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Originally Posted by Ohio
Think about the lust for power which then inevitably develops in fallen leaders. Who would not want to be above the law concerning all their failures. I have long been convinced that the constant rivalry between Anaheim and Cleveland was due to such perks for the winner. Could not Lee's successor, the subsequent MOTA, now eliminate his rival by fabricated charges resulting in quarantine.
Does not these MOTA teachings, by definition, result in ecclesiastical politics? Is this not ruling like the Gentiles? Did not our Lord specifically warn us about this?
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Just read about a young man in the Philippines who left the RCC, tried several Protestant groups, flirted with atheism, then finally decided that he could recover God's original intended church, with himself as Executive Minister (naturally). This was 1914. He managed to convince thousands to follow him over several decades, then his son took over & globalised it and now they have several million adherents. Seems they teach that salvation is contingent on church membership, as all other groups are apostate.
Now the grandson's in charge, and he's purged other family members including his mother(!), and he's free to do as he wants. He's now the Executive Minister, after all. They make every congregation repeat the sermon from HQ every Sunday morning, play videos promoting the Executive Minister's leadership, warn members to stay away from the internet, social media and anyone who criticizes the church leadership, or who publicly note the EM's lavish lifestyle....
The more I read about such controlling and abusive sects, the deeper my suspicion that these aren't flawed five-talented ministers - Drunken Noah, anyone? - but rather one- and two- talented ones aiming for positions to which they've no claim to. It's exactly the gentile-styled "leadership" the Lord warned us about.
Ohio is right.
Here's a powerful prayer as antidote for such fallen aims. Psalm 19:13(a) says, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins". Those who fall into the sin of presumption will be sent down - Jesus' teaching made this clear. We're not ignorant of the enemy's schemes. There's little difference between Felix Y. Manalo and Watchman Nee, except the vagaries of geography and culture.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_ni_Cristo