Lucius, You may find this interesting. Starting where I left off, with a few changes. On the plus side: - This is my home. Comfortable. Stable. - This is my family. - I live with like-minded believers. - There are those here who will help if I become infirmed or unable to do for myself. - I’m a grandfather figure to the children here, which I love. - This is where I am being fed – gifted teaching. - Life here is difficult, challenging, life giving. On the minus side: - This is a cult. - Michael is a dictator, a cult leader. - My presence supports him. - My presence supports a cult. The important issues and conclusions are: - I must do what glorifies God. All other concerns about where I’ll go, what to do, etc. are meaningless, needless and unnecessary. - I must enjoy Him forever. - I must surrender to Him, enjoy His will, and be obedient. - The world situation is in God’s control (hands) and not my primary concern. - Our Lord’s will be done. Questions - Does my presence here glorify God? - Is God calling me to leave? Is it God’s will that I leave? - Is God calling me to stay? Is it God’s will that I stay? - What does God want? Further Notes and Thoughts Mr. Bunker’s knowledge, intelligence, and teaching gift would be of much value to the body of Christ if he harnessed himself as well as submitted himself, to a true body of believers. However he will never submit himself to the true body of Christ in this manner because he does not trust in the body. He trusts only in himself. However, he claims to trust in the Lord and teaches that those that do not trust display a lack of faith and belief in God. The gifted, intelligent and powerful John Owen entire life was marked by his remarkable submission and humility. Is Mr. Bunker of God or a very clever counterfeit? My weakness is that he is constantly ministering to me and I question my conclusions after one of his teachings. I’ve been researching what makes up a cult and discovered an analytical tool on the internet. The characteristics that are associated with cultic groups are listed below with my comments following each characteristic. Makes for very thoughtful reading. The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law. · Commitment to Mr. Bunker is required. Questioning is taken many times as an affront and a challenge to his authority and knowledge. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished. · Disagreement is not only discouraged, but subtly intimidated, ridiculed and criticized. Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s). · We are told when required where we fall short; especially where the leadership believes they see pride, lack of humility, where they see no fruit, etc. No encouragement is ever given but criticism is freely given. ® The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth). · Ordnung issues like dress are written down, controlled and handled directly; they are agreed to when joining the group, however they can change over time. Other issues are done with subtleness; usually under the guise of being told we are a separated Christians and you are not fitting the mold or by saying “I sure wouldn’t do that…” the implication being that your action is wrong and you are wrong as a result and the victim of wrong thinking and they wonder that you can live with such a contradiction of thoughts and ideas. The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). · Yes, we’re special and our leader is on a special mission of evangelism; hence all the internet toys and participation. The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. · More like thinking that there are lots of poor people out there that are lost; but not like us, we’ve been saved, we have and know the truth, we’re special…not like “them”. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations). · He says that he’s accountable to Mr. Sifford, but in action he is accountable to God, but not to any man. The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. · The internet, facebook, twitter, the movie on off-off grid, the Last Pilgrim’s book, etc. Yes the end justifies the means. The end is the limelight for Mr. Bunker. ® The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. · Guilt and shame are emotional motivators the leadership often uses in an attempt to facilitate change they deem needed in individuals. Although this is changing as more and more the leadership sees that only God can change a person. They say that their job is to judge doctrine and fruit to see if one is elect or not. ® Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group. · We are told that our community are now our family and friends; our other family is “out there”, not part of our group, to be dealt with caution, part of our history and part of what we are separating from. And by no means are we to support them financially for we would be supporting a someone who is working against God. The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members. · No, we are not. The group is preoccupied with making money. · Money is a real issue with Mr. Bunker and with Mr. Sifford. So much so that they have been justifiably accused by those that have left and by outside observers of running a land scam. Getting people to move here, buy land, give them money, tell them to leave because they violated the ordnung or crossed swords with or insulted or confronted Mr. Bunker, or something, with no promise of ever receiving any remuneration; e.g., nothing and no hope of ever getting anything. It is apparent that the worth of a man is measured in how much will gained from that individual, either in work or in monetary donations. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities. · Meetings are Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday almost all day. Then other times during the week. We are encouraged to be social and sociable as the Bible commands. Is this inordinate? Sometimes Yes and sometimes No. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members. · Yes. The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group. · The main reprisals are slander, innuendo, pointed nameless attacks, accusations, … Mr. Bunker portrays a woe is me, I’m such a good Christian – I get attacked, stolen from, led about and I just take it quietly as a good Christian should. Does this sound like our community? Have I been honest? O Lord! What am I to do...? or What should I do…? There is more to come. William
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 17:10:19 +0000
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