Comments on: Wish I could be there…. http://megsmusings.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/wish-i-could-be-there/ Thoughts related to the Assemblies of George & Betty Geftakys - the experience, recovery, spiritual betrayal, faith, prayer, the Bible... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:04:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Margaret http://megsmusings.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/wish-i-could-be-there/#comment-8 Margaret Sun, 29 Jul 2007 21:21:40 +0000 http://megsmusings.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/wish-i-could-be-there/#comment-8 Joe Sperling made this comment: I have often wondered if some of the people from the Assembly (including myself for several years) actually developed a "phobia" for the Bible, church, and even God himself!! It took quite some time for me (and this was way back in 1980 when I left the Ass'y) to even be able to open a Bible without a great sense of fear. I was SO afraid of the verses that spoke of losing out!!(Hebrews 6, 10 etc.). I would begin to read the Bible, but then hit some area where an act of rebellion occurred (such as Numbers and the people of Israel being told they could not enter the land), and it would cause me to put down the Bible again for weeks and just "give up". I'm not sure if this could be classified as a "phobia" but I think in a sense it is. Those old vinyl records we used to play are filled with grooves that the needle immediately goes into when you drop it on the record. I think of many of our thought patterns being like grooves in our brain and emotions. The minute we think of something, a string of memories and patterns come forward, and we think along that "groove" that has been etched into our brain. If this "groove" brings about uncomfortable feelings, especially deep-seated ones, we want to avoid it so badly that a great fear, or "phobia" erects itself as a defense. The problem with phobias is that most, if not all of them, are completely exaggerated feelings, based on untruths. I had such a great fear of God's displeasure, and His great displeasure for my having left his "best" for me (the Assembly) that I would react in fear to the Bible, and even God himself. It took years to come out of this downward spiral--especially since back in 1980 there were very few who had said anything negative about the Assembly. I had no one to really go to talk about it--it kind of had to work itself out. These "phobias" were based on complete untruths which came from false teaching. There were songs playing in my head, written by a false teacher. I thought I'd mention this, because Chuck M. has recently been on the Assembly board speaking negatively about psychology (and I do understand some of his reasons), but I truly feel that psychology is needed with some people who come out of places like the Assembly---so they can learn how to think correctly again, and get out of those deep "grooves" that have etched themselves like continous songs of despair into their psyche. Joe Sperling Joe Sperling made this comment:

I have often wondered if some of the people from the Assembly (including myself for several years) actually developed a “phobia” for the Bible, church, and even
God himself!! It took quite some time for me (and this was way back in 1980 when I left the Ass’y) to even be able to open a Bible without a great sense of fear. I was SO afraid of the verses that spoke of losing out!!(Hebrews 6, 10 etc.). I would begin to read the Bible, but then hit some area where an act of rebellion occurred (such as Numbers and the people of Israel being told they could not enter the land), and it would cause me to put down the Bible again for weeks and just “give up”.

I’m not sure if this could be classified as a “phobia” but I think in a sense it is. Those old vinyl records we used to play are filled with grooves that the needle immediately goes into when you drop it on the record. I think of many of our thought patterns being like grooves in our brain and emotions. The minute we think of something, a string of memories and patterns come forward, and we think along that “groove” that has been etched into our brain. If this “groove” brings about uncomfortable feelings, especially deep-seated ones, we want to avoid it so badly that a great fear, or “phobia” erects itself as a defense. The problem with phobias is that most, if not all of them, are completely exaggerated feelings, based on untruths.

I had such a great fear of God’s displeasure, and His great displeasure for my having left his “best” for me (the Assembly) that I would react in fear to the Bible, and even God himself. It took years to come out of this downward spiral–especially since back in 1980 there were very few who had said anything negative about the Assembly. I had no one to really go to talk about it–it kind of had to work itself out. These “phobias” were based on complete untruths which came from false teaching. There were songs playing in my head, written by a false teacher.

I thought I’d mention this, because Chuck M. has recently been on the Assembly board speaking negatively about psychology (and I do understand some of his reasons), but I truly feel that psychology is needed with some people who come out of places like the Assembly—so they can learn how to think correctly again, and get out of those deep “grooves” that have etched themselves like continous songs of despair into their psyche.

Joe Sperling

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