The Journal: News of the Churches of God

Catholicism uses a familiar mental filter

The writer is a church pastor and a regular columnist for The Journal.

By Dave Havir

BIG SANDY, Texas--We take it for granted that the earth revolves around the sun. It is interesting to observe how difficult it was for society to accept this perspective.

As you review the historical record, remember that the Roman Catholic Church views itself as God's government on earth. Notice how that church interfered with the acceptance of truth.

Power of the church

It is reported that the Greek astronomer Aristarchus, who lived in the 200s B.C., was the first to conclude that the earth revolves around the sun. But his theory was rejected.

Later, about A.D. 150, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy said the earth stood at the center of the universe and the heavenly bodies moved around the earth. Ptolemy's theory was the prevalent perspective for more than 1,400 years.

In 1543 Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, introduced the theory that the earth is a moving planet. Religious leaders called Copernicus a fool for saying the earth was just another planet, and they forbade the reading of his writings until 1757.

By the 1600s such astronomers as Galileo in Italy and Johannes Kepler of Germany began to develop the physics that would prove Copernicus's theory correct.

In 1613 Galileo wrote a letter in which he attempted to demonstrate that the Copernican theory was consistent with Catholic doctrine. In early 1616 Galileo was summoned to Rome. He was cleared of charges of heresy when he agreed not to defend the Copernican theory as absolute truth.

In 1632 Galileo published his writings showing the Copernican theory to be superior to the Ptolemaic theory. Again, Galileo was summoned to Rome.

In 1633 the Inquisition found Galileo guilty of willfully disobeying its previous orders. The church forced him to publicly withdraw his teachings and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Because of Galileo's advanced age and poor health, the church allowed him to serve his imprisonment while under house arrest.

In 1979 (almost 350 years after Galileo's condemnation), Pope John Paul II declared that the Roman Catholic Church may have been mistaken in condemning him.

(Here's a word to the wise: If any church claiming to be God's government on earth has mistreated you, don't hold your breath waiting for an apology.)

Interpretations and edicts

Someone may ask: Do you really believe that the Churches of God that claim to be God's government on earth are making the same mistake as the Roman Catholic Church?

My reply would include the following:

Absolutely! The mental filter of God's government on earth is a major obstacle for both.
The Catholics have been doing it much longer. The Roman Catholic Church has viewed itself as God's government on earth since the 300s. The various branches among the Churches of God have viewed themselves as God's government on earth only since the 1950s.
In both groups (Roman Catholicism and the Churches of God) people actually place binding significance upon the interpretations of their leaders. In both groups people place edicts of leaders ahead of Scripture.
Each of the two groups can recognize the problem with the other, but its members' mental filter will not allow them to see the problem in themselves.

Blow the dust off

Someone may ask: How was this mental filter established among the Churches of God?

As I reviewed the last 50 years of history among the Churches of God, I saw a contrasting approach before and after people's baptism.

Before baptism people were encouraged to analyze, evaluate and question their previous church affiliation to leave and join the Churches of God.

Before baptism people heard leaders among the Churches of God mention statements such as:

"Blow the dust off your Bible, and prove these things for yourself."
"Why do people in churches believe what they do? They believe what their churches teach them instead of believing what their Bibles teach."

After baptism people were discouraged from analyzing, evaluating and questioning.

Why was there a difference? Church leaders taught that it was a sin to question God's government on earth.

After baptism people heard leaders among the Churches of God mention statements such as:

"We are God's government on earth. If you do not submit to us, you do not submit to God."
"We are God's chosen servants on earth. If you do not follow our commands, you rebel against God."
"The church has the authority to bind and loose. If the church makes a decision, that decision becomes bound in heaven. You must follow it."

Filter of the mind

When people believe that God has spoken through His government on earth, they study the Bible through a narrow lens. With that perspective, people are predisposed to study the Bible with the intent to prove what God has supposedly revealed to church leaders.

When people believe that God binds decisions (even wrong decisions) of church government, they have little incentive to exercise their personal responsibility. Loyalty to church government is viewed as more important than personal conviction and personal faith.

Let me give you some specific examples about how the concept of God's government on earth works as a mental filter.

Example No. 1: In the past, branches of the Churches of God have at various times mandated that the use of makeup is a sin.

Because of the filter of God's government on earth, many followers simply parroted whatever interpretation of Scripture the church authority said at the time. When the interpretation flip-flopped through the years, the stance of followers flip-flopped right on cue.

Example No. 2: In the past, representatives of branches of the Churches of God have advised couples to sell their farms, businesses and the like.

Because of the filter of God's government on earth, some followers did not seek the advice of their families before making such a life-changing decision. Although some were personally troubled by such meddling by church authority, they ultimately went against their intuitive judgment.

Example No. 3: In the past, branches of the Churches of God have informed couples that their marriages were unscriptural (according to the church's interpretation) and that spouses must separate to remain members in good standing.

Because of the filter of God's government on earth, some followers did not require church leaders to present a thorough biblical explanation to support their demands. Some followers did not seek the advice of their families before making such a life-changing decision.

Example No. 4: In the present, branches of the Churches of God mandate that their representatives (paid or unpaid) cannot speak at other branches of the Churches of God unless they receive permission from God's government on earth.

Because of the filter of God's government on earth, some followers will not even examine the Bible to see if this approach is Christlike.

Other followers understand the meaning of Mark 9:38-42 and Galatians 2:6, but they do not go against the mandate of God's government on earth because they do not want to be reprimanded. If unpaid representatives go against the policy, they may see their serving opportunities within their own branch diminished or eliminated. If paid employees go against the policy, they may place their livelihoods in jeopardy.

In these four examples and in many other examples, people who ignored the interpretations and edicts of church authority were often labeled as rebels. Because of the filter of God's government on earth, many people treated the labeled individuals cruelly--in the name of religion.

Why blame leaders?

If any of you are still at the stage of blaming perceived church leaders, let me remind you about two facts:

It is true that people will bear responsibility for how they influence other people. (Even Satan faces consequences for how he influences people. See Genesis 3:4-5, 14-15.)
Yet the Bible instructs saints to take personal responsibility for their actions. No matter what people did to you, you can move forward in your life. You have the power of choice and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dealing with anger

For those of you dealing with unresolved anger, let me remind you about how the blame game works.

When a person escapes a controlling situation, it is common for him to express anger. His initial anger is often directed toward those whom he perceives kept him in the controlling situation.

It is common for a person who has been in a controlling situation to finally realize that he kept himself in a controlling situation. Therefore the unresolved anger becomes directed toward himself. After he quits blaming other people, then he must quit blaming himself.

As the person deals constructively with the anger, he moves forward in his life. He may still wince when people touch his wounds, but he starts becoming more productive. The more distance he can put between himself and the controlling situation, the more quickly he can heal.

Submit to the Father

We have much for which to be thankful.

Thank God that you are no longer burdened by the mental filter about God's government on earth. You are spending more time studying the Bible.

And you have the opportunity to submit directly to the Father and the Son.

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