The Secret Terrorists by Bill Hughes

reviewed 2002/8/12

This type of book will come back to be used by the enemies of God against those who stand for the truth. My impression was that it’s basically a compilation of conspiracy theories, trying to tie them all to the Jesuits. There may in fact be some truth to it. But is this what those giving the 3rd angel’s message should be involved in? Unfortunately, this kind of book will prejudice many intelligent minds (those who bother to browse it), and prove a stumbling block even for those few who do join the truth because of it. Why? Because they will have to unlearn conspiracy-theory-type thinking before they can find the straight and narrow path.

I used to subscribe to conspiracy theories too. No doubt most of them have some grains of truth in them. But it became especially clear to me in reading Bob Trefz’s material, that i was not be uplifted, not be changed into the likeness of Jesus by reading that. Instead, i was becoming suspicious of everyone, and talking evil of rulers. Fortunately his call to arms was such a departure from the Word that i could see clear enough to break clean away from it. If you notice, Bill Hughes is making a not-so-subtle call to arms in his book also. He who lives by the sword….

To hilite a few problems with this book:
1. “The blood of the Civil War can be traced back to the Jesuit, John C. Calhoun”. But Ellen White writes in original Testimony volume 9: “”Satan was the first great leader in rebellion. God is punishing the North, that they have so long suffered to exist the accursed sin of slavery; for in the sight of heaven it is a sin of the darkest dye. God is not with the South, and he will punish them dreadfully in the end. Satan is at the bottom of all rebellion.”

So you see that the sin of slavery brought about God’s wrath on America, and that Satan, not John Calhoun, was at the bottom of it all. Sure, Satan may have inspired John Calhoun to promote the war, but laying the blame on him for the fundamental reason – slavery – is not correct.

2. There are several factual mistakes regarding how money is created. I too believe the current method is inherently wrong, and a great evil, but is it true that: “the interest on its debt must increase beyond its income, making payoff impossible”? No, not true. Is it true how he says money comes into being, that “the Federal Reserve takes the bond and writes an order to the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing to print the billion dollars’ worth of bills”? haha. This is entirely laughable, and any informed, intelligent person would throw away the book here if not sooner. There is approx. 810 billion US dollars’ worth of currency existing today (source: The Treasury). The national debt of America is approx. 6.1 trillion dollars (source: Bureau of the Public Debt). As you see, there is almost 8 times as much debt as currency!

3. “Down through history, people’s worst enemy has been their own government.” Yet it is God who sets up and takes down kings (Dan. 2:21, 4:17). Are we supposed to speak evil of our own rulers? “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.” (Jude 8-10).

From the original Testimonies to the Church vol. 9:
“We should act with great caution. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men.” We can obey this, and not sacrifice one
principle of our faith. Satan and his host are at war with
commandment-keepers, and will work to bring them into trying positions.
They should not, by lack of discretion, bring themselves there.
I was shown that some acted very indiscreetly in regard to the piece
published. It did not accord with their views in all respects, and instead
of calmly weighing the matter, and viewing it in all its bearings, they
became agitated, excited, and some seized the pen and jumped hastily at
conclusions which would not bear investigation. Some were inconsistent and
unreasonable. They acted out that which Satan is ever hurrying them to do,
namely, their rebellious feelings.
In Iowa they carried things to quite a length, and run into fanaticism.
They mistook zeal and fanaticism for conscientiousness.”

What is sad to me, is that i see many, very faithful, dedicated believers getting into these conspiracy theories. They think they have some “hidden” knowledge, and they are “more informed” than those who don’t have this information. Then they take great umbrage at any who dares question if this material is what God’s little flock should be feeding on or not. At least, this is the attitude of most people i’ve met who believe in conspiracy theories, and pretty much explains my feeling when i used to believe in them.