Dear General Overseer,

Please post this in it's entirety so if we are caught putting words into each others' mouths, it will be apparent.  Also, I'll post it and recommend it to be widely circulated on as many web sites as will have it, because "bad" publicity serves to accomplish more than "good" publicity does.  You will remain un-named, so no slander (speech) or libel (written) damages will result.  You will be referred to only by the title you've taken on yourself, "General Overseer". 

I've watched so many self-appointed leaders get into squabbles with one another I knew it wouldn't be long before I was drawn into one.  There are plenty of "leaders" out there who have a great deal of trouble with the tithing exposure provided in Fossilized Customs.  Many people are now able to help those who really need help as a result.   The wealthy can support us as they are led to do so, if the work we do is of Yahushua.  If it is not of Yahushua, that support should be withheld.

The six grievances below, in my view, are not accurate portrayals of what is stated in the book Fossilized Customs because they omit the whole context of each topic as presented in the book.   That's the problem with selectively quoting texts to fit a bias.   The six grievances are briefly addressed below:

You wrote:  (General Overseer):

Grievances with Fossilized Customs 

Brother, your book teaches:

1.       That the eternal commandment of Circumcision has been done away with, in favor of water immersion (against Exodus 12:48, others). 

Lew's comment:  

         Please quote the text in FC where I have stated that we are not to circumcize our infant male children;  this statement seems to be saying I would be against male circumcision on the 8th day  -   but I'm for it.  For adult male converts, Acts 15 clearly states that physical alteration is not required, and so do the texts found at Romans 2:25-29, 1 Cor. 7:19, Eph. 2:11-13, Col. 2:11-13, Gal. 2:3,4, and notice carefully Gal. 5:2-12:
     "Mark my words!   I,  Shaul,  tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,  Messiah will be of no value to you at all.   Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.   You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Messiah; you have fallen away from favour.    But by belief we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.   For in Messiah Yahushua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.
     The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.   You were running a good race.   Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?    That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.   'A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.'    I am confident in the Master that you will take no other view.  The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.   Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?   In that case the offense of the stake has been abolished.    As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!"    Our immersion represents our circumcision according to Col. 2:11,12:

               “In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men, but with the circumcision done by Mashiach, having been buried with Him in (baptism) and raised with Him through your faith in the power of YHWH Who raised Him from the dead.” 

         Publish this as widely as you like among the Body of Yahushua, and let everyone hear of it.   This is not "Lew White's" teaching, but rather clear, literal Scripture.  More details and Scriptural discussion on this topic can be found at:  www.fossilizedcustoms.com/circumcision.html

General Overseer:

2.       That the Torah of the Tithe is no more, and that any pastor who asks for financial support is evil (against Hebrews Seven, Malachi 3:10).

Lew's comment:   It's not the tithe, but who receives the tithe (tenth part) that self-appointed leaders argue over on this point  -  I never wrote anything against support for the widow, fatherless, foreigner, or poor in our midst.  When we give to the poor, we lend to Yahuah (Prov. 19:17, 28:27, Ps. 112:9).  The "food" to be brought to the Lewite priests for the storehouse you've cited above is literally food, not cash.   That priesthood has passed away (Heb. 8), and the storehouse itself is removed also.  The needy receiving the tithe is the real core of the problem for many, since "leaders" want to receive widespread support from the assembly they "command", plundering that which is due those in need.   Any reader can clearly see what's been going on;  check out Acts 4, Acts 20:29, and 1 Tim. 5:3-18, particularly verse 16).  There is no "rank" or position in the sense of fleshly hierarchy among the Natsarim, but only working "parts" within the Body of Yahushua, with a variety of diverse functions.  1 Cor 12:27-3:

"Now you are the body of (Mashiach), and each one of you is a part of it.   And in the assembly Elohim has appointed first of all emissaries, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.   Are all emissaries? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?   Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues?  Do all interpret?  But eagerly desire the greater gifts."  

             Pastors are "shepherds" of the new sheep, and those who need to be fed with the bread of Torah;  there can be any number of shepherds in a given group, not just one.  The same is true of elders.  If we are engaged in a highly specific work for a period of time, and we are supported to do this work by those in the position of "helping", then their means (wealth) will take care of that  -  but everyone doesn't send in 10% to one self-appointed leader, and rob the widow, fatherless, foreigner, and poor of the tithe intended for them to eat.   Elders are entitled to a double-portion at the table (1 Tim. 5:17).  Yahushua sends helps (financially) to support the tasks He is involved in.   Yahushua hates the "nicolaitans", those who would "conquer the people", and put themselves above the assembly.  The "Devil's work" which you have described Fossilized Customs to be is not the work of "Lew White", but is a job which Yahushua has given to me.  If I have performed this job in an imperfect way, it's only because I'm a flawed human.

General Overseer: 

3.       That the 613 Commandments of the Torah of Moshe have been supplanted by the Ten Commandments (against Matthew 5:17-19).  (Addressed in narrative below)

4.       That there is no requirement to assemble on Shabbat (against Acts 15:21).

Lew's comment:  

     Exactly where is the Torah command that we assemble each Shabbat?    Where is the Torah command to build a Temple (Hekal), or even a synagogue / house of study?   In Capernaum, there were approximately 30,000 residents.  Assuming there were 50% who were Elohim-fearing, how would these possibly fit into the one synagogue measuring approximately 15' x 20'?   Those who attended any synagogue on Shabbat did so to hear the Torah read primarily for two reasons:  1.  They were studying to become teachers, or were teachers themselves.  2.  They were formerly Gentiles, but were turning to Yahuah and learning how to walk.   Yahuah instructed PARENTS to teach their children, not send them to a synagogue or another man to teach them.   Examine yourself in your thoughts and actions concerning "nicolaitanism".   Conquering the people with rules and regulations to reap admiration or economic plunder might be the wrong approach to take.   No tithing was done on Shabbat; even the beggars had to observe the day off from their begging.  (We can deal with what tithing is in another Email).  There is a Torah command concerning our activity on Shabbat:

    "And the YHWH said to Mosheh, How long refuse you to keep My Commandments and My laws?  See, for YHWH has given you the Shabbath, therefore He gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide you every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.  So the people rested on the seventh day."   Shemoth/ Ex 16:28-30 

    I'll stand by that Scripture, and further say that if anyone is within a Shabbat distance, and wishes to attend a gathering of believers for any reason, then that's commendable.  But, to order believers to attend an assembly on Shabbat is inherently coming from human manipulation, and definitely not stipulated in Torah.   To accuse me of promoting the Devil's work because I say these things in FC is a judgment that you've made of me, while I have lived peacefully with others who have different interpretations.  I still respect the fact that people can disagree, but you might reconsider my view also, before calling it the Devil's work.   The Catholic organization promoted the weekly attendance order, and transgressions were treated as being "mortal sins".   This is not from the Torah of Yahuah, and ADDS to what He has declared for us to obey as Israel.  

 

I have questions of my own:

Are people sending you Emails and bringing up my name in them?

General Overseer:

5.       That there is no requirement for Scriptural accountability, following Yeshua’s death (against Ephesians 5:21, others).  (I have no idea where this statement is derived from FC).

6.       That the way the Body should operate, following Yeshua’s death, is for each and every man to “bury his mina,” and then to do what is right, in his own eyes (against Luke 19, others).   (I have no idea where this statement is derived from FC). 

You wrote:

General Overseer:     If we are unable to gain your attention, and your willing compliance with His Torah, (name omitted) and I will be forced to let the newsgroup know.  This will certainly cause panic and consternation among the people, and this is something that we do not want.  However, according to Matthew Eighteen, this is the next step that we will be required to take, if you do not repent of teaching these contradictions to Torah.

 

You also asked me to take FC off of the market, and out of circulation:

 

 General Overseer:    May He send you repentance unto true spiritual Life, and may He send other means of financial support, to replace the money you will lose by making the right choice (and taking Fossilized Customs off of the market, and out of circulation).

 

Lew's comment:  Please allow me to quote from MattithYahu 18:15-17:

 

 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'   If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly; and if he refuses to listen even to the assembly, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

 

This text is also pertinent:

 

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."  Gal 6:1

Another important text to keep in mind follows: