- Me and my dad in Chinatown (Seattle) when I was 5 (he was 29). I was so proud of those shoes because they were exactly like his shoes (except mine were velcro–I was stylin’ like that).
Yes, our family was normal…isn’t everyone’s? For years I believed our family was normal because we were surrounded by like-minded people who had the same types of lives and beliefs as we did. We did normal family stuff like vacations, working on the garden together, taking turns with the dishes, sibling fights, chores, going to the library, etc. I knew that we were a part of an abnormal church, but we were prepped for this. The teachers at our schools told countless stories about Christian martyrs and how people will make fun of us for being a part of the Netherlands Reformed Church and School. We quickly learned to be proud of our “persecution” and felt vindicated by it. “The world will take the easy way out. They do not like our religion because they want to belong to something that tells them what they want to hear,” was a common mantra by our Catechism instructors and teachers. Truthfully, I happen to agree with that statement. We live in a world that proudly says “well, the Bible may say that, but I don’t agree.” Picking and choosing what Biblical truths to live by has become commonplace, and our culture is overwhelmingly unwilling to blindly follow God’s commands and desires (myself included). Today, I pray that God grants me the willingness to give up–to stop trying to rip the stearing wheel from His hands for fear of being out of control. Thanks for driving, Jesus. You are so much better at it than I am. I love you.
Tearing Off the Mask 
Very interesting! I am not from a dutch or reformed background however I work at Netherlands Reformed school and find there beliefs very interest and very strange I am a Christian but by their standards I would not be. I hope you know that being saved does not include legalistic values.
know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. Galations 2:16
Romans 8:31-38
Only because of Christ we like the Apostle Paul now know we can never be separated from Gods love for us .We will never ever be good enough in ourselves but in Christ we are Loved and most of all forgiven !
So this explains why the Dutch were slave merchants and enjoy killing others because they believe they are already vindicated by God. This being the case, we can now see why religions are evil indoctrination’s.
This is why you think Jesus already died for your sins and now you can keep sinning.
Got It!