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Monday, March 11, 2024

So many things wrong!

My 17-year-old son came into the kitchen the other day, pointed at his dirty water bottle on the counter (water bottles are the last dishes I clean, if I have time, because I hate cleaning water bottles) and said in a frustrated tone, "Mom, my water bottle's been sitting on the counter dirty for a month!  Seriously... a month!"



There's so many things wrong with this scenario that I don't even know where to start!


Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult (tiny version)

Here is the teeniest-tiniest version of my "9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" post, the bare bones.  (For the shortened version, click here.  And here are links to the individual long chapters: #1 deception ... #2 hidden agendas ... #3 multiple layers ... #4 strategic tactics ... #5 isolation and control ... #6 fear/coercion ... #7 mind-control/thought-reform ... #8 gaslighting ... #9 authoritarian narcissists ... conclusion and links)


Psychology Today article - Understanding Cults: The Basics - shares some characteristics of cults and how they operate (I've condensed some of them here to three main points): 

Monday, February 12, 2024

The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult (short version)

 Here is the shorter version of my "9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" post.  I took out almost all the memes and quotes and my comments and the Bible verses and links, leaving just enough to give you a full-enough picture.  But I highly recommend reading the original version someday, if you haven't already, because it's quite eye-opening.  At least, think so.  But it does take almost 3 hours to read, which is why I made this short one.  [And here are links to the individual long chapters: #1 deception ... #2 hidden agendas ... #3 multiple layers ... #4 strategic tactics ... #5 isolation and control ... #6 fear/coercion ... #7 mind-control/thought-reform ... #8 gaslighting ... #9 authoritarian narcissists ... conclusion and links]


Psychology Today article - Understanding Cults: The Basics - shares some characteristics of cults and how they operate (I've condensed some of them here to three main points): 

1. No one knowingly, voluntarily joins a cult, but they are "recruited" into it by cult leaders who take advantage of the vulnerabilities of the recruits, using deception and manipulation to suck them in.

2. Cults use isolation, control, fear, coercion, mind-control, and thought-reform to enslave the members to the cult.  The members' "inner voices" are suppressed.

3. Cults are authoritarian (disagreeing with or opposing the leader is not allowed), and cult leaders are malignant narcissists.

And I think this kinda fits Calvinism, especially Stealth Calvinism.  And so, based on these, I came up with 9 marks that I think identify Calvinism as a cult.  Or more accurately, "cult-ish."  You decide if you agree or disagree.  

But don't take my word about any of this.  Who am I?  I'm nobody.  Don't trust me.  Dig into the research and Bible for yourself before forming your conclusions.  Be a good Berean!

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Say a prayer for Russell Brand

It sounds like Russell Brand is on quite a journey to find truth... actually, to find the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He seems, to me, to be on the cusp of true believing faith.  He's at least on the right track, headed in the right direction.  Say a prayer for him.

Russell brand says Christ is becoming 'more important,' desires a 'personal relationship' with God 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Tangerine Dream: Loved by the Sun

I woke up this morning singing this song because I was singing it in my dreams for some reason (wish I could remember why): Loved by the Sun by Tangerine Dream, from the 1985 movie Legend.  

And so, of course, since I couldn't get it out of my head, I had to get online to watch the video.  Twice.  I have always loved this song, scene, and movie.  A favorite of mine since I was a kid.  

I've always had a thing for bizarre fantasy-type movies.  When I was a kid, my favorites were movies like Legend, Labyrinth, The NeverEnding Story, The Princess Bride, Flight of the Navigator, Dark Crystal, The Last Unicorn, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, The Little Mermaid, Time Bandits, The Great Muppet Caper, Sheena, Ghostbusters, Splash, Flash Gordon, Wizard of Oz (but Return to Oz was terrible, so terrible), Dragonslayer, The Beastmaster, etc.  Those fun (or slightly dark) fantasy kinds of movies.  

And I have recently, as an over-45-year old, began reading fantasy-type books too, such as The HobbitLord of the Rings, The NeverEnding Story, The Princess Bride, Redwall, The Last Unicorn, The Narnia series, and others.  So much fun!  And a great break from the stresses and tragedies of real life.

Enjoy the song, a blast from my past!  

(Now I have to go watch the movie again too.)


Sunday, December 31, 2023

9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult: Conclusion and Links

(I'll be posting a lot less in the New Year, gonna focus on reading instead of writing.  Happy New Year.  And God bless you all!)


[This series is "The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" split up into smaller, individual posts.] 


Conclusion:

Sadly, the Psychology Today article lists some of the lasting effects of cults, the devastation it has on people's hearts and minds, such as (among others): extreme identity confusion, panic/anxiety attacks, depression, anger and guilt and shame, inability to make their own decisions (to trust their own judgment), fear of intimacy and commitment, distrust of others, grieving the loss of family and friends, loss of meaning or purpose, PTSD, etc.

I think Calvinism does this to people too.  I think the longer someone stays in a Calvinist church, the more it will destroy their faith (what should be a simple faith), their relationship with God, their trust of God, and their ability to discern truth for themselves, to understand the Bible the way God meant it to be understood.  And if and when someone leaves a Calvinist church, it may destroy their relationships with others and their ability/desire to get involved in a new church.

Friday, December 29, 2023

A totally sweet little song: It's a Beautiful Day

Oh my goodness, I'm totally loving this sweet little song (by The Kiffness and Rushawn): 

It's a Beautiful Day (click on it)

Take three minutes today to watch it and smile!

(Could you imagine how you would feel if you watched this song every morning or evening for the next month?  I might try it along with my Bible reading.  A New Year's resolution.)  

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult #9 (authoritarian narcissists)

[This series is "The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" split up into smaller, individual posts.] 


Cults are authoritarian (disagreeing with or opposing the leaders is not allowed), and cult leaders are malignant narcissists.

9. "Cults are authoritarian (disagreeing with or opposing the leader is not allowed)"...

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association - in the article "How do cults differ from Christianity?" - lists these things as characteristics of a cult (my paraphrase): 

Cults reject the basic beliefs of the Chistian faith.  They act like they alone have the truth and that we must come to them to get it.  They have their own writings which they add to the Bible or replace the Bible with. They have a strong leader who demands obedience and claims to speak for God. 

Now, of course, Calvinists don't reject the basic beliefs of the Bible; they just redefine them, qualify them, or add other layers to them until they become something completely different.  

And they do believe they have the truth.  But don't we all?  We all think we have "the truth."  No one willingly believes a lie.  

But what makes Calvinism different than mere Christianity is this: 

Monday, December 25, 2023

Merry Christmas and God bless!

 Merry Christmas, Everyone!  God bless you today and in 2024.

Enjoy these two great Christmas songs: Hallelujah Christmas (by Cloverton) and Little Drummer Boy (My favorite!  By For King and Country)


"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the LORD." Luke 2:11

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

"... if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.... Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10:9, 13


Friday, December 22, 2023

9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult #8 (gaslighting)

[This series is "The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" split up into smaller, individual posts.] 

(Merry Christmas, everyone!  Hope you have a blessed holiday season.)


8. Silencing the members' inner voices

Gaslighting: manipulating people into doubting their own sanity, memory, or powers of reasoning.  

And "manipulating people into doubting their own power of reasoning" is what Calvinists do (even if they don't mean to).  It's one of the reasons it spreads so unopposed, so easily.

In addition to manipulative-shaming, Calvinists have ways of getting us to doubt our abilities to correctly think, judge, and understand things.  They make us feel like if we disagree with Calvinism, then there's something wrong with us, not with their theology.  This causes us to question our discernment and to possibly ignore any doubts or "red flags" we get.  (Or at least to keep quiet about them because we fear others distrusting our discernment too.)

And if we can't trust our own judgment and discernment, guess whose we'll trust?  

That's right: theirs.  Just like they want.