Army of 1000

The U.S. Army has a slogan, “an army of one” but recently a hyperpreterist referred to a single effort against them as “an army of 1000″ (Chuck Coty — hyperpreterist). This comment came about after administrators of the quasi-conservative hyperpreterist website began breaking their own stated policies not to mention the name of one of their detractors. But as I’ve said before, one characteristic of a cult is that it tries to shut down or ignore all outside critique, & most especially critiques from FORMER group members. They instead want to isolate the group (especially newer members) from anything that might call into question their views. Here is a quote from Coty, advocating that very isolation:

I keep hearing that we will no longer mention his name and I see it come up time and again. It’s like a disease and until a conscious effort is made to rid this guy from our midst, he will prove to be a continued stumbling block. If nothing else do it for the weaker brethren and assume me to be in that category. My walk with Christ is disturbed by the mere mention of his antics. Let’s assume that I am not alone on this and that there are others who struggle with this stuff.

Mr. Coty, the “stumbling block” is the UNCHRISTIAN premise of the entire hyperpreterist view & your administrators/leaders know this. This is why they feel compelled to do something about it — this is why they keep sending me emails & keep mentioning my name against their own stated policy. Who am I? No one. The “army of a 1000″ is the power of Truth. Truth has a way of turning one lone voice into the power of an army of 1000.
Hyperpreterists CAN’T get around the fact that what they propose is NOT ANYTHING LIKE ANYTHING IN HISTORIC CHRISTIANITY. Hyperpreterism is a complete departure from Christianity & your leaders know this so they feel the need to constantly go into damage control & defensive mode when it is pointed out.
The discussion between the hyperpreterists turned to some specific comments that I made wherein they thought they saw a contradiction. Those comments were first sent to me via email by “the pup hyperpreterist” Mike Bennett wherein I told him he was going to have to have “big-dog” Sam Frost bail him out of his unbiblical logic — and sure enough Sam tried. Here are the comments of mine that they quoted:

Roderick Says:
August 9th, 2008 at 8:27 pm

…is such a false premise that there is no starting point with which to interact with a hyperpreterist, anymore than allowing a Mormon or JW to think his premise was valid (remember, I WAS a hyperpreterist for 15 years, so I KNOW all your details).

Roderick Says:
August 9th, 2008 at 8:32 pm

Edward, hyperpreterists are no more “brethren” than the Judaizers, than the Gnostics, than the Arians, than the Mormons.

Roderick Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 6:26 am

I am willing and eager to discuss Scripture, but only with BROTHERS who respect their BROTHERS — hypepreterists ridicule & disrespect 2000 years worth of Christians & their interpretations. That is no starting point for a discussion, arrogance of that type is a roadblock.

Then Roderick says…

Roderick Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 3:37 pm

HENCE, no matter how much you think hyperpreterists are “asking good questions” hyperpreterism is NOT “historically Christian”. See, I never mentioned “creeds or confessions”. I never claimed any hyperpreterist is going to hell (that is for God to decide).

Did you spot their issue? They think it is contradictory for me to claim that they are non-Christian & yet leave it up to God to decide if they are going to hell. They think it is not possible for me to compare them to Judiazers & then also say it is not for me to determine if they are going to hell. How did Sam respond?

So, let me get this straight…..we are Judaizers…and not “brothers” but he cannot say we are going to hell….hmmmmm. He never mentions creeds, but he does talk about “2,ooo years”…..hmmmm…what a stupid idiot. — (Sam Frost upset that he is a NON-Christian)

There you have it folks, the esteemed supposed scholar of the hyperpreterist movement waxes elegant by calling his detractors “stupid idiot.” What’s next, meet them on the playground after school or else???
Ok, enough fun — let’s break this down biblically.
IS IT A CONTRADICTION TO CLAIM THE JUDIAZERS WEREN’T BROTHERS BUT YET LETTING GOD DECIDE THEIR FATE?
Actually the question is even more loaded than “Dr. Sam” knows. The Bible actually DOES call the Judiazers, “brethren” at one point.

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” — Acts 15:5

Here we see the Judaizers portrayed as “believers”. Verse 24 is from the Jerusalem Council, telling the Gentiles Christians that the Judaizer’s teaching is incorrect, yet notice the position of the Judaizers — they were considered to be WITH the Christians, part of them, a “sect of believers” in Christ.

Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— Acts 15:24

My point is, early on the Judaizers were considered to be part of the Christians…just as hyperpreterists think they are but after a while it was apparent that the Judaizers “went out from” the Christians & starting teaching things that WEREN’T historically Christian — just like the hyperpreterists. So I ask, at what point did the Judaizers STOP BEING Christians???
Let’s move on to see how the Judaizers were treated later.

And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! — Gal 5:11-12

What in the world??? Paul you are contradicting. I mean, back in Acts 15 the Judaizers were a “sect of believers” in Christ & now you wish they would be cut off??? You big contradicting meanie, you Paul. How dare you talk this way of people who claim they “believe”.
See it now folks? It is perfectly BIBLICALLY CONSISTENT for us to say hyperpreterists are NON-Christian, “agitators” trouble-makers, teaching things NOT COMMANDED by Christ & His hand-picked apostles, YET letting God decide if they actually go to hell. Perhaps, like I suspect of most hyperpreterist followers — these guys are just being duped for a time by wanna-be has-beens like Sam Frost & Don Preston — but that at some point the followers will wise up & see that these guys have been taking them for a ride… for a “journey” that is increasing NOT ANYTHING LIKE CHRISTIANITY.
I know right now some of these followers really hate my guts — but hey, it is not about me, it is about contending for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (not some 1971 revision started by some reclusive ex-”church of Christ” minister). The truth, even though spoken by one little insignificant troll of a man, is like an army of a 1000…even some hyperpreteists see this & will do all they can to silence that voice.