Have you been guilty of thinking people know more than God?
That’s a question asked by Kay Daigle in one of the lessons from her study, God’s Design for Building Your Marriage, at Bible.org
With regard to marriage and family her question is very relevant to today’s culture. We see the world falling away from a normative biblical family to all sorts of variations; homosexual marriage, polygamy, intentional single parent homes, divorcee single parent homes, multiple partner/parent homes, village mentalities, Marxist deconstruction, etc. And we see some in the Church accepting, and even encouraging these departures as normal. It’s clear that these alternative family structures are wrong from God’s perspective, but we’ve allowed media, government, our friends, and even some Church leaders to tell us otherwise and we have been slowly, but surely, accepting them as normal. Many Christians have been lulled into a view that tolerance of others is better and more desirable than obedience to God. In essence, the answer to Ms. Daigle’s question is in large measure, yes.
With regard to the issue of marriage within the House of God cult, it is clear that at least some of its followers have been guilty of thinking that its leader, Mark Duke, not only speaks for God, but that he knows more than God.
In a previous post I’ve shown from Mark Duke’s own words that he twists Scriptures, in fact the very words of God himself are profaned when what Jesus clearly says about divorce is changed to suit Duke’s twisted view of religious separatism.
Shown below (red text) is a copy of an electronic mail message that Mark Duke, Becky Duke and Shawn Samuelson (then Shawn Durham) sent to some of the followers of the House of God in 2005. Some of the people that Duke, Duke and Samuelson sent this message to represent a veritable who’s who of the House of God and the Freedom Foundation.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark [mailto:marksduke@REDACTED FOR PRIVACY]
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10:15 PM
To: AJ Page; Becca Armstrong; Becky Duke; Carla; Dan Vaughn; Fontella Pappas; Ginger Skelton; Gwen Blackberry; Jason Armstrong; Jason Makaroff; Laura Alyce; Laura Jane; Matt S.; Paige; Shawn; Tressa; Wally; Tommy
Subject: Peace and Unity!!!
Dear Brothers and Sisters,For those of you that were here last night and prayed we wanted you to know God has moved in a great way.
God has dealt with Becky, Shawn and myself in the same way and we justed finished our "official" family meeting and we are eager to tell you how God has spoken and brought us great peace and unity.
He has spoken to us about his will and his will for the cause and the people. We are all three very excited and unified in this.
This comes after much trying of our faith and brokeness since the first of the year. Right now God is saying for Becky and I to stay legally married and to make even greater committments to the cause.
One of those committments is that as we've done so for the last 5 months Shawn will continue to partner with me as a spiritual partner in the cause...doing clinics, running the operations, ministering to the people, ministering to me and even her and Becky partnering with the kids at times and other areas Shawn can help support. Part of thos partnership includes me mentoring Shawn in her calling as one of the leaders in the spiritual rights movement. All 3 of us can see that this is a God-given partnership and it is unique in the sense that God has given Shawn an ability to minister to me in a depth that I haven't had before. Ineed this support as God takes us to the next level.
We all three have talked about becoming more of a family unit which includes God healing some hurt of 16 years between Becky and I. Also, Becky and Shawn coming closer together in how to partner in charity and sacrifice. All of our decussion tonight centered around God and the cause.
We are happy to announce that Shawn is officially moving in with us. She will be living with us full-time and becoming a part of our family. To say the least the 3 kids Duke kids were extremely excited as we sat down and shared with them what God had said.
We are now praying about either Shawn or myself quiting our jobs in December of this year. If I quit Shawn will support the house hold and I will go full-time in the ministry. If Shawn quits I'll provide as Shawn runs the spiritual rights operations.
Tonight Shawn and I are working on training schedules for leadership to include training on Saturdays around clinic appointments. There will be other things we'll get out to you asap.
I can't tell you the incredible peace we have here. There aint no stoppin' us now...we're on the move!!
Being certain of God's voice. The increasing of our faith.... A unity that passeth all understanding and a committment of love and charity toward one another and God's cause and people.
This is a major victory and God has answered our prayers. as God continues to lead and speak to us and/or if anything ever changes down the road we'll let you all be the first to know, but as it stands this is the official word and statement and the settling of God's direction and the preventing of the devil who has been trying to strike, hinder and divide us and God's will.
If anyone asks or questions you on anything related to these issues please feel free to direct them to me or Shawn or you may feel free share with them anything pretaining to this email as appropriate.
Please know we are committed to doing God's will no matter what it looks like.
All three of us tonight were and are ready to make any sacrifice God asks us to make. but it was God that spoke tonight and gave us this clear direction.
Again, let me state that it is time to end the devils distractions, to move forward as a family and as a church.
God bless us all in this great cause. I want to remind you that God said this is the year of jubilee and he is doing just that. It is an honor to walk with each of you toward something we've never seen or had before.
Your brother and sisters,Mark, Becky and Shawn
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.
Now that you have read the words of Duke, Duke and Samuelson, take a minute to think about what you believe about the institution of marriage. If you are a Christian, take a moment to think about what God says about marriage. Have you been guilty of thinking that people know more than God?
Here's what I think: After studying God’s word on this issue this week, I pray that God would strengthen the Church to be obedient and stand for His eternal truth. As for Duke, Duke and Samuelson; their words are absolute and utter blasphemy!
In this relatively short electronic message, God is mentioned 22 times, but there is not one - not even one – thing stated that matches what God says about marriage.
Duke, Duke and Samuelson say that God spoke to them and told Mark and Becky Duke to stay “legally” married.
WRONG! God commands that a man leave his father and mother and cleave, - to literally be cemented to his wife. Genesis 2:24-25 (KJV) reads as follows: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Obviously, the one true God was not the one speaking to them. If there was any supernatural voice, it wasn’t God’s.
Notice that verse 24 begins with the word therefore - this word is a great prompter to deeper study - go back to the previous verses and see what it is there for...
In the previous verses of Genesis chapter 2, we see God’s creation of man and woman. God literally made woman from the flesh and bone of man. We are designed by God to be together as one. God himself said it best in Matthew 19:4-5.
Duke, Duke and Samuelson then go on to say that Shawn [Samuelson] is Mark Duke's "spiritual partner"
WRONG! If Mark Duke is married to Becky Duke, she is supposed to be his spiritual partner, which is part of what Christian marriage is; a physical AND spiritual bonding. Again, cleaving – cemented forever.
While the message mentions Shawn’s moving in with Duke as his spiritual partner, it doesn’t mention that shortly before this took place, she was a married woman. Mark Duke counseled her young husband to divorce her, and he did. That Duke took advantage of him to take this man’s wife for his own seems, in my opinion, extremely clear.
I like how Kay Daigle uses the illustration of her husband using crazy glue - something permanent - to explain what cleaving is. A comparative illustration of Mark Duke with his wife and Shawn Samuelson with her husband is a bond with soluble glue, something that could be dissolved on a whim.
In any case, none of this is truly of God and for these people to claim that it is, is outrageous. If you believe their words, all of their discussions that night “centered around [sic] God and the cause.” In my view, what really happened was a discussion of how to circumvent God’s clear commands.
One other thing that struck me is the contrast between the end of Genesis 2:25 (And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.) and their statement that “we are committed to doing God’s will no matter what it looks like.” In my view, that they understood their sin and sought to explain it away couldn’t be any clearer. Romans 1:20-24 seems appropriate:
The “cause” mentioned by these leaders of the House of God and the Freedom Foundation (Mark Duke is the founder and president, Becky Duke is a trustee and Shawn Samuelson is chairperson) is of course, the spiritual rights movement. According to the preaching and teaching of Mark Duke, the advance of the spiritual rights movement is the reason that the group moved to Selma. It's the cause for which Duke claims that they are "willing to spill blood on the bridge again."
In my opinion, that any Christian Church would allow these people to teach from their pulpit, or be in any position that would allow them to lead people away from the truth is very troubling.
Wake up Selma!
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Allan, I am so glad there is a place to discuss this without the crudeness displayed on the "topix" forum all too often. There are some good comments on there, but they tend to get buried under some rather odd "takes" on what "debate" means.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this guy is the end of the world, but I do agree that his political ambition (and that is pretty nakedly obvious - "divide and conquer" anybody?) and control tactics have to be nipped in the bud. It is sad that as many people have been drawn in as they have. He seems to be a magnet for a certain kind of weak ego, but that is how predators work.
Thank you so much for standing up for the one true God and providing the evidence that exposes this guy for what he actually is - a false prophet. For any FF/HOG people reading, my bible clearly indicates Jesus is God.
ReplyDeleteJohn 1:1, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us
Please wake up to the truth about Jesus and call on Him for help - you have DIRECT access to the throne of God and do not need Mr. Duke's assistance.
Thanks Allan for all of your research, investigation, heart and prayers, including all the things you do behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteI was really glad to see the "spiritual" email posted, and the marraige audio mentioning his views on divorce and the british. I think that audio shows a really good glimpse into how dangerous Mark Dukes mind control techniques truly are. It really gives those outside the group a good picture of what this guy is after,and especially if you read into that audio very close you can really see how bad the spiritual abuse really is and can be.
Thank you, Allan! When I read the email, my first thoughts were that a married man cannot have both a legal wife AND a spiritual partner and be in God's will for marriage. You explained this so well. I hope our Christian ministers and church leaders are explaining these things to their congregations.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is repeated over and over on their radio show besides their "good fruits" is that they say they have a minister who supports them in daily life, not just a minister who preaches to them on Sunday, then never visits their homes or seriously tries to get to know them. They say that so many other churches just have the Sunday preacher, period. They have a good point! It isn't true for every church, of course, but I have seen a trend where some ministers rarely attempt to make contact with their parishioners outside of the church building. These people may have a preacher, but they don't have a minister, and that is why I think some of these FF/HOG members were drawn in. So many have said that they tried so many churches before joining the HOG, and they were all alike. Either the church leadership or the church members didn't care for one another the way the Early Church did, and they didn't feel the closeness that a Christian church should provide. So perhaps we should listen up on that point.
Thank you for opening sharing your hours spent in researching this subject. Your wisdom and insight are appreciated by many, those who read and post, those who only read, and those who wish to do both.
ReplyDeleteIt is great to get outside objective thoughts from someone other than those of us involved on both sides of the issues.