Biblebeliever said:
What danger do you see?
By the way; Jehovah witnesses (russellites) are not soul winners.
They are not true witnesses of Jehovah. But rather; they are false witnesses.
They are ministers of Satan.
Biblebeliever,
I've debated about chiming in on this thread and finally decided to do it. I don't know how well you will receive my input, but here goes.
I attended PBI in 1979 for a short time and got to see up close and personal everything Peter Ruckman. Even though I decided to go to Trinity Baptist College in order to get a degree (PBI only offered diplomas in those days), by the early 1980's I owned just about every book he had in print. I had indeed "partaken of the Flavor-Aid". However, I had a kind, elder brother in Christ that pointed out Ruckman's attitude in his writings were not Christlike and encouraged me to check into his personal testimony. I did and it started me on the road away from his ministry. Today I have only two Ruckman "booklets" in my formerly extensive library that I keep for sentimental reasons. Allow me to share some observations over the years that caused my change of mind:
1.) Peter Ruckman has a peculiar form of genius that seems to cause a perverted twisting of his personality. He seems to enjoy or even relish rude, crude, crass and hateful spewing of invective. In short, I can honestly say there is little if anything about his personality that portrays Christ or the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Like my friend asked me, I'll ask you, "Would you please read Gal. 5:22-26 and tell me if that is what Peter Ruckman conveys in his writings and actions?" When forced to answer truthfully, my answer was "no". To be completely transparent, it took me way too many years to come to that answer than I care to admit. If you can be objective, and I know how hard that can be, I think you would have to admit he has a poison pen.
2.) His two divorces and subsequent remarriage disqualify him from the positions of ministry he "holds". I know what he teaches. One of the two booklets I still have is titled "Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage" copyright 1980. While his many twists and turns in that short booklet and other writings are meant to protect his situation, he doesn't address the details of his divorces. This is the 21st century. It is not too hard to get the "rest of the story" (Sherry Ruben, anyone?). Based on what facts are available, and going on what Peter Ruckman himself teaches in his writings, his current marital status is not biblical. And since it is to a woman 27 years his junior, it is kind of gross as well.
3.) He teaches heresy (re-inspiration/advanced inspiration under the guise of preservation), racism (I've witnessed this first-hand) and all sorts of weirdness (just Google it). I'll be the first to admit that Ruckman has a great deal of good information in his academic writings and is brilliant in his defense of the Majority Text especially in his early works before he went completely off the deep end. Even Bob Jones was forced to recognize it when they bestowed a Ph.D upon him. However, as I have often told my sons, you shouldn't have to swim in the sewer to find diamonds.
That's enough for one post. There is more, believe me, a whole lot more. My hope for you is that you are not as slow as I was to come to the knowledge of the truth in regards to Ruckman.
Like my tag line says, be a fundamentalist, not a funny-mentalist.
