Tag Archives: rape

Christianity, Eve Garden God, Islam, Secular Wings, Spiritual Abuse, Trauma Talk

I Wonder?

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Shayla, Hijab, Hijab Amira, Khimar, Chador, Niqab, Burqa, Catholic Nun habits, pioneer dresses, Victorian fashion, various religious habits and so on.

Which of these is modest enough for Lori Alexander to keep men from being violent towards women?

Does she think women who have their ankles covered, their breasts hidden and their ears tucked in are not raped?

My great-grandmother was modest from head to toe and that didn’t stop her philandering husband from coming home, beating her, raping her and beating my grandfather.  Perhaps the top of her neck turned him on?  If only that ruffle under her chin was a little bit higher.  No wait, probably her eye colour.  If only she had kept her gaze downwards, or covered her eyes with a veil?  Maybe her fingers lured him, how whorish of her not to wear gloves to cover those tempting knuckles, never mind those worn down hard working finger nails.  Poor dear great-grandpa.  How could he help himself?  After all, that’s the way God made him, right?

Context Here ->  Bruce’s blog post

conspiracy, Politics, QAnon and others, Secular Wings, Spiritual Abuse, Trauma Talk

Material Consistent With Mom’s Beliefs

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Continuing on with sorting through Mom’s beliefs and learning to not be triggered by them and rendered useless as this stuff comes up in conversation.  Marjorie Taylor Greene is a person who just won a Republican primary in Georgia.  This is a portion of a blog she use to write in and is archived online, however it is that that is achieved.

It highlights everything I’ve heard from mom.

LINK […]

Even an Atheist knows and must be intelligent enough to know, that Satan worshipers are real, Cults are real and ‘True Evil’ exists. Disinformation is also real. It’s the job of the media and the entertainment industry to keep the public saturated with stimulus designed to keep us blind and distracted. This is where most people ‘tune out’ because it’s too hard for them to swallow. They don’t want to believe that there are people in this world buying children to rape and kill them as sacrifices. It’s tough to stomach but who are we if let this continue, who are we if we choose to turn a blind eye. Evil exists, and it exists at the highest level of the United States government. Don’t be naive and think ‘it can’t happen here’ because I assure you that it is.

The level of importance of this operation equates to a ‘Good vs Evil’ battle that transcends politics. This is a ‘Global Evil’ that attempted to takeover America. Many in our government actively worship Satan, Moloch/Molech and participate Pedophilia, Spirit Cooking, etc. Most Americans are afraid to look this Truth in the eye but True Evil does exist regardless of your religious views. This is not a joke and most definitely not a game. Thousands of Pedophiles and Child Traffickers have been arrested since Trump was sworn in. They are all under heavy investigation, including their funds and their affiliations.

[…]

When I was a Christian there was a time that I believed those in leadership positions knew what they were talking, teaching and preaching about.  I trusted them and though I questioned, I trusted that overall, God was using them, though imperfect human beings.  David comes to mind.  A man after God’s own heart.  An adulterer and a murderer but who are we to question “God” the invisible entity that rules the Universe?

As I wade through TGF (The Galactic Federation) material and those who channel information and post videos, claiming expertise and divine authority (like pastors), I am reminded how people come across these videos and start to actually consider that whoever is doing the channeling knows what the heck they are talking about.  Overall, they are trusted as true sources and before long a foundation of belief forms.  Trump is being used though he may be an imperfect being, it is because of his imperfections and who he actually is that the soul that entered him can use him to lead the way for the ultimate purpose of ascension . . . healing . . . the new earth.

 

 

Blogging, Secular Wings, Spiritual Abuse, Trauma Talk

Sites Documenting Scandals

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I’ve followed a site for about a year that I thought might be of interest to some of my readers.  Often we hear about Catholic scandals around the world but it seems to me that society doesn’t realize we’ve got our scandals here in Canada too.  Sylvia devotes her time to:  <blockquote>Blogging the sex abuse scandal and betrayals of trust in the Roman Catholic Church in Canada</blockquote> ~ from her blog tagline.

She is a believer.  I’ve never commented on her blog and if I did it would be to thank her for her hard work and documentation she provides.  I have no desire to alert her to my change of mind about my beliefs or disabusing her of her own faith.  That is not what her site is about.

I am sharing a link to Sylvia’s Site for those interested in following the Canadian story.

I’ve also been following Stop Baptist Predators  by Christa Brown for years.  Her site is in my blogroll.  Christa doesn’t allow for comments anymore but I use to comment there after I left the faith.  I realized at one point her site wasn’t about belief either.  It’s about abusive clergy/lay people/believers.  I thank her for her efforts as well.

Whether you are still in a faith of some sort or have left it (like me), many of us are still affected by scandals that directly &/or indirectly involved us.

Eve Garden God

Second Coming/Lot's wife

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In Luke 17:20-37 we find red letter words, Jesus if you take it literally, telling us about his second coming. This according to the traditions of my past faith and the title here in my NASB bible. Jesus reminds the people that life will carry on as usual as in the days of Noah and Lot, when he appears.

In verse 17:32 we read, “Remember Lot’s wife.”

Turning back to Gen. 19:26 we see the warning Jesus is giving in Luke 17:32.

‘Looking back’ as in the story of Lot’s wife, will get you turned into a pillar of salt or at least dead, though I’m sure as a pillar of salt, one is dead.

Isn’t it good that the Bible is full of women messing up and being included in the Bible for our consideration? It certainly wouldn’t be near as interesting without them. Can you imagine The Garden of Eden without Eve?

What would the story of Sodom and Gomorrah be like without Lot’s wife?

As a literalist I suppose this once meant to me and it certainly was taught this way, that when the “Son of Man” is revealed it is dangerous to flinch or look back, around or hesitate in any way.

What’s the danger? Well, you might miss the boat. Somehow your actions being deemed less spiritual, leading you to lose your salvation or your promise of salvation. I mean this kind of thought rumbled around everywhere, despite the fact that the majority of our sect believed in the ‘once saved always saved’ motto. Truly it was a strange world, because though that was our confessed belief, there was never anything secure in our understanding of eternal security. There was always the threat of punishment, via the possibility of turning into a pillar of salt. Sure you were probably not losing your salvation but being punished in the earthly realm to be an example to all those who would come after you. “Remember Lot’s wife.” Don’t look back.

We are never really told what “looking back” means which makes me wonder about the point that Jesus is trying to make or the writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit is trying to make.

Gen. 19:26 “But his wife, from behind him, looked back; and she became a pillar of salt.”

I’ve decided to jot down some notes regarding this Genesis story.

Jots are as follows:

Gen. 19:1-3

– two angels show up at the city gates of Sodom
– Lot invites them over for fellowship and food

Gen. 19:4

– men of Sodom, young and old show up at Lot’s house
– then we have mention of “all the people”…so perhaps not just the men?
– the people showed up before bedtime
– do angels sleep?

Gen. 19:5

– so the Sodom people want relations/sex with the men/angels

Gen. 19:7

– Lot considers this wicked behaviour

Gen. 19:8

– so he offers his two virgin daughters for “whatever you like;”
– apparently offering his virgin daughters for mob sex is not wicked

Gen. 19:10

– but the men or is it angels?
– if angels, why not consistently refer to them in the narrative as angels?

Gen. 19:11

– now we have the men doing the angel thing, striking the men at the doorway with blindness

Gen. 19:12

– “Then the men….” – again, angels?

Gen. 19:13

– we learn the men angels have been sent to destroy Sodom

Gen. 19:15

– the angels tell Lot to get his butt in gear and to get going

Gen. 19:16

– No what?

1. Oh no, are you serious?!
2. Oh no, I’m not convinced yet!
3. Oh no, not the mountains!
4. Oh no, we have to leave the valley?!
5. Oh no, my lords, I’m too tired?!

Gen. 19:19

– Lot’s not sure about this and apparently hesitates long enough that the men angels take matters into their own hands literally; taking Lot, his wife and two daughters out of the city
– would you have to be told twice if two angels told you to get out or die?

Gen. 19:17

– one of the angel men tells them to get the heck out of there and now
– then apparently Lot and family are given some rules

1. Don’t look back.
2. Get out of the valley.
3. Go to the mountains.

Gen. 19:18

– to which Lot replies, “Oh no, my lords!”
– note the use of the exclamation mark, this story could have used some more of them
– so we have Lot saying, No!

– seems here in this verse it’s number three, not the mountains, good lord, anything but the mountains, I’ll die there!

Pause here for further consideration.

Lot meets two angels at the city gates. He appears to know them as angels. He bows to them, face to the ground in their presence. Then he brings them home. Before they know it, the entire city has arrived at the door ready for an orgy of sorts with the angel men. Rather then debase the chastity of said angels, Lot offers his two virgin daughters for mass group sex. Rape I would assume since it doesn’t seem the girls had a choice.

But, sex with virgins apparently wasn’t the need for the mob that night. They wanted to rape the angels. Fortunately, for all concerned with being the victims of the mob, the angels did their angelic deeds, pulled Lot back into safety and blinded a few of the sex hungry mob.

The angels tell Lot to take is family and escape the coming destruction of Sodom. God has ordered it. Lot hangs around until daybreak and the angels urge Lot to immediately evacuate. Lot hesitates. They literally have to move him and the family. Then Lot is given instructions and Lot says, no!

The red letters of Luke tell us that Jesus wants us to remember Lot’s wife. Is that the best example considering what we are learning about Lot here?

Continuing on.

Gen. 19:20

– Lot wants to go to Zoar instead of the mountains

Gen. 19:22

– angels grant his request
– I don’t know but by now I’d think Lot would be the pillar of salt

Gen. 19:23

– Lot and his family arrive in Zoar

Gen. 19:24

– the Lord zaps Sodom and Gomorrah

Gen. 19:25

– all inhabitants and ground growth destroyed in Sodom and Gomorrah

Gen. 19:26

– Lot’s wife looks back and turns into a pillar of salt
– she doesn’t even get a chance to negotiate like Lot did; ‘Oh no, my lord!’
– Lot gets to dilly dally around, take his sweet time putting the angels off with the escape plan when they are trying to save his life; tells the angels ‘no’ after receiving their instructions; apparently, in the presence of the saving angels sent by God no less, still fears for his life and he’s still breathing?
– guess God and the angels had more patience with Lot then Lot’s wife
– she looked back, being in Zoar, what could she see, maybe smoke rising?
– maybe she could hear the sound of the destruction, maybe it was her reflexes, ever hear a big boom and not jump and turn to look in the direction of the sound?
– God-given, God-created responses, imagine being on the streets during 9/11 and not looking up when you heard the jets, the impact…try and avoid those instinctive reflexes
– maybe she turned back to mourn the loss of her family, friends, the lost souls?
– if she was mourning, it seemed more then the mourning of Lot and his two daughters for her, we don’t hear of their reaction; the story just moves on to show how God remembered Abraham and remembered Lot

Gen. 19:30

– now it seems Zoar once considered safe is no longer safe and Lot heads for the hills with his daughters

Gen. 19:31-38

– the two virginal daughters now seem concerned for the continuation of the species and plan to have sex with their dad and get pregnant by him
– after all with the state of earthly affairs, what man out there is worthy?
– these kind of relations must also have been considered wicked because the girls have to get dad so drunk he’ll never know of their incestual happenings
– they manage to do so and both give birth to Lot’s sons
– thank goodness Lot found favour in God’s eyes, eh?

Now, back to the second coming and Lot’s wife.

Luke 17:32

– Don’t look back

Luke 17:33 – “Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it.”

– is this a subtle implication that by turning around when she was in Zoar, looking back at the smoke rising destruction of Sodom that Lot’s wife sought to keep her own life and that’s why she lost it?
– or is it that her life was preserved by losing it?
– if anyone was seeking life and under his own terms,wouldn’t that be Lot?
– maybe this verse has nothing to do with the “Remember Lot’s wife” warning – maybe this verse belongs to the following verses

Let’s see.

Luke 17:34 – “I tell you, on that night there will be two men in one bed; … ”

Wait a minute?

Does that say, two men in one bed?

…

Oh well, whatever you do, Remember Lot’s wife!

Originally blogged in 2007.

Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual abuse

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It was January 1993. I stood alone in the Christian bookstore still in shock after a meeting with the senior pastor and head deacon of the church we then attended.

What am I looking for? What can I possibly find here? I sensed that at any moment I could break down, again.

A few nights earlier, a Sunday evening, Hub held me tightly, first wrapping me in a mohair throw, then with his arms. Shaking violently, rocking back and forth, in shock, unable to cope with all that had happened, with what had been said in that meeting…I moaned, I groaned, I cried…I tried to talk. I couldn’t. The words wouldn’t come out right. Hub held me tightly. In shock himself, and sorrowful as he saw me start to react to the trauma of it all.

Standing there, in the Christian bookstore, I looked and looked and looked over and over again through the shelves of books. What am I looking for?

With profound exhaustion I blurted out as Hub held me, “There is something about this that I recognize. I can’t quite put words to it.” Hub listened. I’m looking at the floor. He holds me as I rock back and forth. I stop rocking. I continue speaking, “It’s like, it’s like, it’s like there’s something about this (the meeting) that resembles the dynamics of abuse?”

I’m sick to my stomach with nausea. I feel as though someone has reached down into my throat, reached into my heart and pulled Jesus out of it. I then say, “I feel like I’ve been raped and I don’t understand it all because I haven’t been raped before but I think it’s like that?” Hub can only hold me, allowing me to give voice to the disturbing feelings inside. I’ve been trying to talk to him about my misgivings, about things I’m seeing, hearing and sense that aren’t right about church. I’ve also been trying to keep my mouth shut so as to allow God to show him the truth. We were in ministry, youth ministry. There was so much work we’d done, so much more needed doing, no church is perfect, how could we leave, or just quit? We believed we were called to it. I didn’t want to hound Hub, I wanted him to see it for himself. That day, he saw it. He heard it. Exhausted now from the trauma we’d been through and my reaction to it, I said, “There’s something about this, I can’t quite put words to it, but it’s like abuse.”

Now, here I am, looking for something that I don’t understand, that has no name but resembles abuse and finally, there on the bottom shelf, up against the edge of the shelf I see on the spine of a book the words, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse. I started to shake all over again. I reached down for the book and held it in my hands. My heart pounding, tears at the surface, I felt like I would collapse. Here were the words I couldn’t find. Spiritual Abuse. What we had faced that day in the meeting, what I had reacted to that evening was spiritual abuse.

Hub and I poured through that book that night. As a result, we knew we had to take a stand and resign our leadership positions. We knew from that point on, we could no longer allow it to appear that we were in agreement with the rest of the church leadership. We resigned. We waited to see how they’d accept and respond to our resignation before determining whether we’d return to the church. As it turned out, we never went back to that church.

This book helped us to understand what happens in churches where legalism abounds. It helped us understand how it happens and what it can do to you. It also began my journey of questioning more than I had ever done before. I believe that this is when my journey out of the church, out of fundamentalism and out of Christianity began. It would be a long journey, ten years in the making, if not more.

To those who are hurting out there and feel alone…please know that many of us have been where you are now. We don’t take your pain lightly. I well remember feeling like I couldn’t breathe, like there was no end to the effects of the abuse on my being.

For me, I now know there is life after leaving the church, after leaving fundamentalism and yes, after leaving Christianity. It was a long process though for me and all I can say, whoever you are, give yourself time to feel, to hurt, to mourn, and to grieve. It’s not unusual to go through anger and maybe even depression. Don’t beat yourself up over it (says the woman who knows what she’s talking about) been there, done that. :-)

Originally blogged in 2007.