Letters to the Community

In the past few months, Jehovah's Witnesses have been writing letters to citizens in the community. They some time include a tract and, of course, an offer to study. Recently residents of one neighborhood received a letter inviting them to go to the Jehovah's Witness Website or contact him personally, since he was a minister. What many may not know is that all Jehovah's Witness members regard themselves as ministers.

Recently, however, two members received information from St. Matthew's Church, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The envelope is very busy. In the return address slot is found Sunday, 2023, which is surrounded by a red box. Underneath it just above the address window, the recipient notices these words:

This very old church loans this to you, to bless someone connected with this home. Then, it must go to another family that desires God's blessings. See letter inside.

Out of those 29 words, 11 are underlined once or twice in red. All the letters are addressed as follows: "To a Dear Person." Maybe that's a cut above, "Dear Occupant," but it's still a mass mailing. One interesting feature is the postmark. A return envelope goes to a box number in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but the zip code of origination is 95813, which is Sacramento, California. St. Matthew's is an evangelical group.

The back side of the envelope is even busier than the front. Across the flap is the claim that "God is doing great things in answer to prayer." There is a website to go to for testimonials. The remainder of the envelope reads thus:

Dear Jesus [underlined in red],

We pray that you will bless someone in this home spiritually, physically & financially. And please dear Lord, bless the one whose hands open this letter. Make good changes in this one's life and give them the desires of their heart. We pray over and bless this letter in your holy name. Amen

First, how valid can this letter be, since those who sent it do not know that nowhere in the New Testament is anyone authorized to pray to Jesus. He taught His followers to pray, "Our Father"—not, "Dear Jesus." Furthermore, Jesus taught the eleven: "…whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you" (John 16:23).

Your congenial editor hates to sound skeptical, but did someone actually pray over this letter? How many thousands and thousands have been mailed out all over the country? Each letter was printed en masse and probably folded by a machine. The envelopes were likewise printed. How many people actually handled the contents of the envelope, which includes the letter, three other folded pieces of paper, and a return envelope?

The Letter

No date appears at the top except for "Sunday Morning," underlined in blue (which has replaced the red underlining on the envelope). Really? Most spiritually-minded people are in worship on a Sunday morning, but whoever wrote this letter was busy composing it instead. That's peculiar. The only signature at the end (again in blue) is "Saint Matthew's Old Church Bishop." Is it the church that is old or the bishop?

The recipient is informed that he should, "Read what God is doing here at Saint Matthew's Church." They take pride in being 72-years-old. But that is not nearly old enough. The church Jesus established dates back to the first century, which beats 72 years all to pieces. "Oh, but they just mean it's old being at that location." Okay, 72 years ago was 1951. How many religious groups in America have been in locations long before that? Your congenial editor spoke several times at a congregation in Browning, Illinois, that had been established over 100 years previously—and that was four decades ago. So, 72 years is hardly impressive.

The claim is made that people will receive "divine help" when their congregation prays for them. They claim that loved ones are being saved, but that is not the important news. According to the "Old Bishop," many are receiving "spiritual, physical and financial blessings of all types—better jobs, raises in salaries, the ability to buy and sell homes, buying new cars, and so on (Philippians 4:19)." One of the other documents enclosed in the envelope explains how one woman received $47,000! The Scripture cited says God will supply all a Christian's need—not all his wants.

The Prayer Rug of Faith

How are all these great results to be achieved. The recipient must use "the enclosed anointed prayer rug of faith" that St. Matthew's is loaning him. Many people may never have heard of the "anointed prayer rug of faith," since nothing like it occurs in the Bible. In fact, the word rug does not appear in the King James; it is found once in the American Standard Version (and other translations) in Judges 4:18. A woman named Jael covered up Sisera with a rug or coverlet. Assuredly, this was not a prayer rug, however; she drove a tent peg into his temple (v. 21).

A prayer rug, then is not a Biblical concept, nor is that which St. Matthew's provides to the reader actually a rug. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of a rug is: "1. A piece of heavy fabric used to cover a portion of a floor. 2. An animal skin used as a floor covering. 3. Chiefly British. A piece of thick, warm fabric or fur used as a coverlet or lap robe. Probably from Swedish rugg, ruffled hair, akin to Old Norse rogg, tuft."

A smooth piece of 11 by 17 paper does not in any way fit the definition of a rug. This is not just any prayer rug, however, it is an "anointed" one. How does a person go about anointing a piece of paper? On one side of the prayer paper are admonitions. It must first be used by the recipient, who must pass it on to a second person before sending it back to Tulsa. It must be used immediately (according to the purple warning)—and not misplaced. "The Father is Watching," it proclaims. As if that is not enough incentive, the yellow letters inside a purple box shout: "God Is Speaking To You."

The other side contains a picture of "Jesus" inside a highly decorative frame. This picture comes with a gimmick. At the very bottom of the picture one finds three lines of print. Cue The Twilight Zone music and consider these words:

Look into Jesus' Eyes you will see they are closed [it's too bad this prayer "rug" cannot cure bad grammar; the above is a run-on sentence, GWS]. But as you continue to look you will see his eyes opening and looking back into your eyes. Then go and be alone and kneel on this Rug of Faith or touch it to both knees. Then please check your needs on our letter to you. Please return this Prayer Rug. Do not keep it.

Yes. Somehow they printed it with Jesus' eyes closed, but if you tilt the "rug" a bit, you see eyeballs instead of eyelids. It's an interesting effect. It was kind of them to allow a person to touch both knees to the paper instead of trying to kneel on it, since it would probably become torn—not to mention having to call 911 for older citizens who got stuck on the floor.

Testimonials

To prove the prayer "rug" actually works, an entire sheet is filled with good results. Mrs. J.B. writes that she was healed of severe pains in her left leg after covering both legs with the prayer paper and praying. Another person claimed that his brother was saved, but most raved about the money they received. A woman in Pennsylvania received $5,000; one in North Carlina got $10,000. A family in Maryland was "blessed" with $10,700. But the grand champion is the woman who got $47,000, which she needed to get out of debt.

Remarkably, one family received a 6-room house, which isn't too shabby. Another person got enough money to buy 17 acres of land in Delaware. Finally, A.R.F. was magnanimously healed of a throat problem. Now, everyone must be named something, but how many people would willingly use the initials, ARF? It's just slightly more credible than WOOF.

But to return to the letter—it promises that the senders of it "FEEL THAT SOMETHING VERY WONDERFUL IS TRYING TO COME TO YOU." All a person needs to do, first of all, is to use the prayer "rug." "It is going to be like you are kneeling before God Almighty at the altar inside a great church of blessings."

Really? And where does the New Testament ever mention an altar inside a great church building? Second, one needs to check the prayer needs on the second side of this letter, which includes salvation, health issues, children, stopping a bad habit, having a better job, a new home, a new car, and (of course) money. One can even mark the amount he wishes to receive. "Pray for God to bless me with $_."

Third, the prayer paper must be put in the Bible at Philippians 4:19 or rest alongside one's bed if he has no Bible. It can only reside there one night, and then must be returned so that it can be sent to another family. This instruction is not optional. "Please, do not break this flow of power between us." The recipient's email is requested—along with a….

Seed Gift

What is a seed gift? YOU, the victim (er, recipient of the letter) need to send St. Matthew's a gift which God will use to multiply what He intends to send to you. How's that for a deal? You didn't expect to get all of these goodies free, did you? Printing up the prayers "rugs"—with eyes that are both open and shut—along with the postage—had to cost a great deal of money. Don't you think St. Matthew's deserves a generous reimbursement for calling all these things to your attention? You get their prayers and your heart's desires. You don't want to be stingy, do you?

So, yes, they want people's money. But worse yet; they know people are not going to get everything they wish for. This is nothing more than a spiritual con. On yet one more enclosed sheet, accompanying the letter, they promise, "Something good is about to happen." After someone returns the prayer "rug" plus a generous gift to St. Matthew's, he is allowed to read the "Prophetic Words" contained on this piece of paper, which are "given through inspiration of the Holy Spirit." What? Yes, what follows on this page is supposed to have been inspired of the Holy Spirit, which is presumptuous, boastful, and blasphemous. These words are apparently supposed to be directly from God.

Among other things, it is promised that mysteries will be revealed. "No mystery can be withheld from the mind that is open to my spirit." (What mystery does the Bible promise?) The message, however, seems to be a subjective one—and a bit New Agey as well. "The power to speak blessings into your own life is in you. You must discover ways to use this power." This theme goes on.

"Due to my Spirit working in you, greater control of the present and future plans can be at your fingertips. You may feel inner power growing because of your closeness to Me." Do these words sound like anything in the Bible? It is sad that people use religion for their own ends—as a means of making money.

Probably, this group is not doing anything illegal; people have the right to decide whether or not to send them money, but their actions are immoral and unethical.