Brother Eli and the Catholic Mass Part I

Brother Eli Soriano, renowned international televangelist, was criticized in Fiat Volvntas Tua (translated Thy Will Be Done), a Catholic-based blog. It was about Brother Eli’s attack on the veracity of the Catholic Mass, which he wrote in esoriano.wordpress.com

For the sake of truth, we offer these answers in defense of Brother Eli. Please note that the issues answered here were directly lifted from the blog, including whatever errors are found.

Issue: Brother Eli Soriano is the founder of the Arian sect called the Church of God International that is primarily located in the Philippines. It is a schismatic sect of the Jehovah Witnesses and has similar teachings adopting the same evil heresies.

Answer: Brother Eli Soriano is not a founder of any sect. The word “founder” means originator or creator. In his 50 years of preaching, Brother Eli never claimed founding any church or religious organization. His present designation in the Members Church of God International or MCGI is Presiding Minister, NOT Founding Minister. Presiding means leading or directing.

MCGI is not an Arian sect. What is an Arian sect? An Arian sect is a religious organization that upholds the teachings of Arius, a presbyter (minister) of Alexandria considered a heretic during his time. Arianism, the religion founded in his name, believes: (1) The Father alone is God, only unbegotten, eternal, wise, good, unchangeable, separated by an infinite gap from man, and cannot communicate His essence. (2) The Son of God is pre-existent, "before time and before the world," and "before all creatures." He is a middle being between God and the world, the perfect image of the Father, the executor of His thoughts, even the Creator of the world. In a secondary or metaphorical sense he may be called "God." But, on the other hand, Christ is himself a "creature," the first creature of God, through whom the Father called other creatures into existence. He is "made," not of "the essence" of the Father, but "out of nothing," by "the will" of the Father, before all conceivable time, yet in time. He is not eternal, and there "was a time when he was not." Arians also assert that (3) the Son does not perfectly know the Father, and therefore cannot perfectly reveal Him. He is essentially different from the Father (heteroousios, in contrast to the Trinitarian orthodox belief, homoousios, "coequal," and the semi-Asian homoiousios, "similar in essence"). Later, the difference was more strongly expressed, calling the Son unlike the Father (anomoios). Some considered him as a human body with an animal soul, not a rational soul.

Brother Eli is not a disciple of Arianism. He says that the persons of the Father and the Son are distinct. But unlike the Arians, Brother Eli teaches through the Bible that Christ is God and has the same nature as the Father, knows the Father, and he is the only begotten of the Father, existing before the creation of the world but not a created being. Watch these videos of Brother Eli discussing the divinity of Christ, his relationship with the Father, and the trinity.

The words Arian or Arianism are not in the Bible. A quick computer search will reveal the truth.

Brother Eli teaches only the sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles, and the prophets that are applicable to the present. In so doing, he uses the Bible to argue with the teachings of others. An example of this is during Bible Expositions. Brother Eli answers questions of people from all walks of life and faith. They ask, he answers through the Bible in real time. Everybody is welcome, even agnostics, skeptics, or atheists.

Majority of the questions in the Bible Exposition are on differences of the doctrines of MCGI from those of this church or that church. Brother Eli is used to responding to questions like those. If someone asks him about the difference of MCGI’s teachings with, say, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Brother Eli answers, a proof that he follows what I Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

MCGI is not a schismatic sect of the Jehovah’s Witnesses or JW. This claim has no historical or doctrinal proof. MCGI must have retained much of JW’s religious identity if it was a splinter group. Here are some of the many differences of MCGI and JW:

1. MCGI acknowledges the government. It was registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines in 2004. Why? Biblically, Christians were taught to obey the ordinances of men, and this was written in Romans 13:1, Peter 2:13, and Titus 3:1. Under Philippine Law, every corporation or organization is required to be registered to the Securities On the other hand, the JW’s do not recognize human governments. Their argument is that human governments are evil. They now claim that they have changed this teaching since 1966, but they only did so because they have encountered problems, particularly with the US Federal Government. Their founder, Charles Taze Russell, was involved in a series of lawsuits regarding his violation of US state laws.

2. MCGI allows blood donation and transfusion. A proof is the regular blood donation it conducts with the Philippine National Red Cross and other Red Cross families abroad. What does the Bible say? Watch this video of Brother Eli explaining the biblical basis of blood transfusion. In contrast, JW’s do not allow it. Know why the JW does not approve of blood donation or transfusion. Judge for yourself if what the JW's say is biblically acceptable.

3. MCGI believes in a new heaven and a new earth. It is written in Revelation 21:1 – “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” JW’s say that this earth shall be inherited by those who will be saved, as written in Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” But Brother Eli believes it is a misinterpretation, as he does in this video.

The Jehovah's Witnesses made seven predictions
of the world's end, published in their official gazette,
The Watch Tower. Unfortunately, none of those
predictions came true, even if all forecasts were
computed using biblical and historical dates and figures.

4. MCGI never made any end-of-the-world prophecies. Since 1934 in the time of the late Brother Nicolas Perez until today that Brother Eli leads MCGI, the Church believes that the exact day and time of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the world’s end is not specified in the Bible. Only the signs were given, indicated in Matthew 24:4-51; Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 13:32; Luke 12:40-56; and Revelation 3:3. On the other hand, JW’s had made several doomsday predictions, all fallen to failure.

5. MCGI does not share any historical link with the JW’s. A quick look into the histories of both groups will lay waste to a claim that MCGI was a part of the JW's before. There is not truth to it.

There are many other differences between MCGI and JW’s. What have been mentioned are just a few.

This is only the beginning of the answers to criticisms by some who, for lack of respect towards research and reading of facts, have abandoned logical reasoning and biblical viewpoint. God willing, there will be more replies on the next article.

Dear readers, remember that it pays good rewards to be attentive of the truth and not philosophical talk. Save yourselves from the ignorance advertised by pretentious religious teachers.

Brother Eli and the Cult

Cult, for so long a time, has been confined to mean a pessimistic and underground religious movement. Thus this description, which has eventually turned into a semi-permanent belief, brought to mind a flood of ghastly images of unorthodox rituals: men veiled in black or white priest-like garbs, with heads covered by a pointy hat having only two small openings for the eyes; hair-raising voices muttering a mysterious language before an altar decked and draped with melting candles, skulls, bones, and blood of a sacrifice; and on the wall facing the altar, an emblem of the brotherhood – all these the typical iconic images of a cult’s ceremony in progress.

On the other hand, if a close examination of the term ‘cult’ will be made, a different perspective will be held. The true meaning of cult is not what many people believe and popularize it to be.

According to http://www.etymonline.com/, cult means any of the following: “worship” or “particular form of worship.” It is derived from the Latin cultus which means “care; labor; cultivation; culture; worship; reverence; to worship or give reference to a deity.”

In this regard, if being a cult is what most people think of Members Church of God International (MCGI) to be, and Presiding Minister Brother Eli Soriano a cult leader, the question is – which description of a cult fits MCGI?

This question is for you to answer. But let us help you make a decision by considering these circumstances.

MCGI is a non-profit, recognized organization duly registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the Philippines. It means that the Philippine Government acknowledges the presence of MCGI, and its registration records can be accessed and verified.

This privilege grants MCGI to conduct activities without getting apprehended by law. It is what makes MCGI work continuously on evangelization and charity activities in the Philippines and in other parts of the world. Visit http://www.mcgi.org/about/charities/ and http://www.mcgi.org/broadcasts/ to see and read more of the Organization’s documented charity and evangelism events.

As MCGI stretches evangelization efforts abroad, it seeks permit to operate on countries where local chapters are established. MCGI had been allowed by foreign governments to conduct charity missions, like blood donation, clean-up, and charity runs, to name a few. See again the Charities Section of www.mcgi.org for more details.

For these efforts, the Church and Bro. Eli Soriano as well, had received citations for its charitable activities and missions. Look here.

MCGI is on the Web. Internet surfers can freely visit the Church’s portal, www.mcgi.org, to find out their latest news and activities, including vital information they need to know more about the Organization.

MCGI lives within the legal norms of the society.  Members worldwide submit to the laws of their country of origin.  They are disciplined, law-abiding citizens, which is a part of their learning as Christians to be subject to the laws and ordinances of men, a doctrine written in I Peter 2:13 to 16 which says “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of men for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (14) Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (15) For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (16) As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke [cloak] of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” (KJV) Read here to find out more about the members of the Church.

MCGI abides by the teachings and doctrines of the Bible.  Brother Eli Soriano, Presiding Minister, teaches every member to faithfully heed God’s laws relevant to the time. He encourages members to think and do what is right before God. He invites them to converse on matters that involve their faith and continuance in God’s service, and listens to and accepts suggestions from members, especially if it will help the Congregation be more responsive Christians.

On a weekly basis, Bro. Eli shares biblical topics that teach, enlighten, and direct the MCGI congregation in dealing with life’s difficulties. Through it, the members become well-informed of their duties and obligations as Christians, dedicated to spiritual and social service.

In conducting religious gatherings, MCGI follows the practice of the first-century Christians. They follow what is written in I Corinthians 14:26 that says “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (KJV) Read this section to find out more on church assemblies.

What about a cult’s supposed power to cure diseases?

MCGI believes primarily in the power of God to heal. The Church also appreciates the help of science in curing ailments.  Ailing members are advised to see licensed doctors.

Through Brother Eli’s biblically-based teaching that doing good must be done to all men, MCGI initiated free medical help throughout the Philippines, like rescue/ambulance services, a polyclinic with free pharmacy and on-call physicians, and a clinic-on-wheels to address the medical needs of indigent people. Both MCGI and non-MCGI members can benefit from these services. You can read this section for articles on such services.

In addition to the facts already stated, Brother Eli explained the biblical essence of a cult. In a recent Bible Exposition this year, he said that essentially a cult is good. He cited Romans 12:1 in both Spanish and Portuguese, and identified the word culto which means “reasonable or rightful worship.”

Originally in Greek, the same word was rendered “latreia” (pronounced la-tri-ah) which means “ministration of God, which means “worship, divine service.”

The Philippine language adopts and adapts culto from the Spanish and Portuguese as kulto, and the standard definition is surprisingly contradictory to what many people think of it. In the UP Diksyunaryong Filipino (UP Filipino Dictionary), kulto means “sistema ng ritwal at tuntuning panrelihiyon (a system of rituals and religious guidelines). This is the very essence of worship described in the Bible stated in Romans 12:1.

Another definition of cult in Filipino is “may natatangi o pinong pag-uugali, pag-iisip, o panlasa (having unique or refined demeanor, thinking, or taste).” Brother Eli says there is nothing wrong to be said of in this definition.

Brother Eli analyzes that the lack of understanding of many preachers, pastors, and religious ministers caused the misinterpretation of the meaning of cult for many people.

Now let’s go back to the question posed a while ago. If MCGI is a cult, which definition fits it right?

Brother Eli and his Religious Affiliation

Eli Soriano’s religious affiliation had been the subject of many debates. Read on to find out what these issues have in them.

Modest Beginnings

Brother Eli Soriano’s calling as an evangelist began 49 years ago. He was a 17-year old who quit high school at the last year and gave up his dream of becoming a scientist to pursue preaching. His parents who were already baptized in the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth)[1] helped him in his spiritual pursuit. The then Bro. Nicolas Antiporda Perez[2] led that congregation.

Brother Eli’s parents shared the teachings they learned from Bro. Perez with the whole family. It was the staple in any gathering, be it meal-time or a simple bonding.

At school, whenever he and his non-Catholic classmates would gather, religious talk follows. Those events gave Brother Eli ideas about other religions, and were the modest beginnings of his comparison of the teachings of his parents’ Church with those of his classmates. His young inquisitive mind would make him question their beliefs. When he was not getting satisfactory answers, he had the impression that his parents’ belief was more credible than any others’ religion.

In time, he was baptized – April 7, 1964. Brother Eli was a very active member and would always attend batches of gatherings from morning until evening. Sooner, through the encouragement of Church elders, he entered the evangelical ministry and became a worker. He was at that time the youngest.

Setting the Issues Straight

There are claims that Brother Eli had affiliated with other religions, before or after Brother Perez’s death. All claims of such nature are false, including an allegation by the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a church founded in the Philippines by Felix Manalo in 1913, that Brother Eli Soriano is one of their former ministers. Brother Soriano never was and never will be a part of any religion other than the Members Church of God International, used to be called Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth).

When Brother Perez was still alive, Brother Eli was the only worker in the Church whom he credited the title “Minister.” He received an identification card which bore the title. Notice the image below.

Eliseo F. Soriano is the name that is visible in the ID’s marks. 

It was signed by Bro. Nicolas Perez, the then Presiding Minister of

the Church of God in Christ Jesus The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.

How possible is it for Brother Eli to minister for another church if his own ID does not identify him with them? If the ministers from other churches that claim connections with Brother Eli are also given ID’s, those ID's will look different from the image given. Why would his ID be different?

Brother Eli was not baptized in other religious organizations. Is it not a prerequisite in any organization, that to gain a position or rank, one must become a member first? How could a non-member be given a position without undergoing membership through baptism?

Here is a confirmation addressed to the editor of a local publication, denouncing Brother Eli’s affiliation with an influential religious group in the Philippines:

In this article posted online by the Philippine Daily Inquirer

on September 2, 2013, Atty. Fredelino Tudio, Brother Eli's legal consultant,

clarifies that the former is not an ex-INC minister. The phrase

"[they] never have had any connection, in whatever capacity,

with the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC)" is clear and understandable enough.

Let the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) prove that Brother Eli was indeed their former minister, supported with documents they are willing to display in public. However, these documents must be certified authentic and legal to the time they claim that Brother Eli was affiliated with them, and later, a declaration that he was expelled. The documents should have aged naturally with time, and not something that have been made to appear old.

It is strange for some religious organizations to claim of a past association with a person they now consider as a threat to their religious leadership. Whatever ties these groups claim to have had with Brother Eli Soriano will never be proven unless they will present solid evidence to justify that he had been with them.

There is a Philippine adage that suits this situation. In English it reads, “A tree that is laden with fruit is stoned.” It means that when people are envious of you and there is no way that they could do what you are doing, the next thing to do is venture upon insult. So it is not surprising if Brother Eli gets hit with false accusations like this because he is envied.

Any religious group can claim that Brother Eli for a time became their disciple, but proving that he had learned from them is a different thing.

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[1]The Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth) is a Christian denomination established in the Philippines in 1934. It is now known as Members Church of God International and is presided by International Evangelist Bro. Eli Soriano. (More discussion on the Church's history on http://www.mcgi.org/about/history/)

[2]Brother Nicolas Antiporda Perez was the acknowledged presiding minister of the former Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, the Pillar and Support of Truth), now known as Members Church of God International. His death in 1975 was a tragic loss to the Church, and he left no clear successor. The lone minister he appointed years before his death, Brother Eli Soriano, along with a few brethren, continued preaching and doing town missions despite accusations that he had an ambition to be the presiding minister. It was later discovered by some Church elders of that time that those who were accusing Brother Eli of usurpation were the ones desperate to attain power and control over the congregation. (More of this on www.elisoriano.com/biography)

Brother Eli Soriano: A Preface

Bro. Eli Soriano preaches to thousands seeking answers
to their questions of faith and religion. He has been
exposing the Bible for more than three decades now.

Eliseo Soriano, more popularly known as Bro. Eli Soriano, is the host of the highly-acclaimed religious program ‘The Old Path’ (Ang Dating Daan in Filipino). He is undoubtedly one of the most popular religious preachers today. His share in the peak of renown is like any from among respectable persons who gained fame by honest means. But for someone like Bro.Eli (the preacher’s preferred moniker and television tag) who describes himself as a quiet and reserved man most of the time, anyone could only wonder how he managed to capture public interest.  It is unlikely to say that shyness had brought him to prominence. Or maybe it is life’s fortunate circumstances that built the status he has achieved – a status that, in this writer’s opinion, is unique to him.
        

  It should not be forgotten too, that there are those who gain a different kind of reputation, one that comes through, for lack of a better word, disgrace. Many of them have become the objects of harsh criticism, and these have been voiced out through various media. In whatever field where dishonor builds the story, there is a sure face to a name that will be in the headlines.Religion is no exemption. There was no period in history that religion did not escape open scrutiny, more so in this generation. In the same manner, Bro. Eli is no exemption. Being both a public and a religious figure, he had become vulnerable to harassment both in his native Philippines and overseas. His supporters and critics both describe him as a bold defender of the Bible. His debates are the best means to see those. When Bro. Eli begins to argue, he becomes unstoppable. Those who have seen him could only feel sorry for the losing person for not doing his homework, or going to the battlefield unarmed, or dealing with someone not his own size.

Bro. Eli mainly uses television to assess preachers and expose what he believes as unorthodox. Perhaps if such preachers and groups dealt with those from a professional standpoint, they would have thanked Bro. Eli for taking time to examine their teachings. But they considered it meddling and trespassing of their religious rights, and thought of Bro. Eli as an invasive preacher – another way of saying that he should mind his own business.

It is not surprising therefore if these reasons have sparked all the resentment that many religious preachers have for Bro. Eli Soriano. Losing a debate in front of many people, or just getting named on television for owning to nonconformist teachings is indeed humiliating. Public disgrace hurts. So it is not surprising if the embarrassment escalates to retaliation – worse, vengeance. The case of Bro. Eli is like a character in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story - of a man named Fortunato becoming a victim of Montressor’s revenge, only because the latter cannot accept that Fortunato is better than him when it comes to connoisseurship of wine. The way Bro. Eli is criticized is verbal butchery. They have repaid his correction with repugnant ones. In time, the preacher’s name became synonymous to scandal, fraud, occultism, and other dreadful tags that could have only come from those who were hit by his speeches.

Bro.Eli thus became the subject of an overnight gossip. What started out as plain rumors have evolved to accusations that aimed to silence Bro. Eli Soriano at all cost. Often it is said that gossip is baseless. But there are those who claim that gossip is like smoke – it won’t appear unless there is fire. It would not have sprung out of itself, unless there is a source behind it. But then, the truth remains that gossip is still gossip.
          

  The tip of all the tiffs against Bro. Eli Soriano will remain uncertain, unless the details that will convey the truth are spread out. To find out the truth in all these, such issues must be screened objectively as possible, in order to render a judgment worth of all the contemplation of facts that will end all these debates, and needless and often pointless ridicule of a man’s dignity.
        

  Hence this blog by Bro Eli Soriano himself.