MEMBERS of a Mormon congregation in a Salt Lake City suburb were greeted by someone they thought was a homeless man at church on Sunday.
What they did not know was that the man was a Mormon bishop . At least five people asked David Musselman to leave the church property in Taylorsville, some gave him money and most were indifferent to his presence.
Musselman said he disguised himself to teach his congregation about compassion.
“Many actually went out of their way to purposefully ignore me, and they wouldn’t even make eye contact. I’d approach them and say, ‘Happy Thanksgiving,’ many of them I wouldn’t ask for any food or any kind of money, and their inability to even acknowledge me being there was very surprising,” Bishop Musselman said. “It made me think of the category of people that … the Savior has the most difficult time with. That’s the people that are lukewarm. That really don’t take a stand either way.”
He says he was surprised by the loud gasps of the congregation when he removed his wig and glasses at the pulpit during the service.
Bryan Patterson's Faithworks 
It is very sad to see that we as Christians and Catholics sometimes forget to be more like Jesus. God wants us to treat everybody the same regardless of their status, religion of sexuality (it is up to God to judge us all). It is a good eye opener for us all to always be good everbody.
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Dit is op Blog from Alex Dekkers herblogden reageerde:
Hi all, please read this story on “Bryan Patterson’s Faithworks” blog, because it is a real eye opener for us Christians and Catholics to treat everyone the same way! Thanks for sharing this with us, Bryan! God bless you.
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….um….. I thought catholics WERE christians??
(sometimes anyway) 🙂
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Hi Mon,
Interesting point that. But did you know that for a period of the early Church, one of the theories expressed by the Fathers about the Incarnation, was that
God the Son had actually appeared to the world ‘in human disguise’ as it were. This was with the object of deceiving the Devil into thinking that Jesus was no threat, and by provoking the Crucifixion, he would get Jesus out of the way for all time, with no repercussions.
Double talk or actual lies told to the Devil seemed to be quite legitimate, as it was presumed that the Devil didnt deserve to be told the truth. This was echoed during the persecution of heretics and witches in the Middle Ages, when the Inquisitors felt no compunction in making all sorts of false promises and guarantees to the victims, in order to trick them into confessions.
One wonders about the integrity of certain Popes who promised Crusaders that in going on their Crusades they would be guaranteed automatic forgiveness of sin, no matter what they did in the venture.
Rian
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Thanks Rian,
No I didn’t know that.
“Deceitful means insincere, hypocritical, underhanded, false, dishonest, treacherous, sneaking, double-dealing, tricky, cunning, and crafty. Such a person is altogether untrustworthy. As Jeremiah 17:9 says, our heart is desperately sick or weak, implying it knows better but deceives anyway. Who can fathom its corruption, manifested in the incessant transgression of this commandment?
Human nature is a reflection of the spirit of the prince of the power of the air, whom Jesus identified as the father or generator of lies (John 8:44). Satan had so deceived himself, he thought he could overcome his Creator! Proverbs 11:9 says, “The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” Satan is a destroyer who passes this carnal attribute along to those who will follow him. Unless the hypocrite repents, he destroys himself too. This is also the lesson of Proverbs 26:26-28. God will deliver the just person, however, because he yields to truth.”
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Ninth Commandment (1997)
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Hi Mon, further to my last piece.
After I signed off, it struck me that I seemed to recall that CS Lewis said something about God being in disguise, and the description of Christianity being like a ‘fifth Column’ in warfare against the Devil. So I pulled out my ‘Mere Christianity (Fontana pb copy early edition dated 1955) and tried to find it. All I could find was the following quote, but it seems to say the same thing. In the chapter headed “The Invasion”, towards the end….
“But I freely admit that real Christianity (as distinct from Christianity and water) goes much nearer to Dualism than people think. One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe – a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease and sin. The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think that this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.
Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going.”
A few pages later he asks the question – “Why is God landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil?” etc etc.
Hope this might be of some interest,
Love, Rian.
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It is interesting Rian,
And sounds like the description of a revolutionary resistance fighter to me.
Can Jesus Christ be both God and a revolutionary resistance fighter? I doubt it. Scripture says:
Hebrews 1:1-3; 8-9
Amplified Bible (AMP)
1 In many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,
2 [But] in [the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].
3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,
8 But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness).
9 You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.
Love,
Mon
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yeahbut….
Since ‘human nature’ IS what we’re born with, doesn’t this assertion “Human nature is a reflection of the spirit of the prince of the power –”
….fly in the face of the common claim that we’re actually born with a ‘predisposition to seek god’?
Y’can’t have it both ways.
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Would Jesus have used deception to get His point across? No, I do not like this story.
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Seriously though, when are Christians going to wake up to the fact that Church is not meant to be a club? I’ve lost count of the number of churches, small Pentecostal ones in particular, who do not appreciate uninvited strangers coming to their Sunday service….or maybe it’s because they didn’t like the look of hubby and I?
We searched high and low for a community of Christian believers to belong to for years and honestly, it is disheartening when you arrive on their doorstep with such high expectations and are instantly ignored; not even a greeting at the door, or heads turn around to check out the strangers sitting at the back with expressions of annoyance and suspicion on their faces.
We could not believe it as it so goes against what I believe to be the inclusive message of the Gospel of Christ.
Then you have the mega-churches where you are greeted with a warm welcome at the door but because of the multitudes of worshippers attending church, it seems that you can be anonymous for ever if you wish just as long as you put money in their collection tubs.
And we did make the effort to meet people and we certainly joined in the worship but in truth, we just gave up trying in the end. There’s only so much rejection a person can take.
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Why don’t we just forget ourselves, and become the difference that we so long to see. We should stop complaining that the world is not dedicated to making us happy. The problem really is, we always want something in return from people. Well, the truth is if we do things for people, even with all our might, we’d be surprised, all they could afford to give us in return is a tiny candy. That’s why it is very we’ll said: “Whatever you do, work with it, with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men. I think it is wise to stop putting expectations to people.
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An afterthought.
It hurts, but this I know, that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”. (Rom. 8:28)
I belong the the ‘Church Without Walls’ now, and it is God who put me here. When I was left feeling devastated and crying my eyes out in the dark laneway of the last church that had rejected me all those years ago, the Lord’s words came to me loud and clear, “Go out into the highways and byways, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
To The Highways and Byways! Let’s Go!!!
Luke 14:16-23
“I’ve been thinking about the radical sayings of Jesus. In one of the parables of a great feast, do you remember what the owner of the house says? First he commands the servant to go and invite folks to come. Do you remember how they replied? I’ve bought land, can’t come; I’ve bought oxen, can’t come; I’ve gotten married, can’t come. Excuses, excuses, excuses. The owner was livid! So he sends the servant out to invite the blind, the maimed, the poor, and the lame. After this, do you remember? There was still all kinds of room. So, once again, he sends the servant. This time, these beautiful words are spoken–not for the sake of the parable, but for our sakes: “Go out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Oh, my friends, doesn’t that get you way down deep inside? Yes, many will make excuses. Expect it!!! Yet the Owner of the HEAVEN HOUSE sends us out into the highways and hedges–”COMPEL THEM TO COME IN,” He says. There is much room in the house. Our Jesus doesn’t want us hanging out in the comforts of the church walls, but He sends us out there–out there where they are perishing! Let’s go!!!!!”
Making The Gospel Known Ministry
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It might help if you changed what you wear Mon.
No wimples: dump the jilbab and hobnailed boots, and DEFINITELY stop wearing that violent red jumpsuit with the horns and claws!
Failing that find a Methodist church.
……they’ll take anybody, bless their little souls. 😉
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Dabs,
I didn’t know what a wimple was….and now I do. I must say I’d look very fetching in one of those. 🙂
http://fashionablygeek.com/hats/toilet-seat-wimple/#!oLRlq
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PS., I wish more churches could afford to set themselves up in the middle of busy city night club areas and have their services at night instead of, or as well as Sundays, like Kings Cross in Sydney, Northbridge in Perth, near the Casino in Melbourne, etc., or in pubs and public open spaces in those areas. Yes, I know that most councils will not allow you to worship in parks etc., which is a shame.
Failing that, I wish we’d just hit the streets anyway, two at a time like the disciples of Jesus were sent out, and see what the Lord can do. How exciting would that be? Church on the beach or in Kings Park or the Botanical Gardens would be nice too. Now that’s the kind of church I am after. 🙂
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Everything old is new again…?
(” I must say I’d look very fetching in one of those.”)
……but I rather doubt that you’d get one to fit over your big………smile. 🙂
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” Now that’s the kind of church I am after.”
“If you build it, he will come” (‘Field of Dreams’)
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Saved as a favorite, I love your site!
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