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Why I left an Evangelical Cult -- Ted Talk


Rocky
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It is now over a week since I sent your concerns/questions/confrontations to the R&R group.  No response from anyone.  I would guess we won't be hearing from them.  That's pretty crappy, and very disappointing.

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Indeed Taxidev. Sorry they let you down. Thanks for trying. For those of us “old timers” still hanging around the GSC, this was totally predictable. Not saying, “I told ya so.” in any way. Simply stating a fact that we also have come to learn “the hard way” over the last 18 years.

It always reminds me of that scene in “The Godfather”, when Clemenza is teaching Michael how to make a “good sauce”. This was right after Clemenza had overseen the hit of “Paulie”, the driver who called in sick the day the Don got shot. As he’s stirring the sauce, Sonny asks, “Where’s Paulie?” Clemenza responds, “Oh Paulie! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”. LOL! I fear you have been secretly Paulie’d, Taxidev, and you’ve been secretly “marked and avoided”!! Congratulations! They won’t be seein’ YOU no more. YOU committed treason against “the family”! YOU asked questions IN PUBLIC, about the family “business” these pimps used to run. How dare YOU question the righteous perfection of those who have chosen to RULE OVER YOU? How dare YOU harbor any misgivings about their “truthfulness” in days past,  and their “faithfulness to DO da Woid”? WHO the hell are YOU?? Are you even Corpse??? LOL! How dare YOU question their past behavior, crimes, and lies! Where were YOU in 1972??? Where’s Alice??

“Oh Taxidev! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”.....The “not-really leadership” of Removal and Relocation Christian Liars, Inc., since 1942! Do as I say, and don’t question what I do! Ignore the revisionist TWIt history we “teach” you. Believe all our lies if you want to grow ”spurchly” and not be a Greasespot by midnight! Resistance is futile! We are the “spiritual” Borg. Obey, listen, or leave. So, far Taxidev, it seems you are learning the same curriculum we did back in the daze! Godspeed brother! And...........peace.

 

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Hey Taxidev, thanks for trying - you’re a good man...Don’t Worry got me thinking of some good advice from “The Godfather” ...which is “leave the gun - take the cannoli”...so forget about the harmful and destructive games that they play and holdfast to that which is good...this is the I Thessalonians 5:21 film critic signing off. :rolleyes:

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45 minutes ago, DontWorryBeHappy said:

Indeed Taxidev. Sorry they let you down. Thanks for trying. For those of us “old timers” still hanging around the GSC, this was totally predictable. Not saying, “I told ya so.” in any way. Simply stating a fact that we also have come to learn “the hard way” over the last 18 years.

It always reminds me of that scene in “The Godfather”, when Clemenza is teaching Michael how to make a “good sauce”. This was right after Clemenza had overseen the hit of “Paulie”, the driver who called in sick the day the Don got shot. As he’s stirring the sauce, Sonny asks, “Where’s Paulie?” Clemenza responds, “Oh Paulie! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”. LOL! I fear you have been secretly Paulie’d, Taxidev, and you’ve been secretly “marked and avoided”!! Congratulations! They won’t be seein’ YOU no more. YOU committed treason against “the family”! YOU asked questions IN PUBLIC, about the family “business” these pimps used to run. How dare YOU question the righteous perfection of those who have chosen to RULE OVER YOU? How dare YOU harbor any misgivings about their “truthfulness” in days past,  and their “faithfulness to DO da Woid”? WHO the hell are YOU?? Are you even Corpse??? LOL! How dare YOU question their past behavior, crimes, and lies! Where were YOU in 1972??? Where’s Alice??

“Oh Taxidev! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”.....The “not-really leadership” of Removal and Relocation Christian Liars, Inc., since 1942! Do as I say, and don’t question what I do! Ignore the revisionist TWIt history we “teach” you. Believe all our lies if you want to grow ”spurchly” and not be a Greasespot by midnight! Resistance is futile! We are the “spiritual” Borg. Obey, listen, or leave. So, far Taxidev, it seems you are learning the same curriculum we did back in the daze! Godspeed brother! And...........peace.

 

Yeah.............totally predictable.

Self-appointed sleaze.........that want to sit on an elevated perch and rule over others.  They just quit pimping for the twit-cult....and wanted to start their own action, in another neighborhood.  Good riddance.

That's why that R&R thread is SO, DAMN INSTRUCTIVE........."meet the new boss, same as the old boss."  LOL

 

 

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1 hour ago, DontWorryBeHappy said:

Indeed Taxidev. Sorry they let you down. Thanks for trying. For those of us “old timers” still hanging around the GSC, this was totally predictable. Not saying, “I told ya so.” in any way. Simply stating a fact that we also have come to learn “the hard way” over the last 18 years.

It always reminds me of that scene in “The Godfather”, when Clemenza is teaching Michael how to make a “good sauce”. This was right after Clemenza had overseen the hit of “Paulie”, the driver who called in sick the day the Don got shot. As he’s stirring the sauce, Sonny asks, “Where’s Paulie?” Clemenza responds, “Oh Paulie! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”. LOL! I fear you have been secretly Paulie’d, Taxidev, and you’ve been secretly “marked and avoided”!! Congratulations! They won’t be seein’ YOU no more. YOU committed treason against “the family”! YOU asked questions IN PUBLIC, about the family “business” these pimps used to run. How dare YOU question the righteous perfection of those who have chosen to RULE OVER YOU? How dare YOU harbor any misgivings about their “truthfulness” in days past,  and their “faithfulness to DO da Woid”? WHO the hell are YOU?? Are you even Corpse??? LOL! How dare YOU question their past behavior, crimes, and lies! Where were YOU in 1972??? Where’s Alice??

“Oh Taxidev! We won’t be seein’ him no more!”.....The “not-really leadership” of Removal and Relocation Christian Liars, Inc., since 1942! Do as I say, and don’t question what I do! Ignore the revisionist TWIt history we “teach” you. Believe all our lies if you want to grow ”spurchly” and not be a Greasespot by midnight! Resistance is futile! We are the “spiritual” Borg. Obey, listen, or leave. So, far Taxidev, it seems you are learning the same curriculum we did back in the daze! Godspeed brother! And...........peace.

 

DWBH, great post!!   It made me laugh, but it also made me think.  I wish TWI, and R&R, the best, but I have no desire to join them.  I think both of them are money-hungry, POS.

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58 minutes ago, skyrider said:

Yeah.............totally predictable.

Self-appointed sleaze.........that want to sit on an elevated perch and rule over others.  They just quit pimping for the twit-cult....and wanted to start their own action, in another neighborhood.  Good riddance.

That's why that R&R thread is SO, DAMN INSTRUCTIVE........."meet the new boss, same as the old boss."  LOL

 

 

Sky, bingo!!  The old boss was sleazy, and the new one is the same. Two slimey, sleazy organizations.  Nuts to both of them.:asdf:

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3 hours ago, DontWorryBeHappy said:

Indeed Taxidev. Sorry they let you down. Thanks for trying. For those of us “old timers” still hanging around the GSC, this was totally predictable. Not saying, “I told ya so.” in any way. Simply stating a fact that we also have come to learn “the hard way” over the last 18 years.

While I will mention no names, I got two replies today.

The first basically said:
"Please don't waste another moment worrying about that random [person] (me) you met years ago. Our days are too precious to squander on the negatives. I hold no ill will against anyone and I pray that someday you may feel the same."

The other basically compared his/her past errors with Paul's:
"Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging  in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

I thought they were excellent replies, and I won't be contacting them further about these issues.  But if any others reply I will summarize theirs for you also.
 

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2 hours ago, Taxidev said:

I thought they were excellent replies, and I won't be contacting them further about these issues.  But if any others reply I will summarize theirs for you also.
 

Did they answer any of your questions? Looks to me like you presented direct questions and expressed honest concerns and what you got in reply was bs, not “excellent replies”. No offense, please Taxidev. 

Edited by JayDee
Fat finger submit.
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3 hours ago, Taxidev said:

The other basically compared his/her past errors with Paul's:
"Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging  in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

Interesting they decided to go with Paul, but wasn't his stuff in His past before his conversion/born again/met Jesus experience?

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23 minutes ago, JayDee said:

Did they answer any of your questions?

 

23 minutes ago, JayDee said:

No offense, please Taxidev.

No offense taken, and I understand your point.

But to their point, they both pretty much made the same point.  My understanding is this:

Whatever they may have done regarding anyone here apparently was long ago.  And just as Paul was guilty of harm, he didn't hang onto it, and it doesn't even say anywhere in Acts that he apologized for whatever he had done.  Instead, he moved forward with his current understanding, and that's what they are trying to do also.

So, no, they didn't directly answer any of the points made by some here that I forwarded on to them, but they did respond in answer to the big picture.  I find it interesting that the point they made was the same thing I had suggested.

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5 minutes ago, penguin2 said:

but wasn't his stuff in His past before his conversion/born again/met Jesus experience?

What's the difference, really?  Paul's was before he was born again, theirs was before they woke up (my own perspective).

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Thanks Taxidev. Appreciate your summary of the two responses you’ve received thus far. Thanks for whatever additions may come in the future.

My thoughts? How completely presumptuous of responder #2 to tell you how Paul spent his time! Looks like their Bible has a 30 day statute of limitations against those who commit criminal acts against the Body of Christ and its members in particular! Guess they need to read Matt 18 and I&II Timothy again and again. How convenient to tell us that Paul denied his past and only looked on the things ahead. That’s THEIR excuse, not Paul’s. Dismissing their criminal behavior to mere “concerns that were decades old” worthy of only meaningless “word battles” instead of further investigation into the crimes which caused suicides, deaths, psychiatric and emotional breakdowns, dissolution of marriages, destruction of innocent souls, numerous abortions, separations of families, rampant sexual battery, abuse, and rape, is evilly self-serving, and avoidance behavior. It exemplifies their inbred cultic hubris, thinking the “mastery” of rightly-dividing the word gave them the right to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted to whomever they wanted, as long as they “lived” the verse, “Happy is the man who condemneth not himself in that which he  alloweth”. It’s all about THEM, not their victims. Truth be damned, experience dictates.

Responder #1 gives the classic Pharisaic hypocritical condescending and smirking reply. “Don’t waste your time” on little ole me that you met years ago! I am so spiritually yuuuge now, that those mere human concerns are meaningless to me. “I have crucified MY flesh, how ‘bout you?” (sic!). Now that i’m such a spiritual giant, my time is far too precious  to waste on unbelieving possessos like you, who just want to rehash negatives all the time! You’re like so spiritually immature! As opposed to my personal tremendous spiritual bulk! Obviously YOU haven’t renewed YOUR mind! Harumpppfff! I am so yuuuuge “spiritually” that I, The great OZ, hold no ill will against you pathetic sheep, and I am so god-like that I pray YOU can get as spiritually yuuuuge as me, and that YOU’LL finally grow up enough some day, to stop holding grudges and be spiritually yuuuuge like me! LOL! What self-serving, condescending, irrational bullshit.

IMO both replies are self-serving, arrogant, prideful put-downs of the questioner. They never deny the facts behind what you imply, and instead gaslight you into thinking you are some how spiritually inept, or worse, “thinking evil” for even considering (as Eve did in the garden with Satan’s words) that there could be anything wrong with their prayshuss minus-tray! How dare YOU doubt and question my leadership! 

Thanks again Taxidev. Appreciate the info. Looking forward to hearing about any further responses you might receive.

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3 hours ago, DontWorryBeHappy said:

Thanks Taxidev. Appreciate your summary of the two responses you’ve received thus far. Thanks for whatever additions may come in the future.

My thoughts? How completely presumptuous of responder #2 to tell you how Paul spent his time! Looks like their Bible has a 30 day statute of limitations against those who commit criminal acts against the Body of Christ and its members in particular! Guess they need to read Matt 18 and I&II Timothy again and again. How convenient to tell us that Paul denied his past and only looked on the things ahead. That’s THEIR excuse, not Paul’s. Dismissing their criminal behavior to mere “concerns that were decades old” worthy of only meaningless “word battles” instead of further investigation into the crimes which caused suicides, deaths, psychiatric and emotional breakdowns, dissolution of marriages, destruction of innocent souls, numerous abortions, separations of families, rampant sexual battery, abuse, and rape, is evilly self-serving, and avoidance behavior. It exemplifies their inbred cultic hubris, thinking the “mastery” of rightly-dividing the word gave them the right to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted to whomever they wanted, as long as they “lived” the verse, “Happy is the man who condemneth not himself in that which he  alloweth”. It’s all about THEM, not their victims. Truth be damned, experience dictates.

Responder #1 gives the classic Pharisaic hypocritical condescending and smirking reply. “Don’t waste your time” on little ole me that you met years ago! I am so spiritually yuuuge now, that those mere human concerns are meaningless to me. “I have crucified MY flesh, how ‘bout you?” (sic!). Now that i’m such a spiritual giant, my time is far too precious  to waste on unbelieving possessos like you, who just want to rehash negatives all the time! You’re like so spiritually immature! As opposed to my personal tremendous spiritual bulk! Obviously YOU haven’t renewed YOUR mind! Harumpppfff! I am so yuuuuge “spiritually” that I, The great OZ, hold no ill will against you pathetic sheep, and I am so god-like that I pray YOU can get as spiritually yuuuuge as me, and that YOU’LL finally grow up enough some day, to stop holding grudges and be spiritually yuuuuge like me! LOL! What self-serving, condescending, irrational .....

IMO both replies are self-serving, arrogant, prideful put-downs of the questioner. They never deny the facts behind what you imply, and instead gaslight you into thinking you are some how spiritually inept, or worse, “thinking evil” for even considering (as Eve did in the garden with Satan’s words) that there could be anything wrong with their prayshuss minus-tray! How dare YOU doubt and question my leadership! 

Thanks again Taxidev. Appreciate the info. Looking forward to hearing about any further responses you might receive.

DWBH, wow!!  Remind me to never get on your bad side!  FWIW, I think someday, I will have to answer for the life I led in this world.  I cannot imagine trying to Bullsheet God; He knows my heart better than I do.  I try to live my life in a way that makes God happy, with me.  The Golden Rule, is the guiding principle in my life; it doesn't always work in my life, but I still try to apply it everyday. I can't imagine living my life the way VPW lived his!!  No, no, no!!  How will he justify his evilness, and depravity?  God will have the final judgement, and I hope He is merciful with me.  However, I can't imagine how he will judge a man like VPW, who used His Word, to live like the Devil.  Someday, all of us will know the Wrath, or Love of God.

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10 hours ago, Taxidev said:

While I will mention no names, I got two replies today.

The first basically said:
"Please don't waste another moment worrying about that random [person] (me) you met years ago. Our days are too precious to squander on the negatives. I hold no ill will against anyone and I pray that someday you may feel the same."

The other basically compared his/her past errors with Paul's:
"Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging  in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

I thought they were excellent replies, and I won't be contacting them further about these issues.  But if any others reply I will summarize theirs for you also.
 

How presumptuous of "them."

  • "Our days are too precious to squander on the negatives."
  • "Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

First of all, they have NO idea how I (we) have spent our days (years) since exiting twi.  Some here, left around 1987......others of us in the 1990s, and some left around 2008.  Ten years, twenty years, thirty years..........they have NO clue as to what we've done to rebuild our lives, help our families, ministered to others, and helped our communities.  THEY LIVE IN A BOX..... a box that wierwille built.  They think that "living the Word" is regurgitating stolen pfal material at every meeting and doing those deadpan manifestations. 

They have accepted wierwille's deceptive lies........WITHOUT a thorough, critical examination of them from a-z.  And yet, they scoff at those of us who do.

Of course, they balk at our time spent here at GSC........ we've called them out for their hypocrisy, arrogance and manner of life.  Some of them have spent 45-50 years in a cult ....... and refuse to come clean.  So, they hide.  They hide by mocking our "word battles."  They hide by staying in the shadows.  They hide by silence. 

So now....... they attempt to re-build (cough, cough) ANOTHER cult in the image of the mother cult.  Same structure, same centralization, same teachings, same manifestations, etc...... only this time it will be genuine.  LOL.  What's that Einstein meaning of insanity?  Doing the SAME THING over and over expecting different results.

Moneyhands, Forts, Horneys......... ALL ex-corpse coordinators who were in charge of the clone factories, ie the corps "training."  Sheesh.  What a damn, pathetic ploy it was..... and they played right into it.  If they had an ounce of critical thinking, then they'd realize that we are speaking the truth here at GSC.  They have wasted DECADES trying to mimic the wizard behind the curtain......and smirk at those of us who've engaged in real, honest discussions to undo the burdens and set the captives free.

How presumptuous of them to define how I spend my time.  Heck, after this post......I will spend the rest of my day doing other things!!  They know not of what they speak.  And notice, that only that certain "designators" of THEIR group will respond to your questions.  What a pathetic, defensive response to your questions.  They will not engage, because it amplifies THEIR decades of cult-servitude that does not, and did not, honor God.  That's why they put up a shield of defense.

Maybe they'll figure it out some day.......or maybe they won't.

 

 

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My take-away from the response:

They made yet another plea to "sweep it under the carpet" and rolled out the time-worn cliche of Biblical icon equivalence.

They really need a fresher approach if they want to engage in serious discussion.

Edited by waysider
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1 hour ago, waysider said:

My take-away from the response:

They made yet another plea to "sweep it under the carpet" and rolled out the time-worn cliche of Biblical icon equivalence.

They really need a fresher approach if they want to engage in serious discussion.

They don't WANT to engage in serious discussion.

They want to preach AT him, then pass the collection plate around.  Expecting the leopard to change his spots?

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14 hours ago, Taxidev said:

While I will mention no names, I got two replies today.

The first basically said:
 

The other basically compared his/her past errors with Paul's:
 

I thought they were excellent replies, and I won't be contacting them further about these issues.  But if any others reply I will summarize theirs for you also.
 

"Please don't waste another moment worrying about that random [person] (me) you met years ago. Our days are too precious to squander on the negatives. I hold no ill will against anyone and I pray that someday you may feel the same.""  So, show up, listen to the teaching, bring new people, and don't be stingy whenever the collection plate comes around, and stop questioning whether or not I'm qualified to do it right after decades of doing it wrong-by my own confession. I said ONCE that I've woken up-that should be the end of the questioning.

"Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging  in word battles about concerns that were decades old."  Those idiots, so dismissive of genuine concerns. They hurt people ACROSS THE DECADES, and dismiss it ALL as "DECADES OLD" because nobody's stepping forward whom they hurt last year.   Do they really think Paul never had to look into the faces of crowds of Christians and deal with seeing people whose friends and family he had jailed or killed?  No, they don't really think that- because they refuse to consider the subject at all. It's a glib DISMISSAL and a discussion CLOSER.  And very convenient for those who IMMEDIATELY want to go from 'selling the Kool-Aid" to "selling the new Cristal LIte and disparaging the sellers of the Kool-Aid."   This belongs in a Dr Seuss video, not a so-called Christian group.  (Those with "stars upon thars" removed them and IMMEDIATELY proclaimed that was better just to make themselves different- after DECADES of saying those with the stars were better individuals.)  It has to be a kid's video, since no adult would think such a gambit would work on people, right?

 

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3 hours ago, skyrider said:
  • "Our days are too precious to squander on the negatives."
  • "Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

The irony in R&R's response is that this is the exact response that Rosie and the Board of Pharisees had to their R&R letter they circulated around a year ago trying to drum up sympathy for.  Then they (The Way) marked and avoided the letter senders.

More current clear literal evidence that R&R acts currently how they were trained for decades.  But hey I'm sure they don't care what we think.  All they really need is a group of dolts so they can form their own "Board of Dolts".

And skyrider and DWBH - yeah pretty much.  Your recent posts express much of my viewpoint as well.

Edited by chockfull
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4 hours ago, waysider said:

My take-away from the response:

They made yet another plea to "sweep it under the carpet" and rolled out the time-worn cliche of Biblical icon equivalence.

They really need a fresher approach if they want to engage in serious discussion.

Maybe they’re shooting for the Biblical icon equivalence of hypocrisy  see Matthew 23 only they just don’t realize that :evilshades:

Actions speak louder than words...or as the Bible puts it for the acid test - demonstrate your repentance by your deeds (Matthew 3:8 and Acts 26:20).

Edited by T-Bone
Clarity
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19 hours ago, Taxidev said:


"Thank God, Paul did not spend time engaging  in word battles about concerns that were decades old."

 

In case we needed any more proof that they STILL spout the wierwille-doctrine ........ the "Thank God, Paul" is the knee-jerk response.

What about Jesus Christ?  Remember him...... the author and finisher of our faith.

Were we called to be Paulians?

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Jesus Christ?  What has he to do with anything?  Isn't he off someplace playing a harp, or fishing, or some such?  :spy:

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It would be appropriate for this R&R bunch to show us their faith by their deeds. Not by their words, of which there are many. But by their acts of selfless kindness, compassion, and genuine service to those who can respond only with a word of thanks (and maybe not even that).  Let them do that for a few years. Then perhaps they will have something to say that's worth listening to. 

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R&R want to bring Paul into it? Fine. Get out of the ivory tower or the gilded cage, or wherever they hang out, and study to challenge themselves.

Then, get out there into dangerous, hostile and risky situations,  and preach the gospel. Is any one of them prepared to be falsely imprisoned?  To face a real risk of death?  To actually die for their beliefs?

For sure, if there were a real risk of death, one would want to be sure one's lifestyle were beyond reproach and be sure that one's beliefs were rock solid - truly held and not second-hand acquired-by-rote niceties.

Paul knew the hurt and damage he'd caused.  I'm certain he did everything he could to learn from that, and ensure he never again blindly followed what he'd been taught without really, really, really thinking it through.  Sounds like a lot of work, to me! 

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On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 5:32 PM, Taxidev said:

...I pray that someday you may feel the same

Is it even possible to speak more condescendingly?  Maybe... but I doubt it, given the context of how it was said (and why.)

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 8:41 PM, penguin2 said:

Interesting they decided to go with Paul, but wasn't his stuff in His past before his conversion/born again/met Jesus experience?

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 8:48 PM, Taxidev said:

What's the difference, really? 

 

The difference?  Might have a thing or two to do with the word reprobate.  It's one thing to name drop Paul into the equation... but quite another to live a life anything even remotely close to what he did. 

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