Reading the Shining Light blog today is like reading one huge conspiracy theory after another. Of course Armstrongism is filled with conspiracy theories up the wazoo and has always thrived on the nuttiness. The crazier the theory is the more people believe it.
When I came to Pasadena a group of church members followed a deranged idiot who had proclaimed the egret sculpture was going to come alive. An egret was going to get on each corner of the Auditorium and the fifth would lead as they picked up the Auditorium and flew it to Petra. Since this was God's House he was going to protect it from the invading German armies.
Also in the late 70's early 80's Gary North books were spreading around the campus. Old town Pasadena was filled with newsstands that contained his free books. Monetary and religious themes permeated his writings. Because he was so conservative (North was a Dominionist) he fit into the mindset of the uber-conservatives struggling to gain control of WCG HQ in Pasadena.
Another book that made the rounds on the Pasadena campus was The Protocols of the Elders Zion, that is supposed to be about the the Jewish take over of Christianity and society. The whacked out Armstrongites that believed this nonsense were the ones behind the anti-Stan Rader movement. Rader was a Jew who 'converted' to Christianity. While he was hobnobbing around the world with HWA he was secretly attending Synagogue and supposedly would be at synagogue every Friday night when he was back in LA. Rader was supposed to be the one behind the government take over of the church.
Then we had the Jim Jones tragedy. Many of the uber-conservatives said this was a work of Satan to deliberately stop the WCG from fleeing to Petra. There were secret groups in Pasadena supposedly planning our escape to the wonders of Petra. By this tragedy happening the news media and society started eyeing cults and weird groups like WCG. Therefore, no trip to Petra could be planned. Boo hoo.
The Ambassador Auditorium was constructed as a Masonic symbol. The square black cube that the Auditorium is shaped as has Masonic symbolism and also points back to the square cube that is the Kaaba in Mecca. The number of pillars, the colors, the location of various rooms inside up in the ceiling area all supposedly have Masonic ties. Church members faced East toward the rising sun when they worshiped their 'god'. In essence the Auditorium is filled with pagan symbolism.
These listed above are the 'normal' ones that do not even compare to the religious themed ones WCG was filled with.
Due to Armstrongism's fascination with numerology and Esotericism we made counting numbers and divination a byproduct of Armstrongism that carries on to this day. The Oracle of Delphi pales in comparison to the myriads of 'prophet's Armstrongism has produced.
Malm on the Shining Light has turned himself into one of those prophets. Of course he trips and stumbles around claiming he is not, but in fact he is.
Today it is all about Bob Thiel and his book 2012 And The Rise of the Secret Sect, that was written with the cooperation of the LCG higher ups. He presents an exact time line of future world events in the next few years. There will be soon coming peace for 3 1/2 years for the Jews followed by 3 1/2 years of pure hell.
There is the supposed COGaWA conspiracy of Kilough and Franks to secretly planning to join up with Rod Meredith and proclaim an 'Elijah' Message.
While it would not surprise me at all that Kilough and Franks have ulterior motives I think many in the new COGaWA will balk at joining up with Meredith due to the fact they had refused to join his cult in the previous incarnations.
There are theories about the present pope dying within the next two years. The rise of the final and last Pope of Catholicism who is going to bring a reign of false peace and terror to the world.
Malm goes on to utter other trigger words that Armstrognites will quickly understand. But just like HWA, Malm covers his tracks with this disclaimer:
Reading all these silly conspiracy theories is like watching the idiot Jesse Ventrua:Do NOT believe me! Do keep this in mind and do keep eyes wide open! The only real proof will be in watching these things being fulfilled before your eyes! Then when the two are empowered you will recognize them and be ready for them. Do NOT fall for this strong deception of 3 1/2 years of peace when God’s word says, that when Peace and safety is declared; sudden [immediate] destruction will come, 1 Thes 5:3.!
WATCH!!!
Thank God I am free! Free at last from this kind of stupidity!
4 comments:
I don't know if you've had the opportunity to read the graphic novel, "The Plot. The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" by Will Eisner, but it's definitely worth the time.
He traces the original story back to Maurice Joly who wrote, "The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesque" in an effort to reveal Napoleon III's evil and dark plans.
From there it makes its way through history, always finding a new "enemy" until it lights on the Jews in the early 1900's. And, sadly, where it remains today.
As I examined the Malm weblog a couple of days ago, I wondered just how he could miss the obvious: The whole of Armstrongism is a complete fantasy of distorted perceptions and dysfunctional conspiracies. By the way, you missed the one about Herbert Armstrong going to be resurrected, but under the circumstances, it's just as well.
The best analogy I can give for this most unfortunate development is Don Quixote as in The Man of La Mancha -- a story of a pathetic nut job -- finally pushed over the brink by the evils of the world to go off on his steed tilting at windmills. This is merely the modern Internet version of that.
Where did he say Herb was going to be resurrected? I want to see that one! He surely cannot be that stupid!
We used to have some morons that went to HWA's grave every year on the anniversary of his death and hold vigil because they thought he was going to be resurrected and come back and set the Church back on track for the final push.
I am sure if I drove up there there would be flowers there.
A friend went by one time and saw a woman kneeling at his grave praying.
Speculating the possibility that Kilough and Franks nay have ulterior motivesL
Franks has an authoritarian personality. Now that he has proven himself worthy, after decades of following orders with the precision of a Nazi SS man, maybe he feels he has earned the right to take control of the cultish church?
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