For Newbies and Oldbies

[lighter]

Gee... and I though the whole point was to get cyber laid@@

[reallyME]

Lighter, may I ask or DARE I...hehe, what "cyberlaid" is?

Leah asked me some good questions here:

>  How would you know that someone who came onto the board had been 'spiritually abused' ?

I am not a mind-reader, although I do have some prophetic giftings and gifts of discernment, so in answer to your very good question, Leah, I'd know by simply talking with the person or observing what they write.

>  How would you arrive at the knowledge that someone 'needed' salvation ?

Once again, either God would show me somehow and I'd talk the person about it or the person would come to me.  (there have been people who came to a yard sale at my house, whose children were sweating and thirsty, that i gave koolaid and cookies to and then prayed with the parents to receive Jesus as savior and Lord.  It was by my practical meeting of their needs, that they wanted to know the Love that I shared with them through Jesus)  It's all about meeting needs and opening up one's heart to the hurting.  Jesus did the same.

>  How would / will someone know that you * speak * as a Pastor ?

by asking me or by my telling them.  See, for me, it's not about a title.  It has always been about being the hands/feet of my Lord to others, and, the times I came on here in the wrong spirit, HE corrected me and I did what I could to make things better with that other person.  Being "pastor" doesn't give me a badge of perfection in any way.  It only means that I have agreed to devote my life to shepherding those that God gives me.

>  Have you / do you always give your Pastoral Support to all here on board - regardless of Christian Denomination ?

This is an AWESOME question.  I definitely do my best these days to be unbiased toward people.  I have a theory about it that I might share sometime, because it's a bit controversial.  People are people, no matter what belefs they have.  I have met people in my life, of all beliefs...pagan, satanist, new age, wiccan, Catholic, Baptist, Onenness, etc...just to name a few.  I have done my best to treat them all with dignity and respect and to not do things that would offend them.  I'm not an expert at it, but I want people to know they have value on this earth, whether or not I see them in eternity (based on my beliefs)

These, I feel are valid and most important poignant questions.

Those were VERY valid and important. Thanks for sharing them with me.

[Leah]

Dear Laura,

Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions.

May I ask another valid question with reference to your answers ...

>  Are you referring to * backdoor * PM Land ?

>  Or are you referring to out in the open on the board ?


By the way, my reference to you as Pastor is in response to your declaration on your thread that you have been a Pastor for 10 years

and extend / offer Pastoral Support here.


Thank you

Love, Leah

[reallyME]

Leah, gosh I hate text-typing...I'm going to attempt to answer your questions yet again, but I'm not sure I understand what you are asking.

>  Are you referring to * backdoor * PM Land ?

>  Or are you referring out in the open on the board ?

I'm thinking that you are asking me where I'd apply my answers...to private messaging or to pubic forum?  Is that right?

If it is, and for now, I'll assume so, I was referring to anywhere...private, public, in-person, online, at church, at someone's home, etc.

By the way, I had an interesting experience recently.  My daughter and I went to a Birthday party at the home of one of her classmates.  After some time into the Hawaiin party, I began to realize the people were not of like faith.

After a while, I finally inquired of a couple of them "are you pagan or wiccan?"  they both said "you guessed it.  we're pagan. How did ya know?"  It made for an interesting convo, filled with computer pics of the one lady belly dancing with a scintar atop her noggin, and poi. (fire spinning).

Many people have labeled me an ECCLECTIC Christian, because I'm open-minded as far as accepting and being interested to understand other peoples' beliefs.  Do I have an alterior motive?  well, sometimes yes, sometimes no.  I know not everyone WILL accept Jesus in the end and my job is not to force Him on people.  My job is to love people where they are at, and pray for them to one day want Him.  I guess it makes it easier for some people to get along with me.  I just think that many Christians are too quick to label and decide they are against others, without even knowing what those others are all about.

I'm a curious sort.

~Laura

[Leah]

Dear Laura,

Thank you for your answers.

It was important to know how you would ascertain / decide when someone comes onto the board

that the person would be in need of your Pastoral Support as a Pastor of 10 years (as you openly declared yesterday on the board)


and more importantly how you would know that they 'needed' salvation --- or how you would know that they had been 'spiritually

abused'  (as you mentioned in your earlier post above)


as not everyone wears these very personal matters on their sleeves. 


Respectfully,

Love, Leah


Edit:  And I do still wonder as to how anyone coming onto the board (or a guest standing by) would know that you are a Pastor of 10 years

who extends / offers Pastoral Support -- as there is no indication of such in the overall 'profile' or 'identity' of your postings.


And I can't help wondering as to who would ever / or be able to (if in a state of FOG) consider to enquire as such in the first instance?

[reallyME]

no problem, Leah.

I try my best nowadays to treat people the way I'd want to be treated.  Sometimes that results in my being abused and other times, it means good relationships. Such is the world today.

~Laura

[tayana]

Laura,

Having read through this thread, I have a question of my own.  I have been a victim of "spiritual abuse."  I am not asking for support or for help.  I am only curious.  I consider my faith very personal, and my relationship with God is private.  I do not discuss it.  I am not a "person of faith" as you mention in one of your posts.  I do not attend church.  I have no desire to attend church.  My experiences with Christianity have been mixed, but mostly I do not care the hypocrisy I often see in the church.  For instance, I once emailed the main office of the church I sometimes attend to ask if a potential partner and I would be welcomed within the church family.  I was told that it depended on the congregation, the pastor and the church itself, as some churches were more liberal, however the philosophy of the church itself was that they did not condone such a "lifestyle."

I am not going to argue whether my beliefs and my sexual orientation are right or wrong or whether or not I am living in sin.  You posted:

Many people have labeled me an ECCLECTIC Christian, because I'm open-minded as far as accepting and being interested to understand other peoples' beliefs.  Do I have an alterior motive?  well, sometimes yes, sometimes no.  I know not everyone WILL accept Jesus in the end and my job is not to force Him on people.  My job is to love people where they are at, and pray for them to one day want Him.  I guess it makes it easier for some people to get along with me.  I just think that many Christians are too quick to label and decide they are against others, without even knowing what those others are all about.

My question is, are you an eclectic Christian because you are interested in listening to other people's beliefs, or because you are accepting of people in general, as God made them?

T

[reallyME]

I'm ecclectic about people's spiritual beliefs and I really don't talk much about their sexual orientation.  My Bible is clear enough about that and I let it speak for itself if people care to read it.

[tayana]

I see.

[Leah]

With clear reference to  'Spiritual Abuse'  and  'Pastor(s)'   ONLY 

One day, I may, or may not, share, by adding to my 'Life Story' on the 'Story Board' about the spiritual abuse I endured and witnessed at the instigation of multinational renowned Pastor(s) whose brutish NPD behaviour and the miss use and miss interpretation of the bible, and the evident abuse of the name of G-d (which still sickens me to the core) along with the deception.  All of which, caused so many precious people to walk away from G-d --- either for a season (as in my case) or worse still, permanently.  My escape, the effects of my escape, and of later on; finding the true truth - my healing and restoration, is truly, a life story in itself.

Love, Leah

[Hopalong]

Hi Leah,
That would be great, to post somewhere about spiritual abuse, etc. Maybe in your Members Story thread.
Hope you will.

Hops

Hi ((((((((Tay)))))))))).

love
Hops

[tayana]

Hi Leah,

I hope someday you will share your story.  ((((((hugs)))))

T

[Leah]

Thank you (((( Hops ))))  and (((( Tay ))))   .... think that now I am now free to share my story of escaping from spiritual abuse.

[reallyME]

I agree that there has been MUCH spiritual abuse in the name of GOD and JESUS and others.

i want to comment about a couple things here.  First of all, if you are a follower of Christ, it is a PERSONAL not a PRIVATE relationship.  In other words, if you believe in following the scriptures, you are meant to go out unto all the world and preach the gospel to all nations, not say "oh its between me and God."  If you are not a practicer of this faith, that might explain why you feel it is meant to be a private thing that you don't tell others about.

Secondly, yes there are ministers who abuse and who have been publically caught doing horrid things.  There are people right on this board that could have the same things spoken about them, however.  People are people...ministers, bystanders, teachers, mothers, sisters, whatever.  I don't think it is fair to target ministers as being the only N's or even the main ones.

Thirdly, there are some really good books that help people who have been abused spiritually. 

~Laura

[reallyME]

Please don't take what I say out of context, CB.  I included more than just a blanket statement about not condemning ministers...I explained that ministers and others ALL fall into the same sins, mistakes, behaviors.

I'm not going to put myself as above anyone because I'm a minister, by any means.  I think I've shared a lot about the struggles I have, very openly and honestly and will continue to do so.  I am not someone to fear or be intimidated by, and if I knew that I was appearing that way to someone, I'd do my darndest with God's help, to become more "touchable" and less domineering.

Anyway, on we go.

~Laura