James Malm: Angels Are Tattle Tales

The apostle is talking about angels today.  Since we have already discovered on a previous post our guardian angels are actually ourselves who have time warped back in time after we were made spirit beings, Malm wants us to know that our angel is spying on us and and running to God with all the gory details.  Now if we are the ones spying on ourselves, what's the point in running to God since we have already been made a spirit being?  It all get so confusing in Armstrongism.  So many different viewpoints all just as nutty as the next.

Jesus taught us that angels were “ministering spirits”  somewhat like servants and tutors for the children of a great man.

Gal 4:1   Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
² But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

These “Ministering Servants” are given to us as helpers in our embryonic spiritual state, and when we are chosen and become a part of the resurrected BRIDE; we shall then be elevated as a grown child is elevated above his father’s household servants.

God has appointed angels as our helpers and they are always present before the Father with news for him of how we are doing.  Our Father loves deeply and is watching closely as to how we are doing and how we are progressing and overcoming.

You had better beware though that your angel, or yourself, is not an agent of the devil because you will be cast into outer darkness and will die along with unrepentant sinners.

Ez 18:4   Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Who must pay those wages?  ALL unrepentant sinners!  and that includes angels who are unrepentant sinners!

God has already passed judgment on Satan and those angels who follow him; there judgment is to be cast into utter eternal darkness  Jude 1:13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

And what is utter eternal darkness but the oblivion of death?

But can an angel die?

Did the very Creator God die for us?  If the Creator God himself could give up his God-ship to die for his creation; then the sinful angels can also be destroyed for their wickedness.

Show me, where in the scriptures does it say that angels cannot die, if God should choose to destroy the wicked among them?

 Other craziness by the apostle:

God is eternal and exists as long as he wants to exist, and can voluntarily give up eternal life, if he so chooses.  Lessor spirits are subject to the commandments, judgment, authority and power of God!

Fred Kellers Killing 'god' Is LOL Funny!

This was on Yahoo on a thread about what a wonderful fun day Atonement is.  Apparently it is also  hilarious that Armstrongism's god is such a blood thirsty murdering thug.  LOL brethren!  LOL!

It is a day to rejoice and not feel ugly because you are hungry!

One of my favorite memories was of a minister, Fred Kellers, who came out and yelled at us, "God is RIGHTEOUS to destroy his enemies!"  lol. Once he brought a statue of Mary out & broke it with a hammer, to everyone's astonishment.

UCG: Feast of Tabernacles Rap

A reader here just sent me this. This is sure to get the conservative Armstrongites in a tizzy!

Will Dave Pack and Gerald Flurry make their own version next?  

How about Dave in his speedo and Gerald with his prayer rock.  

What a sight that would be!  

Snicker, snicker.

Dave Pack's Mind of God

In light of the blog post below about pastor-gods in the Church of God, here is a quote from God's most important man on earth who has the world's largest and most effective ministry ever to grace humanity.

Dave Pack

What a joy to spend all day with the brethren-Sabbath services, luncheon and then an extensive Bible Study answering the longest list of questions I have ever received at any Bible Study (some were still left unanswered). It is obvious that the brethren are studying and are interested in knowing the mind of God. This is a far  cry from my last years as a pastor in the early 1990s.

The Cult of Pastor-god's in the Church of God

There is a great blog that is by a former pastor (non COG) which is called Why Churches Suck.  Sadly it is no longer being updated. He has an article about the personality cult of pastors in churches. I have included his entire post below.  It is too good to see fade into oblivion.

Armstrongism is filled with the cult of "Pastor-gods." Just look at Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Ron Weinland, Rod Meredith.  These men can do no wrong.  People get giddy with excitement at the mere presence of these men in their midst.  People get tears in their eyes when they see these men.  Their writings are on par with scripture and considered just as sacred.  They get seats of prominence at all functions and at church. They build enormous edifices supposedly dedicated to God but in fact are monuments to failed virility.  Fellow ministers jostle and beat their way  to be at the top next to these men.  Walking over others backs to advance is considered sacred duty.  Members literally bow to their magnificence when they cannot make any decision without first asking their pastor-god for approval.

What has been your experience with Pastor-gods in the Church of God?

The Cult of the Pastor-god

When the church is at its healthiest, many people contribute to the life of the body with gifts they’ve been given.  One of those gifts is “pastoring”, or care-taking.  Mixed with all the other gifts in the body, the whole community is healthy, alive, free, and an expression of God’s love in the world that is obvious and undeniable.

But this is very rare among church gatherings.

Much more often, the group is dominated and defined by the personality of one person: the Pastor-god. 

The Pastor-god is not merely a contributor within the body; he is the voice, the face, and the authority in the church.  He is the boss, the CEO, the example, the teacher, the father-figure.

In the Cult of the Pastor-god, they are called “God’s anointed”.  They are the one who communicates God’s word to the followers.  They are the mouth, while the church is the ears.  Their part is to provide care and discipline to the people; the people’s part is to listen, honor, and follow.

And in many churches, this model works flawlessly.  People really want someone to lead and protect them—without it they feel vulnerable and lost.  And of course there are no shortage of people willing to assume this role of the Pastor-god.

The Pastor-god claims to not want adulation and adoration from the people, but inwardly they crave it.  The people claim they don’t believe their pastor is a god, but they treat him like he is.  When the pastor makes them proud, they heap accolades.  When the pastor does not live up to his god-like standard, they look for ways to take him down.

When the Pastor-god is there, the people feel safe.  When the Pastor-god goes away, the people are devastated.  

Of course this is nothing new—people are afraid to be leaderless, as was the nation of Israel when they demanded a leader:

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” (I Samuel 8:19-20)

God reluctantly gave them their leader, an outstanding young man named Saul.  Their craving for a leader was satisfied, but it was wrong; what resulted was anxiety, strife, war, madness, and death.

 

One of the reasons churches suck today is because they are much less like the body of Christ and much more like the Cult of the Pastor-god—or "the cult of personality."  More and more within the church are recognizing this disturbing reality:

“...evangelicalism is not so much a religion as a series of fast-moving personality cults.” ― Frank Schaeffer 

Thinking about this, I could not get the image of an old Star Trek episode out of my mind.  It’s called Who Mourns for Adonais and it’s about the Enterprise crew coming face to face with Apollo, one of the gods from earth’s ancient culture. 

 

Remember this one?

As the episode goes, back when the gods (turns out they were actually aliens) came to earth, the primitive people saw their power and naturally fell down to worship them.  Under their authority, people felt cared for--and the gods were happy to have the attention.  It was a comfortable, but immature and ultimately dysfunctional relationship.  The gods’ part was to provide care and discipline to the people; the people’s part was to listen, honor, and follow…

…just like in the Cult of the Pastor-god.

In those days, to defy the gods was a fearful thing—as Captain Kirk discovered when he dared to defy Apollo’s authority:

Kirk: “Apollo, we’re willing to talk, but you’ll find we don’t bow to every creature who happens to have a bag of tricks.”

Apollo: “Agamemnon was one such as you, and Hercules--pride and arrogance.  They defied me, until they felt my wrath.”

Have you ever been called “proud” or “arrogant” by a pastor-god when you questioned their authority? If you have, you have come face-to-face with the Cult of the Pastor-god.

 

Apollo expected these people to fall down and honor him just like people did in the ancient days.  But Kirk, recognizing the dysfunction of such an authoritarian relationship, continued to defy—and the conflict escalates:

Apollo: “I could sweep you out of existence with a wave of my hand, and bring you back again. I can give life or death. What else does mankind demand of its gods?”

Kirk: “Mankind has no need for gods. We find the one quite adequate.”

Apollo: “We shall not debate, mortal.  I offer you eternal rest and happiness according to the ancient ways. I ask little in return. But what I ask for I insist upon.”

The one thing he cannot handle outright defiance; he can only insist on its authority, and promise judgment upon the one who dares defy them.  If you do decide you need to escape the cult, understand one thing:

There is no gentle way to get out of the cult of the Pastor-god.  

If you are struggling to get free from a pastor-god cult, please re-read that last sentence a couple more times. This will be a battle of wills.

Eventually, Kirk and his crew had use force to disable Apollo’s source of power.  Apollo was reduced to his true, powerless nature.  

In the end, Apollo lost everything and is reduced to tears:

Apollo: “I would have cherished you, cared for you. I would have loved you like a father loves his children. Did I ask so much?”

Kirk: “We’ve outgrown you. You asked for something we can no longer give.” 

And there’s the thing.  Even people who have been raised life-long in a pastor-god cult are realizing they can no longer give outright honor and obedience to a religious authority figure.  And they shouldn’t.  Our leader is Christ, not the one up front with the loud voice and the big platform.
 

 

More and more people in the body of Christ are finding true “body life” outside of the Cult of the Pastor-god--but it hasn’t come without a price.  The emotional turmoil that comes from separating from an old authority figure can be intense, even devastating.  

I’ll repeat: There is no gentle way to get out of the cult of the Pastor-god.  

I have my war story of leaving the Cult of the Pastor-god, and I know many of you do too.  If you want to share your story in the comments, please feel free

Another Splinter Cult COG Leader Who Says He No Longer Sins

First we had Spanky Meredith declare that he has not committed a major sin since baptism  Now we have another splinter cult leader who has take it a step further.  Mike Vinson declares he is incapable of sinning now since sin no longer has dominion over him.  Mike is the leader of an extremely small splinter cult of Armstrongism that is unique in many aspects.


For starters he did not take the name "Church of God" to use in his cult's title.  Instead, he calls his group, "Is, Was, and Will Be."  That alone should have people running the opposite direction! He has also surrounded himself with young men in their 20's as his ministers. Apparently these young men are a multitude of "saviors" that have come with the truth to redeem the heathens. A group of young virile young men around an old man There is something really wrong with that picture. Both from having inexperienced boys telling followers what to do, but also the fact of an older man surrounding himself with young guys.

I am writing to advise people of a spiritual movement that goes by the name of IWWB. Website: [www.iswasandwillbe.com]

It's headed up by a chap named Mike Vinson, a former WWCG (World Wide Church of God) member who now believes he has "the truth" and among other things, preaches and teaches that he "no longer sins" or rather, that sin has no more dominion over him.

Some various teachings:

At this point in our walk, our lack of discernment and obedience to the living oracles of God qualifies us as a heathen man, though we have the name of being a “brother” and a “Christian”. But God in his mercy sends to us saviours who begin to deliver us out of the house of bondage, and little by little reveals to us the meanings of God’s word which from Egypt until now are all sealed in parables, symbols, the tongues of Prophets, God’s angels;

-----

This is not a memory exercise or a history lesson of some physical man coming thousands of years ago. This is an ongoing event of the Father sending the Spirit of His Son in a prepared body, YOUR BODY, to first deliver us from that body of Sin, and at the appointed fullness of time to use that earthen vessel to deliver others subjected to bondage to that body of sin and the law governing it. Those subjected are the whole creation, there is no difference, but the Spirit of Christ is first sent to the “heathens that are called by my name”, that is you and I if we do have his name;

 ------

The Father sends the Spirit of his Son through his prophets to the end that these prophets, men of like nature as us throughout the ages, can be deliverer and saviours of his people. It is through the knowledge and understanding they impact that God’s heathen people are eventually brought out of the house of bondage to be established in the New Jerusalem

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Christ puts away sin by the sacrifice of his own body of sin prepared in our flesh for him to come into. We are now to have this knowledge and do likewise through Christ, to deny our own profile in the flesh and reckon ourselves as dead to sin with Christ. To be no longer servant of the first tabernacle made with hands, but to present ourselves unto God as being raised from the dead, the first tabernacle, to serve in newness of life.

 The Bible has two meanings.  For those "mature" there is one meaning, and for those immature, there is a second meaning.  Armstrongism and other cults have always made a point of claiming that their organization was privy to secrets of the Bible hidden from humanity till revealed to the leader.

So, if we translate the Greek word 'en' consistently, here is what Paul is telling us: 'In the mature we speak the secret, hidden, inward wisdom of God, but in the immature we speak only of the outward fleshly appearing of Christ and of His outward death and outward crucifixion.' How is this all accomplished? It is all accomplished with the same Bible, with the same letters and words. But 'the same letters and words' have vastly different meanings 'in' the 'mature' and 'in' the 'babes in Christ,' who are 'yet carnal.' Paul did not have two gospels, one for babes and one for mature Christians. Rather the one gospel 'Jesus Christ and Him crucified,' is received two entirely different ways in the hearers. And why is that? It will always be the same; it is because "many are called but few are chosen." The "many called [but not] chosen," will always be drawn to the outward, physical letter understanding of prophecy. Anything else is "foolishness" to the "carnal...babes in Christ," to whom 1Co 2 is addressed.

Vinson also believes Jesus is a created creature as do a few Armstrongite diehards that hold annual meetings around the country trying to prove their point.

The craziness of the splinter cults of Armstrongism seems to have no end!  The good thing about all of this is that the more stupid things they say and do the more they discredit all the other COG's, who for some reason seem to think of these nutjobs as brothers in the faith.

E W King Predicting Huge Earthquakes Soon

E. W.King is getting ready to publish a list of prophecies he says will happen in 2013.  But in the meantime he wants you to know there are earthquakes coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Shocker! 

Living in earthquake country I have an app on my iPhone that alerts me to local earthquakes and elsewhere in the world.  Earthquakes happen quit regularly since that is what happens on tectonic plates!  I too can predict there will be earthquakes in 2013!  Floods and tornado's too!  I can also predict that more idiots in various COG's will make more stupid predictions.  I predict convicted felon and liar Ron Weinland will be in jail.  On and on I could go.

I have predicted that very soon we shall see some big earthquakes. In 2011 and April of 2012 I predicted that quakes would increase in area and size. They have! Stay tuned. Please read all of my prophecy forecasts to see how up to date we are in prophetic histroy. Soon I will publish my 2013 Prophecy forecasts! Some Big Quakes Soon To Hit!

Van Robison: "Make-Up and Cosmetics in the Pulpits"

Make-Up and Cosmetics in the Pulpits

Among the greatest deceptions on earth is the world of Churchianity.    Make-up and cosmetics change the real person.  Anyone who stands in a pulpit wears make-up.  Cosmetics hide the real person.  Of course I am speaking about fraud in the name of God/Jesus Christ.  The world is an ocean of fraud and young, inexperienced people are frequently the victims of such fraud.  Many young people are seduced into going to Bible colleges as if these man-made institutions are the source of light and truth, success and purpose.  The reality about all "Bible" schools and colleges is that they are business enterprises.    Often in life, it is only through hard experience and later in life, that many come to know beyond doubt that Bible schools are foundations to indoctrinate young people and of course they are $business enterprises.

Any human being can stand in a pulpit and pretend that they represent God/Jesus Christ.  They may speak with a sense of "authority" as if they have a direct phone connection to the throne room of God in heaven.  They may act as if God works through them, even though God does not.  Those who stand in pulpits are like magicians, who work their "magic" and their "illusions" that deceive people.  They are really just common human beings, whose vanity, pride and lust for power and control over others is extreme.  They also are addicted to position and the never ending flow of free money.  The praise and adulation of humans is a common addiction to those who stand in pulpits.

We all know that make-up and cosmetics and plastic surgery can change the appearance of any human being.  In the world or churches, the make-up and cosmetics of those who stand in pulpits is often very seductive.  Public speakers can be very persuasive and seduce the gullible and the naive.  Apparently the seduction is very powerful, because many bow and worship at the feet of the make-up artists, who feign that they represent God on earth. Their false mission is to "preach the Gospel to the world", while they live in luxury and splendor at the expense of the simple minded.  Religion is among the greatest frauds on earth and always has been.  "Thus saith the Lord" has been used by the unscrupulous for thousands of years.  When was the last time God Almighty appeared to you in person and spoke so much as one word?  And of course millions sit in pews like little puppy dogs wagging their tales and thinking that the speaker in the pulpit sits on the right hand of God and all must listen and "obey" as if these very fallible humans represent God on earth.

Truth is that every human who is a public speaker is just as human as you are.  They are no more "Holy" than a skunk.  And in history, they were no more "Holy" than you or I.  God alone is Holy.  Not even the "Bible" is "Holy." Those who stand in pulpits wear make-up and cosmetics to hide their true self.


Van Robison

Religion

click to enlarge

I knew some here would appreciate this.

Church of God Eternal: Satanic Ministers On The Loose in COG's

People get angry with me for pointing out the shenanigans of Church of God ministers, yet they are hypocritically silent when COG organizations make accusations against all the other COGlets.

The Church of God Eternal has a letter up warning the faithful to beware of the satanic influence of ministers and leaders in the COG who are leading people astray. What he writes is true, that the minsters are leading the "faithful" away from truth since that has been the standard operating procedure for the COG since it's inception.  Sadly, COGE fails to realize that what they are accusing others of is the exact same thing that they are doing to their own members.  This letter is a damning indictment against the Church of God Eternal too!

The work of deceiving spirits is evident in the church today. Satan's own ministers, who appear as ministers of righteousness, are teaching his lies. They are not following Jesus Christ. They have wormed their own way into the church of God and have seated themselves on doctrinal boards and have assumed teaching positions in churches. They work from within as an official part of the church organization. Using subversive tactics, Satan's ministers have subtly and skillfully taken control. Under their control, the Truth of God is changed little by little into a lie. The doctrines are so cleverly worded and so skillfully presented that even staunch believers cannot detect it.

What he describes below sounds exactly like COGE!  They use scripture to sound impressive while promoting heretical garbage as truth.

Because they know how to twist the truth, their false doctrine looks and sounds blessedly true. What can be wrong? Yes, the Word of God is the Truth, but handling it deceitfully produces error. Their interpretation of God's Word is backed by clever arguments of philosophy and theology with intellectual-sounding words. They appear to be words of wisdom and logic, but they are truly Satanic and diabolical. They are not dividing the word of Truth honestly; the scripture is being used, but dishonestly.

By handling the Word of God deceitfully, false teachers lead the people into spiritual blindness. Because they are walking in blinding darkness, they do not perceive that they are headed for a dangerous fall. They are like the man who built the ship, Titanic. The man believed in his own mind that even God Himself could not make the ship sink. But alas, the ship sank, killing many people.

 These false teachers and false apostles had succeeded in infiltrating the church of God by the 1970s and were actively changing the true teaching of Jesus Christ and perverting the gospel. 

COGE fails to see that the original false teacher started decades before the 1970 debacles.  Try 1936 when Herb popped on to the scene.  A rebellious man who refused to follow the authority of the church that ordained him, who created his own set of extra-biblical doctrines and who split off to start his own church all on the whim of a nightmare Loma had.  Bad dreams produce bad results and the current state of the Church of God's prove that.

Your Guardian Angel Is Actually YOU Who Has Come Back In Time To Protect Yourself

I get accused by some for "making things up" concerning the Church of God crazies out there that I make fun of on here.  Below is a post from a COGer who claims that if you are a "good" Christian then you have a guardian angel watching over you.  Now this may not be just any angel, it may actually be YOU who has transported back in time to watch over yourself.

So let's get this straight - you have been a faithful servant of God and have gained eternal life and are now a spirit being.  Since you are now spirit you can go back in time to protect yourself.  You are currently watching over yourself this very moment!  Unless of course you are an evil atheist or apostate, then God help you because you are on your own!

 There is no way in hell I could make up something as stupid as that.  So here are his exact words:

If you are a good Christian, chances are, even if there are no other people with you right now, you are not alone. You have at least one constant companion quietly and invisibly serving you.

Apparently if you are a nominal Christians or may have slipped up one day, you angel is going to desert you and all kinds of bad things could happen.

The other view point can be taken here that anyone who has life issues, trauma, health issues, death, etc. have done something to make their guardian angel leave them. Or make that, you have done something to piss your self off so you have left yourself.....oh my............!

Angels, those who have chosen to remain forever obedient to God, are our good friends. Along with the many other things that angels do, they are also assigned to protect and guide people - "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)

The same angel or angels may have been with you right from the moment you were conceived, and in all probability know far more about you than you know about yourself. It could be that everything that you have ever said or done has had at least one irrefutable witness.

Spirit beings are not however bound by the same physical laws as humans. For them, the physical laws that create paradoxes do not exist. Spirit beings can travel through time without the same sort of consequences that affect humans. They can, and almost certainly do make physical changes in human events that adjust future outcomes in desired directions. A large amount of Prophecy might actually be fulfilled just this way - to not just have the ability to know events of the future, but to have the power to actually bring them about exactly when and how they are desired. The difference is, that when God or His messengers make adjustments, they do it perfectly.

After your physical life's journey has ended, if you have accepted God's offer of eternal life, you will be changed to spirit, a spirit being that can travel through time perhaps just as easily as you can now travel from one thought to the next. It is entirely possible that, along with the angels now there to protect you, you might also get an occasional visit from the future "you" that you will be after you have been changed into spirit. And why not - who better to advise angels on how to take good care of you than the one who survived being you? Your Guardian Angel

Church of God Messenger Giving Out Instructions On How To Cast Out Demons

Armstrongism has always had a fascination with demons.  Pesky demons were always lurking around ready to steal our crowns. Demons were more powerful than Jesus because they got talked about more. The Pasadena campus supposedly had lots of demons lurking around ready to posses students minds with levitating toothbrushes,   They were in abundance because they wanted to get close to the truth, at least that is what one WCG ministurd used to teach.  This Church of God has an article telling members how to cast out demons.

If someone is possessed by a demon how does he get rid of it? First of all you must realize that it is not your power to cast out the demon, but our King of Kings Yahshua Messiah. (Acts 19:15-16) "And the evil spirit said Yahshua I know, and Paul I know but who are you? And the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded." We must never go on our own power. If the demon asks your name, tell him "You come in the name of Yahshua Messiah." Your name is not important. Then you use the authority that Yahshua gave you (If you have been given that authority) to cast the demon out in his name. You must believe totally in the one who sent you (Yahshua). If you lack faith it will not leave. Then after the demon is gone, you must explain to the person who had the demon that he must keep his house clean lest 7 more come back with the first one, and the end of that person will be worst than the beginning. The person must repent of the sin,revoke the act that brought the demon and replace the act with a positive deed. That is the only way to stay clean. I will say that although demons are rampant in this world today, all out demon possession is rare. But it is getting more and more common as we are getting closer to the end.

E. W. King Says He Knows How You Think

God's end-time leader of the Worldwide Church of God (WCGCOGSR) says that he knows how those of you that have left Armstrongism think.  He also knows what those of you that have left Christianity think and the reason you rejected HWA's magnificent insights.

He writes:

Sadly, many who once claimed Christianity as their faith have turned to speculative-science and New Age thought because they felt unsatisfied with their Christian understanding. Jesus told us that we would “never thirst again” if we studied His word. [John 4:13] God’s word is reach with deep understanding. [Daniel 2:22] The problem is with all the false denominationalism. False theology has left people spiritually dry. The teachings of WCG theology agree with sound science.

People left Armstrongism because of all the lies, deceit, corruption and false teachings.  After spending a life time  being abused by abusive ministers who laid down restrictive laws and regulations while some of them  were living  lives of debauchery, people have had enough.  Also, since the entire belief system of Armstrongism is based upon false theology it left the people spiritually malnourished.

I have news for Eeeeew King, Armstrongism does NOT agree with sound science!  There is nothing scientific in the COG.  Scientific reasoning, thought processes, and theory's have no place in the church.  Claiming that certain nations are genetic/biblical descendants of the 12 tribes is not scientific.  Preaching certain versions of creationism is not sound science.  Even if they try to cozy up to the "old earth" theory, they jump off the wagon on other areas.  Even the COG historical timeline is filled with error and blatant lies.  From lying about how the current church is practice original Christianity to claiming the church is descended from the Waldenses, the list could go on and on.

Eeeeew continues:

Christians approach everything by a proper understanding of God’s word. What is a proper understanding of God’s word? The Bible proclaims that only those who have the Holy Spirit can truly and properly understand God’s word. Christian comprehension of truth relies on intervention from God himself. [Philippians 2:5] In this article I will rely on God’s Holy Spirit to articulate the meaning of Truth in human thinking. [1 Corinthians 1:18] From this perspective I cannot prove to anybody what I am saying is true. I must rely on the Holy Spirit. [Proverbs 3:5-6] This approach is from a factual understanding of static or absolute Truth from God himself. Only those who are called of God and or who have the Holy Spirit shall comprehend. [Romans 8:16]

What Eeeew fails to state here is that when he says "Christian" he is referring ONLY to COG folk.  Armstrongism has never considers "worldly christians" to be real Christians.  Eeeeew is only speaking here about COGgers.  Only COGgers have the mental capacity to understand God.  No one outside Armstrongism has the Holy Spirit in them.  Therefore, anyone who is not part of Armstrongism, or has left the church is incapable of understanding the god of Eeeew King.

The yellow highlight below is mine:

As Christians we are commanded to “prove all things”. [1 Thessalonians 5:21] We do this by testing our thinking against what the Word of God proclaims. [Acts 17:11] I have studied many religions and philosophical ideas but without a foundation to base it all on I am simply “blown here and there by every wind of doctrine”. [Ephesians 4:14] God is not the author of confusion. [1 Corinthians 14:33] The Bible asks us to use our intellectual capabilities but to keep them in ‘check’ with absolute and revealed revelation from God. Christian thinking is therefore a disciplined practice. [James 4:10]  It goes against conventional ideas of thinking. [1 Corinthians 1:25] This does not mean we cannot be critical in our thinking. As a matter of fact Christians are more critical in their thinking process than other people who are not Christian. Christians can look at what is called “the bigger picture”. They can learn to broaden their scope when looking at an issue. Where this becomes a paradoxical issue is in the idea of error-free thinking. Many can listen to what you are saying and then try and find a logical error. But based on whose logic? [Colossians 2:8] Logical thinking in and of itself is only based on mans five physical faculties. With only these limited tools man can come up with numerous if not infinitesimal amounts of conclusions to even simple questions. Please do not misunderstand me, God wants us to be creative but not without His static revealed truth as the foundation. There is no error in God’s understanding. God has given His children solid and foundational blocks of absolute truth. All of mans understanding should be built around these blocks! Jesus himself being the “chief cornerstone”. [Ephesians 2:20]

 It is laughable if Eeeew thinks COGgers are more critical thinkers than the rest of Christianity or unbelievers.  I have heard more uneducated and poorly thought out sermons than I can ever dream of, all by men who thought they had some special insight into God's Word.

King continues:

Christians are not closed-minded, they are open-minded. Christians are those who have broadened their mere human intellect into receiving pure revelation from God himself! 

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One reason why most people who attend a fallen denominational church do not really read their Bible’s is because when they do read their Bible’s they find that their church is teaching something or doing something completely different from what it says. Those who do read their Bible’s from fallen churches are very selective in what portions they read. Here at COGSR we use the whole Bible!

Actually Eeeew should realize that many people who are in liturgical churches read and hear the entire Bible every three years is because of the lectionary.  The advantage of this is that verses before and after the point being look at are used.  This is so far unlike Armstrongism which find specific verses to suit their needs while ignoring other verses.  Proof-texting is the basis for Armstrongism.

Eeeew then gets into Christian faith.  He writes:

To live God's way we need the Holy Spirit power. So is it possible to practice Christianity in your own way and whatever church you choose? The answer from Christ would be, “no”. We either worship God's way and do things his way or we worship our way. How do we find out God's way? We read his word, study his word and ask for Holy Spirit help. We thus find the one and only true Church of God.

I love how the simple minds of these men think that when a person reads the Bible they will automatically be driven into the Church of God.

The Bible proclaims “one faith”, not many. [Ephesians 4:5] Just because true Christians are people of faith does not mean that we are blind. We do have to open our eyes! Please understand, there are not many ‘faiths’ to a true Christian. There is only one. There is only one ‘faith’, one ‘church’, one ‘body’ [church], etc. [Ephesians 4:4-6] And believe it or not, there is only one true God and one true Jesus Christ! Would it be wrong to say that there is only one true “you”? No. It would not. There is only ONE true God and only ONE true understanding of that God. We find it in and through God’s word through and by the power of the one and only Holy Spirit! There are not many denominations to true Christians! 

It's pretty hypocritical for an Armstrongite to be condemning Christian churches for division considering there are well over 600 splinter groups now with 600 different opinions, doctrines and ways of interpreting HWA's words. None are doctrinally unified.  Just look at the nastiness that went down when COGWA back-stabbed their own brethren.  Obviously there is NOT a "one true understanding" in the Churches of God.

Many people today really no longer contemplate the True God of the Bible. Many just go with the flow of “traditional Christianity” accepting the religious concepts of their forefathers. They comfort themselves with emotionally accepted pictures like angels that guard their life and the life of their family. The basic understanding of the world’s Christianity is a God, who as a kind father forgives you your sins, who guides you in times of doubt and insecurity, and who finally takes you into his kingdom of heaven after you die, to a place where there is eternal peace and harmony and where you will be with other loved ones who have died.

All of these beliefs are accepted by most all people who attend different denominations. You see, the relationship is not really with a personal God but with an idea full of traditions. To understand yourself the world teaches psychology. The guide under the false Christian traditions becomes psychology and the false science of an evolving human that will eventually overcome sin simply by understanding his biological makeup.

 
There is a large percentage of COGers who are just along with the flow too.  I can't tell you how many I know in various COG's that tell me they only stay because their kids have friends in the church, or that they would miss the Feast.  Others are afraid to leave because their only friends are in the church.  So they comfort themselves with false friendships that are in truth only acquaintances. (Leave the church and you will quickly see how many "true" friends you actually had.) They find comfort in large Feast gatherings because it brings back memories of the "good old days."  It's comforting being around people of like minds who never challenge each other do deep thinking or have even deeper conversations.  It's comforting being around people who never question why things are.

Christianity's view on God as a kindly father who forgives is certainly more comforting than the god of Armstrongism that is sitting there with an itchy trigger finger ready to zap humanity for being a bunch of rebellious children.  Death, destruction and stern judgement is the only thing that Armstrongism's god offers.

Armstrongism does not allow a personal relationship with it's god.  How can it when it is a god filled with so much vengeance and violence.

He writes a whole lot more gibberish here:  True Christians, Thinking and the Human Mind

Ron Weinland: Certain Salutations Are Restricted To Ministers Only

Mike has a short entry about Ron Weinland's latest sermon delivered in God's appointed place, a basement.

Ron seems to be ready to disfellowship a member of his cult, probably a minister, for causing division.  He has been blabbering on for several weeks about "going to your brother" first. With Ron harping on this week after week, it will not cause too much trauma if he decides to publicly mark and disfellowship one of his top lap poodles.  The members will think Ron went to the "brother" first and after repeated attempts now has to publicly kick the offender out.

Ron is also making it clear to church members that they are not to sign letters "In Christ's service".  Only ordained men in good standing and who are loyal tithe payers can even dare to sign a letter that way.  Members apparently are too stupid to ever do anything in Christ's service.

Ron seemed to be winding up his series on “going to a brother”, titling this one as “Gaining a Brother”.  He discussed the mechanism for confronting an offending fellow member.  Boiled down to confronting them first in private, but it that doesn’t work to turn it over to an elder.  Only ministers are allowed to sign letters “In Christ’s Service”, as they have authority given them by Christ. It's About The Relationships Stupid

"Are You Special to God, Because You Keep the Sabbath?"

Are You Special to God, Because You Keep the Sabbath?

In reality no one keeps the Sabbath, even when they think they do.  If you think you keep the Sabbath, then let me recommend to you the article penned by former Seventh Day Adventist Robert K. Sanders, who penned "Renouncing The Sabbath After 47 Years as of 2002."  Also see his website at Truth or Fables?.  The "Sabbath" day of the week is a great bondage to many human beings, who think that by not working on the seventh day, they will be favored in the eyes of God.  NOT SO!

The religious world is overrun with religious people who think they are favored for one reason or another.  In some religious circles, the women wear long drab dresses to the ankles and a net-bonnet on their head, as if this signifies some form of virtue.  NOT SO!    Going to church on Sunday does not incur some special status in the eyes of God either.    Religious minded human beings have always thought in terms of rituals, legalistic rules, sacrifices (animal and such) and no end to "laws" attributed to God.

No doubt God the Creator is much smarter than the religions of men, give Him credit for.  There is NOTHING more profound than simply LOVING others and God is no fool.  Keeping the Sabbath is nonsense.  LOVING others is what makes sense.  You can go church every Sunday or every Saturday and it means nothing.  Want means something is LOVING others.  God is NOT STUPID and what pleasure would God, who is more intelligent than all human beings combined and exponentially so, have in rituals, as if such rituals are "important?"  Why would keeping the Sabbath be important to God?  Why would going to church on Sunday be important to God?

I would venture to say that far more important to God, than tithing, church going, feast-keeping or submission to fake religious authority, is to LOVE others as you love yourself and blessed are the peacemakers and blessed are the merciful and blessed are the meek.  The real reason for church going is not for the benefit of church goers, but for the $profits in the pockets of pastors.  Causing people to live in FEAR of not going to church on the Sabbath and observing annual "Holy" days, guarantees $income for the cult church rulers for the rest of their lives, and that is the real reason for more religious nonsense than Carter has liver pills.

You are never special in the eyes of God because you keep the Sabbath or go to church on Sunday, or grow a beard, or wear ugly dresses to your ankles.


Van Robison