I know you guys must think I have nothing better to do <smile> but when I was
trying to put some books up finally, after living back here for almost three
months, I came across the Philly Mag. so I looked at the article, and I
skimmed it - boy it is long.
(I think I want my pastor to read it, which I never thought to give it to him
when I first read it, but I want him to be informed some of what Jim and I
have been through).

Anyway, it impressed me again, how Sara Weiss is quoted about there being 3
levels of sin.

The first one is sins like murder and adultery and gossip. (Just your
standard ten commandment stuff.)  Then there is living both as a Christian
and "of this world," (translate: not in COBU) and then thirdly, there is
"trusting your own sight/ideas."  That's the one Sara said "always got her
into trouble."  (Also, nothing like ST making them "twice the children of
hell" as the Scripture says of the religious ones who pile on more rules to
converts, more even than the Levitical Laws).

Reading that again it just struck me again how entrenched is that idea that
they (and in their minds "we") can't think for ourselves, and how to "live in
the world" is so "evil;" really what that means is if you "enjoy" anything is
must be sinful. What a crock, first of all, and how enslaving, but also how
insidious.  So no matter what evidence is put before them, they are not
privileged or "enlightened" enough to interpret it for themselves.  ST has a
Florida tan, drinks the good apple juice while everyone else gets the
generic, has remote controlled drapes... hey, "Elijah never had it so
good..." would not even enter their minds.

The reasons they would move to Atlanta aren't so much that they have new
territory and new converts to make, out of their concern for souls being
saved.  It is that Philly is burned out - hence Tom P's observation that the
Better (GetA)Way Cafe is boarded up.  Those figures quoted on the deposits
taken in - now that was an obscene amount of money.  You can tell that if old
ST only wanted to retire rich, he could have done so by now. His brokers
could have used that money in the past to invest and he'd be "comfortable."
But all the more it shows how the whole thing is about power, and spiritual
deception, and ST never being satisfied.  Insatiable - a word used to
describe Hell for sure.

The header to the article said that those who left (us) are "betting their
souls" that ST isn't right.  For so many of us, thankfully, we have found the
"sure bet" is the real Jesus, and that big issue, that ST just so happened to
"forget": salvation by grace alone.

Anyway, just counting my blessings that ALL levels of sin, real (and
imposed!), are covered by the Blood, and there is freedom and healing.
Aren't you glad you are thinking for yourself today?
Nancy C.