Forgiveness, Truth, Lies, Love?

I have a stalker, who by his own admission is taking some pride in ‘getting’ at me. This stalker, a supposed Christian is one I have taken up for in the past, and I have offered Biblical reconciliation with him and his pastor. So far, he has refused. He is on facebook and despite the rules of use for facebook; he continues to violate them, on several occasions creating new accounts, and sending emails, calling me ‘childish’ for blocking him, despite the times he has called me a ‘sick pathetic looser’ or even a ‘sad idiot’. I have offered love and respect, and accepted his request for a friend invitation 3X, despite his lies, and untruths, and what seems more like jealousy than anything else. I finally decided to block him for good, and he has still maneuvered the system to send me no less than 4 messages filled with ridicule, lies and hate. I have as of yet named him by name, as I am not concerned about confronting his comments and actions publically. Despite his own tragedies, which I sympathize with, and even expressed concern about publically I can’t figure out his obsession with me and the ministry I am involved in. Despite reporting him several times to facebook I have not contacted him due to my own recognition of him stating he is sorry, him having a mental illness and constantly under a doctor’s care. I honestly don’t know if he has the ability or desire to come to rational conclusions, yet he continues on for a little while with no contact, and then back to the same thing. I suspect it is an issue related to either his illness or medication. I am not sure as I haven’t seen this person in so many years, and really never knew them very well.

Here is the question, when does one forgive, and move on and how difficult is it when not just your reputation but that of a ministry is at stake? What if you make every effort from a Biblical way to confront the issue but the person continues and refuses to accept reality? It is especially difficult when that person thinks they know you and in reality never has known you. Unfortunately, we live in a world where acquaintances think they know you. I have been fooled in this process, but am learning. I have let very few in my life get to know me. I was dealing with spiritual and psychological battles while growing up dealing with the things of my youth. To this day, I am not proud of those things, and have let few get to know me. I have met many on that same journey who have experienced the same emotions, and feelings. In many ways, our little club and the stories we tell and identity of those stories is the verification of truth. Of course on this, I have always felt the need to be able to verify truth, it was one of the things I was especially careful of in my book The Keystone Kid. I have offered up a willingness to provide names to verify the things I have said. Again, I am not proud of those things in my past, but I am honored that God has done so much since then.

I recently received the DVD of the Lifetime television movie Amish Grace for review. It is the powerful story of the school shootings and murders. The incredible story offers some tremendous insight into concepts like forgiveness and grace, and the reminder of the difficulty of those concepts were not lost on me. I was reminded of my own issues with the person who continues to stalk me and their own recognition of their mental illness, and attitudes. When the attacks get personal though, when they are made in ignorance and regarding the people of a church, or other ministry that has done so much good, what do you do? How do you respond?

While there are Biblical concepts to confrontation, the answers are not always clear or easy. The clearest is Matthew 18, here, if there is a dispute you try to work it out with the individual, if it isn’t worked out, then you go to the elders or pastor, possibly even another person to work with that person and you. In the situation which I have experienced, I have offered to do this with their pastor. If resolution doesn’t take place, and one is discovered to be wrong, then the church is to be made aware of the behavior and if need be, discipline to those who are wrong. How often have you seen this action take place? It should be noted, this is never done to punish, and it is done to bring the peson back into right relationship with Christ and those in the church. When across the miles, on the internet, or in a different church, the issue of forgiveness and truth become somewhat complicated, or do they?

Ultimately the Biblical model is Jesus, but even here, it isn’t as simple as some think. While Jesus never seems to have actively gone after individuals, he made his points clear, and he responded, at times, even sarcastically, when confronted by the religious community. Does that mean a lack of love from Jesus? I don’t think so but there is a time to stand for truth and distinguish the difference between the action of the individual and the potential of the individual. There are times the follower of Jesus has to stand for truth. Knowing when that is requires spending time with Jesus, reading the Bible, and studying Jesus teachings. Yet, some refuse to accept the truth of Jesus. Their allegiance is not to Jesus and the Kingdom principals he taught. Jesus did not engage in elongated arguments or debates with his detractors, nor did his followers. They let their lives speak truth. They continued in love and moved on, much like Paul did as a follower of Jesus when he and one of his partners in ministry just didn’t agree, and then moved on and went their separate ways.

Of course there is the assumption that in church we must all get along and agree. That just isn’t possible, as people are different. It isn’t that we should get along and agree but we can find areas where we recognize the greater good and greater harm, and do what is right. There will always be people we don’t agree with for one reason or another. Here, it is critical we keep the focus on the love of Christ that unites us. When we place ourselves over the love of the body, or church which Jesus calls his bride, and on our own desires, then we are in the wrong place. I have seen it get to the place where dishonesty takes place and people take up with, and accept their own perceived truths. I realize there are some who will imply and say that we have a responsibility of pointing out the false, at that point, we must use the tests the New Testament mentions as a guide or a test. That is, who do you say Jesus is, and are you willing to do what he says? If confronted with the biblical solution regarding personal disagreements of following for example the Matthew 18 concept, and you refuse, it is clear at that point, you are not willing to do what Jesus says. Following Jesus is required, not just in the easy things, but the hard things, it is one of the reasons we are admonished and warned of the need to take up our own cross, and follow Jesus daily.

As of late I have been confronted about several things I have said regarding my comments about Hollywood Jesus, and the population of the Tri-Cities. I have also been confronted about talking about the things God has done for me. Despite the importance of testimony as illustrated by Paul and other New Testament writers. Many need to be reminded, their testimony, isn’t just their conversion experience, it is the story of the continuation of God working in their life. For those that genuinely know me, they know I see myself in a lesser role than I likely should since God has abundantly shown me his love in so many ways. That said I am still amazed at the ways God has blessed me. I have repeatedly said, if God would and has done those things for me, he will for others. That isn’t to brag, I know my own unworthiness, it to describe the incredible ability of God.

Of the things I have been confronted with from one person is regarding my home town population and the visits at Hollywood Jesus website, the first was a mistake, and the other was the truth at the time the comment was made. I have been accused of either hyping myself up or lying about other things God has done for and through me. Regarding this one person, even though information and verification is provided, the person either ignores it or is so blinded to their own hate or jealousy they either can’t see it or refuse to see the truth. It is important to realize, in situations like this, the attitude of what drives a person says something about that person. One of my faults is that I have freely and sacrificially given of myself. I really don’t care about wealth, and those types of things. As a result, my family has suffered, but as I observe my daughter in particular and her example, I see a child who has chosen at least part of the path her father led, at least regarding the service and love to the poor, needy, outcast, and in recognizing the call and directive of Jesus that we be peacemakers. Unfortunately, many find ways to change the word of God to fit their theology, unfortunately, their theology may not be the ways of God. I have learned, those among Christian circles most often doing the attacking, are those who say they are following Jesus. Unfortunately, they either don’t care or ignore the harm they do to others, but not just others, but those seeking spiritual truth. Let me ask, would Jesus violate rules, and laws to accomplish his purpose? Would he have his followers harass others? Would he say he is sorry for his actions, and then go back to the same actions over and over?

The truth is, trying to emulate Jesus isn’t easy, but in the words of the famous philosopher Lynn Anderson, we need to remember; “I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometime.” Life isn’t always easy; it is far from easy to figure out. Life and getting along with others will be tough. People will say and do things we don’t appreciate. In those times it is important when we don’t know the answers to look to Jesus, our attitude, our actions, our questions; our answers are all encompassed in trying to be like him. Whether that be forgiving one another, or the things we do which would require another to forgive us.

I was on today checking out my friend Jon Trott’s facebook page and as usual he was stirring the pot. Not in a bad way but in a way that makes one think. He said some things regarding truth I thought was spot on. Jon wrote: “Truth belongs solely to God. My handling of the truth (as in discovering it regarding those wolves in sheep's clothing) does *not* mean I *have* the truth. At best, the truth has me. Just because I correctly discern error -- bigtime error in the case of Warnke, Stratford, and the "Satanic Ritual Abuse" myth spinners -- I should not compound that error by imagining that I become righteous simply because I tell the truth about unrighteousness. Only God is True in the ultimate sense. These things deeply affect me on a daily basis. I don't mean to posture in some sort of faux humility (confession: humility is a barely visible goal at best in my heart). But I very sincerely believe that love and truth are married. My love is only as strong as my words and actions reflect truthfulness. And since love is the goal of the Christian life, how can we not tell the truth -- even and esp. when it reflects poorly on ourselves?”

Jon said a mouthful there that transcends beyond just the aspect of truth, but from the aspect of where truth comes from. The truth is, God knows, God knows the heart, he knows the intent, it is my goal, my desire, that God’s truth is revealed through me and my life, and that includes having the ability to forgive even those, who may choose to nail me to a cross. My goal, my life, my example is Jesus, he knows, and his Spirit is still wholly powerful enough and able to convince me of where I am wrong, and of where I am right. May in all things, in all examples, Jesus be lifted up, and may my actions, and yours point people to the truth of Jesus. No other, Jesus!

The following is that song with a lot of spiritual truth to it. Just click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear, just click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4wcNVbYOQ



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You can also Help The Virtual Pew by shopping on our web site or at Amazon, click here to shop at Amazon and help The Virtual Pew, it won't cost you anything extra, but we get a small percentage of the purchase.

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Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

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Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew

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Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

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Mike Furches MySpace Blog

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The Mysterious Islands, Creation Vs. Evolution

Over the years The Virtual Pew has been on the forefront of online ministry. As a result I have been involved in various online social groups. One of the things I have seen is many debates on various issues. Near the top of those debates is the debate of Evolution VS Creation. Not many sources from the view of a Creationist have been available. With the release of The Mysterious Islands, this documentary may very well be the best exploration on the subject from a Creationist perspective.

Unfortunately, it seems as if most Christian filmmakers are satisfied with lack luster quality. I have personally seen many a documentary that isn’t worth the cost of the plastic it is pressed on. In regards to the technical quality of The Mysterious Islands I was more than pleasantly surprised at the quality of cinematography, sound, editing, and story. This top notch documentary accomplishes its purpose in providing a quality product beyond the typical lackluster ‘Christian’ film.

The Mysterious Islands follows the journey of the father son team of 16-year-old Joshua Phillips and with his father Doug. Also on the journey is Dr. John Morris, a noted Creationist. They travel with their team to the Galapagos Islands to search for evidence to refute many of the teachings and beliefs of Charles Darwin. The fact that this is done on Darwin’s 200th anniversary and 150th anniversary of the release of the book Origin of the Species is not lost in the production. It has been said that the Galapagos Islands are the birth place of evolutionary thought. While this is partially true, it is certain that many of the concepts espoused by Darwin were birthed on the islands.

The Mysterious Islands does a good job at following this road journey format as the exploration team searches out to discuss some of Darwin’s findings and conclusions regarding Evolution and the Origin of the Species. One of the concepts strongly challenged through out the journey is the belief in the Survival of the Fittest. Most documentaries start out with a premise supported by the film makers. Unfortunately, many don’t state their intent and present their film under the premise of fair journalism. The makers of The Mysterious Islands, from the get go, lets the viewer know of their intent and beliefs. There is no doubt their view will be presented from a Conservative Christian Creationist point of view. Thankfully on the exploration of the subject matter, they present their case in a logical way with the layman in mind. Most will understand the scientific material in a way that makes sense to them.

Unfortunately, I felt the action between the father and son was somewhat contrived and not needed. The story involving the two seemed to take away from the material being presented. The documentary would have been just as good without the preconceived concept of a father, son journey; I think it would have in fact been better.

This film respectfully explores the differences between Creationist and Evolutionists. From the start, they clearly point out that in their opinion; there were many things Darwin got right. They also point out that he got more wrong than right. They use the arguments of several well known individuals in the field who do not accept their faith to point this out. There is also respect and recognition given to many religions of the world that recognize and believe in creation. They also come to a place where they state that one who says they believe in God cannot believe any concept outside of creation. I would have liked to have seen more debate and openness on this subject. Especially from those who believe that God may have used parts of evolution, or even evolution as a means of creation. It is one of the things that Exposed by Ben Stein has over this film, a more open means of possibility. There are certainly far more beliefs than were presented by the makers of The Mysterious Islands, even from within a Christian perspective. One gets the opinion that if one doesn’t agree with a literal 6 day creation, then one can’t believe in the God of the Bible or be a Christian. It is these types of dogma that have the tendency to turn people away from a faith journey and honest discussion on the subject.

The Mysterious Islands does explore the concepts of transitional design within species. This is an interesting concept that was somewhat educational. As a lay person, I found this concept interesting and at times seemingly only a matter of semantics in regards to the differences between the two trains of thought. Concepts of transitioning, sounding like evolution seem to be accepted by the Creationists in the film. In this view however, the concept of transitions or changes outside of species is strongly attacked. There are compelling arguments and concepts presented that would have been interesting to hear from Evolutionists on. The documentary looks at the concepts presented in the Genesis account, specifically looking at the concepts of God created animals ‘in kind.’ From these various kinds of ‘in kind’ animals others came about.

Some other interesting views in the film look at the history of what they say have occurred as a result of Evolutionary thought. Here they present that the human species have been devalued. There are quotes provided by Darwin and others that accepted Evolution to promote their beliefs. These include people like Hitler and Margaret Sanger, the creator of Planned Parenthood. While it is debatable as to the role evolution played in supporting their perspectives and support of things like racism and prejudice, the quotes provided, seem to support these premises. They also seem to support the general notion that concepts held and presented from Darwin’s teachings were in agreement with the thought process of these individuals. There are additional interesting historical information presented including information regarding an affair between HG Wells and Sanger. It seems these are attempts to not just attack the various beliefs, but the character of these individuals.

While I greatly appreciated the technical quality of The Mysterious Islands, and the ability to communicate the message in layman’s terms I felt part of the story, while done to a small extent, could have been better developed with a more open exploration of the points. This would have taken this film from being widely supported by the Creationist community to a film widely used and effective to people in all belief systems. This could have effectively been used as a discussion point between Evolutionists and Creationists. This could have facilitated great discussions at Film Festivals, Churches, and Scientific Study Groups among others.

The Mysterious Islands is interesting and beautiful to watch. I appreciated that the makers recognize that their argument is an argument of faith, they also point out that the argument of the Evolutionist is also an argument of faith. When presenting the randomness and possibilities of evolution they ask the question of what it is greater to have faith in, random chance, or a God.

One of the things I like to comment on is the special features. I actually give them a mixed review. While there are ample features and information on how to obtain a study guide, much of the focus is more editorial. They vary from the history of the Galapagos to the history of Whaling in the area. It is certain; much of the features material will be controversial. I personally enjoyed The Flightless Cormorant, and their response to the findings of noted Atheist, Richard Dawkins as well as the history of the islands.

As stated earlier, while not perfect, this may be the best documentary on the subject from a Christian, Creationist perspective that has been made. While it will do little to change minds, it is done in such a way it can be understood and appreciated by audiences outside of Academia. I would have appreciated a more balanced approach, but I recognize this wasn’t the intent. It is worthwhile viewing and one Creationists will likely want to own.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products for services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog, and in my reviews. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The following is the trailer for the movie, just click on the video, if the video doesn't appear, just click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwyteUF43d0


Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click here to visit Mosaic Wichita, the Church in Wichita Kansas where Mike is the pastor.

Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

You can also Help The Virtual Pew by shopping on our web site or at Amazon, click here to shop at Amazon and help The Virtual Pew, it won't cost you anything extra, but we get a small percentage of the purchase.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Click to visit Mary Jane Furches' new MySpace Page

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Blog

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group

MySpace The Virtual Pew Group

The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Abusing the Abused, The Challenge

Rachel has lived a rough life filled with abuse, neglect, misunderstanding and more. Her story carries the burden many victims of abuse have to carry, rejection, hurt, pain, even into adulthood.

Some of Rachel’s friends and family did all they could to reject and deny the story of her experiences, ‘you must be imagining things, there is no way that happened.’ ‘Rachel must have some issues; I don’t recall any of that happening to her.’ The rejection adds up, the rejection of experiences by others add to the continuation of depression she has gone through, it continues to have a negative impact.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Rachel has been away from her family for some time, years in fact. She has moved on from the horrors, the nightmares associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has moved on from the years of counseling and therapy that forced her to either deal with the past or to face the likelihood of isolation and the potential suicide that many victims turn to. Rachel doesn’t understand, she hurts, and she even questions God. She has learned though, talking about her past seems to help. It helps because it opens up doors of talking to others who have gone through the same issues, it helps her understand, ‘I am not alone.’

Rachel still questions God for various reasons, one of which is what she feels in the continued rejection of others. They say they love, but they question either without thinking or in the attempt to protect themselves.

Rachel has relatives who have experienced their own horrors. She wasn’t there for all of the occurrences; she understands the need to block out memories. She has never doubted the experiences even though she has no memory of them, she wonders, ‘why they have to question me on my experiences? They may not remember, they may not have been there, but don’t they understand that when they question my experiences they cause me to hurt even more.’ There are few things worse than the rejection, and denial of stories she has regretted and wished she had never had to go through.

Rachel has gone on to live life, to discover faith, a miracle really because in the same situation, many have gone on to have nothing to do with God. While many blame God, she has sought refuge in God, yet the criticism of things she knows is real is like a fiery dart from the enemy trying to tear her down and break her spirit. If she had not taken her faith so seriously in the study and application of her faith, she would lose confidence and hope, but she knows her faith is real, she has been consistent in her faith and in the practice and living of her faith. It doesn’t help though, when those who had once either walked away from, or not taken their faith seriously all of a sudden know more than her, not just the reality of what she has gone through, but the serious study and conviction of the application of her belief system. While many listened to others around them as to what the Bible said, Rachel decided to look for herself and the reality is, that what she discovered was far different than much of what she had been told. There was a reason so many like Gandhi respected Jesus, but had little good to say about the church or many of those Christians who make up the church.

One of the things that hurt is that Rachel has tried to love, she has tried to understand, yet every time she starts to get close to someone, it seems the pain resurfaces. ‘What are my options,’ she wonders silently but with deep conviction? ‘I can crawl back into bed and try to sleep it off, I can engage the pain, but it will be painful, or I can totally remove myself from my family. The rejection of family isn’t what I want to do, but I have to wonder, what is the best option for me to continue in life?’ Rachel contemplates on her faith, she remembers the stories of Jesus, not that she is a Jesus, but she remembers how he was not accepted by many in his family and community. She realizes that sometimes the people closest to you know you the least, they don’t always see or understand the experiences one close to them goes through. This is a sad commentary on relationships and friendships, even family, the denial of experiences. There has to be an openness of these types of things, but it isn’t easy to open up to real feelings, real emotions, especially when we have to recognize our own failures and weaknesses. It is so easy to ignore and deny reality, especially when it keeps our world in a nice clean 50’s Leave it to Beaver kind of way. That isn’t always reality though. It certainly isn’t reality the way Rachel has experienced life. If only more people understood and sought to understand instead of making judgment of things they know nothing about.

There are also those that are so nit-picky. There is the focus on a specific date or a simple mistake in timing. Those people also seem to ignore the pain, the hurt the reality of the overall picture that Rachel has gone through. In their self righteous indignity, they make accusations; they make comment of things they know nothing about, as if someone could be with someone else for 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week. She also knows her own loner ways, she knows of how she was seldom around people in her life where the abuse was taking place. She knows of her efforts to discover truth and the discovery of certain aspects. If the abuse, if the horrific situations people go through took place in public, they wouldn’t take place, but Rachel knows all too well, they do take place, they took place with her.

Rachel should keep on sharing her story though; she will keep on because she has seen her story impact others. She has seen the value of the release of pain from other victims of abuse who have shared their own stories. She realizes, ‘I have discovered a new family, a family that understands, and a family God has blessed because God has used the story to relate to others in a way they understand and escape the bonds of hell that have held them captive.’

Now understand, Rachel is a fictional character, the experiences are unfortunately all to real, I know, I speak to people almost daily that have experienced the pain and rejection of things they know they have lived. They and I have lived these things, these experiences and unfortunately still live them in ways I wish I didn’t. What can you do for a victim of abuse, love, try to understand, and by all means, understand, these are stories, experiences that no one wants to make up. While false memories do exist in rare cases, it is rare. It should be noted, blocking out events is not a false memory, and it is a coping mechanism. Two different things, that impact a victim in an all too real a way. For me, the accusations, the assumptions have been in some ways especially difficult. It is hard enough for a male to share the experiences of abuse, to have people pile on, to take on the judgment role makes it even more difficult. Essentially, we all have our experiences, for those of us who have gone through abuse; we realize the importance of discovering, as much as possible, the part of ourselves that can give emotional health. It is also important that those of us who have gone through the horrific experiences have the potential for help, that is if we realize we are not alone and find a way to share of ourselves.

I have seen several times the documentary Finding Angela Shelton. For those who haven’t seen the movie, (it is available on line and via order through the web site) there is a confrontation scene between Angela and her father. This scene unfortunately all too often plays itself out in real life. It happens in large ways, it happens in small ways, but to ask one who has been through abusive situations to deny their own story, their own past, still hurts, it still causes one to question their own reality, not from an experiential perspective, but from a perspective of self value and self worth. I wish I didn’t have these feelings, I didn’t have to go through these emotions, but I do. It is a part of the hurt and harm abuse perpetuates on others. May God help us all, and may we learn the value of helping each other.

A movie I would strongly recommend to see is Searching for Angela Shelton. To see the trailer for the movie click on the following video, if the video don't appear click on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-zRe2voQoo


Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click here to visit Mosaic Wichita, the Church in Wichita Kansas where Mike is the pastor.

Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

You can also Help The Virtual Pew by shopping on our web site or at Amazon, click here to shop at Amazon and help The Virtual Pew, it won't cost you anything extra, but we get a small percentage of the purchase.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Click to visit Mary Jane Furches' new MySpace Page

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

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