Here's the latest post with an anonymous friend... I hope they'll stop by again
Hello anonymous!
I'm glad you took the time to come back and tell the rest of your thoughts.
I agree with you totally about the Preachers, and I believe they are preaching what they believe to be the truth. I've always respected that they weren't afraid to call a sin a sin, and admit their own daily sinfulness as well... And I agree with you that they do their best in guiding us on the right path whether you believe their word is coming from God or not.
I appreciate your advice to not "look at what the Church doesn't offer, look at what it does." Before we had children, my spouse and I could go and "listen and take in the good, and leave everything else". We knew there were things that they preached that we didn't quite believe or agree with, but we felt the good outweighed the bad... Then we had kids, and everything changed. We found that with kids, you can't "listen and take in the good, and leave everything else".
Kids need consistency. If there are things they see in the home life that would be considered sin at OALC, they worry their parents are going to hell. Try explaining to a child, "I know that's what the preachers say, but here's what we believe" and not feel guilty when they ask you if they're going to hell for watching Barney.
From watching other children raised "in and out of the church", they're usually messed up to some degree. They don't truly fit in with OALC because they have secret "allowances" they take, and they don't really fit in with "worldlies" because of the guilt of being with "worldlies". They have difficulty finding a mate in the church due to their "allowances" they take, but a worldly mate isn't likely to truly embrace the OALC "Christianity"...
I agree with you that many OALC are the kindest people I know. It was me who said it was like a large family, and that part I will miss.
I'd be interested to know more about your comment "The more I was around Christians and the more I studied the word of God, I was happier than I had been in a long time." Are you referring to gatherings? Tell me about your studies...
I am glad that you've found happiness there, and truly wish you continued happiness and peace. For some, I believe it is the right way.
We now attend a Bible based church. It does not focus on the enlightened teachings of a man, but the teaching of God's inspired Word-- the Bible. We have no secrets about what our church says vs. what we do to confuse our children now... We acknowledge our sinful nature and our unworthiness. We rejoice in Christ's love that paid the ransom for us...
I agree with the previous poster who said "Your approach is a very healthy approach. It's also healthy for those who struggle to embrace it, and for those who cannot embrace it, to pursue a happier, more satisfying path."
Without my children, I could take the good with the bad. I don't believe it's healthy to raise children "in the church" unless you're ready to follow the OALC teachings. When it comes to your kids, I believe you should get all the way in and live by their "rules", or get all the way out of the OALC.
I believe God led my family and I to do the latter, and have never felt closer to His Word.
I truly wish you God's Peace :)
posted by Left the OALC at 10:46 PM
7 Comments:
It all depends on how you interpret things. Some people may think the church believes that everyone outside of the church is going to hell. That is not what we believe. No one in the church can say who might go to hell because we don't know. It's for God to judge, not us. The church does believe that it is a narrow path to heaven and the way to travel it is to believe that Jesus died for our sins. Although the church believes many other things as well, the belief that Jesus died for our sins is the only one that can get you there. Christians within the church go to preachers for advice because it is said that if you follow their word, blessings will come. To this day, from my experiences, this is true and I will continue to follow them forever.
With all due respect, Anonymous, you are misguided. Whatever you personally believe, the OALC teaches an exclusionary doctrine: other churches are "dead faith." Why do you call members Christians and nonmembers worldlies?
Hello,
I'd like to encourage folks concerned about abuse in the OALC to check out http://extoots.blogspot.com and write a letter to Evald Larsen, one of the Elders.
This was posted yesterday under a previous discussion heading:
At 9:11 PM, Anonymous said...
The toughest part of leaving is overcoming all of the exit barriers that are set when you are growing up. These include:
1. Harsh criticizm of others who leave, including severing of all support and bonds.
2. Blaming all rational thinking on the devil
3. The effect you leaving has on the rest of your family
4. Loss of spiritual support system
5. Internal questions of knowing what is sin, and what isn't. Even if you rationally believe going to the movies for example of listening to music is not a sin, you will still feel guilty..at least in some times doing it...just because it was pounded into you so long.
6. When bad things happen to you...people still in the church will blame it on you leaving the church.
...
I thank my parents for always teaching me to question what I believe...even though they are still in the church.
It really is a trap and a brave, daring step to leave...good luck
I think the reason why the OALC teaches such strict rules is because there are many stupid people out there, and the preachers know that if one of those stupid people use, for example, the internet, that person will search for porno or something of the like which leads to sin. Another example is the TV. TV shows can lead to brain-washing people to follow the acts and beliefs of today's society, which are often full of sin. In addition, violence and sex are often portrayed, which can cause the viewer to desire to try these acts of sin.
It is true that growing up with OALC seems bad for children because it seems like it can cause depression and rule-based brain-washing causing misunderstanding of the Law. Nevertheless, common sense must be taken into account and it must be realized that your thought or action is a sin only if it is detrimental to your Christianity or Christian faith (I heard this preached as well). I do believe that the OALC follows the Bible; perhaps others understand the Bible differently.
God's Peace.
The way it has been explained to me is: Not all of the people that go to the OALC will go to heaven, BUT, if you do NOT go there, you have no chance to get to heaven. I have also been told that people that live in other countries that have never heard about the 'christianity' will not go, and that there have been years and years of NO ONE saved because the 'christianity' didn't come to America until...umm..I forget. Also, black people will never get to heaven, they are like the scum of the earth or something in God's eyes. How can anyone believe that? I asked if there are any black people in the OALC, no one can think of any. They are probably run out before they can sit down. Where is the love for another's soul? They don't even understand what a soul is because all they understand is you either go to the OALC or you don't. I am sorry if I sound a little upset, but I am, it is frustrating when they preach love, but only have it for their own people. And yes, most are downright arrogant to anyone that doesn't belong. I have been passed by many times when they are greeting everyone in a room without even a hello. I guess if I knew I was superior to everyone else on earth I might act that way too. It is instilled in them from little that they are the chosen ones. God only loves THEM. I hope and pray that their hearts will see that God loves all of us and every human, no matter what color their skin is can get to heaven. It is our soul that goes to heaven, not this earthly body.
Update to my last post about black people. Supposedly God put a curse on them so they will never enter heaven. How sad that anyone can believe that.
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