I'm new to posting on this forum. Having been a part of the Way in the days of the King (a.k.a. LCM) he refered to VP as our father in the word. This I must say that he is the father of The Branch Wierwillians his own sect. As all false apostles he came up with his own doctrine from other others words and teachings. Was he a teacher of the Word? He used the Word to justify his teachings just as all men do who appoint themselves to lead others. The bible does not condone men like him or even Paul calling themselves father to anyone in the Word. There is no doubt VPW is the Father Of Branch Wierwillians, just like Bill Gates is the father of Microsoft his company he formed from stealing others ideas. We don't follow Bill Gates and live from his every word do we?
I know you will question my statement about Paul, if you look into the scriptures and detail out his conversion, ministry, and doctrine you will see the pattern for all false teachers and apostles. Think about it they all see visions of Christ or God, they all take scripture out of context or miss quote it, and they are all self proclaimed. Now I know you will start quoting The Epistles for your proof text but that would be like quoting VPW, leave Luke's accounts in Acts alone because that would be like quoting LCM. Peter gives one recomendation of Paul at the end of his 2nd Epistle. But, Jesus also told Peter at the end of his life he would be led astray John 21:18. Other than Paul's follwers no one else commends him. Paul misquoted scriptue, took it out of context, saw a vision of the lord but gives contradicting information in each account. The matter of self proclaimed cannot be covered in so limited if a space. Take some time to ponder this before responding it is not a straw man that you can knock over with a few blows. Yes, it stands in the face of christianity, but most of all Paul contrdicts Jesus on so many levels. Paul started Christianity not Jesus.