesn't easy want to  let go of the habit of  not thinking  or the comfort of believing all is well in their world IF they  maintain some form of belief in a 'god'.

  YOu are what you do? (not  a good thing really)   .....but of the christian it seems to be vital.    The self  image must be maintained in order to achieve 'glory' and 'reward' I suppose. ? That image  (of what is meant  being a christian) largely determines what the person does, how they talk / communicate, what style of relationships they mostly enjoy  or create, all kinds of behaviours..........including the most personal. From an outsiders point of view this kind of allows for  a  fairly accurate predictions of behaviour or attitudes. (I guess that's why christian call themselves 'sheep')


Its not easy for some individuals to remain "just" one of the crowd so we see the  other commonly boastful behaviours that is particular to the christian community. That of the theology student,   graduate or the dedicated long term  bible reader. THe EXPERT bible reader! Who hasn't come across one of those within the christian communities? Usually..the  dickhead with their own WEBsite  .   Every group has one I bet. The person who sets themselves up as the 'teacher' of the lesser sheep?
This persons Pride is unbelievable! Grand ....an authority on "GOD" ...? How good is that? To believe 'you' have knowledge beyond others and can easily and happily state what christian is 'right' and more importantly say..who is wrong  said in those special christian words.
Don't you know any christian who braggs or competes with you to show off how extensive their knowledge of 'god' and the bible is?

Pride...
more examples ?

Topic :   Christian Pride

---

One of the worse...or you could say commonly annoying traits that christian seem to have is their "pride". Its usually expressed in bragging or gloating and being awfully smug towards their own life. Its a constant competition with their fellow human beings of who is 'better'  off for being   the "god believer".
The 'christian' is the big investor and sees that his church going and beliefs are paying off big dividends.
Good money...and life running smoothly...no hickups.....nothing to interrupt the 'happy clappy' chappy who has made a pact with 'god'.


Its as if they feel deservedly blessed by a unseen force that is hanging around in mid air somewhere not too far from the 'christian' individuals hand. Press the button and he wins the pot of gold.! Yay....and too bad for all the troubles in the world....poverty,  war......its just too bad..he's too busy on 'facebook' and  he's saving up  to buy the 'dream' car, voting for whatever politician will make sure he can fill it up anytime at the petrol pump.
and HE Loves his 'GOD'.

.....For this 'happy clappy' christian chappy to feel rewarded he must compare his life with that of the 'non believer'. Yeah...does that means looking for any mishap and misfortune of an atheists or non believers  life ?. ITs an ugly relationship to have with the 'happy clappy' christian...that underlying feeling of being observed and all your emotional responses to everything calculated and assessed.   Any kind of ill health immediately thought of as a 'sign' of some kind of judgement from the universe that of course only the 'happy clappy' christian has full knowledge of. Crazy - demented logic.! ?


....does it ever occur to the 'happy clappy' christian that life is not like that - shit happens randomly ...including 'good' shit...and not every single thing that happens to the individual is immediately a  reward or punishment. Gawd..that kindof makes the christian big ideal of a final judgement day' obsolete? ....every day is judgement day?


Proud of yourself for being a christian? Have a good ol' testimony on hand to spill out on cue?
good for you.

Topic :   The Popularity of the Metaphore within christian language

---

Ever noticed how christians will use the metaphore..or the  parable to say something rather than coming straight out and stating  what they mean. Its silly...
to hide behind that kind of bullshit.
Is there a script running around the head  as a  result of reading the bible too much and sitting in  on sermons all your life? That you start sounding like a bad version of 'jesus'?

Straight answers would be better  - less deceptive me thinks. ie.. "I don't know" .

Topic :   Christianity is counter to sexual freedom

---

bump and grind

and laugh
be brave





what do you really get out of being a virgin at your age?

Topic :   Holy Ghost

---

  Now that's a big twinky...

No difference between this fairytale and all the ones written about in the bible book.

Topic :   Circles

---

Bored with christianity - topics related to all versions of it ..including funnymentalism. ...circles 

Re :   BAD JOKE!

---

Hi, this is openmindchick; I had to get a new password-I posted the irish joke.