Irony in the comments
A recent comment on another post here on EC posed the question to me personally, "Why do you feel it necessary to be so critical and bitter toward another Christian group?" The commenter felt defensive because this site intensely questions the foundation of the Oneness faith he holds close. The great irony of the commenter's post was his own intense criticism of the church I attend (of which he knows nothing), followed by the question above. Clearly, self-awareness was slightly lacking in the passion this site stirred up within him.
While saving the discussion of whether UPCI - like most fundamentalist groups - can tolerate criticism for a later date, I wanted to explore the concept of criticism and bitterness within UPCI toward other "denominal" doctrines and organizations, and believe me, it is rife. It is a well-known fact that UPCI and similar Oneness Apostolic organizations do not believe that other Christians are saved. Salvation = speaking in tongues + baptism specificially in the name of Jesus + obeying the dress (and even then, you only might be saved). The end result of this is that other Christians are ripe for proselytizing because they (and I) are unsaved. Pastors often feel the need to differentiate themselves from other churches, and criticism often occurs from the pulpit. This is an obsession for many, many pastors. For example, Anthony Mangun of The Pentecostals in Alexandria, LA recently accused Trinitarians of believing in three gods in a sermon available on his church's website. Similar anecdotal evidence abounds - just ask any ex-Pentecostal.
Another language. Must be the tongues
The vocabulary Oneness organizations use to describe other Christians is often derogatory as well. Consider these terms:
- "Trinitarian" - someone who, according to UPC adherents, believes in three gods. Trinitarian is not a word in the vocabulary of mainstream Christianity.
- "Denominal" - a pseudo-Christian who does not acknowledge Oneness
- "Worldly woman" - a pseudo-Christian female who does not abide by the dress code
- "Theologian" - an insult to anyone labeled this. There are no theologians in Oneness for obvious reasons
- "Cold, dead, dry" - synonyms for a "denominal" worship service. My favorite phrase, "The only sound in those churches is the sound of ivy growing on the walls"
Euphamisms abound, but the crux of this post are songs sung in Oneness services. Both of the songs below are in common use in UPC and belie both the bias toward "pseudo-Christians" and the intense urge UPC feels to defend itself from criticism. UPC in this regard has an enormous chip on its shoulder and a debilitating inferiority complex.
Not exactly affirming...
Let Me Tell You Who Jesus Is - this song was popular 10-15 years ago and sung in virtually every UPC church. It remains one of the rousing tunes of the faith.
Lyrics of interest:
Chorus:
Let me tell you who Jesus is,
He's the Rock of all Ages,
He's the Alpha and the Omega,
He's the Heavenly Father,
The beginning and the end,
Much more than this my friend,
He's the Son of Man,
He's coming back again
Verse 2:
Well many people today love Jesus,
But they don't know who He is,
They put him second place in the Godhead,
They've got some strange ideas.
If Jesus Christ created everything,
Has all power my God can give,
If Jesus Christ is Lord of All,
How can He be number two?
Bridge:
I know Jesus is the Father,
I know Jesus is the Son,
I know Jesus is the Holy Ghost,
And all these three are one
This song is remarkably unnuanced and needs little explanation. The implications are obvious - Trinitarians have "some strange ideas" and, despite their love for him, have no clue who Jesus really is. The bridge is forthright: Jesus is his own Father.
And another song
I am a Pentecostal
Lyrics of interest, particularly Verse 2:
Verse 1
We've been known to get wild, let our hair hang down,
Drink till we get merry, rolling on the ground,
We've cranked up the music, and we've danced all around,
Shouting hallelujah as his glory came down,
It's just our style, the way we do our thing,
We're the Pentecostals baptized in Jesus' name
Chorus
I'm a Pentecostal, I am not ashamed,
Just read the book of Acts, We are still the same,
We worship only one God, Jesus is his name,
We are Apostolic in every way
Verse 2
Some think we're crazy, others think we're strange,
But when I got this Holy Ghost I could not contain,
More exciting than a party, higher than a drug,
It's the greatest feeling being washed in his blood,
If you're tired of traditions, religion's done you wrong,
You're feeling dry and empty, no longer have a song,
The story is not over, things for you can change,
You can feel the fire burning as the Spirit fans the flame,
There's millions who have come and millions on the way,
They're leaving their dead churches for this Pentecostal faith,
There's a hunger in the world that gets bigger everyday,
They're crying out for Pentecost, that is why I say...
This song hit UPC after my departure and, frankly, verse 1 paints the denomination in a rather bad light. This video is of the choir from the California church formerly pastored by the current UPCI General Superintendent, Kenneth Haney. It is the largest UPC church in the U.S. (attendance is around 3,000 to my knowledge) and is arguably the most influential. The chorus leaves no doubt that Trinitarians worship more than one God and do not believe the book of Acts. Verse 2 is forthright in its assessment of "traditions, religion's done you wrong," and the blatant use of the word "dead" to describe other churches.
My point? (and I do have one)
Can you imagine a Presbyterian choir song attacking Lutherans? Or a Baptist one attacking Methodists? It is one thing to affirm one's faith through songs of worship; it is entirely different to use songs in church to attack, belittle, and condemn.
UPC goes beyond the realm of healthy Christian behavior, both in their proselytizing attempts and in their obsessive, forthright condemnation of other churches. This, of course, means little to them since they believe their own particular strand of theology is completely right and all else so wrong, it is doomed to hell. However, UPCI's constant defense of what they believe, continual rehash of the Oneness doctrine, and perpetual emphasis on how they are absolutely right should give every adherent cause for concern. Overstating something to that degree reveals doubt and a significant level of fear. It reeks of a group delusion that, unless constantly and obsessively affirmed by all participants, will crash to the ground. Warning sign #224.
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Additional Resources
- OnenessPentecostal.net
- Christ My Only Hope (also ex-Oneness Pentecostal)
- In Christ Alone! Podcasts
- A former UPC pastor's blog
- Acts 18 Ministries
- Pentecostal Freedom
- Recovering Pentecostal
- SpiritualAbuse.org
- Why I Left (UPC)
- Association of Former Pentecostals
- In Christ Alone Ministries
- The Harbor Blog
- Let Us Reason Ministries
- Discernment Ministries
- "Pulpit Pimps" takes on PAW, COGIC, and others
- Wittenburg Door webzine
- UPC on Wikipedia
- Official site of WPF
- Official site of UPCI
Articles
- church governance (1)
- holiness (5)
- My Story (3)
- salvation (6)
- the trinity (8)
- tongues (1)
- worldwide pentecostal fellowship (2)
- worship (6)
About me
"Experto Crede" is Latin for "Trust me". EC was first conceived in 2004 as a result of the passion and pain I experienced when attempting to separate from the United Pentecostal Church, International and the Oneness Movement. I cannot affirm "Jesus-only" theology as biblically accurate or indicative of a Christian lifestyle. I feel compelled to be a resource for Apostolics who doubt their faith amidst the many unanswered questions that surround UPCI and similar Oneness movements. That said, I believe in the One, true God knowable to us in three distinct personalities: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. - Gerard
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6 comments:
That "Im a Pentecostal" song from CLC is to the tune of Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman"! LOL! I remember when I was a kid the song everybody went crazy about was "I'm a one God Apostolic, tongue talkin', holy rollin', born again heaven bound believer in the liberating power of Jesus name, Ive been washed in the blood sanctified by the spirit brother I believe in holiness and I suggest you to do the same,....." I just can't just see Jesus singing any of these songs. I was raised in a quote unquote "moderate" UPC church. My dad has been a deacon for 30 years and my parents wear shorts, mom cuts her hair, wears makeup, pants, jewelry, have a tv, (even their pastor has a TV and cable) Wouldn't some of you ultra-cons reading this like to know what church this is! Hint: Somewhere in southern Illinois and the pastor is from one of the most prominant leneage of oneness preachers. He's a pretty cool cat for a UPC guy. God led me away from this movement in my 20's and I have never looked back. Now I am in love with Jesus instead of "the truth". Phil
Good Grief!! I remember that song.
I grew up STRICT UPCI. No pants, no tv, no haircutting, no make-up etc.. Too much dogma for my taste. Grandfather was the pastor, dad was the assistant pastor. Guess I am the rebel. I could never make sense of all the rules and theology. Misery love company, ha ha nice to know I'm not the only person who has struggled with "issues" the past 25 years.
Man I love those song's! And no I'm not UPC. I actually left the UPC but the truth that the UPC upholds is real and very biblical. I realise this comment will most likely be critical sense you have a bias against all things UPC or "Apostolic" for that matter but hey, what do I have to lose? It is ironic that you are critical of the UPC for them being "critical" of other churches?
The UPC and other "oneness" organizations ( I don't belong to an org) are critical of several things that are "denominal". For starters the word denomination. A mathematical word for division. A church that is a denomination is a church that broke off the catholic church. The UPC and even ana baptists are NOT denominations. Mix that in with the luke warm dead worship of most denominational churches and you have a healthy dose of a crippling spiritual issue. By worship I don't mean doing the jig around the altar to a great tune like "I'm a Pentecostal". I mean a life style of worship. I am a conservative oneness believer but I give people their due. Jesus loves us all and when I discuss my faith with someone from a different faith I am awe struck by their filthy jokes, ignorance of the basics of the Bible, and a host of other things. Needless to say I don't give them a bible beatdown. I try to encourage them to grow in their relationship with the one God of heaven.
The Apostolic/Pentecostal people are not as judgemental as all that. You don't have to stop cutting your hair, or wearing pants. The reason why us Apostolic women don't wear pants is simply because we CHOOSE not to. We believe pants are considered to be men's garments and the Bible says not to wear clothes pertaining to a member of the opposite sex. We don't cut our hair because the Bible says it is our glory and through it we have power with the angels. We worship God openly because it says to in the Bible in psalms. All of our beliefs come straight from the Holy Word. The Bible is God's word. Everything we do we do is because the Bible instructs us to. I can give you scripture for all of it. Everything. I have been raised in this doctrine all my life, and let me say I wouldn't trade a day of it. When you truly love God it's not hard to keep the standards. And we keep the standards because God has convicted us over them. The Bible says to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And if you are convicted over something and don't submit to God's conviction. James 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
There is no such thing as a "moderate" Apostolic/pentecostal home, it either is or it isn't. That's that. There is no Gray, just Black and White, Good and Evil. If anyone professing to be of our faith has tried to force standards onto any of you, the please accept my apology. That was not the way to handle the situation. But please talk to a true Apostolic and you will see that we are not crazy, strict, dictators that want to spoil every one's fun, we are just a group of people trying to do all that we can for the one who died for us, and feel that nothing short of a deep relationship with God will do.
And let me assure you that God is not the one who lead you away from our movement. It was the devil.I pray that God will open your eyes to the TRUTH. The truth comes from the Bible and we study the Bible to find God. We didn't make these rules, God did. And they all abide in his Holy Word.
It's a catchy song. God loves it when we sing praises to Him. I prefer songs that actually do praise Him and what He's done, but that one's cute too. What I wanted to share...as a kid, my family was pentecostal and we knew (and still know) the wonderful blessings of God's truth; He is a wonderful Savior. But, at school and everywhere else, I felt like an oddball. I didn't fit in. How could I witness if people thought I was weird. I stuck to myself. It was hard as a young girl. The other standard was, my brother fit right in and had a great time in school with friends because he didn't have to wear anything different. So, I don't recommend that to any teenager. Holiness is in a person's heart. You can dress holy in jeans and you can cut your hair to feel and look more beautiful. Thank You God for this wonderful life and forever in paradise someday!
By posting this 'experto creed' aren't you partaking in the very same thing that you are complaining about?
Perhaps we can read all through Proverbs how a wise person loves rebuke and hears correction. What about when Paul says all scripture is good for reproof and correction for the edification and building up of the saints. I try not get offended at what the Bible says and always ask the Lord to humble me, search my heart and open it to receive His word of correction.
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