Counter points to Ashikas Documentary:

1) The intro text and music truly set the scene for the veiwer. This is a slight of hand trick to
produce in the veiwer a negative emotional reaction before any evidence or story is even
played. The potters house is controvertial, however its cultic tactics and control are
never established hearin.
2) As above
3) Its interesting that this is titled as Cukt escape yet there is no evidence provided of cult
activity or working definition of cult given for objective or even subjective analysis.
4) I keep forgetting that you are much younger than me. I was always joyed at having a
friend who was as intellectual as you, not all my friends can compete in debate at the
level you engaged at. Besting me on many occassions.
5) Im glad to see you are doing well academically. Hopefully you finish your course soon
and can find a good Job.
6) This early account is undeniable as far as the physical facts go. I do forget that you
converted at such a young age. 3-4 years younger than me.
7) Fair enough.
8) Potters House had no idea who you were! Letter boxing is quite random and certainly
does not only target disadvantaged areas only. If you were lonely, if you did have
lack, then certainly the lovr shown to you was of some advantage, not to mention the
inclusion in events. Whoch would have happened even if you were not committed.
9) Who are you referring to when you say us? I was fatherless, i found father figures and
God the uktimate father. Sure i was poor and so were you, but hardly destitute.
Migrants? Sure some, neglected? None that i knew were neglected, you had a great
mom, so did i. But sure even if most were in those positions, what did the church do? It
reached out to them and helped them. I started off unable to stand up for myself or hold
down a decent job but God and the church helped me, i have seen so many others who
had nothing be raised up in the church and become successful. Infact, of not all, then
most. In fact not many mighty, not many noble are called.
10) Case in point
11) I particularly enjoyed your use of our inconveniently barred door. Mind control is typically
the domain of conspiracy theories. But i will humour you.the church does not limit the
time or exposure to those who dont care to be limited, yes rhe calender is encourage but
not enforced, yes attendance/ministry is praised but not mandatory.
12) Social media is didcouraged but not banned. It never was. I am flatly unable to see how
anyone ahould be able to enforce a ban from reaearching the potters house online of
they would even want to? Now as to limiting information a more spurious charge i have
yet to see, Pastor Walsh and Mitchell both actively encourage the reading of news, the
reading of a vast array of christian and non christian works. While there is no special
dedication to having members rewd whatever they feel like - i cannot remember a single
time it was discouraged - certainly jot in the medieval catholic way you seem to be
insinuating.
13) This is an even more easily rebutted point than any you will probably offer. In fact you
yourself later mention that it is good to be close to the things you want to do, so
encouragement to live close to the church os good advise for the active member.
However may i remond you of my good friend Richard Gaddes, father to Andrew
Gaddes and July Bourne. He has for his entire christian life lived 1 hour from church and
he holds a position of eminance in the church.
14) You say you moved out with your sister into a small house, becuase, potters house
doscouraged living with unbeleivers - this is standard across the christian world. But it is
also plainly false, Pritika is your older sister by what? 3 years? It makes sense that you
would live with her, it is also fsr more logical to love with people you know and are
suppottive of your life convictions. If you had chosen to live witg other girls and continued
to do so as a christian i know that there would be no problem, except the harmless
question as to why you did so.
15) Here you dont mention that you moved into a house with ither apart from your sister, a
girls house - perhaps an editing error. This practice is extremely common especially in
rural regions and if you were truthful was completely voluntary. They would have
managed it without you. 70% is probably accurate but its probably closer to 50% as ruth
was older, i am sure protika was to or near to it, you and simone are not married, so tht
leaves the gibson twins and 1 or two others. Regardless of the point though, here you
are arguing a matter of culture, not of brain washing or force. In fact in many cultures,
marriage after 25 for men or women os considered odd. Your own parents culture being
one of them.
16) They do. Show me a single car lover who spends more on thier TV, or a single women
who cares for make up but instead buys paintball equipment. Or a rugby fan who buys
soccer tickets instead.
17) R5his i have to be incredulous about. If you were in the church from 14 to 24 that means
that you gave 3500 a year. Now considering you could not be earning 35000 for 4 years
and left when you were about 23 that means youal actually had about 5 years of working
life after school to tithe on which drags the rate up to 7000 a year, if you earned a highly
unlikely 40000 a year that would mean that between tithes and offerings you gave over
15% of your income, a truly commendable amount but still far less then most gove to
vices. If you were properly brainwashed i am sure they could have gotten more.
18) This was already been debunked in richards example. But rwally this was never a rule. If
you were truly finding it hard to make it to parra, then you could have gone to another
church if it was closer. No harm would have been done. You would still be cared
for/about and considered a sister an friend. In fact this is exactly what Mr warren did,
though the details elude me.
19) So you moved, and then you spoke to Anne about it? Why bother, you already made the
decision. If she dod get emotional it was probably hurt.
20) Hostile? And yet you describe an entirely non-hostile converstation / comment. And her
point is valid, both in the evidence of tmyour life but also in logic, if you wanted to be an
activd member then this would hinder you, ontop of that - there are many antichristian
ingeneral infuences in universities.
 21) Ashikas cry hear i believe, i dont think she is lying about this. Such is rhe infection of
social justice on the soul. 1) she isnt being subjugated (insert definitions here) 2) it is
occassionally preached that women in general make poor leaders and that in general
they are far more emotional then men. These are not exclusive to the PH but long held
facts, this doesnt exclude someone from leadership though. Biblical precedent and
instruction does. Besides she is proving the point here. She is far more emotional than
almost all men i know. I ahve to be careful because i am far less than most.
22) You never had to tithe, you could have attended church for the entire time and given
nothing. That pretty leechy but if you dont value it that much, dont pay. Besides the early
church went far further and gave all.
23) Welcome to the working life. I dont understand your complaint here. I work 40hrs a week
and am committed to church.
24) Again you never had to! It is encouraged; because it is wise to seek advise - however
from seeing your other online complaints i can deduce that you are referring to
confessing of salacious non-christian activities. And the being removed from a position
that strictly forbids such activities.
25) This literally means nothing - it is the kind of wimsical millenial dogma that has no
bearing in reality.
26) We are not the military, you could have at any time backed off from any level of
commitment and still been loved and befriended.
27) What cost in personal identity did you have? If you didnt identify with your home culture
and didnt identify with anything at school. Besides if the bible and its message of
salvation is real then our identity comes only through that. Now i am not comparing the
church to salvation but you didnt have to identify with what we did as a church. Quite a
point of fact there are many different kinds of people woth very different personalitoes
and way of life in the church and non are subjugated or persecuted for that.
28) Loooooool this was funny, you have not at any point established a definition of a cult or
brough specific evidence that the PH engages in cultic behaviour.
29) What have you seen of the world that the PH stopped or hindered? Nothing. Certainly
most people in the potters house see more and are exposed to more than the adverage
worker. Point in fact, many of my friends have been to many countries overseas only
because they were doing missionary trips through the church.
Now ive probably misunderstood some things so please enlighten me if you want.
Bible study 2 hrs
Church wednesday 2hrs
Churxh sunday 4 hrs
Outreach thyrsday night 1 hour
Saturday outreach 2 hours
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