Tuesday, December 20, 2005

The rats are in the lifeboats and the ECUSA is sinking rapidly

The Episcopal Church of the United States of America; formerly known as the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, the flagship church of the United States. The church is a direct descendant of the Church of England, a one time member of the Anglican Communion. Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were members. Roughly 40 percent of all US Presidents have been Episcopalian, the same percentage of Military Flag officers (Generals and Admirals) have been Episcopalian.

Why?

As a group, Episcopalians are:

• God fearing;
• Honest;
• Selfless;
• Hard working;
• Conservative;
• Quiet;
• Self Starters;
• Like to make things work;
• Do not give up;
• Willing to work for worldly possessions and a good life;
• Fond of church buildings that look like up turned Viking boats.

In the 1960s, a group of radicals ended up as Bishops. Some like Spong and Pike were in your face, others were more stealthy. They encouraged anti-American, socialist draft dodgers to join the clergy. They replaced rectors who read the Bible and were “strict constructionists” with sensitive younger clergymen who understood the “living word of god” (intentional lower case, not to be confused with the One True and Living God). Gradually those younger clergy became Bishops themselves. By 1979, the revolutionaries felt strong enough to force a new “Book of Common Prayer” (BCP) on the church. This new while very different in theology, contained wording similar to the 1928 BCP and was claimed to be just a modernization of words to help spread the “living word of god.”

Surprise, the 1979 BCP allowed for the ordination of women, as well as adulterous homosexuals. Surprise, the 1979 BCP removed the Articles of Religion. Surprise, the Lecturn (Bible Readings) had new choices which changed the instruction given to the people. Surprise, the King James Version of the Bible was superceded in most churches by inferior translations that do not contain accurate representations of God’s word. For instance, most inferior translations contain the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” The actual Commandment is, “Thou shalt do no murder.” They normally leave the “thou” in for effect, but translate a word that means first degree murder to the word “kill.” Clearly, the killing is not discouraged, but rather murder. As evidence of that, a couple of paragraphs later instructions are given as to when killing is required. It is essential that the Lecturn be changed as well as the translations to get the desired effect.

What is the desired effect of the “reformers”?

The destruction of the church and dissipation of God’s followers so they no longer have a place to worhip.

How effective have they been?

Membership in the ECUSA is down 90 percent since 1965. It would be down further, except the local churches are actually owned by the Diocese. Thus, for a congregation to “leave” the ECUSA, they must give up the church building they paid for. Remember, Episcopalians traditionally like nice things and are willing to work for them. They also like to make things work and do not give up. They hang in there. But gradually, congregations are leaving. The sooner the better. The steeper the slope, the slipperier the slope, the closer you are to hell. Leave sooner than later.

Why are the “reformers” doing this?

The “reformers” are Devil Buddies.

Little Test – Two Quotes

Quote One
"Just simply to say that it goes against tradition and the teaching of the church and scripture does not necessarily make it wrong. We worship a living God, and that living God leads us into truth."

Quote Two
"If there were any word of God beside the Scripture, we could never be certain of God's Word; and if we be uncertain of God's Word, the devil might bring in among us a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea himself to be a god. If the Church and the Christian faith did not stay itself upon the Word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation, no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he was in the true Church of Christ, or in the synagogue of Satan."

One Quote is by V. Gene Robinson, Claiming to be the current Bishop of New Hampshire

Quote Two is by Thomas Cranmer, an early Archbishop of Canterbury and principal author of the traditional BCP.

One a leading light of the Anglican Christian Church, the other merely light in his loafers.