PFAL Class

[J0nny Ling0]

I liked the class. It helped me immensely. Thankful for it. Did me good. Know the books of the Bible. Know to whom it is written. Know that punctuation is devoid of authority, know that I am righteous now. Know that I have Christ in me the hope of glory. Know that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet he sinned not. Know that I can look to him as my Savior who never succumbed to those same temptations and conquered same. Know that he is my Brother. My supreme and way badass Brother who conquered the temptation of sin for me, so that I can do it too. I know that I am loved by my Heavenly Father, and no one can take that away from me....I learned it in PFAL, and I am thankful...

Could I have learned it elsewhere? Probably. But I didn't. I learned it in PFAL, and for that I am forever thankful...

[dmiller]

I would like to agree with you, but I can't. The class, as it is presented, it designed not to be a study, but more of an indoctrination. Study involves reflection. For me, study involves discussion. With the format offered in 3 hour chunks with no discussion of points, it loses the study aspect, at least for me.

That's a great point. Classrooms are not always quiet places, where you can't ask questions til the end, what if you can't wait, til the end?

It's been a long time since I've taken "the class," but one of the things I believe it does at the outset is set a tone for how other Christians are to be viewed - namely as stupid for believing things that are not the "obvious truth." Like most other Bible "studies," it is designed to lead you to a conclusion - one of those conclusions is that you are stupid to trust anyone outside of the organization because others have deceived you, perhaps unknowingly, but nevertheless deceived. I've sat through the class twice; once before reading the books, and then after as a team member. The second time I was bored out of my mind and found the continuous repetition mind-numbing. I was also more aware of the attempt to tap into people's emotions the second time.

The other thing the class does is set a person up to feel "special" for having all this "information" that is not shared throughout the Christian community.

I will tell you one thing that the PFAL class did for me - that was open me up to critical study of scripture, but I think that was an inadvertent side effect. I took the admonition to "don't take my word for it" as a kind of challenge.

I did, I never took anybody's word for anything. And I have found, among other things, that dispensational theology is unscriptural. wrath dnd tribulation are NOT synonomous, falling away is not flyin up, it is not a departure upward, and that the gathering together and the resurrection of the just ARE the same event. Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good. God expects that. It's a requirement for a workman

I didn't. Once through the class I read all the books and then started a critical review of the books compared to scripture and came away with my own conclusions, which didn't go over too well in my twig. I do believe the class will trigger critical thinking for certain types of people, but the typical PFAL grad has a huge need to stand out in some way and be accepted - something that was probably missing in a former life. Being told they are "called out" and "special" for having taken the class does something to these people, even as they are being abused by the system that tells them they are so special. I also think that it attracts more than its fair share of people with personality disorders, because it fills a need. I am reminded of Jesus' first great commandment, which is to love one another. I truly believe that instead of teaching the great truth - that we are to love one another - that the class teaches us to be wary of others and it leads to qualifying that statement, when I see no qualification. Furthermore, PFAL drills down the definition of "born again" to what is assumed is a very broad spectrum, but it ends up being just as, if not more restrictive, than a typical flaming trinitarian's view of what constitutes being "born again" or a believer.

I believe that "knowing" whether believing equals receiving, it was 3 or 5 crucified, how many times Peter denied Jesus, or whether one speaks in tongues is the true sign of receiving the spirit is irrelevant to Jesus' basic message. Well he did tell the 12 to go and wait for the comforter to come. ANd I agree, jesus Christ is who my lord and savior and master, is vitally important to how I handle life.

The statement it's for our learning, as opposed to addressed to us, was a devilish ploy to keep people from experiencing the more abundant life, how can you receive training in the whole word, if you think all but 8 or 9 books don't matter because they are not addressed to you?

That message gets buried in all the the details of "knowing that you know that you know" and becomes lost. Is that really what you want for these people?

edited to add the quote marks. Did the emphasis help Lucy?? ;)

Edited July 18, 2008 by dmiller