LCG's Doug Winnail posted a typical COG doublespeak post the other day:
Real Philadelphia Christians: The book of Revelation describes Philadelphia Christians as having a strong desire to carry out the mission that Jesus Christ gave to His Church. According to the Scriptures, that mission involved preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to this world and especially to the Israelite nations (Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 10:1-7), warning the world about the difficult times that will arise at the end of the age (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) and preparing a people to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming government of God (Luke 1:17). However, as the name “Philadelphia” means “brotherly love,” true Philadelphians will also strive to follow Jesus’ admonition to “love one another” (John 15:17). They understand that showing unselfish, outgoing concern for others (versus sitting in judgment of others) is one of the distinguishing marks of a real Philadelphia Christian (John 13:34-35). The capacity to show real love to others is also one of the most important fruits that indicate that we have and are using God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-25). Let’s all look for ways to show “brotherly love” to others. Douglas S. Winnail
Isn't it wonderful to know that LCG and Rod Meredith are the epitome of "brotherly love!" Rod Meredith is well known on how the "love" gushes forth from his godly persona.
We got to see that love in action when he stood on the stage in Tuscon Arizona and blatantly lied about Leona McNair in front of 800+ ministers and wives.
We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when he tried to force long time ministers out of the Auditorium during the receivership, then stood on the stage and lied again when he accused them of undermining the church.
Various ministers have felt the wrath of Rod's "brotherly love" when he would start screaming at them and then kick them out of the church because the would not put up with his power hungry rantings.
Even Herbert Armstrong called Meredith on the carpet for his unchristian "brotherly love" towards ministers and members in his March 14, 1980 letter.
We got to see Rod's "brotherly love" in action as he was letting the WCG defend him court against the lawsuit Leona McNair brought against him, all the while planning on exiting the church afterwards and start up a new splinter group.
We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when Global Church of God decided to kick him out. He then jumped ship starting a new splinter group (LCG) all the while leaving the debt he accrued with the GCG folk. Many GCG people had given hundreds of thousands of dollars to start Rod in his new church when Global formed which he left high and dry when he started LCG.
We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when he caused Raymond and Eve McNair to grovel on their knees "with trembling lips" begging Rod's forgiveness.
We got to see Rod's "brotherly love" in action when Terry Ratzman went on a killing spree in an LCG church service killing and wounding LCG members, all because of the weird hate filled rantings of Rod Meredith that Ratzman had been subjected to in sermons.
We have seen Meredith's "brotherly love" spelled out in print towards gay people in the church who had to sit through endless spitting and blathering in class and in this article from the 1961 Plain Truth.
Rod's ministry and life is one of gracelessness, vengeance and power hungry control. Yes, we have all seen Rod's brotherly love in action and it has left us all wanting. No one wants or needs the kind of 'brotherly love' that Rod Meredith or LCG has to offer. Rod's graceless, legalistic cult has nothing to offer a hurting world.
6 comments:
Actions speak louder than words. From what we read in the pages of the New Testament, good fruits simply flow from Spirit-filled Christians. It is a very natural thing. And, it's that example which often draws people into the body of Christ.
The Armstrong movement has a history of faking prophecy and faking healings, and usurping the prerogatives of the Holy Spirit by setting up an authoritarian system of governance which attempts to police and regulate all observable physical behavior rather than promoting and allowing transformation of the heart in each individual, one Christian at a time.
Love is often manifested towards fellow members, but rarely to the outsiders whom God may be calling and who may be gently nudged in the right direction by a little brotherly love.
It is one thing to be able to quote the very familiar scriptures which Dr. Winnail cited, but it is a totally different thing to be able to have the wisdom to function under them in a corporate fashion, and to have the example of that be instrumental in attracting people and changing their lives.
BB
Brotherly love shown to Terry Ratzmann was preventing him from attending services before his attack, while gladly accepting his money. The brotherly love shown to Terry Ratzmann was preventing him from attending services that fateful day of his attack. The brotherly love shown to the world was to lie and cover-up the truth after the Ratzmann massacre to protect the church and its googly- eyed Fuehrer, Spankenstein. The LCG brotherly love shown to the world was to preach the same venom that made Terry Ratzmann depressed and unbalanced.
Let us never forget that Fuehrer Spankenstein still gets all buggy about Christ really dishing out a ass-full of spankings. In his frail age, Rod still gets wood thinking about his imagined Christ-like sadism upon his enemies.
Let us contemplate the LCG idea of brotherly love.
The mission of Jesus Christ, also referred to as:
Second Temple Judaism
The Second Temple period (520BC-70AD) differed in significant ways from what had gone before.
Monotheism had emerged among the priests and the Temple establishment probably by the beginning of the Persian period, and beliefs regarding angels and demons were developing rapidly by the its end.
It was at this time that the Torah was written, circumcision and Sabbath-observance became symbols of Jewish identity, and the institution of the synagogue became increasingly important.
By the end of the Second Temple period the Jewish canon was becoming fixed, and, since there was still no monarchy and the reality of life did not match the expectations created by the religious traditions, messianic expectation began to surface.
I have a friend whose aunt and uncle work at LCG headquarters. From the stories I hear, LCG even at the top seems to be a very unhappy cult, full of crazy ideas and nasty politics and fear and meanness and nepotism and an overall mood that sounds to me alot like widespread chronic depression. People suck up to Rod to gain his favor, while Rod manipulates and uses people until he decides it is time to discard them.
From my own experience, I would say that my relatives in "the world" are much more Christian in their conduct than my relatives who follow the teachings of HWA.
It reminds me of Matthew 23:27 -- “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”
"Brotherly love" in LCG? Only if you are a brother (or son) of that master of nepotism Rod Meredith.
On top of all that Meredith has done in his life, there have been occasions where he claimed to have changed or learned from his "mistakes". We can all see how that worked out for everyone involved.
Let's not forget the "Manpower Papers" where he showed real contempt for humanity -- sort of like Hitler's top advisors.
Yes, Living is mentioned in Revelation, but not of the Philadelphia church filled with "Brotherly Love". Nope, that church which "has a name that it is Living but is dead" is Sardis.
Roderick Meredith is also known as a liar and a false prophet, which is not of God at all, but of his apparent father, Satan the Devil. If we were to believe Scripture.
It isn't clear, what with that testosterone poisoned brain knocked senseless by Golden Gloves championship, that Meredith is capable of learning much -- or at least retaining it. Some of the Telecasts seemed to show he doesn't retain much these days.
"Whoso keeps God's Law, happy is he."
Since no one I've ever met or heard about from LCG are very unhappy, it can be concluded that they don't much pay attention to God at all.
What's the point?
Oh, wait! Yes! It's the money.
To show love, Meredith needs to shut up and Living needs to go out of business.
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