Platos Alegory
Plato’s AlegoryShort Paper#1 Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
Victor Houteff and the Shepherd’s Rod
The Cave Walkers/ Puppet Masters: Born in 1886 in Raikova Bulgaria, Victor Houteff migrated to the United States and joined the Seventh Day Adventist. As an Adventist, Houteff found it difficult to accept the fact that the Church did not have a Prophet. While searching for a prophet he became the assistant superintendent of the Sabbath School of the Olympic Exposition Park Seventh Day Adventist Church in California.
Cave Prisoners: In 1929, without the permission of the church, Houteff reworked the class curriculum to include his interpretations of the Book of Revelation. In 1935 Victor Houteff led a small group of followers into the “midst” of the land, Waco, which he believed to be a gathering point for the faithful. Victor believed that he and his followers would only remain in Waco for a year before migrating to Jerusalem for the Second Coming. When Houteff first arrived at Waco his group did not have an official name, in ‘42 Houteff changed the name to “Davidian Seventh Day Adventist.”
The Object/Puppet: The authority of the prophet, or Fourth Angel, solidifies itself in the Symbolic Code, the Shepherd’s Rod’s magazine which published the secret codes needed to understand the Bible. Houteff used a complex series of numerical and linguistical codes to interpret the Bible. One of the keys used by Houteff and the subsequent angels was the use of “types” and “antitypes.” The Bible could not be read literally, but as a prediction of modern circumstances. In other words, the key to understanding the Bible is to know which modern group is typical or antitypical of which biblical group or term. The Symbolic Code provided the DSDAs’ with the definitive key to knowing whom the Bible described in each prophecy.
Shadows: Houteff believed that each age could interpret the Bible at a different spiritual level—depending upon the latest prophet. In other words, the teachings of Luther superseded the understanding of Catholicism, Wesley’s understanding superseded Luther’s, E.G. White’s supplanted Wesley, and Houteff eclipsed White. Houteff challenged his followers when he said, “Always man’s greatest test … the eclipse of a past message by a new one,—present truth.” This meant that people who lived prior to Luther would be judged based upon that understanding, but when Luther came, those who continued to follow Catholic ideology did not accept the “present truth.” Likewise, those who lived prior to Wesley, White, or Houteff would be judged based upon their latest prophet, but those who failed to accept the most recent messenger would be condemned. This plays a major roll in establishing authority amongst Houteff, the Rodens, and Howell/Koresh. It allows the prophet to declare any scholarly research, ideas, or competition “of Babylon.” This includes any biblical interpretation after the “Great Disappointment.” The prophet thus has absolute authority.
Sun: contacted the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist to discuss the differences in interpretation. The meetings, conducted peacefully, went well for almost a month. After a month of discussion, the Sa played their trump card—they believed they could prove the DSDA’s wrong by pointing to Florence’s prediction of April 22. When this occurred, the conference fell apart on August 7, 1959. For almost three years, the DSDA membership continued to dwindle, when on March 11, 1962 Mrs. Houteff and the DSDA Council met to declare Victor in error. The DSDA disbanded the body and warned its followers to be wary of those who might try to revive Victor’s teaching.
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