I was made to go to this church by my parents all my life. Now since I am out of that place and have had years to reflect on my experience and the people who attend it, I have quite a bit to go over.
First off, homophobes everywhere. This church is VERY hateful towards gays, lesbians, transgenders, asexuals and everyone else from the LGBT community. The pastor, youth pastor, elders and everyone else there teach how being one is "sinful," that they are horrible for being one, and refuse to help them.
This church is also very sexist. They teach that boys must be the homeowners and make the money while girls are to stay home, cook, clean, make babies, and not do much in society.
They also teach how sex is sinful and look down upon others if they have been "touched" before marriage. Even if it is rape.
The pastor, Mike Burt, doesn't actually care about those he is suppose to "shepherd." Some years ago there had been a situation where a man touched his daughter in the wrong way. I was little when this happened, so know only what my older sister told me about it, but when Burt was approached concerning the matter he did nothing. The police were not notified and the man continues to attend the church. A pedophile in this church is just fine, but a gay person isn't?
Another situation with Burt happened to me personally. My parents are abusive, having emotionally and physically abused me. My final straw with them after 18 1/2 years of abuse (and many suicidal thoughts) was when I told them I wanted to go vegan and they told me if I didn't eat meat they would kill my pets. I escaped with the help of police and got away. My sister and I had contacted Burt in hopes that he would help in negotiating with my parents to give me back the property the police didn't help me get out, and also maybe help with getting my parents to actually hear my side of the argument. Burt chose to ignore my sister and me, and sided with my parents. He stopped returning our phonecalls and emails. I have been diagnosed with PTSD from professionals. PTSD caused by the abuse I have suffered. And the pastor who is supposed to help and be compassionate did nothing for the victim, instead siding with the abuser.
The youth pastor, Conrad Hake, and his wife, Debi Hake, are also sexist, homophobic, and uncaring for others. Conrad Hake teaches hate to the youth, from that non-human animals are "stupid" and "soulless," to that gay people are "sinful," and, again, refuses to help those being abused. His wife even personally attacked me on facebook on more than one occasion because she disagreed with me on something. And instead of being mature, like you would hope someone married to a pastor would be, she acted like a child, insulting me, not bothering to even have a mature debate, and blocked me. Conrad Hake also has been nasty to me in person, which resulted in me storming out of his youth group Sunday school class and never going back.
Many of the attendees are, again, abusive, sexist, racist, homophobic, and specieist. Instead of them being loving and caring, they are judgemental, hateful, and eager to support abuse and death. Love is not found here. Only old fashion behavior and ideas.
This church is filled with fundamentalist "Christians" who cut and paste the parts of the Bible they like, and leave out the rest. The Bible teaches to not kill or eat animals, and the attendants and pastors teach that animals are "dumb" and that God wants us to kill. No, He doesn't.
They also ignore the parts of the Bible about loving your enemies, and so therefore hate Muslims, Mormons, gays, etc. Shouldn't pastors and those they teach love all?
This church only has brought bad memories to my mind, and I can't ever step into a church without having panic attacks. I do NOT recommend this church to anyone. Unless things change DRAMATICALLY, this is a bad place. It is not a "house of worship" or of God. It is just filled with hate, old ideologies that do not work in modern times, and cultists.
Avoid this place. Avoid it and the people who congregate within its walls. read more