Gentle Love Christian Fellowship
(The Church With No Home On Earth)

Saturday, June 05, 2004


"Reflections of Death Fasting"

As I think of all the theology and prayer involved in the Austin Death Fast last year, I'm taken to I John 3:16, as one example. We read, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

It should be in the nature of every Christian to have a willingness to lay down our lives for one another, according to this text. When I prayed about doing the Death Fast in previous months to April, 2003, I was motivated by this and other like texts.

Like a soldier on a battle field, I sought to lay myself before God and man to see a solution to a terrific tax problem which sought to enslave me and my entire nation. I was there to lay down my life for the whole of mankind.

Only at the loss of my mental capacity after day 34, Irwin Schiff's command to stop the fast (knowing he was my "off switch" from the beginning) on day 36, hoards telling me to live in e-mails from around the world since day 7 and the Gandhi letter saying that 'we do not fast against those who do not love us,' did I end the Death Fast on day 40. And I ended it only to regroup for a possible restart of the Death Fast at a later date, should the situation warrant.

Don't count me out on death fasting, as much as some would like. I still have a drive to lay down my life for the people and causes God places before me to address, as his minister.

Minister of Christ Gene Chapman

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