""The shameful thing that devours."
"The shepherd makes the door high so it's harder for the sheep to leave."
"The sisters are afraid to rock the boat."
"The sisters are just into wrong attention."
"The sisters are lonely."
"The sisters are not devoted enough to Jesus."
"The sisters are pushy."
"The sisters want to be married to a piece of paper."
"The sisters will become pregnant or prostitutes, if they leave."
"The Six Steps of Love."
"The spirit of Eve is working through her" "You have "The Eve Spirit!" or "The sisters are being run by the spirit of Eve." and some even said the same thing to the brothers : "The spirit of Eve is working through him!"
We were taught that "the spirit of Eve" was the spirit of manipulation.
Sometimes if someone needed something done in their apartment that they couldn't do themselves and something as simple as seeing if someone was available to change a light bulb, could be turned into an accusation of "having the spirit of Eve."
Funny that no one ever made the connection that Stewart Traill was the most manipulative person in our society.
He was the one who pulled ALL the STRINGS!
He was the one who received the most benefits from our labors!
He was the one being run by ALL the wrong spirits ~ forget about dear Eve, Stewart Traill was run by pure Eve-ill or Evil!
Telling any Christian that a "wrong spirit" is running them or working through them is very concerning.
Mt 12:32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Num 14:18 'The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.'
"The sticks go clack."
"The Ten Evils."
"The trips need to be with the trips."
"The U principal."
"The use of the word "indulge".
"The vanity of youth."
"The weakest link."
"The World."
"There is zero grace with me."
"There she goes, stomping off." Stewart used this phrase on a sister when she quietly got up to use the bathroom and oddly enough, this was at the so-called: "Grace" meeting in 1989, when Stewart apologized for "missing the concept of grace."
I don't think Stewart had any grasp on the subject of grace and the way he spoke to others could be said to be: "Graceless"
[Grace; def: in Christian belief, the free and unmerited favor of God as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings]
Stewart Traill had a lot of difficulty showing favor, especially to those who were providing his every physical and financial need.
"There was no one to take her by the hand."
Isa 51:18 There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne; there is none to take her by the hand among all the sons she has brought up.
"There's a wrong spirit working through you."
"There's an amazing work of God in all this."
"There's nothing left of that brother but smoke and boots!"
"These meetings are so weird, I don't like bringing Gayle to them."
"They all just want Stewart's attention!" This was said referring to the press.
"They are at ease on their couches!" This could be said of anyone in Cobu who didn't have a job or wasn't "contributing" to the "general fund" except for the sisters who went on camera trips for Stewart Traill.
They didn't give any money from the profits of the sales of cameras to Cobu, those profits went straight to "S&G Camera" (Stewart & Gayle Camera) although Cobu funded the trips: gas, tolls, lodging, food, etc. and probably still does.
In fact, the original purchase of the cameras that "S&G Camera" had in their inventory were made with funds "borrowed" from the "Cobu's general fund. These cameras were mint condition, high end, like Hasselblad, Nikon, etc."
When "Christian Brother's Carpet Cleaning" began, Stewart claimed for himself "a large salary" though he held no position in the business. He then used a portion of the "salary" to pay back the "loan" that financed his camera business, according to Roger Gonzalez, who was the bookkeeper for Cobu in the 80's.
Interesting that the brothers and sisters whose labors financed ALL of Stewart Traill's personal interests, while condemning anyone else from even "considering a personal interest" would accuse those earning the funds that financed Stewart Traill's empire that "they were at ease on their couches!" quite diabolical!
"They are kinder than we are."
"Those who break fellowship must pay."
"three fold cords"This referred to a teaching on this verse:
Ecc 4:12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Which means, if two stand together, they become a "3 fold cord" because:
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." If two are together and stand up for Jesus, he is in your midst, a three fold cord, which is much stronger than when one stands alone.
"Thrust them through!"
"tiger"
"to save her"
"trip apartment"" This refers to an apartment where those who lived-in fellowship, but were considered to have "broken-fellowship" lived. Some of the brothers who lived in "the trip apartment" had a history of making regular "confessions" of sin. Some of these "confessions" may have been "provoked" or even instances of "false guilt" or even confessions of sins someone "felt tempted to do" but wanted to be "in the light" about.
Lk 17:4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."
Mat 18:22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
This Bible teaching on "forgiveness" states that if a person seeks you out up to 490 times (or 7 X 70) in one day, you must extend forgiveness.
Therefore, housing several people in an apartment that's labeled a "trip apartment" does not lend to granting forgiveness. Excluding these brothers from the general population or shunning them conflicts with the teaching of forgiveness, as given by our Lord Jesus Christ.
The interesting thing that was noted was that the atmosphere in "the trip apartment" was much more comfortable than in the other areas of the fellowship.
This may have been because those who lived there were already considered "out of fellowship" so the scrutiny placed on everyone else wasn't "expected" in "the trip apartment." Another possible reason that those there felt more comfortable may have been that they were more honest and they may have even felt more relieved for the confessions they made.
Yet, no matter how comfortable those who lived there may have felt, having a "trip apartment" or a place to physically exclude contributing members of a Christian community, especially those whose consciences were so sensitive that they did as the scripture recommends and "confessed their sins" and were then punished for it and excluded, is in direct conflict with the teachings of forgiveness and Christian living.
Jas 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.
In the Cobu society those who made attempts to listen to their conscience and actually do as the scripture counseled and "confessed their sins" were shunned and put out of the mainstream of the fellowship.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were excluded and looked down upon.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were not trusted by anyone.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were put seen is "too perverted" for the regular population.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were ostracized.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were not forgiven.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were taught that God was not forgiving.
In the Cobu society those who "confessed their sins" were snubbed by those who did their sins in secret.
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" were looked up to.
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" were looked at as "holy" or "righteous."
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" were those who lorded things over on others.
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" which, if you didn't want to be locked out of sight and out of mind, you took pains to keep your "anti-Cobu" issues to yourself.
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" were living according to the Cobu rules of etiquette and not according to the counsel of the word of God.
In the Cobu society there may have been a lot of "confessing" of errors against the latest "Cobu-sanctioned" expectations: like, "I was so bad, I didn't do my zeal-pill today" but there was no confessions of "actual sin and temptation" and therefore the relief of forgiveness and redemption ~ because those who actually did admit to the weaknesses of their flesh were put out of circulation, never to be forgiven, never to be welcomed, never to be treated with dignity.
In the Cobu society those who did not "confess their sins" were encouraged to continue boldly walking around with their nose in the air, following Stewart Traill's pompous example of acting as though they didn't sin at all, although as the scripture counsels:
Rom 3:23 ...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Jas 4:17 Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In the Cobu society the actual counsel of the bible was exchanged for the counsel of Stewart Traill.
In the Cobu society the actual counsel of the bible was disregarded.
In the Cobu society the actual insights of the apostles was never experienced.
In the Cobu society the pseudo-Christianity based on unrealistic quotas and the almighty dollar were exchanged and had more weight than the blessings of forgiveness and having a truthful prayer life or truthful relationships.
In the Cobu society everyone was into hiding, because that was the only way to exist without being over scrutinized to the point of being made to shut up, or actually being shut out.
U
"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone.." This was a teaching on this scripture: Jn 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
When a grain of wheat goes into the earth the outer hard shell falls away so that the seed can germinate and then the hard seed becomes the beginning of the new plant growth. The teaching on this was that if we didn't "die to our human nature" and commit to "our new nature" we would be alone. If we were willing to commit to the fellowship than we wouldn't be alone. Like everything else in Cobu, this became another thing to be oppressed about, as we were frequently asked by Stewart and each other whether or not we "were falling into the earth" or it later got shortened to questions about whether or not we were "into being alone."
"Unless you're just into attention!" This was another Stewart Traill accusation, usually to a sister. If a sister just wanted to have a conversation, she was "into attention." If a sister needed to have someone take her somewhere, but felt insecure asking a brother, she could be accused of being "into attention." Any sister, at any time, could be accused of being "into attention," this later became: "into wrong attention," but that's just another version of our lovely language and the "great mind" that came up with it on any given day in Cobu!
W
"We are all called to be leaders."
"We are all leaders in our fellowship."
"We are programmed for success".
"We are the only church that has true interpretation of the Bible."
"We are the only church that rightly knows how to interpret the Bible."
"Weazel"
"Well the sisters needed right attention and the brothers weren't giving it to them, so it was ok."
"We're God's best!"
"We're going around the world" One more thing Stewart always alluded to, but never did. An illusive promise of our fellowship being everywhere: "Like McDonalds", yet this is a good thing that the disease of Cobu has been somewhat isolated to the Eastern U.S. and Haiti.
"We've got right teaching"
"What are you really up to?"
"What is going to make you move?"
"What is he doing, Brothers?"
"What is it going to take to make you faithful?"
"What is the best thing?"
"What SPACE!"
"What spirit is running him?"
"What type of attention would you like?"
"What would have happened to you if I hadn't grabbed you?"
"What's a kid to do?" This was one of Stewart's favorite things to say during the Saturday night meetings in St. John's basement in Allentown in the early 1970's of The Forever Family.
"When a thousand people come to the Big Meeting, I will tell my testimony."
"When are the brothers going to get their act together?"
"When are the older ones going to fall into the earth and die?"
"When are you going to come out from among her?"
"When are you going to get real?"
"When are you going to get serious about Jesus?" This was usually a "call to order" if everyone began to talk among themselves at a meeting ~ spoken by Stewart Traill or Jim Griener. This could also be spoken to an individual, privately or publically.
Constantly being reminded to "get serious" was a main stay of the group, so much so that it was rare to see anyone smile or laugh. Some were so "trained" in this behavior that even years after leaving the fellowship they felt uncomfortable laughing or smiling. ie."I knew if I let out one chuckle I was doomed," a Cobu brother said. Cobu, the joy-less society.
Jn 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Act 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Rm 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness...
"When are you going to get sick of just plugging along?"
"When are you going to get sick of your life?"
"When I was in the world"
"When it comes to marriage, the older brothers want me to say, "God bless you my son", like they do in the Catholic church."
"Where do you want the flowers sent?"
"Where is your wedding garment?" Mat 22:11-14 "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
This quote was often used to make someone feel as though they hadn't entered into fellowship "properly" or "through the accepted" channels, even though the brothers and sisters this verse was directed at, had entered the fellowship by saying "The Sinner's Prayer," asking for the forgiveness of their sins and receiving the free gift of the Holy Spirit. Stewart's teaching was that: just because you were "called" didn't mean that you were "chosen" ~ as the scripture states, but who was Stewart Traill to question the genuineness of the faith of those in the fellowship? And usually for something as insignificant as demonstrating a lack of confidence. Difficult to demonstrate confidence in an environment of constant criticism.
"Who here is SERIOUS about Jesus?!"
"Who is going to be all in for Jesus?"
"Who is sticking up for Jesus?"
"Who is walking in the light?"
"Who is zealous for Jesus?"
"Who really means it?"
"Why are the brothers acting like women?"
"Why are the brothers and sisters so weird?"
"Why are you letting each other go?"
"Why are you so fat?" This was said to a sister who just had a baby! It was also said to any sister who put on weight.
"Why do the brothers feel that they are better than everyone else?"
"Why do the brothers make it so hard?"
"Why don't you just ask me for right attention?"
"Why pay half the price and get nothing?" = you're working your butt off, but there is still more you have not done, so you can't go to heaven and you can't get married either: stop wailing!
"Why wait in sloth when it's time for more witnessing to begin."
"Wiped Out!" The state of saying you are not going to try to be faithful today because you are “in your head” about either your lack of a life, lack of hope or some random beating you received or failure you encountered.
Wiped out assumes that one sees no legitimate path to victory or overcoming as a real Christian might and that, for now anyway, you are only feeling the effects of your beatings and failures and are only capable of licking your wounds.
The hope when you say that you are wiped out is that either someone will lift you with words or join you in commiserating about how hopeless it all is.
With regard to the brothers and sisters becoming "wiped out", yes, Stewart Traill was the issue!
"Woe to those who are at ease in Zion!" Amo 6:1 "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!
Stewart used this concept to imply that the brothers and sisters were "taking it easy" concerning the work that he set before us. With this he was usually saying that we weren't going out witnessing enough. I guess every day and every night wasn't enough for the old boy, while he deemed that witnessing was not something that he could participate in, said it would be backslidding for HIM to go out witnessing!
Truth be told Stewart Traill bore witnessing before us whenever he met with us. What he stood for was loud and clear by all that he did before us. He was interested in the attractive, younger sisters of the group. He was interested in the money that everyone else could earn and he could spend on himself.
Pro 20:11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, whether what he does is pure and right.
Isa 58:3 Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
Jas 5:4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
Jas 5:5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
With regard to accusing others of not doing something that we actually were, and being a poor example of Christian ethics, yes, Stewart Traill was the issue!
"Women are like water, which takes the shape of its container."
"Working for Pharaoh."
"Working in the world."
"worldly grief"
Y
"You are all alike."
"You are either working or wailing."
"You are faithless." Just one more condemnation! What a lovely thing to say to those whose every waking hour is devoted to working, street preaching, Bible reading, and meeting together to pray and seek God. This was one of the many ways that Stewart Traill cursed the fellowship and accused us of not being Christ-like.
"You are getting a lot of airtime." This was said to anyone who got up during a meeting and attempted to bring up something that mattered to the person. Stewart Traill did not appreciate anyone monopolizing communication at meetings. Stewart Traill was very much into controling communication.
"You are in a cult."
"You are just into maneuvering."
"You are killing the lambs!"
"You are lazy."
"You are like spaghetti."
"You are not coming to the light."
"You are only living for this life."
"You are ruining the fellowship."
"You are ruining the lambs."
"You better be glad I missed grace: the alternative is worse."
"You brothers are too weak to get married."
"you can count on me in a pinch"
"You can tell how happy a fellowship is by the way the women are."
"You don't care about the children in Haiti?" Life in COBU was one work over after another, it wasn't enough that we worked all day, turned in our whole pay check to cover the needs of the group and the orphanage in Haiti, and then went out witnessing almost every night, or were expected to go to meetings that lasted into the wee hours of the morning, and then the icing on the cake was to be told that "we don't care!"
There was someone who didn't care too much for our well being and that was Stewart Traill himself, the beneficiary of all our labors. The one who has always made sure that his living conditions were the best and that he was the most comfortable, yet claimed that he wasn't our king.
"You don't stand a ghost of a chance to get married in this fellowship."
"You got your fellowship and I got mine."
"You hate Jesus."
"You have more grace than I do."
"You just don't want to be responsible"
"You know what you're doing"
"You need a deeper commitment toward Jesus."
"You need spare zeal to get married."
"You need to be personally responsible to Jesus"
"You need to be trained."
"You need to make your behavior right toward Stewart."
"You refuse to come out from among her."
"You see God with a stick in his hands." Stewart Traill said this countless times at meetings. Interesting that he didn't own that since he was our "Bible teacher" and the presenter of all things "of God" or "of Jesus" that perhaps his presentation was specifically responsible for this view of God that we adopted and he was able to recognize?
"You were fed the finest of wheat." Ps 81:16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Ps 147:14 He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
"You will always have bad actors in the Fellowship."
"You'd want to take the rug outside the camp first"
"Your apartment must be treated like a crash pad."
"Your belly is your God.
"You're a game player"
"You're allowed!" This was Stewart's reply to anyone who said they wanted to "do something," like if a brother said at a brother's meeting that someday he really wanted to get married. This "supposed permission" was just another way to put the brother off, let someone know that they wouldn't be getting any help from him and the fellowship or to just make the person feel like an idiot for even confessing his desire ~ Cobu a safe land? I don't think so.
"You're a leech" Referred to anyone who came around regularly, but wasn't contributing financially to the general fund.
"You're a real space cadet
"You're a sponge"
"You're an inch away from ________ " (fill in the blank) The "blank" usually referred to something like backsliding or committing adultery.
"You're being proud?" (Another condemnation.)
"You're copping out"
"You're doing numbers"
"You're drifting" Referred to anyone not paying attention or not focused on the current topic.
"You're either working or wailing"
"You're glad I missed grace, aren't you?"
"You're hiding in sleep" This is a workover and an accusation. Everyone needs to sleep. Everyone needs to take time to rest. How comfortably can someone enter into sleep and rest with the fear of being accused of "hiding" in doing it?
"You're hiding in work" A workover and an accusation, what Cobu is known for. How do you "hide" in work? First everyone is told to "Go to the Work" or accused of "being lazy" , that they need pins stuck in them to get them to move and then when someone invests their strength in work, they are accused of "hiding" in it! This accusation of hiding in the work just leads to complete frustration and the feeling that nothing that the person does is ever good enough.
"You're hiding in witnessing" What does this even mean? In Cobu anything that you do, you can be accused of "hiding" in it! Everyone is expected to go out and share the message of salvation with people outside the group, only to come back to be accused of "hiding" in it?!
What is hiding anyway? Hiding has to do with doing something in secret, or concealing something from sight. It's almost impossible to go out street preaching and hide while doing it.
There is something that one can hide in though, how about Stewart Traill's "dark room" where he does his "film developing" and where he's been known to give "private tours" to unsuspecting young Christian woman!
Hiding in the darkroom is so much more questionable than someone out street preaching, working, or getting a good nights rest!
"You're indulging in this" or "You're indulging in that" Just one of the many cuts, workovers, or accusations that those in Cobu had the benefit of hearing while struggling to do the best that they could each and every day.
Eph 4:29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.
1Co 10:23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.
1Th 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Most of what came to our ears, hearts and minds in Cobu were things that made us feel put down, like: "You're indulging", then you read the scriptures that say we as Christians should speak things that are upbuilding, edifying and hopeful ~ another example of how Cobu is not the "wonder church" that they try to sell to themselves and others.
"You're into attention!"
"You're into house and home." This phrase caught on early, even before Cobu in the FF. It meant that you were hoping in this world if you wanted to own a home, or get married and have children. Owning a home, getting married and having children took away time from "going to the work" and being "committed to the fellowship", so anything apart from "fellowship approved activities" was always discouraged, mocked, or spoken in a derogatory, critical or demeaning way.
"You're into levity" In Cobu any laughter was frowned on unless it was Stewart's: haw, haw, haw "mocking" laughter.
"You're into your head"
"You're just clacking against us."
"You're killing the lambs"
"You're mortgaging your future!"
"you're not getting over on me"
"You're robbing the lambs" How is it that Stewart Traill had access to and used the church funds in any way that he wanted, yet accused US of "robbing the lambs!"
"You're selling the lambs down the river"
"You're spacing out"
"You're spacy
"You've got a weird spirit," Stewart Traill, and some brothers and sisters imitating Stewart, said this to other brothers and sisters. This one is close to blasphemy ~ Ref: Mat 12:31-32 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Did we not have the Spirit of God? And if we did, then who was Stewart Traill to say that we had a "weird spirit?"
Who is Stewart Traill to make harsh statements about our spirit?
Who is Stewart Traill to judge a persons spirit?
Who is Stewart Traill to cause one of God's people to question their own spirit?
[Def: blasphemy: the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk, the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God, great disrespect shown to God or to sacred persons or things.]
How many times did Stewart Traill speak insultingly toward brothers and sisters?
How many times did Stewart Traill speak disrespectfully toward brothers and sisters?
How many times did Stewart Traill speak without reverence to the brothers and sisters who have God's spirit ?
Mt 25:40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'
Therefore, as Stewart Traill did to the least of the brothers and sisters, he did it also to the Lord God of Hosts and His Christ, our Lord Jesus. And how does the Lord God of Hosts treat those who offend, insult, disrespect, and show a lack of reverence; in other words "the guilty"? See below:
Exo 34:7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
Num 14:18 'The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.'
Joe 3:21 I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty, for the LORD dwells in Zion."
Nah 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and of great might, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
"YSH = Young Sheep House The house in Philadelphia where newly saved young people came to live with Stewart, Gayle and Jim Griener to be "taught" away from the rest of the fellowship and especially the "older brothers" and "older sisters" who were usually only in their 20's, but had been saved a much longer amount of time, but Stewart had basically said that we weren't a "good influence" on the younger ones, so they were isolated in a big mansion in Philadelphia.
This house really took a beating physically and though it was a "money pit" to begin with, after housing a whole bunch of really young people all under 20 and the very limitted upkeep that anyone did there, it got so run down that even with some older brothers doing various work on the property, like plumbing and roofing, by the time this house was closed it seemed to have no curb-appeal and the inside was in very bad shape. That's just the physical aspect.
Spiritually, this was where the younger ones were all supposed to get all that "good Bible teaching" from Stewart Traill and Jim Greiner, where they learned such great catechisms like boldly proclaiming: "I volunteer for the lake of fire." and "I'm going to hell, but Jesus still loves me." and some were even subject to physical "spankings" like Stewart's own son Donald, who ended up in the hospital because he got paddled, but hey, this is "God's best" this is the place every young person is lining up to visit, not really, but believe what you want to.
This is an observation: In editing all the contributions to this section regarding the language of COBU one thing that seems to be blarring is how most of what was spoken by Stewart Traill was one put down after another. In a place that says they are "Christian," most of what was said to the group from the leader was: a mock, or a put down, or some form of slight, humiliation or harrassment.
This type of negative speaking was also widespread among those within the group. Most of the language has to do with judging one another, confessing of "sins" or "negative thoughts and feelings" that individuals felt they were guilty of and continual expressions of disrespecting each other.
In COBU, everyone seemed to think that their way is so great, that they can take their beliefs to the streets and tell other people that they should be like those in the group, yet nothing about the language is anywhere near similar to the way that the Christians in the New Testament of the Bible thought and spoke to one other.
We have learned that the first step to any kind of healing, of any heartfelt wound, is that it's necessary to actually "look into" or "look at" what has occurred and thereby connecting to it, in order to lift it up in prayer and have it be removed.
Even in physical illness a correct diagnosis is necessary for a treatment plan to begin. You may have been at one place at one time, but the only place to really start is where you are now.
If you have deep wounds that rob you of peace, rob you of sleep, rob you of being able to function as you would like to function, than the Lord God of Hosts and His Christ have a therapy that you may find blesses you more than you could have asked or even considered.
The type of mass abuse and negative conditioning that those of us who were in The Church of Bible Understanding experienced and witnessed over a considerable period of time needs to be looked at, it's a first step.
Even the ones who weren't personally spoken disrespectfully to, if you witnessed someone else being treated wrongly and offensively, then you also were a victim of mistreatment and learned to conduct yourself in such a way as not to be treated harshly as you saw someone else treated. This is the way that conditioning is done. It is meant to make everyone fall in line.
The Lord our God and His Christ asked us to do all that was in our power to expose the awful things that devour, so that hearts can be freed from the grip of pain, frustration, confusion, and oppression, so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit can be restored and replenished in the hearts, and souls, and minds, of those who only sought to do what they were taught was God's will for them.
If a child is born into an abusive home, he has no immediate refuge and can suffer the damage of his environment. Cobu was and is an abusive environment as proven over and over again by the language that developed. Those who were and still are under it's intense and inflexible infulence may not realize that freedom from this oppression is nearer to you now, than when you were first decieved.
Faith is something that brings each of us out of our particular comfort zones. You may have memorized many scriptures and still feel as though it is a foreign language, yet the harsh voices of Cobu may still ring strongly in your ears.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever ~ he alone has the power to restore you to peace with God and to Himself. This is the Will of God for all who are called by His name.
The comfort and peace of the Holy Spirit are available to you.
Thank you for reading our website.
It is our hope and prayer that all who are and were oppressed in the house of our youth, may find the strength to draw near to the throne of grace and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16
We've been praying for you every single day for a very long time.
If you want a blessing, if you need prayer, let us know.
Rm 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
We hope that our website is able to conquer any residual thought that Cobu was a godly place, so that the God of Truth and His Christ may once again fill you with the true blessings that only come from above,
The Living Water Fellowship of Believers
WOULD YOU LIKE A BLESSING?
