What a joy to be on your show! You do a phenomenal job pulling information from me, thank you! Sharing all this from my life is recent, so this interview was very helpful in my formulation as my cult adjacent journey unfolds! You-all are doing great work, keep it up! ❤
You did a great job, Timmy! I appreciated your willingness to admit fault in a way that says you are doing better and deconstructing as you go! Well done 😁
Thank you for sharing your story. I grew up practically living in a pentecostal assemblies of god church and a lot of your experiences resonate with me. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in thinking that that type of environment was the norm. Lol
Whatever floats your boat if you are not being harmed or harming others. I love learning and keeping my mind open. Brought up as Catholic but with beautiful parents who had open minds and arms I have now a more personal and more relaxed view of faith and God. This is a great side to see and its more honest to leave something that no longer works for you or harms you by staying in it. Living a regular life being good to yourself and others and with true integrity is the most important thing.
I am so happy to see someone well a pastor at that speak out about the cult I grew up in and the trauma it has caused me. Thank you so much for having him.
Me too! I think Jesus, a Jewish man of color preaching radical beliefs and murdered by agents of the political and religious establishment, would have hated "Christians". Edit: we should start our own church 😭 I can't stand standard churches
I grew up Pentecostal. I had panic attacks thinking about hell. I felt I was going to hell because I didn’t speak in tongues. It took a lot of time and secular therapy for me to let go of that. I am still Christian but not adhering to a denomination. I’m such a fan of your channel and the fact that you’re covering this is cathartic. 😊
At our church they would tell the youth group that if you weren't speaking in tongues by high school you were slipping from God or not close enough. It was a lot of pressure, shame, and guilt.
Excellent interview!! Went to a Pentecostal church when I was growing up and felt certain things were off. Married a pastor’s son in my early twenties and divorced ten months later because he wasn’t what he pretended to be (realized that he didn’t really love me, he opened my eyes). I woke up after my divorce and I had to undo a lot of teachings (and the world didn’t end because of it). I’ve been on a journey and found a loving husband that has stood by my side finding myself. I’m much happier NOW than I was before.
@@niechellejeffery7246 I attended a Bill Gothard Basic Youth Conflict Seminar as well in 1983! I shudder to think how easily it was to be duped into a cult like that. Well, my local Baptist church encouraged us to go by the bus load! They didn’t think it was a cult!
@@LavenderGardenia After years of spiritual, emotional, verbal and physical abuse from my husband, and several pastors, and my mother in the name of Jesus? It’s taken a lot of therapy, and shows like this help me with deprogramming
@LavenderGardenia good question and the answer is no they are not the same,faith is internal while occult is doing things or using ways wrongly in the name of faith.
I went to visit my sister’s church one Sunday because my nieces were doing a performance. After the preacher gave a sermon he came down off the stage and started doing a “healing”. I had never seen anything like it before in my life. He went through the congregation. And everyone he touched fell to the floor. They had several blankets to help cover the ladies due to their dresses. So there were a few men, I suppose deacons, following the preacher around helping to cover the ladies. It was crazy that so many people were laying all over the place. Then the preacher came to a lady close to us and he touched her and said a prayer. She didn’t fall down. Then he said “well I guess you didn’t need a blessing”. I thought everyone there was being so fake, especially the preacher. I felt like he was a false teacher. It really bothered me. I think God can heal people but I didn’t feel like that was what this was. I almost had a feeling of evil and I couldn’t wait to get out of that church.
People crave connection… it’s sad how much we lack connection and community now so they turn to that. It’s a sad, lonely world and we’re all searching for something more but we won’t ever have the answers. Not in this form anyway lol. Here’s to hoping everyone finds something to keep them happy and whole without believing in something so strongly that it takes over their life.
In the Bible when the Apostles where healing people it was so they could gain favor with the people and they wouldn't be killed by the powers that be. They actually prayed for it when the were released from custody in the beginning of Acts. So it had a purpose it wasn't just this willy nilly thing.
Thank you so much for this! I grew up in Assemblies of God/ Pentacostalism and I feel like it is a culty scene that doesn't get talked about a lot. I remember being terrified of other Christians who were from "dead churches" and might or might not actually go to heaven. Thank you for including this chat on your channel!
Wow that is interesting. I am 70 now and was raised Free Presbyterian. We were not allowed to play with Catholics or attendees of churches that "spoke in tongues". They were considered the "devils children".
@@GracefullyAutistic yeah, a dead church is a church the spirit has left because it isn't "on fire for god" anymore. Pretty much anything that wasn't us was a dead church. And those people may or may not actually be saved, may or may not be trying to earn their salvation through works. 😮💨
So excited to see this perspective! Just started, but this sounds like this was someone who had the power to control and manipulate people, but left it all behind... Soooo cool! 👏🏻
Love the plants, World Market candle holders, fan, drums? Kansas City Drum Tribe? Very relaxing. He looks like the pretty white Jesus picture. The one I saw my Mom stroke his cheek and cry Ohhhhhh. Yuk. She knew I've been an Atheist forever. It stuck in my mind. I really like this guy but he would have just been another bully to me had I known him b4
Tim seems like an absolutely lovely man. 🙂 The amount of integrity required to admit that he was problematic, change, and discuss it openly without excusing any of his behaviors is astronomical, and I respect the hell out of anyone who can do that. You’re a good one, Sir.
I just found his channel a few days ago. I’m so excited to see him on your channel. My husband and I were Pastors for 16 years in the Assemblies of God and walked away 2 years ago. We have never felt more free! Thanks for having him on!
Yeah tbh it's impressive how immediately likable you are while saying you did cult things haha. I think a big part of it is you really acknowledge how wrong it was and fully own you did it. @@timmygibsonkc
Yeah cause we've seen people like Jim Jones who would rather destroy themselves and everyone around them rather than just admit they were talking nonsense, of course Jones was probably insane also. Possibly malignant narcissist?
I remember in Bible college we had a "holy spirit" weekend retreat where the whole goal was to be baptized by the holy spirit and speaking in tongues by the end of the weekend. So much pressure, especially when I didn't grow up in a church where speaking in tongues was really a thing and I'm thrust into this very overwhelming room full of my professors and classmates. There was the additional pressure of you need to be baptized by the holy spirit, recieved the gift of tongues to be truly a good Christian and saved 🙄
I went to a baptism like this. One of the girls was so uncomfortable with it... especially being on a stage in front of at least 100 people. The pastor said "repeat after me" and slowly spoke some gibberish. The girl's face went red. She uttered one syllable and started giggling and shaking her head. The pastor shouted to the crowd "Did you hear that? That wasn't English! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!" and the audience cheered.
As a Christian who does speak in tongues, I find sessions like that horrifying--especially the Bible Camps where they force children who don't speak in tongues to stay kneeling with their arms upraised (what military torturers call "stress positioning") until they receive the Gift of tongues. The Bible clearly states that different people receive different gifts, and it specifically says that it's better to pray for wisdom than for tongues. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. What do they think would happen if you pressure people into speaking in tongues. 1. The most honest kids get punished. For being honest. 2. Most of the kids just learn how to fake it--thereby initiating them into the worship of the Prince of Lies. 3. Some will be so desperate that they open themselves wide to any spirit that wants to use their mouth. If you believe in demons, that's practically an engraved invitation to possession! 4. Some of the honest kids will lose faith altogether. Tongues isn't nearly as important a gift now as it was back in the days of the Apostles. What's the point of demanding the Gift of Tongues in this day and age, when people can look up translations on a device in their pockets? It's more of a vanity-gift than anything, anymore, and God's not a great fan of vanity.
Thank you for featuring an Assemblies of God story. I always resonate with so many of the cult stories shared but rarely see my experience in the Pentecostal church validated as such. Would love to see more of this. I am the only person in my rather large extended family who fully left the faith, as far as I’m aware. More information needs to be available for those questioning.
Wow when Tim is talking about being a better Christian after not being a Christian reminds me of a time when I was working. I was a point of contact for auto body shops for the insurance company I worked for. I talked to body shops all over the west. It was fun helping shops get paid and any other issues they may run into. One day one of the women I talked regularly asked if I was a Christian because I had a sweet spirit. I happily said no. She was so disappointed. She never talked to me in the same way again. She was ever disappointed. So sad. But I didn't have to judge people or situations. I could treat everyone the same.
I loved this interview! As a former christian I can relate so much with that feeling of freedom from letting go of that manufactured hate and judgement while at the same time having to deal with immense guilt, fear and pressure from the others that still in this system of belief
We all have left religion and most still followed Christ. The questions remain: Who are we? Where are we? And When are we? We have spent a lot of time power washing the religious narcissism from our minds.
@@nickywal I hope you come to know God because he is real and believing in hell shouldn't torment you it should push you to be a better person but if you have church trauma I understand that
As an Episcopalian I am so pleased they were among the first to embrace gay people. From the deep south this did confuse us a little at first but we trusted the church to make the right decisions .
I relate to this 100% after 60 plus years in the church I am way more free now that I am agnostic .I love others, much more accepting, and just the weight of living for eternity Rewards has been lifted.
I so needed this conversation. Thank you! I am a recovering Christian. It is so difficult bc my kids are Christians as I’m still trying to reconcile what I believe. Two years ago, I had an awakening after a devastating divorce. I am walking into uncharted territories that I never thought I would ever experience.
Thank you! I LOVE coffee, your username had me at "coffee" lol! Divorce is also a part of my story, I didn't talk about it here out of respect of my EX, who is still a friend and mother to my two kiddos!
Same. I enjoy being challenged in what I believe and accepting respectfully and without judgement that others have different religious beliefs or no religious beliefs.
I grew up in an Assembly of God church and can relate to Timmy’s story, but as a girl growing up in the church it was a very repressive life. I was called out from the pulpit by the pastor when I chose to go to college. That public humiliation was the start of my deconstruction. A few years after I stopped attending, a CSA ring was exposed in the church & the pastor was caught sleeping with his daughter in law. In the aftermath, I began to see just how culty that environment was. 30 years later, I’m still deconstructing, but thankfully I don’t carry the guilt and fear that a Pentecostal Church environment instilled.
The new pastor at my mother's church honours me as his first youth leader to this day...20 odd years after my critical thinking was switched on in a tragic time, and I lost my faith completely. The human condition became so clear to me. Those poor youngsters were inspired by my love for god, the benefits of "good" living. Now I know i taught them to be closed-minded and holier-than-though. I feel sad that one of them felt called....and i was helping build his convictions as a young man Hard regret!
May not be so bad. I’ve noticed lately that as a lot of hardcore Christians mature, they tend to soften their more rigid us vs them all or nothing belief system. If they’re truly growing in their faith, they begin to see the spirit of God in everyone, not just Christians, and put more faith in God’s goodness and mercy than his wrath and judgment. Even Billy Graham, at the end of his life, was leaning towards universalism. Same with Pope Benedict.
Went to Bob Jones Academy (the highschool part of the University) in SC . No TV , no secular music of any kind, no restaurants that served alcohol, no theatres, no dancing, no coffee, dresses past the knees, no interracial dating. Women had to be chaperoned together. So many rules. They were affiliated with the IBLP and we were taught the umbrella of authority. Always feeling you just couldn’t measure up, the goals constantly being moved farther. Judgement of others and yourself is never ending. That place really affected me. Total spiritual abuse is what it is
‘By giving to church, God will protect you…! Indeed, it’s sad! That’s how magnificent churches were built while people were dying& suffering around it!
I am a Christian. I LOVE your channel. I have been here since 40 k subs. This is so true, if the church has something to hide or an inner circle that gets to know the "truth" is culty and false, and there are soooooo many of those churches out there. They want Jesus as a Savior but not the real Jesus as Lord, and still do what is right in their own eyes. Pride and greed destroys!!!!!!
I do agree with so much of what he is talking about. The "us and them" mentality is a huge problem in every way. A very sweet interview. I love the annointed tattoo story. 🥰You both are such gentle and kind humans🤍🤍
I really appreciate hearing this from a leader's perspective. How brave to follow your heart as you shifted to a true perspective to live your authentic life. ❤ You actually lived honestly by not chasing greed nor following ego!!! What a fabulous example. Thank you
Thank you for this. I was indoctrinated in a fringe Pentecostal church by my grandmother. Parents were unaware of how bizarre these folks were. Several of them had links with the snake handlers further south, but fortunately I never saw that. I spent my childhood terrified I wouldn't get to heaven because, try as I might, I couldn't speak in tongues. The judgmentalism was horrible, and I was constantly bullied. The religiosity and performance aspect -- clapping, yelling, speaking some unknown language, was just a bridge too far. (I am now a language instructor, TESOL/ESL, fluent in another language and can function in others.) Nothing I heard sounded like a known language -- it was gibberish. That said, I heard what I can only judge as genuine glossalia ... from a 13-year-old girl. I'd already started studying Spanish and grew up around folks from "the old country" speaking various languages. I actually recognized what she was saying in a couple of them and understood she was praising God and thanking him. It was amazing, and that girl was joyous and ... transported. To this day I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
Very similar story to mine, including the genuine people and happenings but the fakers/ pretenders because of the very youthful pressure to be a part of that special thing was undeniably there too; one that I never fell for (too much of a thinker for as long as I can remember :)) which made the bully types unhappy which made me gladly lose ties. I knew my God earlier and better than I knew people.
My dad was brought up Church of Christ and he raised me in it. (Mom was Southern Baptist). He was pragmatic though to some of it, like speaking in tongues. He believed, as do I that it was referencing other languages like French, Italian, etc. I believe it was a way of describing how various languages were developed so that the people of that time can understand. Had a preacher one time speak on how the Bible was humanistic and tried to describe things in the best way for the people of that time to understand phenomena. Unfortunately that was not liked by the elders of our church so he was let go soon after. I grew up to be a scientist and have deconstructed quite a bit. I describe myself as a Christ follower. I follow his teachings. I leave the rest. If he didn’t touch on a topic I consider it not very important or he would have said something. I’m also a huge believer that a higher power of some sort gave us a brain/allowed us to evolve enough intelligence to understand the world around us, create medications, etc and that many times, those miracles people pray for will manifest through these things and not just some supernatural occurrence. Too many Christians want to box in their God. Take pro-life folks: if a pregnancy was terminated, why wouldn’t an all-powerful God just allow that soul to come to Earth in a different body? To think that couldn’t possibly happen is limiting what a God could do. Don’t say “Anything is possible with God” if you don’t truly believe that. There are a myriad of other examples I can think of. When I crave community I attend an Episcopal church. I have a daughter who is LGBTQIA+ so it was important to me to find a group where she would be accepted.
Giving to get in any circumstance is not going to get you where you think you want to go! I always tell people God is not a alot machine. As a former minister, my testimony is that I really found God as soon as I left the church!
I grew up up in a Methodist church with no teaching at home. So I knew there was a God. His son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But I didn’t understand why and what. I had some great friends that brought me to church. I had the pleasure of seeing different church denominations. As I finally came to understand God and Jesus I was able to learn the truth. Now I hate denomination titles. I claim I’m a follower of Jesus. I refuse to be under a title. I attend a church with a denomination, but I refuse to just throw it out. We joined a church full of like minded people. Some of the sweetest people and fellow Jesus followers attend this church.
I’m a Believer in Jesus Christ. I attend a denominational church, but I’m there to love the people. It’s sad to watch churches go to extremes in legalism and many churches are just motivational seminars as I like to call them. I’m fascinated by cults and how people leave them.
This is the type of church I grew up in. My deconstruction started when I started diving into cults. Specifically, Charles Manson, Jim Jones, Branch Davidians, ect. The similarities between those cults and what I was taught in a Pentecostal church was unsettling.
How about maybe doing a show on someone who has completely turned around after being involved with the dangerous and fanatical MAGA Trump cult? I know that could be controversial, but I would love to see an interview with someone who transitioned out of the MAGA cult. I have them in my family.
My dad is a Missionary Baptist preacher. We were defiantly taught that the Pentecostals were not the true church. LOL It is so weird. I started questioning my family's faith when I was very young. I haven't been in organized religion since I was around 18. I have been to church here and there for my dad because I respect him. My spouse said that she will not believe in a God that allows neonatal units and child cancer. There is so much of your story that I appreciate. Good for you!!!
That's so true. After I was well on my deconvertion journey I met another person who had just started on hers. I had been in a Pentecostal church and she in a Baptist. She was still judging me because I had been a tongue talker and she hadn't. So funny because I was thinking to whole thing was controlling and she was still defending the Baptist stand on tongue talking. I wasn't in the ready church!
I was good friends with the neighbor girl across the street. She went to a Baptist Church/School, and I went to a charismatic-word of faith-pentecostal church/school. I was raised to believe the superior/elitist view that we were the truest church because we had the "fullness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit" and my friend didn't because Baptists were very anti-tongues and spiritual gifts. So as kids, my parents let me go with her to Awana and Bible camp because they just straightened out anything "wrong" when I got home, but my friend was never allowed to go to anything church-related with me. I didn't really figure that out until we both left for college and I joined the interdenominational Christian ministry on campus and realized how much of a minority I was and how attacked I felt by "nonbelievers."
God doesn't give babies illnesses or people, he didn't create cancer or disease. Everything that's evil, corrupt & sick( sin came into the world) from the fall of Adam & Eve our DNA Became damaged, this is where genetic mutations, came into mankind.
When I was in 2nd grade CCD class (which is a Catholic education class), my teacher told me that all of my Protestant friends were going to hell because they didn’t go to Christ’s true church. I absolutely knew at 8 that this was total bulls shit! I finished all of my catholic education taking the good and discarding the bad, and after 3 priest and clergy scandals I finally left. My children now don’t have any Christian foundation, or religious foundation except mine. And mine is that there is a divine creative force. Our souls come here to gain experience, and then return to source, god (or a divine creative energy) is real and moves through all creature and things, and creates around us and through us, and be good to yourself and others. Amen 🙏 ❤🙏
I appreciate that. I've always had a desire to be self aware and know when I am misled, or believing lies, even lies about myself. I think that is one key factor is what led me to seeing the falsehood in all that I was involved in. So thankful to be free of it!
I very rarely comment on a video but this one I just had too. What an engaging interview. It grabbed my attention right away and it kept it through the whole interview. Not an easy feat since I mostly watch YT in short spurts, rarely ever finishing a whole video. Thank you to you both for brining so much information and insight to the audience.
Such a great interview. Shelise, you did such a great job with interview. I could relate to a lot of it coming from a conservative christian religious background myself. Hearing Timmy’s perspective as a leader was so interesting. This was of one my favorite interviews, I think because I am familiar with that world and a lot of it really resonated with me. Timmy stating he can’t really do “church” anymore helped me not feel so bad about my own inability to step into a church.
Timmy reminds me of a pastor I might have encountered in evangelical churches when I was younger. So much of what he said resonated with me. Thank you for another great interview ❤
If Timmy WAS gay, he would be the most popular gay in the scene.. Man is GORGOUS! Those blue eyes, his hair, his tattooes and sense of style.... and his charismatic nature.. my god. Im smitten with him after just this video. I would undoubtedly become a follower, if I had met him back when he was a pastor...
You are too kind Michelle. Thank goodness for dentures, wigs, contacts and stick-on tattoos! ha ha ha On a serious note, thank you for your kind words.
This is very uncomfortable to listen too, as everything he shares I recall from my childhood in the Assembly Of God church. I was so indoctrinated that in my 20's I thought being part of a church was the only proper way to live life, consequently after leaving said cult, I was compelled to join another, LDS. Now since I have learned to question everything and how to learn the answer via the Heart gaining "Realizations" rather then adopting someone else's"Belief Paradigm" I am the happiest I have ever been.
Catholic here, feeling blessed - it's different in Brazil. My very devout grandmother was also an Umbanda priestess who healed people via spirit possession. But above all, she was a good person who sheltered many, many people and fed 20 people every lunchtime at her house, bringing up 15 children and working to support them as a widow. She is my inspiration
I was in the UPCI for 26 years. A very strict pentecostal church similar to this. I joined when I was 25. Thank you for bringing this to the forfront. It is MY story. Speaking in Tongues, (you can't be a leader if you can't "get The Holy Ghost") healing, baptizm in Jesus name, strict dress codes, ridiculous lifestyle restictions, all of it. I am 56 and have been out for 4 years. I am now an atheist. Being a woman was even harder. Wearing a dress in the winter is tough lol. The church worshipped the pastor. The biggest difference between AoG and UPCI is the baptism in Jesus' name issue. That's basically it. Maybe the strict dress code. IDK. I gave so much money even though I was poor that I went bankrupt. Meanwhile my pastor had a 2 story paid off house, a Harley, and a Ford f 250 paid in cash.
This pastors story reminds me of when my husband and I went to a couple of churches in PO, WA. Both asked for the congregation to give above and beyond. Then the next month the pastor and wife had his and hers Harleys. At another church same thing and then the pastor and wife went on vacation trip to Africa disguised as a “mission” trip. They also brought luxury cars after telling the congregation to give above and beyond.
Yes! This was a tactic to get that money from the church members, unfortunately! We'd say, "Give till it hurts!" That is terrible! Ashamed of myself for participating in all this BS!
Thank you Timmy for being forthright. When we ask questions we can get closer to the truth of what our own life should be about. Being kind and in peace with one another is a great start. 😊
The speaking in tongues lessons sounds like an improv game. We do where we speak gibberish or sing gibberish and then someone else translates. It is actually a very useful game. I think just having a religion of playing improv games is very wonderful. Great interview thank you for your work. The great mystery is just that great and mysterious, and we are all a part of it and that’s all I need to know and I can see you. You know that too from the shining faces that you both have.! Bless bless ! 🙌🏼💜
Thank you shelise for another wonderful interview..it warmed my heart that he made ammends to the gay couple. I don't want to destroy anyones faith. But for someone to realize they are doing more harm then good. It takes a shit ton of introspection regardless of your world view. Sending my love to everyone! Power to survivors ❤️
The whole monetization aspect to religion in addition to the many contradictions is what really did it in for me as I grow older I came to the conclusion that those who proclaim to speak on behalf of a divine being of which has created the entire universe free of charge somehow needs our monopoly money to feel good or to do something is complete insanity and it also suggests that you could buy your way into "heaven". If this divine being can create entire universes it does not need man made money to do so, humans are the only ones who need monopoly money. I really hope one day that humans can transcend to the caliper of what is depicted in Star Trek we do things because we want to be better. The day that humans are no longer economically driven is the day that unlimited progression will take place.
My son loves Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry for the same reason - because of the grand and inspirational ideas that Roddenberry was putting forth in that show which I never really gave a second thought to til he brought it to my attention.
Its so crazy to me that every cult story I watch, I can identify multiple things that are common with my own old cult (Jehovah's Witnesses). Once you're OUT, you can finally SEE.
The ableism in the church and cults in general is not talked about enough, it is just as damaging as every other form of bigotry. My husband is a wheelchair user and used to experience it all the time. Disability is seen as a crisis of the person’s faith or equated with sin.
So true, I attended a Pentecostal church for some years while I was in college. I was constantly told how I had poor faith because no one could cure me of being blind. I am blind because of a genetic condition, but my life is fine, they are the ones who thought there was something wrong with me when I constantly said that if God wanted me to be this way, then that's why I am this way. I left that church and I'm still blind, but live an awesome life that I'm totally happy with.
I can relate. Although i never put anyone especially a man on a pedestal. I still have a close spiritual relationship with God. It was solid. I always saw holes in the churches.
I was pulled into a campus cult ministry in college who falls under the exact same Pentecostal umbrella as Timmy’s church. It is 100% a cult that encouraged broke college students to give money and speak in tongues. They even laid hands. Thank you Timmy for speaking out!
This is probably one of my fav interviews..i love Timmy and how he completely turned his life around from his former beliefs to become an open minded, free, happy and just all around Cooool person..loving everyone for who they are! ❤❤❤
The fact that this man is so happy with who he is and appears so kind, at peace, and to have created a beautiful life for himself really warms my heart.
I've always wondered what the cult story is from the other side, so to speak. Thank you for having Timmy as a guest. He's a fantastic guest, and you're an awesome interviewer as always, Shelise!
seeing an ex leader from a pentecostal church is really eye opening! growing up in a similar church, i was always taught that leaders that leave are just lost souls and we shouldn’t listen to what they have to say. it makes you wonder why they don’t want you to hear their stories!
Evangelical Christianity seemed mandatory where I grew up. I grew out of that faith when I was 16, and all my longtime friends immediately stopped talking to me.
What struck me was towards the end, when Timmy spoke about freedom. I believed wholeheartedly that my faith brought me “freedom in Christ” and felt a sense of safety from that when I was in the baptist church. Having been out for ~5 years now, what strikes me often is the true freedom that I have now, on the other side.
I enjoyed this podcast it hit home with me. I am the only one that I know of that went from charismatic christianity to just not believing. I haven't told hardly anyone because most of the people I know follow some kind of religion so I have kept it to myself. So hearing you guys discuss what you went through has been quite interesting and helpful. Thanks!
I attended a penecostal funeral and had never been so terrified... I went with a Older Sailor, he was tough guy and HE was terrified. we actually grabbed each others hands as our eyes bugged out of our heads.
Many years ago I was invited by a co-worker friend to go to her church one Sunday. She was Pentecostal, but I didn't know anything about it, as I didn't grow up in any kind of church. I was terrified during that service! People were talking gibberish, crying, screaming, falling down to the ground and writhing around, yikes! 😝Needless to say, I never went to that church again with that friend. It was so scary!
@@timmygibsonkc Thanks so much for sharing your story! I hope more people come forward to tell theirs as well; so we can stop this and others from doing more damage.
I used te be a conservative christian. I too believed I had a special connection to God, being a little More loved than the other people. I am still in a church every Sunday, but i am glad i now realise that we are all equal in Gods eyes and it is not for me to judge a person. My current Church does not grow very fast... Making people feel more special then others is a more effective way to attract people than saying we are all equally special and loved.
I've been to only 2 Pentecostal church services. They both had people falling out on the floor, talking in tongues, acting possessed. Scariest thing I've ever been to.
What an excellent interview! I am so curious if you can interview any survivors from the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. The documentary "The Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence" is one of the most disturbing and mind-boggling ones I have seen after watching a bunch of cult documentaries. It will be so fascinating to hear from the survivors.
OMG, I love listening to him speak. We grew up in Florida in the Church of God. The speaking in tongue and people falling on the floor was what happened. It was hell fire and brimstone every Sunday and Wednesday. I was married in the same church and later found out the pastor was screwing just about every woman in the congregation. I have never stepped foot in another church.
I grew up Pentecostal, very fundamental church in Puerto Rico until I was in my 20's. When I came out did all the forbidden stuff at a dangerous pace. Grateful for being out but took me some time to recover from the church's and from the rebel phase. Got a lot tattos like him but pierced my ears when I was 35 because it really so embedded in my mind that really thought it was bad. Nowadays just like him living as a good person I think is enough not harming anyone and helping everyone I could. Thanks for your show!
That has to be the most informative deconstruction I have seen! And a pleasure to watch. My favorite part was about the Hindu living next door. Disclaimer; I am not advocating for Hindu. Just thought his evaluation was spot on! Lol
Thanks for this story and others in this series. I'm an Ex-vangelical, Ex-fundie, agnostic, atheist, having deconstructed after more than 3 decades in B.I.T.E. model Christian cults. I often lack the words to describe my own journey and how it has messed with my mind and hearing a story like this, with experiences so similar to my own, is very healing.
What a joy to be on your show! You do a phenomenal job pulling information from me, thank you! Sharing all this from my life is recent, so this interview was very helpful in my formulation as my cult adjacent journey unfolds! You-all are doing great work, keep it up! ❤
Very nice interview between you two. Your dialogue pace and clarity fits my ear perfectly.
You did a great job, Timmy! I appreciated your willingness to admit fault in a way that says you are doing better and deconstructing as you go! Well done 😁
What would he say about? " My sheep know my voice?"
My spiritual evolution was (and is) very similar. This was wonderful to listen to.
Thank you for sharing your story. I grew up practically living in a pentecostal assemblies of god church and a lot of your experiences resonate with me. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in thinking that that type of environment was the norm. Lol
(side comment, his plants are wonderful 😅💜)
I was looking at that too!
I could not stop looking 😅
Trying to figure who's who with that lot 😅
I noticed that too. He clearly has a green thumb.
Yesss
Bliss, loads of plants
We live in an incredible moment. The fact that we can freely talk about our experiences, is the key.
Amen!!!
Whatever floats your boat if you are not being harmed or harming others. I love learning and keeping my mind open. Brought up as Catholic but with beautiful parents who had open minds and arms I have now a more personal and more relaxed view of faith and God. This is a great side to see and its more honest to leave something that no longer works for you or harms you by staying in it. Living a regular life being good to yourself and others and with true integrity is the most important thing.
@@cc-hk5ih💯% agree! Brought up as a Mormon- no longer religious.
Just trying to be kind to myself and others daily.
@ginafrancis4950 well done !
💯
I am so happy to see someone well a pastor at that speak out about the cult I grew up in and the trauma it has caused me. Thank you so much for having him.
Simply put: Being a Good Samaritan is easiest without any religious bias ❤️
I'm a Christian who loves your channel and had no issues with this conversation. We do exist! :)
Me too
I'm somewhere in the middle here, still a Christian with a pastor parent and being judged. So hard. ❤
@@smilingjacks83 I'm sorry. I know that is not easy.
@@AuntCoke thank you 🩷
Me too! I think Jesus, a Jewish man of color preaching radical beliefs and murdered by agents of the political and religious establishment, would have hated "Christians".
Edit: we should start our own church 😭 I can't stand standard churches
I grew up Pentecostal. I had panic attacks thinking about hell. I felt I was going to hell because I didn’t speak in tongues. It took a lot of time and secular therapy for me to let go of that. I am still Christian but not adhering to a denomination. I’m such a fan of your channel and the fact that you’re covering this is cathartic. 😊
Thank you Shirley!
im glad you still chose God Jesus never intended for us to have denominations it isn't biblical
At our church they would tell the youth group that if you weren't speaking in tongues by high school you were slipping from God or not close enough. It was a lot of pressure, shame, and guilt.
Excellent interview!! Went to a Pentecostal church when I was growing up and felt certain things were off. Married a pastor’s son in my early twenties and divorced ten months later because he wasn’t what he pretended to be (realized that he didn’t really love me, he opened my eyes). I woke up after my divorce and I had to undo a lot of teachings (and the world didn’t end because of it). I’ve been on a journey and found a loving husband that has stood by my side finding myself. I’m much happier NOW than I was before.
Good for you!! Very brave.
Thank you Sandra! That is good to hear. I am also way happier now than I was as a Christian, for sure!
I too am a recovering radical Pentecostal evangelical Christian, I attended a Bill Gotherd IBLP seminar at 16 with my boyfriend in 1983.
May I ask what happened to your faith after you left? Is the cult and faith itself one?
@@niechellejeffery7246 I attended a Bill Gothard Basic Youth Conflict Seminar as well in 1983! I shudder to think how easily it was to be duped into a cult like that. Well, my local Baptist church encouraged us to go by the bus load! They didn’t think it was a cult!
@@LavenderGardenia After years of spiritual, emotional, verbal and physical abuse from my husband, and several pastors, and my mother in the name of Jesus? It’s taken a lot of therapy, and shows like this help me with deprogramming
I watch you often Jenna ❤
@LavenderGardenia good question and the answer is no they are not the same,faith is internal while occult is doing things or using ways wrongly in the name of faith.
Glad he realizes his church was a cult, sounds like he learned a lot. ❤ great interview
I went to visit my sister’s church one Sunday because my nieces were doing a performance. After the preacher gave a sermon he came down off the stage and started doing a “healing”. I had never seen anything like it before in my life. He went through the congregation. And everyone he touched fell to the floor. They had several blankets to help cover the ladies due to their dresses. So there were a few men, I suppose deacons, following the preacher around helping to cover the ladies. It was crazy that so many people were laying all over the place. Then the preacher came to a lady close to us and he touched her and said a prayer. She didn’t fall down. Then he said “well I guess you didn’t need a blessing”. I thought everyone there was being so fake, especially the preacher. I felt like he was a false teacher. It really bothered me. I think God can heal people but I didn’t feel like that was what this was. I almost had a feeling of evil and I couldn’t wait to get out of that church.
So much is not from God.
People crave connection… it’s sad how much we lack connection and community now so they turn to that. It’s a sad, lonely world and we’re all searching for something more but we won’t ever have the answers. Not in this form anyway lol. Here’s to hoping everyone finds something to keep them happy and whole without believing in something so strongly that it takes over their life.
It sounds fantastic ! The healing power of God woo hoo
Yep! That is exactly what I did... sadly!
In the Bible when the Apostles where healing people it was so they could gain favor with the people and they wouldn't be killed by the powers that be. They actually prayed for it when the were released from custody in the beginning of Acts. So it had a purpose it wasn't just this willy nilly thing.
Thank you so much for this! I grew up in Assemblies of God/ Pentacostalism and I feel like it is a culty scene that doesn't get talked about a lot. I remember being terrified of other Christians who were from "dead churches" and might or might not actually go to heaven. Thank you for including this chat on your channel!
Wow that is interesting. I am 70 now and was raised Free Presbyterian. We were not allowed to play with Catholics or attendees of churches that "spoke in tongues". They were considered the "devils children".
I went to an Assembly of God church as well growing up, and I had never heard the term 'dead churches'. That sounds terrifying!
Yeah pentecostal churches will make you believe the church you attend is the only true church where people are "saved".
@@GracefullyAutistic yeah, a dead church is a church the spirit has left because it isn't "on fire for god" anymore. Pretty much anything that wasn't us was a dead church. And those people may or may not actually be saved, may or may not be trying to earn their salvation through works. 😮💨
Break the silence. Break the cycle.
So excited to see this perspective! Just started, but this sounds like this was someone who had the power to control and manipulate people, but left it all behind... Soooo cool! 👏🏻
Just leading a different cult
Love the plants, World Market candle holders, fan, drums? Kansas City Drum Tribe? Very relaxing. He looks like the pretty white Jesus picture. The one I saw my Mom stroke his cheek and cry Ohhhhhh. Yuk. She knew I've been an Atheist forever. It stuck in my mind. I really like this guy but he would have just been another bully to me had I known him b4
😅@@luvyatubers
Tim seems like an absolutely lovely man. 🙂
The amount of integrity required to admit that he was problematic, change, and discuss it openly without excusing any of his behaviors is astronomical, and I respect the hell out of anyone who can do that.
You’re a good one, Sir.
Woah. I am so excited for this one!!! To hear a cult story for the OTHER side. I’m ready!!!!
Hope you like it!
I just found his channel a few days ago. I’m so excited to see him on your channel. My husband and I were Pastors for 16 years in the Assemblies of God and walked away 2 years ago. We have never felt more free! Thanks for having him on!
I was initially skeptical clicking on this, but after hearing him speak, I like Timmy.
Yay! Thank you Janice! I don't think I would have liked myself back then, frankly, but I am much happier with who I am today, thankfully!
Yeah tbh it's impressive how immediately likable you are while saying you did cult things haha. I think a big part of it is you really acknowledge how wrong it was and fully own you did it. @@timmygibsonkc
I never knew any cult leader could change! My eyes are opened a little more today!
Yeah cause we've seen people like Jim Jones who would rather destroy themselves and everyone around them rather than just admit they were talking nonsense, of course Jones was probably insane also. Possibly malignant narcissist?
Thank goodness people can change their views and see the truth. I am so thankful.
Sounds like it was hard, good on this man
I remember in Bible college we had a "holy spirit" weekend retreat where the whole goal was to be baptized by the holy spirit and speaking in tongues by the end of the weekend. So much pressure, especially when I didn't grow up in a church where speaking in tongues was really a thing and I'm thrust into this very overwhelming room full of my professors and classmates. There was the additional pressure of you need to be baptized by the holy spirit, recieved the gift of tongues to be truly a good Christian and saved 🙄
They actually believe speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation??
That's not the original 'speaking in tongues' is anyway..
Glad you got out 🕊️
I went to a baptism like this. One of the girls was so uncomfortable with it... especially being on a stage in front of at least 100 people. The pastor said "repeat after me" and slowly spoke some gibberish. The girl's face went red. She uttered one syllable and started giggling and shaking her head. The pastor shouted to the crowd "Did you hear that? That wasn't English! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!" and the audience cheered.
As a Christian who does speak in tongues, I find sessions like that horrifying--especially the Bible Camps where they force children who don't speak in tongues to stay kneeling with their arms upraised (what military torturers call "stress positioning") until they receive the Gift of tongues. The Bible clearly states that different people receive different gifts, and it specifically says that it's better to pray for wisdom than for tongues. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. What do they think would happen if you pressure people into speaking in tongues.
1. The most honest kids get punished. For being honest.
2. Most of the kids just learn how to fake it--thereby initiating them into the worship of the Prince of Lies.
3. Some will be so desperate that they open themselves wide to any spirit that wants to use their mouth. If you believe in demons, that's practically an engraved invitation to possession!
4. Some of the honest kids will lose faith altogether.
Tongues isn't nearly as important a gift now as it was back in the days of the Apostles. What's the point of demanding the Gift of Tongues in this day and age, when people can look up translations on a device in their pockets? It's more of a vanity-gift than anything, anymore, and God's not a great fan of vanity.
@@DoloresJNurssyour points are all so valid!!!
Thats nonsense all you need to do to be saved is believe in Jesus the bible even says that
Thank you for featuring an Assemblies of God story. I always resonate with so many of the cult stories shared but rarely see my experience in the Pentecostal church validated as such. Would love to see more of this. I am the only person in my rather large extended family who fully left the faith, as far as I’m aware. More information needs to be available for those questioning.
Wow! I'm really looking forward to this story. It's rare that someone admits his mistakes. 💚 your channel!
Yes! I watched his take on 7M cult and I resonated so much with him. Until you leave, the scales don’t fall for your eyes. Great interview!
What makes you leave though? Maybe the scales start to fall before you can see?
Honestly one of the most important conversations to be had on this topic! I've seen 4 minutes and can't wait to listen to all of it!
Wow when Tim is talking about being a better Christian after not being a Christian reminds me of a time when I was working. I was a point of contact for auto body shops for the insurance company I worked for. I talked to body shops all over the west. It was fun helping shops get paid and any other issues they may run into. One day one of the women I talked regularly asked if I was a Christian because I had a sweet spirit. I happily said no. She was so disappointed. She never talked to me in the same way again. She was ever disappointed.
So sad. But I didn't have to judge people or situations. I could treat everyone the same.
Are you a Christian now? By that I mean have you given your life to Chris and asked forgiveness for your sins? Just curious, since you are here.
@@dianeandjesus
No I did that in 1973. I left and no longer called myself a Christian in 1986.
I’m happier not being controlled. 😃
Wow, that's odd she switched up on you even though your sweet spirit wasn't tied to a religion
@@uniqueLeo08
Yeah I thought the same thing. I think she just can’t embrace that non-Christians can be kind people.
I loved this interview! As a former christian I can relate so much with that feeling of freedom from letting go of that manufactured hate and judgement while at the same time having to deal with immense guilt, fear and pressure from the others that still in this system of belief
That's all people stuff, people!
@@sunnyadams5842 yeah, people fulled brainwhased in a disfunctional and fundamentaly antagonazing belief system
CACKLING at "It's ok to be a Christian just don't be weird about it" 😂😂😂
:) Hee hee!
We all have left religion and most still followed Christ. The questions remain: Who are we? Where are we? And When are we? We have spent a lot of time power washing the religious narcissism from our minds.
Real Christian’s lol
Just love God and Jesus and Let The Lords love you. That's it.
@sunnyadams5842 you have intel I don't 😂
In a much happier place not believing you have to constantly fawn over an "all loving" creator so you don't suffer eternal torment
@@nickywal I hope you come to know God because he is real and believing in hell shouldn't torment you it should push you to be a better person but if you have church trauma I understand that
As an Episcopalian I am so pleased they were among the first to embrace gay people. From the deep south this did confuse us a little at first but we trusted the church to make the right decisions .
I relate to this 100% after 60 plus years in the church I am way more free now that I am agnostic .I love others, much more accepting, and just the weight of living for eternity Rewards has been lifted.
Shelise, you’re such a good interviewer!! You always make the most interesting questions!! Such a great podcast.
She really did so well getting my story out of me! ❤
Oh thank you!
I so needed this conversation. Thank you! I am a recovering Christian. It is so difficult bc my kids are Christians as I’m still trying to reconcile what I believe. Two years ago, I had an awakening after a devastating divorce. I am walking into uncharted territories that I never thought I would ever experience.
Stay the course darling there's a wonderful life waiting for you on the other side of this. Thrilled for you!
Thank you! I LOVE coffee, your username had me at "coffee" lol! Divorce is also a part of my story, I didn't talk about it here out of respect of my EX, who is still a friend and mother to my two kiddos!
I'm a Christian and I love this channel. Great video!
Me too❤
Me too❤
Same. I enjoy being challenged in what I believe and accepting respectfully and without judgement that others have different religious beliefs or no religious beliefs.
Me too
Me too!
I grew up in an Assembly of God church and can relate to Timmy’s story, but as a girl growing up in the church it was a very repressive life. I was called out from the pulpit by the pastor when I chose to go to college. That public humiliation was the start of my deconstruction. A few years after I stopped attending, a CSA ring was exposed in the church & the pastor was caught sleeping with his daughter in law. In the aftermath, I began to see just how culty that environment was.
30 years later, I’m still deconstructing, but thankfully I don’t carry the guilt and fear that a Pentecostal Church environment instilled.
They can make you feel scared abd guilty about stuff that does not exist!
The new pastor at my mother's church honours me as his first youth leader to this day...20 odd years after my critical thinking was switched on in a tragic time, and I lost my faith completely. The human condition became so clear to me.
Those poor youngsters were inspired by my love for god, the benefits of "good" living. Now I know i taught them to be closed-minded and holier-than-though. I feel sad that one of them felt called....and i was helping build his convictions as a young man
Hard regret!
Live THROUGH it, man-- try not to bypass or hurry through it. That guilt is a gift.
May not be so bad. I’ve noticed lately that as a lot of hardcore Christians mature, they tend to soften their more rigid us vs them all or nothing belief system. If they’re truly growing in their faith, they begin to see the spirit of God in everyone, not just Christians, and put more faith in God’s goodness and mercy than his wrath and judgment. Even Billy Graham, at the end of his life, was leaning towards universalism. Same with Pope Benedict.
Went to Bob Jones Academy (the highschool part of the University) in SC . No TV , no secular music of any kind, no restaurants that served alcohol, no theatres, no dancing, no coffee, dresses past the knees, no interracial dating. Women had to be chaperoned together. So many rules. They were affiliated with the IBLP and we were taught the umbrella of authority. Always feeling you just couldn’t measure up, the goals constantly being moved farther. Judgement of others and yourself is never ending. That place really affected me. Total spiritual abuse is what it is
@Kelly-Mauricio no interracial dating? So you had to die of boredom? How horrible.
‘By giving to church, God will protect you…! Indeed, it’s sad!
That’s how magnificent churches were built while people were dying& suffering around it!
I am a Christian. I LOVE your channel. I have been here since 40 k subs. This is so true, if the church has something to hide or an inner circle that gets to know the "truth" is culty and false, and there are soooooo many of those churches out there. They want Jesus as a Savior but not the real Jesus as Lord, and still do what is right in their own eyes. Pride and greed destroys!!!!!!
I do agree with so much of what he is talking about. The "us and them" mentality is a huge problem in every way. A very sweet interview.
I love the annointed tattoo story. 🥰You both are such gentle and kind humans🤍🤍
Thank you Susanna! Your words are soothing to my heart.
As an ex Muslim, I really love you channel ❤️. Keep up the good work💪🙏
Totally. As soon as I opened the video, I was like, I'd follow him! 😂
😂
😂
@@timmygibsonkc and now I do. Subscribed! Haha
I really appreciate hearing this from a leader's perspective. How brave to follow your heart as you shifted to a true perspective to live your authentic life. ❤ You actually lived honestly by not chasing greed nor following ego!!! What a fabulous example. Thank you
Thank you for this. I was indoctrinated in a fringe Pentecostal church by my grandmother. Parents were unaware of how bizarre these folks were. Several of them had links with the snake handlers further south, but fortunately I never saw that. I spent my childhood terrified I wouldn't get to heaven because, try as I might, I couldn't speak in tongues. The judgmentalism was horrible, and I was constantly bullied. The religiosity and performance aspect -- clapping, yelling, speaking some unknown language, was just a bridge too far. (I am now a language instructor, TESOL/ESL, fluent in another language and can function in others.) Nothing I heard sounded like a known language -- it was gibberish. That said, I heard what I can only judge as genuine glossalia ... from a 13-year-old girl. I'd already started studying Spanish and grew up around folks from "the old country" speaking various languages. I actually recognized what she was saying in a couple of them and understood she was praising God and thanking him. It was amazing, and that girl was joyous and ... transported. To this day I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
Very similar story to mine, including the genuine people and happenings but the fakers/ pretenders because of the very youthful pressure to be a part of that special thing was undeniably there too; one that I never fell for (too much of a thinker for as long as I can remember :)) which made the bully types unhappy which made me gladly lose ties. I knew my God earlier and better than I knew people.
My dad was brought up Church of Christ and he raised me in it. (Mom was Southern Baptist). He was pragmatic though to some of it, like speaking in tongues. He believed, as do I that it was referencing other languages like French, Italian, etc. I believe it was a way of describing how various languages were developed so that the people of that time can understand. Had a preacher one time speak on how the Bible was humanistic and tried to describe things in the best way for the people of that time to understand phenomena. Unfortunately that was not liked by the elders of our church so he was let go soon after. I grew up to be a scientist and have deconstructed quite a bit. I describe myself as a Christ follower. I follow his teachings. I leave the rest. If he didn’t touch on a topic I consider it not very important or he would have said something. I’m also a huge believer that a higher power of some sort gave us a brain/allowed us to evolve enough intelligence to understand the world around us, create medications, etc and that many times, those miracles people pray for will manifest through these things and not just some supernatural occurrence.
Too many Christians want to box in their God. Take pro-life folks: if a pregnancy was terminated, why wouldn’t an all-powerful God just allow that soul to come to Earth in a different body? To think that couldn’t possibly happen is limiting what a God could do. Don’t say “Anything is possible with God” if you don’t truly believe that. There are a myriad of other examples I can think of. When I crave community I attend an Episcopal church. I have a daughter who is LGBTQIA+ so it was important to me to find a group where she would be accepted.
Giving to get in any circumstance is not going to get you where you think you want to go! I always tell people God is not a alot machine.
As a former minister, my testimony is that I really found God as soon as I left the church!
I grew up up in a Methodist church with no teaching at home. So I knew there was a God. His son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But I didn’t understand why and what. I had some great friends that brought me to church. I had the pleasure of seeing different church denominations. As I finally came to understand God and Jesus I was able to learn the truth. Now I hate denomination titles. I claim I’m a follower of Jesus. I refuse to be under a title. I attend a church with a denomination, but I refuse to just throw it out. We joined a church full of like minded people. Some of the sweetest people and fellow Jesus followers attend this church.
Me too! A proud follower of Jesus the true Messiah!
I’m a Believer in Jesus Christ. I attend a denominational church, but I’m there to love the people. It’s sad to watch churches go to extremes in legalism and many churches are just motivational seminars as I like to call them.
I’m fascinated by cults and how people leave them.
This is the type of church I grew up in. My deconstruction started when I started diving into cults. Specifically, Charles Manson, Jim Jones, Branch Davidians, ect. The similarities between those cults and what I was taught in a Pentecostal church was unsettling.
Agreed!
How about maybe doing a show on someone who has completely turned around after being involved with the dangerous and fanatical MAGA Trump cult? I know that could be controversial, but I would love to see an interview with someone who transitioned out of the MAGA cult. I have them in my family.
Just mention Obama! They'll expose themselves invthe comments section!
Have you ever thought of the possibility that you are in the Vote Blue No Matter Who Cult???
@@FO-ik5khgreat point!
My dad is a Missionary Baptist preacher. We were defiantly taught that the Pentecostals were not the true church. LOL It is so weird. I started questioning my family's faith when I was very young. I haven't been in organized religion since I was around 18. I have been to church here and there for my dad because I respect him. My spouse said that she will not believe in a God that allows neonatal units and child cancer. There is so much of your story that I appreciate. Good for you!!!
That's so true. After I was well on my deconvertion journey I met another person who had just started on hers. I had been in a Pentecostal church and she in a Baptist. She was still judging me because I had been a tongue talker and she hadn't. So funny because I was thinking to whole thing was controlling and she was still defending the Baptist stand on tongue talking. I wasn't in the ready church!
I remember UPC pastors cracking jokes about baptists being fat because they eat after every service and they needed our prayers and witnessing.
I was good friends with the neighbor girl across the street. She went to a Baptist Church/School, and I went to a charismatic-word of faith-pentecostal church/school. I was raised to believe the superior/elitist view that we were the truest church because we had the "fullness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit" and my friend didn't because Baptists were very anti-tongues and spiritual gifts. So as kids, my parents let me go with her to Awana and Bible camp because they just straightened out anything "wrong" when I got home, but my friend was never allowed to go to anything church-related with me. I didn't really figure that out until we both left for college and I joined the interdenominational Christian ministry on campus and realized how much of a minority I was and how attacked I felt by "nonbelievers."
that's a very sad mindset to have. people will get cancer no matter what that doesn't mean God needs to heal very person
God doesn't give babies illnesses or people, he didn't create cancer or disease. Everything that's evil, corrupt & sick( sin came into the world) from the fall of Adam & Eve our DNA Became damaged, this is where genetic mutations, came into mankind.
Fantastic interview- loved this! More former preachers would be fascinating
When I was in 2nd grade CCD class (which is a Catholic education class), my teacher told me that all of my Protestant friends were going to hell because they didn’t go to Christ’s true church. I absolutely knew at 8 that this was total bulls shit! I finished all of my catholic education taking the good and discarding the bad, and after 3 priest and clergy scandals I finally left. My children now don’t have any Christian foundation, or religious foundation except mine. And mine is that there is a divine creative force. Our souls come here to gain experience, and then return to source, god (or a divine creative energy) is real and moves through all creature and things, and creates around us and through us, and be good to yourself and others. Amen 🙏 ❤🙏
I loved Timmy! He was so authentic, honest, and refreshing. Please have him back on again!
Planning to go live!
yeah, I couldn't agree more! ha ha ha ... it was a lot of fun. And thank you for the vote of confidence!
This really helps me better understand the current political climate as well. Thank you!! 💛
Great interview
Not often do you hear a leader acknowledge they did wrong and are making mistakes
I appreciate that. I've always had a desire to be self aware and know when I am misled, or believing lies, even lies about myself. I think that is one key factor is what led me to seeing the falsehood in all that I was involved in. So thankful to be free of it!
I very rarely comment on a video but this one I just had too. What an engaging interview. It grabbed my attention right away and it kept it through the whole interview. Not an easy feat since I mostly watch YT in short spurts, rarely ever finishing a whole video. Thank you to you both for brining so much information and insight to the audience.
That’s great! Glad you enjoyed it!
Well thank you so much for that! I appreciate your feedback!
Such a great interview. Shelise, you did such a great job with interview. I could relate to a lot of it coming from a conservative christian religious background myself. Hearing Timmy’s perspective as a leader was so interesting. This was of one my favorite interviews, I think because I am familiar with that world and a lot of it really resonated with me. Timmy stating he can’t really do “church” anymore helped me not feel so bad about my own inability to step into a church.
Yay! Thank you so much Liza!
Same
Yep
@@natalieweir7237 Thank you!
Timmy reminds me of a pastor I might have encountered in evangelical churches when I was younger. So much of what he said resonated with me. Thank you for another great interview ❤
It's such an interesting perspective, to see someone realise the harm they have done and then try to fix it. That takes so much effort and courage
Thank you!
First comment yaaaay. New video from Shelise- another yaaaaaay! Loving this interview already only half way in
Yay! Thank you!
It’s always a good day when she posts a video!!❤
If Timmy WAS gay, he would be the most popular gay in the scene.. Man is GORGOUS! Those blue eyes, his hair, his tattooes and sense of style.... and his charismatic nature.. my god. Im smitten with him after just this video. I would undoubtedly become a follower, if I had met him back when he was a pastor...
Have you learned that following people, especially for looks or charisma will almost always end in Disaster?? 😢
You are too kind Michelle. Thank goodness for dentures, wigs, contacts and stick-on tattoos! ha ha ha On a serious note, thank you for your kind words.
This is very uncomfortable to listen too, as everything he shares I recall from my childhood in the Assembly Of God church. I was so indoctrinated that in my 20's I thought being part of a church was the only proper way to live life, consequently after leaving said cult, I was compelled to join another, LDS.
Now since I have learned to question everything and how to learn the answer via the Heart gaining "Realizations" rather then adopting someone else's"Belief Paradigm" I am the happiest I have ever been.
YaYyyy!!
Congratulations!!🎉🎉🎉❤
I’m so happy for you. It sounds like it was a tough journey but I’ll bet it was worth it for the peace and clarity you have now.
Love this episode! Great to see that change is happening everywhere!
Catholic here, feeling blessed - it's different in Brazil. My very devout grandmother was also an Umbanda priestess who healed people via spirit possession. But above all, she was a good person who sheltered many, many people and fed 20 people every lunchtime at her house, bringing up 15 children and working to support them as a widow. She is my inspiration
I was in the UPCI for 26 years. A very strict pentecostal church similar to this. I joined when I was 25. Thank you for bringing this to the forfront. It is MY story. Speaking in Tongues, (you can't be a leader if you can't "get The Holy Ghost") healing, baptizm in Jesus name, strict dress codes, ridiculous lifestyle restictions, all of it. I am 56 and have been out for 4 years. I am now an atheist. Being a woman was even harder. Wearing a dress in the winter is tough lol. The church worshipped the pastor. The biggest difference between AoG and UPCI is the baptism in Jesus' name issue. That's basically it. Maybe the strict dress code. IDK. I gave so much money even though I was poor that I went bankrupt. Meanwhile my pastor had a 2 story paid off house, a Harley, and a Ford f 250 paid in cash.
This pastors story reminds me of when my husband and I went to a couple of churches in PO, WA. Both asked for the congregation to give above and beyond. Then the next month the pastor and wife had his and hers Harleys. At another church same thing and then the pastor and wife went on vacation trip to Africa disguised as a “mission” trip. They also brought luxury cars after telling the congregation to give above and beyond.
I live near PO..I think I know one of the "churches" you're talking about..
Glad to have a neighbor in the C2C community 💜💜
There’s also a culty church in Bremerton that raised funds to take trips to Italy in the guise of mission work. 😅
@@christahewitt2758 connected to coffee oasis?
Yes! This was a tactic to get that money from the church members, unfortunately! We'd say, "Give till it hurts!" That is terrible! Ashamed of myself for participating in all this BS!
Oh what tangled webs we weave under the guise of a 501c3.
Thank you Timmy for being forthright. When we ask questions we can get closer to the truth of what our own life should be about. Being kind and in peace with one another is a great start. 😊
Thank you!
The speaking in tongues lessons sounds like an improv game. We do where we speak gibberish or sing gibberish and then someone else translates. It is actually a very useful game. I think just having a religion of playing improv games is very wonderful. Great interview thank you for your work. The great mystery is just that great and mysterious, and we are all a part of it and that’s all I need to know and I can see you. You know that too from the shining faces that you both have.! Bless bless ! 🙌🏼💜
Wow! What a cool point 😆 makes sense
Thank you shelise for another wonderful interview..it warmed my heart that he made ammends to the gay couple. I don't want to destroy anyones faith. But for someone to realize they are doing more harm then good. It takes a shit ton of introspection regardless of your world view. Sending my love to everyone! Power to survivors ❤️
The whole monetization aspect to religion in addition to the many contradictions is what really did it in for me as I grow older I came to the conclusion that those who proclaim to speak on behalf of a divine being of which has created the entire universe free of charge somehow needs our monopoly money to feel good or to do something is complete insanity and it also suggests that you could buy your way into "heaven". If this divine being can create entire universes it does not need man made money to do so, humans are the only ones who need monopoly money. I really hope one day that humans can transcend to the caliper of what is depicted in Star Trek we do things because we want to be better. The day that humans are no longer economically driven is the day that unlimited progression will take place.
My son loves Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry for the same reason - because of the grand and inspirational ideas that Roddenberry was putting forth in that show which I never really gave a second thought to til he brought it to my attention.
His honesty and candour is refreshing
And very different to many pastors.
Its so crazy to me that every cult story I watch, I can identify multiple things that are common with my own old cult (Jehovah's Witnesses). Once you're OUT, you can finally SEE.
Can we please have a T-shirt that says "You can be a Christian, just don't be weird about it"??? Classic! 😂😂
Holy cow!! I love this interview!! So refreshingly honest!!
Thank you Kathi!
The ableism in the church and cults in general is not talked about enough, it is just as damaging as every other form of bigotry. My husband is a wheelchair user and used to experience it all the time. Disability is seen as a crisis of the person’s faith or equated with sin.
So true, I attended a Pentecostal church for some years while I was in college. I was constantly told how I had poor faith because no one could cure me of being blind. I am blind because of a genetic condition, but my life is fine, they are the ones who thought there was something wrong with me when I constantly said that if God wanted me to be this way, then that's why I am this way. I left that church and I'm still blind, but live an awesome life that I'm totally happy with.
I can relate. Although i never put anyone especially a man on a pedestal. I still have a close spiritual relationship with God. It was solid. I always saw holes in the churches.
What a wonderful interview! Fascinating story.
Extremely fascinating interview. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. 💜
I have huge respect for his honesty and the personal growth he went through!
I was pulled into a campus cult ministry in college who falls under the exact same Pentecostal umbrella as Timmy’s church. It is 100% a cult that encouraged broke college students to give money and speak in tongues. They even laid hands. Thank you Timmy for speaking out!
Thank you Taylor!
I’m going through counselling at the moment partly for religious trauma this Interview helped me so much thank you
I wish you peace and blessings on your journey! (With no religious undertones lol!) I did the same and I feel so much better
This is probably one of my fav interviews..i love Timmy and how he completely turned his life around from his former beliefs to become an open minded, free, happy and just all around Cooool person..loving everyone for who they are! ❤❤❤
Thank you so much Ally! I so appreciate your kind words.
@@timmygibsonkc Your so welcome! 😁
So excited to see you talked to Timmy. He is super interesting to listen to.
Thank you Wendy!
awesome discussion, thank you both for sharing!!
The fact that this man is so happy with who he is and appears so kind, at peace, and to have created a beautiful life for himself really warms my heart.
I've always wondered what the cult story is from the other side, so to speak. Thank you for having Timmy as a guest. He's a fantastic guest, and you're an awesome interviewer as always, Shelise!
Glad you enjoyed it!😁
Thank you Tamara!
seeing an ex leader from a pentecostal church is really eye opening! growing up in a similar church, i was always taught that leaders that leave are just lost souls and we shouldn’t listen to what they have to say. it makes you wonder why they don’t want you to hear their stories!
Evangelical Christianity seemed mandatory where I grew up. I grew out of that faith when I was 16, and all my longtime friends immediately stopped talking to me.
I'm so sorry that's terrible. You deserve community regardless of faith.
What struck me was towards the end, when Timmy spoke about freedom.
I believed wholeheartedly that my faith brought me “freedom in Christ” and felt a sense of safety from that when I was in the baptist church. Having been out for ~5 years now, what strikes me often is the true freedom that I have now, on the other side.
I enjoyed this podcast it hit home with me. I am the only one that I know of that went from charismatic christianity to just not believing. I haven't told hardly anyone because most of the people I know follow some kind of religion so I have kept it to myself. So hearing you guys discuss what you went through has been quite interesting and helpful. Thanks!
Very interesting conversation. Thank you for your candidness Tim.
Thank you!
I attended a penecostal funeral and had never been so terrified... I went with a Older Sailor, he was tough guy and HE was terrified. we actually grabbed each others hands as our eyes bugged out of our heads.
Many years ago I was invited by a co-worker friend to go to her church one Sunday. She was Pentecostal, but I didn't know anything about it, as I didn't grow up in any kind of church. I was terrified during that service! People were talking gibberish, crying, screaming, falling down to the ground and writhing around, yikes! 😝Needless to say, I never went to that church again with that friend. It was so scary!
I can understand that!
@@timmygibsonkc Thanks so much for sharing your story! I hope more people come forward to tell theirs as well; so we can stop this and others from doing more damage.
I used te be a conservative christian. I too believed I had a special connection to God, being a little More loved than the other people. I am still in a church every Sunday, but i am glad i now realise that we are all equal in Gods eyes and it is not for me to judge a person. My current Church does not grow very fast... Making people feel more special then others is a more effective way to attract people than saying we are all equally special and loved.
I've been to only 2 Pentecostal church services. They both had people falling out on the floor, talking in tongues, acting possessed. Scariest thing I've ever been to.
Ooooooh😢 i'm sorry!
Go with your gut and never go back! I wish I had. I got sucked in NOT listening to my guts and was in for 25 years. They are relentless. Stay away.
@@Fiona-68100%. I learned a very long time ago to trust my instincts & it's rarely failed me.
Yeah that would be kinda scary
Same. So scary and creepy.
What an excellent interview! I am so curious if you can interview any survivors from the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. The documentary "The Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence" is one of the most disturbing and mind-boggling ones I have seen after watching a bunch of cult documentaries. It will be so fascinating to hear from the survivors.
I reached out to 3 or 4 of them but no one got back
I watched that documentary. I think they are still so traumatized. So awful!
Love this perspective. Thank you!
OMG, I love listening to him speak. We grew up in Florida in the Church of God. The speaking in tongue and people falling on the floor was what happened. It was hell fire and brimstone every Sunday and Wednesday. I was married in the same church and later found out the pastor was screwing just about every woman in the congregation. I have never stepped foot in another church.
Trouble starts with T! Which rhymes with P! Which stands for Pool!!
That’s what I was thinking! 😂
With a capitol T and that rhymes with P and that stands for POOL!
@@lorrainefranchi9105 right here in river city.
Yay! Love this interview! I requested this too!
Thank you!
Oooh.... his story is so close to my story. So many flashbacks!!!!
I grew up Pentecostal, very fundamental church in Puerto Rico until I was in my 20's. When I came out did all the forbidden stuff at a dangerous pace. Grateful for being out but took me some time to recover from the church's and from the rebel phase. Got a lot tattos like him but pierced my ears when I was 35 because it really so embedded in my mind that really thought it was bad. Nowadays just like him living as a good person I think is enough not harming anyone and helping everyone I could. Thanks for your show!
Thank you!
I felt the same it was more Christ like now
That has to be the most informative deconstruction I have seen! And a pleasure to watch. My favorite part was about the Hindu living next door. Disclaimer; I am not advocating for Hindu. Just thought his evaluation was spot on! Lol
Hinduism is extremely interesting. It's one of the oldest religions in the world.
Thanks for this story and others in this series. I'm an Ex-vangelical, Ex-fundie, agnostic, atheist, having deconstructed after more than 3 decades in B.I.T.E. model Christian cults. I often lack the words to describe my own journey and how it has messed with my mind and hearing a story like this, with experiences so similar to my own, is very healing.