How Hyperpreterists Attempt to Go Mainstream

For those who may not know, the hyperpreterist movement is constantly trying to find ways to make inroads into general society, how to be seen as legitimate. Other cults like the Mormons and the Scientologists do this with well placed and produced TV commercials. The JWs do this with creating their own Bible translation and door-to-door outreach. Well, the hyperpreterists are doing all they can to move to the next level as has these other cults. The hyperpreterists don't presently have the organization or the funds to do TV spots, though there had been chatter from some of them to rent billboards. They have already attempted and failed to produce a "preterist study bible". This project was destined to fail since it was initiated by the most liberal hyperpreterist out there, Virgil Vaduva and had as its general editor, Sam Frost -- perhaps the most elitist and arrogant hyperpreterist (even so considered by his fellow hyperpreterists).



Another attempt to control how hyperpreterism is viewed is when the hyperpreterists took over the Wikipedia entry on "Preterism". One of them even threatened to sue Wikipedia if it didn't let them dictate the definition (source). The hyperpreterists have won that battle. Anyone using Wikipedia to find out about "preterism" will eventually find themselves caught up in hyperpreterism.

The latest effort to break into the mainstream is to simply flood the internet with as much hyperpreterist material as possible. To do this, a little known hyperpreterist who originally used the handle "psychomike" decided to take his free time (while he was unemployed) and start an "internet radio station". Apparently he has some background in real radio stations. To appear more legitimate, he started using his real name, Michael Loomis and then launched Preterist Radio with the tagline, "Not Your Mama's Christian Radio". (Well, of course it's not anyone's "mama's Christian radio" -- because it isn't anymore "Christian" than Mormonism).

At first, Loomis was gungho and not too shy about the agenda of the project:

"So far we’ve all done a very good job at promoting Preterist Radio within the fulfilled community…But now is the time to begin reaching out and advertising to the non-preterist and general public. I’m currently working on a number of advertising and promotional projects that will bring more people to the station." (source)

As you can see, as I pointed out the agenda like all cultic groups is to gain acceptance then after acceptance some amount of influence and from there control. This is how for example the homosexual agenda has worked. First they simply wanted to be "tolerated" or accepted. After that they began to openly influence policies and culture, and now they attempt to dictate policies in politics and education. Hyperpreterism is behaving the same way. The 19th century theologian Samuel Miller noted this method by heretics:

"When heresy rises in an evangelical body, it is never frank and open. It always begins by skulking, and assuming a disguise. Its advocates, when together, boast of great improvements, and congratulate one another on having gone greatly beyond the “old dead orthodoxy,” and on having left behind many of its antiquated errors: but when taxed with deviations from the received faith, they complain of the unreasonableness of their accusers, as they “differ from it only in words.” This has been the standing course of errorists ever since the apostolic age. They are almost never honest and candid as a party, until they gain strength enough to be sure of some degree of popularity. Thus it was with Arius in the fourth century, with Pelagius in the fifth, with Arminius and his companions in the seventeenth, with Amyraut and his associates in France soon afterwards, and with the Unitarians in Massachusetts, toward the close of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries [& hyperpreterists in the twenty-first century -- my addition because it fits so well in this list of heresies]. They denied their real tenets, evaded examination or inquiry, declaimed against their accusers as merciless bigots and heresy-hunters, and strove as long as they could to appear to agree with the most orthodox of their neighbours; until the time came when, partly from inability any longer to cover up their sentiments, and partly because they felt strong enough to come out, they at length avowed their real opinions."
-Samuel Miller, 1841

Hyperpreterists can complain all they want and claim we're "heretic hunters" when we oppose their not so veiled attempts to push into the mainstream, but as Miller pointed out and has been seen by how the homosexual movement mirrors the hyperpreterist methodology, there is no denying that elements of the hyperpreterists want to try to replace historic Christianity with their heretical version.

Now, as I said Loomis is trying very hard with his internet radio station to be a part of that attempt to legitimize hyperpreterism but it seems to be failing. Loomis often sends out appeals for funding but his fellow hyperpreterists seem apathetic and resistant; especially since Loomis is taking a relative "everything goes" approach in what he will allow on the "station". Loomis has been chided by his own hyperpreterists for almost never publicly challenging any guest/host he has on his shows.

"One thing you will notice about the selection of teachers on Preterist Radio is that it is very diverse. And I personally think that this is very important. Some are reformed and some are not. Some believe that the gifts are still active today and some do not. Some hold to a young earth view of Genesis, some do not. And now we are even exploring the Covenant Creation model of Genesis 1-3. And I think this is what makes Preterist Radio unique. We don’t tow any specific doctrinal line. This way we can meet all the teaching needs of the preterist community as a whole. You can listen to live or download all the teachings, or simply listen to the ones you like. Kind of like a buffet. Put what you like on your plate and leave the rest.

My personal philosophy is that we’re all in this together no matter what our differences. Preterist Radio is not here to promote one view in exclusion of another." -- (source)

See, outright relativism and even worse yet a "buffet" mentality. We've already witnessed this buffet mentality from OTHER hyperpreterist teachers. (source) It appears the more and more some of these hyperpreterists try to move away from Vaduva's original "postmodern/Emergent" mentality, the more they end up eventually embracing and living by it. We also have noted this cultic, "we're all in this together no matter what" mentality exhibited by many hyperpreterists. Frost recently used this same line to try to get his fellow hyperpreterists to stop criticism of him. (source)

But are there indications that Preterist Radio is on the verge of being tossed in the dust bin along with the "preterist study bible"? Listen to how some hyperpreterists responded to Loomis' appeal for funding.

In response to Loomis appealing to Lk 9:49-50 to get hyperpreterists to unite and fund his efforts, a hyperpreterist named JDonaldson replies:

"In this above statement we have the key problem with modern day full preterism in general and Preterist Radio in particular. A passage of Scripture is ripped out of context in an attempt to prove that doctrinal differences don't matter and that as long as one holds that Jesus returned in AD 70 other doctrinal errors can be ignored.

What about the Deity of Christ? Can one deny that fundamental doctrine and still be embraced as long as they hold to full preterism?" (source)

Even some of his fellow hyperpreterists don't want to swim in Loomis' pool of syncreticism.

Another hyperpreterist tells his fellow hyperpreterists to more or less just blindly support Loomis:

"Folks, forget the serious consideration. Just sign up." -- Jeff Vaughn (source)

Well, most of the other hyperpreterist "followers" didn't like this mentality and responded.

"No, Christians are to consider, be thoughtful, be wise. Who knows what other charities, endeavors, etc. a "cheerful giver" contributes to? "Forget the consideration? Just sign up"? No thanks, I'll pass on such advice. It is easy to judge how others should us[e] their money, but this isn't the best way to encourage others to give." -- Hal (source)

What the "followers" don't seem to understand is that the ENTIRE movement is operating under this "don't think, just follow" mentality. Just listen to ANY of Sam Frost's smug podcasts or comments where he tells his listeners or readers who he knows and how much he knows and that is why they should listen to him. This mentality is the reason why the hyperpreterists in Dave Green's group have an ongoing tiff with Frost. Frost seems to have picked up this elitist mentality from his mentor, Kenneth Talbot who also thinks no one except people within his own cliche can dare question him.

So, whether Preterist Radio ultimately fails or not, we can clearly see how it is being built; the same way all cultic campaigns are built be it the Mormons or the homosexual agenda. The hyperpreterist "followers" need to wise up and realize this entire movement has been one big dupe. I thank God that I am out of that dupe.