Mr. Roberts told viewers he will depend on the for the healings. God always responds to prayers made in that ON THE BARRICADES manner, he said, "but not always right away. "(AP, September 13, 1983)

Polygamy Resurfaces

Salt Lake City—Royston Potter, discharged Armageddon and the President that a clergyman is not an employee of his by a suburban Salt Lake City police force hut "a servant of God. " Commenta- because he is a polygamist, says he took Washington — Five days before the terror- tors said the decision appeared to deprive three wives as a matter of religious ist bombing in Beirut that killed more than clergy of job protection rights. conviction. 200 American troops, President Reagan won- Announcing the ruling, Lord Justice Sir Mr. Potter calls his decision "living the dered aloud if the world wasn't approach- Brian Dillon said a dismissed clergyman principle," and he has filed a lawsuit re- ing "Armageddon, " according to a lobbyist cannot sue any earthly master for compen- viving a century-old dispute in this mostly called by the president.... sation. Mormon state by challenging antipolygamy "You know, I turn hack to your ancient The case involved an appeal by Wart on laws demanded by Congress before Utah prophets in the and the signs Parfitt, a former minister of the Methodist entered the Union. foretelling Armageddon, and I find myself Church who lost his ministry in 1980 for "It's not so much that you decide that wondering if—if we're the generation that is unexplained reasons. (AP, October 30, you want one, "he said, referring to another going to see that come about. 1983) wife. "It's necessary as far as a theology "I don't know if you've noted any of goes."... those prophecies lately, but, believe me, they The Flat Earth Theory Owen Allred, the head of the Apostolic certainly describe the times we're going United Brethren, a group that favors poly- through." Lancaster, Calif. — Columbus was wrong: gamy, estimated that 20,000 Utah residents Actually, it is in Revelation, the last the Earth isn't round, says the president of are members of multiple parent households, hook of the of the , in the Flat Earth Society. And he says he can even though polygamy is a third-degree which Armageddon is prophesied as the site prove it. "Most of the world is water and felony.... (AP, September I1, 1983) of the final destructive battle between good water seeks its own level and lays flat, "says and evil to occur on Judgment Day. Charles Johnson, 58. "That's the law of Cult-style Discipline (Donald M. Rothberg for AP, October 30, physics. If water lays flat and most of the 1983) Earth is water, it's a fact that the Earth is South Haven, Mich. — The loss of their flat. "Johnson celebrated Columbus Day on children hasn't shaken the faithful at the Monday by talking about the explorer. He House of Judah here, a religious cult's camp in Favor of Prayer says Columbus himself was a flat-Earther, where a 12-year-old boy was beaten to death but "the whole story of Columbus was over the July 4th weekend. .4n overwhelming majority of Americans tangled by revisionists. " Space satellite pic- Three days after authorities took the favor a Constitutional Amendment that tures of Earth are phony, Johnson says. last of 67 children from the 22-acre camp, would permit voluntary group prayer in pub- "People say, 'Well, I saw it on TV.' Well, followers of the self-styled prophet William lic schools. that's not too much proof " (USA Today, A. Lewis remain devoted to his vision of Among the eight in /0 (82%) who have October II, 1983) God's Kingdom—earned through severe followed the pros and cons of the debate corporal punishment. over prayer in public schools, 81% say they Oral Roberts's Anointing Oil Lewis Sunday defended his ministry, favor the proposed Amendment while /4c'r saying the death of John Yarbough was oppose it and 5% are undecided... . Tulsa, Okla.—Tulsa evangelist Oral Roberts "God's will." Nearly half of the aware group (48%) is urging viewers of his television program "We haven't done any wrong because say they strongly favor the proposed to send in for packets of "anointing oil" so God tells you to put the rod to the children's Amendment, while 33% express mild sup- that he can heal them. back and that's what we're doing," Lewis port. On the disapproval side, 7% say they Mr. Roberts said Sunday that he and said.... .strongly oppose the Amendment, while 7% his son, Richard, will hold a healing crusade The cult members dislike being touched, express mild opposition... . at Oral Roberts University on Oct. 20-23. shun medical treatment and recoil from the Organized group prayer in public In the meantime, he asked listeners to write number 6—the number of the devil, accor- schools effectively came to an end in 1962 "for small packets of anointing oil. " He dis- ding to the Bible.... after the Supreme Court ruled it violated played a packet about the size of a postage The camp is dotted with I2-foot-wide, the First Amendment.... (PRRC Emerg- stamp. shoulder-deep holes dug as punishment by ing Trends, October 1983) "Send for these packets and tell me disobedient women. Men who touch an- where you hurt, " Roberts said. "When I pray other's wife or lie are "whupped" with ax Heavenly Employer for you on Oct. 2, you may anoint yourself handles—their arms, legs and head locked by placing a drop on your forehead or the in a set of blocks.... (Denis M. Wolcott, London — The Court of Appeal has ruled affected area of your body, "he said. in USA Today, July 11, 1983)

fill Ann Landers Under Attack methods perceive the profound difference... In the Pawtucket case... both the between contraception and natural family Federal District Court and the United "Dear Friend: God can work wonders, but planning, " the pope said. States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit sometimes He needs help. I beg of you not "Yet they may experience difficulties; ruled that the créche lacked a secular pur- to turn the whole job over to Him. Look in indeed they often go through a certain con- pose. .. (Linda Greenhouse, in the New the phone book .. . . "—Ann Landers, Sept. version in becoming committed to the use York Times, October 1983) 11. of the natural methods, and they stand in Dear Ann Landers: You are entreating need of competent instruction, encourage- Faith Healer Dies a young lady in the extremity of her des- ment and pastoral counseling and support.... pondency not to entrust her soul to her During the 1980 synod on the family, Ruth Carter Stapleton, the Baptist evange- maker without first seeking help from some Archbishop John Quinn of San Francisco list and spiritual healer who came to na- human or group of humans. I have long cited published studies indicating that 76.5 tional attention as the younger sister of suspected you of trying to be a priest in the percent of America's Catholic women use President , died of cancer deadly cult of secular humanism, and this some type of artificial birth control method yesterday at her home in Fayetteville, N.C. clinches it. . . . (Letter to the Editor, and only 29 percent of the Catholic priests She was 54 years old. Escondido Times Advocate, September 23, in the United States believe artificial contra- After her illness was diagnosed in April 1983) ception is immoral. as cancer of the pancreas, she said she would The pope, however, sternly told the forgo medical treatment and rely on God to School Endangering Children's Faith? bishops not to be swayed by "the negative help her. She said she would use prayer, influences of modern society. "(AP, October meditation, diet and exercise. A Henrico County couple would be "en- 1983) Mrs. Stapleton figured in the char- dangering the faith of their children" if they ismatic Christian movement, which surged enrolled them in school, according to a Legal Wrangle Over Nativity Scenes during the Presidency of Mr. Carter, him- traditional Roman Catholic priest. self a "" Christian. A longtime "They would be exposing them to occa- The Reagan Administration has asked the preacher, she also used her sudden celebrity sions to sin, "said the Rev. Richard J. Ring- Justices to take a giant step across the line to establish a retreat center, Ho vita, for rose, pastor of St. Athanasius Catholic dividing church and state and let Pawtucket, and to train others in her Church in Vienna, yesterday during testi- R.I., continue its 40-year-old practice of in- method.... mony in Henrico County Circuit Court. "It cluding a nativity scene in an official Christ- Mrs. Stapleton was a believer in "inner would he seriously sinful to expose children mas display. That the Justice Department healing"... to something that is against their faith." decided to join a local dispute, which the [She] preferred to be called a "spiritual The couple, Richard A. and Margaret High Court heard earlier this month and healer." She believed that her technique of Q. Snider, are charged with two counts each apparently hopes to decide before Christ- 'faith imagination, "a combination of prayer of violating Virginia's compulsory school mas, is a measure of this Government's and psychology, helped Jesus, through the attendance law... . determination to restore a religious fiber to Holy Spirit, to bring inner peace to Christ- Father Ringrose testifed that "secular American life.... ians suffering from mental anguish. humanism " prevails in both the public and The Administration is asking the Court She once defined inner healing this way: "modern" Catholic school systems. "The to endorse the governmental display of a "To me, it is communicating love to the children are asked to make value judgments fundamental symbol of a particular religion, negative repressed aspects in a human based on what they think is wrong instead . being." The basic negatives, she said, were of what God says is wrong," he said. In his argument, Solicitor General Rex fear, frustration, inferiority, guilt and loneli- He said teachings in the Catholic school E. Lee... told the Justices that Christmas is ness, traceable to a child's formative years. "would probably expose the children to rooted in religion as "a matter of undeniable To heal them, she asked the afflicted person greater dangers because religion is taught historical fact," and that to read the Con- to imagine that Jesus was with him in a and traditional doctrines are distorted—or stitution as requiring the exclusion of that childhood situation. even denied." ... (Todd Beaman, in the fact `from our national consciousness is Al a news conference in New York in Richmond News Leader, September 23, nothing less than intellectual and historical 1976, she demonstrated her technique by 1983) dishonesty." It would be, he said "cultural asking reporters to imagine, for 10 minutes, censorship." That view is not shared by the that they were 5-year-olds sitting in a com- The Pope and Birth Control National Council of Churches, the one main- fortable room in their parents' home. In this stream Christian organization to file a friend "guided daydream, "Jesus entered the room, Vatican City — Pope John Paul Ii urged of the court brief. The council contended sat with each person and helped them to U.S. bishops Saturday to launch a vigorous that government sponsorship "degrades and confront their mother and fathers and for- educational campaign to convince Catholic secularizes a sacred symbol of Christianity." give them for not loving their child enough. couples to practice "natural" birth control. The Administration's brief opened with Her method, she said, healed people In a major speech on Christian mar- an essay about how the Government 'from both physically and mentally. Skeptics riage and family life, the pontiff said the the earliest days of the Republic to the pointed out that she provided no proof of number of couples successfully using the present" has felt free to "recognize that lasting recovery from illness rather than a rhythm method of sexual abstinence is "con- religion is a part of our heritage and should spiritual experience for a susceptible be- stantly growing. ".. . continue to be an element in our public life liever.... (Wolfgang Saxon, in the New "Those couples who choose the natural and public occasions. ".. . York Times, September 27, 1983)

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