JP and I just received the most wonderful email from a reader who left City Bible. At some point, with the author’s permission, I am hoping to share the full email. However, here is an excerpt which I believe safely protects the readers identity.
The hardest part of my healing process was feeling like I was the only one struggling with CBC backlash. I felt like I was awful because I seemed to be the only one hurt by that church. I googled this blog because I saw a facebook post from a “friend” bashing your blog and false information. I had been taught that this blog was run by a few boys who hated rules and God, so I never looked into it. I was so excited when I found this blog that I was not the only one. There were others, LOTS of others who had been through much worse than I went through.
A couple of thoughts.
1 – I have spent the last four years aggressively friending on Facebook every person I ever made contact with at City Bible, all with the hope that someday I would find someone complaining about this blog. And in all those years, nary a peep has been said about me or this blog. So, who is this “friend”? And, more importantly, WHY AREN’T WE “FRIENDS” ON FACEBOOK?
2 – Yes. I hate your rules and your “god”. Primarily, because your rules permit church leadership to emotionally, spiritually and financially abuse church membership. And because your “god” is a traveling salesman hustling for change on the street corner.
You are on a roll, Justin. Keep searching that Facebook. someone is bound to turn up!
A majority of the people I have talked to who have left Harvest Church aka COH said a lot of the same things as your author of the email said. They are relieved that they aren’t the only ones who are feeling the same way, and have experienced the same treatment as them. Your blog has really helped a lot of people, and no matter what the critics say it has been God’s tool to help those who need it.
I am suprised you havent gotten much backlash from this blog over the past 4 years. I have gotten tons of drama in the last few months from people who don’t like my blog about HC aka COH, I have been defriended so many times on facebook I quit counting, but its all good. If ya are doin what’s right and have haters, ya must be doin somethin right.
Thaks for doin what ya do, it has helped a lot of people!
Does that include those Mormons because they have a lot of haters….
I mostly heard those same comments through word of mouth, not online, when attending City Bible and PBC.
I love that in my years at CBC, the Mortons were “the ones causing trouble” (I heard all kinds of descriptions)… and I never, ever thought I’d be friends on facebook. When I finally sent over a request, it was like saying in my own slightly anonymous way, “I join you in your quest!” So, Catalyst, I won’t be “unfriending” you because of anything you post here. But gradually, a friend of mine & I are getting others curious/interested in what’s going on here… I’d like to imagine some of them are ones who have started posting, but in any case, I have always found this blog super therapeutic, and the bloggers encouraging… so thank you for keeping it up, even when people on facebook get petty! But I’m still slightly a coward – for not wanting it to be known publicly on facebook that I visit & blog here. Give it time – and then I won’t be able to stop.
NoStatusQuo, you are still anonymous on here! Your name is “NoStatusQuio” Just get yourself an alter ego on FB. That is what I did. I feel much safer posting behind the alter name and most ppl know who I am, but it keeps Sharlee separate and, in my head, I tell myself I am safe. I know that makes me sound like a kook, but what do you expect from someone that was raised at BT? Anyway, I only know one other person that posts stuff, but he inspires me and every once in a while now, I will post something even as Sharlee.. Friend him. His name is Patrick Curtain. He will inspire you!
Poor Catalyst … true story … the very day he sent me a friend request on Facebook, I deleted my account there.
Nothing to do with Justin, but rather all the forced changes and violations of my personal privacy settings – I just didn’t feel safe there any more. So I had to apologize and explain to him.
Life is better without Facebook. Or maybe Facebook is better with out me.
I’m thankful for the originators of this blog, the brothers, Martin and Mickey Luther, who got sick of crawling up the steps, so they started pinning up the 95 thesis (this blog) for the City Bible chief execs to see. (I know it’s a stretch, but the similiarities are there!). Seriously, thanks guys for being brave enough to take a stand.
And on another note…
Finally some peace from that goofball on the other thread, at least for the time being.
Oh yeah, and now I notice that you have to be a mathematician to post. What’s up with that? j/k
As long as differentials are not involved, I think I’ll be ok.
The peace will be short-lived I’m afraid. There’s a spirit behind the compulsion.
I had the blog tied to my facebook page for awhile. Under website I had the blog’s site listed. But I never once heard a thing from anyone about the site. I think its because almost all of the people I knew at Bible Temple from the 90s and early 2000s have left. There’s no one left for me to try and convince they have to leave. And ain’t none of the new folks ever going to talk to me. Oh well, I’ve realized City Bible is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to freaky churches and I haven’t lived in Portland since 2003 so the distance has caused the issues to fade.
What is funny to me is that a lot of people who stopped talking to me for a number of years after I left and turned into “a danger to the body of Christ” (as I was once told) have no friended me on facebook. I generally decline/ignore, but it’s amazing how a little success in a person’s life will cause people who left you for dead, come back and say hello again.