Topic : 04/24 Is This Normal?

 You know, sometimes I get a little upset, too, when I see a family that has availed themselves of fertility help and they end up with such and unwieldy number of children and then need help.  But to me, it's like they did it to themselves, and that's why it seems unfair.  I know the next thing I'm  going to say will be extremely unpopular, but here goes.  Doctors CAN reduce the number of embryos--for one thing, many people don't think it's ethical to implant that many embryos and it's done routinely with an eye toward keeping their success stats up. The more embryos they implant, the greater the chance that the procedure will result in a pregnancy carried to term--and these are private facilities that live or die based on their success rates. The other part of that is that NO ONE in that situation has to carry that many to term.  Yes, folks, it's called selective reduction, and I think there is a place for it, though not everyone will choose it.

However, I would NEVER say that infertile couples should not be allowed fertility treatments because it's like "someone playing god."  Wanting a child and not being able to have one is one of life's greatest sorrows. Wouldnt' god want us to help them make their dream come true? God gave us brains to use.  We came up with birth control, fertility treatments, and nuclear power.  It would be--well, STUPID not to use the fruits of our scientific knowledge.  I don't think god wants that.

Besides, those kids are wearing Gap clothes, for pete's sake. They have a huge house.  Their standard of living is WAY above mine.  It's not like they couldnt' afford those kids. 

I think the portion of the show talking about fathers and daughters having a purity pledge is just creepy.

 

I believe in talking with your kids and helping them make the right choices but come on.

Maybe you have a demon in your closet.....? I was raised in a "Reformed" church and only learned about Satan and demons at home. I don't understand why they do not teach this in church, as Jesus did tell his disciples to go out by two's and minister to people and "cast out demon's (devil's)" . Jesus cast out a legion of demons out of a man in the bible, spiritually nothing has changed. People still sin and have skeletons in their closets. In fact the greatest accomplishment of Satan is that he does not exist! Poor fooled people of the Christian faith also seem to believe this lie. I thank God  that there are caring Godly men like Pastor Larson whom reach out to people that are being oppressed by the demonic. I grew up in a strict Christian home, but was also molested by my brother when I was very small. My mother knew but nothing was done, I was always tormented at night with nightmares and seeing things hovering over me or coming at me. I have been through a deliverance with Pastor Bob Larson as it was my time to deal with the pain. I felt like a huge weight had been  lifted off of me. I no longer had the nightmares that plagued my life for years, I prayed for years that God would take away the hurt and pain from it all. He did the day I had my deliverance session with Pastor Larson, I am a proud sponsor of The Bob Larson Ministries and am a member of one of the DWJD Teams (Do What Jesus Did). He/we do more than deliverance's we also help them to get the counseling they need and have prayer groups, there is a network of people that help other people. You should go to one of Bob's Rallies and see for yourself what he does, well what GOD does through Bob. Our God is an awesome God! I know for a fact that Bob too has gone through a deliverance like I and my husband has. Too many stones from a house of glass, check it out before you form an opinion.

 I was sold out for these kind of people too... they took me for a ride and then dumped me when I asked questions and wasn't attacking people for them anymore.  Keep up the good work, you sounded like a wonderful loving Christian to me.  If Bob Larson is the real thing, he would allow people to question him and have doubts and it wouldn't shake him.  He wouldn't want his followers to attack or try to scare people for him. 

I'm glad it worked for you... I'm not debating that.  But I do say that I felt great in my cult too as long as I was licking their boots, being a proud sponsor, and totally ignoring my own needs and those of my family.  The veil was lifted from my eyes, thank God, and God still meets me today, and cares for me and loves me -  And it doesn't take a man, to tell me when, who, why and how.   Jesus is my shepherd I follow him.   And I don't attack others for having a different opinion.

This is an example of what I am talking about.  This is the third time I have read a poster quote or paraphrase "the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!"  And since I get the feeling you haven't been reading Baudelaire lately, where exactly are you getting that from?  It isn't in the Bible.  A quote similar to that was used in the movie "The Usual Suspects."   Again, I imagine you probably haven't seen that movie.  So are you just spouting some stuff told to you by someone else?

 

THINK people.  Think!  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) (P.S. I am not a Christian, I am a deist, but find much wisdom in all of the world's great religions' sacred text.)

 

Isn't it just possible that you had nightmares because you had TSS (traumatic stress syndrome) brought on by your molestation?  Is it easier for you to believe it was the Devil?  That way you can absolve your brother and mother of responsibility.  

 

I am so sorry that you were molested, in your strict Christian household.  The devil did not do that to you.  Your brother did.  And not because he was possessed, but because he was selfish, perverted,  and had no impulse control.  Your mother looked the other way, not because of the devil, but because maybe it was easier for her, maybe her Christian faith taught her that women tempt men (Adam, Eve, apple, you know the rest), maybe she just didn't know how to help you and therefore did nothing.  The devil is just an excuse for people to treat one another with no respect.

 

If having an exorcism freed you of your fear, then good.  But had you ever been to a mental health professional?  They could have done the same thing. 

 

Ultimately you freed yourself.  Have faith in yourself.  If you survived incest you are a strong person.  Don't absolve your mother and brother of their responsibilities.  They let you down.  Don't rob yourself of your victory.  You survived.

 

You are good and wise and strong.  Don't take that from yourself by giving to some charlatan.  You had that power in you all along.  This is not Bob Larson's victory.  It is yours.

 

I wish you continued healing and peace.

 

 

This will be my last post on this subject. I realize that what I've said runs totally opposite to what others believe. You and I both know that kids like you mention here are not at fault, right? And they have nothing to feel guilty about, right? We need to help them deal with the abuse they've suffered and let them know that their parents or other abusive adults are the ones who are at fault and it is they who should feel guilt. The confusion of it all makes children "take on" the responsibility but I call that oppression not truly guilt.

 

In my mixed up home, I did take on the responsibility of caring for my younger siblings, but I never took the responsibility for my parents mental illness. Nor did I ever believe I caused their problems. It didn't take years of therapy for me to overcome those experiences, it took some Christian people who prayed for me. They didn't take me out of the circumstances, but their prayers did give me hope and a future. I can look back on it now and know that there was a "covering" over me that protected me from a lot worse. I applaud parents who "cover" their children and try to protect them from poor decisions early in life. I understand having to grow up too soon and tried to make sure my children could enjoy their childhood.

 

I know this sounds like foolishness to many of you, but I have experienced both guilt and oppression and I know the difference. Don't underestimate the power of God to answer prayers and protect you.

I feel the same way.  I don't think attacking people is the point of Christianity anyway.  That's what free will is all about.

Let me assure you, as a child who was a victim of sexual abuse, it IS GUILT these children feel.  And yes, they are oppresed as well,  but that DOES NOT diminish the GUILT child victims feel!

All these word games you play-oppresion not guilt- is highly annoying me.  Its like you are trying to justify sexual abuse victims pain sorrow guilt shame and blame to prove some ridiculous-non existant- point! 

Please explain to me how that, in ANY way shape or form, is a "Christian" way of acting???

 As for demonic possession, being only a human with a limited understanding of myself, much less the universe and the secrets thereof, I'm reluctant to speak on it. I don't enjoy attacking the beliefs of others just because the idea of possession makes me uncomfortable (to say the least). I think of it this way, we have guys like Dr. Phil because we don't understand ourselves enough to function properly all of the time, what makes any of us think we even have an inkling of  all of the possibilities of the separate realities that we share? if that made any sense at all.

 

Pertaining to the 11 year old little girls promising to be virgins until they marry. I think its adorable. I made the same promise with a few of my friends a few years earlier when we first realized what sex was. Children aren't dumb, and are most likely the most observant people in your household. They see the short, chaste sex scenes on cable television. They hear how you talk about sex, or talk around if thats how you tackle the situation, and that is why its a good idea to talk to your children, especially your young girls at such an age as 11. Just because you don't say it doesnt mean they don't hear it, and if anyone should be educating children in sex, *sexuality i believe should wait till about 13 in so far as explaining and being understanding of the hormonal changes and urges they will be experiencing*

 

But what I also know is that the world we live in is changing. Our children are growing up a little too fast, but thats how it is, we should accomodate them, they're the ones that are new to the field. We have to learn to adapt as quickly as they do, because if 11 is too young to know, then why are there so many 13 year olds having babies?