Here is one of the pieces I sent along with my letter to Garrett. To understand what is referred to by "relative truths" etc., that is explained in its companion piece, "What Is Truth". I'll post it too, although I hope those who have seen it before will forgive me for posting it again.
LoneWolf
The Natural Life Cycle of a Religion
"But let God be found true, though every man be found a liar. . ." (Romans 3:4)
A Natural Progression
There appears to be a natural progression that a religion passes through on the way from its infancy to the time that it becomes 'established'. One can see some evidence of this from the history of the Christian movement in the days of the apostles. Numerous times the scriptures record their warnings about how false teachings and false shepherds would enter the faith after " . . . he who is right now acting as a restraint gets to be out of the way". (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)
Sometimes this occurs in an overt manner, with a man proclaiming himself as a holy man and then teaching that which he wishes. Remember Jim Jones of Guyana fame or Koresh down in San Antonio? (Matt. 24:23-26)
Other times it happens in a much more subtle way, and involves the entire religion. Here's how:
Those who establish a new faith are usually visionaries who work hard and suffer for their introduction of something new. Human nature resists change, and their work is controversial. But they are human beings, and they too will grow old and pass away. Now what?
The ones who take over are the functionaries, the ones who have gained their positions by their long and faithful obedience. Even if this advancement to power doesn't go to their head, as oft time happens, they rarely have the vision and insight of those who established it in the first place.
They know this themselves, and the responsibility that has been thrust upon them frightens them. Therefore, instead of continually reaching out for more knowledge, they hesitantly limit their role to the preservation of what was handed down to them. The "relative truths" get codified into creeds and doctrines that become unchangeable, set in concrete, and thus become "relative truths believed absolutely". This effectively stymies any additional growth.
This invariably leads to trouble. Time passes and new circumstances arise. Sooner or later some portion of their "relative truth believed absolutely" becomes suspect, if not disproved outright. An example: look how long it took the Catholic Church to admit that Galileo was correct in his discovery about the earth orbiting the sun rather than the other way around.
Those who have been inculcated to think that they should believe for the simple reason that "holy" men have told them they should, find that they have built their faith on sand, rather than the rock-mass. (Matthew 7:24-27) Why? Because when one piece of their faith has been proved wrong, it calls into question everything else they have been taught.
Crux Ansata by H. G. Wells
Rather than try to describe the next developments, let us quote H. G. Wells' book Crux Ansata --- An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. (Please be assured that we are not picking on the Catholics here, for the principles he speaks of applies equally to most organized religions and, for that matter, most bureaucracies of any kind.)
" . . . In the jangle of these incompatibles the Church, trying desperately to get on with its unifying task, became dogmatic and resorted to arbitrary authority.
"Its priests and bishops were more and more men moulded to creeds and dogmas and set procedures; by the time they became popes they were usually oldish men, habituated to a politic struggle for immediate ends and no longer capable of worldwide views. They had forgotten about the Fatherhood of God; they wanted to see the power of the Church, which was their own power, dominating men's lives. It was just because many of them probably doubted secretly of the entire soundness of their vast and elaborate doctrinal fabric that they would brook no discussion of it. They were intolerant of doubts and questions, not because they were sure of their faith, but because they were not. The unsatisfied hunger of intelligent men for essential truth seemed to promise nothing but perpetual divergence.
"As the solidarity and dogmatism of the Church hardened, it sloughed off and persecuted heretical bodies and individuals with increasing energy. . . ." (Pages 12 and 13)
He goes on: "The intolerance of the narrowing and concentrating Church was not confined to religious matters. The shrewd, pompous, irascible, disillusioned and rather malignant old men who manifestly constituted the prevailing majority in the councils of the Church, resented any knowledge but their own knowledge, and distrusted any thought that they did not correct and control. Any mental activity but their own struck them as being at least insolent if not positively wicked. Later on they were to have a great struggle upon the question of the earth's position in space, and whether it moved round the sun or not. This was really not the business of the Church at all. She might very well have left to reason the things that are reason's, but she seems to have been impelled by an inner necessity to estrange the intellectual conscience in men.
"Had this intolerance sprung from a real intensity of conviction it would have been bad enough but it was accompanied by an undisguised contempt for the mental dignity of the common man that makes it far less acceptable to our modern ideas. . . ." (Pages 17 and 18.)
The "feeding of the sheep" in circumstances like these usually takes a back seat to their own pride and positions. The maintaining of those is paramount. Shortcuts are taken. Rather than taking the time and effort to be "ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so with a mild temper and deep respect" (1 Peter 3:15), they concoct a generic soup of "truth" consisting mainly of generalities and platitudes, then dish it out like so much slop to the hogs.
They further simplify the job by proclaiming themselves holy, adopting grand airs and dress, and demanding that people believe what they tell them to believe on that basis. It is the religious equivalent of saying, "Because I'm the mother, that's why."
The Bible Warns Us of a Corrupted Clergy
When men become convinced of their own glory and power and sanctity, there are no bounds to which their egos can take them. This includes the elevating of their own opinions to the status of being equal to, or above the authority of scripture. It is reputed that at one time Jim Jones slammed the Bible onto the podium and screamed at the congregation: "You are paying too much attention to this and not enough attention to me!"
When an organization's leaders reach this point, all kinds of unhealthy influences can be brought into a faith. Remember how Jesus said at one time, " . . . Why is it you also overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?" (Matthew 15:1-9) Later, the Apostle Paul added this warning: "Look out: perhaps there may be someone who will carry you off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
There are many men who will gladly promote their own selfish agendas by masquerading them as being God's will. Remember how Jim Baaker seduced that young girl by implying that it was God's will that she "strengthen him" by submitting to his amorous advances? Circumstances like these are all too common and are the reason why Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-23:
"Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to you in sheep's covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.
"Not everyone saying to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?' And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Please note that these warnings are directed to the common people, people like you and me. We do not need to ask the permission of some august religious leader in order to think and examine critically what they have to say. What is more, when we do find something that is questionable; we should not allow them to intimidate us into going along with it anyway. (See Deuteronomy 18:22)
How a Faith Can Be Corrupted
Three of the prime routes through which falsehood becomes part of a religion's dogma are as follows:
1. Codifying --- Life is full of problems. Few people, though, have the courage to face them head on, to research and reason in order to find an answer, and then take responsibility for that answer. It is far easier to go to someone else and ask for his or her advice. As a bare minimum, it gives them the comfort of knowing that they can "pass the buck" if things go wrong.
In their role as spiritual shepherds, religious leaders face this constantly, as it is a legitimate part of their duties. However, instead of teaching their parishioners how to think and reason on a matter and then have the courage to come to and take responsibility for a decision, many encourage them to "sit back, relax, and leave the driving to us." It is much easier to simply tell them what to do, rather than to bother with the why's of the matter.
But the religious leaders are also human beings with the same weaknesses and fears. They too like to cover their butts by passing the buck to someone else. Therefore, when a situation is handled in a certain manner, many will refer to and follow the precedent. Repeated many times, this soon leads to the formation of an entire body of "one size fits all" generic law that leaves little room for extenuating circumstances, independent thought, or advancements in knowledge.
This is dangerous in two ways.
a. It's dangerous to the laity --- If you wish to strengthen a muscle, you must use it. The principle is the same when dealing with right and wrong. The ability to distinguish between the two must be exercised or else it is lost. Lack of such training leads to an amoral society. It also leads to a much more critical situation, the violation of the very purpose for which Christianity exists. (That is taken up in another portion of this site.)
b. It's dangerous to the clergy --- It concentrates the "authority to think" to only a few individuals. Should they misuse it, whether inadvertently or deliberately, it is very difficult to get matters straightened out.
Satan would love such a situation, as he would need to subvert only a few individuals in order to turn an entire faith off course.
2. The desire to be accepted and respected --- No one in their right mind enjoys persecution and contempt from others. It is far nicer to bask in their adulation. Yet --- who among us truly appreciate being told the truth?
Jesus, the apostles, and nearly all of the ancient prophets were highly controversial figures, hated, chased from place to place, and even killed at times. Why? Because they spoke the plain, unvarnished truth when what their listeners really wanted was for someone to tickle their ears. The clergy of the time demanded every jot and tittle of the respect and deference they felt they deserved (and still do), and the common people wanted to be told they were holy. That way they could lord it over the next faith.
It is a frightening thing to be given the commission to speak an unpopular truth to a people who don't want to hear it. Few men have such courage and integrity. Jonah didn't. (Jonah 1:1-3) Consequently, many if not most will sugar coat it, dilute it, or simply give up and tell people what they want to hear. Once this process starts, how do you stop it? The consequences of this practice, when multiplied over time and codified into doctrine can be devastating to the integrity of a faith.
3. Expansion --- Most religions, feeling that they have the truth and that they are God's representatives here upon the earth, try to proselytize and spread their faith worldwide. That is indeed what the Bible recommends. However, it takes a lot of work and teaching ability to do that job correctly. People do not change easily. As a result, shortcuts have been taken that, many times nullifies the very purpose for which it is done.
For example, in what way does the conversion of an entire people or nation at the point of the sword demonstrate or live up to the spirit of peace and love that Jesus Christ taught? Review his Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5:1-12 and ask yourself if the methods used by Christendom over the centuries to convert the "heathen" reflected those values. Look over the history of the crusades. Does your heart tell you that they were a credit to God, or a disgrace?
There was another shortcut taken here too. Many times the clergy, feeling that they were holy themselves, felt that it was sufficient merely to bring these "converts" under the church's (their own) control for them to be "saved". As a result, insufficient attention was paid to their actual heart conversion. The name "Christian" was plastered on them, many of their pagan customs were revamped and renamed in order to "Christianize" them and the clergy figured their job was complete. It has been a monumental case of appearances being more important than substance.
Thanks to the accumulative effects of these factors down over the last two milleniums, if it were not for the fact that they claim to be following him, Jesus would be hard pressed to recognize any relationship at all between what they teach and what he taught originally.
Some Wise Advice
It is our thought that in view of the critical times we live in (2 Timothy 3:1-5), it may behoove us to take seriously the advice we were given in 1 John 4:1. It reads: "Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world."