Armageddon's Slaves Chapter Eleven

Late Sunday night Samuel sat in his den, staring at the computer. Judith was asleep in their bedroom, he could not risk detection. If she found him, she would feel obliged to tell Caleb and that would start a war. They would remove him as a Servant, perhaps Cast him out. A civil divorce might result, although The Word would not consider the marriage dissolved unless he committed adultery. 

Given her recent attitude about all the changes, he was sure she would not sanction conducting their own research on The Word. He wanted to see behind the curtain hiding the inner workings of his religion. But, knowing the consequences, the thought of doing so terrified him.

He felt foolish, frozen by fear. He remembered a conversation from his trip. Religious belief should hold up to investigation, and provide comfort, not distress. He seized on a thought, “what if I explore this and don’t find anything I disagree with?” Doing so would end the doubt in his mind. He was researching to prove his beliefs correct, not undermine them.

The book of Acts said the Jews in Berea studied the Apostle Paul’s teachings to see if they were true. 

He needed to focus on that as his research. If The Word proved correct in its teachings, he could put his mind at ease and rediscover the joy of being a Disciple.

He typed “Word of God Foundation” into Google. Nearly two million results? He would be busy. 

Serious Bible study could bring him closer into The Word at a critical time.

The Foundation’s official website (or at least the public portion of it) topped the list. He clicked the link and spent some time examining The Word’s public face, trying to think as if seeing it for the first time, a difficult task given the material’s familiarity.  He skimmed articles proving the trinity was a false pagan doctrine, as was the notion that people went either to heaven or hell. The Bible, according to the Word said the dead waited, unconscious until the resurrection. He had no disagreement there.

Neither did he disagree with the idea that Christmas, Easter, and the like were pagan celebrations. Like most Disciples he thought Christmas celebrated money, not God.

Another lengthy article proved the Lord intended humans to live on Earth, in Paradise, just like Adam and Eve. All human history aimed toward this goal. The wicked, meaning Outsiders, faced destruction at Armageddon. Paradise would see the dead resurrected, and the final judgment when the righteous would gain everlasting life.

He skipped over the parts about how Bible prophecy proved the world had entered the Last Days. He knew all the calculations, and the analysis of Jesus’ description of the final days. The article contained a brief description of events leading to 2008. He felt a flicker of doubt, as the account did not match his memory.

Somewhere, he thought he had a recording of Rodgers’ speech. He had to find it, perhaps he would discover he didn’t remember it correctly. It was getting late, he flipped off the light. It occurred to him that he didn’t need to hide looking at The Word’s own website from his wife. He’d do a little more research tomorrow night.

**

Monday night after dinner he told Judith he was going to work in his den. He explained that he’d found it hard to explain some aspects of The Word to people while he’d been on his road trip.

“It’s been so long since I had a real conversation with somebody about it, I think I’m getting rusty.”

“I know, the Outsiders we talk to while Disciple-making just don’t care anymore. Don’t forget that time when you fill out your report for the month.”

That comment sparked another question. When and why did Disciples start filling out reports detailing their Disciple-making activities for the month? He'd done it for so long that he no longer thought about it. When the subject came up on his road trip, he’d explained that Disciples regarded preaching as the most important command given by Jesus. The Christians he’d talked to agreed, but believed that casual conversations provided the best method of reaching people. They certainly didn’t see any need to file a report with anybody.

He pulled up the official website and started looking around. He did not find an answer to the question about when Disciples started reporting their Disciple-making work. He did find several articles on the need for worldwide preaching as fulfillment of Jesus’ commission preach the Gospel. He filed that question away for future research.

The he found the “Frequently Asked Questions” section. Many of the bullet points did not interest him, mostly the ones on doctrine. He had no problem with doctrine, but one caught his attention.

“Q  Hasn’t the Word of God Foundation predicted the end of the world for earlier dates?”

 “A  No the Foundation never said the world would at any specific time. The Bible points to various dates as ‘Signposts’ on the way to the final battle that will clear the way for Paradise on Earth. The 

Foundation promotes these Signposts as part of its Biblical duty to warn the world of approaching judgment.”

He needed to find that recording, and research a few statements he recalled from his youth. He clearly remembered his mother telling him he would not graduate from high school before paradise arrived. Something did not sound right.

The next question and answer also disturbed him.

“Q  Do Disciples believe in doctors and modern medicine?”

“A  Medical care is a personal decision best left to individuals, the Foundation takes no position on such decisions. For example Disciples make their own decisions about vaccinating their children.”

A cold fury engulfed Samuel, a hard knot forming deep in his body. The Foundation was blaming him and Judith for Charlene’s death! When they made their decision, The Word had stated that vaccination, consisting of injecting animal parts into a person’s body, was contrary to the laws of 

God. Doing so, it said, marked one as a Forsaker.

A Cast-out person could demonstrate repentance and be readmitted. Forsakers could not repent, having deliberately turned away from The Word. A Forsaker faced death with no hope of resurrection. No Disciple could imagine a worse fate.

This background informed their decision not to have their children vaccinated. They had done so with faith that The Lord would provide protection for their daughter. That faith did not reward them. But all discussion of the matter ended around the time Charlene died. Another question for further research, when had the policy changed on the subject changed? Had he missed some announcement? Perhaps they just stopped talking about it.

He found himself in the position watching the proverbial train wreck, the research fascinated and repelled him at the same time. Besides, having glanced at the next question he knew he needed to see the answer. He read all of it several times, not believing what he read.

“Q  Do Disciples shun former members or those that break internal rules?”

“A  No. Those that choose to leave are free to do so. Sinners are subject to Discipline by their local 

Gatherings. The Servants, those in charge of the spiritual welfare of the Gathering, will lovingly guide such people to return to faith and proper conduct. Servants warn the Gathering of one who persists in improper conduct, protecting it from the effects of sin.

However, all may return to the faith if they so desire, and are welcome to attend meetings at the Gathering House. Family members subject to Discipline are still members of their families, who are also encouraged to aid them in returning to faith in The Lord.”

Samuel stopped reading for a moment. Had Phil Peterson felt “welcome” at the Gathering House? 

Did Gloria Lighthorse feel that she was still part of her family? For that matter, when her mother cut her pictures up, did she think Gloria was still her child?

He could not believe The Word glossed over such an important doctrine. At a rough guess, he estimated that every Gathering in the world Cast-out at least one or two members every year.  These thousands of people suffered isolation and heartbreak as they waited for the Servants to recognize their desire to return. Of course, many simply gave up. A couple named Johnson, Cast-out the year before had simply walked away. They didn’t think they’d done anything wrong, and moved to a different part of Spokane to get away from the Disciples they knew. Did they feel welcome?

He felt nauseated. He needed to digest this. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what happened in the Gatherings. He expected some acknowledgment that its previous prophetic speculation had gone too far. The Apostles needed to acknowledge their role in the Disciple’s decisions about vaccination.

The comments about discipline and shunning were lies, attempts to deceive the public. If the Apostles believed what they said in private about Casting-out wrongdoers, why did they hide it on the public website?

“How’s your research?”

Judith’s question startled him. He turned to see her in the doorway.

“I didn’t hear you, gave me a start. It’s going just fine.”

“Well come to bed soon.”

“Okay, I’ll be in soon.”

He sat staring at the computer for a long time, trying to come to grips with his emotions. His brief research had produced the exact opposite of what he wanted. He planned to prove his faith correct. Instead, The Word condemned itself.   

Armageddon’s Slaves © Jeffrey Thomas  All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. All events and characters are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.