Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist
shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that
it is the last time.
2
John 2:18 (ESV)
I
have heard that it happens from time to time, a pastor struggles with
his faith...and gives up the struggle. Recently I stumbled onto the
website of such a former pastor. God only knows if he truly was saved and if he was (I personally doubt it myself) the Lord will retrieve Him in His time. As of this time this ex-pastor not only says he has given up on Christianity,
he also feels it his duty to anti-evangelize the flock. He goes about seeking whom he can
“assist” in getting others to give up their faith just as he did.
That is why I've christened him the anti-pastor. He doesn't think it
is enough to blaspheme God by saying He doesn't exist, he also feels
the need to yank people out of the fold. Yeah, that's right...I truly
thought I had seen it all. Is there no limit to the hurt the devil
will inflict on Jesus? It seems not, however there is a limit. One
day people like the anti-pastor will come to the end of the time the
Lord will give to their foolishness which inflicts pain on others. He
will limit it in such a way that the only pain they will inflict is
on themselves for ever and ever. God in His mercy is still giving him
time to repent (otherwise he would have passed from this life into
his eternal fate) so I hope he will “get true wisdom” and learn
truly of Christ instead of getting his learning from the spirit of antichrist. God only knows
how much more time the anti-pastor has left on earth to turn around
and repent of the error of his ways.
I'm
not going to post a link to this man's website because the teachings of this man are ugly
to say the least. If anyone is interested in doing research into
these ridiculous goings on I'll make it available upon request with a
warning to cover yourself in prayer before inflicting such ugliness
on yourself. For most of us it is enough to be aware that he's out
there, and the Lord is allowing him to do his worst damage for a
while, until He says “Enough!”, and then it will be too late for
the anti-pastor. Let's hope for him he wises up before it is too late
for him.
Edit (added after Bruce revealed himself here): There is an interesting dialogue that went on between Pastor Joshua Whipps and this person that I have given the title "The Anti-pastor". Mr Whipps gives more detail about this situation as well as detailing how to attempt at a rational dialogue with atheists (on a scale of 1-10 I would rate my attempts at this a 6.5-7, a failing grade, using this article as a measuring instrument)
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/when-your-resume-is-irrelevant-your-testimonial-does-the-trick/
There are two more articles which give more info on this situation specifically here:
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/the-haberdashery-of-bruce-gerencser/
and
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/wherein-bruce-gerencser-combats-the_vast_evangelical_conspiracy/
Edit (added after Bruce revealed himself here): There is an interesting dialogue that went on between Pastor Joshua Whipps and this person that I have given the title "The Anti-pastor". Mr Whipps gives more detail about this situation as well as detailing how to attempt at a rational dialogue with atheists (on a scale of 1-10 I would rate my attempts at this a 6.5-7, a failing grade, using this article as a measuring instrument)
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/when-your-resume-is-irrelevant-your-testimonial-does-the-trick/
There are two more articles which give more info on this situation specifically here:
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/the-haberdashery-of-bruce-gerencser/
and
http://www.choosinghats.org/2014/07/wherein-bruce-gerencser-combats-the_vast_evangelical_conspiracy/
Here's my response, Susan. http://brucegerencser.net/2014/07/anti-christs-brother-revealed-name-anti-pastor/
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
ReplyDeleteHow much of Bruce's blog have you actually read? I think that you grossly misunderstand Bruce's motives for his website. He is not trying to turn people into atheists. He is simply exposing the oppression, the bondage, and the emotional damage that so much of Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism causes. He also points out the contradictions in Fundamentalism. He just wants people to follow their own authentic path.
I wish that Fundamentalists would remember Jesus' command to love their enemies. I wish that Fundamentalists would make compassion, healing-mercy and loving-kindness their aim. But I see very little of this in Fundamentalist and Evangelical circles.
You say that Bruce is causing others to give up their faith. How is this? If you believe that God has sovereignly chosen them, Jesus has died for them and the Holy Spirit has sealed them to the day of redemption, how could Bruce ever cause them to lose their faith. How could "Satan" cause them to lose their faith, if this is true? Of course, if it is not true then they could lose their faith.
The fact that ardent Christians do lose their faith suggests to me that the bible is mistaken.
Why misinterpret Bruce's motives? Is this genuine misinterpretation on your part or deliberate? Remember, your bible says that you shall not bear false witness.
Perhaps you don't consider misrepresenting the motives of another as of any consequence. Remember, you cannot love God whom you have not seen unless you love your fellow human beings, including those you consider are enemies of the faith.
I hope you will consider these things.
John Arthur
I agree with you that we are to love others more than ourselves. The things you bring up John have to be taken in the right perspective, with the Bible and God taking the lead. With man things are always "either/or" and that is why many do not understand or misrepresent the "Calvinist" (orthodox reform) position. I don't hold 100% to the reform views, I do however hold 100% to the Bible, and there isn't a person alive besides Jesus who fully understands everything in the Bible. That reveals people's shortsightedness and shortcomings, not the Bible's. Just as science has to keep reinventing itself and what it holds to be true, people don't have all the facts. God does. I know I won't ever get it through to you and Bruce, but if he, and you John, attack the Bible and the people that hold to the Bible, then I'm sure you'll understand that I would have to expose you for the liars that the Bible says that you both are. You call many Christians hypocrites, and I was exposing your hypocrisy by your doing so. As the Bible says "Let God alone be true and every man a liar". That about bottom lines it for me. If you disagree and don't want to understand that is between you and the God you reject.
ReplyDeleteAlso let me add that there are warnings against false teachers and false prophets who ravage the flock and yes I do see this anti-pastor as one of those. Of course he is more gentle about his self assessments than he is with those he abuses. That is the nature of an abuser.
ReplyDeleteNow if you don't mind this topic is not receiving any further comments. Thank you for your participation.