The Two Most Damaging Doctrines of the LHMM

There are two damaging doctrines of the LHMM that have had the worst effect on its believers. These are the doctrines of:

(1) Pastor Russell being "that servant" mentioned in Matt. 24:46 and chosen as the Parousia Messenger.

(2) Paul S. L. Johnson being God's chosen "Epiphany Messenger"

These doctrines cause the following issues:

* Final authority on Biblical interpretation comes from what these men (Russell and Johnson) said or wrote...and not a plain reading of the text or even a "we don't know" response. This stops thinking and attempts to read or understand the Bible via reading of the text and studying on your own.

* It sets the stage for spiritual abuse.   With this added "authority" of being God's special messenger, anyone who disagrees can be labeled a sifter and excommunicated or whatever. It provides undue spiritual power to the leader in question. There are many examples of this abuse taking place right in Johnson's own writings. It continues today with the present leader. There is nothing new under the sun. It would, however, be good to recognize this as a pattern that is destructive to people.

Johnson died in 1950.  So where are the subsequent messengers? How do you know who to follow? Who are his rightful successors? Is God dealing with the LHMM anymore? It's become quite difficult to pull out scriptures that show authority at this time. The forces people to make their own decisions. Some choose "the channel" of the LHMM and other have not. It's just a more difficult question for them to answer at this time.

If the pastor of my church said that it was "his way or the highway" because his interpretation of Scripture was the only correct one on every minor detail then I would find another church. No church is perfect...but doctrines are not that simple. You need to be willing to discuss and defend certain doctrines...not die for every one.

Blinders and Truth

If you're presently associated with the LHMM, will you read this blog and answer the questions raised here for yourself? Hopefully, so...but more than often I will guess...not. If you do, you are unusual for the group.

Blinders are used on a horse to limit the vision of the animal so they stay on track and don't see what is behind or along side of them. It reduces fear in the animal. Blinders have good effects in getting a horse to do work.

Most people within the LHMM live with the mindset of blinders. They have a limited vision and experience that they will allow into their life. The attitude I've experienced often is "My mind is made up so please don't confuse me with the facts." There is a great fear of outside literature. Blinders are enforced through phrases and thoughts that are engrained in them by the organization and those in it.

Some examples:
"Did you know ____ is a sifter? They've lost their standing before the Lord."
Labeling a person as a sifter is arbitrary and usually based on the fact that the person wrote a letter or addressed the brethren in the group in an "unauthorized" fashion. At that time they are shunned, put out, or essentially ex-communicated. All "truth" needs to be OK'd from headquarters. This prevents people from thinking on their own.

"There could be error in that book."
Actually, there are verified errors in the "truth" books...though they get overlooked. The worldview of the LHMM allows for this by admitting that the authors were not perfect. Unfortunately, they could not possibly correct the errors of publish a list of them. They have no perceived authority to do that.

"That's a tainted translation of the Bible."
No translation of the Bible is perfect. Modern translations are much more accurate than those in the past. There is nothing sacred about the King James Version.

"___ isn't in the truth."
I actually had someone introduce a friend to me in this manner: "This is Mary. She's not in the truth." What? I'm sure that made her feel good that she must be "in the error". Inclusion in the group is very important in the LHMM. The thing that separates you is a profession of belief in the writings of Russell and Johnson.

These blinders were created by statements that Russell and Johnson made that close off the possibility of outside information being truthful or reliable. For example, "You cannot understand the Bible without the help of the Studies in the Scriptures. Without the aid of the studies books you will go into spiritual darkness within a few months."

One difference between a horse and blinders and the average LHMM follower is that a horse is driven by a trustworthy driver. The LHMM is not. Actually, those in the LHMM are driven primarily by two people: Charles T Russell and Paul S.L. Johnson who have been dead for many years. Their writings are the test of authority.

Bible interpretation by the LHMM might begin by reading the scripture. It is not followed by thought, contemplation, and prayer. The next step is to find out what Russell and Johnson had to say about the verse in question.

It is a completely circular argument that goes something like this: How do we know this is the correct interpretation? Russell and Johnson said so. How do we know we can trust Russell or Johnson? They were God's servants to dispense the truth. "Look at what they wrote." They will say "It's obvious." Not so much.

Their worldview is based on circular logic and the assumed authority of Russell and Johnson. Here's an specific example of the logic and a possible conversation:
Has Christ returned? Yes. He returned invisibly in 1874.
How do you know? Various scriptures and the signs of the times indicates that he has. (If they are well studied they might point to a verse.)
Why do you believe that the interpretation of that verse would lead you to the conclusion that Christ has returned invisibly? Pastor Russell and Johnson wrote about it.
Why do you trust Russell? He was "That Servant".
Why do you trust Johnson? He was "the Epiphany Messenger".
Why? Because they wrote about it being true.

The question "Why?" is very important in getting at the REAL reasons for belief.

Responding to Recent Comments

Dear friends from India. Your thoughts are interesting examples of how Paul Johnson has brainwashed people into believing he was God's special messenger. You offer no proof for your proposition. In no ways can it be proved that Johnson was God's special prophet except from his own writings. Where is there one instance of something that has come true that was predicted in advance by Johnson? The Bible itself is full of fulfilled prophecy and is internally consistent.

In a previous post, we list factual details of the many things that Johnson predicted in his writings, that did not come true. If what Johnson wrote is to be considered prophecy, then it is FAILED prophecy. If this is the work of God and His wisdom, it is not a God that would be reliable to follow.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." (Matthew 7:15-23)

If we look at the "fruit" of Johnson's work, in many cases we see a trail of hurting people. Many of these people eventually left the group and then are no longer seen by those still in it. Some stayed and struggled through the abuse. Nonetheless, that is the fruit. There are very few stories of truly positively changed lives by the accumumlated knowledge that Johnson "revealed". How could it? A majority of the information is historical and about him. A majority of the people that I know who have left the LHMM, have gone on to lead healthier and more fulfilled lives and never realized the bondage they were under while participating in the LHMM. They have found a true freedom in Christ.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them –- bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up." (2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV).

One Scripture you quote here as proof that the Epiphany works were inspired by God: "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Pet 1:21
I believe this Scripture refers to true prophecy as evidenced in the Bible itself...not the Epiphany or Parousia volumes written by Johnson or Russell.

Then you say that if Pastor Johnson was wrong, King Solomon was also wrong (Proverbs 8:22-31). I'm not following the logic. In this passage Solomon (the writer of Proverbs) is not talking about himself. He is talking about wisdom...and later Paul and John may have alluded to some of these statements to describe Christ's presence at the creation of the world. (Colossians 1:15-17; 2:2, 3; Revelation 3:14)

My heart is not hurt by any of the replies to this blog. I am encouraged to know that there are some that are reading it. I hope that it can help you on your journey in sorting out truth.
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1-3 NIV).

The Man of La Mancha?

When you look closely at Johnson's actions, he was a lot like Don Quixote or the Man of La Mancha. After reading much about knights and chivalry, Don Quixote loses his mind and transforms himself into a knight. Even though it is a delusion, he sets out to fight injustice. In a similar manner, Johnson read about the many great church leaders before him and wanted to be like them. He called them "star members". So he went about creating the story for himself by interpreting the Scriptures to include himself as a major player in types and antitypes. He even admitted to having a mental breakdown (brain fag). He fought diligently those that disagreed with his interpretations and in so doing majored in the minor issues.

Along the way, so much of the truth and beauty of God's Word was distorted and lost. Instead of looking at God's Word as applicable to our daily lives, much of his writings focus on the history of a time period that has no practical value to our lives. During meetings, the focus is often on getting "the right answer" from the book instead of actually reading God's Word and seeing how it applies to us.

LHMMers today look back on Johnson as a hero. Even when many of his errors became evident at his death, his followers want to continue the delusion. An older sister that had actually met Paul S.L. Johnson, once said that "he was a man of tall stature and when he entered the room you could tell that he could be trusted and believed." Bill Clinton was also tall leader with a commanding presence. Do you believe everything that he has said? What about Eliab? He was an impressive Old Testament character who was tall and handsome. When comparing him to his little brother David (the future king of Israel), the prophet Samuel chose him. The Lord said to Samuel, however: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

The facts are that Johnson abused and deceived people. He predicted the future like tarot cards or Nostradamus. He was delusional. He tried to make events work out or when they didn't he made up excuses for them. Johnson lacked good judgment in Britain. The examples are plentiful and many come from his own writings. When reading his writings with the idea that Johnson was God's chosen "Epiphany Messenger", LHMM adherents are able to make excuses and completely miss the truth of who he was.

Helpful Bible Study Information

There are many helpful and relevant Bible study resources available including podcasts, books, etc. Here are some great places to start...

North Point Community Church - Andy Stanley
Fellowship Church - Ed Young
Menlo Park Church - John Ortberg
Woodland Hills Church - Greg Boyd
Willow Creek Classes and Willow Leadership Summit - Bill Hybels
Answers in Genesis - Excellent infomation on various Bible topics and their relation to science
Heartlight - Daily devotional verse and prayer
YouVersion.com - Awesome online Bible including iPhone version
Online Bible or Online-Bible.com - Powerful and inexpensive electronic Bible.
CrossWalk Bible Study - Well-organized access to tools

Sifters

After the death of Pastor Johnson in 1950, Raymond G. Jolly led the movement, but there were quickly disagreements with other members. The people that started these disagreements are known as "sifters" because they were helping to separate the "wheat" (good Christ followers) from the "chaff" (bad Christ followers). [Matt. 3:12] Being labeled as a SIFTER by the LHMM means that you are basically disfellowshipped and that all good followers of Christ should avoid you. Another possible definition for a sifter would be anyone that disagrees with the movement and the teachings published in its journal. Being a sifter means you are on a path to destruction according to the LHMM.

Each splinter group that formed from the LHMM was led by someone that Johnson or the current executive trustee of the LHMM would label as a "sifter". Here are some:

• W.S. Stevens of Atlanta left in 1935 and circulated a letter claiming Johnson was dictatorial.
• S.A. Cater of Vancouver, B.C., departed in 1948 (Johnson implied Cater had gone into second death-everlasting oblivion. [PT 1949 May 1, p.79.])
• Thomas T. Ryde in Los Angeles left soon afterwards
• Cyril Shuttleworth, the British representative, left in 1951
• John Krewson of Fort Myers, Florida formed the Laodicean Home Missionary Movement in Philadelphia through which he published "The Present Truth of the Apocalypsis" journal. Krewson was suspended by R.G. Jolly 1954 Sept. 13 and disfellowshipped 1955 Aug. 21. Disfellowshipping was extended to some of his adherents.
• John Hoefle of Mount Dora, Florida, had left the Watchtower Society to join Johnson in 1928, and was disfellowshipped in 1956. He formed his own group, the Epiphany Bible Students Association. After he died in 1980 his wife continued his work. Hoefle taught that the elect of the church continued longer than the LHMM taught.
• Most recently, there have been others labeled as sifters by the LHMM. One of their websites is the following: Preserving the Parousia and Epiphany Truth - http://theepiphanyselect.blogspot.com Another is The Epiphany Truth Forum

I remember as a child seeing John Hoefle come into the same elevator as me and being extremely fearful since everyone said that he was such a dangerous and evil man. In reality, maybe he had a minor difference of opinion on doctrinal issues that was not to be tolerated within the group. The types of doctrinal issues that cause someone to be considered a sifter by the LHMM are often centered around a simple date in assumed chronology or the authority of the present leadership. If such relatively minor theological issues can drastically change the fellowship of an individual within the group, it does not bid well for those that have even greater theological differences.

So are the writers of this BLOG sifters?
We would say not so. We can not be classified as sifters because we are not trying to draw away followers to our interpretations of the Bible. We do not have a group or organization that we are heading up. We are not following the teachings of Russell or Johnson with modifications as were others that left and started their own organizations.

We are simply stating the truth and freeing people to make an informed choice of who to follow. We beleive the facts speak for themselves. There is no one best church. All churches are imperfect because they are filled with imperfect people. We do believe that some churches are better than others regarding the freedoms and opportunities that they afford. If a church points you to Christ and encourages a personal relationship with Jesus then they may be a candidate.

The Real Issue

The real issue with the LHMM is not so much the doctrinal debate of the truth. In fact, Biblical doctrines are constantly debated today and so there is some ambiguity that is OK. There are some truths worth dying for, some worth defending, and others worth only discussing.

The main issue with the LHMM is following one individual as the final authoritiy and definitive answer to all Bible questions. Followers of the LHMM will state that they are reasoning from the scriptures and proving their faith. In some cases this is true, but many times the interpretations would never be a conclusion that could be drawn from scripture. In this case, the only answer is that the correct interpretation comes from following what Johnson (or the present leader of the LHMM) wrote. This is the danger. At this point, you must then establish the authority of that individual. How is this done? By studying their writings. So it is a completely circular argument.

Imagine that I said today: "I am the final authority for interpreting the Scriptures. I am the mouthpiece of the Lord. You can not interpret the Scriptures for yourself without going against the Lord's arrangements."

How would you know this is true?

"I can help you find some scriptures in the Bible to prove it....and you must believe those interpretations because I am the person that will provide you with the correct interpretation because God has given them to me."

This is exactly the argument on which the LHMM has founded so many of their Epiphany truths and beliefs. It is extremely dangerous as it puts the leader in a position of authority that is not Biblical and ripe for abuse. They are not accountable to anyone. If a present day pastor from some other church claimed this today, my advice (and that of many other Christians) would be to run away as fast as you can...now.

The unfortunate thing is that LHMM followers somehow have been blinded and cannot see this simple truth. Even if there are many beautiful and correct Biblical interpretations within the group, this one corrupt view cancels them out.