Stand Down: Roderick Leaves Preterist News

I want to thank Brian Simmons for allowing me to contribute to this blog over the last year.  This blog stood firm against hyperpreterism, even to the point of being one of the few “anti-pret” blogs that reported on events within the movement (while other blogs were busy talking about “panty raids” and dying pets of all things).

But as the Hyperpreterist movement continues its fracturing, there is less and less need for an eye on daily events.  Indeed, hyperpreterism’s supposed strong point of unabashed disconnect with “traditional Christianity” is also its weakest point, in that it manifests itself as radical individualism with each new hyperpret bringing his or her private interpretation to the table.  This destroys the heresy from within.

If You Won’t Listen to Us, Then…

In December 2007 I went on the radio/podcast show called The Narrow Mind (TNM) with Gene Cook jr and publicly renounced hyperpreterism. After that program, hyperpreterist Jason Bradfield aka “kingneb”, protege of hyperpreterist leader Sam Frost made several comments on the program.  Bradfield tried to at first claim I was simply trying to “get attention”, but when it was shown that I specifically didn’t even mention my website, Bradfield attempted several other things, including claiming I was simply trying to bash my former “full preterist” fellows.

FASTFORWARD July/Aug 2010

In 2010 Bradfield posted a scathing “apology” against the hyperpreterist movement, claiming MANY of the same things I claimed in 2007.  Here are a few quotes from Bradfield, all from the same article.  Read them and then listen to the TNM podcast I did in 2007 and see if Bradfield sounds like he is where I was in 2007.

BRADFIELD’S COMMENTS

If You Could Leave The Movement…

After the shocking article by Jason Bradfield, the protege of hyperpreterist leader, Sam Frost I thought it would be interesting to consider how a person could or would ever leave the hyperpreterist movement.  Bradfield’s article (see here) certainly sounded like someone on the edge of abandoning the movement.   However, it is becoming more and more apparent that Bradfield has no intention on leaving the movement.  He is simply trying to distance himself from his fellow hyperpreterists and join his mentor, Frost in creating a privatized version which they can better control.

But what if someone actually did want to leave the movement?  I don’t mean like some of these half-hearted, fake departures we have seen by people like Sharon Nichols and others who spend more time validating and chumming around on hyperpreterist message boards more than they did when they claimed they were in the movement.  I mean, what if someone wanted to actually repudiate hyperpreterism as a person would as they abandoned say an addiction to drugs, smoking, drinking or being part of a cult.  How would a person do that?

Sincerity Rarity Among Hyperpreterism

As a former 15-year long hyperpreterist myself, I have for a few years now, been beating the drum that the number one issue that hyperpreterism must face is that hyperpreterism MUST claim that 2,000 years of historic Christianity has been in gross error on the basics of eschatology.  Typically, hyperpreterists respond in a few ways:

1. Claim some sort of ‘trace’ form of preterism that supposedly always has existed in historic Christianity (yet no such form exists).
2. Claim some massive dupe of Christianity, such as a 1st-century rapture or immediate post-AD70 apostasy that has supposedly left historic Christianity in supposed error.  Or simply claim 2000 years of Christians have been unitedly stupid when it comes to interpreting the Bible on eschatology
3. Ridicule the question as an appeal to Roman Catholicism (“Eckwardian”)
4. Ignore the question and redirect (such as trying to have a discussion over ‘time-statements’)

How Hyperpreterism Affects the Atonement

Hyperpreterists are fond of making it look like their view barely affects historic Christian doctrines.  For example they will often say something to the effect, “That they don’t deny the resurrection of the believers…they merely place it in the past”.  This attempt to minimize hyperpreterism’s actual chasm of departure from historic Christianity is a frequent plot of hyperpreterists all the while in the next breath hyperpreterists will ridicule the Church as having supposedly been in gross error for 2000 years.

Recently, someone wrote me asking how hyperpreterism affects the Atonement.  Now, if a hyperpreterist were to answer this, they might claim there is no affect but that just isn’t true.  Let’s explore.

Preterist Radio Failing?

For those who may not know, the hyperpreterist movement is constantly trying to find ways to make inroads into general society, how to be seen as legitimate.  Other cults like the Mormons and the Scientologists do this with well placed and produced TV commercials.  The JWs do this with creating their own Bible translation and door-to-door outreach.  Well, the hyperpreterists are doing all they can to move to the next level as has these other cults.  The hyperpreterists don’t presently have the organization or the funds to do TV spots, though there had been chatter from some of them to rent billboards. They have already attempted and failed to produce a “preterist study bible“.  This project was destined to fail since it was initiated by the most liberal hyperpreterist out there, Virgil Vaduva and had as its general editor, Sam Frost — perhaps the most elitist and arrogant hyperpreterist (even so considered by his fellow hyperpreterists).

Hyperpreterism’s Impact on the Function of the Holy Spirit

Whether you believe hyperpreterism is heretical or not, it is important to examine how the hyperpreterist paradigm impacts doctrines beyond just eschatology.  When I was in the movement back in the 1990s a common mantra voiced by hyperpreterists was that they were proposing a “paradigm shift“.  But as opponents of hyperpreterism continuously pointed out that even hyperpreterist’s were unwittingly admitting their doctrine — as a radical paradigm shift — is indeed a radical departure from historic Christianity.  Hyperpreterists didn’t want their views framed this way and have since toned down using the term “paradigm shift” in reference to their views.

Adopting hyperpreterism is not like adding a theological accessory to your Christianity.  Hyperpreterism ISN’T just about your “endtimes” or eschatological views.  Hyperpreterism impacts EVERY aspect of your belief.  I’d like to take a look at how hyperpreterism impacts the function or role of the Holy Spirit.

Hyperpreterist World – in it all together

Hyperworld

Well, it’s that time again.  Come along as we look into the wacky world of Hyperpreterists.  What person is trying to be the center of attention this week?  What are they fighting over? Who has compromised with whom just to keep the “movement” unified?

Up first is Mike Loomis, formerly known as “psychomike” (a name of his own choosing).  Loomis, like many hyperpreterists was either unemployed, underemployed or on disability/welfare (giving them lots of time to start websites).