My Baptism on Sunday
I left Scientology forever a little over two years.
I don't comment a lot on ESMB but I have made some comments and a few threads. Today is a new day for me as I was Baptized this Sunday and I feel really good about that.
I am not here to Proselytize or convert someone to my faith but I would like to make a statement about it. This is the testimony I gave at my church.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
I was a member of a cult from the time I was 18 years old until I was 59 years old. The cult was a “religion” known as Scientology and I was introduced to it by my mother.
As a young child, I was introduced to the concept of God by my mother. We would all eat together at dinner time and always say Grace. We attended church, not frequently but always on Easter. She taught us to pray before going to sleep at night. She gave me a bible when I was about eight or nine years old and challenged me to memorize Psalm 23 which I did.
My mother began to study a new religion in 1968 called Scientology. She began attending their services and reading their books written by L Ron Hubbard. Shortly after my mom joined the group she divorced my dad. I along with my three sisters and one brother became “Scientologists”.
I was married in January 1974 to another Scientologist and we had two children. We raised our kids in the cult. In 1991 my wife asked for a divorce which was finalized in 1992.
In August of 1996 I married my wife Chrissy Swiatek who was and is a Christian. We had a baby together in 2003 and named him Daniel. At first the thought of having a newborn at my age was very upsetting but as it turned out, the Lord knew what I needed more than I did and the upset turned into one of the greatest blessings I have ever had. My son Daniel was instrumental in leading me to Christ and my wife Chrissy had led my son to Christ from the time he was born.
In November of 2009 I began reading information about Scientology on the internet. I read a lot and after reading what others were saying I concluded that I had been tricked and that Scientology was a complete fraud with less than pure intentions.
I was freed of the hold that Scientology had on me and in December of 2009 I was introduced by my wife to a Christian man from Sierra Madre Congregational Church named Bob Nease and had lunch with him. He was an Evangelistic Christian and began sharing the Gospel with me. He had me read the book of John and challenged me to memorize John 3:16. I did that and in January 2010 I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.
Since that time many wonderful and glorious things have happened in my life and with each day I grow closer to God.
I met Pastor Tate at Sierra Madre Congregational Church where he was a guest speaker. I very much enjoyed the way he presented the Bible and the word of Jesus Christ. I liked the way in which he spoke. I liked it so much so that I made an effort to attend his sermons at Lake Avenue in Pasadena.
When I heard that he was to have his own Church in Monrovia I began attending from the first day and have not missed a Sunday since.
On Sunday the 12th of February after hearing his sermon on Psalm 23, I made the decision that I would like to be Baptized. When I thought about whom I would like to Baptize me, Pastor Albert Tate was the only one that came to mind as he has reached me more than any other and has greatly helped me to expand my passion for Jesus Christ.
Amen!
While I will not use ESMB to recruit people to my way of thinking I will continue to speak against the C of $ until it no longer exists. I will continue to read others threads and will comment or click on like or thank you.
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Originally Posted by This is NOT OK !!!!
