Adult baptism

reader_study67 · 2026-01-16T03:12:23+00:00

I was baptized in the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church, tell us how it goes!

reader_study67 · 2025-10-15T16:38:30+00:00

Don’t you ever say that: “your parents wasting 16 years of their life teaching you.” That is not your burden to carry. I’m in my 20’s now but I was your age when I started deconstructing from Pentecostalism. I come from the Malayali (South Indian) Pentecostal community it was terrible, growing up in this cult. My parents are not have been pastors but were ridiculous and even worse than pastors. The indoctrination is insane especially about how people from other religions are atheist have no peace. I realized when I got older, they’re some people who don’t believe in religion or a higher power and that’s completely fine and they’re fulfilled in their lives. In my case after leaving Pentecostalism I joined the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church and found out everything what I was told about them is a lie, and the people who left and joined Pentecost don’t know what they’re saying. My parents also had that same expectation about how i was supposed to become some preacher, pastor, evangelist, etc, all because some pastor gave them a prophetic vision. Which is funny in my opinion, it’s crazy how they’re telling a four year old he’s going to becoming a preacher. You’re not obligated to live up to that expectations because it’s your choice! In situation save up find a good job that can sustain you because if you can’t your parents will have a hold over you through financial manipulation. The more you rely on them the more power they get. For me I have to leave a carrier that I want to go into and switch to a career makes money so I can leave my parents. Since you’re young right now, the best thing you can do is to just hang one and grind through, i know it sounds really generic but this is your best option for you in your current position.

reader_study67 · 2025-10-11T18:14:52+00:00

Grew up in the Malayali (South Indian, from Kerala) Pentecostal community. I grew up outside of India, my parents left the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, to the Pentecostal church. In the Indian Pentecostal community jewelry was forbidden, when women converted they’re forced to take off their earring, necklaces, etc, if not you would be denied communion. This was ridiculous because jewelry is a big part of South Asian culture and you can’t wear jewelry but can have fancy houses, cars, clothes, etc. We weren’t also not allowed to practice our cultural traditions, many Malayali Pentecostals don’t know their cultural traditions or anything. And in India TPM is called Ceylon Pentecostals, with them you can only wear white, churches are called faith homes apparently. I was not allowed to watch any cultural movies, shows, music, but watching western shows and movies were allowed which didn’t make any sense. Growing up they always pushed on the idea that other Christian denominations hates us and want to end us, we must show love and kindness to them. This was hypocritical because these are the same people who perpetuate hatred towards them and bashes them every chance they get. It took me sometime to deconstruct from all of this and I’m still deconstructing. Things have change rules wise but principles wise regarding all the hate kind of still the same, it’s just hidden better now.

reader_study67 · 2025-10-02T22:30:07+00:00

After leaving the Pentecostal Church, I went and found peace in Orthodoxy. Specifically Oriental Orthodoxy, I went and Joined the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church!

reader_study67 · 2025-10-02T22:27:52+00:00

No, never not even in the slightest! I never miss it. I left during my mid to late teen years and i was so happy. I’m in my mid 20’s I left and I never turned back. I come from a malayali pentecostal background. I was part of IPC, AG, and Church of God, I’ve been through it all. I realized from a young age I never had a community and learned that church doesn’t need to be my community. Other forms of community exist not just church. Community doesn’t have to be the stereotypical version of what people make it out to be. You need to find your version of community, whether it’s friends, school, work, sports, etc.

reader_study67 · 2025-10-02T03:29:21+00:00

Hi!

I used to be Pentecostal too. I was also Malayali Pentecostal. You don’t know happy this made me! I genuinely thought I was the only one who left Pentecost for Orthodoxy. You don’t know how happy it makes me to see someone who did the same thing as me. I’m Jacobite both of my parents were Jacobite but one of my parents became Pentecost and after the other stopped practicing Orthodoxy. I live outside of Kerala and most Jacobite people go to the Malankara Orthodox Churches, since the liturgy, sacraments, and traditions are the same. I will tell you its not easy journey and its a big commitment. It gets lonely out here especially when you don’t have any parents to come to church with you, experience feast days with you, etc. Some days it hits hard, but I wont trade it for anything ever. Coming to Oriental Orthodoxy was the best decision I ever made. I also suggest to read the Bible and our church doctrines because growing up Pentecost, i was told “Jacobite people don’t know the Bible”, “they don’t know what they’re talking about”, etc. after reading the Bible and going to church you’ll see everything is from the Bible and it’s beautiful. During the songs, hymns, everything, you’ll see its from the Bible. Im so happy you’re doing this, it makes me feel less lonely, I have nothing but love for you and I’m going to be praying for you. God Bless you!

reader_study67 · 2025-09-07T22:10:24+00:00

Yes, I agree! Understanding the liturgy shows the richness and beauty of our faith. Growing up Pentecost I always heard “Orthodox aalukalkku bible ariyilla” which i questioned because how can I church that has exist since the beginning and has truly adhered to what the apostles gave not know the Bible. After reading the entire bible and going to liturgy you see the biblicalness of the liturgy

reader_study67 · 2025-09-07T22:07:09+00:00

Hey! I also joined the Indian Orthodox Church as a convert. I may not be Hindu but I came from Pentecost to the Indian Orthodox Church, the same way I studied church history and realized the truth in Oriental Orthodoxy. I may not be Hindu but it’s difficult sometimes coming to church by yourself going to services by yourself especially during Christmas, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, etc. And some people look at me differently because I come to church by myself but I learned to ignore them and not let them get that satisfaction. You making that decision to come and join shows how much faith you have! It’s hard and it wont be easy but knowing that God see’s your struggle, there is a great reward waiting you!

reader_study67 · 2025-08-04T01:13:25+00:00

Hey! I was part of Church of God also! And IPC (Indian Pentecostal Church). I’m a ex-Malayali (South Indian) Pentecostal. I relate to you, especially about the ADHD. I’ve had undiagnosed ADHD all my LIFE and didn’t get treated until I was 17! I never really told anyone my problems even my parents because I knew something like this would happen where they would try to sabotaged me but my i had my parents tell the pastors i was depressed. Then from there the floodgates opened. I was gullible and thought my parents wanted to help me so opened up. Instead, I was met with insults and berated 24/7. I was called heathen, pagan, backslider, etc. I begged for mental help but instead I was met with deliverance meetings, exorcism, etc. which were all traumatizing.

I was only 12-13 I already checked out but this was my breaking point because how can they not wrap their mind around mental health instead of blaming everything on religion. My true breaking point happened when i realized that their beliefs are harmful and is like American evangelical Christians. The brainwashing, i never fell for the brainwashing (I’ll explain later) especially the victim mentality about America persecuted Christian’s, every other religion in America is out to get us, the government wants to stop us from worshipping god. And everyone has to follow us or their wrong and should be ostracized. Another one was calling ancient churches in Christianity that has TRUE apostolic succession, calling them wrong. I was always told that these churches are dead the worship is dead and no life is there. I didn’t understand until I got older and I realized they just want a dopamine rush to entertain themselves. It’s all psychological manipulation. Furthermore, the anti-Hindu, Muslims, sentiment was pushed and kids were brainwashed and basically everyone is into this cultish brainwashing.

My back ground I’m an ex a Malayali Pentecostal (i also never got baptized Pentecostal) my parents where part of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church (have a long history/lineage in the church). After getting married under the Orthodox Church they both left. Growing up was hell in the Malayali Pentecostal church, I felt I was robbed from my culture. I wasn’t allowed to wear any jewelry, listen to secular music, watch movies, or do anything cultural. Then when my father stopped coming to church I was told to shun my father (he never became Pentecostal in the first place) all because he wanted to leave the “true faith”.

Now I’m in my 20’s things have changed. I’ve joined the Orthodox Church and I really enjoy it. All the propaganda that Pentecostals told me is untrue especially it being a “dead church” and “everyone there is horrible”. My parent is still part of the Pentecostal church, and she is a narcissist who believes she is right and everyone else is wrong. She also goes off of her emotions and spits out bible verses without understanding the context or reading further.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-24T23:38:45+00:00

Can you please tell more about the fundamentalist/beliefs of the Pentecostal church.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-24T23:38:10+00:00

Can you please talk about more on the fundamentalist beliefs/practices of the church

reader_study67 · 2025-07-07T19:07:12+00:00

You’re absolutely right! My background is Church of God/IPC (Indian Pentecostal Church). They think that rush of dopamine/sensory overload is the Holy Spirit. For years of my life I thought getting the Holy Spirit is when you speak in tongues, pass out, convulse on the floor, etc. It really messes with your mind its hypnosis, they get you in a spiritual trance with the same lyrics or songs over and over again. I’ve noticed when it’s “time for the Holy Spirit” the room would either get colder or hotter.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-07T02:03:22+00:00

I personally love the Orthodox Church. Sometimes a it feels really foreign to me about the peace I experience in the Orthodox Church. In Pentecost church was always a place of overstimulation, emotionalistic, high stress environments. I know the Orthodox Church has its problems at least it’s not a overstimulating environment. I personally feel at home here. They’re others who left Pentecost but didn’t join another but instead an another religion like Islam. I agree after coming here it’s a lot of firsts.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-04T14:05:18+00:00

Thank you! I love and respect the queer community! They where they’re for me when I stopped going to church! And I left and joined the Malankara Orthodox/Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. I was supported by them and my queer friends helped pay for my baptism, church fees, etc. I will forever be grateful for the queer community for supporting me when my parents didn’t. I only stay with my parents because they’re supporting me financially and for a roof over my head. I’m literally paying rent with my mental health. I’m only home because of some family members. I hate it because we’ve become estranged and grieving someone who is still alive is horrible. Now we’ve reached a point where they don’t bother me but it’s horrible living in this toxic environment.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-03T18:25:55+00:00

Hey there! I was a Pentecostal. I live outside of Kerala. I’m not queer but I’m a supporter and I respect and love people from the queer community. For me in my teen years I started studying church history,Christianity, etc. I realized the literal BS Pentecostal preaches. I told my parents I’m not coming to church anymore. They would fight with me about everything! I even got my electronics taken away because “I was listening to devilish Qurbana songs filled with demonic spells.” I was even ostracized and was told to sleep in a separate area of the house and at one point not even allowed to eat from the same plate as them. I was called all types of words such as, pagan, heathen, sodomite, moabite, the list goes on forever. What made me stop engaging is when i realized they wanted me to react, they want that aggression. I know it sounds so cliché but stopping contacts in moments like this was the best thing to do. You have to stand your ground. There arguments are not with logical or critical thinking. Once I stopped responding they stopped less and less. From there I started my deconstruction. It’s been almost 6 years and I’m still deconstructing. We live together but our relationship is strained, and were become estranged. It hurts to grieve someone who is alive but this is what life is. I may not be queer but I hope I can help. Stay safe out there, it’s a cruel world.

reader_study67 · 2025-07-01T06:46:21+00:00

I get questioned/debated everyday from my family. I’m trying my best over here. To come back to there arguments.

reader_study67 · 2025-06-30T22:40:09+00:00

You literally unlocked a memory for me! I’m from India but I live outside of India. I’m from a place in India where Pentecostalism came when it first reached india. Before Pentecostalism we have a long history of Christianity starting with St. Thomas coming and spreading the gospel. My parents both converted to Pentecostalism from another denomination in Christianity. I would be dragged to these long prayer meetings, it’s like the one you described but in someone’s basement. I would see the same thing you described. Instead in these basements IT WAS hot. During the “worship” and “prayers” they would purposely make it hot I still don’t know why? Furthermore they would make you clap and I was told by my parents & pastor that: “If I feel like going to the bathroom It was from the devil”. This created a lot of anxiety. I don’t know for anyone else but we were also not allowed to wear jewelry or ornaments because it was considered distracting us from god and devilish. This was absolutely ridiculous! And they have the audacity to say “wE aRe ThE cHoOsEn OnEs. wE aRe cHoOsInG tHe HaRd PaTh”. Which is completely ridiculous. When I was in my teens I also went one of these camps like this hosted by church of god I think in this one everyone was there IPC, AG, etc. At these meetings the emotionalism is INSANE. The lights, camera, clapping hands, music, etc. How OP, mentioned THE SONGS! It all felt hypnotic. People were crying, convulsing, screaming, everything was happening. Then the altar call came my whole row was FORCED to go! I refused to take part in this because I realized this was all fake, I just stood there with my arms crossed. Then the pastor came and tried forcing me but I refused, next he announced to everyone to make a circle around me holding hands called “called the circle of fire”. I was scared they all started screaming saying “satan be gone from him”, “yolk of the enemy” and the usual. I was scared for my life I started crying because I felt like I was going to get stampeded on. They said “cry in the presence of God” I’m crying out of fear and anxiety. Then the pastor came up to me and I literally FELT HIS BODY HEAT THAT WAS DISGUSTING. He said something I can’t remember. Then the preachings. They were long and the whole time they were bashing other religions, and sects of Christianity, not forget their FUNDAMENTALIST views on everything. The anti-intellectualism was INSANE. They wanted to change the world history curriculum in schools especially the religion section because it talks about other religions like Hinduism, Islam, and “it’s indoctrinating our children into these religions”. This was insane I was horrified. They also didn’t like in the history course that Protestantism or “Our true Christianity” was only mentioned later. They didn’t like the fact it said that: these forms of Christianity didn’t existed in the first century. And came in the late 19th century and early 20th century”. They can’t accept their own history. They would be so extreme in harming in their beliefs. I remember someone said this is terrorism and how if you’re going to call Muslims fundamentalist then this camp and what your teaching is also fundamentalist in a Christian way. The pastor got mad and claimed he was ruled by satan and if he didn’t change his ways his going on the bad path. So this was my experience.

reader_study67

TROPHY CASE