A Rebuttal Against Fundamentalist Allegations
Aimed At The Church Of Seven Planes

by Bishop Aaron M. Joy, OSM OSJ of Japan

(inspired by a text donated by a Freemason friend of the CSP)

Anyone who has studied religious history, not theology per say, but the actual actions of people, has undoubtedly discovered that much of history is tinted with a feeling of competition and hatred between one group and another. It doesn't take a religious scholar to see that so much of what constitutes religious history is nothing more than one group stirring up against another and competing to see what leader and/or group knows the one true pathway to God. The hatred this has caused between otherwise equal groups has been the seed of countless warfare, persecution, disgrace and death.

In the past few decades, some Christian leaders have found themselves at the losing side of the centuries long competition between religious groups. Those of an older generation can probably recall the decline of evangelistic icons Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker as examples of such defeat. Of course, every defeat is blamed not on personal error but is attributed to the everpresent influence of Satan.

To many evangelical Christians the omnipresent enemy is without question Satan. Satan's evil influence has become so prominent that Christian leaders have turned the focus of their ministry almost entirely on defeating this great enemy, wherever he may be. The examples are endless on how many Christians have used the excuse of Satan to change things that don't agree with their theology. Instead of turning a blind eye they assert themselves and their belief in Satan on unsuspecting victims.

For example, in Britain, 666, the Mark of the Beast as revealed in the Book of Revelations, is no longer allowed to be used on license plates. One fundamentalist even defended himself against a murder charge by saying he had been possessed by the satanic demon in his license plate.

Another example centers around a giant consumer-products company in America that had for generations used as its trademark a stylized drawing of the man in the moon. One day a fundamentalist decided, after a careful study of the drawing, that three of the curly hairs in the man's beard were really sixes. With great pride he triumphantly declared that trademark contained 666. As this was hidden in the moon, itself a symbol traditionally with satanic and pagan overtones, only defended the man's hypothesis. A campaign was held against the company, starting with the condemnation of the trademark and ending with a boycott of the products before the event was stopped by court order.

The list goes on of fundamentalist revelations of satanic influence. One of the most common allegations has been against rock'n'roll, particularly heavy metal, and it's blues origins - considered all tools of Satan against the unsuspecting listener. Those who remember when vinyl records were the main form of recording music will undoubtedly remember the old myth that certain heavy metal and psychedelic albums played backwards on the turntable revealed direct messages from Satanic. Early band, such as the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and the Rolling Stones, who often toyed with satanic imagery and lyrics no doubt helped to fuel this myth.

In such a climate, with fanatical fundamentalists actively looking for satanic influence around every corner, it is not surprising that the Church of Seven Planes was eventually caught in this witch hunt. Unfortunately for the fundamentalists on the prowl they have a reputation for avoiding or twisting the truth and even yielding to blatant lies in order to support their claims. This reputation is based not on stereotypes but repeated examination of the everything but scientific and unbiased work of the fundamentalists. But, unfortunately for the defense, the Church of Seven Planes offers a fertile ground for fundamentalist allegations, with its plethora of belief systems held by its ministers and its continued determination to an interfaith religious organization before anything else. The fact that the Church of Seven Planes ministers and staff have routinely ignored such allegations, considering them complete falsehoods, has only fueled the fire of the fundamentalists. The belief of the fundamentalists is that a lack of a defense means that no proper defense exists for one's actions, and no proper defense undoubtedly implies the influence of Satan.

The material, some might even call it hate material, generated by these fundamentalists against interfaith groups, including but not exclusive to the Church of Seven Planes, can easily be obtained if one searches long enough for it. It goes without saying that the fundamentalists derive some amount of steady income from their pamphlets, newsletters, books, audio and video tapes. Such publications drive anti-interfaith propaganda into the minds of the devout followers of these ministries. This returns us full circle to the point made at the beginning of this commentary about religious history being nothing more than one group stirred up against another and competing to see what leader and/or group knows the one true pathway to God.

In an attempt to combat some of the allegations aimed at the Church of Seven Planes, the following is a list of some of the common allegations and the much belated response.


ALLEGATION:
"You can't have one God for all religions. There is only one God, with anything else being Satan is disguise."

The CSP isn't trying to have one God for everyone, nor create a theology or belief system that does such. Rather, the CSP is seeking a means by which all who believe in a God or Supreme Being, or any polytheistic version of higher beings, can join together and share with each other experiences, ideas and ministries. The definition of "God" for the CSP refers to God as perceived and worshiped and honored by the individual. No one is asked to alter any belief system to meet some pre-conceived standard, theology or lifestyle. This is an entirely appropriate approach for a fraternal body that has no desire to be a separate religion. There's enough splinter religions existing. The CSP is trying to re-bridge the gaps.

The approach of the CSP is similar to the approach of the U.S. government and the founding fathers. The Declaration of Independence justifies the actions of the American revolutionaries, who wanted "the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them." A century and a half later , the daily recited Pledge of Allegiance to the flag called for a belief in "one nation under God." Since there is no state religion in America and no legal definition of one perception of God to the exclusion of all others, this is clearly a reference to God as perceived by each individual citizen. Though some may argue that America is a Christian country, due to the majority of Christians amongst the founding fathers and the prominence of the Catholic/Christian faith up through the present day, there is a complete lack of any mention of the Christian God in any of the U.S. founding documents. The intentions of the founding fathers of America were unquestionably towards a interfaith approach, particularly considering the fact that they were rebelling against their homeland which had persecuted them for their religious beliefs.


ALLEGATION:
"Many ministers of the CSP call fellow ministers "brother" and "sister," but Scripture teaches us that there is no brotherhood except In Christ. That's why the CSP is anti-Christian."

There is no true winning (or even truly losing) this argument, because it depends solely upon the interpretations of the speaker. The CSP believes that when Jesus Christ spoke of "my brethren" he was speaking of all mankind. The CSP does not place any restrictions on the message "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me," especially considering that when the words were said, there were just a handful of men who might be called Christians.

Men have argued, written, and pontificated on the meanings of each sentence in the Bible, particularly the New Testament and the words of Christ, and the discussion rages on with as much force as ever. The CSP believes that until all people around the world find a way to live in brother/sisterhood with each other, regardless of religious beliefs and practices, there will never be any peace and security. This is the CSP's great hope for the future. The CSP has made a strong contribution to this goal, but in doing so it has had to stand up against the fiery-eyed attacks that say, "A true Christian cannot ever be in brotherhood with a Muslim, a Jew, a Mormon, a Unitarian, a Christian Scientist, or a Roman Catholic. Jesus forbids it!" It is this view that the CSP has tried to change.


ALLEGATION:
"The CSP promises that good works will earn salvation, which is a lie. Salvation is available only to the man who accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior, and good works have nothing to do with it."

The CSP does not offer salvation on any basis or in any form. Each man must find that within his own faith and practice. Salvation is the highest personal goal of any religion, but the CSP is certainly not a religion. It should be noted that the word "church" in the CSP name refers to a community of people gathering together for a common cause, not to a group of people who share the same religions. The word "church" may be borrowed from Christian vocabulary, but that's as far as its connection goes. The word "temple" or "mosque" could as easily have been used. But, whatever it is called, the CSP, on no account, offers any sort of salvation. What it does give, as opposed to salvation, is the opportunity to engage in the good works which is required from every believer in a moral religion.

"But good works play absolutely no role in salvation," cries the radical fundamentalist. To which one answer is that most members of the CSP accept a moral code that requires sympathy, kindness and charitable good works. And, this moral code is not based on their salvation necessarily but on a way to live in greater harmony with their neighbors while creating a peaceful community. But, being that the CSP is not a religion and does not bestow any form of salvation than to even discuss salvation and the CSP is a discussion of no value. So, if salvation is not an issue, the CSP believes that just out of moral values comes a desire to do good works. It is not based on what one receives or doesn't receive just a desire for a better community and life.

But, in all honesty, these arguments are not going to convince a radical fundamentalist of anything, but rather will cause him to search his Bible for scripture, usually taken out of context, to support the fundamentalist position against the CSP. Since any argument seems to require scriptural citation, the Epistle of James often comes in handy as a tool of rebuttal:

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?" (2:14)
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead." (2:17)
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (2:30)
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (2:24)
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (2:26)

And finally, from the First Epistle of John:

"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (3.17-18)
"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (2:4)


In conclusion, all that the CSP tells a new member is that he or she should attend and support their own chosen house of worship. If supporting the right of individuals to worship in their own way but yet occasionally coming together for charitable work is still seen as the work of Satan than there is no argument that can win against the fundamentalists. The obvious last attempt would be to accuse the fundamentalists of being influenced by Satan, but this only creates a never ending circle of hate. A circle the CSP is trying to destroy, and not for the good of Satan but truly for the good of the community.

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