Hi Ray,
Before anything else, I need to clear the fact that I was born in another Country (Argentina) and even though I've lived in
the USA for many years as well as becoming an US Citizen, there may be problems to understand my writing in English,
so please, be patient, understanding and merciful with me when reading what I'll continue to write down below.
I present myself with my name (which is Daniel) followed with some background about me.
Since I was born, my Mother introduced me in the Baptist Doctrine by presentation "to the Lord", that is (in a way) a
ritual or "part of the Baptist (perhaps Christendom) creed" in which members of a determined "Church" present to God
(As in an offering) their babies.
This type of ritual, unlike in the Catholic Church, does not include the sprinkling of water over the babies' heads, but
rather "a presentation to the Lord (god)" followed by a prayer from the congregation and led by the "Religious Leader"
(In my case, 40 years ago was El Pastor Westbrook who was an american missionary at the time leading this Baptist
Church as "The Pastor").
From that moment on, I don't remember much other than going to the same church for many years (Sunday school) up
until the age of 9 or 10 when I reached the time (according to the creed) of losing my "innocence". In other words: "The
begining of or the transformation of an innocent kid into a Siner Kid", because part of the creed teaches that from the age
of 0 [zero] to the age of 9 - 11 every human kid "transforms" into a true nature which is a siner, a lost and hopless soul in
need of making a decision (To be or not to be)....remaining "of Adam's" or becoming "of Christ".
In order to do this, We (I say We because I was with other kids in the same boat) and with making a crucial decision of
staying at the stakes of hell fire for "eternity" or to escape it by first, accepting Christ as our personal Saviour and then,
after attending church and "training", to be Baptised by summersion of water. This I did 3 years later when closed to the
age of 12.
From there I became a "defender of the faith" (the Baptist Faith) up until I moved to the US three years later and started
to see the reality of things in many ways. From the very start I noticed that religion was the issue, and I even wonder and
marveled in seeing so many Protestant Churches everywhere when in constrast, at the time, there in Argentina were few
Protestant churches competing against the Catholic Churches (Argentina is a Catholic country) and at that time, a
country under a dictatorship very much supported by the Catholic Church and difficult it was to be a protestant back then
(The Jehovah's Witnesses were ban by the government at one point and the Catholics in special were very excited).
With time, now living in the US, I also noticed that protestant churches (the members in the US) were no different than the
Catholics Churches (members in Argentina), with only one difference.
While in Argentina, the Catholic creed was very much like...."go there and sin as much as you can and then come to
church for confession with the Padre", while on the other hand, here in the US, it went...."go there and sin as much as you
can because you are alrready saved the very moment you accepted Christ as your own personal saviour (some added:
"And baptised").
But one concept was shared by leaders in both (Catholics in Arg. and Protestant in the US)...."Do as I say but not as I
do".
Later on and even before (I would say during a very long time as a member of the Baptist Church) that I served in many
ways, even teaching in Sunday school, working as a Youth Leader, attending Crusades, etc, etc....but it wasn't until
"thoughts and ideas" which later took me to "ask myself" concepts being taught and seeing little by little that evil also
manisfested in both (Catholics & Protestant) I finally left the Chucrh and for good.
For many years I hit the books and started to do my own research and in such journey I found many, not a few, but many
people "like me".
Funny though, when answering the question of..."what is your religion?", the answer was (and still is) -I'm an Outcast
from Church-
With time and without a Church, I became a victim of another religion or sect, and it was the Jehovah's witness.
There were also many, not a few, but many like me that started to study at home (sometimes in groups) Bible study.
I don't complain, mainly because the Jehovah's Witness open my eyes in many ways and it served a purpose, but I did not
became a member because at the end I noticed that it appears very likely that the creed tends to give more importance to
the "Sociaty" than to God (Meaning the Watch Tower). But one thing is for sure, the members don't, they do not share
the "Do as I say but not as I do"...like in the case of the Catholics and Protestants, neither are their hands (JW's full of
blood) other than the issue with the blood transfussion that to them means so much that are willing to let their children die
instead of accepting it.
Another aspects of my learnings through life (all on my own) was by observation among reading other materials such as
Philosophy, Psychology and when possible, what religion teaches (Mormon's, etc).
In a conclussion, I like Karl Marx when said that religion is the opium of the people and that the only church that lights, is
the church in flames.
The truth is (In my opinion) that churches teaches anything but the word of God and scary ways to control masses. This is
true and can be seen in history just like the times during the Church killed many people in the name of God and even when
others said the truth.
Is the planet Earth the center of the Universe?, According to the church of those times, YES!!!!.
One man, whose name I can't remember at this time wrote a book in which he said that there is not such thing as the
Trinity, and guess what?, Calvin, yes!!!!!, Calvin (A protestant in charge) allowed him to die a horrible death. Another
thing this man said was that in our veins flow blood and not "air". This was according to both, Catholics and protestants
of those times, a blasphemous thing to say.
In my opinion, Ray L. Smith is no more different than those people that said the truth and exposed the true meaning of
things back then, even if that meant to go up against the "common belief of those times", such as: "Earth is the center of
the Universe".
Ray L. Smith does the same, except that he exposes the common beliefs of our times, such as "The Hell fire" which is a
totally lie!!!!.
I just wonder how many people, really, knows that Hell comes from a pagan belief of the Vikings name "Hel" and it was
more to "ice" than to fire.
I have learn more from God and of God being "outcast" (even though voluntarilly) than when I attended church and
visited many others and I know that I'm not the only one.
Let me tell a little more about me.
I work as a Correctional Officer in a Prison. In this prison, many serving time were "Preachers" (Pastors and even
Priests) and the thing is that they are not serving time because of the word of God, but rather for comitting crimes which
they don't fear to confess (Mostly for killing someone).
At the same time, I have noticed mistreatment of prisoners, abuses, etc....and funny though, these are all "Christians",
they say so because they go to church.
There is so much I could said, but because of what I learned at the academy I'm force to say no more than: "What
happens in the prison, stays in the prison".
However, this I say: "The bad ones (both, officers and offenders) belong to a church and claim to be good christians and
free from hell", full of hatred, but free from hell since after all, good christians....similar and very much like those I've
seen attacking Ray L. Smith.
Thank you for sharing your story.
God be with you,
Ray
