THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN CHRISTIAN CULTS IN THIS SAMPLE CITY OF TOOWOOMBA AUSTRALIA.
THESE ARE ALL MINI REPORT FINDINGS ON VARIOUS RELIGIONS OR SECTS IN AUSTRALIA's 2nd biggest inland city. No full reports were done on any of these churches as they are considered as cults or sects by the majority of Christian denominations.
PLAIN TRUTH MAGAZINE is now called "The Good News - A
Magazine of Understanding" and as of 2004 is available for free in shopping
centres but it's a cult and has it's roots in ARMSTRONGISM
and SI BARBA. 25 people. Many Christians have said over
many years that Armstrong and his Plain Truth magazine have turned their beliefs
to traditional Christian foundations. However, I came across a group who have
returned back to their former ways. This group of 25 people formally meet in
a public place in Toowoomba. One outside person said they follow an Indian guru
called "Si Barba". This church was founded in 1995. Their direct parent
church was the Worldwide Church of God founded by Herbert W. Armstrong in the
1930's.
Before that, the church claims to trace its history back for many hundreds of
years. This church was formed when the WCG made major doctrinal changes to the
core of the church's beliefs. At that time, some members and ministers worldwide
resigned from the WWCG to form their new church. In Australia there are 15 congregations
and a total membership of over 600 with four pastors. Prior to 1995 the WWCG
church in Toowoomba had 130 people which dropped to 30 people at Mt Lofty. Apparently
there were several splinter groups. The main one is this one called "United
Church of God" in Toowoomba with 25 people, however, this group has returned
back to the original belief prior to 1995 and have created "The Good News"
magazine which gives clear information on the 2nd page that it is indeed material
from "United Church of God". See "Worldwide Church of God."
Hence "United Church of God" is considered to be a worldwide cult
by almost all denominations as of the year 2003.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES INC (AUSTRALIA) held near the
University of Southern Queensland. 16 people. This church is exactly like the
United Church of God, the only difference being the way the church is governed.
Also United Church of God are generally more strict as well. Half the people
here go to United Church of God as well as here. None of these go to the World
Wide Church of God as this is where they spit from. An American called "Ron
Dart" / "Ronald L. Dart" is the leader of the whole movement.
Meetings are once a month. This church often has large advertisements in the
biggest Toowoomba newspaper with headlines like "This is not the only day
of salvation."
CHRISTADELPHIAN ECCLESIA. 70 people. This should in no way be confused with
normal Christian churches. No report was done on this church as clearly most
denominations have this church in the "cult" status. There are approximately
70 people who go to this church in Toowoomba.
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. 210 people. This denomination are not recognised as a Christian denomination by other Christian denominations. However, this denomination see themselves as a Christian denomination. How many Mormons are there in Toowomba? A member's quote "There are 2 services for the east and the west of the city with 120 in one and 170 in the other at the most." (Which means there would at least be 210 Mormons if the maximum is 290.) (80 and 130.) (There is only one church in Toowoomba on Hume St near South St.)
FREEMASONS. 50 people. (Catholics, Charismatics (meaning AOG, COC, TCC) and
Evangelical churches (meaning Baptist, Church of Christ are AGAINST Freemasonry.)
Freemasons see themselves as essentially a Godly organisation. NUMBERS IN TOOWOOMBA.
ONLY 37 PEOPLE A WEEK MEET AT NEIL ST. 13 Lodges have an average of 13 members
each in Neil St. (Sometimes as low as 4 or 5 at every monthly meeting, sometimes
20, 80 for special occasions, 5-600 on books.) ONLY 10 A WEEK MEET AT THE OTHER
TOOWOOMBA LODGE. 5 lodges are in Anzac Av cnr Herries with an average of 9 members
each. Resulting in a TOTAL OF LESS THAN 50 PEOPLE MEETING WEEKLY as Freemasons
in Toowoomba. 1/4/01. The Freemasons were in their regalia at the Heritage Street
Fair 1/4/01 for the 2nd year as they were invited by Toowoomba City Council
as they put their name on the role as a Community Group. 400 people attended
a state main meeting at the Clive Berghofer Centre in March 2003.
JEHOVAH WITNESS NUMBERS IN TOOWOOMBA. 585 people. This group is not considered a Christian Church by the majority of denominations. I do not go to known Christian cults. I did not attend this group. As always, this information was attained from a leader in the church after much questioning, posing as a friendly inquirer. The leader is quoted as saying "as of December 2002 there are 3 groups of 130 members each in Spring St (155 including children and visitors/ non members) and there are 3 groups in our other church in Hogg St. The Aboriginal group has 20, the Mt Lofty group has 185 ("the hall fits over 200") and the Wilsonton group has gone down to 80." So the total member count of JW member's I estimate would be minimally 430 (90 x 3, 10, 120, 30.) Maximum MEMBER count according to their estimate of figures is 675. Maximum of TOTAL persons by their quote 750. (155 x 3, 20, 185, 80) However, I estimate the maximum OF ALL PEOPLE ATTENDING this group to be 585 (130 x 3, 10, 135, 50).
NEW AGE. PORTIUNCULA. 50 people. AN 8 UNIT RESIDENCE OF CATHOLIC NEW AGE. An 8 unit residential on Hursley Rd near Silky Oak Rd on the way to the Show Grounds. It's run by Catholic Sister Pat Quinn at "Portiuncula" (a small wooden sign) on Hursley Rd. Unlikely an official Catholic ministry. Has a half metre statue of a Catholic monk as a garden monument. Materials in the centre include widely known new age courses and books such as "Sandplay" and "A Course in Miracles" for "spiritual, professional and personal development." These expressions are key words to identify pure new age practice.
NEW CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Unconfirmed count of people. New Christian Church of the Full Endeavor. Courier Mail/May 19, 2001 "has come under scrutiny from immigration authorities following the suicides of two church members during the past 18 months." Byron Bay church, The church, which in the mid-1990s ran its spiritual bootcamp at Westbrook, outside Toowoomba, is attempting to regain a foothold in Queensland. In Byron Bay where the church is under the name "Miracle Centre," issued a strong warning against people getting involved with the 80-strong cult. (I have no personal knowledge of this cult. See Google.com Search engine for further info on alleged cult which was in Courier Mail 19 May 2001.)
PAUL SHEEHAN's CHURCH. 8 people.
NOTE: MANY PEOPLE PERSONALLY ASK ME "WHAT HAPPENED TO PAUL SHEEHAN?"
AS HE WAS FROM TOOWOOMBA. This is where he has ended up.
1. NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 3. (Paul, his wife, myself and 2 others.)
2. NUMBER OF CHAIRS: 20.
3. Type of person: The two present had come from psychiatric backgrounds.
4. Socio-Economic Status: Very low.
5. Amount of kids: None.
6. Ages of people: 40-60.
7. 75% are men.
8. Weekly offering published: Paul lives under a house, the rent donated by
a former parishioner of his.
9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
10. Any other interesting information: Paul said this from the pulpit "Anybody
who God shows me as sinning here, I'll publicly shame them!" and "I
have sent faxes to another few Queensland Pastors rebuking them for what they've
done." And Paul has said "I've spent time in a psychiatric hospital
sure, and I was an alcoholic." And "I lived with my wife before I
married her but I was married in the eyes of God." And "I divorced
my first wife because I was the adulterer." And "I married again to
my Phillipino wife here and I found her while I was ministering overseas."
And I don't see anything wrong with going 90kmh in a 60kmh zone, sure."
Paul Sheehan resided in Toowoomba approximately 1985- 1995 where he shared his
beliefs at some churches before starting his own at the CWA hall Twmba then
he started a church in Brisbane.
11. TIME THERE AND DATE OF VISIT: Approx 1999 Wedn night. (As of 2003, Paul
reportedly still has his church.)
12. Length of service: Approx 1 Hr 30m.
13. This and other service times: Wedn 7pm, Sund 10am (There would be close
to 6 - 10 people.)
14. Preacher: Paul Sheehan.
15. Feeling of building: A small old warehouse type hall.
16. Estimate style of belief: Nothing clear to be defined but not technically
a cult per se.
17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Casual.
18. How to get there: Near Brisbane city towards Roma St then a back street
near the Milton turn off.
UNITY OF AUSTRALIA. 6 people. This is a group of 6 meeting once a month in Toowoomba. Unity describe themselves as "not a doctrine to be adhered to... Unity is a link in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ, out objective is to discern the truth in Christianity and prove it." They believe in the book "A Course in Miracles" and many other widely known new age courses and books. They believe in miracles and one told me "I was healed having not been able to stand for 6 months, I would always fall down. But unlike most I held onto my healing. There was a flood of people at one stage but they went away not having been healed. My son keeps saying "Supreme! Supreme!" over and over. Some of our group go to Si Barba's church (Original version of ARMSTRONGISM/ PLAIN TRUTH MAGAZINE / United Church of God) but we are two completely separate organisations." This movement began in about 1900 by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore from Missouri.