I'm a non-Christian, where can I post?

[Edward Gordon]

Thank you Edward for your partial personal testimony regarding how you came to see Christ as the end all in and for your life. He is everything to me as well.

Let me briefly or longer, share a part of my past and a part of my testimony to Christ. I have ran into the other realms of real angels of God, witchery and charms in my past, so I will highlight just a few of them here.

I grew up in a rigid formal setting concerning the patriarchal religion, of the RCC. I was taught until High school by missionary nuns in New Zealand, and the Priests who has their home on the school grounds as well. I had the fear of God, and my Dad and the nuns well instilled in me by the time I was a teenager. I excelled in the subject of religion. I became an altar boy, and would occasionally help the priest gather and display all the articles essential for the Mass.

I was always an analyst in everything it seemed, more than most. I would quietly question in my mind why are we serving God this way etc. What are these people getting out of the Mass? Their lives did not reflect joy, hope, and many times they exhibited sternness, and no love at times. Why the statues, why this long list of sacraments, and many Hail Mary's etc. And then my mother was part of the Church of England and very rarely seen in a RCC building. And only when coerced by my Dad. And then I used to listen to the fights before and afterwards, like we had evil or demons in the house...

I wondered about Jesus a lot, as a baby, a man and now in heaven, as my 12 year old mind was so intrigued. I never felt a close connection with the Savior at that point in time.

Yep. I get you.

Well before that age, before school age, my mother would get on occasion, knocks, on the front door of our government subsidized about 700 sq, ft. 2-story brick, 1910-built, bug infested rowhouse (we were very poor) in Nottingham England.

I lived in England for 8 years in a council house. I know exactly what you mean.

It was common to see female witches knock on doors and tell their owners their future tidings and fortune, and requested any donation if it could be afforded. My mother told me on the eve of us all emigrating to New Zealand, that I would be a scholar in another land. So the idea of witches were not just in story books for me, they were part of the community in the 50s and early 60s.

Yep. Gypsies. I gave an old lady a bunch of clothes once. :)

I remember still today when I was sick in bed and only a few years old, actually seeing a being in white hover to the side of me and smiling as 'it' seemed to then float out of the room.

Zooming forward in time, back to New Zealand again. My mother would use tarot cards quite frequently. I used to watch her dabble in it. So this was not new to me at all.

One the eve of leaving NZ for the States, whilst I was with my mother over at a friend's place; I believe she was an actual witch, I used a Ouija/we gee board with one her children. I requested information about my future. I ask if I would be married, and when, and if I would have children in that marriage. The answers became spot on in time. More that just a coincidence to me.

You know years later I've always wondered whether my mother was a practicing witch. I never really got that close into her affairs to know. I know as an adult child of hers she really never showed love to me, and my wife. In fact the very few times we would visit her house, it was like kryptonite to her. She was always unsettled. She firmly, cruelty and coldly would say to me, since I was a teenager and after marriage, privately in my face, 'I never wanted kids.' Great Mom aye?!

Well, that really hits home. The last bit. My mother told my sisters and I the same thing. I have no relationship with her, my mother. We exchange short holiday greetings over text on holidays. That's it. So, I know that's hard to live with.

On the eve of knowing my true love and marriage partner I found myself drawing with pencils and then with India black ink, of medieval drawings, from scratch. I drew dozens of them. I was so proud of them I showed them to another person. He said to me, they were great and then asked me if I was into the black arts. I was stunned! I really did not see the harm in drawing witches, demons and other symbols in this art work. He shook me up, indeed. I became so upset inside because of his reaction that I later just stopped this art work completely.

So I got married to a lovely US born woman. And someone like I've always prayed for. My prayers were answered. And unbeknownst to me then, she was a true lover of Jesus, from knee-high.

Now one day an acquaintance of mine asked me if I wanted to know about Christ is a personal way, in my life. Flags were going up and then down for awhile, I was wrestling inside with something bigger than me; it seemed like an eternity. I took a chance and quickly said, yes, and what is it all about. Now before that time, I was also good at higher math, and I tried to place God in these parameters, as a curve to infinity on a graph. I was suddenly very much interested in God. Maybe my marriage sparked something within me. I could not get God off my mind. I tried to define him in terms of symbols, mathematics and astrophysics. I was enjoying myself..

That's very interesting.

So when I gave my life to Christ one midweek evening in April 1974, in our mobile home, my life changed forever. Within an hour I was racing around the house trying to find a bible. I could not get enough of the word of God. I eventually became immersed in water at a local Baptist church, with my wife. I was on fire for Christ. For the first time in my life I felt an internal bond with Jesus, my personal friend and Lord. Where have you been all my life?! It was me that needed to answer my Jesus, not he.

Just one more area concerning the 'dark side.' In my mid-life my spiritual walk declined noticeably for the first time. Without revealing the surrounding settings in the interest of time, I once was enchanted away by another woman. I actually felt uncontrollably drawn to her, and not really for the sexual attraction. She tried to use some device like a pendulum to conjure up a friendly' spirit for me. She placed it in front of me and caused it to swing, however it always stopped when it tried to swing toward me. She was surprised and said it does not want/work for me. I really never knew what that meant and I did not care.

Anyway, I'm today still on fire for Christ with the love and passion I had with him when I first received the Spirit of truth and life from the Father.

I'm a work-in progress. I hope and look forward to continuing my journey with him in the next life; as you do I would imagine.

APAK

That's quite a testimony. Are you still married? Do you go to a regular church now, or no? What about your wife? My wife is a Veridican like me. She's the secretary of the church as well as the corporate secretary. What do you think about the end-times?

 

[DancesWithGnostics]

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
― Rupertus Meldenius

Meldenius was a fake name of a German guy - yet Augustine gets credit for so much

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl Yes, and it's so wholesome to receive meekly the Scriptures and not engage in that unhealthy and dangerous stuff...

Yes @farouk - very unhealthy and very dangerous.

 

[farouk]

Yes @farouk - very unhealthy and very dangerous.

@Pearl Indeed...sticking prayerfully to Scripture will never go wrong...

 

[GTW27]

"If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked works."

 

[Edward Gordon]

chairman bill wrote:I've got a great opening line for a fictional story - "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Whaddya think?


I think if you have talent, go for it. All great truths are told through fiction. It’s just like the Gospels: All Jesus said was that he was the truth. He didn’t say he was going to deliver that truth to you mind and soul through a factual history lesson. All great truth is told through fiction.

Br. Edward Gordon
First Veridican Church
http://veridican.org
Edward G
THREAD STARTER
Name: Edward Gordon
Posts: 165
Age: 57

Country: United States

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that must be from some old forum I was in a long time ago. I see it's still keeping track of my age. And I don't really like the way I put that, but to expand on that a bit: The Gospels are not history (non-fiction), they are literature (a story), but that doesn't make them untrue.

And this is from your website:

So, what does that mean to you? Really nothing. We always intended to charge for the seminary education. We already sell our books through Amazon, and we already charge less for services (like tarot, astrology, and medium readings) than we would expect a person to donate for them.

eegads. That's got to go. We're not charging for any spiritual services. We don't do tarot or medium readings. But my books are for sale on amazon, and we do intend to have a bookstore to make money for the church. Because we don't take donations.

Thanks for pointing that out. I've corrected that post.

 

[farouk]

"If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked works."

@GTW27 Solemn verse; good to remember....

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I do agree that Christians are largely messed up. But then, so are you if you seek to become one with God and answer insult for insult. You and they both are messed up.
Your own Jesus, who you seek to become one with, said, also in Mathew, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

So if you’re to turn your cheek at a physical slap rather than returning it, what should you do as regards a verbal insult, which is more mild…?

And the one you seek to become one with also said this in Mathew:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It is doubtful you will become one with someone you don’t even listen to and act nothing like. So the messed up is on both sides there brother.

And I feel I should add, with men it is impossible to be and do as Jesus says. But we are meant to SEE we are nothing like Him and ASK for what we see we lack.

 

[Edward Gordon]

That is divination clearly.

I started this church, in its current form, Nov 4th. I have worked at it every single day as a fulltime job for the last month and a half. There were things I didn't realize at the start, that I realize now. So, we thought about having tarot as a form of prophecy, but I came to realize that's actually a kind of witchcraft, and we don't want that in our church. We thought about mediumship services as well, like the Spiritualists, but we rejected that, too, because...frankly...I'm not sure it is useful or works. I think you get a lot of demonic presence, and that maybe it, actually. So, it was cut.

If you dig into the internet, you may find old posts and fits and starts for Veridicanism. What can I say? I was growing. But what you see now, is what you get. If you go to the church website, if you read the church documents, that's what we're about. I can't defend the past; I can only tell you how we are moving forward.

 

[farouk]

I am not opposed to you personally Edward, just your beliefs as I am opposed to all false gospels.

I don't think that it's quite honest for ppl who, because they don't like Scriptures helpfully quoted, try to imply that the person quoting them is supposedly against them personally. (This is a stance a lot of secularists seemingly take...)

 

[Pearl]

I don't think that it's quite honest for ppl who, because they don't like Scriptures helpfully quoted, try to imply that the person quoting them is supposedly against them personally. (This is a stance a lot of secularists seemingly take...)

Absolutely @farouk

 

[Waiting on him]

Actually, I'm not. I'm a great student of all denominations. YOUR opposed to what I believe. There is actually no prohibition nor, and I say this with the reservation I might have to take it back, but near as I can tell there is no reason one can't be a mainstream Christian and a Veridican at the same time, like a Catholic Veridican or Baptist Veridican. I mean, we study a form of astrology called Veridican astrology, but a Veridican doesn't HAVE to practice it. We believe we become Christ, a Baptist believes they become "like" Christ, that's a pretty thin hair of difference. We read the Bible and take it under advisement--we just believe the Gospels are what we need to follow. I might have a problem academically with the Apostles, but you won't find that anywhere in our Articles of Faith.

Yeah, actually...I think one could be a Veridican and a MS Christian at the same time. I don't see any metaphysical problem with that. The Baptists might; the Catholics might, but not me or my Church. So...you are opposed to me, not me to you.

Matthew 15:24 KJV
[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:5-6 KJV
[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
How do you reconcile this scripture?

 

[Raccoon1010]

I started this church, in its current form, Nov 4th. I have worked at it every single day as a fulltime job for the last month and a half. There were things I didn't realize at the start, that I realize now. So, we thought about having tarot as a form of prophecy, but I came to realize that's actually a kind of witchcraft, and we don't want that in our church. We thought about mediumship services as well, like the Spiritualists, but we rejected that, too, because...frankly...I'm not sure it is useful or works. I think you get a lot of demonic presence, and that maybe it, actually. So, it was cut.

If you dig into the internet, you may find old posts and fits and starts for Veridicanism. What can I say? I was growing. But what you see now, is what you get. If you go to the church website, if you read the church documents, that's what we're about. I can't defend the past; I can only tell you how we are moving forward.

Sounds like you're being honest and open minded. And that is important for growth. Good job. I hope you stay open minded about God, perhaps he will open up your future to the fullness of the Gospel?

 

[DancesWithGnostics]

Nov 4th is a good day to start something

 

[APAK]

That's quite a testimony. Are you still married? Do you go to a regular church now, or no? What about your wife? My wife is a Veridican like me. She's the secretary of the church as well as the corporate secretary. What do you think about the end-times?

Well I'm overjoyed in your understanding of my past.

Yes, I'm still married to my same partner....48 years now. She manages to put up with my imaginations and spontaneous rants.

We do not go to a regular church. We share our thoughts and reading of scripture together at home. Not to sound elitist in a wrong way, I just do not find these church settings too edifying. They used to stunt by spiritual growth. They give you maybe a warm fuzzy or a high being part of a group that sings the same music -not what I really am searching for. I usually set the tone for our scripture studies at home.

I have a Book I finally set to digital paper, 508 pages and counting, as a layman's version of the commentary of the Bible, with loads of side topical studies and what I call scripture mapping or harmonizing parts of scripture, as its contents. It's keeping me busy.

Speaking of scripture and the future of things, I would like your opinion on one of Jesus' sayings from the Gospel of Thomas. I believe it relates to the future times.

I have the 'Scholars' version.

Saying 10: Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."

It seems to directly relate to Matthew 10:34-39:
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

My quick interpretation: Jesus at that time during his ministry, ignited a spark within the souls of men/women. The penetrating gospel of the Father and spoken by his Son is too irresistible to not take action - acceptance or immediate rejection. This ignited flame turned into a controlled fire of spiritual and physical strife and warfare amongst peoples, at all levels, family, community and nation. Became very evident after Pentecost. This controlled fire that causes and engulfs the valley of decision today, I believe is now becoming a raging fire, an unstoppable firestorm across the globe. No human governance will contain it. We are priming for the return of Christ very soon, and the immediate judgement of all.

The FIRE has done its work, divided the peoples into two classes: Ones of Christ in the Kingdom, and the others of self and of this world. One will live and continue in the Kingdom and the others completely and permanently perish into, and as the repossession of God.

Blessings to you my friend.

 

[amadeus]

I started this church, in its current form, Nov 4th. I have worked at it every single day as a fulltime job for the last month and a half. There were things I didn't realize at the start, that I realize now. So, we thought about having tarot as a form of prophecy, but I came to realize that's actually a kind of witchcraft, and we don't want that in our church. We thought about mediumship services as well, like the Spiritualists, but we rejected that, too, because...frankly...I'm not sure it is useful or works. I think you get a lot of demonic presence, and that maybe it, actually. So, it was cut.

If you dig into the internet, you may find old posts and fits and starts for Veridicanism. What can I say? I was growing. But what you see now, is what you get. If you go to the church website, if you read the church documents, that's what we're about. I can't defend the past; I can only tell you how we are moving forward.

Everyone who really believes in and loves God needs to grow. There are, I believe, a lot of stagnant places around because of a lot of stagnant people. So many have found, so they seem to believe, a stopping place where they can wait until they are caught to Him at the end of their course. I suspect many, if they even are allowed to see it, will be disappointed.

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52
Jesus according to what is written grew. Are we not to be like him?

 

[Edward Gordon]

Matthew 15:24 KJV
[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:5-6 KJV
[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
How do you reconcile this scripture?

You have to understand that the Gospels are for now. They may reference history, there may be things that seem historical in them, but they are the life and teachings of the Son of God. You cannot look at that and say, "Well, Jesus was just for the ancient Israelites." If you do, then you might as well not be a Christian. You might as well admit that whole ministry is finished. But that's not the case. The Gospels are for now.

So, when Jesus said that to his disciples, he meant what he said. When he says it to us today, he means what he says, but Israel is now symbolic. I mean, it doesn't even exist anymore. It barely existed then. I mean, it was occupied and controlled by Rome. Oh, I know there's an artificial country we created after WWII, but we just carved that out of what had been the Palestinians for centuries. A Muslim temple sits where the Jewish temple sat and has for 1500 years. Israel is symbolic for God's chosen people. Not the Jews.

No, no, once they nailed Jesus of Nazareth to a cross, that was it. When they said, "His blood be on us and our children." They got exactly that.

So, the passages you quote up there are 100% true, but they are not historic. They are spirit. Jesus is only for the chosen people of God. He's not for everyone.

And now that you know that you can begin to see the riddle inherent in John 3:16.

 

[Edward Gordon]

Everyone who really believes in and loves God needs to grow. There are, I believe, a lot of stagnant places around because of a lot of stagnant people. So many have found, so they seem to believe, a stopping place where they can wait until they are caught to Him at the end of their course. I suspect many, if they even are allowed to see it, will be disappointed.

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52
Jesus according to what is written grew. Are we not to be like him?

Well said.

 

[DancesWithGnostics]

Hey, Amadeus - I forget what board(s) I usually see you at... or what my usernames would be there - howdy anyway.

 

[Waiting on him]

You have to understand that the Gospels are for now. They may reference history, there may be things that seem historical in them, but they are the life and teachings of the Son of God. You cannot look at that and say, "Well, Jesus was just for the ancient Israelites." If you do, then you might as well not be a Christian. You might as well admit that whole ministry is finished. But that's not the case. The Gospels are for now.

So, when Jesus said that to his disciples, he meant what he said. When he says it to us today, he means what he says, but Israel is now symbolic. I mean, it doesn't even exist anymore. It barely existed then. I mean, it was occupied and controlled by Rome. Oh, I know there's an artificial country we created after WWII, but we just carved that out of what had been the Palestinians for centuries. A Muslim temple sits where the Jewish temple sat and has for 1500 years. Israel is symbolic for God's chosen people. Not the Jews.

No, no, once they nailed Jesus of Nazareth to a cross, that was it. When they said, "His blood be on us and our children." They got exactly that.

So, the passages you quote up there are 100% true, but they are not historic. They are spirit. Jesus is only for the chosen people of God. He's not for everyone.

And now that you know that you can begin to see the riddle inherent in John 3:16.

Colossians 1:23 KJV
[23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
You need the epistles, it’ll help with your delusions.