EXPLOSIVE NEWS ARTICLES ON SCIENTOLOGY

EXPLOSIVE NEWS ARTICLES ON SCIENTOLOGY

Scientology, is the subject of a series of comprehensive, explosive, & well-documented research articles published by the St. Petersburg (FL) Times, written by Joe Childs & Thomas C. Tobin. The best-known previous mainstream media investigations of Scientology were by Time magazine (1991) & The Los Angeles Times (1990). Few publishers (secular or Christian) choose to publish criticism of a movement that has gone to the lengths Scientology has to silence its critics.

The St. Petersburg three part story, The Truth Rundown (June 21-23, 2009), includes extensive information from recently disaffected Scientology senior staff. Marty Rathbun & Mike Rinder were the highest ranking staff members closely associated with Scientology president David Miscavige. Tom DeVocht was in charge of the Clearwater, FL headquarters office of Scientology (near St. Petersburg). Amy Scobee developed the Scientology celebrity program.

The revelations from reporters Childs & Tobin confirm the previous media investigations, including brutal staff & member treatment, medical & criminal misconduct charges, & the stringent punishments members experience when they violate church policy or try to leave. What is remarkable about this series is that it confirms the same standards of policy & belief that have been inherent in Scientology since its founding by former science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1954. Under Hubbard the organization evolved from a "mental health" program loosely based on ideas common to Hubbard's fiction to a nascent church that narrowly qualified as such under IRS guidelines, to an international ecclesiastical program that appeared to have more in common with a quasi-military mult-national corporation than a church denomination.

Please take some time to read this fascinating series. If you have read either of the previous media investigations, you will be amazed at how consistent Scientology has been in enforcing its policies & procedures, which many people view as extremely destructive to personal stability. If you never read the earlier reports, you will find it hard to believe that ordinary people are not only drawn to Scientology, but devote their lives to it. Read the earlier reports -- Scientology has consistently drawn people into its web of belief & practice over many years. When my late husband, Bob, & I were researching Scientology in the late 1970s, an FBI agent in the Los Angeles office that was investigating the church for IRS violations warned us, "You don't want to be doing this. It is dangerous. You could be hurt. Go home and do something safe." All 3 of these reports explain why his advice was sound, although we continued to exercise our Constitutional right to speak our informed opinion about a religion that opposes orthodox Christianity.

Yes, we have the freedom in this country to believe whatever we want about religion, God, & faith: even if it seems unbelievable; even if it seems harmful to personal development & growth; even if it seems stridently antagonistic to any criticism; even if it is completely contrary to the essentials of biblical faith. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, & to be prepared to offer the grace & mercy of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone you know who might be tempted by Scientology to devote their faith to something other than Jesus Christ.

Blessings in Christ,
Gretchen Passantino
Director
Answers In Action

'Oldest' image of St Paul discovered

The following article details a recent find of the oldest know picture of St. Paul, dating to the early 4th century AD (the early 300s). Within 250 years of his life, in the city of his death (Rome), his icon ("teaching picture"), at about the time Christianity moved from an illegal to a legal, public religion, it was already firmly established among Christian believers that St. Paul was dark, Semitic in features, had a beard, & was bald. He is also depicted in this icon as very thin, which is a common iconic designation of someone who is small, as tradition about Paul puts his stature at very short. We live in a culture that is overwhelmingly verbal & written (whether on paper or electronic media), so of often disparage the historic value of oral tradition & pictorial tradition. But in the world of the Roman Empire & the first centuries of Christianity, memorized teachings & stylistic depictions were very accurate, community-based ways of preserving history. This find adds to our ability to appreciate the biblical story of St. Paul & his devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Blessings in Christ,
Gretchen Passantino
Director
Answers In Action


'Oldest' image of St Paul discovered
Archaeologists have uncovered a 1,600 year old image of St Paul, the oldest one known of, in a Roman catacomb.

By Nick Pisa in Rome
Published: 5:46PM BST 28 Jun 2009

The 4,000 year old Fresco was restored using a laser
The fresco, which dates back to the 4th Century AD, was discovered during restoration work at the Catacomb of Saint Thekla but was kept secret for ten days.

During that time experts carefully removed centuries of grime from the fresco with a laser, before the news was officially announced through the Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.


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There are more than 40 known Catacombs or underground Christian burial places across Rome and because of their religious significance the Vatican's Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archeology has jurisdiction over them.

A photograph of the icon shows the thin face of a bearded man with large eyes, sunken nose and face on a red background surrounded with a yellow circle – the classic image of St Paul.

The image was found in the Catacomb of St Thekla, close to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, which is said to be built on the site where he was buried.

St Thekla was a follower of St Paul who lived in Rome and who was put to death under the Emperor Diocletian at the beginning of the 4th Century and who was subsequently made a saint but little else is known of her.

Barbara Mazzei, the director of the work at the Catacomb, said: "We had been working in the Catacomb for some time and it is full of frescoes.

"However the pictures are all covered with limestone which was covering up much of the artwork and so to remove it and clean it up we had to use fine lasers.

"The result was exceptional because from underneath all the dirt and grime we saw for the first time in 1600 years the face of Saint Paul in a very good condition.

"It was easy to see that it was Saint Paul because the style matched the iconography that we know existed at around the 4th Century – that is the thin face and the dark beard.

"It is a sensational discovery and is of tremendous significance. This is then first time that a single image of Saint Paul in such good condition has been found and it is the oldest one known of.

"Traditionally in Christian images of St Paul he is always alongside St Peter but in this icon he was on his own and what is also significant is the fact that St Paul's Basilica is just a few minutes walk away.

"It is my opinion that the fresco we have discovered was based on the fact that St Paul's Basilica was close by, there was a shrine to him there at that site since the 3rd Century.

"This fresco is from the early part of the 4th Century while before the earliest were from the later part and examples have been found in the Catacombs of Domitilla."

Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's culture minister, said:"This is a fascinating discovery and is testimony to the early Christian Church of nearly 2000 years ago.

"It has a great theological and spiritual significance as well as being of historic and artistic importance."

The Catacomb of St Thekla is closed to the public but experts said they hoped to be able to put the newly discovered icon of St Paul on display some time later this year.

St Paul was a Roman Jew, born in Tarsus in modern-day Turkey, who started out persecuting Christians but later became one of the greatest influences in the Church.

He did not know Jesus in life but converted to Christianity after seeing a shining light on the road to Damascus and spent much of his life travelling and preaching.

St Paul wrote 14 letters to Churches which he founded or visited and tell Christians what they should believe and how they should live but do not say much about Jesus' life and teachings.

He was executed for his beliefs around AD 65 and is thought to have been beheaded, rather than crucified, because he was a Roman citizen.

According to Christian tradition, his body was buried in a vineyard by a Roman woman and a shrine grew up there before Emperor Constantine consecrated a basilica in 324 which is now St Paul Outside the Walls.

St Paul's Outside the Walls is located about two miles outside the ancient walls of Rome and is the largest church in the city after St Peter's.

His feast day is on Monday along with St Peter and it is a bank holiday in Rome where they are patron saints of the city.

Officials are considering opening the tomb below St Paul's in the Basilica's crypt which is said to hold his remains.

The Promise Keepers

Case Study - The Promise Keepers

Eight years ago, I wrote a Special Report on the Promise Keepers. After reading Al Dagger’s excellent articles, and Martin and Diedra Bobgan’s pamphlet on the Promise Keepers (authors of the Psychoheresy books), I was alarmed by what I read. I then ordered and read everything I could find - all of the books then put out by the Promise Keepers. We mailed this report out to a mailing list of about 4,000 names just prior to a big PK rally in Northern California in October of 1995. I passed on the information above to the pastor’s of the church I was attending back in April of that year and they took no action. However, once our Report hit their membership, the reaction was swift. The flock was told to trust the shepherds, that they would take care of them and that the leadership saw nothing wrong with the Promise Keepers, and to go to the rally with peace of mind. We were soundly denounced from the pulpit.

Three years later, I asked the pastor if they were ready to take a position on the Promise Keepers and he said, “No, we are still studying it and have come to no conclusions.” In the past three years, there have been hundreds of articles and even a book denouncing the practices and positions of the Promise Keepers. When will they have enough information? The problem is, by opening the door in the beginning, because pastors were afraid of splitting or alienating important segments of the church, they compromised and allowed the insidious process to begin to take place within. The basic problem is that even well meaning, evangelical leaders don’t dare take a stand against a trendy movement such as the Promise Keepers, lest they lose support (including financial support) and appear to be a “nay sayer.” By definition, they can’t take a controversial position. By definition they settle for a watered down position that may eventually lead them into full-blown apostasy.

Background

The goals of Promise Keepers appear to be admirable. The rallies are uplifting and no doubt, some find the Lord or rededicate their lives to Him. So what is wrong with men banding together to help one another? The Promise Keepers is a men's movement that began sweeping the country in 1991 with 4,200 men at the Coors' Event Center in Boulder Colorado and culminated in October, 1997 with a million man march on Washington (which I attended). It called for integrity in every area of life. There is no doubt about the excitement of a Promise Keepers Convention where tens of thousands of men are urged to take leadership in their families, their churches and community.

As we have said before, if we are living in the last days, one would expect to see the development of the Apostate Church and a great deception. “ Apostasy “and “apostate” means “falling away." Our adversary is an "angel of light." Satan would not attempt to subvert the church with something obviously evil. We would only be drawn away by something that appears to be good. We just slowly drift away from God and his truth until one day, we find we have fallen away. That is the process of Apostasy. There is no effort required to stop gravity - you just do nothing and fall away. However, effort is required to stop the slide. First, you have to recognize you are slipping and then you have to stop it and climb back up.

In his book, Promise Keepers: Another Trojan Horse, Phil Arms writes, “the fundamental flaw with Promise Keepers is not as much in its stated goals as in the organization’s man-centered, will-driven and illegitimate approach to the entire Christian faith...Not since the days of the Inquisition has the true Church faced such a challenge to its authority, its doctrine or its mission as in this hour of great deception emanating from so many seemingly dynamic, legitimate groups and “Christian” spokespersons. This is an historic period when multitudes of prophecies are coming to fruition. Primarily and specifically as it relates to our topic, the religious revival that is attempting to consolidate all men of faith and faiths of all men into one gigantic army of God to “take this world for Jesus and His Church” is clearly not only Orwellian in its character, but biblical in its prophetic placement on God’s timetable...a movement that treats the Word of God with flippant irreverence and mindless disregard...But to some believers the clarity of the overwhelming and deep-rooted conflict between the Promise Keeper’s state positions and the written Word of God is so stark that these godly discerning few are traumatized with spiritual shock over the casual acquiescence and cooperation of so many high-profile Christian leaders involved in this slaughter of biblical truths.” (Phil Arms, Promise Keepers: Another Trojan Horse, Shiloh Publishers, Houston, pp. 50-51, 70)

Promise Keepers Origins

So where does Promise Keepers come from? In the 70’s, Bill McCartney, founder of the Promise Keepers, was the assistant football coach at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. This also happens to be where the Word of God movement was founded by Ralph Martin and Steve Clark (both Catholics) in the late 60’s. By the early 70’s, it had spread all over the world. This was the beginning of the Shepherding/Discipleship movement in the U.S. (originally begun by Juan Carlos Ortiz in Argentina), which was later enhanced by the Fort Lauderdale Five. New disciples would be assigned a shepherd they were to be accountable to. There were to keep a complete diary of everything they did 24 hours a day and submit the diary to their shepherd for evaluation. Everything came under the shepherd’s scrutiny who may then tell the disciple how to adjust his life - everything from what he watches on TV, to entertainment, to dating, job, finances or sex. Nothing was exempt! This is the same type of accountability we now see in the Promise Keepers

In 1975, the Word of God movement leaders had their first meeting with the Pope, going over the heads of U.S. bishops. The movement was 60 to 70 percent Catholic, as was coach McCartney, Ralph Martin and Steve Clark. In 1975, they organized men’s shepherding conferences and in 1977, 40,000 men attended a conference at a stadium in Kansas City.

When Bill McCartney was offered a job as the head coach for the University of Colorado football team, he was sent by the Ann Arbor Word of God community as their representative. It wasn’t long before McCartney convinced Vineyard pastor James Ryle to begin the men’s movement - Promise Keepers. It began in 1990 with 87 men attending a conference in Boulder.

Promise Keepers got off to a huge start because of support from three major ministries: Dobson’s Focus on the Family, Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade for Christ (with a long ecumenical history) and the Navigators who are headquartered in Colorado Springs and became the publisher for PK material. There was corporate support from the de Voss family of Amway (a Michigan Company that is politically active in the “religious right”) and Tony Monahan, founder of Domino’s Pizza, who still has his roots in the Word of God movement and the Roman Catholic Church, the Coor’s Heritage Foundation, etc. Michael Timis and Jack Hayford are both on the PK Board of Directors and have their roots in the Word of God movement. How else could a movement go from 87 to over a million in just seven years with out tremendous backing?

It should be noted that there are two large “extra-Church” movements, organizing at the “grass roots” level within as many churches as possible: the one is Promise Keepers where the rally is the attraction but the real business is done in the Accountability Groups in local churches that are headed by “Point Men” report up through the PK hierarchy (not the church’s) and are under absolute authority. The other is James Dobson’s Community Impact Project headed by John Eldridge who is organizing PACs (Political Action Committees) in churches across the land. By 1995, there were a 1000 Community Impact Committees in churches of Michigan alone.

The Promise Keepers - An Ecumenical Movement

One of the goals of the Promise Keepers is to unite all who love Jesus and are born of the Spirit of God, regardless of denomination or background. They are non-committal on doctrine. Everyone who names the name of Jesus is welcome, including in particular Catholics and Mormons. The President of Promise Keepers, Randy Phillips was interviewed by Al Dagger (Media Spotlight Special Report - Promise Keepers, Is what you see what you get?, 1995). He affirmed that Promise Keepers does not want to divide. He encourages men to come together regardless of doctrine. According to Randy Phillips, Promise Keepers does not take a stand on doctrinal issues. In the P.K. workbooks and manuals, men are admonished not to judge or confront. They will not allow attendees to proselytize or encourage Catholics to leave their Church. They even endorse Catholic priests: "One of the core values of Promise Keepers is honoring the pastors and priests of our local congregations." (Geoff Gorsush, Brothers! Calling Men into Vital Relationships, p.50) “

Phil Arms, a Southern Baptist pastor from Houston says that, “Promise Keepers’ open endorsement of the Catholic Church is disgraceful, unchristian and proves once again their full-fledged, unapologetic willingness to defy the Scriptures while giving ‘lip service’ to their commitment to it. No one can accept Catholic doctrine as legitimate and simultaneously confess that he believes the Bible as God’s word. These are diametrically opposed belief systems. Catholicism is but one of the false belief systems recognized by Promise Keepers as legitimate.” (Arms, op.cit., pp. 302-303) The Promise Keepers welcomes all who say they are followers of Jesus Christ, regardless of what they believe. A Jehovah’s Witness, a Mormon, a Mooney or a Catholic will all say they believe in Jesus Christ, but it is a completely different Jesus. Promise Keepers makes no distinction, which is clearly against Scripture.

In the Promise Keepers Clergy Conference in Atlanta on February 13-15, 1997, Dr. John A Mackay, ecumenical Presbyterian leader, said that in 1967 that the World Council of Churches would provide the organization and the charismatics would provide the spiritual power to build the one-world ecumenical church. This is coming to pass today and the Promise Keepers is leading the vanguard of the new evangelical compromisers.

Their approach seems to be working. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles recommended Promise Keepers in the April 1995 publication of the New Covenant . It was also recommended by Cardinal Mahony of the L.A. Archdiocese. The Mormon stake president in Southern California, Chip Rawlings also recommended Promise Keepers. "The movement's Seven Promises are like something straight out of the men's priesthood manual for the church." (as reported in the Media Spotlight, "Promise Keeper Update", Volume 16, No. 1). The Promise Keepers is so intent on unity, they say believers should never be divided by doctrine. Why is Promises Keepers accepted by Catholics and Mormons? Because they preach a "non-doctrinal" gospel "without conflict". What is a "non-doctrinal" gospel? How can Promise Keepers claim to stand for integrity when it has no integrity with regards to the truth? How can you have the gospel of Jesus Christ without conflict?

The Fundamental Baptists make the following statement about Promise Keepers’ unity:

"Whereas the para-church organization known as 'Promise Keepers' advocates an unscriptural religious unity at the expense of sound doctrine and practice, accepts and promotes unscriptural charismatic teachings and the inclusion of Roman Catholicism, approves and uses psychological approaches that mix truth and error, uses unholy music and highly questionable speakers, and whereas they are aggressive in the pursuit of new members, a definite threat to Bible-believing Baptist churches who hold to doctrinal purity; therefore, be it resolved that the Southwide Baptist Fellowship stands firmly against it and its ecumenical bent" (Southwide Baptist Fellowship, meeting at Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, October 7-9, 1996).

The fact that so few people, including perhaps some of my readers, see nothing wrong with this is evidence of how far we have fallen. Shame on us! Promise Keepers instructs men to go back to their pastors and priests. Bill McCartney, the founder, shouts to applause: "Here me: Promise Keepers doesn't care if you're Catholic." He also encourages the "laity" to go back to their pastors and priests because, "We cannot rightly divide the word of truth. We need you to teach us." (Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers ‘94 Seize the Moment Men’s Conference, Portland, June 18, 1994 as reported by Dager, op.cit., p.12) McCartney believes the average man has no right of private interpretation of the Bible apart from the leadership (elders, apostles, prophets, priests, etc.). Sound familiar? Want to turn the clock back 500 years? Are you incapable of thinking and reading the Bible for yourself? This is not just “any body’s” opinion. This is a direct quote from the founder of Promise Keepers. Is this what you want?

Bill McCartney said during a news conference in the Buffalo Christian Center that "Although the movement is perceived to be largely Protestant, Promise Keepers has the approval of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, uses some Catholic speakers and welcomes Catholic men, including priests.” Under Promise Number 6, Bill McCartney says "The Body of Christ comprises a wide diversity of members. There are many denominations, various styles of worship, and representatives from all walks of life. ... the Bible says there is only one Body. Jesus prayed that we all might be one. As men who are Promise Keepers, we must determine to break beyond the barriers and our comfort zones and get to know other members of that Body. ... We're going to break down the walls that separate us so that we might demonstrate the power of biblical unity based on what we have in common ... be a bridge builder ... Pray daily for unity among Christians in your community." (Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper, op.cit.) This is exactly what is wrong with Promise Keepers. An organization without walls is one without any Biblical integrity. Why does Promise Keepers seem to think it can reinvent or develop a movement that is superior to biblical Christianity?

The Promise Keepers is a movement made up of board members, supporters and speakers from many parts of modern Christendom who have ecumenical leanings. It is no accident these men are participating in Promise Keepers. There is nothing new to the move away from sound doctrine and toward unity at any cost. People say doctrine is divisive, and we shouldn't be negative. It is just that attitude that gives force to the ecumenical movement. I will let the Word speak for itself:

• "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine... but will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. (II Tim. 4:3)

• "holding fast the faithful word...that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict”. (Titus 1:9)



q “For such are false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves in the apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (II Corinthians 11:13-14)

Phil Arms says it well, “It should not surprise us in days ahead when we discover that some of the most prominent, sought-after preachers and popular Christian media personalities in the world are among these false apostles and deceitful workers who are busily transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. The scope of this deception will devastate millions of people, blinded for a time, by the dazzling brilliance of a nation overflowing with false angels of light.” (Arms, op.cit., p. 241)

If these are the last days, how else will we be protected from the deception that is coming if we don't hold to sound doctrine? God gave us His Word. We are told to judge what we hear. Judge the spirits. Promise Keepers may have some good points along with fatal flaws. It is a movement to bring evangelicals to an ecumenical mind set and closer to the Catholic Church. A born again Christian walking in the light cannot possibly condone any of the heretical teachings of the Roman Catholic Church briefly outlined in a previous chapter. Even twenty years ago, no one would have believed we could have strayed so far away from our historic and doctrinal roots. We must distance ourselves as far as we can from that Harlot, drunk with the blood of martyrs. This is a stern warning - anyone who follows Her will end up on the wrong side. This is the path of destruction, the path of deception. Revelation 18:4-5 says, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven and God has remembered her iniquities."

The extra-local organization is now rooted in thousands of churches across the land. “The greatest danger to the Church from ministries such as Promise Keepers is not only the distraction and diversion of its men and resources, but the infectious spiritually-darkened ‘caries.’ Men, often subliminally at first, are softened with scriptural-sounding phraseology, the hyped-up, benign-appearing, fun-filled Promise Keepers rallies and the impressive orations of high-profile popular Christ speakers.

The men who participate in Promise Keepers are slowly but thoroughly convinced and converted to a new ‘openness’ that opens their minds and hearts to the heretical and apostate beliefs and practices that are systemic to Promise Keepers’ leadership and mother church, the Vineyard movement. Spiritual cross-contamination is unavoidable. Thousands of men who attend Promise Keepers functions who hail from solid Bible-believing, Bible-preaching churches, return to those home churches as ‘carriers’, who without immediate spiritual antidotes, will eventually develop the full-blown manifestations of doctrinal delusions and misplaced priorities...They are unwittingly being infected by Promise Keepers’ poisonous influence.” (Arms, op.cit. 317-318)

The Apostate Church - A Political Movement

A research friend of mine, Russ Belant, asked James Ryle who is the Chairman of the Board of PK and Bill McCartney’s Vineyard pastor, if the PK is a political movement. He responded, “I don’t know what else you call 300,000 men. It is an army.” I attended the million-man march on Washington. The leaders of the PK protested loudly in all the media that the PK was not a political movement. So why not have the meeting in a nice central location like Kansas City? They now want to hold rallies in every state capitol. Is this still not political?

As we have said, the last days Apostasy will have to be very deceptive or no one will be fooled. It will have to be ecumenical as a religious movement, humanistic and New Age in its philosophy but well-hidden and accepted by mainstream Christianity. It is interesting to observe that the ecumenical movement is being driven by politics. If it were not for the common goal of fighting abortion, for example, evangelicals and Catholics would probably have never come together.

The worse things get, the more the cry will arise to do something about it. These are righteous causes and we have "right" on our side. But the cure may be worse than the disease. No doubt, things are getting worse. The family unit is falling apart. Our educational system is not working. Crime is increasing. Traditional values are ridiculed in schools and entertainment. The courts have taken all values out of our society, out of our schools and families. There is no more God, no Judgment, and no Eternity. There is here and now. There are no absolute truths - only relative truth that is redefined by individuals as they go. Define your own reality. The family is whatever you want it to be: two men plus kids, two women plus kids, various whatever’s plus whatever... Schools teach children to define their own values. We are a society that has lost its mooring.

Many well-meaning Christians believe the solution is a political movement that will bring back the good old days, that will restore order and decency, a time when people cared, unborn babies were not sacrificed for some woman's convenience, when there were morals and standards, even a movement that recognizes God, that brings prayer back into schools. You don't have to look very hard to see the political movement at work today in the "religious right." The causes are good and just.

Now let me offer a few clarifications. I don't believe there is anything wrong with being a good citizen, with paying taxes, with voting on issues and for representatives. However, our basic citizenship is not in this world. We are "strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear they are seeking a country of their own." (Hebrews 11:14b-15) There is no hope for this world apart from the saving life of Christ. The only real outward change results from an inward change by Christ's transforming life in us There have been examples such as the Welsh Revival of the past century, where society itself felt the impact of so many changed lives. But that is the only way. The prince of this world is Satan, the ruler of the powers of the air (Eph. 2:2). Again, I come back to last day’s prophecy. So the big question is, what type of church takes dominion over the earth in the last days: a revitalized, powerhouse of a church or an Apostate church?

The church position on the last days is very important in terms of its worldview. Does Jesus come back before or after the millennium or not at all? The traditional evangelical position is that there will be a great Apostasy (falling away), the Tribulation and the return of Jesus Christ followed by the millennium or Christ's thousand-year reign. Our eschatology or view of the last days determines what we do.

The Church in Dominion

The historic position of the Roman Catholic Church is dominionist. It has always felt that God would establish dominion through the Roman Catholic Church. This was almost accomplished during the dark ages. Recently, within modern evangelical Christianity, two dominionist views have emerged. One dominionist view is called "reconstructionism" and has to do with the covenants of God, and is more of a doctrinal justification for church dominion. The other, generally known as "dominionism" is more related to the modern charismatic movement. It has more emphasis on the supernatural and often with a "New Age" twist. I would recommend a definitive work on the subject by Albert James Dager titled Vengeance is Ours, The Church in Dominion.

Reconstructionism. calls for the church to take dominion on the earth. It is espoused by R.J. Rushdooney and his son-in-law Gary North. Their basic tenant is that all men are called to ethical living under the terms of the old covenant. It is not unlike the Promise Keepers in that it believes in three of God's covenants: family, church and civil government. "Briefly, the five points are that the covenant model contains 1) a transcendent view of God: that he is distinct from His creation; 2) a concept of authority, or hierarchy, based on representation; 3) a society based on ethics, particularly the laws of the Bible; 4) a system of sanctions based on an oath; 5) a system of continuity based on something other than blood relations." (Dager p. 207 citing Ray Sutton). The Coalition on Revival (COR) has been strongly influenced by this dominion teaching, as I suspect, has the Promise Keepers in the way they encourage political activism and accountability to one another. Their discipleship concept is very similar to the Promise Keepers mentoring and accountability "where discipleship involves participation in intimate relationships, commitment, confrontation and accountability. It must reach down into the daily details of life: decision making, finances, relationship, habits, values, etc." (Dager p. 246 quoting Article 3 of the COR "The Essentials of a Christian Worldview of the Coalition on Revival) The goal is for the church to establish dominion over social, economic and political institutions. Christians are to be "accountable" to one another in a kind of informal hierarchy that everyone follows. This is similar to what the Promise Keepers propose. Some reconstructionists also believe America has a special calling, established as a Christian nation, chosen by God to bring the kingdom of God to the earth through America's might and power. Generally, dominion is seen more in physical and political terms rather than spiritual or supernatural.

Dominionists believe the church will take dominion over the earth politically and supernaturally. Dominionism involves a number of movements: Latter Rain, Manifest Sons of God, Restoration, Christian Identity, Charismatic Renewal, Shepherding-Discipleship, Kingdom Message and Positive Confession. Dominionists are upset by the perception that old-line evangelicals believe the church raptures before the Tribulation. They are offended by the image of a church rapturing defeated with its tail between its legs and the idea that 144,000 saved Jews will do in seven years what the church hasn't been able to accomplish in nearly 2,000! (I have a problem with that too but for different reasons.) Dominionists believe that Satan usurped man's dominion over the earth and the church is to take it back by taking over government and social institutions. Only then will Jesus return. There is a basic problem we just saw above in the authoritarian structure necessary to implement a dominionist agenda. Although Pat Robertson waffles on the issue, his books and television program seem to clearly reflect it. The number of dominionists today reads like a "Who's Who?" of Christianity. Christian bookstores are full of their writings.

These same people make up the core of the "religious right", everyone from Pat Robertson and Paul Crouch, to Jack Hayford, John Wimber, John Mears, Larry Lea, Tim LeHaye, Dennis Peacock, Oral Roberts, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagen, etc. The goal of these men is to "take back the nation for Christ "- not just spiritually but politically. Catholics are with the program as well. Gary Potter, president of Catholics for Christian Political Action, says, "When the Christian majority takes over this country, there will be no satanic churches, no more free distribution of pornography, no more abortion on demand and no more talk of right for homosexuals. After the Christian majority takes control, pluralism (i.e. multiculturalism) will be seen as immoral and evil and the state will not permit anybody the right to practice evil." (as quoted by Religion in Politics, Vol. I, No. 1)

These dominionists tend to be charismatic and have a strong emphasis on signs and wonders and miracles. If you have ever attended their meetings, they are extremely interested in supernatural manifestations. I have seen people selling pieces of wood reported to be from the Cross and pieces of rock from Christ’s tomb that purportedly have miraculous healing powers. I have seen people who claim their cavities were filled and legs were lengthened. Now I ask, is God the only one that can work miracles? "For false Christ’s and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonder in order to lead the elect astray. (Matthew 24:24). The one who’s coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders." (2 Thess 2:9) Isn't this one of the key attractions of the deception? I have known so many Christians who can talk of nothing else. But some of the Dominionists using terms such as Joel's Army (a teaching of the Vineyards and the Kansas City Prophets), the Manifest Son's of God (from the Latter Rain movement), the New Breed (from the telecharismatics) the Over comers, etc. refer to a time when an elite army of God (them) will smite all enemies (narrow, Bible believing Christians) literally and then establish the Kingdom of God (with them ruling, of course). This is pretty heady stuff, and it is not uncommon. This is the mindset of the dominionist! So what are they doing now?

The religious right consists of Protestants and Catholics who are concerned with what is happening in our country and rightly so. I personally have no disagreement on an issue-by-issue basis. The problem is in the ultimate goal - the church taking Dominion. I also have a problem when churches lobby members to get people registered and to vote in a particular way. Since when does the Republican Party have a corner on righteousness? How do we know that one candidate is better than another? It makes no sense to vote in someone because of their stand on one or two issues or their assurance that they are church-going, "born again" Christians. We know many people will say anything to get votes. Yet, well-meaning Christians are getting caught up in politics, believing the candidate’s and party’s lies. Every time the church, as an institution (in contrast to individuals) has gotten caught up in politics and the world, it has suffered. Right now, the religious right is getting entangled in the web of the economic and political right. We are merely being used because they need the votes. What an unholy alliance! And yet the "good" shepherds are leading their flocks blindly down the road of political activism. Shame on them!

So what could be better than a political movement that promises to restore morality, law and order, Biblical principles? It may turn out that the cure is worse than the disease. How do you control crime? Just put a number in your hand or forehead so you can't buy or sell with out it. How do you control morality? Have spies turning people in? How do you bring order? More police control? We have studied fascism in Germany between the wars. Hitler came to power on a moral platform. He promised to clean up Germany and make it a proud Christian nation again. The church supported him and thought Hitler was their savior. Once it became more apparent what he was really doing, Christians didn't rise up and protest. There was denial and collusion. Very few stood against the fascists. The Christian leaders fell in line and a few "were replaced." The followers dutifully followed. Many fine Christian young men willingly participated in the Holocaust thinking they were doing God a favor. They were convinced Jews were enemies of their nation and of Christ. They believed their cause was a righteous one. They were on a quest for God and their country. It’s not that difficult to convince people and turn them. Hitler did it and there were not many dissenters that lived to tell about it. How much more is our self-righteous country capable of?

Couldn't this lesson be a portent of our own future? Don't you think that the last day’s deception will be many times more compelling that of Hitler? Do you think you’re are going to be alert and aware enough to escape? Do you really think it will be so easy to detect? I certainly hope so because many dear Christians are on the downhill slide right now and don't even know it! Do you think God has injected you with some magic immune shot just because you're saved? No, it is not that easy. He has given you His Word as a warning. Everything you need to know is there. Yet, the Jews missed the Messiah the first time because of the hardness of their heart and their closed minds. The stakes are too high to just blindly follow. We are talking about the battle of the ages. Ninety nine percent of the Christians in Germany acquiesced. Sure a small number stood. Do you think it will be any different now? The question is, what side are you going to be on? The mass hysteria surrounding the Promise Keepers movement is not a good sign.

"It is a deadly potion that the Church has mixed for itself, mixing patriotism to corrupt Gentile power with the Word of God. It is spiritual fornication, the fornication of Babylon the Great. It is precisely this kind of thinking which has slaughtered the saints of God through the centuries: the blood of the saints is involved here. God help those who drink of this potion! They are drinking damnation to themselves. Oh, what a sinister and evil potion this is, when religion and politics are mixed together, no more lethal and noxious poison exists." (S.R. Shearer, The Beginning of the End, 1985, p.75)

The Promise Keepers and Psychology

Promise Keepers is a good example of how psychological practices are being introduced into the church. The rallies are innocuous but the meetings organized at the local level are where the indoctrination takes place. The Promise Keepers uses a variety of speakers and written material. Some are good and some are not so good. But since Promise Keepers is "non-doctrinal" and doesn't really stand for anything, a mixture is to be expected. One book, which was passed out at the conferences since 1993 that illustrates the Promise Keepers psychological approach. They stopped using it but they still support their use of the book. It is by "Christian" psychologist Robert Hicks, titled The Masculine Journey, Understanding the Six Stages of Manhood. It also comes with a separate study guide that is to be used in small group meetings. I have studied both in great detail.

The first thing to note is that just like most of the great founders of psychological determinism, Hicks has come up with six stages which can conveniently be illustrated by Biblical words and examples. There is nothing "Biblical" about these six words. Anyone can try and justify deterministic constructs with illustrations and stories. John Trent, Ph.D. declares in the forward that these are "six words the Old Testament uses to define a man's journey." (Robert Hicks, Masculine Journey, Navigator Press, Colorado Springs, p. 10) How does he arrive at that conclusion? Is this really true or just Hick's brilliant idea? Trent also says, "a whole generation of men like us have gotten lost on the way to finding ourselves, our purpose and our mission in life." (Ibid.,p.9) So this book is supposed to help us get there? Let's see. Below are the first two stages of the Masculine Journey.

1. Creational male - Adam - The Noble Savage. Hick's says Adam was a "creational kind of guy." (p.32) He sites Margaret Mead's studies where she coined the term noble savage with the idea that they had a kind of purity. Why would Hicks quote a humanist whose research has been discredited and who is trying to justify and glorify man's sinful condition?

Hick's says, in my fight for self-affirmation, I am revealing the basic fabric of what I am and how I am made. The work of psychologist and self-help writers only affirms this reality, whether they realize it or not. The therapeutic remedies that are designed to recover or develop self-esteem, and the self-help literature, only affirm this intrinsic, deeply rooted but unexplained value. (pp. 35-36) As we have said above, self-affirmation and self-esteem is the psychologist's idea of man's problem, not God's.

2. The Phallic Male - Zakar: The Mysterious Taskmaster This entire section is disgusting because it is so obviously Freudian - reducing man's identity to the male sexual organ. But even worse, nearly all pagan and false religions worship the phallus. To suggest that Jesus was a "phallic kind of guy" and to even make the statement "but it was never recorded that Jesus had sexual relations with a woman...If temptation means anything, it means Christ was tempted in every way as we are. That would mean not only heterosexual temptation but also homosexual temptation!" (Ibid.,p. 181) Why did he say, “it was not recorded that”? Does he think he may have? Does he really believe the incarnate God was tempted by every sin? Does that include bestiality? Sex with the dead? Give me a break. Where does it end? This whole section is Freudian and an affront to our God and Savior.

I won't go into the other types here, but only to say that both Freud and Jung used mythological archetypes such as the "warrior" to describe the rituals that lead to manhood. The discussion of the "wounded male" and all of the other categories is an unhealthy mixture of psychological determinism and "Biblical" examples. He quotes Robert Moore on page 77. Moore is a psychoanalyst teaching at the C.G. Jung Institute in Chicago and is one of the authors of King, Warrior, Magician, and Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine. Hick's stages of masculinity are very close to Jungian archetypes. By the way, Carl Jung was a New Age enthusiast deeply involved in the occult who had his own "spirit guides."

Hick's uses questionable examples from the Bible. For instance, is Samson a good example of a "phallic male" - a hero who couldn't keep his “male organ” under control and died as a result?

In the Study Guide to the Masculine Journey, there is section titled The Phallus and Male Fantasy, Hicks talks about initiation rites. He suggests playing a game called "people bingo" to draw men out and into the discussion. The following is question three (p.32-33) from the study guide, which is to be discussed in the small group men's fellowship:

"Our culture has presented many initiation rites, or passages to manhood, that are associated with the phallus. Which ones have you experienced? Do you have a story to share with other men about one such event?

• When I was potty trained and stopped wetting my bed

• Pubic hair and growth

• An unfortunate experience with pornography

• My first dating experience

• The wedding night

• Conceiving my first child

• Other

Men are asked to respond to the following questions:

• With my sex life I state who I am and what I worship.

• Our sex life matters to God, even what happens to our semen.

• I have no idea what "normative" male sexuality is like.

On page 87 of the Study Guide, it poses the following questions: Put in the language of the masculine journey, Jesus was phallic, with all the phallic passions we as men experience . Jesus knew every temptation of the flesh yet did not sin. It follows logically that He was tempted in all ways sexually. In what specific areas do you think Jesus was tempted? Which temptation of Jesus touches a felt need of yours, such that you could begin your walk with Him, or your talk with Him, at that point on the masculine journey? (emphasis added)

Are these appropriate subjects to discuss with a group of men? Is this what men need? Or is this some kind of spiritual voyeurism? Or ritualistic paganism? Do you wives want your husbands playing "people bingo?" Do you want your husband to fantasize about your wedding night with a group of other men? What point is there in this? Should our Lord Jesus Christ be reduced to the level of Freudian psychology, talking about Jesus as “a phallic kind of guy”? Nearly every pagan religion in the world worships the phallus. Is this what you want? Does this psychological mumbo jumbo really help in male bonding? Is this what the masculine journey is about? This is sick, offensive and ridiculous! How low do we have to go? I'm not making this up. I'm reading it in Promise Keepers material - material that is passed out in conventions! This is but an example. There is more. Don't you have better things to talk about when you get together to bond?

Promise Keepers also encourages men to be accountable to another man for every area of life, especially his finances, his sexual life and his relationship with God (see Promise Keepers workbook titled Seize the Moment)? Since when are we to be accountable to other men for things we do in the sanctity of the marriage bed? Why are men held accountable for finances but are not held accountable to Scripture in terms of sin (such as homosexuality) or sound doctrine (such as acceptance of Catholics)? Something is wrong here.

Some say the Promise Keepers has distanced itself from the Hicks book. . We telephoned the Promise Keepers and learned that the book The Masculine Journey by Robert Hicks had been discontinued by the PK. Even today you can write to them and they will send you a copy of a seven-page letter of support for The Masculine Journey. The fact that Hicks' book was used and distributed for so many years by the PK still represents a failure in discernment and leadership. But this is not the only Promise Keepers’ publication that reveals their unbiblical view of man. Many other books still used by the PK reinforce their continued orientation toward psychology. For instance, "Brothers! Calling Men into Vital Relationships" by Geoff Gorush, "What Makes a Man" by Leighton Ford, Don Osgood, Bill McCartney, etc. and part of the book The Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper.

Promise Keepers is still full of "psychobabble." It uses the latest psycho "pop" terminology: bonding, sensitivity, "self" this and that. The use of personality typologies or development stages may be interesting as one man's idea, but it is as spurious as astrology in terms of meaningful accuracy. The myths promulgated by Dobson, Gary Smalley, John Trent and others who are supporting the Promise Keepers shows their psychological orientation. In their book The Language of Love, Smalley (one of the major Promise Keepers speakers) and Trent go into the differences between men and women and being "right" and "left" brained in spite of the fact that recent research has discredited the theory. (Psycho Heresy II, op.cit., pp. 211-223). These theories may be cute and entertaining, but they are simplistic at best, just plain wrong or totally misleading at worst. There are so many psychological theories that are presented as fact with all authority by "doctor so and so", "Christian psychologist." For example, the importance of early childhood memories, birth order, interpretation of memories and dreams, the idea that your memory is a steel trap that captures everything, the idea that you are formed as a person by the time your are six and there is little or no hope for change (without psychological help of course). These theories have been discredited, along with most of Freud's theories, by researchers in psychology. So why are "Christian" psychologists promoting these worn out speculations and trying to dress them up in "Bible talk?"

One last example is the Promise Keepers book, Daily Disciplines for the Christian Man by Dr. Bob Belts. He champions the 12 steps program of Alcoholics Anonymous. (AA is also championed by Dr. Dobson) Recent studies have shown that AA is not that effective. It is an "addiction as disease” movement and research found one counseling session was as effective as any AA meeting. Contrary to the popular notion, AA does not stand for the gospel - just help from a "higher being". (Psycho Heresy II, op.cit., pp. 249-255) It is not a model to follow. Please see Christian Psychology's War on God's Word, the Victimization of the Believer by Jim Owen. To the Christian psychologist, the problem comes down to being a victim and low self-esteem, not sin and lack of a relationship and obedience to Jesus Christ.

The same relativistic thinking we criticize the world for, has gotten into us. We no longer believe in absolutes. Our standard is no longer just the Word of God. Why can't psychology be a standard too? Maybe low self-esteem really is a problem. We play "The Greatest Love of All" on our "Christian" radio stations - "learning to love ourselves?" What's wrong with Catholicism? They believe in Jesus, don't they? It’s not so bad. Alcoholism isn't sin - it’s a disease. Homosexuality isn't sin - it’s a biological tendency or something in the environment caused it, maybe the water. The problem is poverty, poor parenting skills, abuse, poor communication, low self-esteem, stress, etc. Maybe we need a new revelation of psychology to explain things for us.

Promise Keepers brings men together in small groups. Bible centered fellowship among men is one thing, but Promise Keepers encounter groups styled on the self-help tactics of Alcoholics Anonymous is another. These programs bring in psychological determinism, sexual voyeurism and a gospel focused on finding and actualizing self. It creates an organization that leads to self-discovery, not the real building and service that should occur between men in a normal fellowship of believers.

Promise Keepers has revived the faulty encounter group structure. Men are put through various recognizable encounter group formats. The goal is to shock and break down inhibitions. Hicks’ study guide assumes that most men lead sinful, dysfunctional and worldly rather than godly lives. The normal man may wonder if something is wrong if he doesn’t fit the description of the “wounded warrior.” The guide rarely offers a biblical answer but focuses on sin, temptations and abnormal behavior. As in the case of many encounter groups of the 70’s, the dissonance created leaves men feeling vulnerable, having confessed there hidden thoughts and actions to others, with little to fill the empty space.

Again, Phil Arms summarizes the problem brilliantly. “men have forever been enamored with building highways to heaven. Often these highways have been paved with the religious works and efforts of man... Human attempts to repackage “Christianity” by co-mingling it with extra-biblical demands, principles of psychology and other additives must be recognized as the saboteur’s handiwork. Introducing scripturally illegitimate books, concepts and human reasoning into biblical Christianity’s doctrine only derails men who otherwise might go on with God in a deeper capacity... Throwing in ‘some truths from the Word of God’ to ‘sanctify’ the ‘whole’ is, again, futile. However, Promise Keepers’ material and guiding ministerial techniques do precisely this. By so twisting the Scriptures to make it appear as though the Word of God is the source behind their concepts concerning men becoming ‘real men,’ they capture unsuspecting hearts with biblical sounding phraseology.” (Arms, op.cit., pp. 205-206, emphasis his)

Is Promise Keepers a Political Movement?

So is the Promise Keepers a political movement? Of course it is. There are "three non-negotiable's of manhood: integrity, commitment and action." (Dager, Special Report, p. 12 as reported on the P.K. Portland Convention). There is a call to action in the home, church and community. It is just a matter of time before the "community" agenda is developed. It certainly has the foundation of a powerful political force. Second, some of the professionals supporting Promise Keepers certainly have a political agenda, not the least of which is Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family along with the many other Christian ministries now headquartered in Colorado Springs thanks to El Pomar Foundation and the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church (Religion in Politics, p. ???)

Although Promise Keepers appears to have some good points, there is more than enough information available that we should have nothing to do with it. It already has an ecumenical flavor, is heavily into psychology and could become a strong political force. Promise Keepers growth is extraordinary. It is difficult for some to question Promise Keepers, people see success in numbers, the conventions are electrifying and the subject matter, on the surface, is like mother and apple pie. But Hitler and Mussolini had good points too. Hitler cleaned up the liberal excess and sins of the Weimar Republic and Mussolini made the trains run on time. Just because a movement appears to be powerful and good, doesn't mean it is a great move of God. Using this line of reasoning, one would certainly have to embrace the Mormons as a non-smoking, non-drinking, family values kind of organization.

In analyzing the speakers and supporters of Promise Keepers, there is little doubt, there is a political agenda. First a million Promise Keepers marched on the nation's capital. Now they are planning on marching on every state capitol. The Promise Keepers represents an awesome force once mobilized. Well over a million men who have attended rallies are being organized at the grass roots level in churches across the land. Where is it leading those willing participants? Is this what we as last days Christians are supposed to be involved in? What is happening on the home front? Phil Arms describes the process:

“This is a disturbing but obvious characteristic or Promise Keepers. Thousands of laymen from biblically sound churches have been swept up into, via their participation in Promise Keepers, heretical Third Wave Vineyard theology. Rarely is this a result of the larger Promise Keepers rallies where Promise Keepers’ true doctrine keeps a low profile. The doctrinal trap is sprung in many of the smaller meetings and the one-on-one relationships promoted by Promise Keepers "mentoring" efforts.... The baggage accompanying them, though by design not obvious at most of their major rallies, is weighted with spiritual contraband from enemy territory. Men who become involved in Promise Keepers’ philosophy and doctrines become "carriers" of the germ of deception. They continue to take this germ back to their home churches, spreading the epidemic of spiritual AIDS, and rendering those churches impotent to resist the spiritual infection of polluted, poisoned concepts of God and doctrines of devils. Beneath the attractive facade, Promise Keepers is laden with everything from Christian humanism and damnable heretical and apostate beliefs to a total disregard for the integrity of God-established scriptural doctrine”. (Phil Arms, ibid., pp. 250-251)

Reaction to Promise Keepers Criticism

When I wrote my original article on the PK’s several years ago, there were only a few voices of alarm. Today, there are literally hundreds of articles, not to mentioned the book by Phil Arms book The Trojan Horse as well as numerous Internet sites dedicated to the obvious danger of the PK movement. But, are these effective in warning people? There are several reasons why people don’t see the obvious: 1) They may be so weak in their foundational knowledge of the Word of God, they don’t know any better, 2) They have been overwhelmed by the rally, the momentum and the outwardly appearing “good “of the PK movement, they don’t have enough spiritual discernment to see through it, or 3) they have been drawn into it because of relationships with people they trust. This is the most likely scenario and it shows how easily it can happen. When friends, pastors, relatives and everyone gets on the bandwagon, you look pretty silly sitting behind. Beware, the person that goes along with the crowd, without questioning will surely fall away!

Our special report on the Promise Keepers report was sent the across the country and got a mixed reaction. Some hated it and some loved it. Some asked to be taken off the mailing list and others asked us to send them extra copies to pass out. However, we were concerned by the reaction of some. As we consider not just the possibility but also the probability of deception, there seems to be a general predisposition to not seriously consider what is being said.

1. There is a predisposition to ignore the facts and avoid the issues. Some said the Promise Keeper report made “serious charges”. They were not serious charges but serious information gleaned directly from the Promise Keepers’ own material.

2. There is a predisposition to attack the messenger rather than face the issues. The messenger is always condemned not for “what he said but the way he said it.” This is an effort to divert attention from the issues raised. Some who loudly condemned us were asked if they read the material. They said “no, but heard about it from someone who did.” Critics never disagree by arguing with the issues raised.

3. There is a predisposition to trivialize points. We did not quote just anyone but the founder and the president which do represent the "heart and soul" of the Promise Keepers. We are not talking about “pop” psychology and isolated practices, but the psychology that has completely infiltrated and permeated our churches, Bible Schools, Seminaries and Christians hearts and minds.

4. There is a predisposition to not take a stand because it may alienate people and cause division either within a church or between churches. There is a predisposition to care more for what other people think than for the truth.

5. There is a predisposition against being specific. Some may agree with what is being said but are unwilling to name names. How can the position and the person be separated? Should we stop public debate in the Body of Christ because it is unloving and unchristian? If so, where is the search for the truth?

The Scripture itself tells us what things are going to be like in the "last days." So what should we do? Become ecumenical and join the rush to oneness? Join hands in the fight against abortion, crime, poor schools, etc.? Embrace "Christian" psychology and "Christian" psychologists as Christian? Or, should we open our eyes and carefully and objectively look at what is happening around us in the light of Scripture? As a brother observed, Biblical truth fosters division. It is unavoidable. If Christians stand for the truth in the "last days" they will be going against the tide. Everyone else will be going in the other direction. You may be accused of being elitist, isolationist, unloving, angry, judgmental and so on. Are you willing to pay that price or do you just want to go along with the crowd?

We are told that the time will come when "apostate" Christians deliver up true Christians, thinking they are doing God a favor. The predisposition to follow without question, to dismiss information like this as irrelevant, to not even read it or to attack the messenger and completely ignore the issues, is dangerous - not the way to stop from falling away. It is still true today, "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:12-15). Please notice that this passage is used in conjunction with false prophets. False prophets lead through the broad gate of popularity and acceptance. A person "predisposed" to not look and listen, to not consider the issues, to condemn people who would question, and to blindly follow their leaders is not likely to make it. If a Christian is going to stand in the "last days" it will take a life filled with Jesus, obedience, diligence, honesty and courage.

Look at the roots of the Promise Keepers? Where did it come from? We pointed out that it clearly resembles the Word of God movement that McCartney was involved in Ann Arbor. The accountability, the rallies, etc. But when McCartney moved to Boulder, Colorado, whom did he team up with? The Vineyards. The Vineyards have been on the leading edge of the current “revival” of signs and wonders sweeping the world. As Phil arms says, “The (PK) organization is the theologically and doctrinally illegitimate offspring of Wimber and his Third Wave wonders.” (Arms, op.cit. p. 241)

What has happened to it in the past 8 years? The rallies are not as big as they used to be but it is well established in the men’s ministries in many churches across the land spreading its unbiblical teachings and methods. These movements have a way of going underground and the resurfacing years later in a different form. The last chapter is yet to be written on the Promise Keepers. Now there is much more material on the Internet as the eyes of many have been opened to its true nature.







Continue to
The Signs and Wonders movement

Notice: The Book "Recognizing Deception and Apostasy" was written by Dene McGriff. The original source of the book is located at the web site www.the-tribulation-network.com which operates under the name of "The Tribulation Network" which is owned and operated by Pergamos Ministries. Permission is granted to copy and distribute this book via printed media, in its entirety, without any changes to the original content so long as this Notice accompanies ALL copies distributed. Any web site may link to this article at http://www.the-tribulation-network.com/Apostacy/recognizing_deception_and_apostasy.htm It is requested that you do not copy this article into any web site due to the possibility that we may add or delete to this article at any time. And if you do not have the latest additions to the article, then you might be misrepresenting us.



http://www.the-tribulation-network.com/denemcgriff/Apostasy/recognizing_deception_and_apostasy_chapter_6.htm

Do unto your neighbor

Do unto your neighbor

By Sara Leibovich-Dar





Two weeks ago last Friday, P. and her children looked out the window of their home in Arad and saw, to their astonishment, several hundred Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) in the parking area across from the house. They were carrying signs that read "The mission in our town, a calamity now and for all time," and "Missionaries - hunters of souls - get out of our town." P. recalls that she felt like she was in a circus - "only, where's the elephant?"



P. is a Jew who believes that Jesus Christ was the messiah. In the past few weeks, the Haredim in Arad have been harassing the 15 Messianic Jewish families in the Negev town. Hardly anyone has come to their aid. The police gave the Haredim a permit to hold demonstrations opposite the homes of the Messianic Jews, the mayor is ignoring the harassment, and the members of the municipal council, including those who are secular, support the Haredim, who have representatives in the local governing coalition.

"My home is like a prison," says P. of the demonstration by the hundreds of militant Haredim. "The police surrounded the house with barricades and the well-dressed Haredim started to make speeches. They said that there's a Christian woman here who kills and who steals children and that the Christians were the ones who started the Holocaust. It was a weird feeling."

P. is a blue-eyed widow who was born in California. She is trying to remain optimistic and to cast the situation in a comic light. A local weekly sent a reporter to cover the demonstration and quoted the following remarks made by the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Arad during the event: "You disguise yourselves as sabras and smile at us, but you're just waiting for the first chance to grab us and crucify us. Get out of here, hypocrites. At least if you wore robes and large crucifixes, we would be able to be careful of you. You are the ones whose forefathers burned Jews to death throughout all the years of history. You are an abomination in Israel, and therefore you must be spewed out of here."

E. and another 10 Messianic Jews were in P.'s house during the demonstration. "We just sat there, singing and praying," E. says. "We didn't want to turn this into a dispute. We waited for them to leave." P. takes solace in the fact that the demonstrators didn't try to break into the house or destroy the small garden that surrounds it. "They obeyed the law and didn't touch property, but we didn't know what to expect from them."

Four days later a few Haredim returned with signs. P. thinks that was the seventh demonstration outside her house. "My children sat on the balcony and watched them. I think the demonstrators were embarrassed. They didn't look at us, they covered their faces with their hands. I would have felt embarrassed in their place, too. There are so many terrible things in the world - and they have to come to demonstrate outside the home of a woman who loves to read the Bible?"

They suspect that you're not so innocent. What do you say to their contention that you persuaded an underage girl to join you and that missionary meetings are held in your house?

"They are mistaken. Not all our gatherings take place here - maybe half of them - and even that is no longer the case. And the young person who joined us did so of her own free will, after she turned 18. I understand that there are a lot of things that they don't like, and I understand that they needed some shows during the holidays, but if they don't come here they'll go to demonstrate next to some other house, so let them come here. I'm strong, and my children aren't so afraid anymore."

P. joined the community of Messianic Jews in Israel 15 years ago, after her husband's death. They lived in Tiberias. He was killed in a road accident when she was pregnant with their third child. "People from the Messianic community really helped me, I mean physical help," she says. "I had three infants and had been in the country only six years, and I had no husband. I wanted to go back home to California, but it's not so easy to pack up three infants and go. Many people came to pay their condolences and then disappeared, but members of the Messianic community gave me true help. That made an impression on me. I told myself that the Lord looks good. I started to trust him, I read the Bible and the New Testament, and my life started to change. I started to read good things and suddenly I had hope."

Dark incitement

Four years ago P. moved to Arad and joined the small local community of Messianic Jews there. The first members of the community came to Arad seven years ago, liked what they saw, and stayed. The others followed. The anti-missionary Haredi organization Yad L'Achim says there are some 12,000 Messianic Jews in Israel, but members of the community say their numbers are far smaller, no more than a few thousand.

The Messianic Jews believe in Jesus - whom they call Yeshua, a Hebrew word with the root meaning "salvation," and the Christian savior's actual name - and celebrate the Jewish holidays with a Christian tone. For example, they hold a Seder at Pesach but cite Christian history in it. They hold bar mitzvah ceremonies for their children, in which the boys declare their love for Jesus. Most of the community's members live in Be'er Sheva, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Tiberias and Nazareth. P. moved to Arad to open a foster home for children of the community who for various reasons are unable to live with their parents. She also assists unmarried young women who become pregnant and want to have the child.

P. has three sons; the two younger ones attend military academies and the eldest is already serving in the Israel Defense Forces. "It doesn't bother anyone that they are Messianic," she says. "One of my sons even showed around visitors from the United States who came to see the academy. They were very enthusiastic about the tour."

Last week a girl who gave birth out of wedlock was staying with P., as were four children who had been removed from the home of their alcoholic father. Between making lunch for the children and taking care of the beautiful baby, P. tried to understand why the Haredim chose her as the object of their demonstrations. "I never hid my faith. The welfare office in Arad knows I'm a Messianic. After the demonstration, the social worker called to ask whether it was my house in the photograph in the local paper. Yes, they demonstrated outside my house, I told her."

Until the demonstrations started, she says, her presence in Arad and her work didn't bother anyone. "I never tried to get anyone to change his religion, but a year ago one of the girls who grew up in my home and who is today a soldier, became friends with a girl from Arad and brought her here. She was interested in what we believe in - she was studying for her high-school matriculation exam in Bible at the time - and I read a few chapters of the Bible with her. She showed up when we had youth activities. We didn't throw her out, even though she was under 18. She wasn't baptized until after she turned 18. Afterward she became friends via chat forums with a religious boy. He came here, took down my name and address, and brought the demonstrators."

The demonstrations outside P.'s house began a few weeks ago. At first they were small in scale. "About 20 demonstrators with signs came. I put a film on for the children, so they wouldn't be afraid. The demonstrators left after a few hours, but came back the next day. We weren't afraid. As it happens, I admire the religious people. They stand behind their belief - you can't love the Lord and hide. I don't hide my faith, either."

P.'s neighbors tried to help. In one of the first demonstrations, Zohar Galant, a Dead Sea Works pensioner, who lives across the way, photographed the participants. They were not deterred. In the latest demonstration he tried to argue with them. "There wasn't a great deal I could do. I was shocked," he says. Last week, in the early afternoon of a boiling hot day, a few days after the demonstration, he waited in front of his house for P. to come out on her way to pick up the children from school. Galant crossed the large parking lot that separates their houses, and told her she could come to him if she was attacked.

"Most of the demonstrators aren't even from Arad," he says. "They brought in busloads of Haredim. It was terrible. They incited against them the way Jews were incited against in the darkest periods in history. These people are not missionaries. I have lived across from them for four years now, and I didn't even know they were Messianic Jews. My daughter is in the same class as one of the children who grew up in that house and he has never talked about it. I felt awful, depressed. How can people speak against other people like that? After all, they serve in the army, but the Haredim don't. The Haredim said in the demonstration that Arad was built because of its good air and that the Messianic Jews are polluting the air. But not one Haredi helped build Arad."

Another neighbor, too, Yael Keren, had no idea she was living next to Messianic Jews. "My dog ran off and entered their house, and I didn't see any sign of anything like that there. Until the demonstration no one knew anything about it, so where is the missionary activity? Sometimes on Shabbat I hear prayers coming from the house, but that doesn't bother me. It's not the Messianic Jews who frighten me. It was frightening to see such a large group of Haredim demonstrating here. I don't understand how they were allowed to hold a demonstration here."

Don't take our children

Yakim Figueras, the leader of the small community, says he was surprised that a demonstration of this kind - "which made us fair game" - was held under police auspices. "They said we are worse than [slain Hamas leader Sheikh] Ahmed Yassin, that we are like the Nazis. I'm surprised that they received a permit to demonstrate opposite a private home in the heart of a residential neighborhood."

Superintendent Moshe Ivgy, chief of the Arad police, promises that it won't happen again. "The next demonstrations will be held somewhere else. The neighbors complained, and I don't want provocations with the neighbors. It wasn't right next to the house, it was 50 meters from the house, and it wasn't a demonstration, it was a protest rally, it was all very orderly."

What about the fact that the rabbis incited against the Messianic Jews in a very orderly way, too, and that your forces did nothing?

"If a complaint about incitement is submitted, we will deal with it. I am in contact with the two sides. We will deal with whoever has to be dealt with. The religious people only prayed and left. The neighbors hurled imprecations against the Haredim and irked them."

Rabbi Ben Zion Lipsker, the Ashkenazi rabbi of Arad, says he doesn't regret one word of what he said. "I say clearly and unequivocally: I love every person, I live in harmony with everyone, but they acted against the law and caused two people in Arad to convert."

Then why don't you file a complaint with the police?

"That wouldn't help. As a rabbi, I have to cry out when I know they are burning souls. I have to say what I think. Go to Africa, where there are ignorant people, and try to turn them into believers. Don't take our children."

A similar view is taken by Rabbi Yosef Elbo, the Sephardi chief rabbi of Arad, who also spoke at the demonstration. "Every Jew is obliged to demonstrate against a phenomenon like this, against those who pass themselves off as Jews but infiltrate the weak population groups and start to influence them. And there are people who fall for it."

Who fell for it in Arad?

"I can't give you the exact names. But it's known."

Yet even their neighbors didn't know they are Messianic Jews.

"That just proves the point. Do you see how hidden and covered it all is? They train in how to speak, and they even have a Haredi exterior, with prayer shawls and fringes."

What do you say about the fact that one of the sons of the woman you demonstrated against is serving in the army?

"What does that have to do with anything? Druze serve in the army, too. This is a case of camouflaged influence and it is against the law."

There is no such law.

"I don't know. Yad L'Achim knows all about these matters in depth."

Alex Hartovsky, from the Yad L'Achim branch in Bnei Brak, was one of the organizers of the big demonstration. (Yad L'Achim is a Jerusalem-based organization with branches in the United States, Canada and Australia. A 1997 English-language newsletter of the organization - www.anshe.org/YadLAchim/yad1 - states: "Eretz Yisroel [the Land of Israel] is under ever growing influence of several missionary groups, whose goal is converting the Jewish people. The most powerful of these groups are `Messianic Jews' and `The Witnesses'" - presumably referring to the Jehovah's Witnesses. (More information on the Jewish Messianic movement can be found at www.jewishmessianic.net and other Web sites.) "They portray themselves as being persecuted, but they are the persecutors," Hartovsky says. "We have an emergency telephone line, like the sexual harassment line - everyone protects his business, like a person protects stray animals, because it pains him. People call us, relatives of those who joined the cults, and we also have people from inside the cult. You can call them informers, but in my eyes they are heroes who are working for a sacred cause. You have to understand the inner essence of these people. They want to take over the world, they can't restrain themselves, they have to spread the tidings. I was at the demonstration in Arad, and by the way I enjoyed myself very much. I didn't think the public in Arad found it so painful."

Do you intend to continue?

"We will do a great deal, yet. We will reach every family. We will speak to them. We are not violent. There was one time when missionaries from Switzerland were beaten, but that wasn't us."

A marked woman

A demonstration was held outside Yakim Figueras' house, too, though on a smaller scale. He is a second-generation believer; his parents became Messianic Jews, though they were not born to Jewish families. His mother is Dutch, his father Spanish. Figueras, a social worker, grew up in Omer, an affluent Be'er Sheva suburb, served in the army - where he was wounded in an accident - and still does reserve duty. He came to Arad five years ago after friends moved there. "I was surprised that all this happened in Arad," he says. "We try to be law-abiding citizens. The problem with these attacks is that today it's against me and tomorrow it's against someone else. This is a matter of freedom of conscience and freedom of belief."

His wife, Debbie, an English teacher, grew up in Nahariya. Her parents are Jews from England. Debbie's mother is a well-known Messianic Jew in Nahariya. "The Haredim persecuted them for years," she says. "They stuck posters with her name all over the city and wrote that she had to be expelled from Nahariya because she is a dangerous missionary. The population in Arad seemed to us to be quiet and non-militant. We never go into their areas."

Before Arad they lived in nearby Be'er Sheva. In 1998, Haredim assaulted the Messianic community in the city several times, and the Figuerases decided to look for another place to live. "The air in Be'er Sheva is very polluted, too, and we didn't want to raise our children there," Debbie Figueras says. "We now have four children. We did a lot of looking before we came to Arad and fell in love with this small, pleasant town." Figueras says they did not come to Arad "to raise a ruckus," and therefore the group was surprised by the Haredi assault.

Why were you surprised? You're wandering around in a small town with quite a large Haredi population and offering the New Testament - weren't you afraid that people would be angry?

"It's not true that we preach. If we talk to someone, it's with a person who is in any case interested. I don't shove the faith down anyone's throat. We preach only to those who come to the congregation, we don't go into the streets. Most of the people I know take no interest in these subjects. Most of my friends are secular."

Debbie has been living in constant fear in the past few weeks. "They came with signs next to our house. They prayed loudly in Yiddish, but as far as I know there are no prayers in Yiddish, so apparently they cursed us. It's hard to describe the feeling. It's dreadful. They don't even know us. Yakim asked them why they are frightening the children. They said, `Because there are missionaries here,' and they had no idea that they were demonstrating against us and that we are supposedly the missionaries. It's not pleasant. I served in the army, I was in the territories, in Gaza, my mother is Jewish, and suddenly I'm subjected to attacks like these. Before all this started I lived a perfectly normal life, but now I feel marked. I just can't believe it's happening to me. It's as though I'm living on another planet. A few days ago I went to visit my parents, and there everything is perfectly regular and normal. It's only in Arad that I'm marked."

More...



Very few people in Arad are standing by the Messianic Jews. "Expel them from here immediately," demands Udi Asher, a kiosk owner in the town's large commercial center. The center is empty on this blazing hot afternoon, and Asher seems to be waiting for an opportunity to get mad. "Some woman came here, bought nuts and gave me a New Testament. I wanted to throw her out of the store. I restrained myself, but I didn't understand what she was after. She knows I'm Jewish, so why did she try to convert me? If they're allowed to do that, then so are the Haredim. It's a war of survival. We have to preserve a Jewish character in the town. I still have a limitation in my brain: I don't want to live next to a Christian or next to a Muslim."

Arad has a population of 26,000, with an unemployment rate of 9.6 percent (as compared with the national average of 10.9 percent). Some 40 percent of the residents are new immigrants, mainly from the former Soviet Union. There is a large Haredi population - 300 families of the Gur hasidic sect, 50 or so Chabad families, and another 50 families that support the ultra-Orthodox Shas Sephardi party. In the past few years Arad has changed from a town that traditionally supported Labor to a bastion of the right. In the 1996 elections, Labor won 30 percent of the vote, Likud 22.9 percent, and in 1999, Ehud Barak, Labor's candidate for prime minister, received 64 percent of the vote, nearly 30 percent more than the Likud candidate, Benjamin Netanyahu (35.9 percent). The turnabout occurred in 2001: Ariel Sharon won 58.7 percent of the vote, Barak only 41.2 percent. In 2003, the Likud took about 62 percent of the vote, as against only 21.3 percent for Labor.

Labor also sustained a defeat in the municipal elections last November, when Dr. Motti Bril, an independent candidate who is considered to have a right-wing orientation, defeated Labor's Bezalel Tabib, who was mayor for 15 years. The Messianic Jews settled in Arad during Tabib's tenure. "I never felt their presence," the former mayor says. "I heard about them when someone came to me three years ago and said that they were here and were holding meetings in someone's house. It wasn't a complaint. He said they were very nice. It's true that they talk about the Christian cause, but they are also happy and they sing and talk about love. Every person has the right to do what he wants in his home. It didn't bother me."

The new mayor takes a different approach to the subject. "They are not being persecuted. In what way are they persecuted?" Bril asks. "They come to the place and operate on the fringe of the law that bans missionary activity. We treat them politely and with due courtesy, but they are far from being complete tzadikim [saintly people]. There is a group of Haredim that says they already broke the law when they distributed food to Holocaust survivors ahead of Pesach and placed a copy of the New Testament and some money in the package."

They deny that.

"In the meantime I am not taking action and not doing anything against them. I don't have enough evidence to act against them, so I am not taking any active steps. On the day they cross the line the municipality of Arad will use all its might to expel them. If I had something that is absolute proof, they wouldn't be in Arad. Because I don't, I am tolerant. In the meantime, they are on the borderline but they are far from being persecuted saints. We're on the threshold of a struggle. A group arrives that tries to do something else, and they are allowed to proceed up to a certain limit, but only up to a certain limit. This is a very tolerant city, but missionary activity is against the law. As long as we're in the gray area, we're not bothering with them."

So, to maintain the municipal coalition you prefer to ignore the harassment of the Messianic Jews?

"People are allowed to hold a demonstration next to private homes. It's not pleasant, not conventional, not ordinary, but it's allowed. And it has nothing to do with the municipal coalition. There are people who think that what they are doing is bad and they are demonstrating next to their homes. What's wrong with that?"

Yitzhak Benishti, a Labor Party representative on the municipal council, also objects to the presence of the Messianic Jews. "I'm against all this messianic organizing, I'm not in favor and I don't support them. These are Jews who are engaged in missionary activity."

That's a rumor being spread by the Haredim, but there's no proof of it, is there?

"That's why I say that if they are engaging in missionary activity, I am against. I am not intervening in the matter."

If there's no proof of missionary activity, why shouldn't you intervene to protect them?

"The truth is that I am against holding demonstrations across from private homes and bothering the neighbors. All the neighbors are already very upset."

And what about the Messianic Jews - they are also very upset, aren't they?

"I just haven't been in Arad for the past two weeks. I will consider intervening in their favor. I will definitely consider it."

What the law says

Sergei Bikhovsky, a representative of the centrist, anticlerical party Shinui on the municipal council, and the party's top official in the south, says he is torn between the law - "For me the law is the most important thing, and the law says that missionary activity is forbidden" - and the people themselves, "who are very nice and have even opened a chess club for immigrants from the former Soviet Union. I'm in a really bad spot."

But aren't they in an even worse spot?

"The action taken by the Haredim is not right. The way they reacted isn't so nice."

Gabi Bahan, who was a representative of the liberal Meretz party on the previous municipal council (Meretz does not have a representative on the current council), objects to the Haredi demonstrations. "The rabbis here are conducting illegitimate politics by taking advantage of the Messianic Jews," he says. "It's very easy for a large group to exploit a minority group to crystallize itself. The Messianic Jews live their lives and don't make themselves felt. The question is who the missionary is here. The Gur hasidic sect built a school for secular children to get them to become religious. The town should be pluralistic. The greater the diversity, the stronger we will be as a community."

Nevertheless, Bahan has so far done nothing to protect the Messianic Jews. Maybe he'll write an article for the local weekly, he says. Eitan Michaeli, a resident of Arad and the deputy director of the Be'er Sheva branch of Shatil - which defines itself as "a capacity-building center for grassroots social change organizations" - was also a Meretz representative on the last council. And he has already written an article for the local paper. "It's hard to do more than that," he says. "Arad has become a place where it's very difficult to mobilize people. In the past, people here voted for Mapai [forerunner of Labor], Dash [the defunct Democratic Movement for Change, a centrist party] and for Meretz, but in the past few years the Likud and Shas have become stronger. It's a pity that the rabbis don't understand that they are playing with a double-edged sword. Just as they are now inciting against the Messianic Jews, tomorrow people will incite against them. They are fanning the flames and in the end they will be burned."

The head of the local Likud branch, Moshe Edri, says that he has read the law - "and I hope the mayor will act according to the law and thus resolve the problem."

Won't the problem be resolved if the Haredim are prevented from harassing the Messianic Jews?

"I don't see that anyone is harassing them. I would suggest that there be no missionary activity in any city in this country."

Three sections of the Penal Code deal with missionary activity. According to Par. 174(A), anyone "who gives or promises a person money, the equivalent value of money or any other material benefit in order to entice him to change his religion or so that he will entice someone else to change his religion, shall be imprisoned for five years or pay a fine of 50,000 [Israel] pounds." Par. 174(B) states that anyone who receives material benefits in order to convert is liable to a prison term of three years and a fine of 300,000 pounds. And Par. 368 stipulates that anyone who conducts a conversion ceremony for someone who is under-aged is liable to six months in prison.

In December 2001, the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee voted down a bill by MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism), which would have imposed a three-month prison term on anyone who tried to cajole someone to convert by means of the mail or by fax. "I have a small boy at home, who could receive missionary material by mail, by fax or by e-mail," Gafni told the committee. "I'd be interested to know why you receive this kind of thing but I don't," wondered MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor). "I have spoken about this to the director of the postal service many times, and piles of this material arrive," Gafni said.

In recent years the Knesset has held only a few discussions on the subject of missionary activity. In one of the most exhaustive discussions, held by the Interior Committee in November 1999, Inspector Yosef Cohen, an officer with the police Investigations Branch, warned against militant persecution of the Christian sects in Israel. "The U.S. administration itself closely monitors the law-enforcement authorities in Israel in regard to persecution of what it calls religious sects, as the messianic sects in the United States have a very powerful lobby in the administration," Cohen said. "Therefore, as with any other law, the law-enforcement authorities in Israel should be especially careful and adopt an attitude that is completely legal, no less and no more."

Cohen also cited some interesting statistics. During the 1990s, he said, the police received between 10 and 20 complaints concerning offenses relating to religious conversion. However, the members of the messianic sects, he said, had submitted no fewer than 60 complaints against Yad L'Achim. "I would expect organizations engaged in guarding the Jewish public against Christian preaching not to resort to violent activity," he noted.

Constant fear

H., a lawyer, is very fearful of the Haredi activity in Arad. She is a 41-year-old single mother with three children. She refuses to divulge any details that might disclose her identity, but agreed to meet with me at the Arad shopping mall. She doesn't meet with strangers in her home, she explained, so that they won't find out where she lives. Her children try not to say anything about her religious beliefs to their friends, so as to spare her harassment.

She became a Messianic Jew two years ago, she says. "For many years I searched for God," she says. "In the course of the search I also became close to the Haredim. A few years ago I even became a regular donor to a Haredi radio station, and I wore long skirts, went to the mikveh [ritual bath] and read three chapters of Psalms every day."

One of her neighbors in Herzliya, where she lived, was a Messianic Jew. "She read me chapters from the Bible. It scared me, but I was also attracted to it. It responded to a lot of things that were bothering me." H. told hardly anyone about her new faith. "My mother knows. We have long arguments. She is a Holocaust survivor. My father doesn't know to this day. The father of my three children became very frightened. He was certain that harm would befall the children. He calmed down only after seeing that nothing happened to the children. My brother learned about it only recently."

Relatives who know about her belief sometimes harass her no less than the Haredim. "My son went to visit someone in the family who knows. My son was wearing a crown that he received from a fast-food restaurant. The crown had illustrations of crosses on it. The relative was so frightened that he cut out the crosses."

Her faith is a private matter, she says. "How can I be a missionary if I hardly talk about the subject with anyone? A friend expressed interest, and I gave him a book to read. He returned the book and said he's not interested in these subjects and that was the end of the conversation. In the past few months I took a course given by the Labor Ministry, and no one there knew I am a Messianic Jew. As far as I'm concerned, it's a private spiritual process. If I don't share it with even those who are closest to me, why would I share it with others?"

For the past few weeks she has been gripped by fear. "It was a bad surprise for me to find out that there are religious wars in Arad. It sounds absurd. It's a small, quiet, lovely town. When I was a girl we spent summer vacations here, and when my mother retired she dreamed of coming back here - which is why I came to Arad a year ago. Who believed it would happen here? We know that we can expect more persecution. We will accept it the way Gandhi did in India, with passive resistance. We will not leave this place. We believe we are doing a good thing for Arad. I pray that there will be an economic boom in Arad. I remember better days here. When I was a girl, there was the Masada Hotel, today it's a heap of rubble. In the winter I prayed for rain in Arad.

To secular eyes, you very much resemble the Haredim.

"That's true. There's a saying that we met our enemies and they are us. The sharpest clashes are with those who are like you.


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