Is This an Attempt to Control Your Pulpit?

[triumphant1]

Originally Posted by Brother Strange

"under Question!"

What a stupid statement.

Anything to taint the reputation of a brother. How WICKED!

It is the venom of the cocatrice. They who use it only spawn cocatrice eggs for the following generation that will be more than happy to incubate them.

The real purpose for "under question" in a case like mine is to keep me from preaching for my UPC friends and to keep them from preaching for me.

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

You're classic!!!

[and such an org-hater, lol]

Classic, huh?

Just another way of saying "your old." Gotcha!



Don't hate organization. I'm a big believer in it. I just hate wickedness in the name of the work of God.

Originally Posted by triumphant1

The real purpose for "under question" in a case like mine is to keep me from preaching for my UPC friends and to keep them from preaching for me.

Oh yeah!

I know! I am intimately acquainted with ecclesiastical politics. The spirit of that thing will smash you like a bug on concrete if you are not careful.

I tell my kids that if they want to keep holding their licenses that it would be best to just lie low. Still, it is very possible for a religous hired gun to get after you. If you do not keep prayed up and on fire for God, sooner or later you are going to get shot up to look like swiss cheese by one of these religious thugs. Then, you are faced with becoming bitter or staying sweet in your soul. The choice is yours. I choose to stay sweet...and never bitter.

"Under Question!" The devil knows how to manipulate words in the name of God to destroy young lives and families.

Originally Posted by Brother Strange

Oh yeah!

I know! I am intimately acquainted with ecclesiastical politics. The spirit of that thing will smash you like a bug on concrete if you are not careful.

I tell my kids that if they want to keep holding their licenses that it would be best to just lie low. Still, it is very possible for a religous hired gun to get after you. If you do not keep prayed up and on fire for God, sooner or later you are going to get shot up to look like swiss cheese by one of these religious thugs. Then, you are faced with becoming bitter or staying sweet in your soul. The choice is yours. I choose to stay sweet...and never bitter.

"Under Question!" The devil knows how to manipulate words in the name of God to destroy young lives and families.

People are seeing more and more of this "religious politics" mess...Not only are fewer people coming into UPC churches, but more and more are leaving in the area I view.

What a good description: Religious Hired Gun and Religious Thugs. The Governors have the Regional Sheriffs and the Regional Sheriffs oversee the Mayors (preferably one per city) and which side of the Law are they on??

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by tbpew

It is quite a marvelous thing to observe and consider.

PP indicated this idea earlier in the thread and my consideration does seem to find agreement with his musings:
"...UPC is moving further into strict denominationalism"

It fascinates me how the base things of the human condition are so inclined toward establishing rule by few over many. Natural governments that are vital to the BELOW realm are dragged into the newness of life that is in the Kingdom of God, the body of his Christ. God makes residence in the heart's of individuals, and yet there is still a determined subset of folks who are given over to a great force; man's desire to assert governance/rule over others.



IMO, the end will be identical to the 'former' and it will be subject to all the rivalries, contentions, and strife that has occassion within the carnal mind.

Whether the denomination of the rule is by persons in offices or by "binding contracts" within the alliance, it will displace the individual's liberty and accountability in the Spirit with a governance by men.

This attempt to "codify agreement" is a wonderful move away from a ministerial fellowship and a notable step towards a backdoor denominal structure (men don't rule over other men...the bylaws/manual/AS does).

I do not fault naturally-minded folks for wanting a homogenous group for their children and family to be associated with, but let's NOT proclaim that this group is authored and crafted by God's hand. Let's just be open and upfront with our establishing premise; it is a group of folks governed by men for some specific purpose shared by the participants.

The word CLUB sounds rude or crass to some folks when applied to our assemblies where God is the supposed common denominator...but why can't we just say these are God-themed CLUBS run by men?

Very good and keen observations, tbpew! Well stated.

What's "tbpew"? The Back Pew? You should move up toward the front of the class.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Brother Strange

Oh yeah!

I know! I am intimately acquainted with ecclesiastical politics. The spirit of that thing will smash you like a bug on concrete if you are not careful.

I tell my kids that if they want to keep holding their licenses that it would be best to just lie low. Still, it is very possible for a religous hired gun to get after you. If you do not keep prayed up and on fire for God, sooner or later you are going to get shot up to look like swiss cheese by one of these religious thugs. Then, you are faced with becoming bitter or staying sweet in your soul. The choice is yours. I choose to stay sweet...and never bitter.

"Under Question!" The devil knows how to manipulate words in the name of God to destroy young lives and families.

Good advice. As someone who who just pretty much walked away from the mess my whole experience of leaving was bittersweet.

I saw my wife and children and others suffer as a result, and I became bitter. When I was vindicated though, after several years, and I can now jump into their faces and say, "AH-HA!" - I just don't feel like celebrating. I have to find the "sweet" from some other source than my brethren within the UPC.

And God is always there. Wherever I turn or look, He's there. Despite my doubts and confusion, He's there. Often I cannot for the life of me figure out just what it is that's He's doing - but He's there.

After some really fine bretheren pulled away from the UPCI over rotten politics and events that led up to it, there was formed the AMF. Some of the finest men that walked in shoe leather comprised that new fellowship. Verbal Bean had many friends that made up the AMF. He wished to continue preaching for these fine men and to have them also preach for him...in short, he wished to fellowship with these good men in the Spirit.

Being proper and orderly, he asked the Texas District Board for that permission. Without an answer one way or the other, they immediately dropped him and disfellowshipped him without a trial, without a hearing, without a "drop dead" or a good "go to hades with a red X on your back." He was just dropped.

Good ol' timey religious politics is a wicked mama.

[rgcraig]

Bump for Darcie

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Brother Strange

After some really fine bretheren pulled away from the UPCI over rotten politics and events that led up to it, there was formed the AMF. Some of the finest men that walked in shoe leather comprised that new fellowship. Verbal Bean had many friends that made up the AMF. He wished to continue preaching for these fine men and to have them also preach for him...in short, he wished to fellowship with these good men in the Spirit.

Being proper and orderly, he asked the Texas District Board for that permission. Without an answer one way or the other, they immediately dropped him and disfellowshipped him without a trial, without a hearing, without a "drop dead" or a good "go to hades with a red X on your back." He was just dropped.

Good ol' timey religious politics is a wicked mama.

IMO, the Mother of all wicked "Mamas."

And, unfortunately, Bro. Strange, it is still alive and well!!!