Jesus told my dad to switch countries! (story/rant)

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:18 am

BornAgainAthiest wrote:

Hello Partisan! Smile

You have my good wishes (for joining up here) , my sympathies (for where you've ended up) and my encouragement - to keep an open mind, think freely without coercion and to question (in your own mind) everything they tell you.

If it's any help here's a true story along similar lines to your own. I tell it to you not to criticize your father but to caution you to keep your own counsel and quietly tolerate your situation until you can make your own way in life.

Anyone who experiences an "inner" communication from god cannot have their experiences questioned or examined. This is a purely personal thing for them and must be taken on trust by those around them.
Think of it this way. Nobody can feel your hope, joy, sadness, frustration or any other emotion for you. I can't know your innermost thoughts and nor can you know mine. The only avenue of communication we have open to us is language. Your father can tell you what he is thinking and feeling and what he believes god has told him to do - that is all. Whatever it meant to him will stay mostly with him.

Patience and tolerance are called for here, right now. The time for openly questioning and debating will come in due time. As long as you continue to think with an open mind you'll be ready for that day.

Anyway, here's the story.

My partner M's doctor, S was also a good friend of hers during their school days. The doctor's sister, L married a very religious man who, several years into their marriage left his job to become a pastor. He made their whole family live, eat and work along strictly biblical lines. So far so good.

Then he claimed that god had told him to take his ministry to Australia.
No problem, I hear you say. Then it got a lot, lot worse.
He announced to his wife that god had declared their marriage null and void. He left for Australia soon after, taking with him...

* A young female member of his congregation (god had blessed their union)
* Almost all the money L's parents had loaned him to help his ministry.

Here's what he left behind...

* His wife and child with no means of support and income.
* Very large debts that he quietly and secretly ran up over a number of years.
* A very bad relationship between L (the abandoned wife) and her sister, S (the doctor) which resulting in them not speaking for almost a decade.

This happened quite some time ago but the situation is still not fully resolved and innocent people are still suffering as a result of god speaking to this man. L's parents have had to sell off the family home to pay the pastor's debts and are now living just above the poverty-line in a trailerpark. Their health insurance and savings are non-existent, which leaves two elderly people living a very vulnerable, anxious life.

L has had to move in with her sister, S , placing additional financial and emotional strain on them and the young child.

As a final, bitterly ironic twist the pastor is now back from Australia (having dumped the wife god blessed him with) and living in the same area. Fortunately he's not practicing his ministry any more - so he can't dupe anyone else on that basis. However, both S, L and their parents cannot avoid seeing him from time to time, which just brings the pain back.

Not a happy tale by any standards. Sad

As you can see, the potential for long-term suffering and strife in these situations is very great. That's why I suggest patience and tolerance as two watchwords in your life.

I wish you well, Partisan.

BornAgainAthiest.

Your words speak volumes.

Thank you.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:21 am

Hang in there, Partisan. In another two years, you can legally leave the country on your own, or you'll at least be out of school and can live on your own. Just keep asking loads of questions in that stupid bible studies class!


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