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Anonymous
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 3:41 pm: | 
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Religious legalism and its adverse affect on Christians
By Michael J. Wedge
This is a personal view on church legalism and how man-made doctrine can cause problems with individuals.
I was raised a Catholic and, since four years ago, became a Protestant, Christian, I have seen both sides of a delicate issue. And, have seen how man-made doctrine has caused disruption in the lives of people. I am no longer affiliated with one specific denomination and prefer to call myself a “Non-denominational Christian”. And now attend a good Christian Fellowship.
Since man is imperfect and, man created religion as a set of guidelines to worship God, religion is imperfect. In some churches, these guidelines become laws, or rather doctrine, that the congregation is expected to follow.
Some churches demand strict adherence to these doctrines. And, establish bylaws that will be enforced by the leaders of the congregation.
Here is a brief list of items that some religions create as doctrine or rules that eventually become “laws of the church”.Banning what they perceive to be inappropriate media. IE, music, television, movies, books, and other literature.
Banning alcohol, tobacco, and sometimes, food products.
Strict adherence to dress and personal appearance codes.
Placing the outside political motives in the worship service.
Long-winded, often politically motivated, pastoral prayers designed to push issues and agendas on the congregation.
Banning freedom of expression in art, music, and other forms of entertainment
Using the Bible as a weapon in order to intimidate and control the congregation.
Establishing themselves as the only right means to salvation and, opposing any ecumenical thought. (This is also a cult tactic)
Use of guilt, intimidation, mind control and coercion to keep the members in line. (Another cult tactic)
Shunning individuals that do not adhere to the man-made doctrine of the congregation. (Another cult tactic)
Guilt ridden sermons designed to make the congregation submit to the authority of the Pastor.
Use of the theory that people should spend long hours at the church and, do work in the church in order to gain rewards in heaven.
Establishing a bureaucracy within the church in order to limit change or dissention.
Emotional, spiritual and sometimes physical abuse.
Isolationism and secrecy. (Another cult tactic.)
Religions often use biblical scripture in order to back up these doctrines and laws. Most of the time it is through the interpretation and misinterpretation of the Bible that these laws become reality to the members.
In the process of establishing and enforcing these “man made rules and doctrines”, the church leadership becomes no better than modern day Pharisees. And, eventually can drive people away from Christianity. Which is the ultimate sin. In their attempt at cultivating a flock, they have driven people away.
Some individuals have been damaged both spiritually and emotionally.
Either falling away from Christianity or, they have deep emotional scars that have caused depression, PTSD, drug abuse and activities that the religion so desperately tried to oppose. Also, in the stricter sense, the religion or school has not prepared the individuals in how to deal with life and society in general. These misguided religions also try to impose political beliefs that are somewhat narrow minded and only approve one political party.
The freedom to express oneself is not tolerated and by misinterpretation of scripture, becomes a sin. Music, even certain forms of Christian music become wrong in their eyes. Musicians are stifled and not allowed to use their God given talents but rather to adhere to only church approved music.
In some churches and schools, dress codes become mandatory and, almost military in procedure. With specific guidelines and codes. Freedom to have ones own identity is limited or curtailed. Individuals are treated as robots that must be programmed.
The programming also entails guilt and coercion. These in themselves can cause low self-esteem causing members to submit to church imposed doctrines. Individuals that do not adhere to the guidelines are sometimes shunned or worse yet, told they are living in sin and must get right with God.
When in reality, they are being told that they must get right with the church imposed rules and guidelines. More often than not, man-made doctrines that is misquoted from the Bible.
Secrecy within the church becomes another tool. Some of the stricter Christian churches will use secrecy to maintain control. And, prospective members are not told the realities of the religion until they have been programmed sufficiently and are submissive enough to be nothing more than non-thinking sheep.
Some churches use fear as a method to obtain members. A typical tactic would be to word sermons like this:
“What if you walk out this door and die. You may never get salvation and thus, you will burn in hell forever.”Or, guilt:
“You need to get right with God. You are a sinner and fall short. Get your life right now.”Altar calls are another example of how to use a guilt-ridden sermon to entice new converts.
Guilt appears to be a common tool. Even families that have been raised in this environment for generations utilize this tactic on themselves as a method to control individual family members.
Some congregations actually believe that there is only one approved translation of the Bible. And, perceive other translations as wrong. Specifically certain Baptist churches that will only accept The King James Translation and oppose other Christian translations such as The New American Standard and The NIV.
What is unfortunate is that the stricter churches have lost touch with what Jesus taught. Peace and Love. And, that all fall short; even the leadership of these certain churches.
Which goes into another subject, Church leadership. Sometimes corrupt and sometimes authoritarian. For some unexplained reason, Pastors and high church officials perceive themselves to be on a higher level than the common man. Or, that they are closer to God because of their position. Obviously, the Pharisees used this same tactic in the first century.
Some ministers do have some training in psychology. This in itself can be a weapon. They also perceive themselves to be the ultimate authority on God and the Bible. And, worse yet, they also may feel that they personally are closer to God and have his authority.
Power corrupts. And, corruption can and does exist in the church hierarchy.
Ministers and high church officials are no better or worse than the individual church members.
The reality is that all are imperfect and fall short.
It has been seen that some of the older members of specific churches use their wallets in order to flex their authority within the church. And, that may even sway the members of boards and committees. Deep pocket may cause some churches to adhere to the authority of only a few misguided people.
Unfortunately, new ideas are shunned. Growth of the church is impaired by these modern day Pharisees.
Unfortunately, these Legalistic churches are wide spread. Their membership is strong and their corrupt behavior will continue. The children and adults will continue to suffer at the hands of church leadership. The man-made doctrine will continue. And the sinful behavior of the pastors and church leadership may not stop.
Perhaps some will read this and will reevaluate their religion and break free of the tyranny that exists. And, hopefully, the ones that are out there and hurting will be able to find a good, honest Christian church that can minister to their individual needs and wants. One must go where the spirit leads them.
God Bless you all! |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 12:11 am: |
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RUSSIA: Court Agrees That Baptist Church Breaks Up Families.
Geraldine Fagan, Keston News Service, 15 March 2002
On 20 July last year "Vostochnaya Provintsiya" newspaper ran an article about the Talitsa-based "Spiritual Renewal" community, a religious group under the auspices of Russia's major Baptist Union. After having interviewed a person who lost a loved one to "Spiritual Renewal", wrote journalist Irina Glebova under a pseudonym, she understood that this was "not a church, but a sect." According to the article, "mothers lose their children there, families break up: the most important thing to them is demented faith."
In "Religious Fanaticism", an article published by the same newspaper on 10 August 2001, Glebova maintains that she uses the term "sect" not in a negative sense, but to indicate sections of believers who reject dominant or more widespread religious doctrine. In order to illustrate how members of "sects" become fanatics who pay no attention to their families, however, she cites information given to her by the relatives of two "Spiritual Renewal" parishioners. One woman, claims Glebova, lost her husband to the Baptist community: "He spoke only about faith, about his salvation, repeating [to his wife] that if she did not come to God, then she would burn in hell for ever after her death - surely this is fanaticism?" The daughter of another woman, she maintains, "began to live according to the strict rules of the Baptists, socialising exclusively with her 'brothers' and 'sisters'."
ex = http://www.keston.org/020315RU.htm |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Saturday, May 04, 2002 - 4:33 pm: |
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"If we addressed a Mogul or Thibetan this question, Who is Chrishna? the reply was, instantly, 'The Savior of men.'" (Hue's Journey through China.)
"Chrishna, the incarnate Deity of the Sanskrit romance continues to this hour the darling God of the women of India ... Chrishna was the person of Vishnu (God) himself in the human form." (Asiat. Researches, 260).
"Respectable natives told me that some of the missionaries had told them that they were even now almost Christians" (owing to the two religions being so nearly alike). (Ibid).
"All that converting the Hindoos to Christianity does for them is to change the object of their worship from Chrishna to Christ." (Robert Cheyne.)
"Brahminism or Buddhism in some of its forms is said to Constitute the religion of considerably more than half the human race. It teaches the existence of one supreme eternal, and uncreated God, called Brahma, who created the world through Chrishna, the second member of the Trinity." Paul says, God created the world through Jesus Christ, the second member of the Christian Trinity. (Eph. ill. 9.) How striking the resemblance! "The doctrine of the incarnation, the descent of the Deity upon earth, and his manifestation in a human form for the redemption of mankind, seems to have existed in the shape of prophecy or fact in all ages of the world. Hindooism teaches nine of these incarnations. Furthermore, it teaches the doctrine of the Trinity, the fall and redemption of man, and a state of future rewards and punishments in a future life. ... This religion in chief of Asia is traceable to remote ages. The doctrine of the Trinity is represented in the Elephantine cavern, and taught in the Mahabarat, which goes back for its origin nearly two thousand years before Christ." (New York Sunday Despatch, 1855.)
"In the year 3600, Chrishna descended to the earth for the purpose of defeating the evil machinations of Chivan (the devil), as Christ 'came to destroy the devil and his works.' (See John iii. 8.) After a fierce combat with the devil, or serpent, he defeated him by bruising his head -- he receiving, during the contest, a wound in the heel. ('It [the serpent] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.' -- Gen. iii. 15.) He died at last between two thieves. ... He lead a pure and holy life, and was a meek, tender, and benevolent being, and enjoined charity, hospitality, and mercy, and forbade lying, prevarication, hypocrisy, and overreaching in dealing, and pilfering, and theft, and violence toward any being." (Lecture before the Free Press Association in 1827.)
"The birthplace of the Hindoo hero (Chrishna) is called Mathura, which is easily changed, and by correct translation becomes Maturea, the place where Christ is said to have stopped, between Nazareth and Egypt. To show his humility he washed the feet of the Brahmins (as Christ is said to have washed the feet of the Jews -- see John xiii. 14). One day a woman came to him and anointed his hair with oil, in return for which he healed her maladies. One of his first miracles was that of healing a leper, like Christ (See Mark i. 4). Finally, he was crucified, then descended to Hades. (It is said of Christ, 'his soul was not left in hell.' -- Acts ii. 31.) He (Chrishna) rose from the dead and ascended to Voicontha (heaven.) (Higgins Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 239).
Now, we ask, is it any wonder, in view of the foregoing historical exposition, that Eusebius should exclaim, "The religion of Jesus Christ is neither new nor strange?" (Eccl. Hist. eh. iv.) Truly did St. Augustine say, "This, in our day, is the Christian religion, not as having been unknown in former times, but as having recently received that name."
Here, then, we pause to ask our good Christian reader, Where is your original Christianity? or what constitutes the revealed religion of Jesus Christ? or where is the evidence that any new religion was revealed by him or preached by him, seeing we have all his religion, as shown by the foregoing historical citations, included in an old heathen system more than a thousand years old when Jesus Christ was born? We find it all here in this old oriental system of Buddhism -- every essential part, Particle and principle of it. We find Christianity all here -- its Alpha and Omega, its beginning and end. We find it here in all its details, -- its root, essence, and entity, -- all its "revealed doctrines," religions ideas, beautiful truths, senseless dogmas and oriental phantoms. Not, a doctrine, principle, or precept of the Christian system, but that is here proclaimed to the world ages before "the angels announced the birth of a divine babe in Bethlehem." Will you, then, persist in claiming that "truth, life, and immortality came by Jesus Christ," and that "Christ came to preach a new gospel to the world, and to set forth a new religion never before heard amongst men" (to use the language of Archbishop Tillotson), when the historical facts cited in this work demonstrate a hundred times over that such a position is palpably erroneous? Will you still persist, with all those undeniable facts staring you in the face (proving and reproving, with overwhelming demonstration, that the statement is untrue), in declaring that "the religion of Jesus Christ is the only true and soul-saving religion, and all other systems are mere straw, stubble, tradition, and superstition" (as asserted by a popular Christian writer), when no mathematician ever demonstrated a scientific problem more clearly than we have proved in these pages that all the principle systems of the past, by no means excepting Christianity, are essentially alike in every important particular -- all of their cardinal doctrines being the same, differing only in unimportant details?
http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/kersey_graves/16/chap32.shtml |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 2:55 am: |
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I would like to know what makes "anonymous christian" Michael Wedge think that he is a Christian at all? Did he just decide that Jesus was a neat guy to believe in? Very curious as to why he claims he is a christian.... |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 11:45 pm: |
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When I read 'tryanny' and 'legalism' in the same document, it's a sure indicator to me that the author has had bad experiences with 'organized' religion. I'm also leery of organized religion, because wherever you have a group of fallible human beings who are not 100% focused on Jesus Christ concentrated together, 'humanistic' or 'fleshly' thinking is bound to enter in.
Churches that promise to tend to the individual 'wants and needs' of their parishoners (basically promoting the idolatrous worship of self - supposing that 'gain is godliness' 1 Tim 6:5) are actually operating in opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ who asks us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him daily (not just on Sunday morning). We are supposed to be following his example of 'self' sacrifice in all that we do. If we focus only on our 'wants' we are no better than those who followed Jesus just because they ate of the loaves and were filled.
Regardless of which church someone is sitting in, they have an individual responsiblity to look to Jesus Christ, who is the 'living' Head over all true believers, and not to the 'church' as an organization to save them. Anyone who has access to a bible and reads it regularly can find out who Jesus is, and what the gospel is about.
Seek the Lord, as he has been revealed to us in the inspired word of God, and you will find him. Put your trust in him, and not in man. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 8:30 am: |
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"Seek the Lord, as he has been revealed to us in the inspired word of God, and you will find him. Put your trust in him, and not in man."
This sounds just like the dogma that was drilled into me as a member of a cult for ten years. God's will is good and self will is evil.
We were supposed to "activly seek and do god's will. No joke. There would be these people claiming that they have no will of theit own and that they only do what god wants them to, they would manage to keep a straight face when they said it.
So glad to be free of that crap. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:13 am: |
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This person talks like a Christian fundamentalist: They believe that "only thru Christ" anybody can find "salvation." It is only another form of dangerous fundamentalism. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 4:58 pm: |
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Clarksville minister faces abuse probe
By BRIAN DUNN
The Leaf-Chronicle
A minister at a Clarksville church is under investigation after allegations that he had sexual contact with several children who attended the church during the past two years, state officials confirmed yesterday.
The investigation, which led the state's Department of Children's Services to take custody of five children, has centered on the Rev. La Monte McNeese, founder and minister of One Way Apostolic Assembly, DCS spokeswoman Carla Aaron confirmed.
---Police haven't charged McNeese with a crime, but they plan to present charges that he sexually assaulted a child to the Montgomery County grand jury in July, said Detective John Nichols, a member of Clarksville's major crimes division.---
The children taken into custody, boys and girls, are ages 14-17, Aaron said. The state took two children from one family into custody April 30 and three children from another family into custody May 3.
Aaron said she could not say why the children were taken away from their families when the minister is the subject of the investigation.
---The children and their parents have not cooperated with police efforts, Nichols said. He said the parents have been persuaded not to cooperate because of the suspect's authority.
Brian Dunn covers crime and safety and can be reached at 245-0236 or by e-mail at briandunn@theleafchronicle.com. Tennessean staff writer Brian Lewis and Gannett News Service contributed to this report.
from http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/02/05/17772943.shtml?Element_ID=17772943 |
jt
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 4:38 pm: |
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Another Protestant cult, founded in Ireland around 1897. They claim no name, but refer to themselve as "The Friends" and refer to their sect as "The Way". They also refer to their views as "The Truth". Ministers are called "Workers". Read more here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~truth/ |
Anonymous (66.162.203.195)
| | Posted on Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 2:31 pm: |
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In another forum, a fellow noticed that nothing has been said here about an extremist fundamentalist sect called the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Just wanted to make sure folks here know to stay away.
As a former PCA fellow, I can tell you that the first post in this forum describes the PCA very well. On top of the legalism is the need for the elders to control the lives of members.
I plan to put up a website soon documenting the abusive nature of the PCA. I'll be sure to post the url here when that goes up (no time soon...got to get my brother to show me how...lol).
Peace ya'll! |
Anonymous (64.12.117.20)
| | Posted on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 8:53 pm: |
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"This person talks like a Christian fundamentalist: They believe that 'only thru Christ' anybody can find 'salvation.' It is only another form of dangerous fundamentalism."
Well, that's what the Bible says. In fact, Jesus is recorded as saying it Himself: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). If you're a Christian, or going to be one, you have to come to grips with that statement. Was Jesus a madman, a liar, or the Son of God? I believe the latter of the three, and therefore, I believe that eternity hangs on this particular question.
"God's will is good and self will is evil. We were supposed to 'actively seek and do God's will.' No joke."
I've seen plenty enough evidence in the world that people's selfish wills are very often evil. As for God's will, if you believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that His will for mankind is revealed therein, it becomes easier to seek and follow His will. The key is to allow the moral principles of God to control you, not other people. It's one thing to be given instruction and guidance - another thing to be manipulated and controlled.
Just my two cents (and of course, I'm a believer). |
Anonymous (66.162.203.195)
| | Posted on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 2:25 pm: |
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Yes, exactly, Anon 64...Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. He is also the Word of God.
Remember, that the Bible says EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Jesus blood was not shed in vain...it is able to reach unto the lowest depths...what POWER! |
Anonymous (150.152.13.130)
| | Posted on Monday, November 01, 2004 - 9:13 pm: |
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Several sex charges levied against a Clarksville minister have been dropped.
Defense attorneys for the Reverend LaMonte McNeese successfully argued yesterday that six sex-related charges involving a minor girl violated the statute of limitations.
Four other charges were retired but could be brought to trial at a later date.
The 44-year-old McNeese was arrested August 2002 and charged with 19 counts of statutory rape, eight counts of sexual battery and two counts of child rape.
Eighteen of the charges were later dropped by prosecutors. |
franklin (franklin)
Intermediate Member
Username: franklin
Post Number: 209
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 152.163.101.12
| | Posted on Thursday, November 25, 2004 - 12:47 am: |
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Anonymous
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:13 am:
"This person talks like a Christian fundamentalist: They believe that "only thru Christ" anybody can find "salvation." It is only another form of dangerous fundamentalism."
What was this guy smokin'. Duh?! As a Christian, Christ is the only way to salvation. That is more than fundamentalism. That is Christianity. If that is fundamentalism then all Christians are fundamentalists. Who started this term "fundamentalist" and how did it begin to have a negative connotation? To me the fundamentals means the basics, the abc's. Nothing wrong with the basics of Christianity. |
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