Comments on: Raised a Swedenborgian: A Personal Testimony

By: Kurt

Kurt — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:57:34 +0000

Dale,

It sounds like things look more hopeful for you, now that you’ve found your way “out.” You might find the website

http://www.freedomchurchnetwork.com/

of interest, with its emphasis on freedom.

My personal goal is to try to come out the other side, valuing the remarkable teachings of the Second Advent while avoiding/rejecting past misintreptations of it by various individauls and organizations with an axe to grind or political power to accumulate.

By: Dale Sharpsteen

Dale Sharpsteen — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:39:44 +0000

I was raised in this era with you and just stumbled on this website. My mother (Lois) was a convert. I fortunately found my way out to more sane places. I remember singing a song about children in heaven and spots on dresses – just crazy to do that to a child, so wrong. I wish it was unlawful to religiously indoctriate children. It’s so tough to get out, and so tough to recover. The conditioning is so powerful to do it to your own children – terrible cycle, people lose their souls.
Reading this causes a pit in my stomach – I’m so grateful to be out.

By: Alfie Sandstrom

Alfie Sandstrom — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:26:53 +0000

Kurt and all other interested and interesting people herein;

I was a classmate of Kurt in the senior year at the Academy in Bryn Athyn and therefore share a similar experience in religious upbringing. My father also was an ordained minister in the faith. Through my father, however, I never felt the “distancing from Jesus” you have mentioned. Jesus the Christ was always the main subject of devotion in my father’s teaching and preaching – always in the light of the revelation of the second coming of course.

I could agree that religion as was taught to us at the Academy was perhaps overly “Swedenborgian” and underly Christian. But, in my mind, I never separated the two.

What did impress me was the new concept of how Jesus saved us through overcoming all the powers of hell during his crucifixion. Not through some “Divine Pity” from the Father, a concept with which I have trouble.

Interestingly, that, (to me), false concept comes primarily from the Epistles of Paul. In my mind I have for some time called traditional Christianity by the name of “Paulianity”.

Your story of alienation from our church as an organization is a sad one, but perhaps a well deserved criticism. I have had my own falling out with the faith, but for entirely different reasons than yours, and not pertinent to the current discussion.

I admire what you are doing in these pages and encourage you to keep it up!

Alfie

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:07:25 +0000

Growing up in the so, called christian church, many false persuasions concerning religion stuck with me. until my mother was introduced to Swedenborg. Sixteen years ago now and at first it was sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly, but because I had a question for the Our Lord Jesus Christ ? What was the purpose of our life, outside of working and taking care of the home, is that it. Well, the Lord not only answered my question, but has kept me feet moving for sixteen years, through temtations , and frustrations, and blessings, revelations all revealing that through his Glorified Divine Human we all have been given the gift of his salvation if only we freely choose it, that we are all unworthy of his love and mercy, that he came and is coming for sinners, that acknowledge that he is the way, the truth and the life, and that no man cometh to the father, but through the son. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Divine name for his Love towards mankind.

By: Brothertrucker

Brothertrucker — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:59:06 +0000

You got me. That final statement Kurt about “His comings” says so much. This is what I have been studying and stressing for so many years now. This new expanded knowledge has been hidden in plain view for thousands of years and the kingdom it points to establishing is I feel overdue.
I read the prophecies of Isaiah a fair time back concerning a peacefull kingdom that will exist on the earth during the end time and have done a lot of thinking and research into what this means.
I understand that Swedenborg believed that the second coming was current and have been trying to get more information on his teachings to see how they might possibly extend my own understanding on the subject with no luck. I live in Saskatoon Saskatchewan where there is a church of some type, at least there is a contact # listed in the Swedenborg directory but several phone calls to this # have had no results.
As I said I believe this message is absolutely essential and want to gather all the pertinent information I can before I publish my research. I am in the midst of putting together a CD entitled the gospel according to Brother Trucker. As the title indicates it is the gospel commented on in plain language that most truckers can relate to. Although I spent most of my life as a trucker I also spent the last few years as a social worker before retireing and have a background in theology.
Funds are limited at this point. I have a huge investment in books already and cannot afford much more on my fixed income. Your understanding and Swedenborgs of the second coming and the peacefull kingdom would be most helpfull.
You talk about new organizations to arrize and address what we have missed. Perhaps a discussion group around points you have made would be a good start to this goal. I compliment you on your vision. Do not surrender. HELP PLEASE Kent
Let me talk to Richard. What you say is true about belonging. I also go to church. Dont think I may be censuring you, but dont forget in this to remember the old testament prophets who stood alone in a church that condemened and murdered them.
There is a time when belonging must give way to believing. Jesus our dear leader exemplified this in His life and He promised His followers could meet a similiar fate.
The sincere are not always welcome. A conscience is a terrible thing to waste and when we ask questions that prick an almost dead and incoherent conscience we are often met with hostility. Do not expect all your answers to be met with intelligent dialog. We are lucky to have found Kurt and people like him. Speak your truth anyway. Good luck and God bless. Kent

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:03:01 +0000

I am reminded of something said to me years ago,that makes perfect sense after reading Kurts article of 8/3/08. “RELIGION DIVIDES BUT CHRIST UNITES. ” How often I have found this to be true in my 45+ years of searching for that intimate union with Him.

I have many friends of different Christian sects,but very few who can differentiate between religion and Christ. They are so bogged down by their denominational teachings,taboos and traditions that they are blind to beauty of Christ Jesus Himself. No one reading this is going to comprehend my meaning unless they have an experiential relationship with Him. So, that is all I can say about it until the Spirirt puts that desire into one’s heart.

I will add,that I do fellowship with a “denominational” group,although I cannot accept all they teach. But,I believe that we must be joined in some way to a Christian Body in order to be of USE. A Christian is not saved alone. He/She is incorporated,or joined in union with, a Body of believers,with Christ as The Head, to be of USE.
By personal,daily Bible study,along with the Writings,one can stay clear of the old traditional hangups,any group has.

Richard

By: Kurt

Kurt — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:12:03 +0000

Kurt says

I was sad to learn that Rob shared my religious experience growing up, that I reviewed in my rundown above. If I were him, I sure wouldn’t want to share it! I feel like, as a child and adolescent, I in effect asked my church for bread and a fish and was given a stone and a snake (Matt. 7:9). 50 years later I am belatedly struggling to correct a lot of misinformation that habitual use has burned into my thought down to almost reflex level, and to create a connection to Jesus that I wasn’t meaningfully aware even existed as an option. Yes, I certainly knew of the standard Christian teachings about Jesus, and discussed them on occasion with Christian friends. But the religious teachings of my growing-up years taught me those groups and individuals were all “old church,” and had the wrong idea. So when I discovered 50 years later that I had some pretty wrong ideas, that I wasn’t even really a Christian, it was pretty disorienting! And, like a stone dropped in a pool, the ripples of these realizations spread out in every direction in my life. The cold and complexly rational experience that my background had taught me was what religion was all about had spilled out and affected relationships in every direction, from my marriage and child-raising to my opinions about the frailties of people I knew or heard of.

I don’t mean to suggest that all of this was my church’s fault. I’ve made a lot of dumb decisions for which the buck stops right here at my own free will. But I do feel a sense of betrayal and, even more, of break-your-heart lost opportunity. If I had known a half-century ago what I do today about relating to Jesus, it would have changed the course of my life. And from all I hear, I am not alone in this. Indeed, if we all had listened to the mandates that Jesus so lovingly prescribed, maybe we would already have been able to work with Him to make this world a better place.

Well, looking back is the nature of an old fogie, which I have become, alas! But I would like to think that, while our generation didn’t get it right, our mistakes will help those coming up after us to do better. The Good News of the Lord Jesus will certainly not be denied, and I expect new organizations to arise, dedicated to the teachings of both His Comings, that will help carry His banner and impact the world to an extent that we can now only dimly imagine.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:15:23 +0000

Hello Mr Nash, Kurt alerted me to your email. Thanks for taking an interest. I would like to talk with you about what you suggest,both books and possible connection with someone in my area.
I will try and call early next week.
The experiential part of Faith is most important to me,not just the intellectual,so I appreciate your last comment. I had lots of head knowledge for years,but it did not move me to action,until I experienced the reality of the Living Lord Jesus.
That is one reason why ES appeals to me; his emphasis on the conjunction of Love and Faith which must produce action or Use. I don’t know if I am expressing it quite right,being a novice of ES’s Writings,but I ‘m sure you get my meaning.

In Him, Richard

By: Rob Nash

Rob Nash — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:55:51 +0000

Kurt:
Good to hear your story. Growing up down the street from you, we shared the same experiences several years apart. I know someone in Richard’s area that he could talk to. I’m currently manager of the Bookstore in the Cathedral at Bryn Athyn, so I could help him with any questions about publications. My phone # is 267-502-4922. I’m a church universal kind of guy, so I hope I’d make him feel welcome. In the Bookstore today we emphasis Jesus Christ our Lord and the Ten Commandments as the basis for our faith. My own experience of a spiritual rather than religious faith began at 37. It has been an exciting journey!

By: Kurt

Kurt — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:42:53 +0000

Richard,

I’m afraid I don’t have much to suggest in the way of nearby fellow believers. There’s a group something like 3 hours away, but, given your focus on Jesus, I am not sure how comfortable you would feel with them. However, I will keep my radar on and let you know if I hear from or about anyone that would be pertinent.

Changing gears – you mention that you like reading articles on that “other website” I link to. I’m curious to know which that site is (since I link to several).

Your friend in faith,

Kurt