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HappyAndFree
GeneZ wrote: If you [b:9e4e8b3425]loved[/b:9e4e8b3425] your brother? And you both worked on the police force? If you held superior rank? If he kept on showing up drunk on duty? Would love prevail? Or, would justice? Should he be fired from his job if he refused to sober up? I guess you missed the point being made...
Happy and Free writes: I believe God's love develops-encourages, builds, corrects, stands when everything else is falling, holds up, gives out and doesn't demand back.
I wouldn't be showing my brother love if I didn't hold him accountable for his behavior..
Even so? What has this got to do with being a cult? Jerry Falwell is a cult if what you complain about were to be the criterion! I am beginning to think you're maybe a cult of anticult! You know? Think about it. :wink:
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GeneZ wrote: I see. So you are the human authority on God and his character? But, you just said no human can be?
Happy and Free writes: I never claimed to be an authority on God and His character. I study the bible on my own; I study the bible under a pastor; I read books of many other theological scholars. I keep my heart open to the truth, even when I don't like it. And trust me, my toes get stepped on! But there are some things that I just can't swallow. That's usually the Holy Spirit guiding me. It's different from just 'not liking' something I hear. When I just can't swallow something, I pray about, and I meditate about it, and I pray and meditate again and again, until I either understand and accept it or God points me to the 'real' truth about the matter in some other way. And He does that for us. 'Seek and you will find' is not an empty promise.
Yes! That's how it works! No one teacher is perfect in all he does! But? How does this mark someone as a cult?
I know pastors with seminary educations who learned from Thieme! I knew a Professor of Ancient Languages from Harvard who recommended Thieme to me! Gee wiz? I do not understand what the man teaches!? He must be a cult!
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All I can say is that while at Berachah, there were far too many of the "I just can't swallow it" moments.
Berachah is for the advanced Bible student in many ways. Remember? Colonel Thieme was invited by some of the student body of MIT to be a guest speaker? This man is not for everyone. [b:9e4e8b3425]You will have many "I do not swallow it" moments if God has not assigned this teaching ministry to you. [/b:9e4e8b3425]
I too, did not swallow everything he taught. I so happened to live right near two different Bible colleges when I was introduced to his teaching. I took about a year of frequent visits to the campus libraries to search in reference books to verfiy what RBT taught on certain subjects.
Up until then such reference books were dry and holding not much purpose for me. But, now they sprung to life. I began to discover that some of the harder teachings of Thieme were not something he made up! He was simply following teachings that preceeded him. He had an emphasis that seemd new, because very few would even teach such things during the era of cheering crowds spelling out Jesus name. He was for the serious seminary student in many ways. Not for the cheering crowds.
A cult is not based upon orthodox teachings that turn off certain believers who want to keep it on their own level.
Not always correct? OK. No one is. but? Cult? What?!
[b:9e4e8b3425]2 Peter 3:16
He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.[/b:9e4e8b3425]
Many thought Paul was a cult. Many believers gave him the nickname, "the abortion." Did you know that?
Even Peter found Paul's teachings difficult to understand. Cult? Paul would have his name mentioned here if he was called to be a teacher today.
If you want to say Thieme is at times hard to understand? Fine with me.
If you want to say Thieme is at times incorrect? Fine with me.
If you want to say he has a personality which rubs you the wrong way? Fine! He even openly admitted he could not figure out why God picked him to teach with such a personality. FINE! But a cult?
Looking for someone to show you how wrong he is? Do a search on the internet... Some will even say Paul was apostate. Get on with your life. Find a church where you can grow. No one was making you stay in Berachah. RBT was the first one to say if you do not like the teaching, to go find another church ... that there were thousands in town. That's not the words of a cult. You're not thinking. You do not like the man and his teaching. So? You pronounce him to be a cult? How humble of you.
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And God always showed the truth or a clearer picture of the truth elsewhere. Cult or not, it is not where I chose to study.
If that's what you believe? Then? Ironically.. that is how cults are formed.
Someone teaches you what they think the Spirit is telling them is truth. That's how it happens. But does that mean it has to be a cult? No, but that is how it happens. [b:9e4e8b3425]"The Holy Spirit showed me this is the Truth!" [/b:9e4e8b3425] Cults believe they are doing God's will. What you are trying to label the Colonel with is a generic value. It makes no sense in view of the man's teachings that others can not deny are truth.
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I'm not sure what Berachah is. I've pondered it. I can't assume to know the motivation of Col. Thieme. He clearly isn't after money. He seems to think he's got it right. I don't see in him any intent to do harm.
It is a church that God raised up to reach a certain type of believer.
Just like Peter was sent to the Jews, and Paul the Gentiles. Not every church is for everyone. It was not for you. Fine. Leave it at that.
Stop being silly and think if it rubs you the wrong way and certain things confused you it must be a cult. That is being rather self righteous in my opinion. Hal Lindsay and Chuck Swindoll were both students of Thieme. Are they a cult, too? I can find things to disagree with them. So?
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But God's word has shown me that he was wrong on many issues.
Which means? You are right on many issues?
You could be wrong. Ever ask yourself that? If not? Maybe you can start a cult with others who will agree with what you believe the Word is telling you personally. That's how it begins, you know.
[b:9e4e8b3425]2 Timothy 4:3 niv
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers [u:9e4e8b3425]to say what their itching ears want to hear[/u:9e4e8b3425]."[/b:9e4e8b3425]
Read the Bible for yourself and have no prior training? That is good on only a very limited level. I have had contact with qualified seminary trained pastors. One told me point blank that few are qualified to evaluate the teachings of Thieme. Not that he agreed with all Thieme taught. But, he was showing how Thieme's teachings were not the usual we find today. Much we find today is simply a matter of 'preaching to the choir.'
You just do not like Theime. You do not understand what he said in too many cases. Then you reacted by feeling you know what's right, and he must be a cult. I know pastors that a dedicated to study who highly respect RBT. And? They [b:9e4e8b3425]do not agree[/b:9e4e8b3425] with all he taught.
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I think people blindly follow him.
Yes! Some do.
But does that make him a cult?
They would have followed someone else blindly because that is what they are as people! Thieme used to do things to chase these kinds off. He knew it was no good, too. Wake up!
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A person should not feel guilty about turning to God after one of Thieme's teachings to ask, "Hey God, is this for real? Is he right on this issue?"
You know why Theime always guarded everyone's privacy? Taught that everyone should mind their own busness and allow everyone around them the freedom to think for themselves?
So they would be made free [b:9e4e8b3425]to reject[/b:9e4e8b3425], or accept, what he had to say.
So that after he taught it would all come down to a matter of being an issue between the believer and the LORD in the freedom to decide what they wish to believe!
[b:9e4e8b3425]He said many times that he was not the right teacher for everyone who listened to him.[/b:9e4e8b3425] You missed that teaching? He used to say if he was not right for you, do not waste your time sitting in the pew. That you were to get yourself up and find a church where you could feel you belong. How come you never heard that said? He said it often enough. And? Its on tape! :D
"I do not like the man!" Therefore! He's a cult!?
You know what? Look at this link.
[
www.lookinguntojesus.net]
Everyone is a cult. If you want him to be.
Wake up! GeneZ
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