It has been widely publicized that 39 members of the Heaven's Gate "cult" committed suicide in anticipation of hitching a ride with a purported UFO that was believed to be trailing the Hale-Bopp comet. They left their "containers" (bodies) behind as they believed they were transforming their beings into a higher form of life.
TLC would like to address two separate issues regarding this recent occurrence:
1. True doctrine of Eternal life versus false doctrine.
2. The media campaign of distortion.
1. True doctrine versus false doctrine.
TLC believes that the human body is sacred and that man's work on the earth is not over until the person is taken by events out of their own control or by God's will. Also, the seed of life should not be tampered with, ie. voluntary castration. The Heaven's Gate community were celibate and considered sexual union between man and woman as depraved and unclean. TLC responds by declaring that the union of the sexes in the proper marriage union is ordained of God and that the marriage bed is undefiled; also, that children and families are part of the plan of a loving God.
TLC testifies that God is an exalted and perfected man and that the human family is created in His image and likeness. God is not an alien or some other being created by the fantasy of man.
TLC further testifies that the Holy Scriptures lay out the plan of the last days and how the earth is to be redeemed by God's covenant Elect. There is no exterior plan in how the human family is to prepare to meet God.
TLC declares that there are multitudinous varieties of false and deluding doctrines afloat in the world, all meant to distract and decoy the people from the true work of Jesus Christ in the last days. Satan has taken a great hold on the minds and hearts of men, inducing them to be carried about by every wind of doctrine. All this is in the effort to destroy the true knowledge of how Zion is to be built up in the last days. If Zion is not established by a righteous remnant of people in these last days then the earth will be utterly wasted at the coming of Christ. This is the testimony of the TLC in these matters.
2. The media campaign of distortion.
The interesting component of this latest tragedy is the hysteria that the media is creating among the people. Now it is inferred that any religion or Church on the internet with a website is out to brainwash and convert the weak and lonely to their beliefs. Also, inference is made that anyone who believes in Celestial events in the Heavens is most certainly misguided and paranoid. TLC can enumerate many times in the scriptures, including the birth of Christ, where Celestial signs and comets were harbingers and signs of God's work among men. TLC testifies that the appearance of the Hale-Bopp comet has more significance for mankind than just being a passing comet. We believe it to be a sign of the coming of the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ. It is a sign that will signal many events on the earth in the days ahead to accomplish the Lord's purposes in the last days.
The definition of a "cult" would have applied to Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, and he was considered a "charismatic cult leader" by his enemies at home and abroad.
The same would be applied today against Abraham, Enoch, Noah and Moses. In fact, by today's definitions, all the Holy Prophets of the scriptures would be labeled as dangerous cultists and not worthy of a listening ear by the more "enlightened" society of the day.
True religion and priesthood have NEVER been popular with the world in every age and today is no different. The media is only assisting to discredit and disqualify all believers of truth just because their doctrines do not find acceptance in mainstream society. TLC believes that Satan, the father of lies, is doing a thorough job of creating confusion and chaos against the true work of God. Satan accomplishes this work when he can get decoys like the Heaven's Gate people to believe in false doctrines. The next step is to get these folks to act upon these erroneous views of truth. When the tragic results are made known to the world, a smear campaign is performed on any and all religious efforts, declaring them all to be of a dangerous nature. At this point the "baby gets thrown out with the bathwater."
TLC declares that God's true exalting work is going on with a small remnant of Elect people. TLC also affirms that Satan, through his manipulations upon many deceived people, is trying to snuff out the true work of God by causing events that are evil in an attempt to discredit the true work as it is taking place on the earth. This strategy is not new.
In conclusion, the recent media exposure would have us believe the following:
1. Churches with computers and websites are 'cults' and are suspect of wrongdoing.
2. People who make any inference that comets and Celestial events are signs of God's dealings with man must be misinformed or are "reality deficient."
3. Any religious community that has strict rules of conduct for its members must certainly be striving for evil intent and control over its members.
4. Any religion that declares that these are the last days and that mankind is in need of repentance must be considered unstable, armed and dangerous, and are to be eschewed from society.
The effect of this media distortion is an effective, yet untrue attempt to discredit the true works of God that are coming forth today. By lumping in the TLC and others with the Heaven's Gate type occurrences, the minds of men are made to conclude that any religious zeal and testimony is of the devil or of uninspired men. Thus, the Evil one, Satan, has attempted to foil the works of the true God of Israel.
TLC testifies that even with these attempts at distortion and "guilt by association", God's work and Zion will come out triumphant in the end. The fulfillment of prophecy in the last days is and will continue to roll forward. TLC invites all truth-seeking people to investigate our words and ask God if they are true. God will answer those who truly seek to do His will in humility and obedience.