Gwen Shamblin Lara 9: Perfecting Hypocrisy

[SilverBeach]

16 minutes ago, Sonic the Whoredgehog said:

If the addiction is an illegal drug, people are just as or more often destroyed by the legal system and social stigma as by the drug.

Say it! So much truth here. 

16 minutes ago, Sonic the Whoredgehog said:

Your point of view is representative of America's horrifically failed war on drugs

Total failure driven by racism. When the FDA was created in 1906, there were congresspeople way back then who though that this was overreaching, as the constitution did not permit the government to tell people what they could and could not ingest. Even now, minority drug abusers go to prison, others go to rehab.  Once again, I recommend the book "Drug Crazy" for anyone wanting to understand how this country got where it is with respect to drugs. Pet issue of mine, having witnessed drug addiction and incarceration destroy people I love. I'm so glad to see the ever increasing scope of legalizing marijuana. However, those incarcerated for what is now legal should be released and their records expunged.

Edited September 29, 2019 by SilverBeach

[AmazonGrace]

IMO, some of her tenets could be potentially life threatening, if a person with an eating disorder took it seriously.  Like yesterday's devotional. Basically she was saying that if you ever eat more than you should again, you're not  a real Christian. And that could end up really bad if a) you want to be a Gwod approved  real Christian and b) if your definition of eating more than you should shifts to dangerously low levels, as it may do in eating disorders.

Edited September 29, 2019 by AmazonGrace

[NarcissismKills]

Someone seems to be trying to win points with the Remnant Fellowship cult leaders. Maybe they have been asked to interact here. Possibly they owe money to them. In any event, there is an unpleasantness about the current conversation that smacks of a pre-programmed zombie blithering on and on about "this truth" of eating being sinful. (I am referring to the possible troll.)

Edited September 29, 2019 by NarcissismKills
Added a note.

[freefromthin]

16 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

IMO, some of her tenets could be potentially life threatening, if a person with an eating disorder took it seriously.  Like yesterday's devotional. Basically she was saying that if you ever eat more than you should again, you're not  a real Christian. And that could end up really bad if a) you want to be a Gwod approved  real Christian and b) if your definition of eating more than you should shifts to dangerously low levels, as it may do in eating disorders.

THIS is what happened to me. I actually ended up at the doctor's office getting my thyroid tested, as my fatigue had worsened, AND I was having dizzy spells, was often cold,  and often felt lightheaded. I even got tested for Lyme disease (I HAD been bitten by a tick at the time as well) when it actually came down to being malnourished. I was already very small (I had lost a significant amount of weight for MY frame) but I still wanted to lose MORE because an accountability partner with WD told me that I should be able to "look in the mirror" and tell is I "needed to lose weight". This same AP told me that if I was sick (I had explained some of my symptoms), I wouldn't really KNOW how much I "should" eat and that maybe I needed to eat the amount of a toddler for a while in order to lose my weight. I was also having SEVER stomach pain and I was told that my stomach was "just shrinking: and that this was a GOOD thing. As has been stated here, giving someone who has an eating disorder that kind of advice is LIFE THREATENING. 

I have since been able to turn things around, but that only happened with actually EATING and getting some HELP. WD did NOT help me with disordered eating in ANY WAY.

[SilverBeach]

Gwen Shamblin Lara, and the eating disorder cult Remnant Fellowship, specializes in judging and condeming people, and encouraging self-condemnation also. The way to get out of this condemantion is to do as you are told by GSL and the cult. Completely opposite to the "there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus" line in the bible, but fake jews like RF (nominally) put more weight on the old testament anyway. Most of her theology is made up by her. She is totally and completely reprehensible, just like all cult  leaders. You also get points in cults when you engage in apologetics with unsympathetic or even hostile people. Gwen Shamblin Lara would never come here herself and take the heat, but would sure send, or at least not object to, a brainwashed minion to do her dirty work. 

FWIW, I think Gwen is proud of her daughter's gauntness, as she promotes starvation as a form of religious piety. 

Edited September 29, 2019 by SilverBeach

[AmazonGrace]

13 minutes ago, freefromthin said:

 I was already very small (I had lost a significant amount of weight for MY frame) but I still wanted to lose MORE because an accountability partner with WD told me that I should be able to "look in the mirror" and tell is I "needed to lose weight". This same AP told me that if I was sick (I had explained some of my symptoms), I wouldn't really KNOW how much I "should" eat and that maybe I needed to eat the amount of a toddler for a while in order to lose my weight.

That sounds more like an anorexia partner than accountability.

[freefromthin]

1 minute ago, AmazonGrace said:

That sounds more like an anorexia partner than accountability.

@AmazonGrace you just gave me another tool to put in my mental toolbox! Thanks so much for that. 

[Marmion]

1 hour ago, NarcissismKills said:

Someone seems to be trying to win points with the Remnant Fellowship cult leaders. Maybe they have been asked to interact here. Possibly they owe money to them. In any event, there is an unpleasantness about the current conversation that smacks of a pre-programmed zombie blithering on and on about "this truth" of eating being sinful. (I am referring to the possible troll.)

Although I do not wish to come across as being judgmental , which I am sure Remnant Fellowship will respond by accusing me of being , I do continue to think that Mirabilis's back story doesn't really check out to what I would typically expect from someone who grew up in the Reformed faith .  For instance , she claims that she got into starving herself , after reading such Catholic ascetic mystics as Thomas a Kempis  . Well I don't imagine that any Puritan would ever be studying Kempis . But you know who did ?  Then Anglican priest John Wesley  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortification_of_the_flesh#Methodism  , and as a result it lead to an increased emphasis on fasting , taken by him . Taken from a Methodist website , for an example  https://goodnewsmag.org/2012/01/the-spiritual-discipline-of-fasting/  So it makes some degree of sense that I , being from a Holiness  upbringing would come to succumb to anorexia mirabilis  , but I somewhat doubt that a purported Calvinist would have .   But what do I know ?  I just believe that if this person is struggling with issues of body image , and self esteem , she should hopefully receive counseling from a qualified therapist .  And if she is faking on the behalf of Gwen Shamblin Lara , she should know that she's not fooling me , or a number of other posters here .  I do not hold any grudge against Mirabilis , but I do feel that their are certain things about her story that doesn't make sense . 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Marmion

[AmazonGrace]

 To Gwen, words don't mean the same thing they mean to you because she's special like that. 

Spoiler

Everything is so simple for Gwen: if the problem is that we're selfish sinners who defy God's will, the solution is to stop being like that and becoming one with Christ. Easypeasy, no biggie.

I guess it was relatively easy for her to convince herself  that whatever she thinks is divinely inspired.

[Blue]

3 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

 To Gwen, words don't mean the same thing they mean to you because she's special like that. 

  Hide contents

Everything is so simple for Gwen: if the problem is that we're selfish sinners who defy God's will, the solution is to stop being like that and becoming one with Christ. Easypeasy, no biggie.

I guess it was relatively easy for her to convince herself  that whatever she thinks is divinely inspired.

I guess when you believe and preach that not only CAN you become sinless and just stop sinning, but you HAVE to do so to prove your faith to God... you have to make it sound easypeasy because anyone who has ever read even bits of the Bible knows that it preaches over and over that we CAN'T be sinless, and that's the whole reason Jesus came.

[fransalley]

2 hours ago, Blue said:

I guess when you believe and preach that not only CAN you become sinless and just stop sinning, but you HAVE to do so to prove your faith to God... you have to make it sound easypeasy because anyone who has ever read even bits of the Bible knows that it preaches over and over that we CAN'T be sinless, and that's the whole reason Jesus came.

I actually heard a Bible study leader say that it was possible to go a day without sinning, and that he was part of a group of people who tried to do it.

He also said that he believed that the reason David was so repentant when he sinned was because he didn't sin all that much.

I never tried to go a day without sinning.  I knew that if I didn't sin in actions, I'd sin in my thoughts; and I would probably also sin because of knowing the good I ought to do and not doing it.

[AmazonGrace]

You just have to go 40 days without eating, like Jesus did, and then you're one with God.

I feel like the moment you think that you made it,  you're one with Christ, done with wanting things for yourself, fused with God's will and cured of your greed etc., you've probably jinxed yourself because how can it not be the sin of vanity and pride?

[Marmion]

4 hours ago, Blue said:

I guess when you believe and panbO-4Og4Gk not only CAN you become sinless and just stop sinning, but you HAVE to do so to prove your faith to God... you have to make it sound easypeasy because anyone who has ever read even bits of the Bible knows that it preaches over and over that we CAN'T be sinless, and that's the whole reason Jesus came.

The thing is that everyone from the Church of the Nazarene  , which I came out of , to Remnant Fellowship , whom believe in the doctrine of entire sanctification  , will selectively cite such scriptures as these to make their point .  Matthew 5 : 48  ,  Matthew 7 : 13-14  , 1 Thessalonians 5 : 23 - 24    Such pressure to be perfect , in all things , and at all times , causes consternation among members of the congregation , over the security of their salvation . Like , I remember this one woman , whom struggled to quit smoking , as smoking tobacco is said by the church to defile the body , which is suppose to be the temple of the Holy Spirit .  She would would sing this song at singspiration  , as a solo number .  

What none of us knew , and I later learned since leaving the Holiness movement , was that one of the founders of the Nazarene church , Phineas Bresee , allegedly smoked a pipe .  https://theparish.typepad.com/parish/2007/01/no_longer_nazar.html?fbclid=IwAR0svtg1IZhjUkuxKKEcKNOC6p1gQi9QSFMbTZ4wxNodkgF04GkQJFfmXQU   , https://holyhijinx.blogspot.com/2008/03/bresee-may-have-been-closet-muslim.html    So , even by their own standards , not all Nazarenes have attained Christian perfection .  

 

1 hour ago, AmazonGrace said:

You just have to go 40 days without eating, like Jesus did, and then you're one with God.

I feel like the moment you think that you made it,  you're one with Christ, done with wanting things for yourself, fused with God's will and cured of your greed etc., you've probably jinxed yourself because how can it not be the sin of vanity and pride?

This was mentioned in this essay http://www.jcnot4me.com/page92.html  .  

Quote

 I recall a story from the pulpit of a (non-Nazarene) traveling evangelist having been invited to speak at a Nazarene Church . Whether this actually happened or not, you never know with stories from the pulpit- ministers do like to make things up. Anyway this is how the story went: 

 

During the “testimony” period of the church service an old woman stood up and praised God that she had lived the past umpteen years sin-free, thanks to Entire Sanctification. The visiting minister (who never did like this doctrine in the first place) hatched an evil plan to deflate this gross spiritual arrogance. He strode back to the pulpit while her words were yet echoing off the walls. Speaking softly into the microphone, he first complemented her on such a feat. Then he sprung the trap on her: “You must be quite proud of such an accomplishment as this- living all those years without sin!” Of course she fell for the bait, and especially liked having been singled out for all that attention. She stood up, looked the Reverend in the eyes and said that yes, she was indeed quite proud of her sinless life. At that, the minister slammed down his twenty-pound Bible upon the pulpit as he raised his voice to boom out across the auditorium “Pride’s a sin!!! Now sit down, and learn what 1stJohn 1:8-10 means.”

 

As both this  Bible verse , and this song says .  Proverbs 24 : 16       

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by Marmion

[NarcissismKills]

Thank you for all your good work, @AmazonGrace.

I like your remarks about Gwen's words having special meanings.

That last devotional is a good reminder of certain facts. RF leaders/members frequently state that they are both pure and humble, but they are neither because making such statements totally disqualifies them. Also Gwen's focus on conformity has been fully espoused by the membership to the extent that this is one group of people that I don't shy away from makimg generalizations about. Extreme unity of thought is never a good sign.

Normally it is considered possible that Jesus might love us blemishes and all. Remnant Fellowship adherents don't appear to be aware of this wonderful possibility.

[Marmion]

56 minutes ago, NarcissismKills said:

Normally it is considered possible that Jesus might love us blemishes and all. Remnant Fellowship adherents don't appear to be aware of this wonderful possibility

 

[Hane]

My middle sister nearly died of an eating disorder. At 25, she had gastric bypass surgery. The next year, she had her gallbladder out, and gained some weight during her recuperation. This triggered her starving herself, abusing laxatives, and compulsively exercising. She was always cold, wearing sweats and flannel nightgowns in the summer. When she kept getting dizzy, my parents got her to the ER. The doctor who treated her said he’d never seen blood potassium levels that low on a living human being. (Hers was 1.1; normal is 3.5-5.0; anything under 2.5 is dangerous.) Because my almost-dead sister still wasn’t skinny (at 5’1” and about 140 pounds), a “helpful” nurse popped in and asked her whether she’d ever tried Weight Watchers. (Bitch, any heavy girl desperate enough to have gastric bypass in the ‘80s has already tried EVERYTHING.)

Our entire family would rather have her fat than dead. She’s still not skinny, but she’s happily married, has a wonderful son, and is retired from a successful career in social work.

Gwen SHAMBLIN Lara can fuck right off.

[AmazonGrace]

13 hours ago, NarcissismKills said:

 

Normally it is considered possible that Jesus might love us blemishes and all. Remnant Fellowship adherents don't appear to be aware of this wonderful possibility.

Being loved by Jesus is for amateurs. Remnant members get buried with Jesus. 

Imagine that you're dead, in pain, not eating, giving up all your dreams. But only for a minute so it's okay. And Jesus automatically answers all your prayers because he's a prayer bot. 

Spoiler

 

Never Alone Again

October 01, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

Imagine when you have a test. Let’s say it is dying to the praise of men tonight or to pride or lust. Let’s say it is dying to eating food tonight or being submissive to your husband tonight or loving someone hard to love. Whatever you struggle with, bring it to mind now. Imagine having to die—giving up your will, your body, your soul, your dreams, whatever it is—in this test. You have always been alone. You try to do this alone. But look again at Romans 6:4: We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. This means you are buried with Christ. There is burial with Christ and life with Christ—so you are not alone in either. So in this test, I know Jesus is right there with me; so I ask Him anything and He answers my prayer. The prayers are automatically answered. [For example: “Jesus, shorten this painful test to last only one minute.” One minute later, the painful test is over, miraculously.] This is powerful. Your love for Christ will abound. The test becomes the opportunity. This burial gives you this power, and with these answered prayers, this relationship develops.

 

I have passed Gwen's painful test so many times and I didn't even know it. There have been plenty of evenings that I gave up eating for one minute. It wasn't even that hard.

PS Gwen whether you're sub or dom with your husband, it is TMI and I don't want to know.

[Blue]

5 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

Being loved by Jesus is for amateurs. Remnant members get buried with Jesus. 

Imagine that you're dead, in pain, not eating, giving up all your dreams. But only for a minute so it's okay. And Jesus automatically answers all your prayers because he's a prayer bot. 

  Hide contents

 

Never Alone Again

October 01, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

Imagine when you have a test. Let’s say it is dying to the praise of men tonight or to pride or lust. Let’s say it is dying to eating food tonight or being submissive to your husband tonight or loving someone hard to love. Whatever you struggle with, bring it to mind now. Imagine having to die—giving up your will, your body, your soul, your dreams, whatever it is—in this test. You have always been alone. You try to do this alone. But look again at Romans 6:4: We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. This means you are buried with Christ. There is burial with Christ and life with Christ—so you are not alone in either. So in this test, I know Jesus is right there with me; so I ask Him anything and He answers my prayer. The prayers are automatically answered. [For example: “Jesus, shorten this painful test to last only one minute.” One minute later, the painful test is over, miraculously.] This is powerful. Your love for Christ will abound. The test becomes the opportunity. This burial gives you this power, and with these answered prayers, this relationship develops.

 

I have passed Gwen's painful test so many times and I didn't even know it. There have been plenty of evenings that I gave up eating for one minute. It wasn't even that hard.

PS Gwen whether you're sub or dom with your husband, it is TMI and I don't want to know.

Few things in life annoy me like someone treating God like a genie... He's not sitting in a bottle just waiting to grant you your wishes. Yes, there are absolutely times when your prayer is answered in miraculous timing. I have seen prayers answered that I genuinely thought impossible. Yes, God is capable of anything. But when you post something like this, and God DOESN'T answer in one minute... it leaders her followers to think "I must have just not had enough faith" or "I must just not be giving everything to God." In reality? God's plan is better than yours. Maybe this test needs to last longer to mature your faith. Maybe it needs to last longer to teach you a lesson. Trust me, we are going through some trials that feel like a roller coaster... but I know that God is using them to teach and mature our family... God isn't taking them away the second I ask because they're necessary for Him to fully finish His work in us.

[NarcissismKills]

Given how often Gwen Shamblin Lara talks about death and burial, it's peculiar that the Remnant Fellowship cult doesn't ever seem to provide anyone with a funeral.

[ManyGoats]

6 hours ago, NarcissismKills said:

Given how often Gwen Shamblin Lara talks about death and burial, it's peculiar that the Remnant Fellowship cult doesn't ever seem to provide anyone with a funeral.

They're so healthy and righteous no one ever dies.

 

[SilverBeach]

7 hours ago, Blue said:

Few things in life annoy me like someone treating God like a genie

This is immature faith. When presented with this attitude, I don't get annoyed, I figure they haven't progressed to solid food.  It was a turning point for me when I realized that believers, me included, are not exempt from sickness and misfortune. We are on this planet with everyone else and instead of asking why me when tragedy befell me, I asked why not me? I developed a whole new perspective on what it meant to be a believer. 

[Coconut Flan]

It's appropriate time bring up the God is not a slot machine homily.  Also God is not a form of Santa Claus.

[Blue]

3 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

This is immature faith. When presented with this attitude, I don't get annoyed, I figure they haven't progressed to solid food.  It was a turning point for me when I realized that believers, me included, are not exempt from sickness and misfortune. We are on this planet with everyone else and instead of asking why me when tragedy befell me, I asked why not me? I developed a whole new perspective on what it meant to be a believer. 

It is, and I don't get annoyed with congregation members who believe that way... But I DO get annoyed at leadership (who, in theory, should know enough if the Word NOT to preach that). It takes maturity of faith to trust God even when His answer to your prayer is "not yet" or "no." A young Christian treats God like a genie... The leader of a "church" should not.

Edited October 2, 2019 by Blue

[AmazonGrace]

If you love golf you like to play golf. If you don't love Gwod  you like to steal and murder. If you love Gwod you like to starve yourself.

Spoiler

 

If You Truly Love, It is Natural

October 02, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

How much trouble is it to refrain from running to another idol if you are so in love with God? These are easy commandments from this wonderful God. We should praise Him that salvation (being able to enter His presence) is not performance-based. We just need to love Him, and we can do this! If you truly love, it is not a performance or a drama—it is simply natural. If your love is golf, how hard is it to go play a game? Would you call a game of golf work? Of course not. How hard is it to binge on food? When food is the object of your affection, bingeing is a delight. Then, may our hearts change so that anything that has to do with God is delightful.

Once you have the relationship in which God is your heart’s desire, then, and only then, can you love mankind the way you should. That is why the commands to honor your father and mother, and not to murder, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony, or covet your neighbor’s wife or anything of your neighbor’s, are last—they are the natural outcomes of loving God first. If you love Him, how could you hurt one of the children that He loves? That would be unspeakable!

 

That must be why they're not speaking of the Smiths.

[NarcissismKills]

Actually they talk about the Smiths a lot. They give glowing reports of Joseph's prison ministry during assemblies, they wish him "Happy Birthday" while projecting a huge photograph of him, and they sing and pray for his early release. (Both parents were convicted of murder and sentenced to life plus thirty years.) Not so much mention of Sonya in the assembies by the leaders, but the Remnant Fellowship cult is maintaining their website declaring the Smiths to be innocent.  The site's copyright is up-to-date (May 2019) and under the "How can I help" heading, all of the contact information is the normal Remnant Fellowship stuff.