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"I wanted to do a little research of Arnold Murray and came upon your site, now I am having second thoughts."

Question/Comment:

----- Original Message -----
From: Name Withheld
To: Paul Stringini
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 7:04 PM
Subject: question

Hi, my name is Name Withheld, I love studying the Word of God. Happened on the TV to watch shepherds chapel starting off the new year going through Genesis. Though I would go through the whole bible with Him, verse by verse. I already had understanding of the Nephelim giants. But as you know he has a lot more interesting things to say of the first 6 chapters in Genesis.
But I wanted to do a little research of Arnold Murray and came upon your site, now I am having second thoughts.
So how far off is he?  would you consider his teachings to be fully stayed away from? or can you glean some good?
Do you know of any other who goes through the bible verse by verse that would be considered safe? Thanks you for your testimony!
Name Withheld

My Response:

----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Stringini
To: Name Withheld
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: question

It depends on where you start.  Pastor Murray is only as far "off" as your own reference point.  If the idea that Satan had sex with Eve in the Garden of Eden and the idea that the Jews are the literal offspring of Satan seem reasonable to you, then you will probably love Pastor Murray.  But in my opinion, he is quite off, unchristian, and though he does teach a line by line bible study, his interpretations are not based on sound principles.  Is there any good in his teachings?  Is there any good in a rotten apple? Sure, there can be, but that does not change the overall character of his teachings.  A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 
 
Titus 2:7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
 
As impossible as it may seem, we ought to be looking for doctrine that is free of corruption.  Picking through the trash to find the "good" bits of half moldy bread and partially rotted fruit is not the way to go about studying the bible. 
 
Pastor Murray's teachings are additionally poisonous because he infuses everything he teaches with his personal philosophy.  This philosophy appeals to many people (as it once appealed to me) but is contrary to the wisdom taught in the scriptures.   The effect is that the people who hear him regularly often accept what he says (and many do), even if it means contradicting the scriptures that are right in front of them.  He tells them to "check me out" but he supplies them with leading evidence and the contradictory evidence is not addressed.
 
Many of his students begin to take a very hostile stance towards the things actually written in the bible.  For example, when I tell his people that while the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden was NOT an apple, it definitely WAS an edible fruit.  I am scornfully told that only an idiot would believe that Adam and Eve ate an apple.  They don't want to hear anything except what conforms to their expectation.  It is sex or apples. Never mind the scriptures.
 
I teach the bible line by line, I don't know if I am considered "safe," again, that would depend on your perspective.  If you think the word "predestination" ought to be struck from the bible, or stripped of all meaning, then you will probably think I am a terrible teacher. But I certainly try to keep the doctrine free of corruption.  And I do not take that lightly,  I follow strict doctrine based on the teachings of the Apostles.  I do not make doctrines of the imaginations of men.  I try to keep it simple.
 
 
Right now All I have is the New Testament, but all my studies are provided free and work well on iPod.  I will be starting on the old testament Prophets eventually and will eventually cover thee whole bible.
 
Don't underestimate the power of a new testament study, these are some of the most poorly understood parts of the bible.  Many of the most basic questions of Christianity and of human existence are answered most clearly in the New Testament.
 
The biggest difference between my studies and the studies you will find elsewhere is that I take what the bible says seriously.  And I do not say that lightly.  I guarantee that you will quickly notice the difference between someone who has allowed the bible to teach him, and the rest who tell the bible what it says based on their education.
 
I recommend the Gospel of Matthew.
 
I'm not saying there are not other good teachers out there, but I don't know any.  I'm not very well in tune with the Christian sub-culture, so I don't even know who the big teachers are.
 
Sincerely,
Paul Stringini

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