History
– Curse legends
An OAC
member wrote: “...The reason why Apostel Klibbe
retain the name Old Apostolic was because something happened during the court
case. One of the other members who was against Apostol Klibbe broke his leg
after Apostol Klibbe told the court this would happen. See in our church if you
dont listen you surely will see what attitude you should have...”
An Ex-OAC
member wrote: “...when apostle Klibbe had said that
the dogs would lick that other apostle's blood off the street, and it came to
pass, that was the OAC's claim that apostle Klibbe was the true Apostle, that
his word was indeed God. The OAC seemed to be boastful of this horrific
accident...”
Another
Ex-OAC member wrote: “...its very difficult to get
out because of the "curse" threats. But it can be done! Its total
brainwashing...”
A former OAC
“elder” wrote: “...There are many members and
officers who don't believe everything, but are too scared to leave because of
the curse they place on people. Why I was so blind I don't know...”
Compare the
above statements to what’s written in the Bible.
Luke 9:1-2 Then
he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over
all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of
God, and to heal the sick.
Some non-OAC
members have also written about being “cursed” by members of the OAC. Non-OAC members
believe OAC members send bad “spirits” to their homes to cause havoc as soon as
there is some kind of a disagreement between them. In many cultures, witch
doctors or shamans put “curses” on people through demonic powers. With all evil
witchcraft rituals, it is the hatred and evil projected from these people that
is aimed at the targeted person.
Firstly, if
you believe you are cursed then you are cursed because the curse then becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you
give a person credit for every time things go wrong, then you are giving them
that power over you and way too much credit.
According to
the law of average, things will break and things will go wrong. According to
the law of average, we will get sick and yes, every one of us will eventually
die too. Was Job cursed because he lost everything? Was the apostle Paul cursed
when he was stoned, beaten, jailed, shipwrecked and eventually persecuted in
Rome? Were Jesus’ apostles cursed when they were killed for their faith in
Jesus as the only Messiah? Was John cursed when he was exiled to the island of
Patmos?
When we
explore the OAC “curse” legends in more detail we come to realise it’s nothing
more than wishful thinking and a paper tiger.
 |
| Grrr! |
According to
the legend about Klibbe cursing some other “apostle”, it couldn’t have been “apostle”
Schlaphoff, because he died peacefully in the arms of his wife in 1928. A few
years after the court case Klibbe himself died in 1931.
According to
another version of this legend, it was Carl Klibbe’s son-in-law, “apostle”
Heinrich Velde who was cursed. Heinrich Velde left Klibbe’s movement in 1925 to
start the Apostolic Church. But Carl Klibbe died first, six years after this
split. Heinrich Velde died thirty-one years after this split in a car accident
and I found nothing about dogs licking his blood.
The only
conclusion that I can reach is that the curse legend exists only in the minds
of those who believe it. The legends are probably perpetuated to keep members “in
their place”. What a terrible way to keep people loyal to the OAC.
So what are
the top twenty single underlying causes of death in South Africa according to
the Revised Burden of Disease estimates for the Comparative Risk Factor
Assessment for South Africa, 2000?
The largest
single cause of death for 2000 was HIV/AIDS accounting for 132,990 (25.5%)
deaths. This is at least five times greater than the next largest single cause
of death. Ischaemic heart disease and stroke follow with about 6.5% of the
deaths and tuberculosis and interpersonal violence are next in the ranking,
each accounting for about 5.5% of deaths. Males have higher proportions of
deaths due to homicide/violence, tuberculosis and road traffic accidents than
females. Females have higher proportions of deaths due to HIV/AIDS, stroke,
hypertensive heart diseases and diabetes mellitus. The overall profile remains
that of a quadruple burden which is dominated by HIV/AIDS but also has the
conditions associated with under-development, chronic diseases and injuries (http://www.mrc.ac.za/bod/faq.htm).
With 6.3
million people living with high blood pressure, South Africa has one of the
highest rates of hypertension worldwide according to the heart foundation. This
makes South Africans more susceptible to life-threatening diseases like stroke
and heart disease. Statistics show that about 130 heart attacks and 240 strokes
occur daily in South Africa. This means that 10 people will suffer a stroke and
five people will have a heart attack every hour. According to the Heart and
Stroke Foundation SA, a staggering 80% of these cardiovascular diseases could
be prevented through modified behaviour – like reducing salt (http://www.heartfoundation.co.za/media-releases/salt-killing-south-africans-and-it-time-take-action).
The top
twenty causes of death in South Africa are not the result of one person cursing
another.
There is no
danger in putting a ship in the sea, the only danger is when the sea enters the
ship and the ship starts sinking. Likewise with the children of God, the danger
is not when we are surrounded by evil but when evil enters our thoughts and our
lives.
Ephesians 4:20-27 But ye
have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been
taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And
be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away
lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of
another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither
give place to the devil.
Curses can
work against you if you are in rebellion or not walking in faith and love.
However, if we are walking where God wants us to walk, a hundred curses against
us would just bounce off and would do us no harm.
James 4:1-8 From
whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your
lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to
have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the
world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is
the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that
dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith,
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to
God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify
your hearts, ye double minded.
Sickness,
tragedy, or bad circumstances occurring in your life could be interpreted as
evil coming to you in some way. This does not mean that every difficult circumstance
that we go through is a curse. A good sailor didn’t learn to sail in a calm pond.
Often we have no control over what comes our way in life, but we can adjust our
choices, our attitudes and how we handle everything from gentle breezes to the
gusts and storms of life.
We should
daily adjust our sails in life toward God and living the principles in the
Bible. If we do that, we will arrive at the destination God wants for each of
us.
Sometimes we
have storms in our lives that allow our true potential to be seen. These
opportunities allow us to experience sorrow and joy while giving us the
opportunity to show admirable character. There are none more admired and
respected than those who bravely face the storms of life—they are an
inspiration to us all.
Romans 5:3-5 And not
only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh
patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us.
James 1:2-4 My
brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
The Bible is
filled with men and women who were storm survivors - people of God who endured
great pain and weathered intense life storms because they chose to follow Him. Paul,
known for persecuting and murdering Christians, was forever changed when he met
Jesus Christ. While God gave him a life of great power and eternal impact, it
was also a life filled with great storms. Paul learned to endure the troubles,
hardships and calamities that came his way.
2 Corinthians 6:4-10 But in
all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by
longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word
of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand
and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as
deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold,
we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Sometimes
God leads us through circumstances to stretch our faith. This is for our own
good, as it is helping us to grow stronger and identify ourselves with Him.
However, He is not bringing anything upon us, but rather leading us through a
circumstance so that we might experience His overcoming power. We will go
through difficult, faith-testing circumstances. Taking our eyes off Jesus and
focusing on the troubling circumstances will cause us to sink under our
problems.
If you seek
advice or prayer, feel free to leave a comment. I won’t publish your comment if
you wish to remain anonymous. Alternatively you can send an email.