The Old Path

Playboy

Just came accross this version of Christianity which I think originated in the Philippines. Their main evangalist is Bro. Eliseo Soriano who I think is quite a controversial character. Does anybody know anything about this guy and the religion?

Asiaprod

Playboy wrote:

Just came accross this version of Christianity which I think originated in the Philippines. Their main evangalist is Bro. Eliseo Soriano who I think is quite a controversial character. Does anybody know anything about this guy and the religion?

Bro. Eli Soriano was born to a poor family in Pasay City, Philippines but his paternal roots boast of prominent lineage in Naguilan, La Union, northern part of the said country. The Rimando-Soriano family in Naguillan has been a staunch political and economic influence since the 19th century but his father opted to live in the city with the family. As a student, he was exceptional, consistently receiving the highest honors, a favorite in the class by his classmates and teachers and was awarded the highest possible grade in the entire history of his grade school.

By some twist of fate, the consistent top-notcher did not finish his secondary schooling. Barely three months before graduation, he dropped-out of school after a skirmish with the acting school directress, the cause - religious difference. It seemed to be the end in his education and career as he was expected by everyone to become a famous lawyer, a doctor or a brilliant scientist in the future. However, it turned out later on that there was not really a twist of fate but rather a manifestation of God's work of hand bringing him to his real destiny.

The incident paved way for his vocation. After which, he began studying the Bible. His interest in the Holy Book was parked by his membership in the religion of his parents. Baptized in the congregation-Members of the Church of God in Christ Jesus, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth in the Philippines under the leadership of the late Nicolas Perez, on April 7,1964 at the age of 17, he was so zealous in his religion. The Bible has been his constant companion since then, faithfully seeking, asking and finding all answers from the Holy Scripture. After sometime, he became a preacher, a debater and a minister in the congregation. He was also a special confidante of Mr. Perez, explaining to him the teachings and the mysteries of the words of God, other ministers hardly comprehend, unknowingly grooming him to be the next leader. Thus, in such circumstance, he has gained an extraordinary discernment if not mastery of the Bible, a discernment that would not be possible without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Such understanding of the Bible remains an enigma to every other preacher or minister or even TV evangelist who sees him as a rival as he speaks of their wrong-teachings.

Presently, Bro. Eli is the leader of the Congregation. From the seventeener neophyte Bible-reader, he has gone leaps and bounds along with the Congregation's undertakings, which have also grown into immense proportions. Ironically, the size of the Organization is capable in supporting ambitious activities such as the numerous orphanages and foundations it sustains, the educational institutions, the radio and television production of religious shows and other activities such as charity shows, concert, song recording etc. The most controversial TV show in the local religious world is being produced by the Organization. It is known as "Ang Dating Daan" (The Old Path). The program has incited discussion and debates on religious issues and controversies inducing people to be meticulous enough that in the pursuit of truth and salvation, everything that one does should have a formidable basis in the Holy Scriptures.

Bro. Eli as a Bible teacher is well-known for his expositions of grave religious scam and malpractice which has beguiled many people unawarely for generations leading them into moral corruption and ultimately to eternal damnation. He then readily teaches them the ways to fight the rampant religious fraud and live a life of peace with God and spiritual relief. Thus, his concern issues in religion and salvation in our times

http://www.geocities.com/broeliseosoriano/index.htm

Playboy

Thanks for that Asiaprod but I was looking for peoples personal opinion on him or that religion .. whether peeople have had any contact or experience with the old path. Seemingly there is a lot of mistruths and false allegations spread about the man because of his confrontations with other religious groups. He also seems to have quite a fanatical following and I wonder is he the genius that he has been made out to be?

sex_offender

See below:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliseo_Soriano

for the critique:
http://www.thebereans.net/prof-add.shtml

robindch

> [Playboy] I wonder is he the genius that he has been made out to be?

A quick google tells me that he seems to be a run-of-the-mill evangelist who's using modern marketing techniques to sell his ideas in a country more used to having religion provided by a conservative and unresponsive catholic church, so you'd expect him to be quite successful.

> [sex_offender] http://www.thebereans.net/prof-add.shtml

Interesting link -- for quite a few of the cults listed in the left hand menu area, there's a "Methods of Witnessing to..." section which is worth reading. From their page on converting the mormons:

"Do not witness to a Mormon member or Mormon missionaries unless you yourselves are properly grounded and equip because you may end up being their convert.