Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders

Monday, December 31, 2012

Bob Thiel Says I AM a Prophet!



Prophet Thiel jumps out the door with his firsts jab at Rod Meredith, Global and Living Church of God.  Now that these lost souls are the true Laodiceans, prophet Thiel is quick to point out to them that he alone now runs the worlds most important ministry that will reach more people in it's first 30 days than Global Church of God ever did under Meredith.

Prophet Thiel's message is more mind boggling than Dave Pack's beliefs.  It is more important and far reaching than Dave Packs new and improved web site and Church.  God apparently is now only working through the one and  only TRUE end time prophet.

As far as gospel proclamation, I will make a prediction right here and right now. The Continuing Church of God will reach more people in its first 30 days of existence with the COG message than any COG that came out of the old Worldwide Church of God or old Global Church of God did in their first 30 days. This will be accomplished with various internet websites, radio interviews, and personal contact. I expect to report the results in case any want to see proof by the end of next month.

Dave Pack must be shivering in his boots right now.  Poor guy!

Prophet Thiel is also quick to point out that he is now accepting tithe money.  Since he is the only one in charge he will use the money as he sees fit for trips and prophecy warnings.

Some have wondered about tithing and what the Continuing Church of God plans to do with any donations. First, let me state that unless anyone is hired (and no one, not me, is on the payroll), all monies received will be used for gospel proclamation, feeding the flock (which may include travel to various regions), and necessary administration expenses (which should be fairly low).

For those that thought prophet Thiel could not gain followers, he just says he has.  It goes to prove that there are true morons in the world that will fall for anything.

Why am I calling Theil a prophet?  Because he is coming out claiming he has 100's of proofs that he is a prophet!  Ho hum.................................

Various ones have asked for a listing of prophetic fruits, which would be one valid way to help determine (according to Jesus per Matthew 7:15-20) if one may be a prophet of God.

In my case, there is a listing of 32 related to my 2012 book at the beginning of the article End of Mayan Calendar 2012--Might 2012 Mean Something?; 7 related to Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg in the article Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North?; 1 related to China and Australian Prime Minister Julian Gilliard is mentioned in the article USA and Australia Concerned About Chinese Military; Chinese Concerned about Australia-USA Military Co-operation. And if one goes through the details of past news and other articles at the COGwriter.com website, the total seems to be in the hundreds.
The prophet Thiel also wants you to know he will be ridiculed and laughed at for proclaiming himself a prophet.

While many would be considered common COG beliefs, many were more specific than the COG has tended to proclaim (and without the errors that some in the COG have tended to have had). And of course, some will try to pick at them and discount them in the near future--so yes, I am making that as a specific prediction. I will also predict that some who will be quick to jump to improper conclusions, as opposed to doing in-depth study and prayer into the truth, will ridicule me reporting about all of this.

Prophet THiel is barely out the door with his new cult and he is already suffering "persecution addiction."

Prophets have long been ridiculed and doubted by the political and religious establishments (e.g. Isaiah 57:4; Lamentations 3:14), including claimed believers (Jeremiah 42:22, 43:1-7), and this will continue until the end (cf. 2 Peter 3:1-7). Do not be surprised when false statements appear about me (Matthew 5:10-12) even from ones who claim to be COG (Acts 20:30). Jesus warned that evil things would be said against those who truly follow Him (Matthew 5:10-12) (see also the news post Persecution and the article Persecutions by Church and State). Some are more comfortable making improper accusations or staying on the sidelines than they are in standing for the truth and/or further investigating the truth, but those approaches come with a cost of at least reward forfeiture (cf. Matthew 10:25-41).

He boasts again about his prophetic abilities:

12/29/12 p.m. Based upon some of the emails that I have received, let me make it clearer as to why I left LCG. 1) It had nothing directly to do with LCG not sufficiently recognizing my prophetic abilities/role. 





Sunday, December 30, 2012

Bob Thiel Starts New Splinter Personality Cult


Bob Thiel, the self appointed world renown authority on prophecy, the Mayans, Catholicism and God's truth.has finally come clean with his announcement that he was formed his very own splinter cult of the Church of God.  Since Herbert Armstrong started his little group well over 700 groups have broken off over the decades, Each one claiming they were carrying on the true mantle that the previous group was ignoring.

Word has been circulating for months that Thiel was having big issues with Living Church of God despite his slobbering posts on how great the LCG was.  Hypocrisy in the Church of God apparently has no boundaries.

Rod Meredith, after spending a week with Thiel haranguing him finally sent Thiel a letter kicking him out of LCG.
...I have been trying to resolve many matters with those in Charlotte and telephoned Dr. Roderick C. Meredith every day this week.

Instead of speaking with me, a few hours ago I received a factually incorrect letter from Dr. Roderick C. Meredith.  Based upon its tone, numerous inaccurate statements, accusations, and his unwillingness to address the real issues that I wanted to bring up, this letter is 100% proof (to me at least) that my view that the Living Church of God lost the ‘Philadelphia mantle’ in 2011 or 2012.   I am saddened by this development and had hoped to avoid having to make a variety of decisions.  But, God’s will is to be done (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 2:17).
Even apostle Malm saw through that statement Malm writes:


It appears that Bob Thiel has received a letter from Rod Meredith disfellowshipping him, and Bob never a man to admit coming in second is saying that he left LCG months ago.
The Church of God cannot have two big ego's at it's head.  Meredith and Thiel cannot both be true leaders.

About an hour ago, I signed various notarized documents to declare the start of a new organization.  It is legally to be called the Continuing Church of God Overseer and successors, a corporation sole.  Next week, the corporate documents are to be filed–but legally CCOG now exists as a real church.  The late Herbert W. Armstrong formed a corporate sole in the 1970s and this seemed to be the best available option for me in California.
The Church of God is a dead church, why would anyone want to "continue" it???  It no longer has anything of value to offer the world.  The Church used to have a vision, however misguided it was, that it kept members longing for.  Now the members are leaving in droves because there is no vision.  There is no worthwhile message, no unity, no hope and no brotherly love.  Greed, avarice and vanity are the catchwords of the day now when describing the Church of God.

So what is that special new message that Thiel is proclaiming?

The Church will commonly likely be known as the Continuing Church of God, probably abbreviated as the CCOG.

We expect to best represent the true remnant of the Philadelphia era of the original Church of God that began on Pentecost in Acts 2 (c. 31 A.D.)

Oh give it a rest Bob! We have heard that same phrase used by each of the 700 some splinter personality cults over the last several decades.  Every single one has proven to be liars and frauds. All this move does is provide another money stream for Thiel.

Our mailing address is Continuing Church of God, 1248 E. Grand #A, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.  And yes, in the USA, donations postmarked by 12/31/2012 are immediately tax deductible.  For those who in live in the State of California, we signed a declaration to apply for the determination letter from California, which, for those in California is legal assurance of the deductibility of donations in California (they are now 100% deductible in all the other US states).

Can people really be stupid enough to join up with him?  Apparently so!  He claims:

It is important for all to realize that despite flaws of Christians, including those of us of the Philadelphia remnant, that love is what God’s way of life and His kingdom are really all about.  And that spreading that message of love and all of God’s ways is what the Continuing Church of God wants to be about.
This message was subject the first service of the Continuing Church of God which was held earlier today.

If they are dumb enough to follow Malm, you can be guaranteed that some will follow Thiel.


Thursday, December 27, 2012

Is David Hulme's Personality Cult Imploding?




Poor David Hulme has never been of any success since he walked out on the Worldwide Church of God in the mid to late 1990's.  Prior to that he had a large home on the college campus, drove a Jaguar, wore expensive suits and reveled in the high life.  His self importance was bigger than he was as a person.  For a while he was the public face of the WCG's new doctrinal changes and was an advocate of the trinity.  He was placed over the Auditorium Concert series which made his ego even larger.  One publicity stunt after another was done in the Auditorium in order to make him and the Church look legitimate in the worlds eyes.

Hulme went from living the high life with an office facing the mountains, to getting kicked out of United Church of God, to a small craftsman style house on South Marengo as his mini-cult HQ.  Like other COG's he started producing a slick magazine to appeal to the world.  Also, like other COG's, it was a magazine embarrassed to talk about Jesus Christ.  Long articles were written ending with a couple of paragraphs about some god that was supposedly really, really pissed at humanity.

Not long after his wife died he married a woman who was close to the same age as his daughter.  Tongues started wagging and some people left.  Because of the lack of younger members in the little group some members started dating outside the church.  Hulme did not like that and threw down a lot of edicts that isolated members even further from society.

Now word is spreading that the Hulmerous Church of God is losing members.  Silenced is reporting: Hulme's Cult Imploding?

We’ve received word recently, from some pretty reliable sources/ex-members of David Hulme’s Church of God, an International Community (COGIC), that the cult deemed the fifth largest COG group is quickly imploding. Word is that Hulme has taken a Flurry-esque turn and there’s been a sharp uptick in the number of excommunications and people heading for the exits.

What we’re interested in is to what extent that’s true, and what the current condition of Hulme’s cult is? We know it’s always been obscure, even for a COG group, and that it’s never flexed the same kind of media muscle as even RCG has. They have been very locked down since Hulme was fired from UCG’s presidency in 1998. What’s happened to it since then is rather sketchy, and we would love to know more. Breaching the information control of these little cults can be pretty difficult though.

If you have any information to share about the Hulmerous Church of God let Silenced know: Contact Us

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

LCG Speaks Out Against Thiel And Those "marching to their own drum"




For quit sometime now Living Church of God knew it had a problem concerning Bob Thiel and his writings.  Thiel has labeled himself as the worlds foremost authority on end time prophecy usurping Rod Meredith of that honor.  His condescending blog directed at other Churches of God labeling them as all Laodicians has not set will with many.  .  The complaints from members reached such a crescendo that Bob had to have a meeting with Doug Winnail and Rod Meredith recently.

Apparently that meeting did little to slow the rantings of Thiel.  Those rantings have had an impact on LCG members and the authority of the Church.  Many members have questioned why the church has allowed Bob to run off at the mouth about so many subjects over the years as the worlds best authority.  They have complained to LCG HQ a lot about Bob.  

Now LCG has spoken out about those in LCG who set themselves up as authorities and "march to a different drum."

Doug Winnail writes on December 20th:


‘Blessings of Unity: David wrote, “how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30), and He prayed for His disciples, “that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11). The Scriptures reveal that the disciples had different personal perspectives (Acts 2; Galatians 2), but they learned to work together as a coordinated team to achieve their mission (2 Peter 3:14-16). They obviously realized that if each marched to his own drum, the job they were given would not get done. This is why the Apostle Paul stated that as we do the Work of God we need to be respectful and patient with each other, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). Paul also emphasized there is “one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism” and the work of the ministry involves fostering the unity of the faith and not being split apart by different ideas about methods or doctrine (Ephesians 4:4-16). As we are led by the same Spirit, we will see divisions diminish and we will be more “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). Peace, harmony and unity in the Church of God will become visible fruits when we are led by God’s Spirit.’


UCG Budget cuts




 As the money continues to drain from UCG's coffers, they have instituted the following budget cuts.  I still do not see any budget cuts for UCG executives, Council of Elders, Evangelists or ministers.  When will they set the example?


• Reduce mileage reimbursement by 20%;
• Reduce subsidies overall for U.S. congregations by 16%;
• Reduce subsidies overall for international areas by 16%;
• Use online ministerial training in lieu of a ministerial development conference
• Postpone area ministerial conferences;
• Conduct Senior Pastor & UYC Camp director conferences by video conference
• Reduce travel reimbursement by limiting travel outside of church circuits
• Reduce travel budget to international areas by 44%.
Media and Communications Services: ($1.4 million):
• Reduce The Good News (GN) magazine from 48 pages to 40;
• Renew GN subscriptions more often to reduce the print run and related costs (as well as consolidate the mailing list with more motivated subscribers)
• Curtail direct mail card packs and outside magazine print advertising for The Good News and our booklets;
• Drop World Harvest Network for televising the Beyond Today program while maintaining coverage on WGN America and the Word Network
• Suspend home office paid Internet advertising for our literature in all areas outside of the United States to reduce GN and booklet circulation costs to those areas;
• Publish United News six times a year instead of ten;
• Move Vertical Thought, our teen and young adult magazine, from print to a solely online production for the time being;
• Publish the United Youth Camps brochure in the February issue of United News rather than as a separate item;
• Reduce the Spanish and Portuguese publishing budgets;
• Reduce funding for bulk literature sent to our international offices.
Aaron Dean identified other ways to economize:
• Modify healthcare program, adding employee premiums, raising deductibles;
• Transfer funding of international ministers’ travel to the annual meeting of the General Conference of Elders from home office to each international region;
• Conduct at least one video conference for the Council of Elders each year, and more when appropriate, to save travel costs;
• Visiting ministers will stay with home office employees during conferences and be served economical lunches and dinners at the home office to save hotel and restaurant expenses.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

E. W. King; My Prophecies Have Come True



E W King is gloating on his blog today that two prophecies he made earlier in the year have come true. 

He predicted solar flares and tornadoes.

On the Christ-mas tornadoes:

Christ-mas tornadoes????
Today, December 25,2012, we see rare tornados hitting the states. A major winter storm sweeping through the United States could tangle holiday travel plans in the central United States and even in the South, as could a weaker storm moving through the Northeast.
The Northeast storm will likely bring a “wintry mix” to cities of the I-95 corridor and east to the coast but could still be detrimental to holiday travelers,
On the official COGSR website there is a whole list of these predictions since April 2011. Stay tooned for more prophecy fulfillments!

He describes himself talking about solar flares:


Mr. E.W.King predicted that the solar cycle would get off to an earlier time than expected. He stated:
“Our sun has a solar storm cycle which comes every 11 years. Sometime in November of 2012 we should begin to see an increase in solar activity. Long lasting solar storms may damage high-latitude power grids.”
And what do we see has happened?
· The Sun erupted with two prominence eruptions, one after the other over a four-hour period on Nov. 16, 2012, between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m. EST.
I tremble at his awesomeness.....where can I send my money?

Bob Thiel: Being Doubly Blessed With The Holy Spirit Causes Departure From LCG?



Things are getting curiouser and curiouser in Thiel land.  Did Bob finally cross the line this past month with his "prophetic" postings?  Thiel feels he has more wisdom and knowledge about prophecy and end times rigmarole than even Rod Meredith does.  Thiel's anti-Catholic stance and his criticism of President Obama pushed Living Church of God to reign him recently.  Apparently that was only temporary.  It looks like Thiel has parted ways from Living Church of God.

I have had several people email me tonight that Thiel is out of LCG.  I also realize how intensely disliked Thiel is by many in LCG. Looking on his blog tonight there are a couple of strange postings that lightly touch on the subject.

12/16/12 a.m. Basically closed out the News of the Living Church of God page and, while there may be exceptions, expect to post certain types of news related to LCG at this page.
Thiel's LCG page where he wrote about the glories of the one and only TRUE church (Living) have this comment now:

This may be my last post on this page (though that could change). Future posts, however, are expected be found at the News of Those Once Affiliated with Global page.

He also has this little item that explains his sudden surge in book publishing and his constant radio appearance regarding Mayan prophecy.  Thiel feels he has been doubly blessed with the Holy Spirit.  Apparently way more than his old boss has been blessed.  That certainly has created a sticky situation!

On 12/15/11, a minister in good-standing with LCG anointed Bob Thiel with oil and prayed that God would grant him a double-portion of His Spirit: and things have not been the same since (he still, of course, supports the goals and biblical beliefs of Philadelphia era of the Church of God)

Notice that Thiel now supports the goals and beliefs of the broader Philadelphia area of the church and NOT Living Church of God who he had been proclaiming as God's ONLY church on the entire earth carrying out the proclamation of the gospel.




Dennis On: "Birthing Skepticism"






Birthing Skepticism

skep·tic also scep·tic (skptk) n.
1. One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, 
or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.
2. One inclined to skepticism in religious matters.
3. Philosophy
a. often Skeptic An adherent of a school of skepticism.
b. Skeptic A member of an ancient Greek school of skepticism, 
especially that of Pyrrho of Elis (360?-272? b.c.).

Dennis Diehl - EzineArticles Expert AuthorIt is very easy to become skeptical of all the ideas, practices, claims and beliefs that human beings can come up with in the information age.  If there ever was an accurate prophecy it would be that "knowledge shall be increased," and if ever a truer proverb, "much knowledge brings much grief."  Yet, while easier on the stomach and brain, blissful  ignorance is not the solution either. 

Having been a church pastor, in this case for WCG though if not there , for me it would have been some other chosen denomination, I found that unlike other professions, it was not  difficult to become even more skeptical of supposed established truths as time went on.  Having soaked in religion, theology and the Bible 24/7 and seeing not only my/our own lives unfold but those of thousands of others, skepticism came to call.  For years maybe I knew it was there but only looked at it out of the corner of my eye often pretending it wasn't really there.

With the recent tragic and mind numbing events in New town, Conn, skepticism will grow in many.  Skepticism is becoming the new religion.  Whether it is finance, religion or government, it is feeding and growing.  Peace on earth this Xmas means little or nothing to most. Whether it is "good will towards men," or "to men of good will,"  it's rather a joke. 

I and we all know what the Bible says about the chosen ones, the church, the child or the holy priesthood of believers being special, set apart and protected.  We know those promises and verses.  We also know they are rarely correct or at least true in the sense that it is obvious it is just not random chance or luck of the draw as we say. 

I recall sitting in a festival site of thousands where the minister was waxing eloquent and sincere over God's obvious intervention in saving the life of a child in his congregation.  Car wreck I believe.  I cringed and in my head said, "please stop this and move on."  He went on and on.  I know he was trying to inspire thousands that we were all special and had nothing to fear.  I also knew at least five which meant many more families in the audience were dying again inside as "in my house it was not so."  They weren't inspired.  They were recrushed and skepticism grew in that moment.  I talked to the man at lunch and reminded him to please be careful in such a large audience as he had no clue how many were out there being destroyed by his encouragement.

Concerning children, I have stood besides the river as bodies of children and rescuers were brought up.  I spent time asking a man to stop dismantling the tractor brakes looking for some flaw and reason it didn't turn and overturned on his son falling into another river killing him.  I've been to the morgue dragged by the hand to go see beautiful dead teens killed in and by cars.  I've stood by very fine church members as they mom said, "well, I was here when they were born, I will stay with them until you tell me they are dead."  I've been hit as usually the mother screams "why!!!" and then hugged by the same woman who apologized and then said, "I know we don't pray as we should...."   Wrong...but that's another story.  Skepticism grew in these people and over time, 100% of them left the church finding either no relief or encouragement, or lame reasonings that did not help one bit. 

In case you think the Bible has much to encourage grieving parents, you are wrong.  "God will not give you more than you can bare" = "I can't bare this."  "At least you have more children," =  "I want that one back."  "You will see them again in the Kingdom," =  "I want to see them at the dinner table."  "You need to get over it, it's been six months, " (Said by a minister to personal friends) =  "Go to hell you bastard."

I've sat an listened to why one woman, who lost a child and was not helped by her church said she had concluded that Jesus death, in the story, was a mere weekend inconvenience and not a real death. God knew and Jesus knew he was coming back better than ever in a few days.  Her daughter was still dead.  Then she asked, "Shouldn't a sacrifice stay dead!"    Nice question.....and skepticism is birthed forever more.  I could not disagree with her and to this day have no better answer for her.  Her minister told her, "Well, God lost his only child too you know," which set off her deeply thought out theological reaction.  The minister did apologize when she screamed "no!" at him.

I've walked into homes where guns under pillows went off at night.  I even helped not revive a teen who jokingly played Russian Roulette  for the family and was dead before he hit the ground.  I held a piece of his skull on the back of his head while we raced to the ER but everyone knew.  I watched the doctor slam the door yelling "fucking waste of life," as he stormed out. 

I had a church deacon's son , who found out it was me taking him to the hospital with two broken legs after a day of drinking and putting a trampoline together beg me not to tell his dad.  lol.   Lesson:  If you drink too much beer, you jump too high showing the kids how it all works and when you come down....well never mind.

I think we all know that if the ministry lays hands on the sick, the sick shall be made well.  Um....no.  Or I must have been the Dr. Kevorkian of the ministry.  One of my closer friends said to me once,  "Ever notice how those with colds and flu that you lay hands on get better, but those with cancer die?"   Ummm.  Yes.  I had my own skepticism about such matters even as I performed them.  (Please don't say, "well there you go, you had no faith.")

Sometimes people get very angry with the "stupid ministry" of many and all churches when skepticism comes a calling.  But it is still the Book, the Bible that produces its own skepticism by making promises that it does not keep and portraying God , Jesus and the Angels in ways that they do not act in reality.   The angels may watch over the children, but they don't seem to move fast enough when needed. God, Jesus and Angels get cut some slack but not so much the church or the minister who also thought the Book meant what it said.  "Whatever you ask you shall receive," and "if you have faith as a mustard see, you shall say to this mountain..."  and so on.   Never saw it and never met anyone that could do it.  And so skepticism is birthed.

Skepticism is handled in several ways.  When it actually shows up, some ignore it and bury its reality in "just have faith," or "trust and obey for there is no other way," and sometimes there is not.  Some become aggressively skeptical or passive aggressively skeptical because anger is either ok or not ok depending on the person.  Those that suffer the hard blows directly are never the same and no you don't "get over it."  You put it somewhere in time and it scars up eventually but you don't get over it.  I know two people that never dated again after their very young boyfriend or girlfriend or fiance were killed.  It was too risky and too painful to trust that process again.  Marriage doesn't work or relationships don't work because the last three failed.  Church doesn't work because of last six. 

I don't enjoy being skeptical.  There have been several times that I have been inexplicably saved from death such as missing a plane that was hit by a fighter jet or not having the head on to this day I don't know how I didn't.  I used to believe it was because I was supposed to be a teacher of truth and a minister in the true right sure fine church.  Well I know how that went.  Was I spared to be a massage therapist?  Hope not!   Was I spared to write about being skeptical?   That makes no sense.  Luck of the draw maybe.

If you live long enough, government, banks and religion will eat away at your hope, trust and beliefs.  We either change them or we bury the doubts under a mask of fear and not knowing what to do.  Some just change from the bad experience to the good one.  The bad church to the good one or the bad job to the good one.  And skepticism laughs waiting in the wings to birth it self again. 

Perhaps without a healthy skepticism there can actually be no growth or progress in life.  I believe this to be true.  After all...what is walking but a controlled crash in motion.  We catch ourselves just before we fall on our faces and we call that "walking."  If we keep moving the upper half and don't move the lower, we fall on our faces.  

I wish I did live in the La La land that some seem to have found or re found.  I can't.  I'm a skeptic.  Bells in my world can't be unrung and experiences compared to scriptures and theological promises that don't ring true can't be made to mean something else to get the Book off the hook.  After a lifetime of experiences that were promised and taught to be one way and seeing them not at all that way just does to most what it does.  It makes one skeptical.  It's lonely being skeptical.  It can drive some people out of your life.  It can make you do dumb ass things being penned up might not allow for.  It is no fun on the stomach at times and certainly those niggly chest pains are no sign that all is well in Skeptic City.  But it is what it is. 

Healthy skepticism based on experience is what keeps knowledge flowing and going.  Without it, we'd be in the Dark Ages still.  Without it, we'd not grow in our grace either when we see that things just don't go along as easily or blossom as simply as some would have us believe. 

It would be wonderful to see more of those stuck in their  seats listening to the one man shows of Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry or a Ron Weinland get a little skeptical.  God knows they have enough ammunition and reasons to be!  But as I have said in the past, fear, guilt and shame are powerful glues that keep butts firmly attached to seats.  In my years as minister, I did not find many that thought through the realities of what they were hearing or seeing.  I didn't myself for sure, until I did.   I have to credit finally getting fed up with Gerald Waterhouse speculations for putting me onto the skeptics track.  How many times I sat there listening, sore butted and wanting to go home saying "this is bullshit," and acting like it wasn't.  Argh!  Never again.  Like any seed, skepticism needs time to grow, but when it breaks the surface, you will know.

I'll take a skeptic over believer any day.  Beliefs are just that.  They often bear no resemblance to the truth of any matter. I can't tell you how many ministers I know who are skeptics but you will never know.  I ask ministers pointed questions and often get the "I know, but if I say that, I will lose my job," far more often than "that is just not so!"   Ministers around here do this year end dance around the Solstice not being Jesus birthday , of course, (news to most pew sitters) but still he was born on Xmas day.  Hilarious doublespeak.  They know.  Bible errors....most know.  Bible inconsistencies...they know.   They have buried their own members, children and teens.  They have seen those with the flu get well and those with cancer die.  The mountains around Greenville have never moved an inch because Bob Jones University is up the street in all its righteousness and obedience and God, Jesus or Angels never really show up when you need them the most, as they promised.

Thus skepticism is birthed....and its OK.   But I don't believe it is OK to see it, then teach and explain as if you didn't. 


Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com


Saturday, December 22, 2012

Europe to Sell Alaska To Russia For Helping To Invade The United States



Craig White, that strange conspiracy ridden man from the southern hemisphere has a new theory about Alaska and the soon coming invading German armies.

We all know that die hard Armstrongites love that the invading Germans who will be setting up concentration camps in the United States in order to torture Americans into repentance.  They seem giddy at the prospect of it happening.

Craig has come up with a new theory about Alaska after reading an article in an Australian paper.

Craig feels that when the U.S. is in a weakened state that Europe will negotiate selling Alaska  to Russia in return for helping destroy the U.S.

I don't know if it will be sold, but as I have been saying for so many years, I do believe that the coming fascistic German-led Europe will negotiate with Russia and offer Alaska back in turn for cooperation when Europe decides to confront the Anglo-Saxon powers.
- Craig

These kind of asinine conspiracy rantings are not isolated cases in Armstrongism. There a hundreds of these idiotic beliefs floating around out there.

That's part of the reason I do this blog.  The Church of God tries to present itself to the world as NORMAL every day Christians.  The problem is the Church of God is anything but normal!  Over 500,000 people have signed on to read about the DAILY weirdness that is Armstrongism.  I am only hitting the tip of the iceberg too!  The Church of God has evolved into an utter mess and is an epic failure in it's religiosity.  It no longer has a vision or purpose and has become irrelevant to humanity.

Friday, December 21, 2012

EW King: December Tornado's Are Because U.S. Leader Is Associated With Harlot Church



E W is bragging today on how accurate his prophecies are.  First it was Thiel and now E.W.   Barf....

Apparently the tornadoes that we had in this country this month was because the President is associated with the Harlot Church.  The King earlier predicted:

I warned in my April and May 2012 prophecy forecasts about strange tornado weather. Since then we have seen record braking tornado counts including just this month, December 2012. On March 21st 2012 I stated:


When this nation supports a leader that belongs to [or a faction of] the Great Harlot church, who follows a false prophet, then destruction is on the way! We have already seen judgments fall on this nation in great out pours in the year 2011. What is coming next will make these judgments look like child's play.
“Let us not forget the tornado swarm of 2011 which started on April 14th and lasted many weeks. Over 200 tornado's! World record! Then the March 12th 2011 earthquake in Japan followed by the devastating title wave. Earthquakes are increasing in power and size and also occurring in new locations. Seismologists record 13,000 earthquakes each day!”

The world's most accurate prophet then states:

On January 6th 2012 I stated: Volcano's are popping up and becoming more active. Strange weather patterns are being measured Earth wide. We are seeing the ice caps melt right before our very eyes. Enormous floods have occurred along with huge hurricanes like never before! Meanwhile 200,000 people starve to death everyday! Are you still sleeping? Fires and wind storms, giant hail....terrorism, wars, outright mass destruction!”
The prophet is also ready for a nuclear device to go off real soon.  Being a Christian will not save your sorry ass though.

I have also talked about signs in the “heavens”. On April 10th 2012 I stated: “The Bible warns about objects falling out of the sky and many other strange events yet to come. I do not doubt that a nuclear device will go off. Where? That I am not sure of. The World of Christendom will Not Help!”
E.W. just joins the tail end of a long line of false prophets and liars in Armstrongism.  Not a single one of them has had any accuracy and never will.

Bob Thiel: Armstrongism's Most Accurate Prophet



Bob Thiel, Living Church of God's prophetic voice on prophecy, Mayan gibberish and all things Catholic, is bragging today about his radio interviews over the last couple of days regarding the end of the world on December 12, 2012.

It is interesting to me that he works over time in disproving the Mayan  and Catholic visions of of Fatima while never paying any attention to the false prophecies and outright lies uttered over the decades by Roderick C Meredith, Gerald Waterhouse and Herbert Armstrong.  Literally hundreds of false predictions and prophecies by these men have failed miserably yet these men are raised up as virtuous wise men. Thousands of lives have been damaged and scared by these liars, yet they are given a "get out of jail" card for free.

Despite the utter failure of these men, there is one rising star in the Living Church of God that has a proven track record of his predictions being right.  At least in his eyes. 

Bob Thiel writes about his amazing accuracy:

Since my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect came out in 2009, I have been able to reach millions via radio (presuming audience size estimates I have been told are correct)–world events already have confirmed at least 24 predictions in it, and by the end of this month, apparently at least 27.  Interestingly, my online article End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? has had between 500,000-600,000 page views on the internet since it first came out.

While Satan seemingly has plans for 2012 related to false declarations of peace (cf. Ezekiel 13) and getting people to scoff about prophecy (cf. 2 Peter 3), as COGwriter, I have tried to explain to people interested in end time matters that Bible prophecy can be trusted and that it is not possible for today to be TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it).

Bible prophecy uttered by a Church of God minister or member is NOT accurate and CANNOT be trusted!   Every single one of them have been proven to be liars.

From Rakish Queensland Islander To Delusional Prophet


Andrew Martin in the late 1980s; during his years on Middle Percy Island, 
he became increasingly preoccupied with religion.


Here is a news story from Queensland about a man who's life was sent into a tail spin because of Armstrongism and British Israelism.

Religious fundamentalism and isolated, self-sufficient communities often go hand-in-hand, and Martin increasingly saw Middle Percy as a lifeboat in a world "drowning in sin". But how did an educated, carefree adventurer come to embrace such grim notions? Jon Hickling - who, with his wife, Liz, and their two young sons, lived on Middle Percy for 12 years - solves that abiding mystery with two words: egg cartons.

"The story Andy told us," he explains, "was that sometime in the late '60s, the Whites [former leaseholders] sent him over some egg cartons he needed on the stores boat. They were wrapped in a magazine from the Worldwide Church of God, led by someone called [Garner Ted] Armstrong. Andy wasn't religious up to that point, although he grew up in the Church of England, but when he unwrapped that magazine, and read it from cover to cover, he just went, 'Wow!' He felt like he'd been hit on the head by a thunderbolt and had seen the light."

Martin subscribed to the magazine, and became a convert to the church's theory, known as British Israelism, which holds that white races (especially the British) are descended from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, and are God's "chosen people". Before falling from favour for his philandering, Armstrong - described by one US writer as preaching to a "subculture of lonely, frightened, disoriented Americans" - also had a worldwide radio audience of millions, including Andy Martin.

By the early '90s, with his physical health in decline, Martin had become unbalanced. "He believed he was being communicated with directly by God as some sort of prophet," Hickling tells me. "It was very interesting, to say the least."

The Hicklings were practical yachties who'd arrived on Middle Percy in 1989. They built their own house near the homestead - "We couldn't have lived with Andy; others tried and just couldn't cope" - worked long hours improving the island's gardens and infrastructure, taught their sons via distance education, and did their best to look after the evermore erratic Martin.

In 1996, Martin left the island, telling the Hicklings he had to return to England to warn the British people of God's coming retribution unless they changed their evil ways. He promised to contact Queensland's Department of Natural Resources (now Environment and Resource Management) and have the Hicklings named joint leaseholders in recognition of the effort and money they'd put into Middle Percy. But because the latest 10-year pastoral lease was soon to expire, the department declined - a fateful glitch the Hicklings weren't aware of until it was too late.

Aaron Dean on UCG Cash Flow Problems



Those poor overworked boys at UCG have had to cut out all kinds of expenditures that have made life so much more difficult.  Poor things!

Financial Report—Aaron Dean

The Church is currently receiving 5 percent more income than last year, which is a blessing, but it doesn’t make up for our current allocated expenditures. The special offering has so far reached almost $400,000. He explained that we are not in a bind to pay our current bills and that the main concern is our cash flow. None of our spending has been for anything except caring for the Church and preaching the gospel—the business of the Church.

The reason for the special offering letter was due to the reduction in bank balances by the use of reserves to care for pastorates and to preach the gospel. In losing a third of our prior income ($7 to $9 million per year which is it), we knew that the planned use of reserves could not go on indefinitely and that we would have to cut back in due course. It did cost more than we initially anticipated to have ministers visit churches without pastors until workable solutions could be found. Extra travel and accrued mileage was necessary to allay unfounded rumors of doctrinal change.

We did not replace every pastor that left, and have reorganized several circuits to be more efficient. Our annual payroll was $8.1 million before the split, and last year it was only at $5.7 million—even though we were serving virtually the same number of congregations. Additionally, costs for international subsidies, international Good News (GN) subscriptions (plus booklets) were growing and all being funded by the Church in the U.S. We didn’t try to expand, but we did spend a lot to maintain operations and our congregations in America and internationally. Current growth will allow a reasonable level of service even with the budget realignments.

We are now seeking to increase cash balances to avert projected cash-flow shortages before the annual Holy Days. We are cutting nearly $2 million to have a balanced budget. Since it was a special offering, it will be not be listed as regular income or used in projections for budgeting next year.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

It's Time For UCG, COGWA and LCG's Annual Christmas Celebration Weekends




It's late December and time for the annual United Church of God, Church of God a Worldwide Association and Living Church of God's pseudo-Christmas weekends.  All three groups have been been raked over the coals for holding this event for years now.  They pick Christmas time to do this every year.

Of course this has set apostle Malm off the deep end today because he sees this as further proof that paganism is rampant in the Church of God.

The apostle starts his article off today bemoaning the fact that none of the COG's keep the 7 day Unleavened Bread like the WCG did prior to Loma's death.  Malm blames this on Stanley Rader, but for most it was a matter of survival to not have to travel twice a year to feast sites.  Jobs were lost, families suffered and children had issues at school.

Malm wants these two 7 day feasts back because they are true festivals of God, unlike the Christmas festivals that UCG, COGWA and LCG now hold. He does not like the fact that they refuse to keep these days like they used to, but instead pay homage to Christmas in an indirect way.

Malm is not entirely wrong in pointing out the hypocrisy of the UCG's stance on Christmas when they have these weekends during Christmas.

Why mention this now?  Because most of  the WCG daughters still do not obey God and keep the Festival of ULB for the full seven days like Tabernacles, yet they can hold several days of partying around Christmas time.

Whether it is called a “Winter Festival”  or a “Winter family Weekend”  is only semantics.  If it is observed between the winter solstice and the end of December it is a Christmas celebration in the eyes of every onlooker and it is a terrible example for society.

To teach that it is wrong to observe and then to be out partying as others hold their office and pre Christmas party’s makes us all appear hypocrites and is most confusing to people.  This is most definitely NOT letting our light of example shine before the world.  Quite the opposite it is an appearance of evil and an attempt to get as close to what we claim to abhor as we can without using the actual word Christmas.

COGWA is also holding their own version that is animation of UCG's weekend.  Malm writes

This annual event is now being copied by several other churches, including the Church of God a Worldwide Association, which is linking attendance at its Family Weekend in Louisville, Kentucky (Dec 21-25), to pursuing righteousness (Matt.6:33)
“Throughout the years the Winter Family Weekend has served the church as a wonderful escape from what the world offers during December.” 
When UCG stated this family weekend end it was done so a supposed opportunity to "escape" from the filthy pagans around them.  The problem is that they hold these events in locations that are decked out in Christmas decorations each year.  COGWA just carries on that tradition since they apostatized from UCG.

Malm is particularly incensed at COGWA for the location of it''s winter family weekend. It is in a location that is decked out to the max for Christmas.  Malm is is right in asking what they are supposedly "escaping" from.

COGWA denounces the pagan symbols and rituals of the Christmas festival, but how will its choice of venue, the Galt House Hotel, help its “spiritual family members … to escape from what the world offers”?

COGWA President Jim Franks says this weekend in Christmas fantasy land will exceed even the Feast sites!  WOW!  I love it!

Jim Franks, COGWA President, states that the attendance at the Galt House Hotel will exceed that of many of their Festival of Tabernacles sites.

Then Malm points out the best part.  Dave Register is having a White Elephant gift exchange at their Christmas weekend!
In Portland, Dave Register is asking everyone to bring wrapped presents for a White Elephant Bingo. This is a party game with one gift being given to each person, and then when unwrapped they are traded around.
 David Register:    Pastors Update and Announcements – Dec 13 2012
White Elephant Bingo!
We will be playing Bingo on Saturday night, December 22nd. As a participant, please bring a wrapped, inexpensive (under $10) prize/gift that has no markings on the wrapping. No one should know who it is from or what it is. Adult tables will be able to trade in their prize for a better option. The children tables will not be trading gifts. More details to follow. Please bring both adult and children gifts that are individually wrapped. Please see the White Elephant Rules on the announcement table for more details.
 Malm nails them with this comment:

 How like a traditional pre-Christmas party game.  But the name is different so it isn’t really observing Christmas?  Right?  What pathetic and childish  self deception!  Remember that Christmas was originally a celebration of the winter solstice and  the rebirth of the sun, and was only relabeled Christ-Mass by the Roman Catholics.
Even Meredith's shrinking group is joining in for Christmas celebrations at this time.  However, like most hard core Armstrongites, LCG is looking backwards in time.  Things were better years and decades ago.  Things were simpler.  In light of those wishful times LCG is encouraging their family weekend attendees to dress up in costumes of clothing that they think earlier generations of COGers wore.  I mean REALLY????  How stupid is this?  Dressing up like COG members in Eugene Oregon?  Give me a break!

LCG Winter Weekend in Kansas City:   We will have a Friday night Bible Study beginning at 7:00. Services on Saturday will begin at 1:00 p.m. We will be serving taco salad with all the fixings for dinner after services. Or if you’d prefer, there are plenty of options for restaurants in the area. After the meal, we’ll be having a fun show and dance.

The theme for this year’s fun show and dance is “Through the Ages.” Dress up in your favorite fashions of any decade in the 20th century. Remember, you don’t have to dress in “church clothes,” but the tasteful styles that might have been worn by Church brethren during a specific decade in the 1900s. Of course, casual wear, including jeans, is acceptable. For entertainment before the dance, the “Through the Ages” Radio Show will “broadcast” timeless songs, skits and fun for all ages. We would love to add YOUR talents to the show! If you care to share, please visit the Web site and click “Fun Show” to sign up. If you can perform or put a spin on a song, comedy routine, famous radio broadcast or even a commercial of the 1900s, please sign up.

Merry Christmas and to all a good night!