Modern Apostle Claims to Lead Bullet-Proof Churchgoers

Every so often -- that is to say, once a week -- David C. Pack, leader of the Restored Church of God and self-acclaimed "apostle" of these last days, gives us another glimpse into his bizarre world of religious deception.

In a sermon he delivered one week after the event, Pack spoke about the now three-month-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tragedy in which a gunman killed seven members of the Living Church of God during worship services.

And now, Apostle Pack is gracious enough to share his wise words of discernment with us all by posting his taped message online, "because many said it benefited them; it made things clear; it made events on that Sabbath [Saturday] become clear to them."

Leaders of other churches have commented on the tragedy, "but I want to give you what God has to say about this event," Pack says.

The Apostle, in his 36-minute message, goes on to talk about the actual event, but we are left with important lessons:

A demon or a deranged person cannot murder one under God's protection on the street, let alone in church.

Now when he speaks of "one under God's protection," the Apostle means a member in good standing of his exclusivist Restored Church of God, headquartered in Wadsworth, Ohio. This protection, however, does not cover members of other churches whose teachings are nearly identical to his own (note that Pack's own church splintered from the Living Church of God!).

Explaining God's protection further, the Apostle says,

You don't have to sit here wondering if that door is gonna burst open. Now let's, let's talk about this. I'm not saying that someone with a demon couldn't get into the church. But I'm telling you the gun jams. An angel pushes his arm and he pumps 21 bullets into the wall before he's subdued, you understand? Or he trips on his briefcase and shoots himself or has a flat tire on the way to church. You don't die in God's church; it doesn't happen. There's protection promised to those who are buckled with truth, who understand God is their refuge.

I've heard pastors try to energize their congregations with more youth activities, more lively worship music, more potlucks -- but isn't this pushing the envelope?

I can get angry with a man like this because of how he affects his followers, but at the same time I am saddened. And I am curious how he would be diagnosed by a psychoanalyst. What is the name of his mental illness and that of his devoted followers? They need our prayers.

Rather than cling to a gospel of physical safety, we as Catholics can entrust our eternal lives to Jesus Christ as we share in His sufferings -- even unto death. Deacon Stephen was killed by stoning. The great apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, were martyred gruesomely in Rome. We understand that the Church's countless saints, whose lives were characterized by extraordinary holiness, were rewarded in heaven even though first met with persecution and death (cf. Revelation 6:9).

Thank God we know that Jesus is come not to save our hides, but to save our souls.