Leave it to the Church of God to get angry over something AFTER the fact, many years in fact. The Kitchens have now placed their focus on Harry Potter. This gives them the excuse to drag out Herbert to rant and rage over "Spiritism Fraud... or Fact?" By Herbert W Armstrong, Good News Magazine, August 1984.
There a literature being read by many, are we one of them? Do we have these books of Magic, dragons, and occult flavor in it? Are we interested in such things? Beware, It's a door The Devil has a key to. What did the first century Christian do concerning the books of Magic and sorcery and such?
He then goes on to say this about frivolous literature:
Acts 19:18-2018 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.Strong's DictionaryG4021Original: περίεργοςTransliteration: periergosPhonetic: per-ee'-er-gosThayer Definition:busy about trifles and neglectful of important mattersespecially busy about other folks' affairs, a busybodyof things: impertinent and superfluousof magic arts(Interestingly, this includes frivolous literature that does not build up Right Character, nor educates you. But most importantly, it includes literature of magic, dragons, and witches, wizards, sorcery etc etc. are we indulging in witchcraft? If we are letting that in our minds and homes, Satan has a key to your home! A key inside to your family. And once we give it to Satan the Devil, is it God's? Repent, and turn from your ways. )
Seriously dude! Do you really want to talk about frivolous literature? Look at a lot of the stuff Armstrong and the church promoted. Endless articles and books on prophecy when ended up being fantastical lies. Even our church history is a myth based upon proof-texting by so-called church historians to fit the model they were looking for.
How do Armstrongites deal with Lord of the Rings and the Narnia stories, the ultimate stories of good and evil with wizards and demonic forces? Those must fry their delicate minds! The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe? Heresy!
What does Rowling, a Christian have to say?
J.K. Rowling responded to religious criticism of her Harry Potter books this way in a 1999 interview with Book Links:
"If this subject offends people, that isn't what I want to do, but I don't believe in censorship for any age group, and this is what I wanted to write about. The book is really about the power of the imagination. What Harry is learning to do is to develop his full potential. Wizardry is just the analogy I use. If anyone expects it to be a book that seriously advocates learning magic, they will be disappointed. Not least because the author does not believe in magic in that way."
Fantasy stories, whether from the bible or modern literature are meant to stir the imaginations of the reader and make them think and ponder.
Kitchen continues with these final words from Herbert:
"Above all, taking the shield of FAITH with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" — absolute trust in God for deliverance despite all obstacles–"and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of God"–use the Bible to know what to do and what to resist. The Word of God is the only sword that can vanquish evil spirits, and that can help you overcome sin and produce self-mastery!"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"–don't slack off in praying, don't become negligent.PRAY with perseverance, not only for yourself, but for all those whom God has called (Ephesians 6:15-18).We are all in this battle together! It is a titanic struggle.Our eternal life depends upon whether we overcome the temptations of the devil and submit to the rule, the AUTHORITY, of God over our lives. It is high time we recognized the evil powers that manifest themselves through spiritism!
That last paragraph shows how little Armstrong understood Christology. Christ's salvational work that was accomplished and the battle that was finished was never understood by Armstrong. That is why he and the church lived/live in a constant state of fear. Evil is lurking around every corner ready to devour them. Yet there is a rest that far exceeds the fear of Armstrong and his minions.
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As a side note, here is a great video about "supposal" vs allegory in storytelling.
Never mind cock-a-doodle-do, this is whack-a-doodle-do!
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm wondering is where all these people get off with all their delusions of grandeur? What are we humans? Each and every one of us of us are simply mobile shit factories! We take energy from animal and vegetable matter, and convert it into crap. We can't do a single thing without polluting and besmirching the planet. So how can people even think to call themselves prophets, apostles, leaders, and teachers when all they do is make shit! I suppose some prude is going to come on here and accuse me of being crass, but, come on! Even prudes are the same type of factory, and cannot quit producing the stuff any more than any of the rest of us!
ReplyDeleteAmen, brother factory!
DeleteHear what your saying but the vain Herbert’s of the world and his acolytes would say my shit is better than yours.
Delete"..and submit to the rule, the AUTHORITY, of God over our lives."
ReplyDeleteIt makes my blood boil every time I read lines similar to the above. It amounts to letting ministers live members lives for them. Church leaders feel that this is a sure way of hanging onto their members, which will guarantee their continued Marie Antoinette life styles. Star Trek, The Next Generation TV series didn't pull the Borg out of thin air. It's common in society.
There is zero difference between Harry Potter and Moses. Both used sorceries to achieve their ends. In Exodus 7-8 Moses turns matches and exceeds the sorcery of the magicians with rods (WANDS?) into snakes, bringing forth frogs and gnats and of course, turning the Nile into blood. Moses did these things as "miracles" and the Priests of Egypt did them "by their secret arts."
ReplyDeleteWaters parting, floating axe heads, walking on water, walking through walls and many more things that the Prophets and Jesus did were simply sorcery if taken literally
However, When Bible God commands it be done and empowers it, it is a MIRACLE. When Egyptians use "their secret arts to do the same", it's MAGIC.
Same thing.
Early Christian art depicts Jesus using a WAND in his healings. Evidently Jesus was thought to be a Harry Potter on steroids?
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/jesus-holding-a-magic-wand/
ReplyDeleteQUESTIONS & ANSWERS
QUESTION: “Harry Potter: Christian Values or Satanic?”
ANSWER: SATANIC!!!
sheer insanity!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Harry Potter when in the wcg. Granted this was after Joe's sermon in 1994 (first book in '97) but we were still Sabbath observant and everything for quite a while. My mother made a deal with me that she would read at first and that I would be allowed to read it if she approved. We ended up fighting each other over the books when they were released cuz both of us were avid fans. And I did bring Harry Potter to church. I actually did it on purpose because I liked to stir the pot... MisterdifiCULT. https://www.tiktok.com/@misterdifficult
ReplyDelete