by Paul Patterson
Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 2:52 am:
WOW! What a read. I was talking with my brother Joel (literally, not just spiritually) tonight and we were discussing the "old meetings". That got me thinking, so I searched Jim Mauer Ministries on Yahoo and found this site. As someone who was involved in this "church" my entire adolescent life I am happy to see some, somewhat familiar names. I remember a few and am related to another. Hi Uncle Dan.
I attended meetings because my parents made me, not because I wanted to. As I look back on my time in the group, I wouldn't change a thing. I think my upbringing taught me a lot about Christ and helped mold me into the person I am today. Later in life, my Grandmother, Eleanor Smith, reaffirmed what I grew up believing. She was my model for the "perfect Christian", and for anyone in that group to insult that image by marking her is offensive and just shows how really clueless they are in their knowledge of the gospel.
I can see that others feel the same way about the treatment of older, highly respected Christians they know or are related to.
I remember in '83, coming back to my house after a Sunday meeting, sitting down with Forrest Dunton, while blasting Rock and Roll and writing a scathing letter to John Morey regarding the tyranny both Forrest and I saw rearing it's ugly head in the leadership of the group. We even had the bible open to place scriptures in appropriate places. It was a well written letter that to this day I wish we would have mailed out. I recently attended a funeral that was also attended by a few people still in the group. They were all very kind (still very preachy) and made a point to come up to me and say hi. Maybe this is because I left the group prior to most of the markings and was never important enough or threatening enough to be marked. Although, I believe I may hold the record for having been the subject of the most ridiculous "men's meeting" ever held..... Going to see a movie. How horrifying! :-)
Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 3:38 pm:"ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY"
In my opinion, Robert Grove and his cohorts are guilty of committing the most egregious sin possible. Using the name of Jesus Christ and the power of his teachings to lead a flock of easily influenced, mostly uneducated people lacking self esteem and looking for spiritual guidance to benefit their own worldly, highly misguided, sick and twisted desires. (please excuse the run-on sentence)
"ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY"
Although I never had any direct interaction with RAG, I did with the Leadership of the L.A. and Riverside areas.
The only thing that I remain bitter about to this day is when my younger sister was sexually molested at the age of 6, by a teenager in the group. After an initial reaction of wanting to kill him, my dad decided to take legal action, but was spoken to by the group and they handled it internally by sitting down with the young man and preaching to him and attempting to get him "right with the lord". It didn't work as he again committed the same act upon another innocent little girl later on. There was never any counseling provided for my 6 year old little sister that was actually injured! Since going to see a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist was highly frowned upon, my sister never got the counseling she needed. All the bible verses in the world will have little or no effect on a child that has been sexually assaulted. I believe to this day this has effected the person she has become. That event brought on so many psychological problems because there was no help provided for her.
I would hope these things are not repeating themselves, but I fear they have probably escalated rather then decreased.
I speak from experience when I say that growing up in an atmosphere where literally everything is wrong, as a teenager human nature takes over and you rebel against authority.
It was at a "church" event where I first drank alcohol. It was at a camp that I first tried illegal drugs. Luckily I was smart enough to realize wrong from right. I don't believe others have been so lucky. To this day, the only time I have ever seen crack cocaine was at a camp. This is what young people end up doing behind the backs of their parents when they grow up being told EVERYTHING IS WRONG. Also to this day, the only time I have ever witnessed spousal abuse (mental or physical) was during the time I attended "meetings".
This is truly a sad state of affairs for "God's House" to be in.
Shame on you RAG and followers! I am sure the gates of hell will open wide for those who deserve it.
Sorry for the rambling.Return to Top Return to Navigation