There was a caller in the first hour of CAL who asked a question about Shepherd's Chapel. I understand that Patrick and Jimmy aren't very familiar with this program or the individuals who teach on it (Pastor Arnold Murray and his sons Dennis and David). I kind of felt that the caller was left with a sense of quasi-security that it was OK that her family continue to watch this program. It kind of got me worried so I said a prayer that she would look into this church further.
When I was 12 (almost 27 now), my dad was introduced to Pastor Murray through a friend at our church (I wasn't Catholic at the time). So we began watching him. It got to the point, where my dad wouldn't just watch his live program, but we had to watch him on his 24/7 Satellite station. At first it can be really easy to get lulled into this man's teachings. He claims to teach "chapter by chapter" and "verse by verse" of the Bible using the original hebrew and greek for translation purposes. The only Bible that he recognizes is the KJV, and addition to that he strongly suggest that those who study with him use a specific KJV Bible called The Companion Bible. (Here is a link to a condensed version
http://www.companionbiblecondensed.com/).
Patrick mentioned on the show that many fault Pastor Murray for being associated with teachings from the Christian Identity Movement or British Israelism. This absolutely is correct. Additionally, Pastor Murray teaches doctrine such as Adam and Eve were white. He claims that the hebrew word for "Adam" means to turn red in the face or to be ruddy complected (taken from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance) which basically only people with pale pigment can turn red in the face..... He also teaches the serpent's seed doctrine which is the question that the caller was trying to ask about. This is the teaching that the original sin was due to Adam and Eve have "relations" with Satan and then Eve bore twins: Cain and Abel. Cain being from Satan and Abel being from Adam.
Another thing that Pastor Murray teaches is that all of us who speak English and celebrate Christ's Passion during Easter, are actually celebrating the rites of a fertility goddess, Ishtar. He believes this should be called Passover, and also believes that everyone has the date wrong every year (Christians and Jews). He determines when Passover should really be celebrated every year, and has a gathering of all who study with him to celebrate this event. I have been to this twice. He also doesn't believe that Christ was born at Christmas, and that we really shouldn't celebrate his birth at this time. Instead we should celebrate it when Christ was "really" born which was in September. He has another gathering around this time called Fall Fellowship.
Pastor Murray may seem harmless, but his teachings are not. He is very persuasive in his interpretations of the Bible. I bring all of this up only because, as I stated at the beginning. I felt like the caller was left with a false sense of security about this man and his teachings. She is a Catholic who is trying to raise her children Catholic with a husband who is not Catholic. That is difficult enough as it is, but to have the teachings of Shepherd's Chapel thrown in there which in most cases denies many of beliefs and/or traditions of the Catholic church is very dangerous. This is a thread I started on this topic last year
(Shepherd's Chapel). This topic is near and dear to my heart because my dad still listens to this man on a daily (hourly) basis. I feel like I've had to pretty much re-learn my Christian faith because of the false teachings this man has put in my head over the past 10 or so years. I just don't want this poor family to get sucked into this nonsense.
Peace and God Bless,
Jessica
8/19 Open Forum Question about Shepherd's Chapel
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