Wednesday, May 27, 2009

They's Two (maybe more?) of 'Em!

Freedom Foundation chairperson, and live-in "spiritual partner" to House of God cult founder and leader Mark Duke; was quoted by the Alabama Baptist newspaper in a recent article as follows:

"Shawn Samuelson, spokeswoman for Freedom Foundation, said Duke was originally a leader in House of God but stepped down when he moved to Selma."

Samuelson's statement that Duke was "originally a leader in the House of God," is a gross understatement if what Mark Duke says is true.

The House of God cult's founding document "The Declaration of a New Covenant" says that Duke "received a vision to restore God's church." It also says that this all happened after Duke met and was mentored by Bob and Edna Stewart, two people the House of God revere as much as the prophets of the Bible. It was Edna Stewart who falsely prophesied that Duke would be the one to restore God's Church. Hardly just a "...leader in the House of God who stepped down when he moved to Selma."

Additionally, in sermons before and after he moved some of his cult followers to Selma, Duke says that they brought the Church to Selma, all the while lying to the people of Selma saying that there was no House of God there.

The article goes on to quote Samuelson saying: "Noting that Duke was out of town until May 15 and could not be reached for comment, Samuelson confirmed she is one of two “spiritual partners” that lives in the house with Duke and his wife. But “we do not have a sexual relationship.”

I don't know why the subject of a sexual relationship came up, but one might assume that the writer(s) asked that question of Samuelson when they discussed Duke having a "spiritual partner," but even I was shocked when I saw Samuelson say that there were two spiritual partners. Perhaps Duke is simply poly-platonic!

Of course all of this leads to even more questions:

1. Why is Duke and his not-so-merry band of followers there in Selma so adamant in trying to distance themselves from the House of God?

2. If Duke took Shawn Samuelson as his spiritual partner when he was a "leader" in the House of God, why did she move to Selma and continue to live with him and his wife Becky, whom God supposedly told him to stay legally married?

3. Why would Duke's "spiritual partner(s)" have to physically live with him?

4. Why would God tell Duke that he should stay "legally" married to his wife Becky in the context of explaining to his followers that he was moving Shawn Samuelson into their family.

5. Are all of Duke's live-in spiritual partners women, or is he bi-platonic too?



WAKE UP SELMA!



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The Alabama Baptist Article Reporting on the April 26th Elkdale Baptist Church Meeting is Available On-Line

The Alabama Baptist's outstanding article; Faced with ‘cult’ group, Selma churches unite to educate community By Sondra Washington and Jennifer Davis Rash, is available online - you can read it by clicking here. (you can also read the article at www.tinyurl.com/standupforthegospel)

If you do not receive the print version of the Alabama Baptist at your home or office - you are missing a great newspaper, and it's not just for Baptists!

Wake Up Selma!

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

How Do You Spell Liar? M-A-R-K-D-U-K-E

Here is something that is posted on the internet (click here for the source) about identifying some ways to tell if someone is a pathological liar:



  1. They lie about even the smallest things. For example, saying "I brushed my teeth today," when they didn't.


  2. They add exaggerations to every sentence.


  3. They change their story all the time.


  4. They act very defensively when you question their statements.


  5. They believe what they say is true, when everyone else knows it isn't.

Here's an alternate "checklist":


  1. Lies when it is very easy to tell the truth.


  2. Lies to get sympathy, to look beter, to save their butt, etc.


  3. Fools people at first but once they get to know him, no one believes anything they ever say.


  4. May have a personality disorder.


  5. Extremely manipulative.


  6. Has been caught in lies repeatedly.


  7. Never fesses up to the lies.


  8. Is a legend in their own mind.

Does any of this sound familiar? Does the cult leader who is president of the Freedom Foundation come to one's mind?


Last year, when I visited Selma to attend two meetings held by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, I heard Mark Duke make the claim that he never went on the internet. The first time that I heard it, it seemed rather odd; for a corporate executive in our modern day to never have gone on the internet would be highly unusual. The second time I heard Duke say it, I knew his claim was bogus. I had several days before read an electronic message that Duke had sent to a number of his cult followers where he made reference to his surfing the web.


Last week Duke and one of his co-hosts (Ronald Smith) have been on some interesting rants on their RealTalk™ radio program (a lot of [false] doctrine is being pushed through the airwaves by these two, even though the Freedom Foundation doesn't have any doctrinal positions!), and Mark Duke again made this interesting prevarication:


"I never go on the Internet, never have" (you can listen for yourself below)


Really? What about these words straight from Duke's fingers:


"As I read thru the info of Morris Curello. The ministry Paul S. is going after my heart sunk. The millions of dollars, the scams and the prey fo [sic] the simple minded and the poor and elderly. It made me sick. It felt so dark and I continued to read web-site after web-site of horro [sic] stories of this minsitry. There were 3,000 storeis [sic] on the internet involving him. 95 percent negative. The lawsuits and the houses and planes, etc....in this I could feel the dark froces [sic] and powers. In fact both Gwen and I had to put the info down as it was really oppressive just to read." (excerpted from a 2004 electronic mail message sent by House of God cult founder and leader Mark Duke to his followers)


Will the real Mark Duke please stand up!





Click the play button above to hear Mark Duke Speak It!
(c) copyright 2009 RealTalk™ and The Freedom Foundation. Used without permission.





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Friday, May 1, 2009

Mark Duke Says Jesus Day should be called Devil Day!

“…Were' having Jesus day, should call it like Devil day is what they should call it. National Prayer Day, what’s getting done? …and they’re praying all over the country with no faith … Gods not moving, God is not moving, not through those prayers, so why we gonna do that. We not gonna pay homage…”
Mark Duke, President of the Freedom Foundation, April 2007

One wonders whether Mark Duke and his new Church (Selma Community Church) will participate in the Jesus Day festivities on Sunday May 3rd, when many people in Selma gather to honor the Savior. If they do, it would be the height of hypocrisy since he wants to call it Devil Day.

One should also wonder if he will participate in the National Day of Prayer (Thursday May 7th) activities, particularly the prayer times at Selma City Hall.

If anyone sees Duke or his not so merry band of followers at either one of these events, they should remind him or them of his words.

The final part of the audio clip that accompanies this post is very interesting – you will hear Duke again refer to running for mayor of Selma, but listen closely to this short clip. If Selma wants change, they better elect one (Mark Duke): “…you elect this black guy, you’ll get the same thing …this redneck he’s running, the blacks ain’t gonna vote for him anyway. IF HE DON’T WANT A BLACK IN THERE, HE BEST VOTE FOR ME AND JOIN UP!

When I started writing this post, I was going to start it by saying “here is more outrageous statements by Mark Duke,” but the reality is, this type of hate-filled, anti-Christian and racist bile is not outrageous for Duke, it’s typical (and so is the laughter of his followers)!

WAKE UP SELMA!




Click the play button above to hear Mark Duke Speak It!




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