This is my first post.
I have enjoyed reading this thread.
I have not read all of Ray’s material yet, but I’m well on the way. Perhaps I am naïve, but Ray’s interpretation of Gods message makes good sense to me, honest and truthful.
Yes I can relate to your comments Eileen, although I would not say I was a clean slate.
I was born 50 years ago, raised in a dysfunctional family. There were many words yelled by my parents - God wasn’t one of them. My father was a drinker. My mother addicted to prescription pills. My parents argued a lot. They blamed each other for the shortage of money. There was abuse in our family. I left home young, angry and confused. I completed a carpentry apprenticeship. I have coughed and spluttered my way through life, always working hard though. Creating wealth would solve my problems I figured. Pot was my best friend for almost 20 years. It anesthetized my feelings. About seven years ago somebody said if you don’t forgive your parents you will always be angry. I hadn’t spoken to my father for 25 years. I wished him dead. The concept of forgiveness was insanity to me. When will my father apologise to me I asked. That’s not the point. You clean up your side of the street and trust God to take care of the rest. Trust God, but I don’t trust anybody. However, being desperate, I gave it a go. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, and only after praying, I fronted him. I listened to his story. He later wrote me a letter. He said he was sorry and that he loved me. I did the same. Shortly after I posted this letter to him I walked alone along a beach. I literally felt a huge weight lift off me shoulders. What a miracle - the first of many. I now saw him not as a monster but somebody with a problem. I learned that it’s in forgiving that we are forgiven. And those distant spiritual truths are far more powerful than my silly thinking. The enemy had me fooled for a long time. So I then attended 12 step programmes, for about 3 years. This was a good stepping-stone for it, amongst many other good things, introduced me to the concept humility. I have not any taken drugs, alcohol or cigarettes since. Gods grace – incredible! I started reading the Bible about 4 years ago. Shortly after, tiring of the 12 steps programmes, I tried attending the local Church(s), for about 3 months. It just didn’t work for me. Although I enjoyed some aspects including the singing, their message, and environment, seemed shallow, like a hollow log. I even tithed a couple of times, much to my shame.
So here I am today reading and learning from Ray. So although I do not relate as well as others on this forum to exposing the heresies concept I do enjoy the whole learning experience embedded within Ray teachings. Ray mentioned on one of his tapes that he was not aware of anyone coming out of Babylon that did not first get corrupted the Church - so did I come out of Babylon – I don’t know?
One thing I do know. I have peace today, and I feel God directing me here.
Phill B