by Philip Powell
John S. MacKenzie (JM) publishes and edits F&F, a strongly Calvinistic and anti-Pentecostal magazine based in Adelaide, South Australia. Under the heading “Watch out for Compromise” (April 2007) he falsely accused Philip Powell (PP) of calling Cardinal Pell a “Christian”. Philip did not do any such thing. A later attempted retraction and disingenuous apology by JM (F&F May 2007) only made matters worse showing JM’s obvious anti-Pentecostal agenda. CWM and PP have no objection to discussing Pentecostalism with JM or Mike Claydon (MC) whose support JM called on (FF May 2007) or anyone else, but not in the context of blatant dishonesty and lack of credibility. The matter arose on account of PP issuing an email from Ibrahim Ministries International (IMI) regarding a forum at which Daniel Scot (DS) was one of the speakers and Cardinal Pell another. PP’s only part in the email was a request for prayer for DS. That was all. In his email on the behalf of IMI (not CWM), DS as a former citizen of Pakistan referred to the cardinal as a “Christian” in the generic and normal dictionary sense. Pell is opposed to Islam’s agenda in our country where there is presently a Judeo-Christian ethos. JM and anyone who joined him in his statements against CWM and PP are not being honest. CWM and PP are neither ecumenical nor pro-Roman Catholic as our published material clearly bears witness. MC acknowledged this. JM should simply apologise publicly for his two lies — one explicit and the other implicit. If an editor lies ignorantly he may be forgiven. When the matter is pointed out to him and he tries to cover his tracks by repeating his lies — that’s culpable and unacceptable.
