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Baptism as a public declaration and "spirit of Jezebel"

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
My greatest condolences on your losses, both your initial losses in 2004 and the losses of support you experienced afterward. I've worked in suicide prevention and am familiar with the impact of these things. I'm glad you had the Mormon support and sorry that their leaders withdrew their support. I'm glad that you find security in God and hope you will be able to find a fellowship who will reflect the love God has shown you. I don't believe God would want you to feel you're on your own in this way or unwanted by others who are seeking Him, based on scriptures like 1 John 3:16. This is how God expects His people to treat eachother. I am glad you have found solace and strength in God and hope it will only get better for you from here. If and whenever you just need someone to talk with, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You don't have to be feeling sucidal to talk to someone. They can also help connect you with local mental health supports if you wish.

Thank you. To be frank, I am not convinced that suicide in 2004 would have been a mistake at that time. It would hurt others now, so is not permissible. The LGBT and the Psychological community were wrong about me. The whole "transgender" movement was wrong for me, and how many others I do not know? I hear that it was a failed experiment to try to ease the high suicide rate amongst those clients. There are just lots of folk running around who have de-transitioned and I tried but due to many factors don't seem to be able to portray a credible male. One thing the local Mormons did is to help me get a blood test that identified that I am Intersex.

It is not likely that there will ever be a meaningful discussion on this matter with the Psych Community where they would not get defensive, and at my age, I've had enough experiences with them. In 2004, they did not know to treat the PTSD and not what they thought was GID. In those days I don't think anyone knew what PTSD was. I still have dissociative episodes, but know that they aren't harmful to me.

I can't control what others do, but I can control my own conduct, and I choose God.
 

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
Mormonism doesn't apply to my original post, as Mormons do not "claim" to only follow the Bible. If they were to believe in baptism as a public declaration or a spirit of Jezebel, and although I could be wrong I don't think that they do, they could easily just refer to one of their other three books.
So this will be a side point but I hope will not Cedar rail the point of this thread.
Numbers 2 and 6 sound like policies put in place to censor their membership. Anytime babe faith-based worship structure ( since you're not calling at church) put that much authority on one individual, there's trouble. Sounds very similar to the Catholic hierarchy and the Pope. Anytime a group prohibits remembers from being exposed to outside information in order to protect our beliefs, there's trouble. Every Church bears that risk with their members. Healthier churches simply educate their members as to what's out there and why they believe the contradictory teachings are false.

Thirdly, this snippet of the Mormon culture looks so different from the pattern of the New Testament Church in the Bible. neither Peter nor Paul we're in charge of the entire worldwide Church as seen in Acts 15 at the council in Jerusalem. And there was accountability, but there was no micromanaging. I'll place the burden of accountability on the members as well as the leadership Hebrews 3:12. In Jesus's parable of the weeds, a lot of the sorting out happens at the end. Forgive me if I got something's wrong with how you guys function. That's just my impression for now based on what we've discussed so far.


My own experiences and opinion of the Mormon Church is so mixed, that it is doubtful that I will ever resolve it completely in this life.

On the one hand, the local members literally saved my life full stop. Much of their doctrine is not an issue with me. For me, the Bible is unassailable, yet some members will tell you that the Book of Mormon, and other Mormon books, and their Prophet can overrule the Bible. Right or wrong, I could not accept that. The community is so comfortable and loving, and for several years I felt there was a place for me there. Were it not for the actions of the Leadership, I'd still be there perhaps.

My feelings are not likely to be resolved in this life.
 

e.r.m.

Church of Christ
My own experiences and opinion of the Mormon Church is so mixed, that it is doubtful that I will ever resolve it completely in this life.

On the one hand, the local members literally saved my life full stop. Much of their doctrine is not an issue with me. For me, the Bible is unassailable, yet some members will tell you that the Book of Mormon, and other Mormon books, and their Prophet can overrule the Bible. Right or wrong, I could not accept that. The community is so comfortable and loving, and for several years I felt there was a place for me there. Were it not for the actions of the Leadership, I'd still be there perhaps.

My feelings are not likely to be resolved in this life.
I hear you. Sounds like there's a schism between the lay people and the leadership.
 

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
I hear you. Sounds like there's a schism between the lay people and the leadership.

And I learned the hard way that I could not fight them. There are things about that experience that I will never understand. AND, perhaps I could not endure some of it because of my own makeup?
 

e.r.m.

Church of Christ
And I learned the hard way that I could not fight them. There are things about that experience that I will never understand. AND, perhaps I could not endure some of it because of my own makeup?
Sounds like a good start, but ultimately the wrong group for you.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Ok, what on earth do these two teachings have in common?, you may be asking. It's like trying to find the common denominator between King Arthur and anti-lock brakes. Yet I have found one.

Have you? I watched the videos and perhaps there is some thing you missed......?

These are the only two false teachings I've heard so far for which no one even offers a verse to try to justify. For example:


The first one uses a wedding analogy to get by having to provide a scripture for the belief. The second simply speaks of the existence of a Jezebel spirit as if it's already established.

Both actually used scripture to support their positions.....so how did you miss them?

Neither of them even attempt to offer a verse establishing that teaching, unlike other false doctrines. This makes them unique.

But they did. I may not agree with everything they said, but I believe you accuse them falsely.

I have seen many videos and literature on these topics that also avoid giving a scripture. These teachings offer scriptures for their side points, but not the teaching itself. I can understand a little more when people fall for the other type of false doctrines mentioned earlier if they don't dig deeply. What I have been trying to understand is the mechanism or mindset of people who say they believe only things in the Bible, yet still accept teachings such as these with 0 attempted scripture references.

Both use scripture.....the second used lots of scripture. How can you say that they didn't?

My best guess is that those who believe in these teachings, and probably more, somehow equate other sources as equal to the Bible on which to build church practices and policies.

The floor is open.

The floor doesn't exist as far as I can see.....:shrug:

These people both offer the scriptures to support their beliefs......you may not agree with their interpretation, but you cannot say that they fail to use the Bible to provide their platform.

I don't understand why you bothered to post this......?
 

e.r.m.

Church of Christ
Have you? I watched the videos and perhaps there is some thing you missed......?

Both actually used scripture to support their positions.....so how did you miss them?

But they did. I may not agree with everything they said, but I believe you accuse them falsely.

Both use scripture.....the second used lots of scripture. How can you say that they didn't?

The floor doesn't exist as far as I can see.....:shrug:

These people both offer the scriptures to support their beliefs......you may not agree with their interpretation, but you cannot say that they fail to use the Bible to provide their platform.

I don't understand why you bothered to post this......?
Thank you for replying to the OP. And they did not. As I mentioned before, they cited verses for their side points, never for the basis of their videos. The first video cited Matthew 28:19 as a command to be baptized. And the second video referred to the woman Jezebel. The presenter in the first video did not try to offer a verse for baptism as a public declaration. The second video did not try offer a verse for a spirit of Jezebel. If they did, tell me what verses.
 
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Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Thank you for replying to the OP. And no they didn't. As I mentioned before, they cited verses for their side points, never for the basis of their videos. The first video cited Matthew 28:19 as a command to be baptized.....The presenter in the first video did not try to offer a verse for baptism as a public declaration.

What do you think baptism entailed? Standing in a church with a few relatives, whilst someone sprinkles a bit of water on a baby's head? This tends to be the case with infant baptism in Christendom, with some kind of 'confirmation' ceremony later on. Others baptize adults and older children in large bodies of water. So which one reflects first century baptism do you think?

I think the wedding illustration works well, personally. No one gets married in secret. It is entering a contract, a legal arrangement which requires witnesses and commitment.

Baptism is personally private, but at the same time, a public event. When John was commanded to baptize those who came to the Jordan River to present themselves in repentance over past sins against the Law, he did so publicly.

John 3:19-21...
"Now this is the basis for judgment: that the light has come into the world, but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. 20 For whoever practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be reproved. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that his works may be made manifest as having been done in harmony with God.”

With this principle in mind, we see that making ones dedication to God by water baptism public, then there was more incentive to live up to it. It was not something done in secret. People knew you had become a Christian and the way you lived your life henceforth was proof.

John 3:22-23....
"After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Ju·deʹan countryside, and there he spent some time with them and was baptizing. 23 But John too was baptizing in Aeʹnon near Saʹlim, because there was a great quantity of water there, and people kept coming and were being baptized".

John 4:2-3....
"When the Lord became aware that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although Jesus himself did no baptizing but his disciples did— 3 he left Ju·deʹa and departed again for Galʹi·lee".

It doesn't necessarily mean that every person baptized did so publicly, but by and large when people heard that baptism was taking place, they came and presented themselves for baptism, which was not done in secret, but publicly.

Romans 10:9-10...
"For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation."

What better way to publicly declare that you have accepted Jesus as your savior?

Do you understand what baptism symbolizes?

And the second video referred to the woman Jezebel. The second video did not try offer a verse for a spirit of Jezebel. If they did, tell me what verses.

If you watch the video you posted you can make a note of the many scriptures used.
 

Prestor John

Well-Known Member
Ok, what on earth do these two teachings have in common?, you may be asking. It's like trying to find the common denominator between King Arthur and anti-lock brakes. Yet I have found one.

I have come across many false doctrines for which people have attempted to offer scriptures, although that turn out to not be valid, but they at least open up the discussion. e.g.- Romans 8:17 - for humans getting all of God's powers (by Mormons), Malachi - 3:10 for tithing our income in church, etc. I'm sure people offer some verses for the prosperity gospel, but I can't think of any at the moment.

These are the only two false teachings I've heard so far for which no one even offers a verse to try to justify. For example:


The first one uses a wedding analogy to get by having to provide a scripture for the belief. The second simply speaks of the existence of a Jezebel spirit as if it's already established.

Neither of them even attempt to offer a verse establishing that teaching, unlike other false doctrines. This makes them unique. I have seen many videos and literature on these topics that also avoid giving a scripture. These teachings offer scriptures for their side points, but not the teaching itself. I can understand a little more when people fall for the other type of false doctrines mentioned earlier if they don't dig deeply. What I have been trying to understand is the mechanism or mindset of people who say they believe only things in the Bible, yet still accept teachings such as these with 0 attempted scripture references.

My best guess is that those who believe in these teachings, and probably more, somehow equate other sources as equal to the Bible on which to build church practices and policies.

The floor is open.
Yet, the two scriptures you referenced do support the doctrines that you claim are false.
 

e.r.m.

Church of Christ
What do you think baptism entailed? Standing in a church with a few relatives, whilst someone sprinkles a bit of water on a baby's head? This tends to be the case with infant baptism in Christendom, with some kind of 'confirmation' ceremony later on. Others baptize adults and older children in large bodies of water. So which one reflects first century baptism do you think?
A good example of what reflects first century baptism is
Acts 8:36,38-39 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [38] And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. [39] When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

I think the wedding illustration works well, personally. No one gets married in secret. It is entering a contract, a legal arrangement which requires witnesses and commitment.

Baptism is personally private, but at the same time, a public event. When John was commanded to baptize those who came to the Jordan River to present themselves in repentance over past sins against the Law, he did so publicly.
The wedding is a public event (unless they elope or go through a Vegas drive thru wedding) and requires witnesses. The Bible makes no such connection to baptism. What sense does it make to use an analogy that doesn't apply? John's baptism was public by default because he was baptizing a lot of people in a river and the were biblically confessing their sins. The public aspect couldn't be avoided and no reason to avoid it, but the public aspect wasn't the purpose. The purpose was repentance and cleansing, the Jewish miveh, which was well known to the Jews. Baptism in Jesus's name as well was never once described as a public declaration, any public aspect was a 'side effect'.

John 3:19-21...
"Now this is the basis for judgment: that the light has come into the world, but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. 20 For whoever practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be reproved. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that his works may be made manifest as having been done in harmony with God.”

With this principle in mind, we see that making ones dedication to God by water baptism public, then there was more incentive to live up to it. It was not something done in secret. People knew you had become a Christian and the way you lived your life henceforth was proof.
That passage refers to confessing sin. The way people knew you had become a Christian was by telling them and the life henceforth. That's not what baptism was for. Baptism was for the purpose stated in Acts 2:38-39, Romans 6:4-7.

John 3:22-23.... "After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Ju·deʹan countryside, and there he spent some time with them and was baptizing. 23 But John too was baptizing in Aeʹnon near Saʹlim, because there was a great quantity of water there, and people kept coming and were being baptized".

John 4:2-3....
"When the Lord became aware that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although Jesus himself did no baptizing but his disciples did— 3 he left Ju·deʹa and departed again for Galʹi·lee".

It doesn't necessarily mean that every person baptized did so publicly, but by and large when people heard that baptism was taking place, they came and presented themselves for baptism, which was not done in secret, but publicly.
Which shows that the public aspect of baptism was incidental, not part of its purpose.

Romans 10:9-10...
"For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation."

What better way to publicly declare that you have accepted Jesus as your savior?
Good question. The better way is the Biblical way
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,


The was no "publically" in Romans 10:9-10. That is a corrupted Bible you quoted. Look in the Greek and you'll see. There was never a christian coming out event in the Bible nor
was such a thing expected. You can actually look for it and find none. The quoted scriptures above were expected, however. That's how people found out one had converted to Jesus.
Romans 10:9-10 & baptism were the conversion itself. As it was with Paul, who wrote Romans. He believed and confessed Jesus as Lord Acts 22:8 & 10, which got things started, yet after doing so he was still with his sins three days later Acts 22:16 and got baptized calling on Jesus's name to have his sins washed away. Only after this did the world discover he had converted to Christ Acts 9:20-21, they were like "Huh?!", through his preaching of the gospel, not through his baptism, as baptism was never commanded as a coming out event.
And there was no getting saved method in the Bible known as "accepting Jesus as your savior". That's all an evangelical "thing". Try finding any mention of it in the Bible.

Do you understand what baptism symbolizes?
I do. It has no symbolizing purpose in the written scriptures whatsoever.

Deeje, shouldn't the disparity concern or scare you, that for many groups of Bible believers, baptism as a public declaration is a foregone conclusion, when at the same time there is a COMPLETE ABSENCE in the Bible of any reference/description of baptism as such? Isn't that the tell-tale sign and very definition of man-made tradition? that it's not in the Bible!

If you watch the video you posted you can make a note of the many scriptures used.
The Jezebel video I posted was not the one I had intended. It had a very similar beginning, So I posted the wrong one. I apologize for that. The lady however, still does not offer any passages indicating that a spirit of Jezebel even exists.

If you contend that the wedding video does have scriptures that describe baptism this way, by all means present them here.

Sorry for the delay in replying.
 
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Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
Sounds nice. I get the feeling you have not joined them though.

At a recent Native American Pow Wow, I encountered open hostility from a Native American woman. When informed that I am half Cherokee, she quieted down. I think that the Native American way of thinking about Two-Spirit is far less offensive to me than the so called LGBT Two Spirit idea. In my opinion, the LGBT folk try to "be in charge" of the narrative, and the effect is to exclude other voices. In Native American philosophy, there is no need for surgery, or hormones. Folk just live as who they are.

Intersex, and Two Spirit have suffered grievously at the hands of the devout. There is much more I could say, but what would be the use? It is good enough that I have learned not to trust...
 

e.r.m.

Church of Christ
At a recent Native American Pow Wow, I encountered open hostility from a Native American woman. When informed that I am half Cherokee, she quieted down. I think that the Native American way of thinking about Two-Spirit is far less offensive to me than the so called LGBT Two Spirit idea. In my opinion, the LGBT folk try to "be in charge" of the narrative, and the effect is to exclude other voices. In Native American philosophy, there is no need for surgery, or hormones. Folk just live as who they are.

Intersex, and Two Spirit have suffered grievously at the hands of the devout. There is much more I could say, but what would be the use? It is good enough that I have learned not to trust...
Who are the devout?
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
Ok, what on earth do these two teachings have in common?, you may be asking. It's like trying to find the common denominator between King Arthur and anti-lock brakes. Yet I have found one.

I have come across many false doctrines for which people have attempted to offer scriptures, although that turn out to not be valid, but they at least open up the discussion. e.g.- Romans 8:17 - for humans getting all of God's powers (by Mormons), Malachi - 3:10 for tithing our income in church, etc. I'm sure people offer some verses for the prosperity gospel, but I can't think of any at the moment.

These are the only two false teachings I've heard so far for which no one even offers a verse to try to justify. For example:


The first one uses a wedding analogy to get by having to provide a scripture for the belief. The second simply speaks of the existence of a Jezebel spirit as if it's already established.

Neither of them even attempt to offer a verse establishing that teaching, unlike other false doctrines. This makes them unique. I have seen many videos and literature on these topics that also avoid giving a scripture. These teachings offer scriptures for their side points, but not the teaching itself. I can understand a little more when people fall for the other type of false doctrines mentioned earlier if they don't dig deeply. What I have been trying to understand is the mechanism or mindset of people who say they believe only things in the Bible, yet still accept teachings such as these with 0 attempted scripture references.

My best guess is that those who believe in these teachings, and probably more, somehow equate other sources as equal to the Bible on which to build church practices and policies.

The floor is open.

Someone told me once that my Church posesses the "Spirit of Jezebel".
 
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