HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH EZINE

After digging into this subject, I decided that I must have been crazy. Although there is much information available on this cult, it's beliefs and practices are so complex and difficult to understand, that a poor boy from the hill country of Alabama doesn't have a chance. I will, however, give you what little I have been able to glean from the practice and the problem it has created for the Chinese Government.

This cult was founded by Li Hongzhi (Who now lives in New York and is wanted by Chinese Authorities) in May, 1992 who seems to have combined a practice of Daoism called gigong (a deep-breathing exercise combined with meditation and bodily exercise) with certain religious rites of Buddhism. Although they deny that they are a religion, or cult, they obviously are something with religious connotations. He professes that he has taken the gigong, which originally was utilized for good health and healing, to higher levels, incorporating spiritual and mental improvements, etc.

The Chinese government has always feared and opposed any social or religious organization which prospered, fearing that it would undermine the established government. The Falun Gong is strong enough, numerically that the government has started, in about 1999, a serious effort against them. They have been surprised by the loyalty and stedfastness of it's followers. It is an interesting problem that would be well, for those who have the time to read monumental amounts of information, to delve into.

A young soldier found himself in a terrible battle. The enemy was soundly defeating this young man's platoon. He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle field in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives.

The enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, and soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms.

He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, he chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies. He also made a bargain with God, one which I have made before. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He thought, “I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?”

His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him. And soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, “There can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on.”

Years later, this young man, who made good on his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal. What he observed stands by me in time of trouble, especially during those times when everything seems impossible.

He wrote: “Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web.”

Author Unknown (Submitted by Max Rogers)

When Cyrus the Persian conquered Mesopotamia and the whole of the Middle East, he did so for religious reasons. Unlike any conqueror before him, Cyrus set out to conquer the entire world. Before Cyrus and the Persians, conquest was largely a strategic affair; you guaranteed your territorial safety by conquering potential enemies. But Cyrus wanted the whole world and he wanted it for religious reasons. Barely a century before, the Persians were a rag-tag group of tribes living north of Mesopotamia. They were Indo-European—they spoke a language from the Indo-European family, which includes Greek, German, and English. To the Mesopotamians, they were little better than animals and so went largely ignored. But in the middle of the seventh century BC, a prophet, Zarathustra, appeared among them and preached a new religion. This religion would become Zoroastrianism (in Greek, Zarathustra is called "Zoroaster"). The Zoroastrians believed that the universe was dualistic, that it was made up of two distinct parts. One was good and light and the other evil and dark. Cosmic history was simply the epic battle between these two divine forces; at the end of time, a climactic battle would decide once and for all which of the two would dominate the universe. Human beings, in everything they do, participated in this struggle; all the gods and all the religions were part of this epic, almost eternal battle.

Cyrus believed that the final battle was approaching, and that Persia would bring about the triumph of good. To this end, he sought to conquer all peoples and create the stage for the final triumph of good. He was the greatest conqueror that had ever been seen; at his death, his empire was exponentially larger than any other empire that had ever existed. His son, Cambyses, conquered Egypt; the Persians, it seemed at the time, were on their way to world domination.

Although Zoroastrianism involved two gods—one good and one evil—all other gods were ranged on one side or the other of this equation. Cyrus believed Yahweh was one of the good gods, and he claimed that Yahweh visited him one night. In that vision, Yahweh commanded him to re-establish Yahweh worship in Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple. Cyrus ordered the temple rebuilt. But what good is a temple without worshippers? To this end, he ordered that the Jews in Babylon return to Jerusalem. In fact, Cyrus sent many people back to the native lands in order to worship the local gods there, so the situation with the Jews was not unique. Not all of the Jews went home; a large portion stayed in Babylon and some had converted to Babylonian religions.

Chula Vista Books is owned and operated by Mark and Teah McWhorter. We carry a wide selection of Bible related materials--ladies' books, childrens' materials, commentaries, apologetics, lectureship books, missions books, class books, debates, sermon books, church history, topical studies, Bible covers, Bibles, tracts, BCCs and more.

We also send out used book lists from time to time. Unfortunately we do not have a catalog at present but invite your inquiries. If you would like to be on our mailing list, send us your email address.

Mark McWhorter, 420 Chula Vist Mtn Rd, Pell City AL 35125, Phone 205-338-1843

Does your congregation have a web site? Can you add, update and delete information from your existing web site easily? If you answered no to either question visit The Lord's Way. This new service allows you to create a web site for your congregation and update it yourself whenever you want by simply completing online forms. The service is designed for any congregation that wants a web site that contains current, updated and fresh information but does not want to invest the time and money in learning about the inner-workings of the Internet. Your new site will be packed with information about your congregation. Visit us and take a tour!

Now that the "Christ's Mass" holiday is upon us, first let me wish you all a very pleasant day tomorrow with your families and friends, with a great meal, and good will to all. But let me explain to all why I do not get taken up in the enthusiam of this national holiday

The vast majority of the many millions of people who celebrate this holiday as the Birth of Christ, simply enjoy it but do not realize the implications.

(1) Nowhere in the Holy writ will you find anything concerning the celebration of Christ's birthday. Had he wanted us to do so, He would have surely made it clear in His word, the day and the method. He has told us to remember His death, burial and resurrection every Lord's day, not just on Easter, and never with a bunny rabbit and a basket of eggs.

(2) The celebration, we call Christmas, had it's beginning even before Christianity. Of course, it wasn't called Christmas but was an annual pagan celebration of the winter solstice in worship of the "New Sun" and had/has nothing whatsoever to do with the Christ. Then later, as many pagans began to be converted into the Catholic church, they wanted to continue their old merriment and celebration. So, the Catholic church "Christianized" it by changing it to the celebration of the "New Son" and later called it Christmas from "Christ's Mass".

So, take your choice, you can celebrate a pagan superstition of sun worship, or you can celebrate a concoction of the Roman Catholic church, neither of which has any place in the activities of the Lord's church. Although, it should not have been, it is a national holiday here in the USA so there is no harm in taking the day for pleasure and family gatherings, but never lie to your children about it and never give others reason to think that you celebrate it as a religious holiday. Be careful.

Take time to read this article by brother Keith Sisman: Click Here.

The theme for SELTC 2003 is "Go!" Based on the book of Matthew, this year's study challenges each of us to allow God to rule in every area of our life. We pray that this year's study affords you the opportunity to grow closer to God and each other. The date for this year's convention is April 18-20, 2003. We will be meeting at the Adam's Mark in Mobile, AL. For more information please visit our website at www.seltc.org or call 205-988-5808.

The Bear Valley Bible Institute, Scottsboro Extension (BVBISE) is half-way through it's second year of operation under the oversight of the elders of the Broad Street Church of Christ in Scottsboro, Alabama. The school is an extension of the BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE of DENVER. 40 courses (and eight out-of-class mini-courses) completed over a four-year period lead to the Bachelor of Biblical Studies Degree. The Associates Degree may be earned in half that time.

One course is taught each month (except July and December) in two all-day Saturday sessions along with outside assignments. The school is TUITION FREE. The only costs to the student are for required texts & materials, and a $5 fee each Saturday to help cover the teacher's expenses. The teachers are academically well-qualified and experienced gospel preachers who know and love the Bible as the verbally inspired and authoritative word of God, and who volunteer their time and work as a labor of love.

BVBISE is committed to training sound and able Bible teachers (men and women), and faithful gospel preachers for service in the kingdom of Christ. The format is designed to make this training possible for men and women who must continue their jobs and other pursuits while they study. Credit is given for previous college or preacher-school study. A preacher-school graduate may be able to earn the Bachelor of Biblical Studies Degree in as little as four months of study. For more information please contact the Broad Street Church of Christ, 613 South Broad Street, Scottsboro, AL 35768. Phone: 256-574-2489. EMAIL

As I was driving home on I-20 the other day, my cell phone rang and my wife was yelling frantically, "Joel, the man on the news just said there is a car driving the wrong direction on I-20, BE CAREFUL!"

I said, "Believe me, I'm trying but it is not just one car, it's hundreds!"

(The above is written as fiction and any similarity to truth is purely coincidental.)

May God bless his faithful children, wherever they are.