By Jane Abao
Manila, Philippines (8/22/2014) – Beset by fear and anxiety, a Roman Catholic apologist called on the RCC members to maintain distance from Bro. Eli Soriano whom he calls a liar and all sorts of names. The preacher recently had critiqued Jorge Mario Bergoglio or Pope Francis.
Aloysius Kayiwa, a Roman Catholic apologist, recently pleaded to Catholic members to guard their families and not fall for Bro. Eli. He posted his plea in Splendor of the Church, a blog that stands as Catholic Apologetics where he also attacked Soriano and his followers.
Bro. Eli Soriano is the Presiding Minister of the Members Church of God (MCGI) or Ang Dating Daan as locally known. He has long since become a byword in the country and abroad for his kind of preaching through Bible Expositions that he does worldwide through satellite. The group reaps an average of 1,500 converts in weekly baptisms in Central Luzon alone and most of the converts come from the Roman Catholic Church. This has serious implications for great subtraction from many religious groups especially from the RCC membership.
Kayiwa, a Ugandan who is former Pentecostal and had converted to the Roman Catholic Church, is a correspondent of Splendor and is based in Africa. He is one of the three whom MCGI members referred to as “squids” covering up for Pope Francis. The other two are Abraham Arganiosa, the priest that initially handled the Splendor blog decorated with many images, and a Duane Yan aka Lay Person Scripturist.
Earlier, Duane Yan challenged Bro. Eli to a debate – not on doctrines but on which is a better Bible, emphasizing knowledge of Hebrew and Greek alphabet. Duane claimed Bro. Eli kept attacking the RCC. Meanwhile, Arganiosa merely called Bro. Eli names and shamed him in a blog, on top of photo-shopping the preacher’s image, placing his head on the body of another, and making him appear like a clown and childish. The third one is Kayiwa who is more knowledgeable than the two, but based his apologetics on saint worship and traditions of Catholic fathers that are not honored by other Christians.
As one of those involved in doing squid tactics that tried to derail discussions on what Pope Francis said, Kayiwa took over when not one of the Filipino apologists could speak up for the Pope’s words. He had also asked his brothers that his blogs be translated into Filipino but Jane Abao of Ang Dating Daan wrote, “Before you spread your heresies from Uganda to the Philippines, stand up and be measured!” This properly calls for Kayiwa to be tested in a debate before he spreads his false teachings, she retorted in her response on this blog .
The beginning of all these is that Bro. Eli found issues with the pronouncements of the Pope: about using conscience as guide to believing in God or not, and about Jesus being man, not spirit. In his letter to Eugenio Scalfari, founder of La Repubblica in Italy dated September 3, 2013, Pope Francis said, follow your conscience. Scalfari asked if God would forgive those who do not believe in him. At another instance, Pope Francis said, Jesus is not spirit; he is man. This was registered in RomeReports.com. Bro. Eli posted his blogs titled, “Pope Told to be More Biblical in Pronouncements” and “The Greatest Fallacy of the Roman Catholic Church Ever,” contesting these pronouncements on his official blog. Three Catholic apologists arose to respond, but managed to do squid tactics to obliterate the issue.
As responses to Bro. Eli, Duane produced two blogs, “A Response to the Attack of Eli Soriano against Pope Francis” and “Response to the Response of the Coward Leader of Ang Dating Daan.” Arganiosa wrote a shouting blog with every word capitalized, titled, “MAMA ELI SORIANO TOO COWARDLY IN HIS ALIBIS; REFUSES DEBATE CHALLENGES;” and Kayiwa, three: REFUTING ELI SORIANO & HIS FELLOW FALSE PROPHETS ON THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST, Response to Eli Soriano’s Puppet, and Exposing the Fallacies, Lies, Hypocrisy and Insinuations of Soriano.”
Of the three “squids,” Aloysius Kayiwa had the penchant for going thick on everything to impress a bubble stock knowledge especially for his first blog. He is also the one that warns and in warning his brothers-in-faith, his insecurity is patent. Here are his last words in his blog3 titled, “Exposing the Fallacies, lies, hypocrisy, and Insinuations of Soriano by Aloysius Kayiwa” –
Please readers, do not fall for the deceptive reasoning of this thug false teacher Soriano. Guard your families and children; guard your brothers and sisters not to fall for this wayward agent of the Devil. This claim to “truth” or “true preacher” is a red flag characteristic utilized by this cult to instill an exclusiveness within their followers. Soriano is masterful at instilling elitism, tricking loyal followers into false reasoning that it is a privilege to be one of the Members of the Church of God International when he is actually leading them (sic) the garden path of hell.
This Blog3 deceptively sports a newspaper-looking top wherein Soriano’s photo is largely inserted in the middle, and to appear like a news clipping, the following is bannered: “Eliseo Soriano: False prophet, fugitive preacher and rapist.” However, there is no story body that follows the title – about his being “false prophet, fugitive preacher or rapist.”
The fallacies employed by Kayiwa will be the meat of discussions here. These are either to defend himself or calculated to mislead the Catholic members whom he fears will believe in Bro. Eli. But first, here’s the background.
BACKGROUND: Bro. Eli Soriano found issues with two of Pope Francis’ pronouncements: 1) Follow your conscience whether to believe in God or not (Answer to an atheist, Eugenio Scalfari); and 2) Jesus is not spirit, but man (Registered in RomeReports.com). In the first, Bro. Eli said conscience is not a real guide because some men have seared conscience. Bro. Eli also said, one who does not believe is condemned already, according to the Bible.
In the second issue, he said that some truths are time-bound and when the Pope gave his pronouncement that “Jesus is man,” it is not true anymore. From here, three apologists came up supposedly to defend the Pope but merely did squid tactics to obliterate the issue.
In an earlier response, Duane was shown to have simply boasted of his knowledge in Hebrew and Greek alphabet. Meanwhile, Arganiosa was shown to have merely photo-shopped the image of Bro. Eli on top of bad-mouthing him but never hit the issues. Aloysius Kayiwa was also answered in this blog for his first post.
The focus now is on Kayiwa’s Blog2, “Response to Eli Soriano’s Puppet,” that is addressed to Jane Abao. Excerpts of his statements (n) are posted first, followed by the fallacy committed. The author takes the opportunity to respond to these fallacies and then make a conclusion. Towards the end, being the addressee, the author will provide two questions asked by guests during random Bible Expositions to acquaint readers with Bro. Eli, even in a superficial way. Sic means “as is,” indicating wrong grammar or typography as Kayiwa placed them.
KAYIWA’S FALLACIES IN REASONING
(1)When someone is hurt, the option is either to keep quiet (if one is humbled) or react. Now one of the member (sic) of the Dating Daan (sic) Cult did the latter after her thug cowardly leader Eli Soriano was exposed and refuted. The lady who made the attack is named Jane Abao in a blog article – I do not know her personally – but for defense’s, (sic) I will respond to her asservation in a more articulate manner. I must say delusion is her tone but I also observed that truth is too painful for her and if she accuses me of not refuting what Soriano really said, I will accuse her missing the whole point in my article or still for committing the sin of omission. (Fallacy: Poisoning the Well, Distraction, Begging the Question)
It was your Pope whom Bro. Eli exposed, and his two exposes were the issues or points. You are changing the truth. Your article is not the one we are contending with. It was the Pope’s errors. Your article stood as your defense to the Pope. Therefore, they will be weighed as responses – but not the one presenting the issues. You also assume things that have not even started. I see you desperately painting a picture that you are on top of the situation. But you are trembling!
(2) The Splendor BLOG is a public blog and it is frequently NO. ONE (sic) in the Top Blog list ranking. Many people have found that blog useful and many people, whose souls were at a danger of being misled by your cult, were saved by this blog. Once again, many people have been converted by this blog including some from your sect. I myself have improved my Apologetics with the aid of this blog and that is why I chose to be its correspondent for Africa. There is nothing you can say about that. (Fallacy: Ad Populum or Appeal to People)
Splendor may be Number 1 in blog ranking, but it has failed to answer for Pope Francis. Now that you are boasting about it, has it won an award? None! Bro. Eli’s blog at www.esoriano.wordpress.com has won a Shorty Award for Most Educational To Follow in 2009, besting even Paulo Coehlo, a popular Brazilian author of the multi-translated The Alchemist fame.
Do not boast about ranking because it is mostly factored by using SEO algorithms of the following kind: controversies, scandals, nerve-wracking posts. No wonder, you try to destroy the reputation of people beginning with questionable photo-shopped images and fool your members as if those were true. You don’t care for truth if being Number 1 is your preference and so you thrive on scandals and controversies.
About our members being converted by Splendor, that is impossible because our culture does not include images and idol worship. Before I came to know Bro. Eli and his teachings, I have already learned that images are not to be prayed to. How? At the young age of 10, I had an extra-ordinary experience. I was leading a group of children praying before the image of Virgin Mary one summer night. (We were boarding a dormitory of an Episcopal Church that owned the school we attended). While I was approaching the image to kneel before it, my mind was telling me that we were simply before an idol. I led the prayers addressing “the Virgin Mary” but suddenly I broke into laughter. I laughed and laughed. No one was tickling me, but my funny bone was at its most active state. The prayers were then disrupted. In my embarrassment, we began again. But here went my uncontrolled laughter. We stopped again. Since that event had to be done with, we finally finished with my suppressed giggling. From there, I confirmed we were praying to an idol. I grew up really wondering why people prayed to stones and concrete images. I am glad I was never a Catholic and never had to do what they do. It is not impossible to know what is what.
(3) Your false teacher Soriano writes poisonous articles with a corrupt gospel but what have they helped his followers other than misleading them? In them is (sic) contained fretting, deception, cynicism and hypnotism. What have you done to prevent that? Soriano’s writings are like slow doses of poison, it is funny how you discredit my article in order to pass your attacks on me and shelve the false teachings of your leader. But let me tell you, there is no amount of deodorant and cosmetics you use that can cover the shame and rot in your thug leader. (Fallacy: Poisoning the Well, Begging the Question, Strawperson Argument)
Wrong assumptions, wrong conclusions. God’s words that Bro. Eli propagates have helped many understand the truth in the Bible, including having nothing to do with images that the Catholics worship. Fretting, deception, cynicism and hypnotism? You should rather write on a charge sheet and file a case if you believe Bro. Eli is doing this instead of merely blogging to mislead your people. You are feeding them with lies.
What have we done to prevent that? Nothing, because “that” is merely your bunch of lies. You got to shape up and be true to yourselves. What do you get out of fooling people just so they stay with the Roman Catholic Church? Beginning with the name, it is not even in the Bible. This is what Bro. Eli taught us –
DANIEL 9:19
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
He said, if you are of God, it is the name of God that should be attached to you.
It is Church of God that you find mentioned 12 times in the Bible, but there is not a single mention of the Roman Catholic Church. You also say something that is not there, and then you try to destroy it. It looks easy to you, but there is nothing to destroy with the straw you put up.
“Shame and rot in your thug leader.” What are these? We do not know what you are talking about. The lot of cases fabricated against Bro. Eli, we know about them. Those were filed by the Iglesia ni Cristo where Bro. Eli is considered their most fierce critic. Those who filed them were former members that Bro. Eli excommunicated for offenses. They were thrown away and were accepted by the Iglesia ni Cristo. Some of the cases were won over; the others are being worked out. As it is, anyone with money can file a case against another. If someone files a case against you, it does not necessarily mean their allegations are true.
A lot of these cases were filed with evil intentions. You were taken in by those lies and it would not do good to your members if you teach them also to believe in lies.
Was there ever a case wherein members applied deodorant and cosmetics to cover for Bro. Eli? We would leave him, if there is a reason. It does not appear to you that what you are accusing me of is what you are doing for the Pope – squirting ink for the public not to see what is happening. Your Pope has been critiqued!
(4) It is so self-deceiving for you to think I wrote about “many topics” which you even do not mention. In my article I explained the Nature of God and the Divinity of Christ with the intention of crushing the inaccurate and misleading methods your false teacher uses to explain about God. If you will interpreted (sic) those interconnected topics as being “many topics,” fine for you but don’t impose your narrow mindedness on me. I am not responsible for your delusion. When I wrote, I wrote in the general sense so that people can learn the larger issue but you are so dumb to realize that. Shame on you! The aim of writing is not for eloquence (although that is necessary) but conveying the truth, that is the aim of my writing and I will write thick articles so long as they convey truth – and as long as you label them like that but there is nothing you will do about that. (Fallacy: Non Sequitur or It doesn’t follow)
I can understand by now that you do not know how to engage in arguments. That is why you enlarge an issue more than it is. The issue(s) were the Pope Pronouncements. Period. So that is where we should stay put. Do not say you wrote something for general use and then complain when you are measured as being “thick” with extraneous material. Supposedly, was that to impress people that you were doing something for the Pope? Your members may be impressed but thinking minds can see through your padding tricks.
And before you shame anyone and lecture about writing, find out whom you are talking to!
(5) Actually it goes deeper than that. You see, I have read the arguments of the very early church – the very early church that gave you your Bible and I have compared the mumblings of your kind with those of the Early Church Fathers on the same issues – my analysis is your heretical beliefs were refuted long ago by Church Fathers. Who are you that your 21st Century knowledge and understanding can compare with excessively heavenly intelligent Justin Matyr and Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp and Jerome and Aquinas and Augustine? (Fallacy: Non Sequitur)
Sorry, but I do not read nor listen to “excessively heavenly intelligent Justin Matyr and Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp and Jerome and Aquinas and Augustine.” What truths have they taught? I listen to the appointed preacher of God who was given understanding and a mouth that cannot be assailed.
It doesn’t follow that since the Roman Catholic Church came ahead, they have godly ascendancy over others. In fact, there was a blackout of knowledge for over many centuries, so how can they be that knowledgeable than now? Understanding what was prophesied to come in the end times plays a role here – and that means the True Church, affiliated with the Church of the First born that started in Heaven, will arise in the end times with understanding as its main tool and a mouth that cannot be assailed. You will see this one in Bro. Eli Soriano, and that has been tested by time.
Do you think I would spend many years studying and then fall for a fool? Over my dead body! When I chose my religion, I was led to it like the way I was able to understand that the Virgin Mary image was an idol. So, coming to know that was spirit-inspired. One Sunday, I simply took a bus to go to the next city and find the House of God because I wanted to worship. The pressure was so much that I rode without a destination in mind. The bus had arrived and yet I didn’t know where to go. When I finally went down, I went from one church to another and found myself rejecting them one by one. The sun was already up; it was way past high noon and yet I had not chosen a church. Still, I wanted to worship. Finally, I found one Church Locale of the MCGI (Ang Dating Daan). I fitted quite properly as if I belonged to them and as if I came to know them for many years. That was because I was already like them: wearing long skirt, no make-up, maintaining long hair and staying simple, as being taught by Bro. Eli. I sang songs with them easily and listened to the texto. That is the House of God – with simple people having simple hearts, ready to be led to truth with no baggage of the questionable traditions of men.
(6) The stupidity in you is seen when you claim Church Father’s (sic) teaching (sic) have no credibility for others but I was not writing only to refute your false teachers but also to enable others learn (sic) – I mean our Catholic brothers and sisters and all those who may be concerned about the strange and unusual teachings of Dating Daan (sic). (Fallacy: Ad Misericordiam. Appeal to sympathy ahead of reasons).
You were really on the wrong tract. What you were supposed to do is answer the issues presented. Answer what Bro. Eli said about the pronouncements of the Pope. Your article was not responding to the issue. If you were to advance the learning of your brothers and sisters in faith, your materials were pegged then of saying “Do not listen to Soriano.” Sure enough, you ended this blog with warnings. But where was the answer to Bro. Eli’s allegations about the Pope’s words? They would ask you, was the Pope correct or not? What would you tell them since you have no answers for the Pope?
Here was your conclusion, in attempting to save Pope Francis from his critiqued statements (from thick blog1, titled , REFUTING ELI SORIANO & HIS FELLOW FALSE PROPHETS ON THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST) –
(7) A human mind cannot hope to understand the reality of God; spiritual beings are beyond the comprehension of physical beings. The closest a fleshly being can come to understanding the spiritual realm, a realm unknown to daily reality or scientific understanding, is through the approximations of anthrop morphological (sic) statements. For this reason, any description of God is merely a vague humanized likeness. As the reality of God is an unsolvable mystery, incomprehensible until we see him “face to face,” it is foolish to judge others with marginally different points of view.” (Fallacy: Appeal to Ignorance)
In other words, you are saying, it is foolish to judge the Pope’s pronouncements as either right or wrong because we cannot describe God anyway. That is your prescriptive view – in answer to the critique of Bro. Eli on the Pope’s words.
I wouldn’t buy this reasoning. Man cannot know God then? Is that why your Pope and the Roman Catholic Church are so full of errors? The Catholic Church sells indulgencies and people pay to get themselves and their relatives out of hell. Just what are indulgencies? Research says the RCC claim they have a reservoir of grace built up by the saints and could tap these resources to save people on earth and purgatory. What a pagan teaching! Heaven’s reservoir of grace you sell? If you cannot describe God – as either spirit or man – it is because of these money-making schemes. Every church service (baptism, weddings, funeral, and the like) is being paid for in the RCC.
God is not that cruel not to allow man to come to know him, but it is possible. There are things God reserves for those he appoints to propagate his words. He gives them understanding. And it is these people we have to follow – so that we can know God and describe him. Some people cannot know God because they refuse knowledge. Here is what the Bible says –
PROVERBS 1:24-31 (KJV)
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Back to your attack on Jane Abao.
(8)Actually, this St. Athanasius is the one who produced the Canon of the Bible you hold in your hands. Let me tell you, you are a parasite of Arius the Heretic, you are trying to divert us from telling the truth of what transpired in ancient times in a bid to cover up for your sects (sic) corrupt gospel. (Fallacy: Red Herring, Appeal to Emotion)
Let me warn you Madame, that will not work for you. The truth is that your beliefs from your thug organization are demonic and what I mention are fundamental Christian beliefs believed for 15 centuries before your thug organization came after as a result of Luther’s reformation. Your Dating Daan (sic) has borrowed much from the devious teachings of Luther and his former heretic Arius, who even your fellow Protestants disowned as heretics. Don’t you feel ashamed that your beliefs stem from the falsity of Arius and Luther. There’s nothing Christian about your Christ-deity rejecting cult. (Fallacy: Red Herring, Appeal to threat)
I was not born just yesterday. Judging from your own words, you are writing more to be believed by your members than by me as the addressee. It is on account of your great need to impress them that by throwing insults, you are deemed by them as correct. That is not how truth comes about.
The Bible is “God-breathed, the source of truth, the standard for meaningful life” as accepted by many – but not the Catholic version that has questionable portions added. Isn’t it obvious I wouldn’t be using a Catholic Bible?
The MCGI has no corrupt gospel. We do not baptize infants who do not understand and cannot give their consent to baptism. We do not espouse image veneration or worship. We do not sell Church services like the RCC does. When one dies, we do not sell masses to be celebrated in many churches. If that is the case, then only the moneyed can find “repose” for their souls. We believe that when one is dead, he is in the hands of God. He is only resting, waiting for the resurrection, so that there is no need to buy salvation for them. We do not make sign of the cross – a sure sign of the devil. There are many things we do not do because God did not say they are godly to do.
The “fundamental Christian beliefs believed for 15 centuries” that you boast of may have been outdated, corrected and dropped after new truths were revealed. Remember that some truths are time-bound. That is what you do not understand in the RCC and so you find fault in Bro. Eli. He taught us that at the time of the end, there is a possibility that the closed book will be opened. What will happen? “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” And what he taught us are found in the Bible.
Daniel 12:4
But thou, o Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
So what was not known in those many centuries are being revealed now. You have a wrong sense of time if you think “time” to man is also time to God. In the MCGI, Bro. Eli reveals the mysteries of God as understanding comes to him. There are truths that have been reserved for the future, especially for the end-times. See the texts in Daniel.
You are not correct about the way you seek information. The MCGI is not protestant; it has never been a part of Luther and what he stands for, nor Arius that you link to us. If that is the way you seek truth, with even as basic as researching, you do not have the proper skills to advance. No wonder you build on shaky ground.
THE FEAR OF KAYIWA SHOWS
For all your laughter, Kayiwa, in jeering Bro. Eli, the real character of fear in you manifested when you came upon the word, DEBATE and quickly misunderstood me with whom you were discussing. You were analyzing my work –
“Like the others, you mention many things that are only true to you. I will just show you some of what you said:
In his first line, Soriano says that: “Now, if the son is equal to the Father and the Father is a spirit, it follows that the Son must also be a spirit!” This is a bogus statement confusing the nature of God and cancelling out Soriano. Notice how he confuses the Spirit to be the Father and the Son and not Himself. Soriano does not know what “equal” means and he confuses the nature of the one God and through misapplying and torturing Scriptures to support his erroneous views.
If Jesus is also a Spirit like His Father as Soriano says, why does the Spirit come on him during Baptism by John the Baptist?
Resolution for this is a televised debate.”
It means, for these things to be settled, a televised debate is being proposed by me. That is the simple grammar of it. The one who said “bogus statement” and that “Soriano does not know what equal means” was you, Kayiwa; and for that to be examined, a debate was proposed.
Now, notice your answer, Kayiwa –
(9) “Madame, you do not know what you are talking about surely. Who told you this is a televised debate or was a televised debate? Who told you? Stop being self-deceiving. This was a blog post. Let me tell you, even if this was a televised debate, there is nothing from the kinds of you. We have refuted all the Iglesia ni Manalo Debaters in televised debates. These Iglesia debaters themselves defeated Ang Dating Daan debaters. Rest assured, Madame, there is nothing we fear – even on Televised Debate. The problem is that your debaters are afraid to engage us, including your thug coward false teacher Soriano. Just come out of your dens and debate us (sic) if you are confident. Tell your thug leader to come out from his den and prove the fallacies he accuses us in real debate. We (CFD Debaters) fear nothing! That is the writing on the wall for you and him.” (Fallacy: Ad Populum, Appeal to Emotion)
As a practiced debater – local and international – Bro. Eli has his batting average recorded. In the space of four years from 1995-1998, Bro. Eli had a record of 17 total debates or 4 debates each year. Now, it is becoming less and less especially in foreign lands because these debates on video are posted all over the Internet. Challengers are withdrawing although there are times the tickets for Bro. Eli and his staffs have been bought already and the venue paid for. Once these challengers are able to view these videos, they retract. I leave the readers to judge these allegations of Kayiwa.
(10) Besides, has your cult produced any Saint? Do you have Saints in your cult? No one. Yet you are accusing us for having Saints, the righteous of God. These Saints mean a lot to us Catholics as Role Models together with Jesus… (Fallacy: Distraction)
Maybe the idea of praying to the Saints is a bit strong for the likes of Jane Abao so I like the idea of praying with the Saints who intercede on our behalf in their praises to God. In our human nature, we are always looking for heroes. Football’s hall of fame is located everywhere. The Catholic Hall of Fame is located in Heaven. Just as we honor some of the great sports legends and war heroes, we especially honor those who lived for God and are in Heaven. (Fallacy: Strawperson Argument)
What is a saint? A saint is a Christian, dead or alive, who does God’s will. He or she does not need to be “canonized” by the RCC for holiness. Therefore, saints are found in the House of God. This is where the saint is to be perfected – in the house of God. It is God who judges who is saint – not human beings.
There is no need for intercession in praying. Intercession is the cause of money flowing from people to the Roman Catholic Church unnecessarily as if access to God is through money – only. If you are a child of God and he is your Father, why do you have to pray to other people – especially dead people – to pray for you? What can dead people do when they are resting (no consciousness) and waiting for the resurrection?
And, the Catholic Hall of Fame is located in Heaven? In Heaven where God is, there is no competition. No one there is famous or non-famous. Here on earth, each of us is expected to toe the line as Christians and so everyone can be a saint. The field is leveled for everyone moneyed or not – and there’s the Bible to guide us – plus our proper thinking tools to process information through logic, plus rightful research, but never the traditions of man that have become questionable.
Fear is very patent in the response of Kayiwa. What is he afraid of? Of sheep being stolen from the RCC. He said that. Then he ends with a threat. This is his threat –
(11) Besides, do not be a hypocrite Madame. Empirically Protestants have more leprosy than Catholics. I can prove that if you want me to do (sic). This is not an argument boast but a fact. Make no mistake about that. And as long as you want to attack us, we shall respond with equal measure. I mean we shall respond even with greater force. We are qualified for that. There is no doubt about that. (Fallacy: Red Herring, Ad Populum, Appeal to Force).
We are not Protestants – in the sense that we do not or do deny the authority of the Pope. We are Christians and have nothing to do with authorities of other people. Go prove yourself to the Protestants – for all we care. We are not Protestants. AND your threat is hollow!
“Attack” is your word, but that is not the way we look at searching for truth. If there is something we find that we must not hold on to, no matter how many centuries it was counted on as “truth,” if understanding is given by God through our Church Leader to let go, then we let go that “truth” and follow God.
(12)The Bible calls Soriano a liar. (Fallacy: Red Herring)
However, the cult’s teachings are like a flawed product disguised by impressive packaging. Although their teachings appear truthful, they are embodied in a fallacy with a deliberate attempt to mislead. The Dating Daan (sic) literature is saturated with these fallacious statements in which the error is not obvious. Eli Soriano uses this to masterfully deceive, trick, control and manipulate his followers. (Fallacy: Circular Argument)
Do not let clear thinking be swamped by these semantics and devious teachings falsely presented as the “established truth” and “of God” – they are not true in the real sense. They are the fanciful falsehoods of human imaginations of Eli Soriano and are specific statements that manipulate the actions of members like this Jane Abao. (Fallacy: Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc or After this, therefore because of this)
Kayiwa goes round and round in his fear and trembling, where there is no danger. You cannot impound people when they look for truth by your many words that tend to paint someone falsely. Somehow, a person will have to search, as most of former RCC members that have been enlightened by Bro. Eli’s preaching do.
“It is true that as told in the Bible, there is a time the book is closed and no one can understand.
Daniel 12:4
But thou, o Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
“But in the later times, that understanding needed will be given. Understanding is very important. It shows us whom God appointed to handle his word. But to whom will it be given? There is a prophecy for understanding –
Daniel 12:9-10
And he said, go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
“The wise shall understand. They will understand the content of the prophecy. They are called wise. This will also happen in the end times.
Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.”
I am actually quoting from a book of Bro. Eli in Q and A. He ended his answer to the question like this –
So the wise will be used by God as instruments in turning people to righteousness. Many will come to know the Lord. Those who will be God’s instruments in bringing people to righteousness are wise.
I did not say I am that, but I can be one of them. There is no necessity for Daniel to describe my person. You just have to fall under what is prophesied.
The un-equaled understanding of Bro. Eli is his claim to being one of those chosen to preach God’s word, although Kayiwa condemns him as liar. If Bro. Eli is a liar, why does he have understanding that the Pope does not have?
Back to the plea of this trembling apologist –
(13) Please readers, do not fall for the deceptive reasoning of this thug false teacher Soriano. Guard your families and children; guard your brothers and sisters not to fall for this wayward agent of the Devil. This claim to “truth” or “true preacher” is a red flag characteristic utilized by this cult to instill an exclusiveness within their followers. Soriano is masterful at instilling elitism, tricking loyal followers into false reasoning that it is a privilege to be one of the Members of the Church of God International when he is actually leading them the garden path of hell. (Fallacy: Slippery Slope)
Wrong assumptions. It is best that you ask those who have left the RCC why they followed Bro. Eli. They are laughing now at what they had been taught to do for many years. Their eyes were opened; the veil that covered their understanding has been lifted.
Now we come to the physical lay-out of the page.
(14) [The blog response of Kayiwa deceptively sports a newspaper-like top wherein Soriano’s photo is largely inserted in the middle, and to appear like a news clipping, the following is bannered: “Eliseo Soriano: False prophet, fugitive preacher and rapist.” However, there is no news story that follows as a body of this title]. (Fallacy: Desperate attempt to mislead readers. Red Herring)
Anyone not familiar with photo-shopping tricks like this one will think there was a newspaper that really came out like that. It is public knowledge that the Splendor of the Church blog tagged as Catholic Apologetics is notorious for doing such photo-shopping tricks to malign their subjects. Obviously calculated to mislead their readers, they unknowingly show the true character of their religion. That is how some sectors view this blog which apologists like Kayiwa boast of as protecting their people from the likes of Bro. Eli.
It is wrong to do this. It is un-Christian. We should be ashamed of other religions that do not call themselves “Christians” and yet do not do what we do. Splendor has a Website man that does foolish things online to make the blogs more biting and respond to SEO algorithm for more article exposure. But the blogger still has the responsibility on whatever is posted to accompany the article.
CONCLUSION: The author now takes the opportunity to conclude about Aloysius Kayiwa’s prescriptive view that “A human mind cannot hope to understand the reality of God; spiritual beings are beyond the comprehension of physical beings…. therefore, it is foolish to judge others with marginally different points of view.” [See (7)].
The supports and evidences that Kayiwa gave are not supports at all to his conclusion that we cannot describe God, so it is foolish to weigh the pronouncements of Pope Francis.
What Kayiwa could have done is to write on Pope Francis and what the Pope could have meant in light of situations surrounding him. Kayiwa could have given more effort for supports to back up the Pope in order to debunk the claims of Bro. Eli – if he could do it.
Instead, all Kayiwa did was write “Shame on you!” to me several times, call me a hypocrite, and condemn me as a puppet of “a leader of shame and rot.”
What is a puppet? The dictionary says, a puppet is “a movable model of a person or animal that is used in entertainment and is typically moved either by strings controlled from above or by a hand inside it.” So a puppet has no mind of his own. And yet, between me and Kayiwa, who prays to an idol and doesn’t even know it?
Most of all, Kayiwa flung blind accusations on Bro. Eli, calling him “wayward agent of the devil” with “writings of slow doses of poison,” of “poisonous articles with corrupt gospel that contained fretting, deception, cynicism and hypnotism.”
Surely, this is not the way of a people looking for truth. If we use critical thinking to discuss and advance with truth, it is not a chance for us to shame people.
YOU BE THE JUDGE
This is the first of two questions presented here. The first was asked in one of the Bible Expositions of Bro. Eli in a Q&A portion by a guest from United Kingdom. This was excerpted from an EFerSon Context Book -a book devoted to Bro. Eli’s ministry. When it comes to questions, Bro. Eli can tell what religion you belong to, so he takes every opportunity to speak. You be the judge as to who Bro. Eli is – as against the contentions of Kayiwa.
Q88_From UK_Guest (7/8/2012): Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. Sir, what is your authority in preaching?
Bro. Eli Soriano: Thank you for this opportunity to correct you with your impression. I pray that you will be enlightened with the answer I will give you.
First of all, please do not address me as Sir. While others like to be called sir, I prefer to be called Brother. The word “sir” or “sire,” implies somewhat of lordship. I am not a lord over the members of the Church.
I Peter 5:2-3
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
To be acknowledged like a lord or of higher rank over the brethren in faith is prohibited. The implication is not biblically good. It is as if I were acting like a lord of the flock.
Matthew 23:8 -9
But be not ye called rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. and call no man your Father upon the earth: for one is your father, which is in heaven.
The recommended way of calling one another is Brother, Sister. The apostles themselves were addressed as brothers. They were not called “Reverend,” “Most Reverend,” “The Very Reverend,” “Honorable,” “Most Honorable.” As far as I am concerned, Brother, Sister is the most respectful way of addressing a co-servant. I am requesting you not to call me Sir. In baptism, you should receive the Lord Jesus Christ, not Brother Eli Soriano. We are not preaching ourselves.
II Corinthians 4:5
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
There are instances that I have to prove that I have the right to preach the Gospel. That is not preaching myself. I am preaching the Lord. I am preaching because I want to obey the commandment of the Lord – not because I just want to preach.
One of the commandments is in –
James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
I do not want to commit sin. Committing sin is not just transgressing the law. Knowing good but not doing it is also sin. That gives me desire to preach the gospel. I have known the scriptures. It has been my pleasure to study spirituality since my childhood. I have read books of different doctrines. I have investigated all areas of faith in the world. After knowing that others are not preaching the truth, there’s urgency in me to do what is proper to do.
What I share is what I know is true that others do not preach. Some can’t even ask questions or investigate. I am the only preacher mingling with people and giving people chance to voice out their doubts. Then a question arises: What is my authority in preaching?
John and the Lord Jesus Christ answered such query. There are times the same question is posed to me. Then I read prophecies. But I cannot remember any instance when I uttered, “I was prophesied.” I just read prophecies such as this –
Daniel 12:4
But thou, o Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
At the time of the end, there is a possibility that the closed book will be opened. What will happen? “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
Historically, there is no time like our time when there are as many running to and fro and knowledge is increased. I have seen the fulfillment of this prophecy. There may have been televisions in progressive countries but not in the Philippines during the 1950’s.
I saw the advent of the transistor radio. I was young then when the television was introduced. I have seen how knowledge has increased. Today, just having a laptop gets you connected to the whole world. That is in the prophecy. Coincidentally, with that prophecy –
Daniel 12:9-10
And he said, go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
So there is a prophecy of understanding. The wise shall understand. This will also happen in the end times. They will understand the content of the prophecy. They are called wise.
Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.
So the wise will be used by God as instruments in turning people to righteousness. Many will come to know the Lord. Those who will be God’s instruments in bringing people to righteousness are wise.
I did not say I am that, but I can be one of them. There is no necessity for Daniel to describe my person. You just have to fall under what is prophesied.
Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.
I can be one of those wise who will turn people to righteousness. And it is happening. Broken families are being mended. Vicious people are turned to Christ. The prophecy is happening in my person. I can be considered one of those who will turn people to righteousness.
Every word of God has its fulfillment. But I am not elevating myself to a degree of exultation. I may be one instrument of God to turn people to him.
There are many ways for me to presume that God uses me to turn people to God. I used the word presume. It implies not putting too much trust in one’s self but trusting in God.
Proverbs 3:13
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Is it evil for me to presume that I am a man who found wisdom and has understanding? I can feel within me that God is giving me understanding to his words. You judge the fruit of what God has done to me. Whatever anyone thinks of me, I can speak for my authority in preaching. Is there anyone – in the whole world – who can preach what I am preaching now?
AND THIS IS THE second question. It is about SAINTS from a former Roman Catholic member who underwent indoctrination and was getting ready for baptism in MCGI. The question was asked in 2011. It is placed here because Kayiwa had boasted about their “saints.” Let us learn what SAINT means.
Q14_Guest (9/17/2011): What does saint mean? Why are graven images of the Catholics called saints?
Bro. Eli Soriano: We don’t give meaning to the word “saints.” But the bible gives meaning to it.
PSALMS 51:11
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Saint or Santo means holy. The final authority in the meaning of terms is the Bible. Saints in the Bible can mean holy people or holy angels – because there are angels that are not holy.
EPHESIANS 3:5
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
There are holy apostles. There are holy angels also.
MARK 8:38
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
There are holy angels; they obey god. There are holy people; they also obey god.
JAMES 5:12
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
This teaches us not to be liars. It teaches us to be true to our words.
JOHN 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
WHAT ABOUT BRO. ELI’S TEACHINGS?
The truth in Bro. Eli’s teachings is what made me stay for the last 13 years. I came from the Worldwide Church of God where I stayed for almost 3 decades until it broke up – into many groups. From that experience, I was ever alert for possible errors from preaching. BUT the more I listened to Bro. Eli and the longer I stayed with MCGI, the more I am convinced it is The True Church.
The teachings as taught by Bro. Eli are biblical. There is not a time that he does not quote from the Bible as he teaches. All topics are backed up with Bible verses and everyone can check what he is saying. Then they can be followed up with more discussions during weekly consultations that are an integral part of the Church Service. He encourages asking questions – unlike many pastors who do not even know the scriptures.
Bro. Eli’s topics are GOOD NEWS and spirit-inspired, and they have never been heard of before and elsewhere. They are a fruit of understanding given him from time to time. This explains why in other so-called churches, they have one-hour service – at most 1.5 hours – but in the Members Church of God International, they can stay awake up to the wee hours of the morning, listening to Bro. Eli, yet never getting tired of it. You can see this happening mostly in the ADD Convention Center at Apalit, Pampanga, north of Manila – the base of activities in weekly thanksgivings that are telecast through satellite in all the 6 continents of the world where the church members are. More so during 3-day quarterly thanksgivings where at the end of it, you can still hear some of the members wanting for more – time to be together and listen to God’s words.
LIKE RATS TO THE BEAM
Contrary to Kayiwa’s allegations, evidences of what are stated here are there for easy checking. The truth is, when a man trembles with fear from lying, he fears more for one nightmare: that of the RCC ship being abandoned by members – like rats racing out quick to the beam.
Less Traveled Road 