Interesting Commentary

[Anna Marta]

I just read a commentary by Dennis Prager on World Net Daily (see URL below) entitled "Why Do People Do Evil?" It gave me a lot to think about. I am more than ever determined to get rid of any victim mentality I may be hanging onto.

Anna Marta

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57455

[Anna Marta]

Maybe you want to this one out too? It is called " Is it OK for a pastor to want to become a millionaire?" on the same website by Dave Ramsey.

He sure gives the pastor the right answer IMO.

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57458

[mary]

Interesting article, Anna Marta, and Dennis Prager is an interesting fellow. He used to have a syndicated TV show that was run at 5:30 a.m. on local cable here.

In 2002, he wrote this article that was widely debated: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1002/prager102402.asp

At the time, I thought it was wonderful. I made several copies of it and distributed it. Then I met a local Messianic rabbi who can't stand Prager on the basis of hearing him speak at a gathering of mostly Orthodox and Conservative Jews; the rabbi said that Prager, among his fellow Jews, denounces evangelical Christians and that the above-referenced article was mostly a "put-on." So now I don't know what to think about Prager.

World Net Daily is one of the sites that I visit daily, Anna Marta, and I think its editor, Joseph Farah, is one very brave man. If anyone is interested in reading more of Prager, his articles are archived on www.townhall.com (http://www.townhall.com) as well as the Jewish World Review.

At present, he has a syndicated radio talk show that's run on WDTK in Detroit. I don't listen to him very often because he takes the Lord's name in vain very frequently -- but he's not indwelled by the Holy Spirit (yet!) and so what I do is pray for him. He's an eloquent spokesman for traditional values and I would hope that the Lord will soon bring him to a saving knowledge of his Messiah.

Thanks for posting this!

Love,

mary

[Anna Marta]

I read the article Mary thank you. It gave me better insight. I'm going to check his site too.

Love
Anna Marta

[yeshua'smags]

Wow! Anna Marta that was so interesting! That boredom thing is wicked true too! That's why teenagers get into trouble, adults and cities fail to provide things for them to do so they don't make up their own activities. Being a perceived vicitim rings so true too! It kind of answered a question I've had about a friend of mine who is so destructive, yet has no real reason to be except she thinks she's a vicitm! Very cool!

And Mary, I almost cheered out loud when I was reading yours!

[Reg]

Interesting reading Anna.

Here's what I wrote on a webpage years ago about the victim mentality:

It's a Matter of Choice
by Reg Borrow

Date: Mon, 27 May 1996 20:47:35 -0400
From: Reg Borrow (reg.borrow@gbd.com)
To: wcgnet@quango.net
Subject: IT'S A MATTER OF CHOICE

To everyone & I mean everyone!

Although I have been spiritually abused, I do not consider myself a victim of abuse. I choose not to allow myself the luxury of viewing myself as a victim. Like so many negative things that happen to us in life, it is more our views and attitudes of these things that have a permanent affect.

Do we take the stance of a victim, deflecting personal responsibility & effort for our happiness & well-being or do we take charge of our lives & overcome these attitudes & negative feelings to produce good fruits in our lives, engendered by the Holy Spirit? (What a sentence?)

The POWER of choice is indeed a power that we historically have not exercised to its full extent. Working at our own salvation has been diluted by too heavy a reliance on the ministry. All too often, instead of using our minds, (what a terrible things to waste) through prayer & Bible study & reliance on Jesus Christ, we have gone to the spiritual doctors (ministers) for a prescription.

What was the real foundation? The real structure or the ROCK?

The lack of or inability to take personal responsibility was mentioned in times past, but where was the emphasis put?

Preaching the gospel to the world as a witness, with a heavy emphasis on prophecy, through an abusive hierarchy. Support the system in doing God's "Work" & your salvation is assured, or so we thought. Personal evangelism was shunned.

I've often asked myself, what is the common denominator that distinguishes between those who leave & those of us who stay? I know it may have something to do with how long you have been in the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) under the O.C. [old covenant] mentality. It has been said that the long-time members are having a more difficult time. That may be true to some extent. I have lost many friends who have left. It hurts.

However, many of us have been around a long time also & are still here. Why? Do we feel like victims? I do not believe that we really do. Although some may be struggling at this time to overcome those feelings.

Well, I finally arrived at what I believe is that common denominator. It is as simple as "personal choice". You can choose to be happy or choose to be unhappy.

"As a man (woman) thinks, so he (she) is."

IT'S A MATTER OF CHOICE!


Since I wrote this, I have changed somewhat in my view of being a victim. We have been victims and victimized. However, to continue in that frame of thinking can be a trap. We can acknowledge the fact but also need to be cautious about remaining in an attitude of being a victim.

We need to be not just victims but be victorious over what has happened to us.

[Anna Marta]

Re wrote: "We have been victims and victimized. However, to continue in that frame of thinking can be a trap. We can acknowledge the fact but also need to be cautious about remaining in an attitude of being a victim."

Thank you Reg. For me it was freeing to give myself permission to say I was a victimized. When my doctor told me that "run for life" was the only option because he had friends who had been disabled and unable to practice medicine for life because of these kinds of people, the guilt left and so did I. Right out the door of that church! :D

When I dug into the literature and studies and read that even professional psychiatrists have been fooled by some of these people, I was relieved. THEN I was able to begin the road back again with a desire to recover from an injury and a wound and not helplessness or stupidity.

I do not want to become a sour, irritable, crabby, whiny, bitter, resentful old lady :eek: I don't want to beat a dead horse, but be darned if that horse moves I'm going to hit again HARD until it stays dead and buried. I want to remain empowered with solid information, good decision-making and love.

Anna Marta