Déjà vu, TPM – the Modern Friars

Yesterday I happened to see a short satire on India’s current political environment. It said that the political environment of our days is a repetition of India’s political environment of yesteryears.  Same tactics were repeatedly employed as we see today. The only difference is that it was Congress then and now we have BJP. Remember how poverty eradication (गरीबी हटाओ), and development of the nation (विकास) were used by BJP in last elections? It’s not new! Congress used the same in yesteryears. Are you worried about the political agenda to divide nations on communal grounds? This also is an old trick. First, the British used it and then the Congress  Party and now BJP. Have you seen blind devotees calling other Indians as traitors, just because they opposed the ruling party? This is also not new. Do you see the ruling party making attempts to suppress the voice of critical media? Even this is a repetition of what happened earlier! It is reported that Sanjay Gandhi bought distribution rights of the movie which was a satire on the ruling government and burnt all copies. If you compare all the above with TPM then you will find that the style of operation of the system is similar. Check the table below.

The Core Subject

Although we have included TPM in the above table, we didn’t originally intend to include it. We’ve added it as additional material because it is hard to miss the comparison of the system of operation. However, my original intention to write this article is to show you how “History repeats itself.” The Book of Ecclesiastics confirms this “the thing that has been it shall be again, and that which is done shall be done again. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).”  The Apostle Peter also mentions the same “there were false prophets in those days as they are among you (2 Pet 2:1).” Devil is called as Old Serpent (Revelation 12:9) because he uses the same tricks again and again. Paul says we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices. His old methods become new tricks for a new generation. Evil fruit and sinister system of TPM is similarly not a novice creation of 20^th century. Devil has been repeatedly creating similar systems in his own image and likeness for many centuries. Nick here and nick there and boom; – a new institution emerges.

Déjà vu* is feeling that makes you think that you have seen something similar earlier. I was reading one old reformer of the 14^th century and I felt déjà vu. I remembered that what he was taking then was what I had seen in TPM.

The Era of John De Wycliffe

In the middle ages, there were varieties of “monkish orders” under the umbrella of the Catholic Church. One of it was known as friars. These unmarried monks lived opulently on people’s hard earned money. They were so nasty that people for the fear of them, refrained their children from going to schools, because these monks, used to teach children to join their ministry and behave like them. They taught children that if your parents say “you have to cross over my dead body to join order of friars,” then tread over their bodies. We thank God that since the last few years none of the TPM Youths has joined the NTC Ministry. This year also they had ZERO enrollment in their ministry.

At the appointed time, God raised a man by name John De Wycliffe to rescue his people. He fearlessly preached against the pope and the Catholic Church. One of his published works distributed in England was titled – “against the friars.” What he wrote in the 14^th century is perfectly applicable to TPM of the 20^th century. This article is a republication of some of his tracts “against the friars.” If you happen to be an honest unbiased TPM minister, you will feel something like Déjà vu.  You will realize through John De Wycliffe’s works how TPM is an old trick of the old serpent under a new name.

Excerpts from  “Against the Friars“

Orange coloured letters below are excerpts taken from John De Wycliffe’s writing (paraphrased for simplistic reading). If you are an avid reader and can handle large texts and Old English, then you are advised to read original work via this link (click here to read exact wordings).

1. Friars hinder the free preaching of Gospel            

These friars say, “that it is apostasy and heresy for a priest to live as Christ has ordained for a priest to live.”  If there be any priest who travels from country to country, sowing the seed of God’s word as Jesus and his apostles did, then these will pursue him as an apostate, and draw him to prison. To preach independently and freely is correct because this method is established and commanded by Jesus. He did not command preachers to live inside closed buildings (cloister) as if it were Castle. So friars should forsake closed buildings and their lifestyle of living under feigned obedience. And to this same Christ ordained all his apostles and disciples, to live an open good life, in meekness and willful poverty, to teach busily his Gospel to the people, and not to be closed in great cloisters, and costly as castles.  This seems an open doing of Antichrist, who does not want priests to freely preach the gospel but be under prison of rules after the will of the simple idiot (pope). This is not after the example of Jesus. This ministry of living in a closed building is according to the tradition of sinful men.   (Taken from chapter II part III of works of John De Wycliffe 14^th century)

Surprisingly TPM ministers also condemn independent pastors and constantly belittle them. They also live in a closed building instead of going around propagating the gospel message. How can one cease from wondering why the so-called church established by God (TPM) repeats the same mistakes which Friars did centuries back?

2. A man once professed to their religion may never leave it

Also, friars say, that if a man is once professed to their religion (their organization), he may never leave it,… (Taken from chapter III part III of works of John De Wycliffe 14^th century)

               Surprisingly TPM ministers also say that to leave TPM and their group is backsliding. T. U. Thomas preached in workers meeting that if a worker falls from Zion he will directly fall into deepest part of hell. Very rare are those in TPM who will apply their minds to understand this kind of manipulation.

3. Traditions of Friars are preferred over Christ’s commandments

Also, friars charge more breaking of their own traditions, than the breaking of the commandments of God. For a friar shall more be punished for breaking of one of them, than for breaking of God’s hest. By this, they show how they love their own worship more than God’s. For if a friar leave bodily habit (uniform), he is called as apostate (backslider), and sharply pursued, sometimes to prison, and sometime to the death, although he serves better God without his habit, than therein: but though he trespass against charity by impatiency, and false leasings, or pride, or covetousness, it is little or nought charged; (Taken from chapter VII part III of works of John De Wycliffe 14^th century)

Wycliffe is saying that friars used to charge (punish) those workers who disobeyed one of their rules and tradition. They would punish them in prison. We see that if TPM worker behaves not according to rules of TPM, then they are punished and placed in centre faith home in one room (like prison). He is not given charge of any faith home, for some period and given inferior food. Wycliffe says friars did not punish them who disobeyed God.

Likewise, we see many sodomy practitioners, immoral workers, murderers not being punished in TPM. TPM punishes and puts those workers in a closed room of centre faith home who is found taking medicine or disobeying elder workers or doing something against manmade rules of TPM. Wycliffe says that if any friar changes his habit (uniform) and wore normal clothes of a citizen, then they call him an apostate or possessing the spirit of a backslider. We know that in TPM a worker once he has put TPM uniform, is prohibited to wear a normal uniform of normal citizens. If he is found to be doing so, he will be thrown out or punished. However, there is no punishment for hypocrisy, immorality, sodomy, partiality, fornication etc. They may at times be transferred to hide the disrepute.

Stealing of Children and enticing them to their order

Also, friars draw children from Christ’s religion into their private order. For they tell that their order is more holy than any other and that they shall have a higher degree in blessings, than other men, …and say that men of their order shall never come to hell, but shall judge other men with Christ at judgment day: By saying so, they steal children from father and mother, and sometimes such children who should sustain their father and mother by commandment of God. And thus they be therefore cursed of God, as the Pharisees were cursed of Christ, to whom he says thus: Woe be to you, scribes and Pharisees,.. that compass about the water and the land to make a man of your religion, and when he is made of your religion, ye make him double more a child of hell. And since he that steals an ox or a cow is damnable by God’s law: much more he that steals a man’s child.

How often we have criticized TPM’s shameful robbing of children from parents in the name of ministry. If stealing of abstract objects is punishable by the law of God, then stealing children from parents is heavily punishable and in the case when there is only one child for parents in old age, it is horrible to rob him to make him serve centre pastor (appachen) and ammachi, instead of his own parents. This practice is seen even in western nations which we consider as advanced societies. Click here to read one such testimony.

5. Their Building of church buildings and costly Monasteries/Cloisters

Also, friars build many great churches, and costly waste houses and cloisters, as it were castles. There is no need for these buildings. And so they teach by their actions that men should have heritage and dwelling city in the earth, against what St. Paul taught. Though it rains on the altar of the normal churches, still the blind people are so deceived, that they will donate to big mansions of friars than to broken little churches of independent preachers. If men say that in these great churches God is fair served; then I say, great houses make not men holy. For in heaven that was so fair, Lucifer failed, and so did Adam failed in paradise. And Jesus says, that the great temple of Jerusalem, which was once a house of prayer, was also made a den of thieves. But Job served God full well, on the dunghill, and Christ prayed in hills and deserts. And therefore Christ and his apostles made no great churches nor cloisters; but went from country to country, preaching the Gospel and teaching men to do their alms to poor men, and not to waste money on building big houses. For Christ taught men to pray in spirit and truth. (Taken from chapter XVII part III of works of John De Wycliffe 14^th century)

How filled with the Spirit of God his words sound! Imagine the great network of costly buildings of TPM! They pour millions and billions on purchasing and construction of convention grounds which are not utilized except during four days of the convention. They teach other we do not belong to earth but themselves enjoy the comfort of lands and permanent house in name of God. Blind believers keep pouring truckloads of money to these hypocrites than distributing to poor independent preachers who live in small villages and preach in remote parts of the earth.

6. How strongly they are married to their Uniform

Friars are more strongly wedded (married) with their rotten uniform….., than the husband is with his wife by ordinance of God. For the husband may lawfully be absent from his wife for period of time or sometimes by common consent of them both, by all their life (divorce); but if a friar be out of his rotten uniform, yea an hour, he becomes apostate (backslider), though he love more God, and serve him better, and profit more to Christian men. And they put more holiness in their rotten uniform than Christ or his apostles did in their clothes.

7. The Necessity and multitude of their vain unchangeable ceremonies

Friars are worse heretics than those Jews, who would keep ceremonies of the old law with freedom of Christ’s Gospel. For the Jews kept reasonable laws made of God, which God ordained for a small time; but friars keep new laws….. For the laws of the Old Testament were a figure of Christ’s coming and passion, and led men to the Gospel, but new laws of friars be not such figure. Ah, Lord, since good laws, ordained of God, are to be ceased for freedom of the Gospel, much more must evil laws, ordained of error, of sinful men, and worldly, cease, and let not men to keep the Gospel in his freedom.

               John Wycliffe says that ‘frairs’ are more horrible than those Jews who insisted and fought with Paul for keeping the laws of Moses. Although the death of Christ freed them from bondage of laws yet they kep themselves under burden of God appointed Laws but friars keep themselves under burden of man made laws. Laws of OT were pointers and tutors that led us to Christ but laws of friars do not lead us to Christ. If OT laws were supposed to be taken out, then how much more are man made laws to be removed! Similarly there are multitude of vain customary ceremonies and traditions in TPM, like funeral rules marriage rules meeting rules etc. Here are few samples;

• A sister cannot make food in the kitchen without taking permission from an elder sister.
• Wedding invitation card must be white.
• There should be no flowers on the marriage stage
• The bridegroom must wear white shirt pant. No blazers are allowed
• A cup of milk is given to both bride and bridegroom after marriage
• A new minister cannot preach from Song of Solomon.
• A small sister cannot wash clothes of small brother otherwise spirit of adultery will lay hold on her.
• New brother or sister to be taken in ministry is not allowed to sit in wedding ceremony meetings otherwise a desire to get married will enter in his heart.
• There has to be a white bed sheet and mat for appachen and ammachi apart from normal mats for believers

These are few of unpublished rules of TPM. Blind devotees ignore examining these rules (which spirit blinds them I don’t know) and keep focusing on marketed rules of TPM like do not wear fashionable clothes. They think TPM rules are for holiness. If OT God-given customary laws needs are abolished by the death of Jesus, then how much more these manmade rules must not be given place?

Conclusion

Some people think these are mere comparisons and they say it is easy to compare. But I wonder how on earth do they imagine that this church with so much borrowed from Catholicism and Pharisee legalism be church established by God? There is no doubt that TPM is the old trick of the old serpent in a new format for a new generation in a new location. It is dexterously deceptive than any other organization that we know.

Innumerable so-called Christians have continued to stay in TPM after centuries of publication of writings of John De Wycliffe. God never appeared to them in a vision and told them to come out of Catholicism. He used the Bible and text of men raised by him and saved his people. Don’t think he will appear to you in a vision and say  “Come out!” He might or he might not. But it will be a grand mistake to remain in TPM, waiting for any prophecy or vision from God calling you out. Stay away from emotional Christianity and be Bereans! May God let the scales fall off from your eyes!