Dennis Asks: "Is Romans 13 Good Teaching and Advice?"

Romans 13:1 Those in positions of authority have been placed there by God

Is Romans 13 Good Teaching and Advice?

The readers of this blog are probably some of the most Biblically literate layman on the planet.  One of the things I got from both my Calvinistic and WCG experience was knowing WHAT the Bible said.  It is why I credit most ministers with at least being good Bible readers, which of course is not to be mistaken for Bible literacy. 

Rather than take the "splatter pattern" approach to why teachings of Jesus or Paul might be considered suspect and ill advised, I would rather take them one at a time and expand each of those that , to me, are susceptible to criticism and rejection. 

First of all let me say that many of the teachings of both Jesus and Paul are excellent and make a real life more meaningful when applied.  We also need to realize that these teachings are not unique to Jesus or Paul.  The Sermon on the Mount is full of common sense teachings that anyone in just about any religion could and did already teach.  They are not unique or especially amazing teachings.  Many teachings of Jesus parallel Buddhism and those of Paul are just nice things to keep in mind.  

Another thing to keep in mind when we come across those difficult things to do or give up scriptures are given in the context of the FIRM belief by Jesus and Paul and the early Church that time really was short. Really short.  Turning the other cheek or giving up ones cloak was in the context of time is really short so don't worry about it.  You will be avenged and clothed very soon.  Practices such as sharing all things in common were based on the short plan that Jesus was about to return so let's stick together.  It was NEVER meant to be a prolonged way of being.  In time, when Jesus did not materialize, the system broke down and it was abandoned.  Not exactly eternal truth.

Paul's advice about marriage was based on "time is short."  It is not really a long term good thing for anyone's mental health to be alone , without someone to love and be loved by.  Paul, having never met Jesus and never quoting him did not know that Jesus taught the opposite of himself.  It is not better to be like Paul according to Jesus, or any psychologist.

Also and evidently, Jesus own mom and brothers, the ones who in Mark had never heard of his miraculous Matthew and Luke birth story, came to get Jesus when they heard what he was teaching to take him home, because he was "beside himself."  This is code for "nuts" or "insane."  

Mark 3:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ When his family^[a] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

There is no Mary, "who pondered these things in her heart," in Mark's account of Jesus.  There is no Mary that knows from his birth, that Jesus is the Son of God to become God himself eventually through the process of theological evolution. 


Evidently the family, in Mark's view, did not find Jesus teachings all that amusing and if it kept up, they might get blamed for not reigning him in.  So they tried.  

At any rate, let's take a look at Paul's teaching on obedience to government, i.e. the Romans at this time in history.  

We need to ask ourselves how, if this advice was obeyed through history, if we'd have had an American Revolution or been able to bring about real change in the governments of insane leaders gone nuts.  In this chapter, Paul is telling the Church members to obey the Romans.  My sense is that Paul knew you could rant, curse and rave against the Jews but it was really stupid to do so against the Romans.  The Jews might get pissed off, but they are branches cut from God's tree.  The Romans, on the other hand, can kill you/us.   

Romans 13  New International Version (NIV)

Submission to Governing Authorities

 

 

 ¹ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Really? Caligula?  Hitler? Stalin?  Mao?  Sadaam? Ghadaffi? Netanyahu? Clinton? Bush? Obama?  Really?  What of the millions who have died under their God given authority?  Is this not the advice from Paul, the "all things to all men, " kiss up to the Romans, so that he might save his own hide at times?  

Paul pulled his 'I am a Roman Citizen" card out from time to time to save himself.  How does a Pharisee of the Pharisees , who hate the Romans become a Roman Citizen exactly?  Is this good advice for the long haul?  I don't think so?  We'd all be in gulags and internment camps before long with this attitude.  Would not any corrupt government LOVE to have this taught religiously to the masses?  Was Paul being realistic here?  Why would the Book of Revelation be relevant if this advice was followed?  Obey the Beast and False Prophet and all will be well.  After all, they have their authority from God.   

 ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves

Really? God is the author and originator of these worldly regimes?  I thought Satan was the God of this World? Another great piece of advice to benefit any corrupt regime that needed to be ousted.  I wonder if ministers preached this in the pulpits of England and America in the 1760's??  If God is really behind human governments, is this some kind of cosmic joke on the faithful?  Seems terrible advice to me. .

 ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. 

Har har!!  Oh Really!!!  May I suggest there be no drinking the next time someone thinks to give this kind of advice or evaluate the fruits of human government!   There are lots of dead Palestinian Children in and around Gaza who might disagree with this erudite observation on the motives of rulers.  One may as well say, "For rulers hold no terror for those who do not get in their way or oppose their plans...but those who do...watch out."  I think it means "For rulers hold no terror to those who do what they are told..."   The rightness or wrongness is not really up for discussion. 

 Am I on Candid Camera?  Sounds like advice right out of the WCG Handbook on How to Intimidate the Brethren!  The Flurry's, Pack's, Weinland's and Meredith's of this Wild World Church of God experience would love that one!  Most politicians would kill to see this be your attitude.  And don't expect to get commended for anything.  No one is going to give you a medal in this life for doing "the right thing."

 ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Yikes, If you make it to the top, you are automatically there because God voted for you and you won.  And government as humans have experienced it is here for nothing but our own good.   Who writes this stuff...the Government?  So anything the Government does to wield the sword, mace, tazers, microwavers, crowd control, tear gas, outright shooting and gassing is really God giving it to us all good, via his trusted servants and agents?  Goodbye American Revolution. Our bad!!! 

⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Right, if I disobey an illegal, immoral or tyrannical government, it will hurt my conscience.  I don't think so.  

 ⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.

"...he said as he took his 20th vacation at the seaside and played 200 rounds of whatever game was popular in their time.  I pay taxes to finance war and killing.  I pay taxes so others can pay off their friends on Wall Street and cover their asses for stealing my other taxes, homes and properties.  In my world, these jerks are not God's servants but rather work for the other guy in the Bible who is more the roaring lion type.  Shoot...if Satan is a leader of his own gang, God must have put him there for their good!  Obey him boys!!  

"...who give their full time to governing...."  Uh huh, sure , right , fine...

⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Notice we are not talking to the receivers here, but rather the givers.  I always wanted to scream when HWA chanted, "God's way of life is the way of giiiiiivvve."  Uh huh, so we gave and they took.  The receivers of our giving only think they are givers but it is easy to give away someone else's money.  HWA built "God's College," "God's House,"  "God's work,"  with our money not his.  That was easy and painless for the receivers.  My parents and thousands of others bought Steuben Crystal for world leaders and rented auditoriums for the snakes in government to fill with the unwilling citizens to make these meetings look successful.  My parents and others paid for "The Church" to preach to world leaders...God's chosen leaders evidently who were mostly jerks and bastards.  

How about we turn this one around and say,  "Give to everyone what you took from them.  You who have taken, how about you give it back?  I digress.

So, Is Romans 13 here good advice for realistic living on this planet at anytime in human history.  Or is this the idea of one man who bragged about being "all things to all men,"  not that he might save them, but in fact, did not get his head taken off quite yet by them because they had the power anyway and we need not stir them up.  

Why would Paul give this advice about gentile leaders in government and yet scorn Peter, James and John's leadership in the Jewish Church. If anything was of God it was that?  Why did Paul curse those who didn't agree with him or his Gospel?  He was not much of a team player himself it seems when it comes to following the lead of others that God seems to have put in high places.  Paul totally disregarded the commands of James in Acts 15, in reality,  but  I guess he was special and that was different.   

Personally, I think the author of Romans was writing for the Roman Government to see he and his teachings were harmless and no threat to them. To do otherwise would have been suicide and, while you can make fun of the weak who cannot harm you, you had better be on good terms with those that can kill you. 

Dennis C. Diehl

DenniscDiehl@aol.com

COGWA Has A New Top Dog

No real shocker here.  Same old, same old.  How long witll it take before he is conspiring behind the backs of the rest of the leadership in this splinter cult?  He did a great job of backstabbing while in WCG and UCG as he helped form two separate COG's.

 President: Jim Franks

Secretary: David Johnson

Treasurer: Jason Lovelady

"Guardians of the Calendar Committee" Job Opening In Petra

Apostle Malm  may have a job opening for you worthy saints. Those lucky enough to be counted worthy to travel to Petra with the Apostle can start applying for a new job opening.

Because there is such a controversy on who gets to see the "new moon" and as to what time it actually appears - if it even does, the Apostle will be setting up a moon gazing committee.  Imagine the amazement you will feel standing in the middle or Petra gazing at the dark sky and you see that first glimmer of the new moon!

Of course, while you are parked INSIDE the great expanse of Petra, the Apostle will be outside in the Marriott in a cozy bed with an ample supply of liquor in the refrigerator.

Drop the Apostle a line and let him you know you want to be on his committee: Email Address

I would expect that God’s two prophets may be trusted to deal with the matter in the rest of the world while those in the wilderness would be united in location and some kind of system of observation would be set up there. I thinkl that a kind of Guardians of the Caendar Committee should be set up of people with some understanding of astronomy and the Calendar issues and a reglular method of observing each month should be doen. I am sure that something will be worked out. The main heavenly disturbances are not so much of the sun and moon but of a comet and or meteor falling to the earth and that only late into the 42 months. The moon turning red has to do with atmospheric smoke and dust due to the cataclysms on the earth rather than anything in the heavens. James

Psychopaths in the Church of God

How equipped are you to deal with psychopaths in the church and in society around you?  The answer is that most of us were  not  able to see the psychopaths in our midst. Most people blissfully go through the day ignoring the psychopaths that are around us.  They can be neighbors, bosses, politicians and religious leaders.  Many of these people are prominent in society and lead by all visible appearances, normal productive purpose driven lives.

So just what is a psychopath?  Wikipedia has this to say about psychopaths:

Psychopathy (/saɪˈkɒpəθi/^[1][2]) is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, but often manage to pass themselves off as normal people.

How many ministers in Armstrongism do you know that were empathetic?  We have seen a few examples in the last day were COG ministers were NOT empathetic.  How many COG ministers, evangelists and Apostles do you know that were abusive to others?  How many ministers, evangelists, prophets and Apostles do you know that said one thing in public and did the exact opposite in their private lives?  How many were deceptive? Look at the stalkers, the rapists, the child abusers that have been part of the COG through the decades. The list could go on and on!

Wikipedia also has this to say:

According to Hare, the consensus among researchers in this area is that psychopathy stems from a specific neurological disorder which is present from birth,

Look at the life of Herbert Armstrong and the stories he told in his autobiography.  There was something not quit right about the guy and we were too blind to see it.

Look at Spanky and his sick obsession with sex, his extreme vengeance that he used to destroy ministers and members lives during the time he was over Church Administration.  Look at the  LCG members that were murdered in Spanky's church and his complete lack of remorse for what  he said and how it contributed to the mental break down of one of his members.

Look at Six Pack building his "mini-me" college and Auditorium in the middle of Oklahoma.  Look at the lives he has destroyed in his cult.  His extreme form of being non-empathetic has lead to his extreme decree on making members reject family members.  He does not care if grandmothers are forbidden to see grandchildren, or if parents reject their children.

Look at the leadership of UCG and COGWA and the  men who constantly battle each other in their power trips.  Look at the egos of these men.  Look at the total lack of empathy they have towards the brethren.  Their concern was first and foremost maintaining a power structure where they all have their jobs, cars, and the prestige of their ministerial positions.

I would now like to direct you to our own Douglas Becker and information he has about these people in our midst.  Douglas has done some great work on this topic.  This is not something new to him that he has been spurred to do in the last month or so.  This has been something he has been working on and studying for many years now.  Check out his link here on Depraved Indifference. 

Douglas has tied together an extreme belief/doctrine in the Churches of God and how it creates despotic behavior in its leaders.

British Israelism confers upon the leadership of a cult group a pattern of governance which limits culpability for abuse.

 Leaders of British Israelism are usually despots who have no accountability for their actions: While they rule as if they were absolute monarchs of the past glory of the British Empire with no regard for the rights of others, cult leaders of British Israelism establish laws and rules which are imposed on those below them in an hierarchical structure -- laws and rules which do not necessarily apply to the leader themselves. For example, some forms of British Israelism organizations have strict Sabbath keeping as a tenet of their cult culture, but the leader may find it convenient to go out dancing and other pleasures on the Sabbath because they are special in their own minds. The same could be said where the British Israelism has taken faith healing as an absolute unassailable tenet of doctrine and prohibit members using medical doctors for treatment of life threatening diseases, while the "Apostle" or other designation of the leader makes him immune to following his own doctrines based on his opinions because he is the absolute monarch of his British Israelism Empire. He will then go and get the best medical treatment for his own diseases and debilities because he deserves the best and it is God's Will for him to do so, to preserve the Empire at all costs.

As a result, members of British Israelism may die or live terrible lives, while the leaders live a posh existence of luxury.

Watch this great video and see how many characteristics you can pick out in the Churches of God.  You will be shocked at what you see.  The video is about 38 minutes long and is well worth viewing.

Hat's off to Douglas!  Keep up the good work!

The Prophet Who Is Ticked He Is Being Ignored!!!!!

No, I am not talking about Prophet Thiel, Armstrongism's greatest prophetic visionary. I am not even talking about a drunken prophet in Oklahoma or Weinerdude Weinland.  I am referring to God's most important messenger to the remnant COG in this quickening end times.  I am referring to Apostle Malm.

He whines:

I have worked night and day for over four years to warn of the impending events that will set the stage for the advent of the abomination and the tribulation. At the same time I have warned of the apostasy and trends in the COGs and presented much doctrine and much new truth solidly based on the scriptures. I have been most zealous for the Sabbath and ALL the commandments of my Father and your Father. Yet during that time I have been called everything from a false prophet to a liar and a  fool.

Brethren I live in poverty and have not done this for reward, but out of love for my God and my brethren.
It is long past time to wake up and prepare ourselves;  for the Bridegroom cometh!  Yes, the correction of the lax and lukewarm is at our very door.  Very soon now you will see these things beginning; the Bridegroom is knocking, and saying “open to me, turn to me my people”!

A UCG Funeral Story

The following  was too important to leave isolated in the comments section. 

From the comments section of the Did WCG Ministers Refuse Funerals for Stillborn Children?

 

My Mother's Funeral

As sad as this story is, I have an equally mind-boggling account of COG cruelty and absurdity.

After 20 years out of WCG, my wife and I joined a small UCG congregation in a foreign country in 2009 where we had been doing church-raising.

From my former WCG responsibilities and the fact that I had been a Wesleyan pastor and missionary in the interim, I rose quickly to song-leading and sermonettes within the first year. The regional pastor's favor shown to me didn't please the local elder.

When my 82-year-old alzheimers mother, who we had taken care of for six years, died in 2010, I informed the local elder that one of the local deacons who had visited my mother and I would perform the funeral ceremonies as per my mother's long-time wishes. This was perfectly in keeping with the UCG Ministerial manual.

With this the local elder saw his chance to remove the 'thorn' from his flesh. In the midst of our handling the grief, he concocted a desperate story about my disrespecting his authority to the regional pastor.

Even though half of the church saw and heard us discussing my plans at the side of my mother's casket at the funeral home, he told the pastor that I had ignored him and I don't know what else.

Two days later, I heard there was a problem and I called the pastor to find out what. He had talked to the elder and was ticked saying that I had usurped the UCG government and that he the pastor should be handling the funeral.

When I had calmly explained the situation to him, he said that neither the deacon, nor the other leaders, nor the brethren would be able to participate in the funeral of my mother.

The pastor told me, directly in front of where my mother was laying, that now that I had no choice I should let him do the service. I controlled myself and told him that what he was doing was extremely disrespectful and that he had better leave the room as soon as possible.

When I stood he saw my face and left quickly and somewhat shaken. But as he was exiting the door, he told me he would not be able to attend the funeral service since he had 'business' back in his province the next day.

The brethren said that he came to services and told the leaders not to participate in the funeral, but decided to allow the people to attend if they wished.

-------
There is much more and much worse which transpired over the next few days, weeks and months, as my family performed the services and buried my mother, unsupported by the shell-shocked brethren, and 'under a cloud' of doubled grief, and then as I appealed my way up the wicked chain of UCG command.

I would love to tell you the names, locales, and details of this unprecedented debacle, but my principles will not permit retribution on such sad and depraved COG hirelings.

Fortunately, I was already emotionally prepared, because of the long-time nature of dealing with an alzheimers parent, and because of the intensely spiritual parting with my dear mother after such a close shared experience.

But when I look back at what they did, it is like a surreal dream without parallel. I actually feel worse for them than I did for myself.

The pastor by the way lost his regional position and all those wonderful tithes when he jumped the UCG ship for COGWA and wound up with just part of his home congregation, most of whom he already has to support financially. I think he may have lost his UCG retirement program also.

As my mother of happy memory often reminded me, ‘What goes around, comes around.’ 

Pining For A New Moon

A small minority of COG members have moved into new noon observance of the last several decades.  To me this is just further delving further into legalistic rules and regulations that ultimately have no meaning whatsoever to a Christian's walk. Plus, the 'new moons' worship is tied directly into pagan worship that was centered around new moons well before the Israelites left Egypt.  Like the spring and fall harvest festivals, the new moons were already a part of the ancient cultures.  Each just 'rebranded' the observances according to their cultural traditions. With all of them, and with Malm, the focus is as usual upon something physical.  Armstrongism has attached great significance to the physical while ignoring or devaluing the mystical and spiritual essences of belief.

Even Armstrongism's biggest apologist site Bible Study.org says Christians are not supposed to be observing New Moons.  Of course Apostle Malm would call these people agents of Satan for saying so.

Apostle Malm went to great lenghts yesterday in determining IF the New Moon was actually seen.  If these witnesses had not been able to see it then Malm was not going to observe it.

I accept that any sighting between the International Date Line and Jerusalem would mean that the moon would be visible at Jerusalem.

I will also say [this was not applicable this month]  that the New Moon can be seen in the morning before sun rise on those occasions where the moon sets before the sun in the evening.  If the New Moon IS seen in the early morning before sun rise,; the New Moon day would begin at sunset the coming evening because we cannot begin a day in its middle.

Please remember that one does not have to be in the faith to observe the moon as this requires no biblical understanding, just good eye sight.

Pakistan:

Seen: Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Today (Tuesday 30th August 2011), our  observers sighted the moon and central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan also received many positive reports hence it has been announced officially that Wednesday 31st August 2011 is 1st Shawwal (Eid-ul-fitr) 1432 in Pakistan. Nearly whole Pakistan was cloudy or hazy.

• Kuwait:

  Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from Kuwait reported: In Kuwait at Kabad desert on Tuesday August 30, 2011 the crescent was seen by 11 people with us which means that it was very difficult to be seen by naked eyes

• Bangladesh:

  Seen: Engr. Azizul Huq (MCW member) from Dhaka reported: The crescent moon was seen in many places of Bangladesh

• Lebanon:

  Seen: Dr. Hadi Jaafar (MCW member) reported: This evening I was able to see the moon of the month of Shawwal here in Tyr, Lebanon. I started scanning the partly cloudy western horizon with my 7*50 pair of binoculars at about 7:15 PM. I was able to see the moon very briefly at about 7:25 local time. I was barely able to see it with the “naked eye” ( I wear eye glasses) for a couple of seconds before it disappeared behind the clouds. The lighted portion was extremely thin, with crescent horns pointing between 1 and 5 o’clock. The moon was located at about 258 degrees magnetic azimuth ( as the compass of the binoculars pointed) and it was low at the horizon.

  
  
  

Did WCG Ministers Refuse Funerals For Stillborn Children?

Erin Fogarty Owen via Associated Press

 In this photo provided by the Owen family, Rob Owen holds his stillborn daughter Clare Elizabeth Owen, March 7, 2008, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md. This photo was taken by the mother, Erin Fogarty Owen, from her hospital bed. 

On the Shining Light blog today there was a comment in regards to "the spirit in man" whether it was received at conception or at birth.

One man wrote in and said this:

I know this for sure from personal experience. Our baby was stillborn in 1982. The WCG minister declined to take any sort of funeral, as he was adamant that our child would never be resurrected. This is no doubt why this is a subject very close to my heart.

Was this a WCG policy?  I have never heard of this happening before.  It would not surprise me if it did though.  I also could almost guarantee you that that minister is now part of LCG or PCG!

We did have one minister in Pasadena (Imperial Gym) who told a young woman who had gotten pregnant that her "bastard child would never make  it into the Kingdom of God."  The young girl was devastated.  He did not care and laughed about it with others.  He also was the same guy who told his congregation that they were to turn in fellow church members if you knew they were reading "dissident" literature.

When I hear stories such as this it makes my blood boil!  What kind of deviate men are these guys?  They have no right being ministers.  How many more lives will be destroyed by these degenerates before the membership says "enough is enough!"

British Israelism

Douglas:

Have you seen this:   British Israelism Refuted

Dancing With Herbert W

Here's a new site with alots of information about Armstrongism.

Dancing with Herbert W

Tonight You Must Blow Your Shofar! It's New Mooner Time!

Apostle Malm is directing all of his true followers to blow a shofar tonight in honor of the new moon and the start of the sixth month.

The Apostle claims the new moon is as important as Passover:

The New Moon day is not a Holy Day; it IS an Appointed Time, like Passover and Wave Offering.  The New Moon is to be observed with the blowing of trumpets and special sacrifices.

I bet you did not know that you are still required under the New Covenant to do sacrifices!  But just what kind of sacrifices does the Apostle expect you to do?  In typical COG proof-texting fashion and "here a little, there a little", the Apostle says you are to sacrifice by doing bible study.

Since the physical sacrifice was only a physical reminder of the spiritual sacrifice of the Lamb of God, we do a special study of the Scriptures in place of the sacrifices [which cannot be offered because there is no Tabernacle or temple at Jerusalem:

Somehow opening an  onion skin book on a dining room table does not equate to slaughtering oxen, sheep and doves over an altar so that the blood flows off it onto the ground.

Armstrongism has always had to find the easy way out of doing all kinds of things.  Many things in Leviticus are supposedly required, while many things right next to the required things are not required.  Just  one more reason why Armstrongism has no credibility!

Happy Birthday

One year ago this month this little blog started.  Close to 140,000 people will have checked it out by the end of this month.  I guess maybe I should say this is the One Year Anniversary, since "we in the true Church of God do not celebrate birthdays." Thanks Chiro/Naturo Bob for setting me straight!

People from 36 different countries have dropped by.

We have even had a quit a few hit from Muslim countries. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia and Malaysia seem interested in things here.

Most though, were from British Israelite nations who were looking for ways to escape the coming tribulation.  Oops, wrong blog......

There was a huge spike in readership when the UCG gave birth to a new splinter cult around the first of the year.

Dennis has garnered several thousand readers to his postings.  His ability to cut to the core and make you stop and think encourages many and disturbs others.

Apostle Malm has send many readers here to find out about closet Buddhist Herman Hoeh. And Chiro/Naturopath Thiel continues to provide loads of fodder worthy of ridicule.

I am willing to post your story, if you have one to share about life in Armstrongism.

A big THANKS to everyone!

Prophet Thiel is NOT Happy....Again!

It doesn't take much to get Prophet Thiel stirred up anymore.  Everything seems to point to some end time disaster or scenario.  It's doomsday and Armageddon all the time!  Prophecy, prophecy, prophecy.  Death, destruction, famine, wars, are all eagerly anticipated for some short time in the future.

Prophet Thiel wants you to know he is disturbed! Prophet Thiel is particularly disturbed by Benjamin Grant Mitchell's book, "The Last Great Day".  He take great umbrage with the Melbourne Weekly describing the old Worldwide Church of God as a "doomsday cult."

WHEN Benjamin Grant Mitchell decided to write a novel based on his life, he had plenty of material to work with. The former Neighbours actor, singer-songwriter and new father was born into an American doomsday cult. To top it off, his father was one of the ministers. Mitchell, who now lives in Warrandyte, started penning his story three years ago and next week will unveil the debut novel, The Last Great Day, at the Melbourne Writers Festival.

The 42-year-old, who played Neighbours character Cameron Hudson in the 1990s, spent his early childhood moving around Australia, then settled at the Worldwide Church of God headquarters in Los Angeles.

The Prophet says:

There are a lot of misunderstandings about the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

But it was not a “doomsday cult.”

Those of us who were part of the old WCG and in the current Living Church of God (LCG) are not like the Jim Jones’ followers–we do not plan on drinking poisoned flavor-aid to end our lives.  Although some are expected to die in persecutions, LCG church members mainly hope to live until the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom, and hope to proclaim the truths of the Bible to the world as a witness until the end (Matthew 24:14).

Armstrongism has always been about the end times.  It's focus has always been on end time prophecy.  Just take a look at HWA's sermons and articles from the 1930's and 40's.  They were filled with one end time doomsday scenario after another.  Hitler, Germany, Japan, China, Italy and little green martians were all eagerly waiting for the right moment to bomb and destroy much of the America.  Those who would be left alive would be rounded up in concentration camps  and then be transported to Europe where they would be slaves for European Catholics.


Then moving on into the 60's and 70's you will find the church switching doomsday gear from Germany to environmental doomsday scenarios. Floods, famines, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornado's, etc. were all talked about with gleeful anticipation.  The more death and destruction predicted, the more special church members were to be called apart from it all.


Now with a black man as president, the COG's are back into their doomsday modes once again.  The US allowed a gentile to rule over them. There is the corrupt government filled with rotten politicians on both sides of the aisle. There are horrific stories about tornado's, hurricanes and earthquakes.  There is the rise of Germany as a financial giant and as a uniter in Europe.  There is China rising up as a world power. There is the weakening dollar and a failed economy.  All purported to be signs of the Armageddon (doomsday) ahead of us.


Prophet Thiel claims the church was never a doomsday cult.  Yet, when you look at the definition of the word "doomsday" in a Thesaurus, you will see that the Melbourne Weekly was 100% correct in it's descriiption of the WCG/COG/LCG:

Main Entry:	Day of Judgment
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of God's judgment of the human race
Synonyms:	Doomsday , Judgment Day, Last Day, Last Judgment, day of reckoning, the Judgment

Main Entry:	day of reckoning
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of God's judgment of the human race
Synonyms:	Day of Judgment, Doomsday , Judgment Day, Last Judgment, crack of doom, day of doom, doom, end of the world, trumpet of doom

Main Entry:	Judgment Day
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of reckoning
Synonyms:	Day of Judgment, Last Day, Last Judgment, court of conscience, crack of doom, doomsday , end of the world, the Judgment, tribunal of penance

Prophet Thiel goes on to write:

As far as preaching prophecies in the Bible that show that the Anglo-descended nations will be chastised if they do not repent, yes the old WCG and current LCG taught that (see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel and Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).  But urging repentance is not a sign of being a doomsday cult.  It is a sign of trying to follow what Jesus said to do.  Notice, the following, that Jesus taught:

Armstrongism and LCG may pretend to preaching about following a "Jesus' but, their actions prove other wise.  It's all about death and destruction in a few short years to come.  Armstrongites needs to see death and destruction rain down around them. They need  to see the world spanked in order for them all to see that what the COG preached was true.  Without these chastised people bowing down before them they would not  be seen as real world leaders and teachers in the world tomorrow.  They need to have their lives legitimized for being followers of Armstrongism.

Prophet Thiel fails to realize that preaching a false teaching of British Israelism is not a warning message to the world.  The world does not care what Rod Meredith or LCG's preaches.  It has no message that is any meaning to the world at large, so people are not interested in it. When it's preaching is filled with so many leis and false teachings it is a good thing that no one cares!

Prophet Thiel concludes:

People should read and study the Bible.  Promoting misunderstandings about the Church of God is not good.

What about the hundreds of documented FAILED prophecies that HWA, Meredith, Flurry, Waterhouse, et all have uttered over the last seven decades?  Talk about promoting misunderstanding!  Meredith has lied to the church when he claimed to never have committee a major sin since baptism.  He has lied so many times about prophecy.  His false teaching lead to the mental breakdown of a church member who then murdered several LCG members. His heavy handed and ruthless treatment of ministers and members when he was Director of Church Administration is a black mark upon the church. Lives were literally destroyed by this man!  His obscene obsession with sex, particularity gay sex has made him out to be rather creepy dude!

Prophet Thiel and the LCG promote so many thigns as "truth" that they cause much misunderstanding about the Bible and Christianity  that it is NOT good! There is NO GOOD in the Living Church of God!