A Prisoner Seeks for Truth

Joseph Herrin (10-29-2015)

Following is a correspondence with a man in prison who has manifested much interest in arriving at truth and having error exposed in his understanding of the world he lives in.

Joseph,

Greetings! As always, thank you for sending me so much information. It is a relief to read some truth when I am constantly bombarded with lies from the “trick box” (TV) and newspapers all owned by the same corporations. I am currently “in the hole.” I have been for two weeks and it has been a great blessing to be able to read, pray, and meditate in silence, away from the blaring TV’s and gauche language of the inmates and officers.

After thinking about my last letter to you about Christian entertainment and ways to pass the time, I see the error in my thinking. I am still realizing that being a Christian is not a part of my life, but it must become my life. I’ve always known this, but the execution of the idea is much more complicated and harder than just saying it. I’ve adopted some bad habits while in here, like watching the news, that I never did “on the street” because it is almost forced on you here. I’ve gotten lazy in my walk for the sake of comfort and convenience.

As usual, your blogs came just in time. I was actually thinking of starting a morning yoga class in the faith dorm here - mostly as a form of stretching and exercise with Christian meditation at the end. After reading your blog I am able to see how Satan is causing mass confusion by using an Indian form of worship and prayer and disguising it as a type of relaxation exercise. Needless to say, I will not be doing that, maybe just good ole jumping jacks.

What is the enemy’s goal with us? Is he trying to distract us from worshiping the one true God? I think I am beginning to understand that just b/c someone changes the name or meaning to an action it does not change the original and true name and meaning to the action. If we start calling ducks, potatoes, they are still ducks. This is why it is so important to find the true and original meanings behind disguised forms of worship that flood today.

This brings me to my next inquiry - the orthodox church. This church split from the roman catholic church 1,000 years ago because of differences in the creed, (catholics [and nor protestants]) added the filiogue to the creed claiming the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and their unwillingness to follow a pope above a council.

They do not eat disks when partaking of the Eucharist, but rather broken bread. This practice and belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist (which they do not refer to as transubstantiation, but rather as a mystery) dates back to the 1st and 2nd century with written sources such as the Didache, Letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Justin Martyr. Even Luther and Lutherans still believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. So would all this lead one to believe that the orthodox faith is the true church (Note: protestants branched off of Roman Catholics)?

There are other practices they have, like no statues and only icons and adhering to the date of Pascha as set by the council (325 A.D.). (Roman Catholics and protestants don’t celebrate it on the date determined by the council and call it Easter)

Councils were a part of the early church to settle maters. Acts 15 is the first example of the Jerusalem Council. This church does not operate on a bureaucratic hierarchy, but on all levels from parish to worldwide.

Side note: In the 10-07-2014 Tony Palmer post the creed you used is the orthodox creed, the R.C. and protestant creed has “and the Son” in it. Also, I’m not totally sure, but I think Luther had 95 theses, not 99. And the story of Adam and Eve would be called an allegory, nor a parable, right? B/C it’s historic. So I’m interested in your thoughts on the orthodox churches.

I also found two books by Lee Stroebel, that while very superficial, did answer some of my earlier doubts. He seems to think that just because “a lot of academics” think one way then it must be correct.

Rothschild has been mentioned in a few of your blogs, but I am unfamiliar with them. Could you explain their significance?

Are you familiar with TOR (The Onion Router) browsing on the Internet? It is a way to browse and post completely anonymously w/o having your IP traced. I think its important for Christians to begin to be knowledgeable of ways to stay safe in this time of government and media censorship and persecution of Christians.

I also think Christians should learn to be self-sustaining and self-reliant. That is why I love your bus/house. I’ve read about “tiny houses,” houses built on small trailers that can be hitched to a car, and have often wanted to make one. I am also certified in permaculture, which is a method of sustainable gardening/farming. I think you would enjoy it. Wildheartgardens.com is a great place to start, particularly rainwater catchment, composting toilets, and gray water disposal.

All of the oddness behind the election of the Pope did raise my suspicion, but I thought it was just a PR move by the church to boost falling attendance. All the coverage it was getting on the news was especially odd b/c the last pope was hardly ever mentioned in the news. I also had no idea how diabolical the Jesuits were. I could go on and on about how much I appreciate and gain from your blog. All I can say is keep them coming!

You truly are doing God’s work, thank you. Also thank you for your time in getting back to me. I know you must be busy as we enter this “season of sin” both in the time of year it is and in the way the world is changing. Have you considered building a community of like-minded Christians outside of the internet, like a co-op, or is that to hippy and cultish? I would say Church, but it seems we have too many of them as it is.

I feel like I have been on a spiritual journey in the woods wandering and stopping and looking at all the sights (other religions) without a direction or purpose. I feel I am now calibrating my spiritual compass to the Holy Spirit and ready to go on this journey with a focus and the purpose of aligning my will with God. Again, words easier proclaimed than followed through.

Its like going from being at sea and tossed in every direction by the wind of society when you finally decide to take control and head for land. Now on land you need to figure out which way to go! Maybe I need less metaphors in my life and more practical teachings! I think I Corinthians will be a good place to start.

Oh, that “invisible hand” post was particularly chilling b/c in economics they have a term for the unseen forces of the market called the “invisible hand.” Even in economics they acknowledge Satan! No wonder I hated that class.

A few last questions. Someone asked me where the people in the city of Nod came from when Cain was expelled from Eden and made to move there. I assumed they were the offspring of Adam and Eve that are not mentioned in the Bible. Is this correct? Also, I’ve been hearing a lot about rising autism rates and was wondering if you had any theories about the increases, whether it is simply more diagnosed, or if environmental pollution and social breakdown are contributing, or other. Thank you

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

Alex

Here is my reply:

Hello Alex,

Thank you for writing again. You had some excellent commentary in your recent letter as well as some great questions that reveal a soul that is questing for truth. I am eager to engage in discourse with men who are determined to discover the mind and will of Christ and to align themselves with it. You covered a lot of territory in your letter, so I will address the topics you raised in the order you listed them.

Your first inquiry was regarding the Orthodox Church. Since you mentioned the church splitting with the Roman Catholic Church 1,000 years ago, I am assuming that you are referring to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Some are using the term “orthodox church” (lower case) as a reference to any mainstream denominational church.

(Click on Image to View Larger)

I am going to address your question by sharing some observations about the image above of an Eastern Orthodox liturgy being performed. You mentioned in your letter that the Orthodox Church does not use round wafers for the Eucharist, but uses broken bread. The round wafers are a solar image, and the cross found in the center of the wafer is the Greek Tau signifying Tammuz. Tammuz was associated with Sun worship from ancient times. We read of the worship of Tammuz as a Sun deity being practiced by the Jews in the Old Testament, so it is little wonder that Satan has labored to introduce the same ancient idolatry into the church.

Ezekiel 8:14-16
Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of Yahweh’s house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. And He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these." Then He brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of Yahweh and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.

In this passage from Ezekiel we see both Tammuz and sun worship mentioned. They are related, and so too is the worship of the Queen of Heaven whom the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Church have simply repackaged as Mary, the Mother of Christ. Although the Orthodox Church may have rejected the wafer during the Eucharist, note how many sun symbols are evident in the image above.

On the shoulders of the leading cleric in the image above (the man holding the book) there are round symbols with the Tau cross in the center. Behind him are altar boys holding towels that have the same Tau cross embroidered on them. Note also on all of the images of the saints, as well as the crucifixion scene at the extreme right of the photo, that everyone is pictured with the solar nimbus around their heads. The nimbus is another ancient symbol of sun worship as is observed in the image below.

Some might assume that the image above is a Roman Catholic or Orthodox depiction of Christ as the Son of God. They would be wrong, however. This is an image of Apollo, the Sun God. He very clearly is pictured as having a nimbus around his head, as well as the out-raying pillars of light streaming forth. The Roman Church borrowed heavily from pagan practice, especially sun worship. Because of the great antiquity of the apostate practices of the church, many Christians today accept images, symbols, rites, and doctrines that originated in idolatrous worship as normal and “Christian” today.

In your letter you made a very astute observation. You wrote:

I am beginning to understand that just b/c someone changes the name or meaning to an action it does not change the original and true name or meaning to the action. If we start calling ducks, potatoes they are still ducks. This is why it is important to find the true and original meanings behind disguised forms of worship today.

Applying this principle to the nimbus depictions so common among both Roman Catholic and Orthodox religions, we see that they have borrowed directly from ancient sun worship. The nimbus is merely the tip of the iceberg, however. One thing that should immediately strike the disciple of Christ as an aberration, a departure from the example of Christ and His apostles, is the costumes so common among Roman Catholic and Orthodox priests, clerics, popes and patriarchs. There is no precedent at all in the Scripture for ministers of Christ to wear special garments, hats, or adornment to identify their calling. Christ and His disciples were indistinguishable in their dress from other citizens of the land in which they were located. Where then did this elaborate costuming arise from?

Some might conclude that the costuming of the clergy in these apostate religious systems is patterned after the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. That would be a reasonable guess, but it is wrong. The apostle Paul writing in the book of Hebrews declares plainly that Yahshua was not from the tribe of Levi, and He did not come in the role of the Levitical High Priest. Consequently, the ministers He appointed are not Levitical priests either.

Hebrews 7:11-17
Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of Him, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Christ is a High Priest, but not a Levitical High Priest. Consequently, none of the garb of the Levitical order pertains to the Son of God and His disciples. The Bible has nothing to say regarding the dress of a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and it is evident that in the days of His sojourning upon the earth that the Son of God wore no special costume. His dress was indistinguishable from the common people.

Note also how many of the senior clerics in the image from the Orthodox ceremony are wearing ornate hats on their heads. They do so in violation of the practice of the apostles and early church.

I Corinthians 11:3-4
I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying, dishonors his head.

Note two things in this passage. Christ is declared to be the head of man. Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head (hats certainly qualify) dishonors his head. That the Roman Catholic clergy and Orthodox clergy routinely dishonor Christ is an inescapable fact. They show contempt for the headship of Christ by covering their own heads. They are crowning themselves with glory in imitation of Satan who rebelled against the headship of God and chose to be his own head, or authority.

Much could be written about the origins of the costumes worn by Roman Catholic and Orthodox clergy. Their richly ornate garments and hats do not find their origin with Christ or His apostles, nor is there any mention of anything similar in the New Testament writings to the churches of Christ. The origin for these things is traceable back to pagan idolatry, a fact that should not be surprising when one observes the myriad of other idolatrous symbols, rites, words, and doctrines that have been adopted by those religious orders masquerading as Christianity.

Let me mention one more thing from the image of the Orthodox Church liturgy. Note the emphasis on visual elements that emphasize wealth and power. The presence of gold gilding is everywhere. The wealth and opulence of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church is visible for all to behold. This is in stark contrast to the Son of God and His followers. Christ conducted His ministry as a homeless man. He had no ministry center, no tabernacle, and owned nothing more than the clothing He wore. The men He chose to be the apostles of the church were common men. Many of them were fishermen. A life of opulence was foreign to them.

When Peter encountered the lame man at the Gate Beautiful leading to the Temple, he said to the man, “Silver and gold have I none...” The same cannot be spoken by the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches. What they do lack is the Holy Spirit, which Peter had in abundance.

Yahshua spoke condemningly of those who attempted to serve both God and mammon. His apostles also warned against every form of greed, a desire to get rich or to accrue treasures on this earth.

Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Christ was born in poverty, performed the years of His ministry as a homeless man, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. He laid aside the glory He had with His Father in heaven and took to Himself the form of a bondservant. Yahshua was meek and lowly. There was nothing ostentatious about His dress or behavior.

Isaiah 53:2
He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

How different are the clergy of Rome and of the Orthodox Church. They reveal by their affections that they love the world and the things in it, rather than having a singular devotion to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ/Yahshua the Messiah.

Alex, both of these churches are pretenders and deceivers. They falsely boast of being the one, universal, original, and true church. One church has a Pope as a titular head. The other has a council that rules over all. Yet in Christ’s true church there is no human hierarchy. Christ is the Head of every man, and all men are to be led of the Spirit of Christ who has been sent to indwell them. Those who teach that Peter and the other original apostles were established by Christ to be ruling authorities over the body of Christ do err grievously. They do so to assert a false authority over mankind. Yahshua never intended any man to serve as a substitute Lord, or Ruler in His place.

Luke 22:24-27
Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”

Matthew 23:1-12
Then Yahshua spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat... But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.  They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The rulers of these false churches violate every principle declared by Christ. Both priest and Pope are called “Father” among the Roman Catholics. The word “Pope” means “Papa,” or “Father.” The leader of the Orthodox Church is also called a Patriarch. The word Patriarch is defined as “the male head of a family or tribe.” In other words, he is the “Father.” The rulers of these churches are usurpers, for they tell men they must receive their teaching through them. Any teaching not sanctioned by the rulers of the church is deemed anathema. Thus they steal from Christ the role of Head and Teacher to the church.

John 16:12-14
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

I John 2:27
And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

The anointing John speaks of is the Spirit of Christ which has been sent to indwell the hearts of the disciples of Yahshua. Christ said He would speak to His disciples and lead them into truth, yet the rulers of Rome and of the Orthodox Church say they alone can declare to men what truth is. Yahshua said His disciples have only one Father, which is God in heaven, yet the rulers of these churches instruct all men to call them “Father.” This again is an act of usurpation. By such claims these false churches, these citadels of Satan, have induced hundreds of millions of men and women to give their allegiance to men, rather than to Christ and His Father in heaven.

Alex, the false narrative these peddlers of lies would have you and I to believe is that they are the original church, and only true church. They teach a false history that would lead men to believe that their existence is traceable back to the first apostles and earliest church in Jerusalem. This is a lie. The early church recognized no man as Pope or patriarch. Listen to the apostle Paul’s following words.

Galatians 2:6
Moreover, [no new requirements were made] by those who were reputed to be something - though what was their individual position and whether they really were of importance or not makes no difference to me; God is not impressed with the positions that men hold and He is not partial and recognizes no external distinctions--those [I say] who were of repute imposed no new requirements upon me [had nothing to add to my Gospel, and from them I received no new suggestions].

The above verse is quoted from the Amplified Bible. I have cited this translation as it makes very plain the meaning of the apostle Paul. Individual position is not important in the church, for Christ has appointed no central authority, no hierarchy that all men must obey or revere. “God is not impressed with the positions that men hold and He is not partial and recognizes no external distinctions...”

If a man has been appointed as a minister by Christ and he acquits himself faithfully, then that man is worthy of honor. He should be listened to. However, there has never been any commandment given to the church instructing the individual members to give obeisance to any minister. Some quote the following passage from Paul’s words to the Hebrews, while wresting a wrong interpretation from it.

Hebrews 13:17
Obey (peitho) your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

The word “Obey” is a poor translation. The Greek word is “peitho” which means “to persuade, to convince.” This Greek word is used in the following verses:

Matthew 27:20
But the chief priests and elders persuaded (peitho) the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
KJV

Acts 18:4
And [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded (peitho) the Jews and the Greeks.
KJV

Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded (peitho), that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
KJV

It should be obvious from these verses that the Greek word peitho does not mean what some contend when they use Hebrews 13:17 as the foundation stone upon which to build a doctrine of unquestioned obedience to church leaders. The last verse above is from one of Paul’s writings. He clearly used this word in a manner that conveyed something different than what most English speakers understand the word “obey” to mean. To paraphrase Paul’s intent, he was saying, “Let yourself be persuaded by those who are appointed ministers in the church. Listen to them intelligently. Do not be stubborn or rebellious.” To be persuaded by the voice of reason is very different from blind obedience.

Returning to the false history being promoted by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, it is demonstrable that there never existed among the early church any central authority akin to what they have adopted. Those whom Christ appointed as ministers were to view themselves as servants of all. They were not invested with authority to become the rulers of men. Their goal was to lead all those under their care to a condition of spiritual maturity where they were hearing the voice of God themselves and were walking in obedience to Christ who is the Head of man. Essentially, the goal of a minister is to work himself out of a job by promoting the maturity of the body of Christ so that he is no longer needed.

Ephesians 4:11-13
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.

If a minister is not trying to render his position unnecessary by bringing those under his care to spiritual maturity, he has misunderstood the purpose of his calling. If a minister is seeking to perpetuate his role, and is ruling over the lives of others, magnifying his own importance, he is acting contrary to the intent of Christ and is manifesting selfish ambition.

Alex, the early church began in Jerusalem, but when persecution arose they scattered in all directions taking the message of the gospel with them. The church was established in Egypt, in Syria, in Asia Minor, and throughout the Roman Empire. When the early church councils were held, such as the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. which was convened by Emperor Constantine, the vast majority of Christians throughout the world did not recognize any central authority. Constantine sent out invitations to 1,800 bishops or leaders of the Christian church to his religious council. He offered to pay all travel expenses and lodging for those church leaders who attended. Nevertheless, only about 300 bishops responded to his invitation, representing only about 20% of those invited. A great many of those who did not attend chose not to do so because they did not acknowledge the legitimacy of the authority Rome was trying to assert over the church.

It should also be noted that the church leaders who attended the Council of Nicaea did not embrace the idea that the Bishop of Rome was superior to other bishops. Consequently, it is untenable to suggest that the Roman Catholic Church has any historic, or God ordained primacy over individual Christians or over other churches. They would like people to think that they were always the true authority and legitimate core of the church of Christ and that others have rebelled and broken off from the Roman “mother church.” The truth is very different. The original church established by Christ knew no central authority and it recognized no man, or council, as having rule. Each believer was accountable to God through His Spirit who was sent to guide them.

What actually occurred is that one faction of the church, supported by the power and wealth of political Rome, sought to exercise ascendancy over all the church, usurping the role of the Spirit of Christ and of God the Father. They created false doctrines wholesale out of thin air to justify their acts of usurpation. Because they were acting contrary to both the Spirit of Christ and to the Scriptures, the Roman Church would ultimately declare that her authority supersedes the authority of Scripture and that only she has the authority to interpret Scripture. The Roman Catholic Church’s war on the Scriptures has been recorded in history. Rome ruled that it was punishable by death for any person to own a Bible, or any portion of one, for she viewed the Bible as a threat to her own authority.

Alex, I share these things to point out that there needs to be some clarity brought to your statement asserting that the Protestants branched off from the Roman Catholics. If by the Protestants you are referring specifically to men like Martin Luther who were once Roman Catholics, but who renounced Rome and came out of her, then you are correct to say the Protestants branched off from Rome. However, the term Protestant has taken on a different meaning over time. The word has come to denote any Christian denomination that is not part of the Roman Catholic Church. Many of these churches and denominations and the individuals who comprise them were never part of Rome. They are independent of Rome, but they did not necessarily come out of Rome, or protest against her. Many Protestants are simply those who have pursued relationship to Christ apart from the influence of Rome. This is how things were in the early church which began in Jerusalem and spread throughout the world. For the first several centuries of the church’s existence, no one looked to Rome to know how to conduct their lives, or for instruction in the worship of God. The Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, individual disciples, and local churches were what guided them.

It is inaccurate to say that all those who are referred to as Protestants branched off from Rome, for a great many were never in Rome. My parents did not have any religious upbringing. They were neither Protestant nor Catholic. They came to Christ after they married when a local Baptist minister began visiting them and sharing the gospel message with them. The church they subsequently joined used the Bible as its source of authority, while also using teaching material that came from the denomination’s headquarters. Denominationalism is also error, for to hold allegiance to a denomination is also a violation of the headship of Christ. The very word “head-quarters” implies headship. Many men, including my own father, held to denominational teachings when those teachings contradicted the revelation of the Bible and of the Holy Spirit.

When I was in my teen years and old enough to understand the error of denominations and allegiances to men in the church, I chose at once to identify myself only with Christ. When asked what denomination I belonged to I would not confess to be a Baptist. I recognized at a young age that some of the Baptist doctrines of the churches I was raised in were wrong. I considered it to be unfaithfulness of Christ to align with the denomination when the word of God taught something else. I would not even confess to being a Protestant. Nor did I claim to be a Calvinist, or espouse agreement with any doctrinal faction created by man. My authority was the Bible and the Spirit of Christ, and it continues to be so. As I wrote to another man in prison recently, “I am not sectarian.”

I Corinthians 1:10-13
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Yahshua Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are factions among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

I Corinthians 3:3-4
For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?

Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
When Paul asks, “are you not walking like mere men?” he is differentiating between spiritual men and fleshly men. To be a “mere man” is to not have been born again of the Spirit of Christ. Those who have been born of the Spirit recognize Christ as their Head, and no other. They may honor those who serve well as ministers, but only to the extent of recognizing that these ministers are also servants of God and should be honored to the extent that they are fulfilling the mind and will of Yahshua.

Due to the instruction of Scripture, I do not define myself as “Protestant,” or of having branched off from Roman Catholicism at some time in the past. I was never part of Roman Catholicism, and view the Roman Church no different than any other interloper such as the Moonies, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, or the Seventh Day Adventists. They are all creations of man that Yahweh has never recognized as the one true church, and neither do I.

All that I have said which pertains to the Roman Catholic Church pertains to the Eastern Orthodox Church. They too are usurpers. Yahweh does not recognize their claim as the original mother church, nor does He recognize the right of her patriarchs and council to rule over the lives of other believers. In doctrine, the Orthodox Church is nearly as apostate as Rome, for they sprang from the same root of apostasy and usurpation. They are equally filled with idolatrous practices, symbols, and doctrines.

Alex, if you would find the one true church of Christ that you might join yourself to it, you need go nowhere. Consider the words of Christ to the Samaritan woman. The Samaritans represented a schism from the Israelites. They were the descendants of Israelites and Canaanites. The Jews saw them as half-breeds, a polluted lineage. The Jews worshiped at the Temple in Jerusalem, while the Samaritans worshiped elsewhere. There was therefore conflict among them over the proper place and means to worship Yahweh. It was with this backdrop that Yahshua spoke the following words.

John 4:21-24
Yahshua said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

True worship is not according to Rome, neither it is according to Constantinople (the seat of the Eastern Orthodox religion). True worship is not in a cathedral, or a tabernacle, or a church building. True worship does not need a bishop or priest to lead it, nor does it need liturgy and ritual. The true worship of Jesus Christ/Yahshua the Messiah is a matter of the Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth.

Alex, you can worship God alone in your cell. You can worship with other true brothers in Christ there in the prison. You need no church, no denomination, no creed. The Spirit of Christ and the Scriptures are sufficient to establish you in truth.

Let me now move on to other issues that will not require such a lengthy response. You are correct that Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg, not 99. Regarding Adam and Eve being allegory rather than parable, it depends on your definition of the words allegory and parable. I fully acknowledge that Adam and Eve were historical persons and the accounts we have in Genesis of their life and actions are true and not myth or fiction. My use of the word parable encompasses both fictional stories devised to illustrate a point, as well as non-fiction events. I base this definition upon the Bible itself.

Psalms 78:2-3
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.

What are the dark (enigmatic) sayings the psalmist refers to? They certainly include true events of the mighty works of Yahweh from of old. For example, the seven days of creation are mighty works of Yahweh. They are true and historical, yet they are also filled with symbolic meaning. They have both a literal, historical understanding as well as a parabolic interpretation. I have set the parabolic meaning forth in the book The Mark of the Beast in the chapter titled Let Us Make Man in Our Image. I will print out that chapter and include it in this packet.

Yahweh both reveals and conceals knowledge in the Bible. From the first chapter of the opening book of the Bible there are profound parables, for Yahweh could choose to create whatever He desired, in any way He desired to do so. In His great wisdom and power He chose to create all things according to a profound design. Every act of creation, every event of history, is imbued with meaning which awaits the seeker of truth and understanding to search it out. This is true of our forebears, Adam and Eve. Their lives are much more than simple historical events. Their history is pregnant with spiritual meaning to be discovered by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In your letter you asked who the Rothschilds are that I refer to in some of my writings. They are a Jewish family of bankers whose name was Bauer. They took the name Rothschild, meaning “Red Shield.” Mayer Amschel Bauer was born in 1743. His father was a money lender. As an adult Mayer Amschel Rothschild took over the business of his father upon his father’s death. He expanded the business by focusing on loaning money to governments rather than to individuals. He was immensely successful. Mayer Rothshchild had five sons who all entered into his banking business. He set each one up in a major political center in Europe: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Naples and Vienna. They thereby gained control over entire nations through the loaning of money. Mayer Amschel Rothschild is famous for having stated:

"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws."

The Rothschilds represent a hidden hand that controls governments and corporations throughout the world. They are tied in with other global banking and corporate powers such as the Rockefeller family in the United States. They are in effect Satan’s instruments to manipulate the course of world events. The Rothschilds and their associates have been responsible for fomenting wars between and within nations. One of the first wars they precipitated was the French Revolution. They were also responsible for the British attacking the United States during the War of 1812, and for starting both World Wars while financing both sides of the conflict. They are as wicked and deceitful as their master Satan.

The Rothschilds and their associates control the government of the United States for they are the unpublished owners of the Federal Reserve System which controls the money of America. I will print you out an article I wrote some years ago that speaks of some of these things. The article is titled With Malice and Forethought.

In your letter you asked if I am familiar with TOR (The Onion Router). I am familiar with what it is, but I have not used it. I personally believe that those who believe TOR to be a secure alternative to the internet have been deceived. Consider that TOR was developed by the United States Navy Research Laboratory in the mid 1990s. It was further developed by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in 1997. Seeing that this was a U.S. government, and military funded project, one must ask why the Navy Research Laboratory released the code to the public domain in 2004. I would suggest that the government has developed means to track activity on TOR, but has not disclosed that ability. By releasing the code and having it picked up and promoted by the Electronic Freedom Foundation, an organization that ostensibly supports internet freedom and anonymity, people with illegal or anti-government agendas are duped into believing TOR is a secure way to communicate without discovery by the government. In actuality, the government monitors all the activity on TOR. By aggregating so much illegal and anti-government activity through this one channel the government is thereby able to discover information from people and groups they deem to be threats.

Alex, in the same way that you have been played by the media (all of which is controlled by Rothschild interests and is under the control of 6 mega media corporations) to believe an image of the Pope that is false, the government and media have for years been feeding disinformation to the public regarding their capabilities to monitor communications. Most of the information the government releases is of their capabilities 20 years ago, or the information is patently false. I will include several articles I wrote on the subject of government surveillance and computer (in)security. They are titled:

A Word to the Wise - Big Brother is Watching You
A Little Birdie Told Me
New NSA Products Coming to a Home Near You

Ultimately, there is no way to use the Internet anonymously because the government taps into the data at the hardware level as they access the major routers that control all traffic on the Internet. Having access at this basic level, and the decryption ability to read the most heavily encrypted communications, they essentially see everything. The All-Seeing-Eye is an apt symbol for the government under the rule of Satan. The media is using a disinformation campaign to make the public believe the government’s abilities to monitor Internet communications is far more rudimentary than it actually is. This includes misleading people to believe there are secure ways to use the Internet without discovery. I believe there is good reason to conclude otherwise. If a person wants to be hidden from the prying eyes and ears of Big Brother, they need to get rid of their cell phones, computers, tablets, and all devices with wi-fi, Bluetooth, or other forms of network connectivity (televisions, security systems, GPS units,  etc.). This also includes most cars built in the past ten years, especially those with GMC’s OnStar, Ford’s 911 Assist, etc..

I am familiar with permaculture. I have had an interest in similar subjects for some years now. I have some friends right now who are planning a greenhouse that uses aquaponics, combining a form of hydroponic gardening with raising fish in containers. I have probably watched a hundred or more videos on tiny houses, as well as many more on an array of associated subjects.

Thank you for your kind words of appreciation regarding the writings I send out. Regarding your question of whether I have ever considered starting a community of like-minded individuals, my answer would be that I have never given I any serious thought. I have thought about the idea of living in a community such as you described, but I have never sensed any leading from the Father to initiate such a place. One of the foundational principles of the kingdom of God that my life is based upon is that of Sabbath rest. I am not referring to the day of the week that people refer to as Sabbath. Rather, I am speaking of the spiritual truth to which the Sabbath day points (remember God’s design and spiritual parables?).

The principle of Sabbath rest that Yahweh desires all creation to enter into, beginning with a remnant of His people in the church, is to do nothing of one’s own initiative, but to be led of the Spirit of Christ in all that we do. This requires that we come to an end of pursuing “good ideas” that pop into our heads. Yahweh wants us to come to a place of rest in our lives where we move only at His command. If He has not told us to engage in a particular work, then to do so is human striving and it will not profit. Your idea to start a yoga class is an example of this. Even if you did not know the idolatrous origins of yoga, you could avoid error in this matter by committing yourself to only do those things the Spirit of Christ directs you to do.

We are only guaranteed to receive lasting benefit from a work when it is God who has initiated it and it is He who is guiding and empowering the work to go forward. Understanding these things, I would not desire to engage in any work of building a community apart from a clear directive from God’s Spirit, and I have not to date received any such directive.

You actually acknowledged the need to practice Sabbath rest in the next paragraph of your letter as you spoke of “aligning” your will with that of God - “something much easier said than done.”

Regarding the people in the land of Nod, they were also the descendants of Adam and Eve. I have written of this in the book titled Foundations. For now I will be content to supply you with the following verses of Scripture.

Genesis 5:4
Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 3:20
Now the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

Acts 17:26
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth...

The last subject you raised was rising autism rates. I have read much on the subject and there are various causes that are being linked to the increase. The most convincing arguments and evidence I have seen link autism rates to childhood vaccinations. I will print out two articles from the Internet on the subject.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/02/link-between-autism-and-vaccinations.aspx

http://www.activistpost.com/2013/09/22-medical-studies-that-show-vaccines.html

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,

Joseph Herrin

P.S. Thanks for the stamps. There is an excellent book on the history of paganism and how it infiltrated Rome (and by extension the Orthodox Church). The book is called The Two Babylons. I will send you a copy if you are able to receive books in the hole.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws    

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com    

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063