Saturday, June 25, 2011

'Quivering Daughters' reviewed by Christianity Today

flower girl fun
"Flower girl fun" by stacy benton in flickr
On Thursday my friend Hillary McFarland's book, Quivering Daughters was reviewed by  Gina Dalfonzo on Christianity Today. Dalfonzo says:

Many of us tend to react with righteous indignation when we read stories of women in foreign countries denied higher education, the chance to support themselves, and the freedom to live independently and make their own decisions.

How do we react when women are denied those same freedoms here in America—by some of our fellow Christians?

An excellent review that I definitely recommend reading.

On Thursday Chaplain Mike included and expounded on Dalfonzo's review and in a follow discussion of Bill Gothard on Internet Monk.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Tuesday's Links

Commandments of Men celebrated one year on June 11th! Thank you for all you have done, Lewis.
Birthday Cake
photo by will clayton in flickr
A classic quote from Imonk Michael Spencer:
"I am sad to say this, but there is a point at which the relentless God-centeredness of some believers makes them into the adversaries and almost the enemies of much that is good in human life. They become the enemies of normal, especially in the lives of young people, creative people and people who feel that life in this world is good and shouldn’t be devalued by religion."
Eric and Carrie Pazdziora with their friend Jenna Satterthwaite have formed a wonderful band named Thornfield. Beautiful!

And my favorite dude, Garfield....

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Fresh Perspective: Guest Post by Eric Buckner

Praying hands
photo by Jenniferschwalm in flickr
Being a convert means that I have seen both sides of the coin.

 I have seen how Protestant look at God and now I have seen how Catholics look at God. I'd love to give you examples of how I each.

The first two examples of the religious divide are taken straight from the Mary's Foundation's: The Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet CD that I love and it really changed my perspective on how God is viewed.

Imagine with me please, two different people pass away and go to Heaven, they are both Christian, one being a Catholic and the other a Protestant.

My Story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part Five of life in a Dade City cult)

My story: Can't you see I'm dying (part four)
I could go on and on, for a decade, and not tell every nasty, horrific thing that happened.

Since that is not my purpose in recounting all these incidents, I won’t try.

My purpose is to speak the truth, for as the Bible says, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free".

My story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part Four of life in a Dade City cult)

My story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part Three) click here

In 1996, a boy shot himself after having been yelled at by her.

I heard that there was a suicide note- but it was destroyed before the police could find it.

My story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part 3 of life in a Dade City cult)

My Story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part 2) click here

She came to my house at 10:00 that night and told my parents that they had to come to the school for a conference.

In the office, she called me a 'female dog in heat' (a bitch) lusting after the boys and leading them into sin. She said she could see the lust demons coming out of my eyes and that I needed to be whipped to save my soul.

My story: Can't you see I'm dying (Part 2 of life in a Dade City cult)

For Part 1 click here

Time elapsed, and the senior pastor found out that he was dying of cancer. He elected a young man to take the church- believing he was circumventing this woman 'youth' minister from taking power.

There are events and happenings, layers of story that would take me days and hours to recount. If I have the time, I will come back to this part of the story in the second section.

Suffice to say, the woman took control of the church.

My story: Life in a Dade City Cult (Part One)

Church Survivors
 
I was part of a Tampa/Dade City church for twenty-four years. If I sat at this computer for a year and typed continuously, I couldn't begin to record the horror perpetrated on me and those I love.

At the same time, I have experienced God's amazing deliverance from destructive cult and the amazing concern from those who walked with me as I left behind a spiritually-abusive hell.