I grew up Pentecostal,,, I have seen laying on of hands ,,, I seen a cripple walk,,, and yes I knew her,, so I know she was Paralyzed ,, I seen her back broke,,,
I like the phrase “high demand religion”. It’s a good way to describe religious organizations that may not meet the criteria to be a cult, but can still be coercive and destructive.
@@bluecrystal3900 I don’t believe this is true. I’m not a fan of any kind of magical thinking, but I know there are zero pressure churches. I went to one before I became an atheist. The only pressure they ever applied was an emphasis on being kind. And by emphasis, I only mean they talked about being kind often.
@@ridinwithjake The majority of Christian denominations, and even individual Christian/religious people themselves, when prodded with questions about which one or why this or that, will often self-delude with the "No True Scotsman" logical fallacy to protect their feelings and falsely resolve cognitive dissonance. Where everything related to their dearly held cultural beliefs cannot be bad in any way and thus only their current denomination/beliefs are the "true Christianity" and any other real Christians they don't like due to beliefs or actions are "not really Christian" because they have the "wrong denomination" or if not then "just look bad in my estimation." The bibliolatry of Joshua/Jesus (in the various Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic canons) says that "you will know them by their fruits/products" so then they want to think and claim that "since I think the product is bad then it wasn't real Christianity that influenced it." The No True Scotsman fallacy is a sort of circular reasoning and begging the question (assuming the conclusion regardless of facts, where facts can be colored and cramped in attempts to fit the preconceived conclusion that was indoctrinated during naivety/naivete').
I survived growing up in a literalist pentecostal church like this (as a trans person no less). My depression? A demon. Find alcohol under my bed in high school? Burn all of my nerd books. Got out years ago but my mum is still in, I wish I could help her get free but she's too far gone.
@@CultstoConsciousness you shouldnt knock the phrase demon, because many times it's a person's (own demon) their own mind. If you hear someone who insulted you once, and you hear it over and over the next 10 years, then YOU are haunting yourself with their voice, that person is NOT the problem; you are that you cant just bury the one insult.
@@thecommentor1064 someone who insults others IS a problem and HAS a problem. And I understand that it is neccessary to break dow complex issues into more simple bites to understand them in the first place. But simplifying the whole issue the way you do is a problem in itself for getting awareness for mental health problems and helping people who are suffering from them. It's not "demons". And changing your whole mindset, your whole perspective is not something you "just" do. You'd know if you actually listened to what the people in these videos are talking about.
As a former pentecostal also from NC, Derek’s background and experiences rings so true! Wow! I’ve never heard him go so much into detail and have my background match so much of his! He is so correct, everything with pentecostals is spiritual and demonic in nature! Laying on of hands, speaking in tongues, healings, and casting out of demons, and also looking for demonic signs in others is totally my childhood in pentecostal. It’s taking me so many years to realize how sick that was and how to overcome that programming.
@@CultstoConsciousnessIt's interesting how you call the Bible "Mythology" in your Title? Hmmm... Would you call 'Big Bang THEORY" a Fact or a MYTHOLOGY? And how about DARWINIAN evolution Theory?
@Akasmokey, I'm not Pentecostal, so I didn't grow up in that type of environment. But are you Denying the existence of demons or the reality of demonic possession? Why don't you watch some videos about people who become demonically possessed after taking part in voodoo rituals ? There is plenty of online videos for you to watch. These people are Not Christians and so they would not be biased towards Christian beliefs.
@@morticiag Are you really not aware that every religion that is not adhered to by one is referred to as mythology? A “theory” in science is the highest achievement possible. It’s not a colloquial theory where you pull an opinion out of your arse. And there is no reason to believe demons exist.
@@morticiagthey are denouncing the exploitation of that beliefs. Some church’s don’t preach God but only demons all the time, it is worrisome. As a Christian, you wanted go to church worship God and learn about the invisible world, but it is completely out of control to some church’s. I am from South America, and whatever happens in USA, it would became a practice there as well. With only a few cultural differences, little things. But it is not good going to church anymore, it is demons everywhere, very stressful.
I played keyboards in the orchestra for a "full gospel" (raising of hands, speaking in tongues, laying on of hands...) Baptist church when I was in college. On the last verse of the final song before the sermon, we always modulated up a half step and played more grandly or something like that, and that was when, as if on cue, the Holy Spirit would descend upon the congregation. Everyone would stand and raise their hands... For awhile I thought that was really neat. Later on it seemed to me to be musical manipulation. At that point I had to quit the orchestra. I can't speak for any other musician there, but for me it was not authentic, and I couldn't perpetuate that illusion.
I grew up in a Pentecostal Church. I’m not a musician but I clearly saw the musical manipulation. To this day I cannot stay within ear shot of Amazing Grace or Rock of Ages. In my adult life, I’ve had lots of therapy and a good amount of it felt like “religious recovery.”
As a church musician myself (albeit probably in a very different church setting--I play piano for a small country church where an attendance of two dozen would be a large Sunday), I feel like there's a huge difference between using music to express emotion and using it to manipulate emotion. My church, for instance, would never try to convince people that their emotional reactions to the music were "the Holy Spirit descending" or anything like that, and if someone did try that I think this church's members would call him out as a phony...or at least be kinda weirded out by him. We use music to _express,_ as a group, what we believe rather than to try to have an _experience._
dude I ate this interview up. THANK YOU. his personal story has SOO many similarities. When I confronted Biblical inerrancy, the rabbit hole began. His revelations are so similar to mine. Just thank you for inviting him.
Derek loves his own story, it shows and he delivers it so well. It was good food for thought and man, I kinda want to read the Bible now! His passion is very contagious
WTF youre praising that he loves himself. The life and trials of Derek whose name means gifted ruler of the people on the path and way. Oh wow must be destiny, he wont have to change his name like Vernon Howell did.
not impressed with millions finding God by doing drugs first. Do drugs then Satan will claim he is your God and your delusions can continue WITHOUT drugs. I see religious delusion all the time oozing out of people in the EXACT same way as when on drugs. Tell me God wants to inspire behavior in people that is exactly like drugs without drugs !! David Koresh spoke in tongues BEFORE his new found discovery of his being the glory of the returned christ. Koresh escape3dfrom his "bad" church and created his own "good" church so he went form bad member to great leader. That's the problem with narcissists "find their "true independence". People act as if independence means slave free from master leader; but what about someone who claims he is a slave to any and every thing unless he does the leading of all other people as slaves. Leaders pretend to sell freedom and they sell you into being slaves for THEM. That's what i see with this guy. Shem Melkizedek and Jesus turned people down saying no do not slave for me; slave for God does not mean slave for me; nor does it mean my saying well when you slave for me it isnt for me, it is for God; (games are games; just open your eyes and SEE the games).
There is a difference in churchianity and Christianity. There are true miracles. My family has experienced them. My grandfather was healed of cancer. Doctors sent him home to die. He lived 40 more years. My mother had emphysema and couldn’t get a good breath. Doctor gave her 3 years. After her healing she went back to the doctor who said the lungs he saw in her X-ray were not the ones she had before. She lived another 48 years. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. My beliefs have morphed through the years but I have never quit believing the core of Christianity.
Thank you Sheliise for bringing Derek on. What a phenomenal story with very many important life lessons learned and out of the ordinary experiences. I really like Derek's openness, passion and healthy skepticism. He is doing a lot of important work just like you trying to inform people. Thank you so much for this great episode. Keep up the good work
Mythvision is what I watch on Sunday mornings now. Derek's story is awesome. I relate to his story a lot. I'm also sober....will be 11 years this June.
Counting the days of sobriety is an odd way of overcoming substance dependency. It keeps the problem in your mind space rather than relinquishing you from it. I'm amazed people can survive and thrive with this method.
Derek, you’re so compelling, and a captivating speaker. I love your ultimate conclusion. I know people who have struggled with addiction, and they believe that god has helped them through addiction. It makes me feel so sad that they don’t know they are the ones who were able to overcome this. They steal their own faith in themselves and give it to an unseen person who they’re now beholden to forever, because they fear that without him, they will fail again.
When I first became a Christian and told an atheist friend how much more alive and free I felt, she said that the credit I should take was my own thoughts and my own accomplishments in healing myself. She could NOT have been more wrong. Before Christ came into my life I had NO GOOD direction or hope. Is my life perfect? No. Christ SAID himself we would have tribulation. When Jesus questioned his disciples if they too were going to walk away from him, they said “Where would we go. You have the words to eternal life.” If we hope in THIS life alone, we are most miserable.
I love hearing people’s stories of how religious concepts/cults influenced their personal lives and when they wake up from the spell to get out. I stumbled upon Derek in 2022 and have loved his channel. The academic viewpoint from scholars/historians is grade A. We have to be intellectually honest. I’ve come to know that religions are nothing more than man made mythological concepts peddled as true. But it’s fiction at the end of the day. Our minds make it real. Thanks for this video because I never knew this channel existed. Awesome work.
I remember a story my grandmother told me that her and a friend went into a church and when the sermon was supposed to start they turned the lights off and started to touch each others and having sex. Nothing happened to my grandmother or her friend as they rushed out of there. I have no idea what kind of church this was, where it was or what it was about but I can definitely understand why she had a negative attitude towards Christians and religion. As a Christian it breaks my heart that some people use religion in a way for their own power instead of helping people.
Derek’s story really resonates with me as an exvangelical person, i just see in him someone so driven to find the truth. I also exhausted many different christian viewpoints before i ended up leaving altogether for my own reasons. The way he talks about being convinced by your own religious experiences that you feel in your body was very relatable to me and helpful for processing my own experiences, to hear these things that kind fell from consciousness, put into words again.
Thank you for this. I grew up in a similar church and I never had the feeling that it‘s okay to be myself. It took me years to get rid of all this brain wash. And even now, my grandma just told me, that my recent motorcycle accident is gods punishment for my skull tattoo and I should remove it. They can explain everything with Jesus and try to control your behavior.
Having grown up pentecostal and poor, I can confirm that it's basically a really bigoted Dungeons and Dragons game... just, way less fun, and you feel ashamed all the time.
I've never been religious, but i feel like I've had plenty of spiritual experiences with the same feelings going on in my body and mind like how yall describe. I think it's feelings of gratitude and relief and joy and comfort and protection. My lived experiences tell me you don't need a god to feel this sensation. You just need to acknowledge and recognize your feelings and have awareness without self centeredness.
But what you’ve described is ironically the very definition of self-centeredness and is also a concept of Zen Buddhism. Technically you are religious, you worship yourself and your fEeLz.
@TripleR-kb6uc I think "worship" is a bit much lol I'd rather be aware of what's going on in my mind than be blind to it, or blame it on someone else. It also means I can be more understanding of other people, which leads to more tolerance, which I am in favor of. Being self centered doesn't really make space for caring about other people so those two concepts are pretty mutually exclusive imo. But your definition of religious don't make sense to me because I've never followed a religion lol
This may be the first time I've heard someone speak with so much enthusiasm about deconversion. I found this refreshing. There is a lot of fear surrounding the idea of leaving religion and maybe this is the kind of supportive mindset people need.
OMG! I am only a few minutes into this interview and love this guy! Am from The Bahamas and have been watching podcasts and documentaries on cults for a while now but this one takes the cake! It's like he's been living in the Caribbean! So much of what he relates to reminds me of the "church" in my country. Yes, one has to be really careful and thoughtful when choosing which path to go wandering on because religion can be very confusing. What scares me the most is the love-bombing "Christians" who reel you in and then surprise you with their interpretations, rules, regulations, and expectations. It is super important to read and research carefully. Knowledge is key when it comes to managing your life and the spiritual path you decide to take. For myself, I have made it a rule never to join any organization because I am constantly learning and therefore evolving. This means I am free to visit and explore but at the same time have my own spiritual walk with God. It's more about a personal relationship, I think.
The older I get, the more I feel that the word " Christianity " is all a human construct created within the mind/ego. Christ/Divinity dwells with All and does not need protection. Great dialog. I have much gratitude for your channel 🙏
I’ve had those “spiritual” experiences, but I never viewed them as godly, even before I became an atheist. I felt connected to the world on an atomic level when they happened, but I didn’t see it as god creating that moment. Personally, I feel that’s more beautiful than when you have to attribute that experience to a god.
The most consequential podcast I've heard in awhile. Pentecostal Assemblies of God raised speaking tongues. Reiki healer now and relate 100% with Derek's story. My breakthrough was when I studied the bible in the original languages, finding out it was not literal. My favorite Hindu Goddess is Gennish.
As a fellow North Carolinian with similar religious experience, I have been following Derek for a while. I really enjoyed Derek's interview with Shelise, and that has caused me to follow her channel. These are such interesting stories of deconversion/deconstruction. Thank you both for your work at making the human experience a more positive and productive process.
Spiritualist here who was raised Catholic and has a Jewish a father 😃. In all fairness to the 2023 Catholic Church, they do have VERY strict guidelines they follow before performing an exorcism. I have no doubt that during the first millennium they were doing a lot more “wizardry” (can’t think if a better word). Today less than 1 percent of of “exorcism requests” are followed up on by the Church. Basically to have an exorcism performed you have to be referred by a mainstream, well respected mental health facility.
This was an amazing interview. Not from a background of organized religion I was so enlightened and impressed by the honesty and energy to explore the experiences of faith in a human but intellectually rigorous way. The overall mood of commitment to understand oneself and others through the sociological and psychological lens of religion was fascinating. Thank you very much for your personal honesty and sense of social responsibility. 😊
I have bipolar disorder and I got out of a group like this. It took a long time to work out and I was really confused. The biggest problem for me was the emptiness I felt when I left. I stayed away from church altogether after that until I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. It helps to remember that I didn't lose God or my faith but that no one has the right to control someone. Of course parent to child is different. I would tell people don't ever go to a Pentecostal or Charismatic church because this is what you will run into.
My "deconstruction" has come to a point where "faith like a child" no longer means believe it even if its confusing. It means it shouldn't be hard to understand. If a child cant understand it, then it's BS. I can really relate the the angst surrounding teying to find the TRUE truth and feeling terrified that I was slightly wrong in my theology.
We are an OSDD system with autism. Our Grandmother brought us to her Doomsday Cult church for a few years and it had very similar teachings with speaking in tongues, spirits, demons, etc. DAD NEWS FOR US! We are still having flashbacks of a whole room of adults and children yelling and chanting at one tiny autistic child , huddled in the corner sobbing. That’s child torture. But, it’s still legal to do in the USA.
I totally relate to this guy. Also grew up in the mountains of NC, I went non denominational after being in Baptist Church for awhile. Here in the last couple years I've been really realizing that I may have also been a part of culty stuff.. it was really unhealthy for me. Still trying to figure it out.. this really helps so thank you both for your time and honesty on this topic. During the last couple years I've been learning of the Astrology Natal charts and in mine I have this predisposition of escapism, 12th house sun. This has really helped me to understand that I've used drugs, alcohol AND religion to escape from my reality. I relate to his story of going back and forth with "the world" and Jesus, I have my Sagittarius sun squaring my moon in Virgo in the 9th house of spiritually and religion, and Sag being the sign of overdoing things. If anyone knows something about astrology - this puts an internal war with yourself. Mine particularly with religion and the Self. This is how I found myself here listening to others stories which is so helpful. I'm finding astrology to be so much more freeing and helpful in my self development.
I can relate to this video on such a high level. I was addicted to meth and opiates for almost 20 yrs. The way that I finally quit was through submitting my life to Jesus and joining a spirit filled church that cast all of those demons out of me along with the anxiety and depression I had suffered my entire life. I dove head first into thinking God and demons cotrolled every one and everything. I have been sober a little over 5 years now but I am at the point now where as scary as it is, I am questioning everything. Every religion has a different belief and they can't all be right and they can't all be wrong. I love the Bible but I see every single inconsistently that's in there. I end up with more questions than answers. All I want is just to know the truth. I've been battling depression and anxiety again and it's scary because one part of me tells me it's because I am not completely devoted to Jesus any more and the other part just wants to push through until I find the truth, how every scary that may be. I definitely believe in God but I am starting to believe all religions are just a way of keeping power and control and making money. Thank you for your channel. It is inspiring
I’ve listened to some of his videos and they’re fascinating, some of the stuff here resonated with me as although it was not as intense as Pentecostalism and Mormonism my Catholic community was pretty high demand and looking back it was also pretty fundamentalist and there was the influence of Protestantism seeping in to it (I’ve seen this is becoming more common in what’s left of American Catholicism, as so many have left over the abuses the ones remaining are becoming more hardcore and I was one of those true believers) and the repression is something I’m still recovering from. Even then I’m grateful my upbringing wasn’t worse.
Shelice I literally watched the program and then I watched the program on Myth vision and I heard your story and I relate to you so much I grew up Jehovah's witness but I've always loved history and science. I left as a teen and was ostracized by my own family who were ashamed of me and to this day continue to be ashamed of me even though they've been kicked out the whole thing is beyond ridiculous. I'm almost 50 now and I have explored many paths like crystals and vibrations, etc. I've always been interested in biology my whole life and even studied it a little in college as well, but I was aware of how everything is connected and that science and spirituality are literally the same thing and I relate to your wanting to use crystals and meditation I also do tarot other women in my family had done it but they were not on the Jehovah's witness side so I never did it with them. I don't get sucked into anything extremely because I abhor extremism of any type and I feel you on your point of view and your exploration and I feel like there's so much ahead to learn as far as proof and science and mystery and I agree with mr. Lambert also that we have yet to learn so much and five hundred years from now most of these things will either be proven in a whole different way or unproven whatever you want to call it but the exploration is super amazing once you walk away from that brainwashing control. And you're also right it never entirely leaves your head.I still pray also I feel like all of these things are interconnected and maybe we don't have the complete understanding of science yet but many of these pieces have a little bit of Truth maybe not the cult part but the synergy of spiritual, science, and esoteric nature, thank you for sharing!
Thanks for this interview. I have so enjoyed your channel because of my own journey through somewhat high demand charismatic Christian religion. I too grew up with an alcoholic father and think that at one time, I somewhat compulsively, attempted to medicate my emotional pain by experiencing spiritual "highs" in my relgious practice. In my case I think I was probably less balanced than the church leadership and many of the church members around me. Over time i realized this. Actually Al Anon and Adult Children of Alcoholics introduced me to a healthier spirituality which I could practice within my existing religious paradigm. I have maintained my basic relgious beliefs but have grown in understanding of God's enormous mercy and grace. Also a deeper understanding of suffering ( a more traditional Christian one) has stabilized and strengthened me. I am a lot happier and more whole than I used to be but, no doubt,still have a long way to go! I have deconstructed a lot but can't help feeling glad that I have not " thrown the baby out with the bath water".😅 By the way I pray a lot in tongues and find it a very strengthening and effective way to pray for myself and others!
Loving this so far! I'd just say one thing in the conversation about memory in the 25 minute mark; though it is true that we distort memory through recalling that memory, you have to be really careful when talking about 'repressed memory' - the concept of repressed traumatic memory is a really controversial one in psychology at the moment, and though the base concept may be possible, a lot of the satanic panic was caused by people taking that idea and thinking that through therapy - especially hypnosis therapy - one could recover those memories. there is no evidence of recovering memories through therapy, in fact by our understanding of memory that should be largely impossible, what is infinitely more likely to happen in recovered memory therapy is that you invent memories out of thin air
Derek's channel has a whole series with David Fitzgerald and Bryce Blankenagle about early Mormon history that is absolutely brilliant and very entertaining.
I Always recommend that series to everyone! I have watched it 4 times and will watch it again! It should be a mini-series on TV! Best thing I have ever seen on youtube to be honest!
Ok wow this is intense…I’m 30 minutes in and I thought I’d be able to handle this. Derek’s words really resonate with me. I grew up in a ‘Pentecostal’ church and we did the angels, demons, speaking in tongues, miracles, getting ‘drunk in the Holy Spirit’ the whole thing. I am only 24 and I’m only just realising the trauma I experienced at the hands of the church. I spent years in therapy trying to align God and psychology and I couldn’t do it. It left me feeling lost, broken and confused. I never really thought I grew up in a ‘cult’ or a ‘traumatic church’ but the more I discover people like Derek or people discussing mega churches the more I realise so much of my trauma and shame came from the church and Christian community. I’m still working through it all in therapy and this video hits harder than I thought it would but I’ll definitely be back to watch the rest when I’m feeling up to it.
I was raised pretty much the same way by my mother. I was homeschooled with fundamentalist textbooks so I would not learn from the "Satanic" things taught in public school. Every year I went to an anti-Halloween event called "Judgment House" in Ardmore, Alabama where they took a big group of children, run them through a play set in different rooms where you see someone smoke a cigarette, two people kiss, etc. Then you see them all die in a horrific traffic accident (there's a room with fake blood everywhere, bodies on the ground, the crashed car) and then we're all hustled into a pitch black room full of smoke where adults dressed as demons would chase us around the room saying "welcome to hell". At the end, we were taken to a room where everyone was asked if we wanted to "be saved" which of course, we all did. I remember getting "saved" multiple times because I was so afraid and wanted to make sure. (This facility still runs to this day, by the way.) I would always sit with my legs crossed and would never dangle my legs or arms off a bed or chair or couch because I was afraid that demons would get me. I also had "visions" and my mother would trot me around the church to proclaim I was some kind of "prophet". I remember one night we were watching a storm and we were all convinced God was coming back and the world was ending so we spent all night praying for my father who was "going to hell." It's interesting to hear someone else with this similar experience. Thanks for the video.
Hi Shelise. Wow! Derek is a fascinating guy.. I’m interested in the story behind the story of the bible. As Derek said, the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s all important. I’m really enjoying your channel lovely lady ❤️
A lot of years ago my mum used to see a spiritual healer for her arthritis. There was a knock at the door and there stood John (spiritual healer) he came in and y mum said there was no appointment he said I know but I've come to see your daughter (me) my mum asked why he said he was told to come and see me. I was suffering severe migraine but he hadn't seen me before nor had he seen my mum for several weeks, so it was all quite strange. When he looked at me he said you have migraine I said yes. I was asked to sit on a dining room chair he said his hands would touch my head and my migraine would go. His hands were resting on my head I cannot tell you that the heat was incredible I had been sitting with my head down and when I looked up at him I was looking at a full blown ancient Chinese man. He was in full costume aporting a moustache and silver hair, I couldn't believe my eyes. After the healing I said to John you changed into a Chinese man, yes he said he's one of my guides, the migraine had gone. Several weeks later I visited John at his house he gave me a very old picture and asked if I recognised anybody and there in this group photo was the Chinaman who I had seen when John was healing me.
Derek talking about gods being our projection of a parental figure reminded me of a strength in Chuck Palahniak's book fight club. "What you have to understand, is your father was your model for God. If you're male and you're Christian and living in America, your father is your model for God. And if you never know your father, if your father bails out or dies or is never at home, what do you believe about God? What you end up doing is you spend your life searching for a father and God. What you have to consider is the possibility that God doesn't like you. Could be, God hates us. This is not the worst thing that can happen."
Shelise! That is a stunning top you have on...and I love the nekkid shoulders. (wink, wink) It's good to see knowing what I know about the Mormon church. Researching some of the nastiness that Christian sects have done to other Christian sects is fascinating. I was raised Catholic and never knew what shenanighans went into making the faith I was taught was the one true and only way. It was only a few years ago (I'm 53 currently) was I able to actually shake off my indoctrination so I am so grateful for you and other youtubers who put yourself at some risk to shine the light into the darkness.
That's so interesting about David and Jonathan. I had forgotten those parts of the Bible. Like as in all religions, as a TBM I was just "taking" what Mormons were supposed to take from the Bible.
The connection is that the spiritual part that Christians describe is the part that he describes. It's just in different terms and it's also ruined by Christians that have taken the teachings literally. It's ruined what it's about and been used to miss treat people.
You folk are great. Your work is so valuable. Yep. Derek is so right. "Mormons are not Christian" is an interesting comment because if you look at those groups who see themselves as "true Christian" they will often finger point each other and accuse the other of being "wolves in sheep's clothing" and see themselves as "biblically based true Christians". The Calvinist/Arminian dispute is one such example. The Catholic/Protestant dispute is another. As is the Trinitarian/Non Trinitarian dispute. You see it in the bible. It happened across history. It happens today. "Christianity is not a cult". But many mainstream Christian groups and churches have cult like behaviour. Christianity has many valuable aspects to it, but gee it can also harm people. I think Christians really need to come to grips with the latter point but it's an uncomfortable pill to swallow. The same is true for Islam and Judaism.
@@adrianaruiz3725 I learn a lot about cults, their relation to mainstream religion, and something about the variety of human thinking and how it can help or harm other people.
I'd say that there are a large number of Christian churches that pretty much universally recognize each other as fellow Christians, and then there are a few churches that are basically universally regarded as non-Christian by all churches _except for themselves._ For instance, Calvinists and Arminians (and believers in infant baptism and believer's baptism, and believers in opposite sides of a host of other issues) tend to agree that each other are true Christians, while also all agreeing that the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not. I think the dividing lines between churches that are universally recognized as Christian and those that are recognized only by themselves tend to be based on a set of "core" doctrines that have been seen as defining doctrines of Christianity since the first few centuries of the faith's existence (as shown by their inclusion in, say, the Apostles' Creed). Actually, I would argue that the doctrines included in the ecumenical creeds are a good guideline for making the determination of whether a church is Christian (note that I said the _doctrines_ found in the creeds, not the use of the _creeds_ themselves; many non-creedal churches nevertheless "just so happen" to believe the same doctrines that are contained in the Apostles' Creed, for instance). That being said, I will admit that Roman Catholicism is a bit of a thorny topic here, as they are seen as non-Christians by some Protestant groups but not all. They, for that matter, seem to view most Protestant groups as Christian, at least in some sense.
OMG. as an adult coming out of an IBLP type home, i joined a calvinist church and it ended up a VERY high demand organization and caused just as much if not more religious trauma. i never hear people talk about calvinism from this perspective!!
32:01 Out on the patio we sit, and the humidity we feel, we watch the lightning crack over cane fields, laugh and think that this is Australia. Sounds of Then - Gang Gajang I know this is a serious topic but, as an Aussie, when he spoke about sitting outside watching lightning, this song just plays in my brain.
As a non-native, the different names of all those religious directions is super confusing to me. Like. I grew up somewhat "Roman Catholic" in Germany, but I wouldn't even know how to align myself with all those things mentioned. So odd to hear about these odd directions. My bf is very good in history and mentioned that (regarding the US) it pretty much all started because "the overly/crazy/not-wanted religious folks" from Europe went on their merry way to the US (or were cast out, however you wanna put it). Fascinating, but if you really dig into the history, you see it all stems from power-seeking, whether that's political or religious or economical.
one of the most unique (lack of a more exciting term) interviews i’ve ever heard. the opposite of what i anticipated. i think i’ve connected the most with this interview out of any other. he speaks like a real person, like someone i wouldve grown up living next door to. i have experienced addiction too, so I feel extra empathetic. this interview made me realize what some people feel when they have a spiritual experience. i have never had one so i never understood. when he explained seeing the demon while on drugs (which i can relate to haha), i understood for the first time the fear that christians have for satan! then when he described the euphoria after being celebrated when he dedicated himself to jesus, i felt that too!! it’s silly, but i imagined myself crowd surfing, and how absolutely high i would feel after. if i thought that was because of god, i might’ve believed it too! all in all, thank you both so much!
I don't know if I've shared this before or not. I can't remember but when I was in high school. I was trying to date this guy who I found out that he was a mormon, And he brought me home excited to introduce us and his mother said" get out " I was never allowed to see him again when she found out I was catholic. That always struck me, and stayed bc I didn't understand so very controlling and Stifling
Anyone else notice how much "disclaimer" was at the start of this interview? "not saying all Christians, not calling it a cult.....". I have not heard that said about any of the other groups you have talked about. I feel that says more about how modern Christianity is being practiced then any interview could. There is so much fear of the backlash because you are being critical of their beliefs you are asking forgiveness before you even start because you KNOW they will come after you for even implying they are not perfect. I truly don't know when they reached the level of being just untouchable like they seem to think they are.
I've been a Dental Hygienist for over 20 years and recently specialized in Orofacial Myology. Nose breathing is my jam and I love mouth taping! My mouth is too small for my tongue thanks to orthodontics, but I am trying everything nonsurgical to thrive❤
The mind has a great way of convincing you of what you want. You can literally train your brain to believe what you tell yourself…. Or what others tell you…. Depends on who u listen to.
I had a similar experience with Christianity. I prayed to God for him to help me distinguish between what is true about him and what is not. Because every single group claims they have the truth and everyone else is wrong(and going to hell for it). A very common theme in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) is that God made one set of rules for Israel and all the nations. And most Jews sects believe to this day that any person who prays directly to God and nothing else will go to the world to come (heaven). I just think there are two main groups of people in the world: the people who honestly believe in God and are on his path… and those that aren’t. As far as translations of the Bible: as someone who reads Hebrew all translations are garbage and it’s simple. Anyone who speaks a second language knows: there are words and concepts that exist in one language but not the other. And because the concept doesn’t exist it has to be explained. And that is left up to interpretation. And thus myriads of people who speak on behalf of God claiming to have absolute truth.
In the late 1980s/early’90s when I was in college, I was invited to a local church where Bob Larsen was speaking. He had a radio show where he “talked” to demons live on air. It was a major shock coming from a college Singles Ward! I occasionally went out with those friends mainly because they liked to go out to eat after classes. They always thought that they could convert me! 😂
Been watching mythvision for about a week now, Derek has some really great videos. In the end he mentions his interest in Asherah, who I also find to be interesting because the yhwh Asherah relationship puts an interesting twist on the way she is portrayed in the Bible, with yhwh wanting all her places of worship destroyed.
I would love for Derek to explain first Corinthians 11 where it talks about a woman covering her head. I have a feeling a lot of plain communities have it misconstrued.
Lakshmi is the goddess that came to me first..... And your mention of her made me jump and be even more excited. I wish I could have a conversation in general with you one day. You are fascinating and amazing and so sweet.
I grew up in a culturally Muslim household but my parents were very open. my dad doesn’t even call himself Muslim anymore. I’ve been atheist but respectful over half my life. I was haunted by the exorcist for years and I think that’s why religion broke for me. I only have love and compassion for anyone who grew up in a coercive religion or without true individual sovereignty. I know my experience made me lucky in many ways so I can only have grace for Derek and others ❤ You guys are so incredibly brave and strong to use education to free yourselves
