Defending the indefensible – Presbyterian minister Rev David Cupples

On ‘Protestant Revival’ we receive many comments, whether they be on this WordPress page, our facebook page (details in the ‘About’ section) or our email address (protestantrevival@outlook.com).

A comment which quite often we receive is to the effect of: “Your comment doesn’t show love”. This is, of course, not true and it is love which is the reason behind this entire blog.

One such misguided individual who attempts to misrepresent us is someone who contacted us by the name of “kmf0812”, who appears to be a Karla M Finlayson, going by the attached WordPress blog we found by clicking on her name.

She contacted us to say the following in relation to our post on Enniskillen Presbyterian minister Rev David Cupples (pictured) going on a Roman Catholic pilgrimage: “Sad to see other Christians slandering and discrediting the reputation of another Christian. We are called to love one another, this post is not loving towards Rev David Cupples. I would suggest you read up on David’s Camino facebook page for the reasons he did the walk and perhaps get a copy of his book ‘Peregrino’.”

We decided to use this as a good opportunity to address this vexatious misrepresentation of this and any other stand against mean compromise and betrayal of true Christianity by so-called Protestants.

Our response to “kmf0812” is as follows:

“Thank you for your comment and affording us the opportunity to address this easy, lazy and baseless, though sadly fairly common complaint when believers point out departure from true Christianity.

Our comments in no way meet the criteria for slander.

Slander is defined as “the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation”.

Of course, our comments weren’t spoken, but we’ll not split hairs over that.

The key issue and accusation you bring within your claim of slander is the truthfulness of what we have said.

Please point out what was untrue in what we said.

Did Rev David Cupples go on the Camino? Yes.

Is the Camino a Roman Catholic pilgrimage? Yes.

Is the end point of that pilgrimage a Roman Catholic chapel which falsely claims to have the remains of the Apostle James there? Yes.

Was Pope Callixtus II so synonymous with this pilgrimage that many modern guidebooks for the Camino are based on his guide? Yes.

Your false accusation of slander is actually the closest thing to slander in this discourse (although, we state again that slander is spoken, rather than written).

Again, please clarify what we said that was untrue.

The charge of not showing love is also false. Our post is the most loving thing Rev David Cupples will have heard regarding his foolish excursion. It is not love to pat him on the back for doing something harmful to Christianity in Ulster.

God doesn’t take this approach with us. We are told in Hebrews 12:6 “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” and the purpose of this blog is to try, with God’s help, to revive the hearts of men and women in Ulster and take on the workers of ecumenism and apostasy.

Rev David Cupples professes to be a Christian and we have to take him at his word. Why then is he engaging in a Papist superstition such as a pilgrimage, the end point of which is a Romanist chapel?

We believe there is an important comment to be made here. Lots of people claim to be ‘Christian’, indeed Romanists claim to be Christian when they are in fact anti-Christian.

A key question is: are you saved? Have you asked God to forgive you for your sin? Have you acknowledged you’re nothing but a wretched, hell-deserving sinner and have cried to God for mercy and forgiveness? There is NO OTHER WAY to get to heaven.

We have read Rev David Cupples’ blog on facebook. We have no desire to read ‘Peregrino’.

We would recommend to you, Rev David Cupples and anyone reading this to pick up a copy of the King James Version of the Bible and read it instead. This will clearly demonstrate why we are taking the stand we are taking.

Rev David Cupples and his Presbyterian Church in Enniskillen is also part of the Fermanagh Churches Forum, which we have highlighted previously. This forum also includes the Methodist, Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Church. Would it be more loving not to point that out?

Two weeks ago the final ‘Lenten lunch’ in the series of lunches the Fermanagh Churches Forum organised was hosted by Rev David Cupples’ church.

Last week, his church hosted the latest meeting of the ‘Faith and Friendship’ group. It is an “interdenominational Bible study, fellowship and prayer gathering”.

The speaker was a ‘Rev’ Ruth Patterson, the first ordained female Presbyterian ‘minister’ in Northern Ireland. This is clearly anti-Biblical. 1 Timothy 2:12 sets this out clearly. It says: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

If Rev David Cupples chooses to ignore, contradict and brazenly defy God’s inspired Word, we will be there to point it out and call it out for what it is – sin.”

Everyday ecumenism in County Fermanagh as Protestant leaders habitually cosy up with Roman Catholic Church

Ecumenism seems to be a way of life in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

The Fermanagh Churches Forum is one of the most organised and active of the localised ecumenical groupings dotted throughout our country.

It is now, according to its website engaged in a series of ‘Lenten lunches’, the first of which took place last week.

Nothing wrong with lunch or indeed Lent, one might say, and they would be right.

However, it is the venue and the participants which are of concern.

The first in the four lunch series took place last Wednesday, 21st February in St Michael’s Parish Centre, next to St Michael’s Catholic Church.

As if that wasn’t questionable enough, the lunch was followed by “Scripture reflection and prayer”. We again repeat the question – to whom are these prayers being addressed?

The Roman Catholic Church teaches of prayer to Mary and all manner of their so-called Saints. Are prayers offered up to these characters and are members of Protestant churches sitting with their heads bowed while these unholy invocations are being made?

One does not have to actually commit these evil deeds to be implicated thereby.

We are warned of this in 2 John 1:9-11: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Mary worship or prayer to any other than God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is absolutely outside the doctrine of Christ. The Roman Catholic Church therefore “abideth not in the doctrine of Christ” and therefore “hath not God”.

As Rome does not have God, then what are supposed Protestant denominations taking anything to do with them for?

The series of Lenten lunches continues this Wednesday in the Methodists’ Church Hall, then the Church of Ireland the following week before wrapping up on 14th March in the Presbyterian hall.

It is the latest in a prolific line of ecumenical gatherings among the four ‘mainstream’ churches in our province.

Earlier this month the Fermanagh Churches Forum organised a special day of prayer which also took in an exciting tour of Enniskillen, starting in the Presbyterian Church before going to the Roman Catholic chapel, the Church of Ireland and wrapping up at the Methodist Church.

And a few weeks before that the Fermanagh Churches Forum held its own service as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the folly of which we highlighted previously.

This Fermanagh Churches Forum is an example of everyday ecumenism and must be opposed vehemently.

We implore anyone connected with the churches involved in this corruption of true Christianity to “come out from among them, and be ye separate”.

Let us follow the example Paul laid before us when, under the inspiration of God, he wrote in Hebrews 13:13: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says to us, being at the centre of God’s will is by far the best place to be. We trust all reading this will make this their firm desire and purpose in this day of deepening ecumenism and apostasy.