I never broke my Baptism vow! -- Jesus Army Watch Forum

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Date Posted: 26/03/09 11:37:43am
Author: Barbara
Subject: I never broke my Baptism vow!
In reply to: Eveleigh 's message, "revolutions are not wrought by joiners and followers" on 26/03/09 10:39:09am

Peter,

I never broke the vow I made at my baptism at Bugbrook chapel!

I promised God that I would be true to my brothers and sisters in Christ and that I would always consider them in my heart as my brothers and sisters and that I would pray to God to bless them. I kept my promise, I am sure that I did.

They have rejected me as their sister, but I never rejected them. I had to leave the community because they were doing cruel things and I didn't want to be party to it. Also, they were saying that they were better than God. They said that if it was a choice of obeying the Holy Spirit or your JA Elder then you had to choose the Elder. That was not right, and I realised that if I stayed not only would I be guilty of hurting other people, but I would also have my head badly messed up.

Of course the JA vision appeals to me - it always did! The trouble is, the way it seems to me is that people didn't believe the vision enough - they got too frightened to trust God. Personal ambition and fear blocked out the beautiful vision. Surely you must have also been touched by that vision of people getting along, caring about each other and living in harmony? It moved me so deeply, how can I forget it? Surely you must have felt it as well?

Noel and Mick aren't gods, they're people, like you and me! They are under God's authority too, you know. You're right about that people should not abdicate personal responsibility for the way they live. As an abuse survivor, I know the temptation only too well in doing that very thing - I have felt quite a few times to say "Sod this!" and go rampaging in a massive crashing fiesta, because I have felt so bloody furious about the way I have been treated. I could have blamed it on my childhood then, I guess. But, like you said, people should not abdicate personal responsibility. You are right - everyone has to take responsibility for their own life. Following a "leader" blindly is not a good idea. A good "leader" would never ask that of people in the first place - if a person has such a honoured place in life as a shepherding Elder, then they must take very special care that they use their God given authority with a good heart.

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Replies:

submission to the group kills individual gifts -- Eveleigh, 26/03/09 6:18:52pm
- A terrible need for salvation -- Barbara, 26/03/09 8:18:33pm
cast off your chains -- Eveleigh, 26/03/09 8:08:57pm
- typo -- Eveleigh, 26/03/09 8:09:29pm
- I can't! -- Barbara, 26/03/09 9:22:09pm
  - Re: I can't! -- Peter Eveleigh, 27/03/09 12:26:51am
    - Re: I can't! -- Barbara, 27/03/09 8:40:28am
    - Control freakery -- Barbara, 27/03/09 9:22:44am
      - Re: Control freakery -- Peter Eveleigh, 27/03/09 8:26:33pm
        Re: Control freakery -- Barbara, 30/03/09 5:53:58am
        hug -- Peter Eveleigh, 31/03/09 12:28:02am
        Re: Control freakery -- nelly, 30/03/09 10:37:20pm
        Re: Control freakery -- Peter Eveleigh, 31/03/09 12:26:56am

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>Peter, > >I never broke the vow I made at my baptism at Bugbrook >chapel! > >I promised God that I would be true to my brothers and >sisters in Christ and that I would always consider >them in my heart as my brothers and sisters and that I >would pray to God to bless them. I kept my promise, I >am sure that I did. > >They have rejected me as their sister, but I never >rejected them. I had to leave the community because >they were doing cruel things and I didn't want to be >party to it. Also, they were saying that they were >better than God. They said that if it was a choice of >obeying the Holy Spirit or your JA Elder then you had >to choose the Elder. That was not right, and I >realised that if I stayed not only would I be guilty >of hurting other people, but I would also have my head >badly messed up. > >Of course the JA vision appeals to me - it always did! >The trouble is, the way it seems to me is that people >didn't believe the vision enough - they got too >frightened to trust God. Personal ambition and fear >blocked out the beautiful vision. Surely you must have >also been touched by that vision of people getting >along, caring about each other and living in harmony? >It moved me so deeply, how can I forget it? Surely you >must have felt it as well? > >Noel and Mick aren't gods, they're people, like you >and me! They are under God's authority too, you know. >You're right about that people should not abdicate >personal responsibility for the way they live. As an >abuse survivor, I know the temptation only too well in >doing that very thing - I have felt quite a few times >to say "Sod this!" and go rampaging in a massive >crashing fiesta, because I have felt so bloody furious >about the way I have been treated. I could have blamed >it on my childhood then, I guess. But, like you said, >people should not abdicate personal responsibility. >You are right - everyone has to take responsibility >for their own life. Following a "leader" blindly is >not a good idea. A good "leader" would never ask that >of people in the first place - if a person has such a >honoured place in life as a shepherding Elder, then >they must take very special care that they use their >God given authority with a good heart.
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