Charles Norman Russell

Vancouver, yesterday

My friend Wei Wee has professional inventory experience and so he sent in his application to my employer to be a ministry volunteer.

WW played us some weird sermons and lectures online for fun, and then I suggested he listen to Searchlight and Jon Courson online for the first time. I think Pastor Courson is very solid biblically, and Wei Wee thought so as well, but being somewhat of an American, evangelical, fundamentalist, Pastor Courson would differ from John and I, in some areas of theology and  philosophy of religion.

When the sermon discussed how some evangelicals (paraphrased) were trying to be cool with drink, smoking, ink and then swearing, Wei Wee broke out in intense laughter. Pastor Courson then stated (paraphrased) that being cool will not work for biblical Christians that will be exposed, in the end, as being different from the world system.

I agree, as did Wei Wee, that true biblical Christians cannot fit into the world system.

Wei Wee went on and on and how ridiculous the assumed connections were. A problem from the sermon is assuming that typically drinking, smoking and ink, will lead to significant sin. As opposed to a significant reliance on reason, this sermon approach relies on significant fear.

I added my satirical angle which kept the laughter going:

Paraphrased:

Dr. Russ Murray (@ work in a new office, not yet open to the public)

Yes it starts with trying to be kool, drinking, smoking, ink, swearing and eventually a gay orgy...

Wei Wee 

Intense laughter.

Later after work..

Wei Wee 

After I told him that at the corporate, Toronto, office chapel, I was at first introduced as Dr. Murray Russell. He stated a new nickname for me was...

Charles Norman Russell

Not to be confused with Charles Taze Russell or Norman Vincent Peale.

Wei Wee 

His new teaching is called Reformed theology.