vpw's plagiarized sources

[WordWolf]

When looking at vpw's acknowledgements and bibliographies,

we can see who he gives credit to, and who he doesn't.

For those who've missed previous discussions,

it might be worth going over his official statements

and what they mean in plain English.

==========

Ok, the Orange Book.

There IS NO bibliography to this book.

In case you're wondering, that would be one reason

a donated book would be refused for a college

library.

The dedication is to his daughter.

Remembering that this book is part Bullinger,

part Leonard, and part Norman Vincent Peale/

positive thinking, we have seen no mention of

any of them in the book. Even the

"about the author" leaves out all 3 names.

What DOES the introduction say?

Here it is in its entirety.

===

"Introduction: the Abundant Life.

Jesus' proclamation as recorded in John 10:10 is the foundational

Scripture for this book.

...I am come that they [believers] might have life, and that

they might have it more abundantly.

This verse literally changed my life. My wife and I began in

the Christian ministry, plodding ahead with the things of God,

but somehow we lacked an abundant life.

Then one time I was especially alerted when I read from the

Word of God that Jesus said He had come to give us life more

abundant. I was startled into awareness. As I looked about me

at communities where I had served and among the ministers with

whom I had worked, the abundant life was frequently not

evident. In contrast to these Christian people, I could see that

the secular world of non-Christians were manifesting a more

abundant life than were members of the Church. Thus I

earnestly began to pursue the question:

'If Jesus Christ came that men and women might have a

MORE ABUNDANT LIFE, then why is it that the Christian

believers do not manifest even an ABUNDANT LIFE?'

I believe most people would be thankful if they ever lived

an abundant life; but The Word says Jesus Christ came that

we might have life not just abundant, but more abundant.

If His Word is not reliable here in John 10:10, how can we

trust it anywhere else? But, on the other hand, if

Jesus told the truth, if He meant what He said and said what

He meant in this declaration, then surely there must be

keys, signposts, to guide us to the understanding and the

receiving of this life which is more than abundant.

This book, POWER FOR ABUNDANT LIVING, is one way of

showing interested people the abundany life which Jesus

Christ lived and which He came to make available to

believers as it is revealed in the Word of God.

This is a book containing Biblical keys. The contents herein

do not teach the Scriptures from Genesis 1:1 to

Revelation 22:21; rather, it is designed to set before the

reader the basic keys in the Word of God so that

Genesis to Revelation will unfold and so that the

abundant life which Jesus Christ came to make available will

become evident to those who want to appropriate

God's abundance to their lives. "

===========

That is the ENTIRE introduction.

There is no other prefix, appendix, etc to the book.

What ELSE did the Orange Book say on the subject?

[pg-119-120.]

=====

"For years I did nothing but read around the Word of God. I

used to read two or three theological works weekly for month

after month and year after year. I knew what Professor

so-and-so said, what Dr so-and-so and the Right Reverend

so-and-so said, but I could not quote you The Word. I had

not read it. One day I finally became so disgusted and tired

of reading around The Word that I hauled over 3000 volumes

of theological works to the city dump. I decided to quit

reading around The Word. Consequently, I have spent

years studying The Word- its integrity, its meaning,

its words.

Why do we study? Because God expects us as workmen to

know what His Word says."

=============

As a sidenote, if he read FOUR books a week (one more than

he claimed), every week, every year, it would take 15 years

to make it thru 3000 volumes without rereading any.

(4 books times 52 weeks is 208 books a year. 15 years at that

pace should do it.) That's while he was completing his education,

working, travelling to India, and so on.

That's leaving aside the issue of where one keeps 3000 books...

[WordWolf]

Ok, the White Book's Preface,

pages ix to xi, which is the ENTIRE preface.)

========

"When I was serving my first congregation, a Korean

missionary asked me, 'Why don't you search for the

greatest of all things in life which would teach Christian

believers the HOW of a really victorious life?'

This challenge was the beginning of a search which led

me through many, many hours of examining different

English translations, the various critical Greek texts,

and Aramaic 'originals', looking for the source of the

power which was manifested in the early Church.

Finally I realized that the experience referred to as

'receiving the holy spirit' in the Scriptures WAS and IS

actually available to every born-again believer today.

I believed to receive the gift of holy spirit and I, too,

manifested.

Ever since receiving into manifestation the holy spirit,

I have had the desire to put in written form the longings

and fears that were mine regarding the receiving thereof.

I believe that sharing my quest with the believers who are

today seeking to be endued with power from on high may

be instrumental in leading them to the answer of their

hearts' desires.

I knew from the Bible that what God sent at Pentecost was

still available. It had to be, for God does not change. I knew that

the receiving of the power from on high on the day of

Pentecost had meant increased ability for the apostles and

disciples years ago, and that I needed and wanted the same

blessing. I knew that if the Church ever needed the holy

spirit in manifestation it needed it now.

Throughout my academic training in a college, a university,

four seminaries, from the commentaries I studied,

and from my years of questing and research among the

various religious groups claiming adherence to the holy

spirit's availability, there appeared many things

contradictory to the accuracy of the recorded Word of

God. I knew their teachings were sincere, but sincerity

is no guarantee for truth.

The Word of God is truth. I prayed that I might put aside all

that I had heard and thought out myself, and I started anew

with the Bible as my handbook as well as my textbook.

I did not want to omit, deny, or change any passage for,

the Word of God being the will of God, the Scripture must

fit like a hand in a glove.

If you are a Christian believer, I sincerely encourage you to

study this book. Do not allow your past teachings or feelings

to discourage you from going on to receive God's best.

If you need power and ability to face up to the snares of

this live, you may find your answer while reading this book.

It is my prayer that you may be edified, exhorted, and

comforted.

For those searching the Scriptures, desiring to know the

reasons why, how, what or where, I suggest you do a

careful study of the introductions as well as the

appendices in this volume. For those who simply desire

to receive, read chapters 1 though 5 and enjoy God's

great presence and power.

"II Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman

that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the

word of truth."

To his helpers and colleagues every writer owes a profound

debt. This seventh edition has been read and studies carefully

by men and women of Biblical and spiritual ability.

To all of these I am most grateful."

=========

End of Preface.

==============================================

===============================================

It is interesting to compare the Preface to the White Book, 7th Edition,

which I already quoted,

with the Preface in the 2nd edition.

=====

Here's how one paragraph ORIGINALLY read in

the 2nd edition, (pg-8):

"The Word of God is truth. I prayed that I might put aside all

I had been taught and start anew with the Bible as my

handbook as well as my textbook. It took me seven years to

find a man of God schooled in the Holy Spirit, a man who knew

the Scripture on the Holy Spirit, and could fit it together so that

I dod not have to omit, deny or change any one passage.

He made the Scripture fit like a hand fits into a glove,

and when you can do that, you can be assured of having

truth."

========

Here's the corresponding paragraph in the 7th Edition,

the one most of us got to read:

======

"The Word of God is truth. I prayed that I might put aside all

that I had heard and thought out myself, and I started anew

with the Bible as my handbook as well as my textbook.

I did not want to omit, deny, or change any passage for,

the Word of God being the will of God, the Scripture must

fit like a hand in a glove."

======

Interesting how the other man just VANISHES from the picture,

no? It's as if vpw later wants to take exclusive credit

("I started anew with the Bible as my handbook as well

as my textbook") for something that was exclusively

the result of Stiles-the UNNAMED Christian-working for

God ("...He made the Scripture fit like a hand fits into a

glove...")

============================================

============================================

TW:LIL, pg-179.

"The Word is buried today. If there's no one around to teach it,

God has to teach it Himself. You see, I am a product of my times.

God knew me before the foundations of the world, just like He knew

you and everyone else. We were all in God's foreknowledge from the

beginnings.

God knew I would believe His Word. And every day I am more and

more deeply convinced of this ministry which teaches people the

accuracy and integrity of God's Word."

pg-181, reminscing after the 1942 promise...

"That's where I was sitting when I prayed to God to teach me the

Word and show me how."

(Mind you, page 178, he said

"I told Father outright that He could have the whole thing, unless there

were real genuine answers that I wouldn't ever have to back up on."

So, this watershed experience in his life,

the details seem flexible. He even asked at least 2 different

things...)

pg-190.

"If no one is around to teach you the Word, and you are hungry,

then God has to teach you in the framework of your knowledgeable

experience. For example, if you're an athlete, He'll do it through

athletics. If you're a farmer, He'll teach you through farming."

pg-201.

"You see, learning is a process. You don't learn overnight.

The holy spirit field-that's the field God raised me up for.

There's not a question that cannot be answered biblically.

And there's no one I can't lead into speaking in tongues if they are

Christian and want to do it.

No matter how much knowledge you have of God, God seldom allows you

to teach more than people are able to receive.

Some things God taught me that night in Tulsa, I've never taught-

no one would have been able to receive them."

Go ahead, stop implying and suggesting,

come right out and say it instead...

"Everything I learned, God taught me. That's what I teach you."

[TLC]

"Introduction: the Abundant Life.

Jesus' proclamation as recorded in John 10:10 is the foundational

Scripture for this book.

Ever wonder about why this verse was chosen, given the dispensational interpretation of other scriptures?

It was spoken by Jesus Christ, who's ministry was a part of the keeping of the law, to the nation of Israel.

(not sure who all might see it, but when you really think about it, there's an inconsistency in it... and so it was with the building of TWI. A faulty foundation.)

[WordWolf]

How about BG Leonard?

vpw took the ENTIRE contents of pfal class 1.0

from Leonard's class, UNALTERED. What did he say about Leonard?

TW:LIL, pg-207.

"He loved me, and I learned some stuff from him. He had tremendous believing.

That's why I love the guy."

"The summer of 1953, our whole ministry went up-Dotsie and Donnie and some of the

others from Van Wert. We took his whole trip- really learned a lot about the other

manifestations of the holy spirit. But he worked from personal experiences.

I worked what he taught from the accuracy of the Scriptures. When I came home,

I made up my mind that I was going to tie the whole thing together from Genesis to

Revelation. So I did, and in October, I had the very first 'Power for Abundant Living' class.

At that time, the Foundational Class and Advanced Class were together-the whole thing

in two weeks. But the syllabus today is basically the same. The basic principles from

the Word are the same. The class has filled out. But I knew the greatness of our

age-the age of holy spirit and that every truth must fit in the framework of the

manifestations. I just had to teach it to somebody."

"I taught without a syllabus, but the class was the same.

You could throw the syllabus away now and I could still teach it.

It's a burning reality in my soul."

=========================================

=========================================

What did he say directly about how he got the 1st edition

of RTHST, which was Stiles' book plus some books by

Bullinger, and ONLY what they contained? (Mostly Stiles.)

(1954)

TW:LIL, pg-209.

"Somewhere in there I wrote the first holy spirit book. I can't

remember exactly what year.

I'd been working those 385 scriptures and they began to all

fall into place."

"We're having the sixth edition printed now of

that book: Receiving the Holy Spirit Today.

It's a great piece of research."

And,

after having lied so thoroughly (and throughly) about

it, he makes the following "disclaimer":

"Lots of the stuff I teach is not original.

Putting it together so that it fit-that was the original work.

I learned wherever I could, and then I worked that with

the Scriptures. What was right on with the Scriptures, I

kept; but what wasn't, I dropped.

Vale from Florida was the one who taught us about

interpretation and prophecy. But he didn't understand the

other manifestations. It took BG Leonard and others to teach

us healing and believing.

But in the holy spirit field, our piece of research is the most

thorough and original coverage of the subject. And believe me,

I've seen about everything in that field. No one really goes into it."

Some people-ignorant of how citing sources works- keep claiming that

the off-hand comment buried on page 209 of a book most people never read

works as a blanket citation of sources for everything vpw ever did.

[Twinky]

That is a good point, TLC.

Especially when we were discouraged from reading the gospels (being as they weren't written to us) except for the select bits in PFAL.

[WordWolf]

And what did he say about how he ripped off

Bullinger's books to form pfal and RTHST?

TW:LIL,

pg-210.

"She gave me my first copy of Bullinger's

How to Enjoy the Bible. She said, when she first

heard me teach, that I taught like he wrote, and I'd never

met the man or even read his stuff."

============================================

============================================

Most of you are aware that there were 2

types of book that say "by Victor Paul Wierwille" on the cover.

The SECOND type-which came later-were written by committee, and the

research staff wrote 100% of the contents except the introduction/preface.

That's books like "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" and

"Jesus Christ Our Passover."

vpw himself otherwise provided zero percent of the contents.

The FIRST type-which describes most of "vpw's" books-

were the result of taking one book of one author and retyping its contents,

or taking more than one book and inserting chapters and retyping their

aggregate contents.

Almost all of vpw's "signature books" fall in this category.

===========

Ok, then, starting off....

The White Book, "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today"...

RTHST's 1st edition was Jack E. Stiles' "the Gift of the Holy Spirit",

with a few words moved around.

Its introduction included an anonymous reference to a man of God

who taught him on this subject. That's the Stiles whose book

this was a complete photocopy of.

Later editions deleted all mention of ANY man teaching him

on the subject (3rd edition and later). Later editions also

featured EW Bullinger's "the Giver and His Gifts".

(This book is currently available under the name

"Word Studies on the Holy Spirit.")

The Bullinger book is the source of the 385 occurrences

of "pneuma" in the New Testament.

(Which vpw was unable to even pronounce correctly.)

=========

Juedes documented some of this very well, years ago...

http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/vp_stolenrthst.htm

http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/vp_stiles.htm

http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/vp_sources.htm

=================

The "Power For Abundant Living" book was, of course, a transcription from

the class of the same name. The Orange Book's origins therefore are the

same as the origins of the class. In its first iteration, that meant it was

the exact same thing as Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit course.

Later iterations pruned out the Advanced class from the

"PFAL Foundation" class, and filled in the remaining space with

Bullinger's "How to Enjoy the Bible", and culminating the class

with Sessions 9-12, which were Stiles and Bullinger's works on

Holy Spirit.

dmiller:

"I have a few books by Bullinger, including Word Studies on the Holy Spirit

and How To Enjoy the Bible.

Word Studies is the list of the 385 usages of pneuma hagion,

with a short commentary on each verse.

Imo -- everything you have ever heard docvic say about the various usages of PH,

seem to have come directly from this book by Bullinger.

How To Enjoy The Bible has many sections with familiar headings:

*No Private Interpretation*;

*define words by their biblical uage*;

*All scripture .....*;

*context of where it is written*;

*absent from the body, present with the Lord*;

and more."

=============

The "original" PFAL (what I call its first iteration)

was a clone of Leonard's class in EVERY detail.

Leonard's class had imaginary characters called Maggie Muggins, Johnny Jumpup and

Henry Belocco. (I'm not sure about Snowball Pete or Herman B.)

Leonard was Canadian. Maggie Muggins was a children's television character

easily recognizable by his audience by name.

(As if you said "Captain Kangaroo then said..." or "then Big Bird said...)

Johnny Jumpup is the name of a plant.

Using those 2 names as characters in a class, however, that was straight

out of Leonard.

Herman Belocco probably started due to an inability of vpw to precisely

recall EXACTLY what was in Leonard's class-so sometimes it was Henry,

sometimes it was Herman.

Snowball Pete was mentioned ONCE in pfal, and doesn't match the pattern

Leonard normally used-normal first name, possible normal last name.

This suggests-if I may engage in wild speculation-that this was made up

by vpw in a pitiful attempt at originality.

One of our posters-who took Leonard's class-said that vpw even ripped off

Leonard's speech patterns and style, which made it eerie to hear Leonard

teach after hearing vpw imitate him.

Leonard handled publishing under Canadian Christian Press.

vpw handled publishing under American Christian Press.

Someone also pointed out that one of Leonard's books contains an

introduction that slightly resembles one of vpw's claims.

Expand it, add grandiose claims, and an imaginary snowstorm,

and you have the 1943 promise.

(Leonard never claimed God told him he was unique nor mentioned

the 1st century church to him.)

Leonard never made a claim of a "miraculous" event.

This, however, is from Leonard's foreword to his book "Gifts of the Spirit"...

"One day God spoke to me.

'If thou wilt wait patiently before me, I will give thee the revelation concerning

that which is written in My Word touching these things; the revelation my people

need to bring them out of their chaos and confusion.'

I believed God. For months I waited before His presence in solitude. During those

wonderful days, He revealed the truth to me concerning the gifts of the Spirit.

As He did, these things were proven by acting upon the knowledge thus received,

and by examining the results in light of His Word."

=================

In other news....

"Are the Dead Alive Now?" is a compilation of some of Bullinger's

works,

most notably "the Rich Man and Lazarus: an Intermediate State?"

and "King Saul and the Witch of Endor: Did the Prophet Samuel Rise at Her Bidding?"

Most readers will note that vpw also ripped off the "title with question mark"

in addition to the content of the books.

"Studies in Human Suffering", later called "Job: Victim to Victor",

was taken from Bullinger's book "the Book of Job".

That became a large chapter in one of the "Studies in Abundant Living".

====================

[Bolshevik]

Ever wonder about why this verse was chosen, given the dispensational interpretation of other scriptures?

It was spoken by Jesus Christ, who's ministry was a part of the keeping of the law, to the nation of Israel.

(not sure who all might see it, but when you really think about it, there's an inconsistency in it... and so it was with the building of TWI. A faulty foundation.)

The first part of the verse is a description of Victor Paul Wierwille, The Teacher.

The second part of the verse speaks to the ego and where The Teacher shall guide it, a segue into The Law of Believing.

(VPW plagiarized The Devil, so this post is on topic)

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I wonder if Wierwille was familiar with Theodore Austin Sparks or Watchman Nee, as in The Mystery. Also VPW used Kenyon's books, and Albert Cliffe, Lamsa(Erico?), Pillai. Victor never had an original thought.

[Steve Lortz]

During the 1940s and '50s, the name "Snowball Pete" would have been recognized as a nickname for a person of African American descent.

Love,

Steve

[shortfuse]

During the 1940s and '50s, the name "Snowball Pete" would have been recognized as a nickname for a person of African American descent.

Word?

[Steve Lortz]

Word?

WORD! I was born in 1949...

The audiences of people brought up after the '50s would not have recognized it as such, because the Civil Rights Movement of the early-'60s changed cultural sensitivity to such things.

Love,

Steve

[WordWolf]

(bump)