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[conrad]

hi,

My name is Dave. 28 years young as of yesterday. I live in a middle-sized town called Leicester in the centre of England. I'm just about to start a Masters degree in Creative technologies (hiding from the "real world" in education forever, or at least the aeon). My spiritual/religious/psychological is, like most, varied with highs and lows. I was raised a Catholic, wooed by evangelical Christianity's depiction of a real, personal Jesus, ever unsure of the fact I was already meant to be "saved". Moved away from home to London, spent sometime church hopping from Charismatic, Pentecontal, Prosperity gospel, Reformed Basptist et al. Became a member of a staunchly conservative Calvinistic Baptist church in the Capital. Worked doing sundry things around the church convinced it was all spiritual and drinking in the mixture of Scripture (or should that be BIBLE- AV, half-truths, separatist wranglings and downright (though well meaning) lies. Then one day my mind snapped. It was as if the world had gone mad. I went to the only place I knew that could help- the church. Needless to say things did not improve. Seven years pass. I try to maintain my mental health and keep God and the Bible at a distance. I was literally at times scared to read the Bible. I tried to occupy myself, but laziness, pride and all manner of distasteful habitual sin had me.

One day, through chance (NOT), or my own Free Will (NOT) or the foresight and Grace of my Father (hmmm) I browsed my way to bible-truths. I was captivated by what I read and just devoured pretty much all of Ray's articles. Straight way God seemed to impress on my heart that Hell really was a hoax, that He IS love and that all (including my late father ,who departed this life when I was four) ) would finally know and enjoy their wonderful gracious Creator. A weight of alienation, fear and guilt that had burdened me most of my adult life disappeared. I saw things clearly for the first time. That was a little over a year ago. Since then I have read a wide range of Universalist literature, but keep being drawn back to this site. I plan to re-read The Lake of fire series, which it blew me away on first go, as I sense there is much depth contained in those papers, and much truth yet to be applied to my life. God has given me the privilege of sharing the "Wider hope" with friends within and out of the Church. But I am conscious that Truth must, in Mr Smith's words, be "internalised" until it will be any use to others. Well, it's been a bumpy ride (and a lenghty message). But with Such a Saviour I wlecome the future whatever it may hold and look forward to meeting brethren with different stories from all over the globe.

Well, I wish you all well, and look forward to chatting with some of you folks on this crazy old world wide web.

Peace. And quiet.

Dave (conrad)

[dawnnnny]

Peace.  And Quiet.

WOW I love that!  Welcome Dave to the Forum.  It is amazing what we all go through to get here (the truth that is), isn't it?  I saw one of your posts earlier this evening and thought "hmmm, did I welcome him???"  and then I found this post.

So Welcome Brother! 
I know you will be blessed by the fellowship of these saints!

Much Love,
Dawn

[gmik]

Hi Dave.  Welcome to our little place in the Son.  I loved your post.  What a journey you have had! Have you ever e mailed Ray to tell him what you just told us???  You know he gets so many hate mails, yours would make his day!!

There are several around from the UK on board.  Glad to have you. (my mothers side came over to Virginia in the early 1700's, and my dad's side to escape the potato famine in Ireland- I have been there(UK) once and loved it, my daughter spent a semester at Cambridge and a semester in ummm Scotland, somewhere, my youngest spent a couple of weeks in West of England-)anyhow, I digress

[Kat]

Hi Dave,

I glad you have joined us 
I believe you will be surprised at how much you get when you reread the articlesd at BT.  I kept seeing things that I don't even remember reading the first time through, and it seem you keep finding more and more every time you reread.  If you haven't listen to the audios http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,13.0.html you will find even more to learn there.
I hope you can share with us your perspective on what Ray teaches.  I think you will find that having the fellowship of likeminded people can be a real benefit, so do join in.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[dawnnnny]

[cjwood]

oi dave (conrad),
leicester stated as lester right? learned about how to properly say the name of leicester watching futbol with my husband. he is american born but grew up internationally then landed in london to go to school. he graduated from ASL (american school of london). anyway, arsenal supporters we are.  but, glad to have you on the forum.  i experienced the same delights and life changing truths as you did when i (er, God leading the way) came across ray smiths bible-truths.

okay. good to have you here.  enjoy leicester. enjoy the life God has given you and hold strong through the healing/gehenna rain that come to us in the love God gave.

cheers,
claudia

[cjwood]

oi dave (conrad),
leicester stated as lester right? learned about how to properly say the name of leicester watching futbol with my husband. he is american born but grew up internationally then landed in london to go to school. he graduated from ASL (american school of london). anyway, arsenal supporters we are.  but, glad to have you on the forum.  i experienced the same delights and life changing truths as you did when i (er, God leading the way) came across ray smiths bible-truths.

okay. good to have you here.  enjoy leicester. enjoy the life God has given you and hold strong through the healing/gehenna rain that come to us in the love God gave.

cheers,
claudia

sorry, i meant to say "the healing/gehenna rain that comes to us in the life God gave".                   

[skydreamers]

Thanks for sharing some of your story, I look forward to reading more from you!

Peace to you,
Diana

[DuluthGA]

'APPY 'APPY TO 'ERE FROM YOU CONRAD!

A WARM WELCOME TO YA, and you sound like good fun from the prospective that you've been around the ol' robin a few times... 

wink wink nudge nudge

Now........... what have we HERE NOW!  Come forth!  We would love to have you among us!

Grow.... share.... learn... be....

With Christian love,
Janice

[Beloved]

Welcome aboard Conrad

Sounds like you have been seeking down multiple paths. Praise God that He is Faithful.

It is going to be hard to explain to friends and family and they will npt understand that there is No Hierarchy  No Group Name , No Creeds No buildings etc

Just slaves and Followers of Christ who try dilgently to study His Word and allow Him to Work in us so that we can obey and know the Father's will.



Look forward to your posts. Despite the time difference we really can fellowship here.


Beloved

[Sue Creamer]

Dave,

Welcome and greetings from Maryland, good ole USA.

peace
Sue Ann

[chav]

Hi Dave

Welcome It's good to see others joining from the Uk . I know Leicester very well having lived there for approx ten years . I now live on the south coast in Bournemouth.Like you I stumbled (so I thought) upon BT just over a year ago it's been a real eye opener to say the least.
all the best

Dave

[conrad]

hey all,

thanks for all your welcomes, and the happy birthday. I am greatly looking forward to getting to know people to fellowship and grow in grace and truth and love. I pray these would not be lifeless theological words, but a reality in our lives Or just goof round, shoot the breeze and generally chat.

Yes, I have been listening to Ray's audio's. He can be pretty funny... with his little pet sayings (from when detractors/ skeptics point out a conradiction or error in his teachings) "I had a thousand emails from people saying 'Ray!'... 'RAY!' ". Christian theologians know what's what right? "Wrong Paleface!" If you've not, have a listen- they are priceless. I like Ray's use of humour and sarcasm. He really brings out the absurdity of many doctrines of Christendom. But I am convinced it is not an attack just to be nasty but rather is founded on love.

I did message Ray once, to let him know how much I appreciated the site, but never got a response- I know he must be extremely busy, and don't mind really, just wanted to encourage him to keep going strong in the work wish him well. I realise there are all manner  of unimportant issues/ questions/ attacks tha keep him  from the vital work he should be doing.

Well, I'd love to know more about y'all. Hope everything's just fine and dandy.

Oh and Janice... "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

love to all,

Dave

[Kat]

Hi Dave,

You are really perceptive in your view of Ray, But I am convinced it is not an attack just to be nasty but rather is founded on love.  I see Ray monthly at the Biblestudies and I would say you have him pegged just right 

Have you been to the 'Who Am I' board yet?  http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,16.0.html
That will help you get to know some of the people here, a little better.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[LittleBear]

Hi there Dave,

We are having a British Invasion here!!! That's a GOOD thing!

Great to have you here. I too did a bit of church hopping in my day, never feeling settled anywhere. It's SO nice to be where God has us now, isn't it? I'm looking forward to your posts.

Ursula

[DuluthGA]

Dave
HA! 

Love that Monty Python line!

So glad you have brightened our day!



CHERRIO, and make yourself quite at home.
Janice

HA URSULA... our posts were 43 seconds apart!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hello Conrad

You note : But I am conscious that Truth must, in Mr Smith's words, be "internalised" until it will be any use to others.

I believe that this Forum is our training ground to internalise the Truth of God. You made this most relevant point. Thank you.

Welcome to the Forum

Peace to you

Arcturus

[Grateful]

Hi Dave!

I'm a newbie too, and my life took a very circuitous (torturous?) route to get me to the point where I "stumbled onto" Ray's BT website, and once I discovered it, I just DEVOURED it...I was SO HUNGRY for the TRUTHS that Ray revealed in the Scriptures!  I have a Bible right here by the computer, and every time Ray gave a Scriptural quote address, I would look it up, to verify that the Bible DID indeed say what Ray typed up in his articles.   I found myself smiling OFTEN as I read one happy discovery after another on BT!  I don't ever remember smiling so much in ANY other spiritual literature I've ever read in my life.  I've studied other religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism (a little), Taoism, regular Protestant literature, off-the-beaten-path spiritual literature, Hinduism, and NONE have satisfied me ANYwhere near as much as Ray Smith's enlightening articles.  I've read ALL of Ray's articles & posted Emails on his main page, but I'm QUITE SURE that if I were to re-read it NOW, from this vantage-point in my life, I would GAIN even more out of them!  ;-DDD  (emoticon for Biiiig Smile......I still don't can't get my computer to use the BBC's and Smileys into my posts!  Don't know if it's me or the computer yet, as I've already read the "how-to's" of using the BBC's and Smileys several times!).  I found BT two years ago THIS month, and have had a tremendous burden lifted off my life, spiritually.  NO Hell??  YAY!!   ALL will be IN Heaven WITH GOD one gorgeous Beautiful Day?!!  Rah!!   :->  !!

Thank you for joining the BT Forum, Dave!  And "God Bless you real Good!!"  ;-DDD  I look forward to seeing you show up on board when you can find the time!

Linda