E-mail Received - Page 6 - 2001

February 14, 2001

Subject: Finding the truth

Dear VOT

It has been a year now since I have found your web site and let me tell you it has helped me a great deal. I have recently got my own E-mail address, and thought it time to drop you a line. I can't even imagine were to start. I have so much I want to share.

I will start by telling you my story. I was never a professing girl but my aunts were. My mother never professed but she always said that if she went to church it would be the "truth".

My grandmother started going to church in her twenties and my grandfather was born into the faith and (despite a bout with alcoholism) professed on and off all of his life. So you could say that the most religious influence in my life was the "truth". Oddly enough however that was not the only religious influence in our lives (mine and my two sisters).

As we were growing up, both me and my sisters went to a variety of different Sunday schools. On one occasion my mom and my two aunts even drove me and my two sisters to a bible camp two hours out of town. Through all their preaching about false churches neither my aunts nor my mom ever objected when we attended other churches. I am often surprised when I read other stories to realise how relatively liberal my aunts and mother were compared to other people I have read about. Looking back I often wonder if they did this because they questioned their own beliefs or they were just resigned to the fact that non of us would ever sit through one of their boring meetings.

Even with this liberal experience I did not realise how indoctrinated I was until last summer. At this time my common law and I were going through some rough times and I was considering ending the relationship. My friend, a Pentecostal, referred me to her pastor's wife for counselling. (Even with my aunts' and mother's liberal views they had considered the Pentecostals to be the bottom of the barrel as far as denominations were concerned. Did any one else find this in the truth? It seemed to me that some religions were more tolerable than others. If you have any comments on this feel free to E-mail me at kiiy14@hotmail.com) My mother and my aunts dislike was so great for the Pentecostal church that when my sisters and I would terrorise the one across the street, we were met with little or no reprimanding. So much for the love of our Christian brother.)

Anyways, back to what I was saying. Last summer I was referred to a Pentecostal Christian counsellor to resolve some issues. The first few times we met at her house. I was nervous but quickly warmed up to her as she was an excellent counsellor. Then the day happened that she wanted to meet at her office in the church as she was overseeing their summer camp activities. From the moment I walked in the door I felt an overwhelming anxiety. My first impulse was to bolt out of there as fast as I could. Imagine being afraid of a building! With some prayer however, and some counselling, I was able to settle down. We then started talking more in-depth about the truth and it was there we realised just how indoctrinated I was. She also agreed to help me to discover more about this church that called itself the truth. She started to do some research and came up with answers to all the questions I had been asking for years but were never answered. Strange to put such faith in something I knew nothing about.

She also gave me the address to the VOT website and I have faithfully kept coming back again and again.

As for right now I am currently attending a Non-denominational charismatic youth group. I was invited there by an old friend for a charismatic youth revival. At first I suffered the same panic attack I had at the other church. But this time I knew that it was not real and I had nothing to fear. It passed and I was soon wowed by something I had never seen before. I can understand why the truth was so afraid of other churches. If their people knew how exciting and full of life their walk with God could be, they would all quit and go elsewhere.

As for me I try not to be too bitter. I know now what kept me from seeking Jesus, for so long was the fear of breaking the truth. In my mind I always thought that the truth was the only way. I also knew that someday I would have to profess, though that thought revolted me. Boy was I wrong. Anyhow for right now I'm sticking with the youth group because I feel spiritually I am still an adolescent and I'm enjoying the fellowship so much.

Even though I now know the stories of the truth I still can't get over this little thought inside my mind that I am not saved because I have not worked hard enough. I imagine this will always stay with me for the rest of my life and is something I just have to live with.

All I can do is read God's word and He will let me know that I am saved by the sacrifice of Jesus.

Sincerely yours

Marianne

P.S. Just a few more things before I close. When reading all of your testimonies I have run across many strikingly small bizarre, bizarre idiosyntric habits and beliefs. Please E- mail if you have noticed the same things.

* other churches are rated as to how tolerable they are (If we were not in the truth it would be tolerated to be a Baptist but not a Pentecostal. ????? )

* they all hated cats (weird but true. All of my aunts' friends and workers would sit around and talk about how much they hated cats. I guess they had nothing better to talk about B-I-Z-A-R-R-E)

* Does any one notice that they all have stomach problems? (After a meal at my aunt's house she would bring out the anti-acids and pass them around like candy. At first I thought this was just something that happens with age but now I read differently.)

That's all I can think of right now. If you can think of any more please E-mail me at kiiy14@hotmail.com

****IF VOT would like to post this letter on their web site feel free to do so.