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wantingtruth
This is my first post
I would like to address the issue of alleged Tony bashing on this forum.
The thing that most people who weren't ever inner circle don't understand is that once you come out and breath the free air, once you step out and look at things from the outdside having once been in the inside, then you realise that RLC is indeed a cult. RLC is a cult, and Tony is a false teacher in every sense of the word.
The first way that RLC is a Cult is in the way that Tony the false teacher is worshipped thus making it a PERSONALITY CULT after the person (little god) Tony Cunningham. Why so much attention to Tony? He has brought it upon himself. Tony has made RLC all about him.
To the inner circle, Tony is the unquestionable authority. His interpretation of scripture is the only solid one. His revelation is always perfect, and he always knows what is best and we should all follow him. Want to be blessed in your marriage? Do as Tony tells you to do. Want to prosper in business? follow Tonys perfect light and advice. Want God's favor in your life? Give an extra 1/2 tithe - cash only thanks- under the table to Tony, and your honoring Tony the apostle will open the heavens and allow God to bless you. Cross Tony or bring and issue of concern to him and prepare to have your person ridiculed to the core. Break of relationship with Tony, and he will write your name on a stick and break the stick symbolising the breaking of God's favor over you, and he will then sit back and wait for a bad report about you to tickle his ears. Does this seem cynical? Well, sadly it is the truth.
Tony has enriched himself at the flocks expense. Check out the lavish cars, the lavish lifestyle, the artwork in his house. If it belongs to Tony it is only first rate. Second best in meant for others.
Humility? The last time that I saw Tony humble and teachable was.........I just don't seem to remember when. Tony is more into himself that any of us would ever dare to think. Sooooo if you are looking for a church that is all about one person --Not Jesus Christ-- then RLC is the place for you. Prepare to leave your mind at the door.

That is just the first part of what is wrong at RLC. It's primary leader is a man full of spiritual pride, and he has eliminated any leadership that might question him.
Poor Tony? I think not, he has brought this upon his own head.

Now to the Cult stuff
Yes, it is real, and if RLC isn't a cult, then it is on the border leaning into cultland in an out of balanced way (picture falling)
How? lots of ways already layed out on this forum.

RLC through the headship of Tony Cunningham has introduced teachings that maybe you won't hear on sunday mornings, but they are real and have ruined the faith of many. The fruit is bad - how do you recognise a false teacher according to Jesus? Fruit, those in the inner circle and the closest to Tony are the angriest, and the most screwed up.

For instance: God ordainded marriage. Read Genesis if you will. That is God's primary plan for human relationship. Lots is written about it.
Well, along comes Tony and introduces Spiritual Parenting. He himself takes married young women as his spiritual daughters. Tony introduces into the marriage between two other people HIMSELF. Thats not God's order! Now the husband has to compete with Tony for the emotional affection for his wife! And suprise, it bears bad fruit! Tony cannot bear to admit that this was a false teaching (which by the way, he introduced and championed and modeled), because that would mean that he was a false teacher, and that might screw up the whole I'm never wrong because I'm the apostle gig that has given me a lavish lifestyle that is completely out of proportion to the role of Senior Pastor.

But wait, theres more to come.

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Ring barer
Tony openly taught in my 3rd year SOMA class that polygamy was not a sin and that its frowned on by western culture… he stated that in other countries men with several wives often become pastors in the field and westerners try to push their beliefs on them by making the get rid of all but one wife. His argument in there is no biblical black and white instruction on multiple wives… at the same time he openly railed against the U.S. claiming that we are a rebellious nation built on rebellion… he taught on his disgust for the U.S. and spoke of this country, that allows him his silly right of free speech, as evil and looked down on by the world.

The U.S., while it has its issues, is a country not built on rebellion but on freedom from tyranny for religious purposes. The U.S. is hear because our forefathers broke free of religious oppression and sought out freedom… sounds familiar to me!!!

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wantingtruth
Potent stuff Ring Barer and Guess Who
Ring Barer has it right - Tony's contempt for the USA our culture, our church culture, our society. While I fully acknowledge that there are many ills in all three, Tony's disdain goes far beyond wanting to help. It really looks more like Look at me, I'm the perfect example to follow - everything else is garbage.

You may think that I'm excessively harsh, and ask "where's the evidence?"

OK - Take a drive around your community and look at all the current inner circle peoples houses. It's what you don't see that should strike you as odd.

NO Christmas lights or displays of any kind. Without exception. Why?

On Veterans Day, or Independence Day, or Memorial Day. No American flags ever Why?

Go inside the houses (with permission of course) No Christmas Trees Why?

See lots of family portraits with non RLCers in them? Nope Why?
It reminds me of a report that I saw about a reporter inside North Korea interviewing everyday people. What the reporter noticed was that they had no family portraits anywhere in their houses, but rather pictures of the Great Leader.
If there is a portrait with Tony and family however it will be proudly displayed.
(family portraits or pictures of loved ones you see are a form of ancestor worship in Tony's eyes)

Contempt for others and other ways that Tony does not approve of is one of Tony's hallmarks.

Contempt: the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.
see also DISDAIN SCORN.

Contempt is unvarnished pride. It means: I'm better than you. My ways, my thoughts, my lifestyle.

If you want insight into pride, especially spiritual pride then I recommend C. S. Lewis and his book Mere Christianity. Look at the chapter called The Great Sin. I quote "How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping and imaginary God".

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BraveHeart
November 12, 2008 12:17PM
This I do know
If you were to go to a Licensed Credentialed Christian Marriage Counselor (Something Tony is Not!) They would tell you that a man looking a porn is lusting after what he sees and according to the Bible that lust is sin. But a woman carrying on an emotional relationship with a man is just the same. yes that emotional lust is often times more powerful than the visual lust of a man. After all God made women more emotional than men.

So I can say with all confidence that Tony is having not only and emotional relationship with his so called Spiritual Daughters but he is also having a Spiritual Emotional Relationship with them.

To the point that these married women (Spiritual Daughters) are more devoted to Tony than there own husband. So applies to all the remaining Sycophants Pastors & Elders wives i.e Kelli Huth, Kathy Skinner, Shea Pang, Joel Arpilleda's wife and Tom Kimbell's wife, Loretta Sealers and Mrs. Feist and my personal favorite Aubrey Stewart.

These ladies become more emotionally devoted to Tony than to there own husbands and these guys have this choice, ether suck up to Tony and follow Tony like a sycophant or they get cut off!
This is the spell and fear that these emasculated men are under!
This is where Tony will encourage a woman to divorce her husband if he becomes non compliant to Tonys whims.

This is the Jezebel Spirit!
Tony Embodies that spirit!

Remember this to be in Tony Inter Circle you have to be attractive or affluent.


1) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
(2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, parents, ungrateful, unholy,
(3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
(4) treacherous, rash, conceited,¤ lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
(5) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
(6) They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, (young beautiful women)
who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
(7) always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
(8) Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
(9) But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

2 Timothy (3:1-9)

Oh and going back to the Tree analogy Tony is that worm!

Look at this growing list of people who have been spiritually hurt Spiritually Abused and Manipulated.