Churchianity Worldliness & Religion

CHURCHIANITY, WORLDLINESS & RELIGION

Related Index Topics: Christianity, Mark 16:15, Family (The), Revolution for Jesus, Hypocrisy, Indifference, Righteousness/Self-Righteousness, Criticism & Gossip. 1. The young preacher thrilled his congregation with his first sermon--a challenge to "gird their loins" for Christian service and living. Then, to their dismay, he preached the same sermon the following Sunday. When he confronted them with the same ringing message on the third Sunday, his flock felt something must be done. "Don't you have more than just one sermon?" blurted a spokesman to the pastor. "Oh, yes," he said quietly, "I have quite a number. But you haven't done anything about the first one yet!" 2. In warning the First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida, not to turn into "a submarine," Pastor James L. Pleitz gave this submersible parable: "Once upon a time in the twentieth century there was a church that became a submarine. It wasn't as difficult as it might seem. One day it just shut the hatch on the outside world and submerged into its own sea. Occasionally it ran up the periscope to see where it was going. "Once the captain got a real vision through his periscope and when he demanded that they get back to the surface and fast, the crew quickly developed the bends and the sub stayed down. "While submerged there was a lot for the crew to do. In fact they were kept on alert and asked to make maximum efforts. They tinkered with the machinery constantly. They overhauled their kitchen. They inventoried their ammunition at least once a week but they never used it. They paid salaries to the officers and went through endless drills occasionally interrupted by prayers that no depth charge would disturb their isolation. "The air got stale too, so did the routine, but they put up with it because the alternatives were too demanding. Several committees even decided the stale air was good for them. "One of the members who had sneaked a look through the periscope suggested a change in course and the giving away of their surplus supplies. He was immediately eliminated for mutiny. "The last entry in the captain's log book read, 'Have probably set a new record for being submerged and maintaining predetermined course. See no reason why we should change directions. Crew continues to give maximum effort. We did sight an enemy and appointed three committee members to study the situation." 3. A sermon can help people in different ways. Some rise from a sermon greatly strengthened; others wake from it delightfully refreshed.

4. The less religion a church has, the more ice cream & cake it takes to keep it going. 5. When the churches discover they can't successfully compete with the theater, perhaps they will try religion again. 6. Religion is no different from other things. The less you invest in it, the poorer the quality. 7. Fred Hawkins, the great soul-winner, was saved at 48, yet none could be with him for a minute before he would inquire about his soul. One day, Hawkins was invited to a county seat town in Missouri for a meeting. Arriving early, he strolled near a bus station and decided to make a little survey. At the town's busiest corner, he asked people: "How does a fellow get to heaven?" He stopped 29 people and only 7 answered correctly. They had all grown up, were all white, and most had attended church regularly. And in that very spot could be seen the spires of 5 churches. 8. A minister in the pulpit saw a man in a back pew with his hat on. He beckoned to a deacon, who went to the man and asked him whether he was aware that his hat was on. "Praise be offered!" said the man, "I thought that would do it. I have attended this church for six months, and you are the first person who has spoken to me." 9. Nine percent of the world's population speak English. Ninety percent of the world's Christians come from the nine percent who speak English. Ninety-four percent of the ordained ministers in the world serve the nine percent who speak English. Ninety-six percent of the church's income is spent among the nine percent who speak English. 10. Why is it that so many church members who say "Our Father" on Sunday go around the rest of the week acting like orphans? 11. Boy: "Dad, what is a backslider?" Father: "A man who leaves our church & goes to another." Boy: "And what is a man who leaves his church & joins ours?" Father: "He's a convert, Son, a convert." 12. Many Christians have enough religion to make them decent, but not enough to make them dynamic. 13. The same church members who yell like Comanche Indians at a ball game on Saturday sit like wooden Indians in church on Sunday. 14. When the church ceases to be in touch with another world, it is no longer in touch with this World. 15. Too many churches have become distribution points for religious aspirin. 16. All church buildings should be air-conditioned; it is unhealthy to sleep in a stuffy room. 17. Many churches are now serving coffee after the sermon. Presumably this is to get the people thoroughly awake before they start to drive home. 18. The church is paralyzed with timidity & gradually dying of dignity. 19. It's funny how a dollar can look so big when you take it to church & so small when you take it to the supermarket. 20. If you gave the same amount of time to your work as you do your church, how long would you hold your job?

21. A lot of church members know the twenty-third Psalm much better than they know the Shepherd. 22. The inactive church member is of no more use than a corpse--& takes up more room. 23. The Christian faith has not been tried & found wanting. It has been found difficult & left untried. 24. As the guest preacher began his sermon he had this word of explanation: "As I understand it, my job is to preach, & your job is to listen. If you finish before I do, please let me know." 25. A supply pastor was thumbing through the pulpit Bible when he came upon some sermon notes of the pastor. He scanned them a little & noticed this notation on the margin of one of the pages: "Yell like the dickens here--the argument's weak!" 26. Pastor Reynolds was getting into the habit of preaching longer & longer--55 minutes & even an hour or longer. At the deacon meeting, the chairman tried to be very diplomatic in suggesting that the pastor preach shorter messages. "But," the pastor explained, "don't you realise I'm giving you the milk of the Word?" "Yes, Pastor," replied the chairman, "but in the future we suggest you give us condensed milk!" 27. Preacher: "How come I never see you in church anymore, Morris?" Morris: "There are too many hypocrites there, Reverend." Preacher: "Don't worry, fellow, there's always room for one more." 28. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile. 29. Too many Christians & churches want to settle for a tune-up job when they need a complete overhaul. 30. God put the church in the World; Satan seeks to put the World in the church. 31. There is an interesting story which has come down from medieval times: The great scholar, Thomas Aquinas, came to the City of Rome to pay his respects to the one who was then pope. In the course of his visit, the pope proudly showed him all the wonders of the papal palace, and took him to his treasury and showed him chests of silver and gold received from every part of the world. With something of a smile on his face he said, "You see, Thomas, we cannot say with Peter, 'Silver and gold have I none.'" Looking the pope in the eyes, Thomas Aquinas fearlessly replied, "No, and neither can we say, 'In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.'" Riches had come, but power had gone! Peter and the apostles had poverty and power. 32. "Billy" Sunday, the eccentric evangelist so recently gone to his reward, used to relate a graphic story of a well-known village atheist who was seen running vigorously to a burning church building intent on joining with others in subduing the flames. A neighbor observing him exclaimed facetiously, "This is something new for you! I never saw you going to church before." The atheist replied, "Well, this is the first time I have ever seen a church on fire." Who can tell how many might be drawn to the people of God if they were only on fire for Christ and burning with zeal to win the lost? 33. On an American troopship, the soldiers crowded around their chaplain asking, "Do you believe in Hell?" "I do not." "Well, then, will you please resign, for if there is no Hell, we do not need you, and if there is a Hell, we do not wish to be led astray."

34. One day the telephone rang in the clergyman's office of the Washington church which President Franklin Roosevelt attended. An eager voice inquired, "Do you expect the President to be in church Sunday?" "That," answered the clergyman, "I cannot promise. But we expect God to be there and we fancy that should be incentive enough for a reasonably large attendance." 35. The weekend religion of some Christians is weak at both ends, & unreliable between the two ends. 36. Some folks have too much religion to be happy at a dance, but too little to be happy at a prayer meeting. 37. Many church members could appropriately begin all church services by singing, "Nothing in my hand I bring." 38. Many people want God's blessings, but they don't want Him. 39. When recreation gets ahead of re-creation, then God's house has become a den of thieves. 40. Some churches seem to be sound in doctrine, but they are also sound asleep. 41. Pastor Jones in our church had been paying five-year-old Tommy Brown ten cents a week to keep his grandfather awake during the sermon. Last week Tommy didn't deliver, and that night Pastor Jones jumped him. "I know, sir," explained the lad, "but Grandfather pays me fifteen cents to let him sleep." 42. A preacher had succeeded in putting an elderly man asleep by his sermon. Preaching for a decision, in the midst of his sermon, he shouted, "Those who want to go to Hell, stand up." The old man heard the "Stand up" and did so. He looked around, paused with a puzzled look on his face and said, "Preacher, I don't know what we're voting on, but it looks like you and I are the only ones for it." 43. If any church would be content to have Jesus' teaching of love as its creed, I would join that church. 44. While Raphael was engaged in painting his celebrated frescoes, he was visited by two cardinals who began to criticize his work, and found fault without understanding it. "The Apostle Paul has too red a face," said one. "He blushes to see into whose hands the Church has fallen," answered the angry artist. 45. In a Kansas court a witness, a tall awkward fellow, was called to testify. The counsel for the defense said to him, "Now, sir, stand up and tell your story like a preacher." "No, sir!" roared the judge. "None of that; I want you to tell the truth!" 46. Innocently unaware of the prejudices held against him, an old coloured man, staunchly religious, applied for membership in an exclusive church. The pastor attempted to put him off with all sorts of evasive remarks. The old Negro, instinctively becoming aware that he was not wanted, said finally that he would sleep on it and perhaps the Lord would tell him just what to do. Several days later he returned. "Well," asked the minister, "did the Lord send you a message?" "Yessuh, He did," was the answer. "He told me it wasn't no use. He said, 'Ah been tryin' to get in that same church Myself for ten yeahs an' Ah still can't make it!'"--Dad 47. There are many who are barely Christians & have scarcely enough grace to float them into Heaven, the keel of their vessel grating on the gravel all the way. 48. Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison it would not hurt anyone & if it were medicine it would not cure anyone!

49. The greatest sin of the church is that she withholds the Gospel from herself & the World. 50. A cold church is like cold butter--never spreads very well. 51. The modernistic preacher had been preaching for some years, & as the preacher got ready to leave for another pastorate, his congregation were out at the train bidding him a fond farewell, his little sheep out there--most of them stray sheep because he'd led them astray as an unbelieving, modernistic preacher. The elder was bidding the preacher goodbye, the modernistic preacher that he'd been studying under for years, & he had a nice little package all wrapped up as a parting gift for the departing preacher. He handed it rather solemnly to the preacher & the preacher took it & eagerly started unwrapping it. He said, "Oh my, my leading elder of my church all these years, you're such a faithful student & listener! What kind of a gift could you have given me? It must be something very special!" And he unwrapped it, & you know what he found inside? He found nothing in the World but just the covers of the old Bible he'd been using, just the bare leather covers, nothing else, not a page! The preacher looked at it shocked & said, "What is this? What do you mean by this, elder?" He said, "Well, preacher, you know when I sat in your sermons & Bible classes & so on, every time you said this was a myth & this was a legend & this was an allegory & this was just a tale, this was only a parable, this wasn't for you, this was for the Gentiles, this was for the Jews, this was for the Apostles, this was for the past, this is for the future, this does not really mean what it says, this is just poetry--I tore it out! I figured if it wasn't for me, why should I keep it? And I tore out everything related to it! "Everything you said was a myth I tore out, I tore all the legends out, & all the things you said were allegories & parables, & if it was for the Jews I tore that out because I'm not a Jew. And I kept tearing everything out that you said wasn't for today & it wasn't for me, so I tore it out, & I tore out everything relating to it. By the time you got through, preacher, this was all I had left, & I thought you might just as well have these too, the covers, all the rest is gone, you destroyed it, & my faith in it--that's all I've got left, just the covers."--Dad 52. A minister passed along to a beginning preacher a trick he used when he saw the congregation nodding a bit. "I suddenly say to them, 'Last night I held another man's wife in my arms.' When everyone sits up, shocked, I continue, 'It was my own dear mother!'" The young preacher thought he'd try it. The next Sunday when most members of his congregation were drowsing, he said in a loud voice, "You know, last night I held another man's wife in my arms!" Stunned, the congregation sat bolt upright & stared, whereupon the preacher stammered, "Oh, dear--I've forgotten who she was!" 53. Not only is the Roman Catholic Church the largest religious organisation in the World, it is the richest. It is virtually impossible to estimate its wealth in ancient buildings & art treasures, which would have to be in the billions of Dollars. Moreover, the Vatican continues to be one of the World's greatest hoarders of gold. The Vatican reportedly has a gold reserve three times that of Great Britain. 54. A preacher was disturbed by the snoring of the grandpa at the front. He stopped preaching & asked the little boy to awaken him. The boy promptly answered, "I think you'd better wake him up, you put him to sleep." 55. Are we evangelical Christians afflicted with Spiritual schizophrenia? Let's take a few minutes to think about it. On Sunday we sing, "I serve a living Saviour." On Monday we act as if He is dead. On Sunday we sing, "My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, for Thee all the pleasures of sin I resign." On Monday we pitch our tents as near as we can to Sodom. On Sunday we sing, "O the best book to read is the Bible." On Monday we spend our time poring over Sears' Catalogue. On Sunday we sing, "He's the Lily of the Valley, the bright and morning star. He's the fairest of ten

thousand to my soul." On Monday we listen to a godless media cursing His name, and attacking His attributes, and we never lift our voices in protest. On Sunday we sing, "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave." On Monday we do not care enough to even hand out a tract. On Sunday we sing, "Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross." On Monday we are ashamed to identify ourselves with someone who is standing up for Jesus, especially if that person lives within a hundred miles of us. On Sunday we sing, "Redeemed! How I love to proclaim it." On Monday we chicken out before our next door neighbor. On Sunday we sing, "None of self, and all for Thee." On Monday we are so tied up in our own little box, we wouldn't take ten minutes to phone some lonely shut-in, who is pining in loneliness for a little bit of love. On Sunday we sing, "I love to tell the story. 'Twill be my theme in glory." On Monday we are either too cowardly or too proud to tell the story to our own relatives. On Sunday we sing, "Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone." On Monday we brand anyone who dares to stand alone as a troublemaker. On Sunday we sing, "Dearer than all, dearer than all, He is my King, before Him I fall." On Monday we take up our cudgels to defend our worldly churches, and apostate denominations. On Sunday we sing, "Let goods and kindred go." On Monday we expend all our time and strength polishing our materialistic gods, and compromising with our kindred. On Sunday we sing, "I'm not ashamed to own my Lord, nor to defend His cause." On Monday we tremble lest some religious fanatic should talk to us about His cause on our partyline. On Sunday we sing, "Take the world, but give me Jesus." On Monday we spend our afternoons watching sensual soap operas, and our evenings watching the games. On Sunday we sing, "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold." On Monday we wouldn't buy a postage stamp to write to some lonely missionary. On Sunday we sing, "Faith of our fathers, living still, we will be true to thee till death." On Monday we take sides with the apostates against anyone in our midst who is contending for that faith today. On Sunday we sing, "All to Jesus I surrender." On Monday it would require a blast of dynamite to uproot us out of our regular routine. On Sunday we sing, "Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be." On Monday we blow our budget buying that status symbol which will up us on the social ladder. On Sunday we sing, "O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me." On Monday we court the favor of a godless world, cower before it, and boast about the good rapport we have with it. So while the church wallows in apostasy, And the world heads for damnation, we settle for singing: Onward Christian soldiers Marching as to war Within the safety of our sanctuaries Until time shall be no more. My Heavenly Father: I confess that I have substituted Sunday ritualism for daily Biblical Christianity, and that I am a big, religious phoney. O God, deliver me from my self-deception. Thy Word says that God is a Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. O God, I confess that my worship has been little more than hollow humbuggery. I confess that I have been worshipping Thee with my lips while my heart has been far from Thee.

Forgive my play-acting, forgive my pretense of worship. Forgive my namby-pamby sentimental devotion, my canting ritualism, and my sham piety. I confess my moral insensibility, my spiritual inertia, and my supine professionalism. O God cleanse me from my sin. Deliver me from being an evangelical schizophrenic. Enable me to have Thee, and Thee only as my goal. Enable me to accept Thy Word as final authority in my daily life, and not my own reasoning. Enable me to submit myself daily to Thee to believe Thee. Enable me to submit myself daily to Thee to obey Thee. O God, unite my heart to praise Thy Name, and make me a genuine Christian for Jesus' sake. Amen. 56. A woman who "enjoyed her religion" visited a very staid & formal church. "Amen" she said, as the preacher brought out a point with which she agreed. "Madam," said the usher standing nearby, "please try & restrain yourself. We don't allow that in this church." In a few moments she was so carried away by the sermon that she shouted, "Amen, praise the Lord, hallelujah!" The usher rushed to her side: "Madam! You must quiet down immediately or leave!" "I didn't mean to disturb ... but I am just so happy since I found the Lord," she explained. "You may have found the Lord," retorted the usher severely, "but I am quite sure you didn't find Him here!" 57. "I am building a church," said a small boy playing with a set of blocks, "and we must be very quiet." His father, eager to encourage this unexpected reverence, asked: "Why are we to be quiet in church?" "Because the people are asleep," was the boy's response. 58. For an hour-&-a-half the preacher continued on & on with his sermon. Finally he asked: "What more can I say?" There was a brief pause. Then from the back of the church a voice was heard. "Well you might say, 'Amen.'" 59. A religion that costs nothing does nothing. 60. If the church insists on looking like the World, dressing like the World, acting like the World, & living like the World, it will be difficult to convince the worldling that we have anything to offer which he doesn't have in greater abundance. 61. Nowadays we have sermonettes by preacherettes for Christianettes. 62. Man must & will have some religion. If he has not the religion of Jesus he will have the religion of Satan.--William Blake 63. That this World is a playground instead of a battlefield has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians. 64. THE Church and the World walked far apart On the changing shore of time; The World was singing a giddy song. And the Church a hymn sublime. "Come give me your hand," said the merry World. "And then walk with me this way."

But the good Church hid her hand from him, And solemnly answered--"Nay. I will not give you my hand at all And I will not walk with you; Your way is the way of eternal death, And your words are all untrue." "Nay, walk with me a little space," Said the World with a kindly air, "The road I walk is a pleasant road, And the sun shines always there. Your way is narrow and thorny and rough, While mine is flowery and smooth. Your lot is sad with reproach and toil, But in rounds of joy I move. My way you can see, is a broad fair one. And my gate is high and wide; There is room enough for you and me, And we'll travel side by side." Half shyly the Church approached the World And gave him her outstretched hand; And the false World grasped it, and walked along And said, "You must understand, Your dress is too simple to please my taste. I have gold and pearls to wear; Rich velvets and silks for you graceful form; And diamonds to deck your hair." The Church looked down at her plain white robes And then at the dazzling World, And blushed as she saw his handsome lip, With a smile contemptuous curled. 'I will change my dress for a costlier one," Said the Church with a blush on her face; Then her pure white garment drifted away, And the World gave in their place Beautiful satins, and fashionable silks, And roses and gems and pearls; And over her forehead her bright hair fell And waved in a thousand curls. "Your house is too plain," said the proud old World. "Let us build you one like mine, With kitchen for feasting and parlor for play And furniture ever so fine." So he built her a costly and beautiful house-Splendid it was to behold; Her sons and daughters met frequently there, Shining in purple and gold. And fair and festival--frolics untold, Were held in the place of prayer; The Angel of mercy rebuked the Church,

And whispered, "I know thy sin;" Then the Church looked sad, and anxiously longed To gather the children in. But some were away at the midnight ball; And others were at the play. And some were drinking in gay saloons, And the Angel went away. And then said the World in soothing tones-"Your much loved ones mean no harm-Merely indulging in innocent sports." So she leaned on his proffered arm, And smiled, and chatted, and gathered flowers, And walked along with the World; While countless millions of precious souls Were hungering for truth untold. "Your preachers are all too old and plain." Said the gay World with a sneer; "They frighten the people with dreadful tales Which I do not like to hear. They talk of judgments and fire and pain, And the doom of darkest night. They warn of a place that should not be Thus spoken to ears polite! I will send you some of a better stamp, More brilliant and gay and fast, Who will show how men may live as they list And go to Heaven at last. The Father is merciful, great and good, Loving and tender and kind; Do you think He'd take one child to Heaven, And leave another behind? So she called for smooth, well-polished priests, Deemed gifted, and great, and learned; And the plain old men that had preached the cross Were out of her pulpits turned. Then Mammon came in and supported the Church, And rented a prominent pew; And preaching and singing and floral display Soon proclaimed a gospel new. "You give too much to the poor," said the World, "Far more than you ought to do. Though the poor need shelter, food and clothes, Why thus need it trouble you? Go take your money and buy rich robes And horses and carriages fine; And pearls and jewels and dainty food, The rarest and costliest wine. My children, they dote on all such things. And if you their love would win, You must do as they do, and walk in the way, The flowery way they're in." The Church her purse-strings tightly held And gracefully lowered her head, Declared, "Yes, I've given too much away. I will do, sir, as you have said." So the poor were turned from the door in scorn,

She heard not the orphan's cry, And she drew her beautiful robes aside As the widows went weeping by. They of the Church, and they of the World Journeyed closely, hand and heart, And none but the Master, who knoweth all, Could discern the two apart. Then the Church sat down at ease and said, "I'm rich and in goods increased. I have need of nothing, and naught to do, But to laugh and dance and feast." The sly World heard her and laughed within, And mockingly said aside, "The Church has fallen--the beautiful Church. Her shame is her boast and pride." Thus her witnessing power, alas, was lost, And perilous times came in; The Times of the End, so often foretold, When the Church would fall into sin. Then the Angel drew near the mercy-seat, And whispered in sighs her name, And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed, And covered their heads with shame. A Voice came down from the hush of Heaven, From Him who sat on the throne; "I know thy works and what thou hast said, But alas! Thou hast not known That thou art poor and naked and blind. And your sins are an open sore; The expectant Bride of a heavenly Groom Has become the World's whore! Thou hast ceased to watch for that blessed hope, Hast fallen from zeal and grace; So now, alas! I must cast thee out. And blot thy name from its place." But out from the side of harlot church, While she sleeps in indolent shame, Will be taken the remnant who keep God's Word, And honor His holy name. By the word of their testimony, and the blood of the Lamb, They overcame the world. For those who keep their garments clean, Shall walk with Him in white, In the day when He comes to claim His own, To make them His jewels bright. 65. The only ultimate disaster that can befall us is to feel ourselves at home on this Earth. 66. The "Washington Cathedral" is more officially the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. Construction began in 1907 and is not expected to be completed until the year 2,000 when it will be the world's fifth largest church building and bear a cost of many millions of dollars. It includes a bell tower over 300 feet tall that alone cost over two million dollars. This church is already famous with 100,000 visitors coming each year just to view its stained-glass windows and collections of religious art. 67. The World has founded whole orders & monasteries & brotherhoods & convents & nunneries on the principle that the more solemn & sad you are & the more you suffer, the more religious & holy you

are. This is a religion of the Devil, not the Lord! This is a System of Satan, not Christ! 68. You can't please the churches! You'll never please'm, so quit trying! You can be polite & be courteous & be kind & be Christian, but for God's sake, avoid'm like the plague most of the time because they can be your worst enemies! The "holiest", most religious people were Jesus' worst enemies.--The Fundamentalists, the conservatives, the Evangelicals of His day, the Scribes & the Pharisees, those who believed in keeping the jot & the tittle of the Law. The holiest of the holies of the Holiness people were His worst enemies & the ones that finally killed Him! 69. The true religion as well as the false religion of the World began with Cain & Abel & persist to this very day!--On the one hand, those true believers, true followers, & true Children of God, true disciples of Jesus Christ, who trust in nothing but the blood sacrifice of Jesus, nothing but the grace of Christ, nothing but the mercy of God, none of their own righteousness, none of their own works--the genuinely saved, the born-again, the true Kingdom of God!--As opposed to the religion of self-righteousness of all the major so-called "faiths" today--hundreds of millions of poor, deceived, deluded, dumb goats led astray by their religious leaders & bellwethers, who lie & exhort them to: "Save yourself! You can save yourself by your own holiness. You can save yourself by your own piety. You can save yourself by your own fasting. You can save yourself by your own suffering. You can save yourself by your own merits, your own penances, your own confessions, your own church-goings!" 70. Sad to say, hundreds of millions of Christians around the Earth today, in spite of the message of Christ, in spite of the message of His sacrifice on Calvary, in spite of what Jesus did to save us, in spite of His giving His life & His blood for us, are still being taught by their leaders to try to save themselves. The vast majority of Christians today do not understand the message of Christ nor the Gospel nor His death nor His Salvation nor His grace nor faith, & are still trying to save themselves! 71. We're undermining the false religious establishment with our doctrines of freedom & grace which they hate, because they can't control the people once we give them that kind of information! 72. Like that guy said in "Easy Rider": "They don't even want to know that there is such a thing as freedom, because then they'll know they're not free!" That's a picture of the church if I ever saw one! They don't want to know that there is anything else besides what they know, because then they would know that they don't know everything, which they think they do! 73. The greatest & worst of all sins is the hypocrisy & the self-righteousness & the false front of the so-called Christians & church people. 74. Church-building has damned more souls to Hell than any other activity the church ever engaged in, because it has robbed the mission fields of millions of Dollars & millions of missionaries! Going to church makes Christians satisfied & contented & feeling like they've accomplished their purpose in staying at home & sitting in church instead of doing what they're supposed to do! 75. What is the Church's reward going to be? What have they done for Jesus? What have they done for souls? What have they done for the mission field? What have they done to get the heathen saved?--Very little!-- Even the big rich denominations who build schools, orphanages & hospitals on the mission field. Do you know where most of the African & Asian Communist leaders got their training?--In those very missionary schools & colleges & universities on the mission field! They gave them education but they never gave them Jesus! They gave them science but they never gave'm faith! So if you want to blame somebody for the intelligence & the education & the cleverness & know-how of many of the Communist leaders of the World, blame it on the churches, they educated them! 76. Churchianity is a cult! Building church buildings & attending church all the time is totally contrary to what Jesus intended. He did not intend for people to hide & isolate their faith & their prayer & their worship & their practice & their good sample & their adoration of the Lord in a building! 77. Although they brand you as a cult, these big denominations & other religions are the biggest

cults on Earth!--And they're the worst cults on Earth because they have confined the Message of God's Love in Jesus Christ & His free Salvation through His death to church buildings! If the Devil couldn't stop it any other way, if he couldn't keep them from preaching the Truth, he managed to make'm put it inside a building & shut the door & keep the Christians there to prevent them from witnessing outside on the street corner, door-to-door, office-to-office, in the bars & whorehouses & hostels! 78. It's amazing, it's almost astounding, it's almost mysterious how the religious leaders can wield so much power when they are in such a tiny minority! But their power is almost always wielded in favour of the Devil. They are a part of the Religious Whore that rides the Beast of Government. The Whore is composed of all the false religions put together, the biggest of which is materialism, the worship of things, the worship of Mammon. 79. Don't tell me that a church Christian who works hard at a System-slaving job that is not for the glory of God in any way, shape or form six days a week, & just goes to church on Sunday morning--or maybe Sunday night if he's very devout--don't tell me he's serving God with all his might & mind & all his heart! Because if he's not serving God with all his time, he is not serving God!--He's worshipping the same god that the rest of the World worships--Mammon, things, job, money & the things it can buy. 80. The Church idolises the great men & women & heroes of the Bible, the Patriarchs & the Prophets, & they exalt'm so high that they deliberately make it impossible to attain such a status! --Because they don't want to have to be like that! They want to be able to say, "It's impossible to be like that today, it's only reserved for Bible times or great Saints or Patriarchs or Prophets, nobody else can be like that. Ordinary Christians & church people aren't supposed to try to be like that, it's out of your range, it's impossible, don't try! You'd have to be perfect, you'd have to be a Saint, you'd have to be absolutely pure & have sinless perfection, so you know it's impossible for you!" 81. Churchianity is the worst sect, the worst cult on Earth! Even the Devil's cults aren't as bad, because at least they're honest that they're worshipping the Devil. But the majority of the "Christian" churches are worshipping the Devil while they claim to be worshipping God! They're practicing devilish fiendish, Satanic forms of worship, but they clothe it in a cloak & a mask & covering & pretend that it's Christianity! It's self-worship & Satanic worship, & devilish practices in the Name of Christ, totally antiChristian & anti-grace. 82. Even the genuine born-again saved Christians think they've got to try to be perfect & sinless! They're in the same legalistic, self-righteous, churchianity rut. "Yes, Jesus saved me, but I've got to sort of help Him keep me saved." That's their attitude, whether it's Catholic or Protestant, that it takes the church to save you. 83. Going to church is not a Christian's job, it's his privilege, his pleasure. Having fellowship with other Christians, having meetings & praying together, worshipping together, singing together, that's their joy, not their job! They don't start working till they go out the church door the other direction & start facing the public & the sinners & the lost! Then their work begins! But most of them don't even know that, they're totally ignorant of what a Christian's duty really is. And they're not told by their preachers, sad to say. 84. That seemingly innocent little sin of murmuring seems to be a favourite practice of most church Christians! I never saw such a bunch of murmurers as in the Christian churches of the U.S. They're always backbiting, gossiping & murmuring, always bellyaching about the church or the preacher or the evangelist or the song leader or the music or the pianist or the choir or the sermon or each other! 85. If you want to dig down & find out the real genuine motivation for most people's church-going & church-building & churchianity religion, it's competition & trying to keep up or get ahead of the Joneses & the other denominations. They couldn't care less for God or lost souls or anything like that! So it's strictly pride! 86. The visible, powerful church organisations of today with all their churches & temples & cathedrals & all the rest are all a part of that Whore that rides on the back of the Beast.

87. Churchianity works hand-in-glove with the business world, it's built on the business World, it's pampered by the business World. Its temples are built with their money, its pastors are hired with their money, its worldwide organisations are sponsored with their money! It is an integral part of the System! Churchianity is a part of the World System!--The anti-God, anti-Christ, materialistic World System, whether it be Communist or Capitalist! 88. There are millions of Christians in the World who I believe really love Jesus & are born again, no matter what denomination or church they belong to. I think that's the only reason God has preserved the churches at all, even the Catholics, because there are millions of sincere genuine Christians who love Jesus there. 89. The Devil tricks the church people into straining at gnats like nudity & so-called pornography & sexual freedom to try to pretend how righteous they are, how holy they are, how they're saved by their works. Whereas they kill their babies & wage endless wars & engage in dishonest dog-eat-dog competitive business practices & rebel boldly against God! All the natural, normal things they condemn, while they practice wicked sins, condoned & advocated & paid for by the churches & the church people! 90. You can't tell me that you worship God with all your heart & all your strength when you are worshipping Mammon & money & things & your home & your car & your TV six days a week & half of the 7th, & only worship God & give Him an hour or two of your time a week! Don't tell me you're serving Him with all your heart & all your mind & all your strength! Don't tell me you're serving Him with singleeyes & single-mindedly, that you're really all-out for the Lord!