I Appeal to You
... through Bertha Dudde  - 08.04.1940 

1375   Human additions .... Attendance at church ....

Everything in relation to God has to result in success for a person providing he complies with or makes use of it .... It will have to lead to God .... but only if all requirements are actually adhered to. Formality, however, will not lead to success. It is merely easier for one person and more difficult for another to reach the objective, in as much as the latter has chosen to walk an exceptionally difficult path, whereas the other path is easier but can be an equally joyful service to God. Hence the human being is submitting himself to conditions which were not required of him by God. It is helpful to become aware of the individual teachings which were added by people to the teaching of Christ. First of all, attendance at church was made a duty, which is not always spiritually beneficial but can also be soul-destroying.

The idea that the human being will turn more towards God by going to church is extremely misguided; instead he is far more at risk of turning what should be a profound inner experience into a habitual act. The true aspirant will look for God everywhere, his church attendance will certainly not harm him but he can find contact with God anytime and anywhere and will not need a particular place for it. Therefore it would only be necessary to hear God’s Word if it is not made accessible to the person elsewhere, and this will only find God’s complete agreement as long as the purpose of attending church is just the said imparting of the divine Word. All other ceremonial activities are embellishments which were more than less added by people and nowadays motivate the concept of a service to God, although something entirely different than attending such practices, which have nothing in common with the real work of the soul, is meant by serving God.

It is entirely unimportant and inconsequential whether and to what extent the human being will comply with the requirements which are prerequisite of belonging to the Roman-Catholic church. The church founded by Jesus Christ on earth has nothing to do with external appearances. In spite of its external manifestations its profound principles can certainly be recognised, and thus they need not be obstacles to recognising Jesus Christ’s true teachings and to living accordingly. Alternatively however, these external manifestations are not necessarily needed in order to be a true Christian in accordance with God’s will. It is not difficult to see that people are put off precisely because of the many formalities, and Jesus Christ certainly did not consider that the achievement of eternal bliss depended on the fulfilment of humanly decreed commandments such as attending church regularly, taking part in an action which is likewise a humanly devised theatrical play that is of no benefit for and has no influence on the human soul.

People should consider that the Lord on earth objected to outward appearances, that He did nothing in order to emphasize His Word effectively, with the exception of miracles, which intended to prove His Divinity to people. However, He has never done anything that could justify or somehow substantiate the above actions today but they are mere humanly introduced formalities which have no other deeper meaning than what people had assigned to them. And this can never correspond with divine will, thus it cannot be required of people as evidence for complying with the teaching of Christ ....

Amen