Gwen Shamblin Lara 10: Hanging onto the Wine

[AmazonGrace]

If God is to be given control over people's eating, how does she know that God wants them all always skinnier anyway? God might think some people are already their ideal weight, or could stand to gain a couple of pounds.

I don't think she realizes that she makes people more likely to panic at the sight of scales, not less likely. If I gain weight I only have to worry about whether my pants fit me right but Gwen's minions may have forfeited their eternal soul to Satan.

Edited November 12, 2019 by AmazonGrace

[Marmion]

17 hours ago, Blue said:

I guess I  w it differently? I think teaching about the feasts and acknowledging them is a good thing... do I think Christians need to full on celebrate the Jewish Holy Days? No, and I don't think they NEED to even acknowledge them, but I don't think there's anything wrong with acknowledging the feasts and the why and how of them. I know that Christianity is based on the New Testament, but that doesn't mean the Old Testament, and it's traditions and culture, don't have value. Just like I don't think there's anything wrong with churches hosting a Seder meal at Passover. Then again, we also teach our kids about the Islamic holidays, so maybe we're just weird like that. 

But I 100% agree that Gwen just latches onto things that make her and her group "special." It makes her followers feel more set apart and unique because they do things SO differently. I think that's why they have their special dances (can someone PLEASE find me a copy of the purity dance? I saw it years and years ago on a webcast and haven't been able to find it since) and their special phrases and their special marriage covenant they sign... it really solidifies the idea that you're special and better than those around you.

The participation of Christians , and other non-Jews in the Passover Seder can be controversial .  Generally speaking though , unless invited by Jews to attend , other people shouldn't participate , and  outsiders should not hold their own observance . http://religiondispatches.org/why-christians-should-not-host-their-own-passover-seders/  , https://www.patheos.com/blogs/tonyjones/2014/04/15/five-reasons-you-probably-shouldnt-attend-a-christian-seder/ , https://religionnews.com/2016/04/22/should-christians-hold-seders/  , https://www.jweekly.com/1997/04/18/christians-and-messianics-appropriating-passover-seder/   P.S.  I recall once attending a presentation called " Christ In The Passover "  , at this one Nazarene church .  Some Nazarenes have increasingly gotten into so called Messianic Judaism , it would seem .  http://www.akron.com/20070802/ssl2.asp 

[formergothardite]

@Marmion, thank you for sharing those links. 

From the first:

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Christians celebrating their own Passover do unwitting harm to the Jewish people because they ignore centuries of persecution of Jews—and they do harm to themselves by ignoring their real-life Jewish neighbors, treating them as relics rather than people.

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Mimicking modern Jewish people by performing their ritual only continues this trend of objectification.

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What to do, then, if you are a Christian who wants to be more like Christ, as well as to learn more about your cultural roots? Practice restraint. One of the privileges that comes with being part of the majority culture is that nobody is likely to call you out on your cultural appropriation. So, call yourself out. Don’t host a seder. Not even if you only invite other Christians. Especially not if you only invite other Christians.

And from the second link:

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How would you feel if a rabbi or imam performed a mock baptism? That’d be pretty weird, right? That’s pretty much how it is when Christians take a practice that is central to Judaism and attempt to recreate it with Christian meaning. Virtually every Jew I’ve ever asked about this finds the practice offensive.

I hadn't thought of it in that way. 

 

[Blue]

42 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

How would you feel if a rabbi or imam performed a mock baptism? That’d be pretty weird, right? That’s pretty much how it is when Christians take a practice that is central to Judaism and attempt to recreate it with Christian meaning. Virtually every Jew I’ve ever asked about this finds the practice offensive.

To me there's a difference between educating yourself and enjoying celebrations of other cultures, and mocking a religious ceremony. We're not talking hosting a faux bar mitzvah. I wouldn't be at all offended if a Muslim family shared in some of the Christmas or Easter traditions, and I think learning to appreciate and enjoy the traditions of other religions could go a long way toward ending the "us vs. them" mentality.

I guess we've just been blessed to have been in communities where the Christian and Jewish groups share a relationship. ?  Though obviously Gwen's pretentious cherry picking of Jewish holidays takes it to a disrespectful level.

Edited November 12, 2019 by Blue

[SuperNova]

2 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

If God is to be given control over people's eating, how does she know that God wants them all always skinnier anyway? God might think some people are already their ideal weight, or could stand to gain a couple of pounds.

@AmazonGrace , asking the real questions. God made pizza and elastic waistbands because he loves me and wants me to be happy.

[HereComesTreble]

The Last Supper was a Passover Sedar.  That was a pivotal moment in Christianity.  So, I can see how Christians would have a Sedar dinner.  If you follow Christ,  it would make sense to celebrate the things He celebrated.  

Edit: our family does not hold a Sedar, nor does our church; but I can see why some Christians would.

Edited November 12, 2019 by HereComesTreble
Clarify

[formergothardite]

52 minutes ago, Blue said:

I guess we've just been blessed to have been in communities where the Christian and Jewish groups share a relationship.

You mentioned earlier about sharing events with Messianic Jews. Do your churches have the same relationship with non-Messianic Jews? Do they share Seder meals? 

I think there is a place to learn about the religious customs and holidays of various religions. But it needs to be in a respectful manner. If a group was learning about Christian customs it wouldn't be respectful for them to host a communion so they could experience it. 

4 minutes ago, HereComesTreble said:

That was a pivotal moment in Christianity.  So, I can see how Christians would have a Sedar dinner.  If you follow Christ,  it would make sense to celebrate the things He celebrated.  

The earlier links explain how the Passover Seder that Jesus would have participated in is not like the ones today. So it doesn't actually make sense to celebrate the modern Jewish feasts if you are only doing it because you want to copy Jesus. 

 

[Blue]

3 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

If God is to be given control over people's eating, how does she know that God wants them all always skinnier anyway? God might think some people are already their ideal weight, or could stand to gain a couple of pounds.

I don't think she realizes that she makes people more likely to panic at the sight of scales, not less likely. If I gain weight I only have to worry about whether my pants fit me right but Gwen's minions may have forfeited their eternal soul to Satan.

She likes to say things like you don't have to worry about the scale because if you're eating according to God's plan, you'll end up the weight He wants you to be... but then SHE still gets the ultimate say of whether or not you're at the right weight. That's what drives me nuts... when it comes down to it Gwen, NOT God, gets to decide if you're devoted enough or holy enough or whatever enough.

[Blue]

15 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

You mentioned earlier about sharing events with Messianic Jews. Do your churches have the same relationship with non-Messianic Jews? Do they share Seder meals? 

I think there is a place to learn about the religious customs and holidays of various religions. But it needs to be in a respectful manner. If a group was learning about Christian customs it wouldn't be respectful for them to host a communion so they could experience it. 

The earlier links explain how the Passover Seder that Jesus would have participated in is not like the ones today. So it doesn't actually make sense to celebrate the modern Jewish feasts if you are only doing it because you want to copy Jesus. 

 

Our current church doesn't have a Seder meal at all, but yes... we share a good relationship with the local Jewish congregation. We're invited yearly (and many go) to their Hanukkah celebration on the first night. I won't say that we're all besties... but we do share a good relationship. 

Again, I think there's a difference between trying to mock an incredibly spiritual experience (i.e. communion, bat mitzvah, etc...) and a church spending a Sunday learning about and sharing in the traditions of Hanukkah. As much as people have strong convictions that doing so is absolutely horrible and disrespectful, I have strong convictions otherwise. As a Christian, my Savior was Jewish... to pretend that my faith doesn't have Jewish roots, or that Old Testament feasts and customs aren't important, seems silly to me. Again, there is clearly a wrong way to do so... and I personally think that Gwen does it the wrong way (including dressing in white for purity at Purim... it frustrates me because it's just horribly clear that she's just turning the Jewish holidays into a reason to throw a party and feel better than everyone else). I guess it's something I'd just have to agree to disagree on.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Blue

[ManyGoats]

31 minutes ago, Blue said:

when it comes down to it Gwen, NOT God, gets to decide if you're devoted enough or holy enough or whatever enough.

Does she do a weigh in? Or does she just look at someone and decide?

[SilverBeach]

9 hours ago, Blue said:

That honestly surprises me because we've lived in many states over the decades and have seen multiple churches host a Seder meal.

I'm in metro Chicago, been in many churches, and have never seen this.  My latest church (protestant) did actively engage in interfaith activities. 

56 minutes ago, HereComesTreble said:

The Last Supper was a Passover Sedar.  That was a pivotal moment in Christianity.  So, I can see how Christians would have a Sedar dinner.

That's what communion is.

Edited November 13, 2019 by SilverBeach

[HereComesTreble]

2 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

I'm in metro Chicago, been in many churches, and have never seen this.  My latest church (protestant) did actively engage in interfaith activities. 

That's what communion is.

Yes, that’s right,  “This is my body...”

Also, I can understand the train of thought: Jesus celebrated Passover, therefore as a Christ-follower, I should, too.  In that same vein (or vain?), I could understand: Jesus kept kosher, I follow Him, so I should keep kosher, too.  Not as a way to be holy like Him, but to feel close to Him.

I don’t do any of that, but I can see others would.

[Blue]

2 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

I'm in metro Chicago, been in many churches, and have never seen this.  My latest church (protestant) did actively engage in interfaith activities. 

That's what communion is.

It sounds like much of it might just be regional. We've usually lived in relatively liberal communities, and that might have contributed to the more interfaith community that we had. 

Obviously communion was introduced at the Last Supper, but the Seder meal that was being shared by Jesus and His disciples was much more than that. I don't think any Christian ever HAS to participate in a Seder meal, but I don't think that it's unrealistic or disrespectful to think that one might. 

[Dana723]

3 hours ago, HereComesTreble said:

The Last Supper was a Passover Sedar.  That was a pivotal moment in Christianity.  So, I can see how Christians would have a Sedar dinner.  If you follow Christ,  it would make sense to celebrate the things He celebrated.  

Edit: our family does not hold a Sedar, nor does our church; but I can see why some Christians would.

A church my sister went to had a Jewish rabbi come in and explain the Sedar to them.  She said it was interesting and helped her understand more about how Christian traditions come from Jewish ones, and how similar the two religions are in many respects.

[SilverBeach]

33 minutes ago, HereComesTreble said:

I follow Him, so I should keep kosher, too.

Jesus didn't tell us to keep kosher, he said to love God, ourselves, and others. 

Just now, Dana723 said:

how Christian traditions come from Jewish ones, and how similar the two religions are in many respects

Christianity was once considered a sect of Judaism. It's natural that there would be similarities. 

33 minutes ago, Blue said:

We've usually lived in relatively liberal communities

I've only lived in liberal communities also, grew up in Chicago, moved to the metro area.

35 minutes ago, Blue said:

but the Seder meal that was being shared by Jesus and His disciples was much more than that.

And was certainly meaningful in the context of being an observant Jew.

36 minutes ago, Blue said:

I don't think that it's unrealistic or disrespectful to think that one might. 

But if an actual Jewish person thinks it is disrespectful, that's the opinion that counts.

[HereComesTreble]

I have the worst time using the quote feature.  So here goes...in response to SilverBeach’s “Jesus did not tell us to keep kosher”—yes, you are correct.  

I said that I could see how Christ followers would keep kosher to feel closer to Him (eat like he ate).  I specifically said not to keep holy like Him, as in, not as a rule or commandment.

My thinking is sort of along the lines of emulating one’s hero vs doctrine, if that makes sense.

That’s not my way of thinking; but if a Christian is trying to live as Jesus did, earnestly (not pretending to be Jewish)—I don’t begrudge them.

[Blue]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

But if an actual Jewish person thinks it is disrespectful, that's the opinion that counts.

And I'm a big believer that we should do all that we can to be respectful of those around us.

That being said, our family isn't going to stop acknowledging the feasts as they come around each year because there are some who wouldn't like it. We've met Jewish members of our community, and they have always indicated that they appreciated that our children were being educated into the customs of their faith, the why of different traditions, and how they related to the OT. We've been very intentional about being respectful and reverent because we understand that these feasts and holy days hold a different and stronger meaning for those of the Jewish faith. The Old Testament has a different meaning for us than it does for the Jewish community, but it still holds a sacred place in our home.

Are there those who think that's disrespectful? I have no doubt... but it's something that we feel strongly about for our children. We are very intentional about not simply cherry picking the "fun" parts of the holidays and using them as an excuse to party or to somehow be special "Super-Christians." We have never and will never treat the Jewish holidays as RF does, but I also won't stop bringing them into our home in respectful ways.

[Pianokeeper]

Y'all, I have to confess: when this thread turns into theology talk central, my eyes glaze over.  One of my favorite things about FreeJinger is that we have such a diversity of belief systems represented amongst the members, including many of us who are neither Christian nor Jewish.  Trying to find "the right" answer on How to Do Christianity™ seems, quite frankly, beside the point to me.  Maybe that's an unpopular opinion...?  

Anyway, I guess to me the whole point of this thread is that Gwen Shamblin Lara is a greedy, superficial, dishonest charlatan who manipulates those around her into creating a perfect-seeming world around her.  She breaks people, families, and relationships.  Her Remnant Fellowship is a dangerous cult that encourages eating disorders, if not outright abuse.

And all of that applies, no matter how closely their stated theology does or does not align with our own theological conclusions or belief systems.

[CTRLZero]

I think there is something for everyone here at FJ.  I am not very theologically oriented, but am interested in at least skimming some of the posts getting into different belief systems.  For example, @Marmion provided a glimpse of understanding into an old friendship of mine.  Years ago, a friend invited me to attend a Nazarene church.  She was very much into homeschooling, theology, family, etc.  Later, her husband led their family to start a Messianic church.  The family became very outspoken about their new church being the right way, blah blah.  Anyway, I backed away during this time period.  Years later, I ran into this old friend.  Her church dissolved, her husband divorced her, her kids were screwed up.  This is beside the point, but it was interesting to learn about a link between the Nazarene Church and Messianic Judaism.  We couldn't figure out how they got from Point A (Nazarene) to Point B (Messianic).

And, yes, Gwen is a twirling twit. 

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Some Nazarenes have increasingly gotten into so called Messianic Judaism , it would seem .

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by CTRLZero
Typo.

[AmazonGrace]

WeighDown gives you a permanent weigh loss system that you will fail at after two weeks. 

Spoiler

 

Going Back to the Growl…

November 13, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

If you have done Weigh Down before, do you remember how it was when you first start­ed? What did it feel like? You literally abandoned what you were doing before; you abandoned dieting, and you got in there and started finding the growl. You were so excited wait­ing on that growl. You were so focused on finding the growl and finding the full, that suddenly you looked up and you had lost weight, and it was the most exciting thing you had ever done in your life—eating regular foods and eating what you really liked! Why was that so much fun? Be­cause you were free.

But then about Week Three, satan came in and you may have started to focus sideways or began to wonder how far outside the bounds you could go, and you lost sight of the growl. Simply by taking your eyes off the growl, you went and overate. Then, you got on the scales and you looked down and your weight had gone up…what did you do? You panicked and went back to your old habits and old reasoning of worry­ing about particular foods or controlling meal times or your tricks and gimmicks that you allowed yourself because they have always tended to work for you in the short-term in getting weight off. You started focus­ing on the scales, head hunger snuck back in, and the next thing you know, you went backwards and you did not know how to get out.

You have to get rid of this panic feeling. All I want you to focus on is the growl. The growl is God speaking to you. You can literally find God Almighty with a growl, and that is why you will want to wait. You want that Connection more than anything you have ever wanted.

 

 

 

[CTRLZero]

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You can literally find God Almighty with a growl

For some reason, this made me laugh.  I picture the growl as a metal detector.  A Gwod detector.  (This may only be humorous before my first cup of coffee.)  ?

[formergothardite]

27 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

All I want you to focus on is the growl. The growl is God speaking to you. 

And this is the essence of what Gwen teaches. Spend all day, not focusing on God. Not focusing on helping others. All you focus on is hunger. You worship hunger. You seek after hunger. Hunger is your new god. 

Funny how she has finally given up trying to pretend her "devotionals" are about God and the Bible and had gone right back to worship hunger. Gwen was doing a horrible job at writing non-starvation devotionals.

ETA: It always makes me chuckle when Gwen uses the term "regular food" This is the woman who exists on diet coke and processed junk food. Pretty sure that wasn't in the Bible despite her claims that the OT Jews were making Fritos. 

Edited November 13, 2019 by formergothardite

[AmazonGrace]

It simplifies things amazingly. Other people's gods say very  inconvenient things like "blessed be the peacemakers", "hey you should give more to the poor", and, "go forth to the ends of the earth and fund a charity hospital". 

Gwen's god says, "tummy loud, Groot eat, fridge now".

 

 

[Blue]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

And this is the essence of what Gwen teaches. Spend all day, not focusing on God. Not focusing on helping others. All you focus on is hunger. You worship hunger. You seek after hunger. Hunger is your new god. 

Funny how she has finally given up trying to pretend her "devotionals" are about God and the Bible and had gone right back to worship hunger. Gwen was doing a horrible job at writing non-starvation devotionals.

ETA: It always makes me chuckle when Gwen uses the term "regular food" This is the woman who exists on diet coke and processed junk food. Pretty sure that wasn't in the Bible despite her claims that the OT Jews were making Fritos. 

I agree. How do they not see that their lives fully revolve around food, only instead of maybe revolving around what they'll make for dinner, they revolve around praying away the hunger pains (because hunger pains don't count until your stomach actually audibly growls). I'm happier when she just focuses on her not-a-diet-diet-plan. At least then she isn't pretending her ministry is about anyone other than herself. 

[AmazonGrace]

Gwen: Get rid of head hunger (the desire to eat for reasons other than physical hunger). Embrace suffering. Self denial is amazing. If you let God control you, you won't know what to eat.

Also Gwen: Weighdown lets you do  the most exciting thing you've ever done:  eating what you really liked!

 

(Apart from the inconsistency, how effing sad must your life be if eating foods that you like is the most exciting thing you have ever done?)

 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by AmazonGrace