Going back to fantasy..

[Kerrin]

In light of recent events , I don't think I will trust anyone who calls themselves Christian or tries to talk to me about God in ANY way EVER again.
I am 'over' trying so hard in everything I do.

From now on, I come second and always will!!!
(That's cuz Amy will always be first!)

Seriously; I am going back to reading Harry Potter AGAIN!
'THAT' world makes more sense!
Kerrin:confused::(:(

[christian sister]

Sorry about how you feel I guessing Amy is your sister, or someone close in your life. I know how it is to be treated unfairly by "christians" I feel like "GOD, why cant you make these people see that they are treating me badly?"
All I know is if you read Harry Potter( Ive done the same thing) that evil spirits will jump off onto you, and make you very mad at God and at christianity as a whole.
You'll find yourself turning your back on Jesus, God, and all of christianity. You might be a the point right now that you dont care, but even if people treat us badly, we need to at least have open dialog with Jesus.

[Jo Jo]

In much respect and love, but books or people can not have control over you unless you give them that control. I don't believe demons can "leap" off a book on to someone. This mentioned book is a novel. The Bible is the living word of God and is the only word with true power, if you believe that way.

I think we can read books and enjoy them and not even agree with them. I have an adult mind and can make choices now. I learned that by going through my bad experience in abusive church systems. People and things don't have power over me unless I give it to them.

[Willow]

Sorry about how you feel I guessing Amy is your sister, or someone close in your life. I know how it is to be treated unfairly by "christians" I feel like "GOD, why cant you make these people see that they are treating me badly?"

Wow Christian Sister... that's an incredibly uplifting thing to say. Very supportive. I felt affirmed by this statement.

With all due respect though... (for me) the comments about demons in reading material was not helpful and took the focus off of the support and healing from spiritual abuse.

[FreeinJesus]

Dear Kerrin,
I was attending a "church"...but haven't gone in several weeks. I actually felt relatively *safe* there, but I am so turned off by anything "religious" right now. My family & I were completely screwed over & abused by supposed "true christians" in a "true church"....excuse me while I vomit!

I love God, but I don't trust PEOPLE, especially self-righteous know-it-all Bible thumpers!:mad: I'd rather be a wandering lamb, where you aren't judged & can just live your life knowing you will screw up & aren't perfect. I wont have to constantly be "proving my loyalty" or jumping through hoops to follow a religion that is never satisfied. Our X added to the gospel & we have paid a heavy price for believing such a "man of God". (barf) We were coerced & manipulated to move 2 states from our home state to be resident members of that "true church"...well Jesus said HIS yoke is easy & burden light & I'll tell you from my own experience that moving your life, family, career.....is NOT a light burden, not light at all. We suffered & we were basically told to "stop doubting the move"....to just accept it. Well, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. WE WERE DECEIVED.

My Xchurch constantly looks down on others because they aren't part of the "true church"..it is so elitist, so self-righteous.....

As far as Harry Potter, I think HP is GREAT! JK Rowling really has some insight into life & human nature. I think her insight surpasses that of supposed 'bible believing' self-righteous pharisees. That's how I see it.

I'm REALLY turned off by religous, fanatic, self-righteous BS. I believe in God.....but that's about it right now.
Maybe someday I'll get the courage to join a church, but I don't see that in the near future.
I pray God will forgive me if I'm wrong, but I am too beaten up to let anyone do that to me & my family ever again. It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced & it wasn't physical pain, though I did suffer physically because of the mental, spiritual & psychological anguish.
It's a chance I am not willing to take, been there, done that.:(

Yep, I can relate Kerrin.

[mountain]

In much respect and love, but books or people can not have control over you unless you give them that control. I don't believe demons can "leap" off a book on to someone. This mentioned book is a novel. The Bible is the living word of God and is the only word with true power, if you believe that way.

I think we can read books and enjoy them and not even agree with them. I have an adult mind and can make choices now. I learned that by going through my bad experience in abusive church systems. People and things don't have power over me unless I give it to them.

this is good...

my eyes were opened by Steve Arterburn book on Toxic Faith systems...

He likens spiritual abuse to witchcraft and I believe he is very close to the fact... As I have considered voodoo, spells, and curses, if you look at those adversely effected by spiritual abuse and how it is used to control the tribal members, the similarity is frightening...

At first the comparison seemed a bit strong to me but the more I pondered it the more I saw it.

This has also helped me much to realize why Christ came. He came to change the tribal system of religion so all are kings and priests... he came to establish an order where one can worship freely in spirit and truth without the burden of mans approval. That is a wonderful thing and something that I give thanks for regularly.

I agree it is too bad that Christianity does suffer so from tribal dynamics common in all human organizations...

But remember, the truth will set you free and you will be free indeed. But that means you have to break the addition to approval of men. Christ knew that too and preached as much...

So if they dont freely receive you, share their faith freely, and freely allow you to leave if you wish, your in the wrong place...

if you leave, their wishes ought to be that they pray for your help elsewhere and give you their blessings... if they shun you, pursue you, and give you a guilt trip, you did the right thing leaving...

So Christ gave us the power of the truth... but we have to claim it as our own and tell others that dont know it yet...

mtn

[Kerrin]

:rolleyes:As Humble as I can be I need to set a few things straight.
1. I was very angry when i posted so the whole story has not been told and I am unable to tell any more of it tonight as I will upset myself before bed..(NOT good for my dreams)!!;)

2. Amy is my 16 y/o daughter for those who do not know me.

3. Th ecomment about returning to H.P was my Aussie very weird and dry wit.
(my Xchurch told us the same thing about H.P and demons so I have read ALL 7 books three times already .....LOL:eek::rolleyes:

thank you ALL for your comments I couldn't agree more about books

I just am so full of rage toward co-workers , my ('Umbridge') boss who made me do lines with her special quil so the words are engraved on the back of my hand!! (only H.P fans will understnad that one but happy to explain!!!
Again my dry wit!

It also involves some of the men e-mailing me from the dating site my D.R told me to join..........:mad:

And , of course every one of them is a christian in some form or another!!
They make me sick.
Lies and deception every day it's something new......and I am told I am too sensitive!!!

Kerrin.......more when able.

[Elisabeth]

Boy, Kerrin, it sounds like you are going through the whole works right now! :(
Hope you feel some peace soon, and as bad as the lies and deception are, realize the fact you can see them as lies and deception and get angry about it is a good thing. ;)

[hornblower]

In light of recent events , I don't think I will trust anyone who calls themselves Christian or tries to talk to me about God in ANY way EVER again.
I am 'over' trying so hard in everything I do.

From now on, I come second and always will!!!
(That's cuz Amy will always be first!)

Seriously; I am going back to reading Harry Potter AGAIN!
'THAT' world makes more sense!
Kerrin:confused::(:(

what is it about Harry that makes sense to you kerrin?

this is what I believe and in fact this is what I know........demons are everywhere and what they feed on is sin in our hearts so that being said there is nothing we can do about it but go to the only person anywhere that can take care of demons and thats Jesus.
I believe what the bible says, word for word.........not what people tell me but what it says........my bible says we are free to do anything we want but not all things are good for us to do.......that makes good sense to me........i have a neice that is a huge harry potter addict......so what.......Im a huge Jane Austin fan and I love rock and roll and movies and tv and art and sewing and so what??????? I am a human being God knows who I am and what turns me on.
What kind of a religion would christianity be if all it meant to us is laws laws and more laws arent all religions into that? We had that before we became christians.
Christianity is about Jesus loving us and setting us free from sin and the devils power over us.

Fantasy is a good thing in my book and Ill tell you why.......because when you loose your ability to dream and wonder and believe in things that you cannot see you will also give up all of your belief in Jesus Himself. AND JESUS aint a fantasy! I used to teach a class to children in my old church....this was a good church a one of a kind church a church where there was real love and real freedom....freedom meant there were all kinds of people there and a lot of missionaries. I had some parents that wouldnt let me show any movies or anything no books are anything that wasnt the absolute truth.
Ok I said to myself........truth it is then.
Truth is much stranger and more ruthless than fiction ever thought about being but truth is what they got. I drew out my conversion story for those kids and told them everything that had happened to me with God.....well not all of it but you know age appropriate stuff..........I figurted now Ill be in for it because most people cannot deal with my real story of how Jesus is bigger than the empire state building and I saw Him!
But those sweet people loved me and appreciated every word I told their children. So go figure?
How much you want to bet that I can match Harry Potter any day of the week?
Still all I am saying is demons cant hop on anyone unless that person is not covered by Jesus and being covered up by Jesus is an everyday common sense kind of thing and Kerrin you are definitely not in trouble my friend no way hosea!
Demons attack us all of the time. If they didnt we wouldnt be His......we live in the world dont we? If you go down that road there is no end to it. Looking for satan under every tree living in fear, I know Ive been there big time and this is what I learned........love overcomes it all! His love! You are so free my friend kerrin and my friend christian and all of us we are free now. All we have to do is to believe it.
I have so many charismatic friends that are constantly fighting the devil, calling everything they see or go through a spirit of this and a spirit of that.........like they personally can see and they know these things..........good luck with all of that.........I choose my Lord.

Im so glad Im just a child. Because that way I enter into the kingdom of heaven every day all of the time. I dont need to KNOW all of this junk I just stay close to Him and He protects me. I can enjoy!
Kerrin you need to have some fun and experience some love in your life, working sucks and people are so mean.........come snuggle up to Jesus and let Him love on you my friend.

Now a lot of people I know call that a fantasy.
So be it.
In my bible its REAL...come to Me all you who labor and carry heavy burdens my yoke is easy and My burden is light Come to Me and I will give you REST!

[yeshua'smags]

All I know is if you read Harry Potter( Ive done the same thing) that evil spirits will jump off onto you, and make you very mad at God and at christianity as a whole.
.

Uh...yeah....no offense, but I read V.C. Andrews' "FLowers In The Attic" series and I never once thought of falling in love with my brother....:)
I do think some people can open themselves up to things...like when I read "Pet Semetary" by Stephen King...I had to throw it outside...:D...but that was because of stuff, (fears, satan's knowledge of what freaks me out) that were there before I read it....not the book itself.....just my thoughts....:o

[Hope 98]

Uh...yeah....no offense, but I read V.C. Andrews' "FLowers In The Attic" series and I never once thought of falling in love with my brother....:)
I do think some people can open themselves up to things...like when I read "Pet Semetary" by Stephen King...I had to throw it outside...:D...but that was because of stuff that was there before I read it....not the book itself.....just my thoughts....:o

Yeah - I really have to chime in here. Harry Potter, the books, the movies, the author, none of it is evil. There are no demons attached that can do anything at all.

"Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world."

That being said - we can make anything into an "idol" that distracts us from God. I think we are all here because pastors, systems, organizations and the people in them made themselves idols. They put themselves, their doctrines, thoughts, ideas, and feelings in God's place.

When we recognize God for who He is, and let nothing take His place in our hearts, we have nothing to fear.

I have thrown away and destroyed things that I saw as interfering with my own relationship with God, including books that I've read, because of the place I had given them in my life. It was a matter of my own choices, and making better choices when I saw that I had them.

I hope this makes sense. I consider it very wrong that so many in the "christian" community have labeled the Harry Potter stories as bad in any way. So many perpetuated the opinion without ever looking into the books or movies for themselves. That is the real sin.

[Elisabeth]

Yeah - I really have to chime in here. Harry Potter, the books, the movies, the author, none of it is evil. There are no demons attached that can do anything at all.

"Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world."

That being said - we can make anything into an "idol" that distracts us from God. I think we are all here because pastors, systems, organizations and the people in them made themselves idols. They put themselves, their doctrines, thoughts, ideas, and feelings in God's place.

When we recognize God for who He is, and let nothing take His place in our hearts, we have nothing to fear.

I have thrown away and destroyed things that I saw as interfering with my own relationship with God, including books that I've read, because of the place I had given them in my life. It was a matter of my own choices, and making better choices when I saw that I had them.

I hope this makes sense. I consider it very wrong that so many in the "christian" community have labeled the Harry Potter stories as bad in any way. So many perpetuated the opinion without ever looking into the books or movies for themselves. That is the real sin.

When I started to make progress in healing from spiritual abuse was when I realized that I had believed the abusive pastor when he put himself in the place of God in my life. :o

[Kerrin]

Uh...yeah....no offense, but I read V.C. Andrews' "FLowers In The Attic" series and I never once thought of falling in love with my brother....:)
I do think some people can open themselves up to things...like when I read "Pet Semetary" by Stephen King...I had to throw it outside...:D...but that was because of stuff, (fears, satan's knowledge of what freaks me out) that were there before I read it....not the book itself.....just my thoughts....:o

I read Flowers in The Attic " as a teen and thought it was brilliant....I was trying to remember the author to get Amy the books .
IT is a very sad story but wonderfully written in it's tragedy!!
Thanks 'Yeshy'...
love
Kerrin

[Kerrin]

O.K My References to Harry Potter have ALL been my sardonic way of expressing myself. I am neither obsessed or using the books as 'idols'.
I do not have an issue with reading Harry Potter or anything else for that matter.
I do have an issue with the church's problem with books, (they should look in their own dirty christian book shop back yards!)

So, THIS Thread was all about my anger over certain issues that have happened to me over the past week. I tend to have a very dry wit and often use metaphors to express myself.
I am sorry to have misled anyone.:o

I am still angry and upset about some issues but wary of putting them up publicly, especially here where I may be banned.
Blessings , peace and love,
Cheers ,
Kerrin;)

[Jerry]

I am still angry and upset about some issues but wary of putting them up publicly, especially here where I may be banned.
Blessings , peace and love,
Cheers ,
Kerrin;)[/COLOR][/B]

You know me better than that :confused:
Love Jerry

[yeshua'smags]

I read Flowers in The Attic " as a teen and thought it was brilliant....I was trying to remember the author to get Amy the books .
IT is a very sad story but wonderfully written in it's tragedy!!
Thanks 'Yeshy'...
love
Kerrin

Oh eek, I don't know that I would want my teenager reading them....I learned a whole lot of things I didn't need to know about at that age...but they are unbelievably written, and the stories are so addicting! I don't mean that as a condemnation, so don't think that....just my opinion....;)

[hornblower]

O.K My References to Harry Potter have ALL been my sardonic way of expressing myself. I am neither obsessed or using the books as 'idols'.
I do not have an issue with reading Harry Potter or anything else for that matter.
I do have an issue with the church's problem with books, (they should look in their own dirty christian book shop back yards!)

So, THIS Thread was all about my anger over certain issues that have happened to me over the past week. I tend to have a very dry wit and often use metaphors to express myself.
I am sorry to have misled anyone.

I am still angry and upset about some issues but wary of putting them up publicly, especially here where I may be banned.
Blessings , peace and love,
Cheers ,
Kerrin


Kerrin I would hope that you could say anything on here. I would hope all of us could at least be free to be ourselves. Ok so maybe we cant curse a whole lot like I usually use a bunch of stars, so forth but I hope you can always let it all hang out....I love you the way you are Kerrin.
AND I get you too.
You didnt mislead me at all I understood what you meant exactly. I mean I know Im not you but you know what I mean.

I want to add to your post that I SO totally agree with the churches so called ban on book and any movies or anything like that. That to me would be like the church telling me what to eat and believe me Ive been in some church circles where that is definitely going on. No white flour no white sugar no cokes no ????????******* and then they send their kids to Mc Donalds???????? What a joke it all is!
I love this that is written in the word about these same kinds of things that Paul was trying to make some common sense to them about.......but NOOOOOO they had to go right back into the law! Thats the way it is.
Traditions of men not the ways of truth and love and acceptance....judgement instead of salvation......its always been this way and you should be mad about it,..... its not right!

[Willow]

Kerrin I would hope that you could say anything on here.

Just don't try to talk about politics here... that doesnt' fly too well.

[Elisabeth]

Oh eek, I don't know that I would want my teenager reading them....I learned a whole lot of things I didn't need to know about at that age...but they are unbelievably written, and the stories are so addicting! I don't mean that as a condemnation, so don't think that....just my opinion....;)

I was reading at a 12th grade level by the time I was in 5th grade - not bragging, I just liked to read. Anyway, talk about all the things I learned that I didn't need to know about when I learned about them! :D I also remember scaring the s*** out of myself when I was 10 by reading the book "Carrie." :eek:

[Willow]

I was reading at a 12th grade level by the time I was in 5th grade - not bragging, I just liked to read. Anyway, talk about all the things I learned that I didn't need to know about when I learned about them! :D I also remember scaring the s*** out of myself when I was 10 by reading the book "Carrie." :eek:

I was reading that book in church as a kid and they took it away from me. I had no idea I was doing anything wrong at the time! :eek:

[yeshua'smags]

I didn't mean to sound as if it was wrong, I just don't want to promote knowledge they aren't ready for...I loved those books! It kind of fed my angst at the time, but it was angst that didn't need to get fed ya know?
She had another series about a poor girl living in Appalachia....and she marries a rich man, or becomes his mistress....something like that. They were good too!

[Hope 98]

Just to be clear for Kerrin - and anyone else.

I don't expect anyone here to have a problem with "idolizing" Harry Potter. I am a fan of the books myself, not so much a movie person, but that's just my own thing.

I wanted to point out simply that we have no right to condemn anything we know nothing about. And sometimes we are totally wrong about things we believe that we know.

Also - I'm sorry that you are going through what you are, Kerrin. You weren't real specific, but I can relate to how disillusioned you are. Yeah - just because someone or something labels itself as "Christian", it doesn't make it so.

Maybe we should all try to see who people really are - and pay a lot less attention to however they are inclined to label themselves.

JMHO (just my humble opinion)
YMMV (your mileage may vary)

[Kerrin]

[B]Just to be clear about allowing Amy to read V.C Andrews. I would not push any books on her that she felt uncomfortable reading. I read them when I was her age and loved them, she may not. I had different experiences to her at her age too, thank God she did not, and has not , so she , at present is not inerested, Fine with me....She loves literature. That's good enough for me.)
Her second favourite book, (which I am reading now, mostly 'cos I am bored), is 'Alice's adventure's in wonderland and Through the Looking - Glass' Lewis Carroll. It is fascinating how the drawings even came into being back in the 1800's and stalled the book being published for 3 years....
B]

Thanks for any encouragement; again sorry for upsetting anyone but this is me.
As always I learn heaps here....;)
love
Kerrin

[butterfly]

In light of recent events , I don't think I will trust anyone who calls themselves Christian or tries to talk to me about God in ANY way EVER again.
I am 'over' trying so hard in everything I do.

From now on, I come second and always will!!!
(That's cuz Amy will always be first!)

Seriously; I am going back to reading Harry Potter AGAIN!
'THAT' world makes more sense!
Kerrin:confused::(:(

I haven"t read Harry Potter not that I think it is bad. Just I don"t like to read those kinds of storys.
:D When I read your post Kerrin I smiled to myself about "That" world makes more sense.
Any world seems pretty good to me after going thur christian abuse.

I have thought that if my hubby dies before me and I had the chance to marry again. "That man will not be a christian!!!"
My hubby is a christian man who beleaves in Christ. He doesn"t beleave wifes should be slaves. shirley