Monthly Archives: June 2017

//June
26 June

Is necessary inference really necessary?

By |2019-04-11T06:14:17-06:00June 26th, 2017|Uncategorized|234 Comments

If you Google "necessary inference," you end up finding almost entirely Church of Christ websites, or websites about the Church of Christ and it's sometimes unique doctrines. The reason? The term was popularized by Church of Christ preachers using a three-finger recital of how we establish Biblical authority for modern church practices: command, example, and necessary inference. But adherence to this methodology didn't come from Alexander Campbell, or even his father. "While Thomas Campbell, in his Declaration and Address, says we should use command and example to understand what God would have us do, Alexander Campbell, in his Christianity Restored, spends a hundred pages on hermeneutical principles and never mentions "command, example, and necessary inference." (Stafford North at Oklahoma Christian University) "We only pretend to assert [...]

21 June

Merie, in her own words

By |2019-04-11T06:15:04-06:00June 21st, 2017|Uncategorized|39 Comments

This website has always been about trying to create some transparency for Stanton, so their beliefs, teachings, and practices can come out of the shadows. To that end, let's see what Merie, the founder of the sect, said about various issues...in her own words. And for those who would argue that the opinions of Merie don't matter today because she's long gone, would you dismiss the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, Ellen G. White, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russel, and other denominational founders on that basis? Of course not. Merie's opinions do matter. If she hadn't taught what she taught over 50 years ago, Stanton wouldn't be here today. Stanton's legitimacy as the self-proclaimed "One True Church" rests squarely on the soundness of Merie's teachings. [...]

19 June

No, Jesus didn’t come to divide households. Not even close.

By |2019-04-11T06:16:05-06:00June 19th, 2017|Uncategorized|21 Comments

One of the most powerful rhetorical devices to rally the troops around the church's flag has been its language of martyrdom. Everyone is out to get them, and they love to talk up how much they're hated and persecuted by "the world" and their non-SCOC family members. But at least they know to expect and prepare for this kind of unfair treatment; Jesus predicted it, didn't he? Matthew 10:34-36 - Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own [...]

14 June

Seven tips to draw closer to God

By |2019-04-11T06:17:46-06:00June 14th, 2017|Uncategorized|8 Comments

We all need some shortcuts to help us in our spirituality. It's a busy world, and those in the church have a busy life, with all the various church functions to attend. There's Sunday morning worship, Sunday afternoon fellowship, Sunday evening Bible class, Monday personal work, Tuesday midweek Bible study, Thursday nonmember class, the occasional Friday night fellowship, and don't forget last minute confessions and studying for Sunday on Saturday. Anything we can do to save Christians time in drawing closer to God, we're happy to help. Here's a list of our top seven things you can do to draw closer to God. Surely there's more, and as you think of them, please leave them in the comments. Seven tips to draw closer to God [...]

13 June

Tips for loved ones

By |2019-04-11T06:18:50-06:00June 13th, 2017|Uncategorized|37 Comments

Many people have found the blog recently who don't have firsthand experience attending the sect. Their only knowledge of it is through a family member or loved one. The more you hear, the more red flags pop up. Sirens go off in your head, but you don't know enough to do anything about it. But the more you take the time to learn about the sect, the more your loved one's behavior can start making sense. Only then can you get inside their head and help them rethink their commitment to the teachings of men. That's why this blog exists, to deepen everyone's understanding of Stanton's historical roots and the premises of their often bizarre unbiblical doctrines. Don't get me wrong, understanding them doesn't justify [...]

7 June

The Orwellian side of the church

By |2019-04-11T06:20:23-06:00June 7th, 2017|Uncategorized|8 Comments

If you're a Gen-Xer like me, George Orwell probably had a big impact on your political ideology. His landmark 1984 was required reading in my English Literature class in high school, and for good reason. I graduated a couple of  years after the title year of the book, and right smack in the middle of the Cold War. The fight against communism wasn't so much a geopolitical fight, but an ideological battle for truth, against propaganda, and against totalitarian regimes who would try to control the masses by controlling the flow of information. Is it just me, or are there some troubling similarities between Orwell's Big Brother and Stanton leadership? The desire for total control over the flow of information, and the tendency for members to [...]