[Joshua]

The WMSCOG make a great deal of effort to discredit Steve Hassan. Well, here's another book and author that backs up many of the things that Steve Hassan talks about. (BTW Steve Hassan helped my loved one exit the WMSCOG cult for good.) The book is called, "When Religion Becomes Evil." The author of this book is Charles Kimball. I have NEVER heard or read anything from the WMSCOG disparaging Charles Kimball. After reading the cliff note version of this book. There are five key points in this book and I am sure that you'll find these points familiar. 1) Absolute Truth Claims, 2) Blind Obedience, 3) Establishing the "Ideal" Time, 4) The End Justifies Any Means, 5) Declaring Holy War.

I have not finished reading this book but I can tell you that everything so far echos of the WMSCOG. I am going to give you an example of some of the reading. The chapter on Absolute Truth Claims states word for word, "Invariably, religious truth claims are based on the authoritative teachings of "inspired" or sagelike charismatic leaders or on interpretations of sacred texts, often connected to such gifted leaders. They permeate the religious traditions in both obvious and subtle ways. in every religion, truth claims constitue the foundation on which the entire structure rests. However, when particular interpretations of these claims become propositions requiring uniform assent and are treated as rigid doctrines, the likelihood of corruption in that tradition rises exponentially."

Now please understand that this author, just like Steve hassan, does not call out any paticular church, group or entity. What both of these authors have done is give their readers a great foundation for determining if the warning signs are present.

If you are someone currently involved in a group, and it doesn't have to just be the WMSCOG, clear your head and use the mind that God gave you and determine if the group you are in has ANY of these kinds of warning signs.

In order to be able to think objectively about what you are involved in you may need to separate yourself from the groups influence for a while. I would suggest no less that three months. After this amount of absolute no contact (or influence, including reading, veiwing, and studying materials) I would hope that you would be ables to objectively see if the signs are present. Give yourself a chance to see the truth. The truth can stand up to a heavy and probing inspection. The truth sets you free!

[Love'n Honey]

[Love'n Honey]

Seems like a book written for scholars and not the average person. Other than that, all we have to do is get an interview with Charles and wait for the rebuttals. =) 

[Joshua]

You never know where you are going to find something helpful. I'm reading another book and I have come across some gems of knowledge. The book is called, "Fooling Houdini" and it's written by Alex Stone. This book contains some very interesting insight into some of the interworkings of the mind.

One part I read talks about how keeping secrets affects a person. Are you aware that secret keeping can make you ill and possibly lead you to an early death? This concerns me greatly because the WMSCOG is all about keeping secrets. Hidden things that are supposedly only for a chosen few? Keeping family and friends in the dark about what you're being taught!

Another part talks about how when people perform a magic trick children will be more likely to figure the trick out than adults will. I'm thinking that this is one of the reasons why the WMSCOG tries to isolate the children. The children are more likely to figure out the illusion that the WMS pulls over it's adult victims. The author writes, "Gullibility is an acquired behavior. Children will often realize the trick behind a magic trick as where often the adults will not." It's believed that it has to do with perspective. Children often take in a bigger picture than adults. As adults we tend to focus on things much better and when someone is trying to convince us of something they try and gain our complete attention which makes us miss the bigger picture.

Not bad for a book that has nothing to do with religion. God puts knowledge everywhere. Are we open enough to realize and receive it?

This book gives a lot of insight into how people perceive things. They may see a Gorilla but because they were told to focus on the mother they didn't realize that they saw it. Kinda scary if you really think about it. How much time and effort is spent focusing on Zahng when the big picture proves everything about her false? They see it but they don't realize it!

[Joshua]



Well folks, here's another one for ya: Jesus is greater than religion by Jefferson Bethke.

I just came accross a story in this book that I've heard before but that I thought you all might like.

  

A man named Dimitri fell in love with Jesus during the communist reign in Russia. Shortly after becoming a follower of Jesus, he open his house to others to talk about Jesus, sing songs, and read the Bible. Quickly many people began to come. So many in fact that the government noticed, and he was fired from his job. Still Dimitri continued to preach and read the Bible to others in his home. That's when it got real interesting. One night when he was holding church in his house, soldiers broke in. One grabbed Dimitri, slapped him around, and said, "We have warned you, and warned you, and warned you. I will not warn you again! If you do not stop this nonsense, this is the least that is going to happen to you." The officer pushed his way back toward the door, a small grandmother took her life in her hands, stepped out of the anonymity of that worshiping community, and waved a finger in the officers face. Sounding like an old Testament prophet, she declared, "You have laid hands on a man of God and you will NOT survive!" Two days later the officer died of a heart attack.

Ask me about the rest of the story later. What do you think of this so far?

[emil]

Sounds like a typical urban legend. Not saying it is impossible though.

[Joshua]

I know, it sounds pretty unreal or made up. The rest of this story is that Dimitri was picked up shortly after this officers death, charged with unbased crimes, and spent the next eighteen years in prison. If you are wondering the answer is yes, he did continue preaching the good news while he was in prison. He took a lot of physical and mental abuse for it but he never gave up his faith or his calling.