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What readers say…

"This needed to be said Kevin, thank you. I believe you are getting to heart of the problem in the church. Instead of a Christian being allowed to exercise their own conscience, the conscience of a few people living in South Carolina and California is forced upon the entire brotherhood." ~Anonymous

"Great blog, Kevin. I'm originally from Stanton (I remember you being a young boy there). I Spent almost twenty years in the church seeing many of the things you speak about but keeping them in the back of my mind, and doubting my own feelings that something wasn't right.

"This constant gossiping was so confusing because it was OK for teachers to talk about people, but no one else to even question actions of a teacher. Being outside of that influence and away from the constant intimidation, it is so much more clear. There was no love or understanding. I'm sure most, except for the leaders, know something is wrong if they would just be honest with themselves. I regret so much putting my children through this more than I regret putting myself through it.

"I'm just glad I left. No need for being bitter toward anyone because it was my choice to be there and stay there. Keep up the good work." ~Loraine Forshee

I have read every word of this blog… I spent many hours/days reading… Feeling so sick inside… I felt so grateful to find this blog." ~Anonymous

"I left the group because I realized that what the group taught and what God teaches were often-not always-vastly different. I had to make a choice; stay out of fear, obligation, because of relationships, or leave so I could continue to follow Christ. I left. You know, one thing I heard A LOT while in the group is that “fallen away ones” are always longing to come back into the group.” At the time I believed it, but I just haven’t found it to be true! If it were, there would be plenty of people flocking back, and it isn’t happening. I have been in contact with quite a few who have left, and not one of us has thoughts about going back. Ever." ~Debby Stevens

"What’s ironic is that we point these things out to them only for them to ignore, dismiss and scoff at the blog both publicly in talks or sermons, and among themselves in secret. For you leaders and members of the SCOC who still read this blog, it’s one thing to dismiss the dissenters, but when you have people in your own ranks parroting the SAME EXACT PROBLEMS we talk about here (some of whom don’t even read the blog yet they see the same things we do), it may be time to consider your ways instead of having “unity” (conformity) meetings trying to ignore it." ~Advocate for Peace

"I too am a current member in 'good standing' in the church. I read the blog and I know of two other current members who also read it. I am sure you're wondering why in the world I would still be attending after reading all of this. Honestly, I am weak and just don't have the courage to leave because of family members who are still involved. Because of the threat of withdrawal for murmuring it's impossible to ask others what they think of the blog posts and videos. I am sure I will leave someday, I'm just not quite ready." ~Anonymous

"I'm currently a member in "good standing" in the church. I read the blog, even though its frowned upon. I can't begin to tell you how closely the comments and personal testimonies align and match what's happening in the church. You read something here, and it opens your eyes to that behavior now. so that when you see it happening, you instantly think about who it happened to here on this blog, and you know the damage it causing." ~Anonymous

"I’m not giving up on God like they believe I’m lost now. I’m so glad I found this blog. It helped open my eyes to what I was a part of for TOO long." ~Not going back

Popular Threads

  • The unwritten rules I'm told that in an August 2002 meeting between Tacoma... 506 comments
  • Merie was right on this o... No, you can't withdraw from a nonmember. On one face... 501 comments
  • More from Donna Bennum Thank you so much for sharing your heart, Donna. Keep u... 317 comments
  • The real "Off Church" In the Stanton sect, the term "Off Church" has only one... 281 comments
  • Q&A In the interest of generating more Biblically-based dia... 267 comments
  • Donna Bennum - Part III Thanks Donna for taking the time to do these videos! ... 242 comments
  • An open letter to the ema... I can't and won't divulge who the person is, and I hone... 242 comments
  • My Story, by Jeff Hernand... Thank you, Jeff, for your letter detailing your story... 238 comments
  • Fear and intimidation tac... 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love. But perfect lov... 237 comments
  • Where are all the radical... Merie relished the word "militant." Perhaps she was mil... 220 comments

In the News

  • Changing the Call : To the Frustration of Family and Friends, Stanford’s Leon Vickers Trades a Possible NFL Career for Role With a Controversial Church
  • Leaving School to Join Sect: Stanford safety’s mother alleges mind control
  • Looking Back
  • Potential for a Rerun : David Vickers Could Surpass Brother, Who Gave Up Football for Church
  • Read More

Not Necessarily News

  • For Immediate Release: Stanton COC Source Says Teachers Are Actually Rabbis
  • Six easy tips to measure your relationship with God
  • Breaking News: Only sin will be forbidden by the church
  • Rules for prayer

Things Merie Said

“If we turn away from the New Testament to teach our own opinions, we are in no position to take the truth to those around us.” Merie Weiss (Holy Spirit Lesson, 1973) More Merie Quotes

Things Campbell Said

“Dear sir, this plan of making our own nest, and fluttering over our own brood; of building our own tent, and of confining all goodness and grace to our noble selves and the “elect few” who are like us, is the quintessence of sublimated pharisaism. The old Pharisees were but babes in comparison to the modern: and the longer I live, and the more I reflect upon God and man–heaven and earth–the Bible and the world–the Redeemer and his church–the more I am assured that all sectarianism is the offspring of hell; and that all differences about words, and names, and opinions, hatched in Egypt, or Rome, or Edinburgh, are like the frolics of drunken men; and that where there is a new creature, or a society of them, with all their imperfections and frailties, and errors in sentiment, in views, and opinions, they ought to receive one another, and the strong to support the weak, and not to please themselves. To lock ourselves up in the bandbox of our own little circle; to associate with a few units, tens, or hundreds, as the pure church, as the elect, is real Protestant monkery, it is evangelical pharisaism.” Alexander Campbell

Things Stone Said

"Let Christian unity be our polar star." Barton Stone

Things Gary Said

“If you can’t counter it in your heart, you will be affected. A lot of people say, ‘Gary you’re just trying to censor people from their God-given right to look at whatever it is that they’re going to look at.’ Go ahead and look at it. But I can only say to you, be admonished, and be well-versed. If you’re not having the ability to counter whatever it is that comes your way. Or all of a sudden someone comes and says something, and it hooks you in, you’re lured in with hook, line, and sinker, you have no one to thank but yourself. Our admonition is not to forbid anyone from doing anything, unless it’s a sin.” Gary Preman

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The Stanton Blog Podcast

What’s this site about?

This site is a history of a small group of churches I call the Stanton Churches of Christ after the congregation started in my hometown of Stanton, CA. The sect originated as a church split led by Merie Weiss from Spring Valley in the 1960’s. The commentary here is generally not applicable to most mainline or even ICOC churches.

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Recent Comments

  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellJames 1:19-20 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. This is a very good verse for reflection. I honestly can say…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellStanton has gone on Jihad against me for the last 11 years, for the crime of disagreeing with actions they took that disagreed with God. Why don’t more in Stanton stand up against these obviously unsc…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellWomen only get out of line when men are weak and let them. That goes for Eve, Sarah, Merie, and all the women teachers in Stanton today. It also goes for today’s corrupt Democrat party, which is compo…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellI do believe Merie went to heaven, and do not want to detract from the fact she had many wonderful qualities. However, God never instructed any woman in the past 2,000 years to go ahead and start a ch…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellThank you for that question, my friend. That was the Old Testament, Number one. Number two, the wise woman in 2 Samuel 20 was dealing with a corrupt Joab, who was later put to death by Solomon for spi…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellI am also curious about your opinion on making value judgments. In proverbs 10:20 it says the tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth from this I infer that the…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellI am curious about your opinion on split judgments. Solomon in rendering his judgment said cut the baby in half which revealed the true mother and gave us an example of how to reveal the heart and the…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellWisdom comes from the Bible. Leaders behavior is key, but, by that logic, you could not have followed David (adulterer, murderer), Abraham (liar), Moses (murderer), Jacob (liar), or Isaac (liar). So t…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellWhat is your judgment on whether a leader is wise or foolish? I read in proverbs 8 the behavioral patterns of wise leaders. In 8:1 it asks a question that seems rhetorical at first but upon closer exa…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellI have to ask your opinion again of the wise woman mentioned in 2 Samuel 20:14-22. When she said she was a mother in Israel does it mean she had physical children or does it mean she was a woman of sp…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellTrust: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Draconian: (of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe. Draconian comes from Draco, the name…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellFrom the estimable Lori Alexander at 'The Transformed Wife'. The problem with Stanton starts with it's inception. Merie Weis had no mandate from God to go start another church. Stanton was doomed from…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellIn Mark 8 we read of the healing of a blind man and when asked how he saw he said "I see men walking as trees" while I thought for a long time that this was the result of a partial healing I now under…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellA great blog post from Lori Alexander at “The Transformed Wife.” The root of quite a few of Stanton’s problems. Stanton never would have come into existence were it not for Merie’s rebellion against G…
  • Searcher on The swan dive into hellGuatama Buddha, is that you?
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellI find that in learning the metaphorical language that new worlds open up before me. Water is a metaphor for knowledge and when applied I can see too much knowledge can drown a person and too little c…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellTo elaborate on the point on Abraham and Abimelech, I did not complete it, and was rushed. The point is, Abimelech was severely punished and plagued by God for daring to take what was not lawfully his…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellA very timely question. Just read, yesterday morning, John Owens 'Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers'. The Puritans were brilliant. In the entire 14 chapters, he never detailed the church having…
  • Anonymous on The swan dive into hellLet me ask you then about Matthew 7:21-27 how that many will try and justify themselves with external works but never mention any internal works and applying that to the vacuous teachings of today wha…
  • Curious Chris on The swan dive into hellI think she has a lot to teach Stanton. Sheba rebelled against God, and he had a nasty end. Stanton rebel’s against Gods plan for salvation, and refuses to reconsider despite enduring massive chastise…

Recent Posts

  • The swan dive into hell September 30, 2019
  • Rules for employment September 26, 2019
  • How to whitewash your sepulchre September 25, 2019
  • The Labor Day Meeting is here with hours of talks in the pipeline August 30, 2019
  • Anonymous Source: Church members refuse to help wife in sexually abusive relationship August 30, 2019
  • Everything I know about bad relationships, I see in Stanton August 22, 2019
  • Leading our families out of the wilderness August 14, 2019
  • Spiritual Abuse: Are You a Victim? August 5, 2019
  • Denying the moon landing and dinosaurs July 19, 2019
  • For Immediate Release: Stanton COC Source Says Teachers Are Actually Rabbis July 12, 2019
  • Sacrificing on altars of Stanton’s own making July 6, 2019
  • “Curious Chris’s” Story July 4, 2019
  • Does God cause bad things to happen to good people? July 2, 2019
  • New Atheism and smashing babies against the rocks May 31, 2019
  • No, Sunday is never called “worship service” May 24, 2019
  • Six easy tips to measure your relationship with God May 22, 2019
  • He is risen – and other holiday issues April 21, 2019
  • Welcome to the new site! April 6, 2019
  • Rewinding Christianity (almost) to the beginning April 4, 2019
  • Hide it under a bushel, YES! April 3, 2019

On the preeminence of love…

“I am less interested in all the doctrinal debates it would be so easy to get caught up in on this blog than in this one topic: love. Fix a doctrine, you’ve got hundreds more to fix. Fix love, and virtually everything else falls into line. Love changes motives, behaviors, relationships, exegesis, everything. There is nothing in life and faith that are left untouched by the subject of love.”

On Love vs. Duty

“Someone who is served by a person motivated by love will feel the love in that act of service. Someone who is served by a person motivated by duty will feel the duty coming across loud and clear, and it will not feel like love. So does God want us going to church because it’s our duty, or because we love?”

Contact Kevin

It’s my goal to be as factually accurate as possible. If you want to report a factual error, or communicate with me, please email me at kevinmharper@gmail.com or call or text me at 208-249-8893. I’d love to hear from you.

Note: All conversations will be kept confidential unless you want me to share them.

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Some have asked how they can support this effort. The best way is through prayer. But if you want to support this ministry with a gift or buy my wife a latte, I'm OK with that. ;-)

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