Comment 2 from Brother Raymond. This was on one of the “Perky Bob” posts.
He is wery wery disappointed with me.
As I read this my emotions flicker through me like a power point slideshow. Click, sadness, click anger, click frustration. I am trying to hold myself together because the way you view these people is so unreal, so unloving. Your degrading nicknames and scorn (“Perky Bob”?? Aren’t there a lot worse things a person could be called?) , what were you expecting here? You see people that are weak and smash them emotionally. Proverbs say the wicked find no good in their neighbor. (Okay. This is what scares me. This mindset that makes such HUGE leaps in thought. Calling Perky Bob “Perky Bob” is in NO way the same as finding “no good” in him. He was actually a nice man, just too perky and too ….. much for us at the time. And it’s nice to see that he’s finding so much good in me, no?) So you go to church running on emotional fumes, obviously full of gall and bitterness, expecting…what? Other broken people to give you the answers to the reason why some Christians seem so out of touch with reality? (Hm. Why DO some Christians seem so out of touch with reality, Brother Raymond?) A hug, some hot coco, a foot rub? (Don’t mean to be wicked, but it’s actually cocoA, and my answers are: no, yes, and yes.) What irritates me most is you wrote this stuff BEFORE you had your bad experience. (Yes, because some stuff happened before other stuff. Damn you, time!) So you were already slandering these people in your heart (There it is again. That weird, off-kilter definition of slander. How is something anonymous “slander”? Are you sure you don’t go to an FOC church, Ray?? Some Christians view slander as any questioning of anything church and /or Christian related), and on your blog way before they disappointed you. If I was Bob and I read this post I would be heartbroke. (Because I am, naturally, using his real name, posting his face and mine and sending him the link to this FOC blog so he knows I’m referring to him) You just don’t seem to get it. Maybe the reason you have had so many horrible experiences with others is because you draw spirits that are like yourself. It is God showing you yourself manifest in another person and you loath yourself so much you loath them. (WOW. Also: I cannot keep correcting your spelling. It’s a full-time job.) Honestly, if you truly loved Christ you should dump this blog..re write your experience with a little more grace toward others if you need to tell the world how mistreated you have been, and let it go. You are doing, by these writings, exactly what you claim to burn with righteous hatred against. (I know for a fact that I have never said I “burn with righteous hatred” against anything, although my crankypants are frequently tight) Its like passive aggressive full assault because you couldn’t just be real (???) with these people. I pray you repent of this evil. (Again, WOW.) I don’t know if I can even finish this blog. I am trying to learn about the movement but its hard to see through all the self-aggrandizement, false humility, and put downs. All from a person who is to cowardly to show her own face on her blog case someone gave you a nice nickname that was degrading based on your appearance. (What are you even TALKING about?? You know, I love those nice but also degrading nicknames. What?) Please stop this. It is an affront to Christ and shameful. I hope someone doesn’t put all your dirt of front street because by the sounds of it you might totally break down. (Where is Front Street?) Or maybe someone did and that’s why your so bitter but why return the evil and do it here. I don’t even know these people and it angers me to see you savage them (“Perky” is savage? Saying that I didn’t want to go to lunch with a total stranger is savage??) …maybe just because I know they may be Christians in need of more grace than you are willing to give.
Yowza, yamahama, and amen.
More to come. Soon, his head explodes.
All right, I’m not sure who this fellow is (I need to get caught up) but this line really stuck out: I don’t know if I can even finish this blog.
Why is he even trying to finish this blog? I mean, why not just forget about it and go on with his life?
I think everyone would be happier.
// As I read this my emotions flicker through me like a power point slideshow. //
I am being honest, I am having a tough time getting past that first sentence.
His faith sounds really fragile.
If I had to describe you to someone, I would say, “Oh, that Tracey. She sees people that are weak and smashes them emotionally.”
“As I read this my emotions flicker through me like a power point slideshow.”
Ron Burgundy read your blog? COOL!
“I am trying to hold myself together because the way you view these people is so unreal, so unloving.”
I doubt Ray-Ray’s grasp of reality. If it means “what actually occured,” well, it sounded fairly realistic to me when I read it. People act thoughtlessly toward each other on a regular basis. There’s a mindset where other people are only important because of the opportunity they give to The Self to feel important and loved and in control. They’re literally food items to an insatiable Ego. And news flash, that is completely unlovable, and ought not to be loved. Where it has taken the place of God’s grace, it should be fought remorselessly, before it claims The Self and everyone nearby.
“If I was Bob and I read this post I would be heartbroke.”
If that were in fact true, it might actually help Bob. Realizing that you’re actually the whole problem with you is often heartbreaking. Those breaks are sometimes the only possible avenue to permit Love Himself to enter where he needs to live if we are not to perish.
“Maybe the reason you have had so many horrible experiences with others is because you draw spirits that are like yourself. It is God showing you yourself manifest in another person and you loath yourself so much you loath them.”
Wait, what? That’s how God corrects and disciplines us? He gives us opportunities to loathe others? He shows us people as miserable as we are, gives us chances to despise them? Is that your reason for writing all of this bilge, Ray-Ray? Testify!
“Its like passive aggressive full assault because you couldn’t just be real (???) with these people.”
Or, it’s explaining what she found troubling and why. Sounds rather open and humble, actually, instead of something like a bitter scolding lecture and finger-wagging. Why don’t you be real with yourself here, Ray-Ray?
“I am trying to learn about the movement but its hard to see through all the self-aggrandizement, false humility, and put downs.”
I think you’ve got the gist of the movement down just fine, cupcake.
“It is an affront to Christ and shameful.”
I agree! Who are we talking about again?
“I hope someone doesn’t put all your dirt of front street because by the sounds of it you might totally break down. Or maybe someone did…”
Someone did. Her name is Tracey, and she’s a remarkable lady and daughter of God. Too bad you had so much trouble reading the blog, or understanding it, or understanding HER. I think you deserve a full refund from whatever Ministering School you attended.
“I don’t even know these people and it angers me to see you savage them…
You don’t know Tracey, either, and yet here you go. What was that bit you wrote about God showing you your own behavior?
“Soon, his head explodes.”
I brought eye protection.
OK, I’m sorry I went on, but Ray-Ray frosts my flakes. And I hope I didn’t permanently bollix the HTML tags.
sheila — Hahahahahaha.
NF — You are the BEST. I swear. I am SO glad we are friends. Thank you for having my back.
Nightfly, kudos to you for analyzing the wonder that is Ray-Ray so aptly.
Like Sheila, I got stuck on As I read this my emotions flicker through me like a power point slideshow. And then I started imagining what Ray-Ray must be like in person, and, well, those were distinctly uncharitable thoughts. Amusing, but uncharitable.
I’ll go sit in the corner now and do my best to muffle my giggling.
I just made up a horrible drinking game: do a shot every time he uses a “church” buzzword/catchphrase. You’re wasted by line 3.
The creative writing group has conferred, and the consensus is that Ray-Ray needs to “kill his darlings.” He must love the sound of his artfully crafted (but poorly spelled) comments and thinks he’s a genius.
Kate P — Hahahaha. Sounds like a fun game ……
RT — Yes, the “click” of his power point emotions. I suggest an orthopedist.
I’ve been away for awhile (and I’ve missed you!)so I’m kinda outta the loop, but good grief! How did he even find your blog? I agree with all the comments above. I never asked to read the password-protected posts, but I have read every other post here (till I lost internet), and it boggles my mind how he can come away with an impression of you (and the goings-on with FOC/maybe church, etc.) that is so starkly different than mine…