@RonSCantor@DunningAwen What puzzles me is how the term "justice" has gotten a bad rap all of a sudden. I remember praying for justice for decades and when it comes... we call it accusation? Yes there is a tension between forgiveness and demanding justice, but: Why did we pray for it in the first place?
When you hear a leader rail against research, intelligence, and well-meaning questions, run from that leader. It's a pattern I've seen in Cover-up Culture.
Analytical thinking is a way in which you can love God with your mind. It is not right to characterize this gift of God merely as a "tool of Satan."
Insecure leaders who can't withstand honest, well-intended, intellectual scrutiny rail against reason and analysis as if they are not God-ordained processes through which He can be honored. They respond to all such analysis as if it is cynical, unbelieving, and/or demonic.
Brian Simmons is a good example of this. He says the Mark of the Beast is such reasoning. Yet, Paul was a top tier philosopher, the Gospel authors wrote with brilliance, and Jesus taught us to love God with not only our heart and strength but with our mind as well.
For those who may wonder why I highlight Brian Simmons, it is because he has his own very lousy Bible translation, and a number of fictitious experiences with Jesus such as traveling to heaven and receiving a promise that one day he will return their and retrieve John 22 (the unwritten works of Jesus) and he will share them with the world. His "translation" appears to have sold millions of copies and Brian says he wants it to become the new NIV. It has been nearly universally panned by Christian scholars who have examined it. They aren't unintellectual, carnal people. Rather, they know that the stuff he says is bunk. Craig Blomberg has said that Brian Simmons' "The Passion Translation" should have "a Surgeon General's warning due to its potential hazards."
However, Brian and those in his circles can simply accuse these scholars (who are all believing Christians) of being "too intellectual" because he has taught his audience that intellectualism is the Mark of the Beast.
What stops such a man from grabbing his audience of well-meaning Christians and turning it into a cult?
Nothing. Nothing stops him.
@realprophetguy@DarrenHibbs@victoriawrites5@AlistairMerrym1 You have shared that before except I didn't know Misty was involved. That is such a bizarre and toxic thing that happened to you! And yes... it powerfully supports Darrin's point
@AlistairMerrym1 A lot of clips from the early days of Mike's ministry are so eye-opening. I never bothered to watch any of that before making the move to KC in 2007. Wish we would have done our homework back then. I mean - it was already out there, even if maybe a bit harder to find.
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ"There is this real aggravation with social media [from those being held accountable]. The reason that they're upset with social media is [that] the camera and the microphone are now in the hands of the people, and it drives them up the wall because before โฆ there was just mass media. #Daystar is a media conglomerate. For so many years, they were able to have the bully pulpit. They were able to have the camera and the microphone and be able to telecast. And the field has become leveled now, and it is driving them crazy because there [is] a mass number of people that are investigating and have boots on the ground and eyes on the field. People directly involved in this situation are coming forward, and so they have a voice. It's not because of social media that these problems [of] abusive leaders have come about. Social media has exposed the system and exposed what they've been all about all along. And it makes them very angry that the power is in the hands of the people. And here's the thing I would say to them, get used to it. It's not going to stop. Get used to it. You have been found wanting. You have been measured and found wanting, 100%."๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
โ@LanceFord, Pastor, Church Planter, Author as told to @reachjulieroys
https://t.co/Yk6NqBht9t
@realprophetguy Wasn't there a guy (ironically currently on the ihop board) who authored "your wife is not your momma"!??? That's more relevant, if you ask me.
@Joel7Richardson@RonSCantor His voice is literally thundering at this point! Will we hear and pivot appropriately? Oh I pray we will... especially here in KC. How much more obvious does it have to become, that God is judging this movement?