Geraldo did a report on them with Rick Ross on there, the thing I noticed about the Flagstaff church in the 80's episode is it doesn't exist anymore. I don't know why but the same Door church in the report is no more because I went to The Door in Flagstaff in 2001 which was tiny room rented out near a famous Flagstaff bar (famous for people who later fell asleep on the railroad tracks behind the bar). The Tempe one is large which is my aunt & uncle went to as a college students at ASU which my grandma was active attendant.
I got go over their beliefs & differences but I'll point my aunt & uncle bought into more than usual, my aunt more so than my uncle who had to restrain cursing around her. Cursing is no-no, television is prohibited officially in doctrine, "lukewarm" Christians & Catholics are going to hell. Smoking, against their beliefs. You're preached that you constantly have to convince "lukewarm" or less so family events I stopped attending because I was constantly invited to church, was "saved" numerous times because "backsliding" requires another one. In Tempe I avoided as often as possible.
The small Flagstaff one I enjoyed going to though, I was the only one that was a teenager but the rest of us was college age & don't think it any of us bought into as much though there were times at his small NAU apartment he'd hurry us home afraid of breaking the being in the same room with a woman or women you aren't related to after midnight but we often hung out on our own. Went to Sedona at 2am, went to the Navajo nation fair which was a blast. I liked the pastor oddly enough. I like how during a sermon he said "broke all 10 of the commandments" which grabbed my attention but he knew what he said right away by arguing that his past drug abuse qualifies as killing himself so he broke "thou shall not kill". He justified the no alcohol by prohibition by asking when Jesus turned the water into win, "what is new wine?" "Grape juice".
9/11 happened, he made the claim that the US is lucky to have "military man" with Bush in charge & if Gore was in charge we'd still be in war with China or where ever that spy plane crashed. He also argued his Christian beliefs were important for this country in the time of need which followed sermons on how Islam followers are going to hell.
All this was founded in Prescott and I have been to mother church, they have some of the scariest Horror Houses or whatever they call those places during Halloween which overloads on the Hell rhetoric, I never bought into religion or realized I'd be faking it. Reminded me of Santa Claus and I never felt, saw, or heard anything that so many people claim they have but I was scared of going to hell that day. A few spoke in tongues and I couldn't see myself doing that unless I was just randomly spouting gibberish. The pastor claimed some who is of Japanese descent claim that someone speaking in tongue was speaking "perfect Japanese". Lying was a big no-no so I thought the story was probably true at-the-time.
I was obviously followed because I noticed "Rick Ross notes & cult info" on the door that I didn't see anyone put on there which creeped me the hell out. Why was it done like that? Someone followed me from the church to the apartment so for the door thing. Eventually life circumstances changed & never went to church after that (not counting Basic training).
I'd certainly say it is a cult in how much cutting off friends & families who are "lukewarm Christians" or less are preached to cut off ties from or you're going to hell. Even if you go to church everyday, read the bible, etc but still smoke cigarettes or cuss you're going to hell.
My aunt & uncle (knowing my aunt I'm pretty certain this was her idea) didn't vote for McCain in 2008, naw the 3rd party dude because the felt Sarah Palin should be at home taking care of her kids. She probably doesn't even realize she lost a vote due to this reason.
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