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March 3, 2005
Dear Brothers in Christ, I am very concerned that David Cerullo is airing the program Armor of God on his television station, The Inspiration Network. I know that I am not alone in this concern. Armor of God is produced by the Church of God International (CGI). I have written to David Cerullo documenting the many teachings that the CGI deviate from Christian orthodoxy. You see, Brothers, many young believers and those who have been in the faith a long time may get the impression that the Armor of God is an evangelical, orthodox ministry declaring historic biblical doctrines. It is not until one looks into the doctrinal teaching of the CGI that the real story is told. Often, the CGI presents their teachings so skillfully that the person is sold on these beliefs before he or she realizes it. If possible, I ask you to listen to this tape from the CGI. It’s not a nice tape. It is a vicious attack on some of our orthodox doctrines, especially the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. On this tape by a Mr. Wayne Hendrix entitled "Who Are You, Jesus?" you will hear Mr. Hendrix’s offensive statements calling some of our doctrines "damnable lies, heresy, deceiving, blasphemy, pagan, insidious." Concerning the Blessed Trinity, Mr. Hendrix says the following offensive, unchristian and vicious statements. "The Trinity is a damnable lie, it doesn’t exist, it’s a heresy. It’s blasphemy. It’s a pagan concept that existed thousands of years before Christ. There’s perhaps no other doctrine that’s more insidious." All I can say is this is BLASPHEMY! Here are some other offensive attacks on the Trinity by another teacher, Mr. Vance Stinson, who is on the Armor of God program. Mr. Stinson wrote: "The Trinity: Fact or Fable?" Pages 6-8, says the following, ". . .considering the fact that the three-in-one concept is not taught in the Bible, but abounds in pagan religions, is it unreasonable to conclude that the doctrine of the trinity was borrowed from paganism?... Thus it is most likely that the concept of the trinity is thoroughly rooted in paganism.... The doctrine of the eternal trinity hides, distorts the glorious plan of God. It is most decidedly false doctrine, contrived to deceive people, preventing many from coming to an understanding of the incredibly wonderful, mind-staggering plan of God for mankind." It should be noted that this "mind-staggering plan of God for mankind" is Herbert W. Armstrong’s notion that man can become God. According to this false doctrine, if man can become God, God must not be limited to three Persons. In this same paper, speaking of Simon the Sorcerer from Acts 8, the CGI says, "Apparently, Simon went to Rome, where he dazzled the people with his sorcerous powers. In Rome, the 'melting pot' of pagan religions, Simon evidently became the 'Peter' (‘Pater or 'Father') of the Mystery Religion there, and 'mingled' the Christian concepts he had learned from Phillip and the apostles with pagan beliefs and concepts.. .it may well be that Simon, who was undoubtedly familiar with pagan triads, was the first 'Christian' Trinitarian." In a tape, "He Has Risen," the CGI speaker is discussing God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and says that the Holy Spirit is not mentioned in John 17:1-5. He then remarks, "There’s another slap to the Trinity." As I have already mentioned, the reason the CGI rejects the Trinity is the same reason Herbert W. Armstrong rejected the Trinity. Like Armstrong, the CGI teaches that man can become God. A closed Trinity would mean that man could not become God, so the Trinity must be rejected! It surely looks like they still want to remain true to one of Herbert W. Armstrong’s most notorious errors. These statements seem not to bother Brother Cerullo or his program sales department, who investigated my claim. Personally, I find these statements concerning the blessed Trinity very offensive, disparaging, and unchristian. Brethren, I could give more quotes from the literature of the CGI, but I think what I have presented adequately shows the true nature of the CGI. I ask Brethren, how in good conscience, can Brother Cerullo, who is on the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters, have the program, Armor of God, a ministry of the CGI, air on his Inspiration Network? How can he air a program with such false teachings which make such numerous disparaging and offensive and blasphemous statements regarding the doctrines we hold so dear, saying they are nothing more than Satan’s greatest deception, pagan, false, damnable, heresy, blasphemy, fable, insidious, delusion, doctrines the church adopted from heathenism? I ask for you to write and voice your concern regarding David
Cerullo allowing air time to an unorthodox group such as the
CGI. Heterodox ministries have a right to be on the air on secular radio and television (as Herbert W. Armstrong was). We would then have to counter their teachings with the truth. On the other hand, I believe that there is a relationship of trust between a Christian TV or radio station and its viewers and listeners. People expect Christian TV and radio to be Christian. Christian stations should hold those who broadcast on them to a standard of the basic tenets of Christianity. I believe we would agree that a station that called itself Christian, but was broadcasting programs that espouse the tenets of Hinduism, was violating the trust its listeners place in it. The same would be true of a Christian station airing Jehovah’s Witnesses programs. I think we would agree that a line must be drawn somewhere. But where? Certainly, it must be drawn at least at the basic tenets of Christianity. The problem is that the Armor of God and the CGI are not on our side of that line, yet they are airing their programs on Inspiration Network, as well as other Christian stations. I believe that as Christ’s followers we ought to take a stand on issues as this one, even at the risk of unpopularity. I realize the pressures of the world are strong, and few are strong enough to withstand compromise. Only with Christ’s strength is this possible (Philippians 4:13). I ask you, Brethren, to please take a strong stand on this issue and do all you can to have the Armor of God taken off the Inspiration Network. Sincerely in Christ, signed by James Kieferdorf James Kieferdorf |