A letter to Bishop's Blog

Bishop,

I have never written to your blog before, but I read it every single day, watch the IURD-TV programs and am a recent member of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

My life was transformed after starting to attend the church. Besides the benefits that faith has had on my personal life and career, the way I view the world is different, it is changed, as if a veil had been removed from my eyes. I will not dwell on these changes because they have been a constant occurrence over the UCKG’s 35 years.

What moves me to write this letter is the outrage I feel at the way I’ve been treated since I chose to live by faith—from the instant that I chose to connect with God. I am not referring to my family, friends, colleagues or acquaintances. I have been attacked on a daily basis by the same media that I trusted for information for over 20 years.

You may ask…

How are newspapers, magazines and TV stations attacking a simple believer like you?

Though I’m sure you already know the answer, I will explain. When my faith is daily vilified in various ways, I am being slapped in the face— I along with millions of people who embrace evangelical beliefs and have chosen to follow the Lord Jesus.

I have been living in São Paulo for 24 years and have been a subscriber to Folha de Sao Paulo (one of the largest newspapers in Brazil) for exactly two decades. Today I decided to cancel my subscription. I no longer want to open the door to my house every morning and pick up a newspaper that is planned, written and printed with the goal of attacking me. I do not need this. I have witnessed the Folha’s attacks on you and the UCKG for quite a while now, but the veil before my eyes blocked me from seeing the ulterior motives of the leaders of that group.

They try to destroy our faith with constant and varying arguments. Now it is the upcoming elections. What has candidate Celso Russomanno, a Catholic, done to these gentlemen at the newspaper? Why does the Universal Church appear in more than half of the stories about his campaign for mayor? Is it because the leaders and some members of his party are members of the UCKG? How often are Catholics, Protestants, Spiritists, Buddhists and people of other religious beliefs associated with political parties and people in positions of power?

What does my faith have to do with the election? Never, I repeat, never have I seen politics or voter manipulation by any bishop, pastor, assistant or member of the UCKG in any of the temples that I have attend. Never, I repeat, never have I heard a message of how we should vote on Church programs on TV, radio or internet.

I am in church every Wednesday and Sunday. On other days, I stay in touch with the church through other means of communication. I am a living witness that what is being said in the newspapers, especially the Folha de Sao Paulo, is a lie, and am personally affected by it.

I am only one person, but as I cancel my 20-year subscription, I choose to keep truth as the cornerstone of my new life since joining the UCKG.

May our Lord Jesus Christ direct those who attack us, and may the Holy Spirit remove the blinders that cover the eyes of those whose sole reason for life seems to be to attack us for no reason. Unlike the vote, which is secret, all our actions are clearly seen and will be judged by our God.

Thank you and God bless.

A Friend