Armstrongism and it's acolytes have never had the sense to pick their battles. Instead they open their mouths and make complete jackasses of themselves over various subjects.
Bob Thiel, the Unofficial mouthpiece of the Living Church of God and official world renown authority on prophecy, has picked his favorite battle to rail against this Thanksgiving. Football.
How many of you sat at home today and before dinner or after dinner to watched a football game? If you did you are a filthy sinner that has bought into the ruinous lifestyle that Satan is promoting as enjoyable
God's greatest earthly messenger on ALL subjects has give us all his two cents about Thanksgiving and football. Of course no proper Armstrongite can speak on any subject without invoking the name of God's greatest theologian, Herbert Armstrong.
At least Thiel still thinks it is appropriate to observe Thanksgiving, unlike Apostle Malm who thinks it is a Satanic day for devil worship.
For many, other than food and family, football is a major focus of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Should Christians support violent sports like American football?
The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:
Hostility toward the other is sin…Boxing at Ambassador College is definitely banned. God did not create the human brain and head to be pummeled and knocked senseless by an antagonist.While I have even heard some people thank God for football, it is not a sport that I believe that the God of love would condone.
Wherever a game in sports involves antagonists–in hostile attitude to harm the other and/or to “get” from the other–to get the best of the other then a harmful, satanic and evil attitude enters in, and the sport is evil, not good…
Football (American football) is a violent body-contact sport. It is often played with an attitude of hostility and is dangerous and is fraught with physical injury. (Plain Truth, July-August 1984)
The scripture used to back Thiel's stance up is this:
“Love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:9), yet what do sports like American football and boxing do?
This is something that Christians, and others, should think about.
"This is something that Christians, and others, should think about."
ReplyDeleteI guess I belong in the "others" category, so I've thought about it, and, FREE COUNTRY.
If I wanted a theologian dictating to me everything that I can and cannot do, I'd move to freakin Iran. If I wanted a sociopath to treat me like a child for the rest of my life, I guess I'd go join a cult.
If I want to box or play football, I think I should be allowed to do so as an adult. If I get hurt, I knew the risks, and whose business is it besides my own? If I want to watch other adults who have chosen (and been allowed) to play various sports of their own free will, who is Armstrong, Theil, or anyone else to ban it and tell them they can't?
I've got something else that I think Armstrongites should think about. Would the "God of love" condone a man raping his own daughter? Stick that in your Romans 13:9 and smoke it.
LCG needs to get its stories straight. Tomorrow's World presenter Wallace Smith has posted a pro-football blog entry, quoting a pro-football comment from a 1969 Plain Truth magazine.
ReplyDeleteSo, which LCG mouthpiece should we believe?
Bob needs a two week vacation in Gaza to get his perspective back.
ReplyDeleteI hate football due to most of the games being rigged through betting, but this is true for most sports. Also the NFL allows TSA and face scanning technology at the Super Bowl. Boycott the NFL!!!
ReplyDeleteBob hates football because he is a "Nancy Boy"
ReplyDeleteShould I not ride my motorcycle since I might get injured or killed? Why don't we just go to our basements and hide from all dangers and wait for the end of the world? Paul asked the Galatian church, "What happened to your JOY?" Have you ever felt genuine joy in the WCG? If you ever visit a Mormon church, you might be suprised how oppressive the atmosphere is there, just as it was in the WCG.
ReplyDeleteNow, now, Roderick Meredith is proud of his boxing career, winning the Regional Golden Gloves Championship as a teen. It made him a REAL man! It is also what impressed Herbert Armstrong to put him in such a high position in the Radio / Worldwide Church of God. It's just too bad about that letter Herbert wrote criticizing him about being harsh and egotistical. I guess Armstrong couldn't see that coming, even though he was a prophet (no matter what he said).
ReplyDeleteThe Kingdom of Armstrong has been taken by violence to this day! We need a Champion to cheer! We need little old ladies hit the bad guys with their umbrellas on Sabbath afternoons as the ministerial fighters enter the ring to take on the Bad Guys of this World! We need someone strong and stalwart who wrote stuff like, "The SHOCKING TRUTH about Queer Men" (praising J. Edgar Hoover for his stalwart support of Law and Order)!
So I would guess that the real reason to insure that LCG members don't get involved in highly physical contact sports (like Pro Basketball) is that it might train some of them to stand up to the wishy-washy ministerial wonders preaching weakly from the pulpits and come in to take over like some whirlwind Nimrod.
Not unlike Roderick Meredith.
In the arena of manliness, it should be noted that Roderick Meredith was also an ROTC student, apparently having just missed a tremendously promising career in the military to join the Armstrong Army instead.
ReplyDeleteIn the arena of manliness, it should be noted that Roderick Meredith was also an ROTC student, apparently having just missed a tremendously promising career in the military to join the Armstrong Army instead.
ReplyDeleteMeredith was also a member of the Order of DeMolay (the Cub Scout branch of the Masons), but either gave up Satanic Masonry or entered into it full-time (depending on your perspective) as an Armstrongist minister.
Well naturally, god does not like football. Think how it feels to watch a game when you're omniscient. Takes all the suspense out of it.
ReplyDeleteFor humans, though, football is the perfect spectator sport.
Violence! Yay!
Colorful costumes and sexy cheerleaders. Hubba hubba!
Basic pattern so simple even idiots get it. Duh.
Plays potentially so intricate they can challenge the smartest analysts. Fascinating.
Huddles between violent episodes to give time to meditate on significance. Yeah.
Excruciating suspense. Ooh!
Deep, cathartic grief and elation with minimal physical danger. Encore!
Howett Fields
You could make the argument that by sissifying men, taking away gladiatorial type sports and training, you set up societal conditions where men may not have the mental discipline to be strong enough to withstand persecution or torture for their faith.
ReplyDeleteIf "Dr." Thiel is indeed a chiropractor or physical therapist, one would think that such sports would be a blessing to his profession.
BB