Meredith is back today with a third letter. This one is unique in it's hypocrisy concerning the original reasons that he called he fast for and how he has twisted it around to say that LCG is not trying to force God to intervene in their situation but rather to humble the LCG into realizing they are weak and in need of guidance.
Part of the problem with his letter is that he quotes the scripture about not fasting to show off or draw attention to themselves. What then exactly was the point of calling a fast to begin with? It was to call attention to the Church in the eyes of the members. It also was to let the members know that there were serious issues in Charlotte that they did not know about. But worse, it was to let the membership know that they were partially to blame-as usual. If the membership had been more faithful they would be sending in more money. More money would have kept the Canadian TV stations. The membership is also grumbling about Meredith grooming his son to take over. This is also causing serious issues in the membership.
Pray, fast and repent. Cry out in lamentation, mourn and weep!
When exactly have we seen Rod Meredith cry in lamentation, mourn and weep for the things he has done to destroy the lives of COG members over the decades? Could it be that the issues happening in the Living Church of God right now started right at the top and the top is not holding its self accountable?
"Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (vv. 9–10). Brethren, that is God’s promise to us! We must humble ourselves, and must not let down in the matter of prayer and fasting!"
Note: Underlining is from the person who sent this to me to point out the hypocrisy.
By Prayer and Fasting...By Roderick C. Meredith | Saturday, February 23, 2013Scripture tells us what our Savior did to acquire spiritual strength, in connection with the devil’s attack on Him: "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted [or tried] by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry" (Matthew 4:1–2). Notice—He fasted!
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His disciples to give generously from the heart, and to pray to God continually. Notice that He said, "Moreover, when you fast…" (Matthew 6:16). He did not say "if" you fast; He took it for granted that His disciples would fast. Christ said, "when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward" (ibid.). In other words, the hypocrites’ reward is whatever praise they receive from other people for showing off their fasting.
We Christians are not to punish ourselves, thinking that this will force God to hear our prayers. God is not interested in penance. That is just as if you or I would take whips and beat each other’s backs, saying, "Look at our suffering, God, so hear us." The idea behind our fasting is quite different from that. We seek the invisible God. We fast to humble ourselves—to make ourselves realize how weak we are, and that we are little children, saying, in effect: "Father, we are up against a great army, and there are great forces around us. We don’t always know what we should do, and we need your help. We need guidance. And we need deliverance. Please help us draw near to You."
Prayer and fasting go together. There was a time when the prophet Daniel really, desperately wanted to know what would happen in the future: "Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). Prayer always goes along with fasting.
Daniel went on: "And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, ’O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned…’" (vv. 4–5). Notice he did not say, "Oh, we’ve been good, and we’ve done no wrong, and You don’t have any right to punish us."
Rather, he told God he was sorry, and that "we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments…. Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face" (vv. 5, 7).
Notice the result of Daniel’s prayerful fast. An archangel came to him and told him: "At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved" (v. 23). Why was Daniel so greatly loved? Because he humbled himself sincerely before God.
Prayer and fasting are at the center of a true Christian’s life! To learn more about that life, read our article, What Is True Christianity?, or our free booklet, Your Ultimate Destiny! As you draw closer to God through prayer and fasting, you will come to know Him far more than you ever imagined possible!
Yet, as we fast, we need to remember James’ caution, "do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ’The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? But He gives more grace [grace greater than the lust of the human spirit]. Therefore He says: ’God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’" (James 4:5–6). This is a vital point. Then: "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (vv. 9–10). Brethren, that is God’s promise to us! We must humble ourselves, and must not let down in the matter of prayer and fasting!"
38 comments:
When I was hearing about Meredith complaining that income was down I just ignored it as a typical post-Christmas down turn.
But now after hearing how LCG are losing TV spots in Canada it is now clear that is a real problem for LCG.
I've heard reading around the COG blogosphere that about 150-200 LCG members have joined that unordained false prophet Bob Thiel. I have no idea how true this may be but it would represent a most unwelcome financial set back for LCG.
(Why anyone would choose to follow him is beyond me. He greatly failed me, and he will greatly fail them.)
I'll repeat what Mr. Rumney said, a smart man would anticipate that income would go down after Christmas and budget accordingly, instead of forcing members to not observe Christmas, Easter or birthdays in a terribly cruel and anti-social cost saving measure (that still fails to halt income drop after Christmas, it would seem).
Did Meredith (or anyone at LCG HQ) anticipate that this might be a problem?
I hope LCG disintegrate. That Meredith has inflicted unimaginable suffering upon what Armstrongites call "God's Church".
He was the main enforcer of HWA's divorce and remarriage policy which destroyed countless families but no good reason.
He hypocritically had eye surgery to save sight in one eye while COG members were dying or getting sick because they were told by HWA and co. that to rely on medicine is idolatrous.
He also regularly lies on his TV show by saying that we [LCG] will give you information that you can find nowhere else, and this is complete nonsense. It is particularly astounding because on WGN it broadcast several COG TV programs. What must the viewers think when they see he speaks such complete nonsense? It astounds me he can say such obviously untrue statements but this simply reveals that he is a liar and he has no love of any kind of verifiable truth. He has devoted far too many years to spreading the lies of Armstrongism.
He needs to repent and renounce Armstrongism and stop spreading these harmful and inaccurate doctrines that HWA devised from his own imagination, and not from God.
He can't renounce what he has invested his whole life in promoting. If he admitted his error he would see his life for it it was. Not only did he hurt many in the church with his false teachings, in promoting his relition as true Christianity he discredited God and repelled people from Him. He joins the ranks of Peter Popoff, Oral Roberts, and so many others.
What strikes me as so utterly ludicrous is this idea that fasting is necessary because of this downturn in income/loss of stations,etc. You know, all the stuff that the church is putatively doing to get out God's message to mankind before all hell breaks loose. So, the church has problems, they need to get back close to god by fasting, supposedly, because if not, what? Gospel not preached as a witness ("and then shall the end (not) come") God's master plan falls through? They're holding up the works, are they? Ay carumba.
Cancellation of the proclamation of the gospel? Three manipulative, arm-twisting letters designed to wring every drop of green milk out of the poor sheep's teats in one week? This must be a very serious financial crisis, and must really be weighing on the mind of the presiding evangelist right now. If he were religious, he would have to conclude that god was "closing a door" for him and for "the work" of LCG. Too bad he isn't, meaning that he'll continue to do everything he can to hold onto this "flock" and continue to milk them for all they're worth for no good reason.
This mini drama makes me appreciate the Stargate "Ark of Truth" even more.
Fasting for money is extremely offensive: A CoG7 Minister said, "I've never heard such a thing!"
The Cult of Herbert Armstrong has no perspective at all in its insane little microcosm of ego and money -- has no view at all what this looks like to those outside this crazy realm.
As Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their dead" as the cult dies from entropy.
Funny how the "work" never has to fix their problems by better budgeting, etc. like the flock of plucked clean sheep were and even now are always told. Also funny how that omnipotent god they prate about is so powerless to open a floodgate for the needs of "the work" like dumb sheep members are assured will be their reward if they just blindly give what no financially sane individual would give.
How well I remember.
If God doesn't care about your little cult, why should we?
I remember, long after I left the madness of WCG, doing some carpet work for a lady who spent all her time listening to one blathering religious program after another. How she managed to pay me, I have no idea. Her house was a dingy, dirty underfurnished place and it was hard to see because there were very few working lights. She obviously gave just about every dollar she got to keep those blowhards to whom she was addicted living in luxury.
man made madness and the romance of sadness
broken dreams and silent screams
empty churches with soulless curses
dark twisted fantasy marinate in misery
dark twisted fantasy turned to reality
Allen C. Dexter said...
I remember, long after I left the madness of WCG, doing some carpet work for a lady who spent all her time listening to one blathering religious program after another. How she managed to pay me, I have no idea. Her house was a dingy, dirty underfurnished place and it was hard to see because there were very few working lights. She obviously gave just about every dollar she got to keep those blowhards to whom she was addicted living in luxury.
MY COMMENT: Why would she want her carpet professionally cleaned or repaired? I had a carpet cleaning business for almost 14 years and don't remember a single poor person getting their carpet cleaned or repaired.
Ahh, but fasting IS for inflicting the body - just like whipping yourself to force God into intervening on your behalf. Atonement is atoning for your sins just like the heathen and Jews making animal sacrifices to appease their god(s) and turn away the god's anger. Just because some CoG preacher uses "at-one-ment" like a true anagram, it's not what atonement means.
Biblegod loves animal sacrifices and burnt offerings. If you don't believe me, read Gen. 8:20-21. So, feed the god and send poor ole Rod some money.
It's all good right up to the kidney failure.
Douglas Becker said...
It's all good right up to the kidney failure.
Where is the "like" button?
Basically, all their fasting accomplishes is to get their members committed to their particular splinter. If God wants somebody to do a work, He makes it possible for that work to be accomplished. The fact that a ministry is in trouble, dying on the vine would seem to indicate that there is something fundamentally wrong!
It is also very difficult in these ACOGs to forecast when a new splintering event will disrupt their finances. Subleaders are not satisfied with their own level of authority or fame, and they no longer discipline themselves in such a manner as to do what is best for the flock which they all seem to want to call "God's Church"
The Gamaliel syndrome, once again, and a simple church wide fast can't correct for that!
BB
"The Gamaliel syndrome" had already happened. Within one hundred years of when Jesus supposedly lived the "church" had dozens of splinter groups. The two main sects were the docetists and the proto-catholics.
By the end of the second century, there had been so much forgery and interpolation and other tampering going on that no one could make head or tail of what the original Christians even believed - and still can't.
"By the end of the second century, there had been so much forgery and interpolation and other tampering going on that no one could make head or tail of what the original Christians even believed - and still can't."
That's the crux of it,Corky. But, everybody wants to speak assuredly of what they absolutely know has to be the only right way as they look in the mirror at their "god."
I've been saying this since I came across it in the Friends of the Sabbath daily Bible reading, but Isaiah 58:2-6 is particularly instructive as to the REAL reasons Spanky called the fast
I'm watching the documentary on Waco. The bitter ex-members here on the Internet might say the Church was and is terrible, but it was and is nowhere near as systematically terrible as the Branch Davidians, or impacting millions of children, the way the Catholics did
The Branch Davidians clearly (still) follow a man, much like the idolaters in the Church did (and do) follow men. That doesn't mean there weren't, and aren't, those of us who have always, and still do, follow the Head of the Church only.
"political issues at LCG HQ"
Charming. If that isn't proof enough that LCG has missed the mark, and doesn't have God's endorsement (none of the splinter groups do) I don't know what is.
"He was the main enforcer of HWA's divorce and remarriage policy which destroyed countless families but no good reason."
Which was repealed.
"He hypocritically had eye surgery to save sight in one eye while COG members were dying or getting sick because they were told by HWA and co. that to rely on medicine is idolatrous."
Which was repealed.
You are also leaving out the salient information that Meredith was disfellowshipped from the Church and everyone I knew thought the sermons he gave after he managed to ingratiate himself back into the leadership (note, NOT back into the Church, because once you're DFed, that's it), were genuinely whackadoodle.
"Fasting for money is extremely offensive: A CoG7 Minister said, "I've never heard such a thing!""
Neither have I, and I was born and raised in the Church. And you're right, Douglas, it is extremely offensive.
Corky,
Regarding your thoughts on fasting, I would recommend you track down a BBC documentary (I can't find it on YouTube) called "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer" -- there are proven health benefits to fasting, and it is not just some wacko thing the Church does; fasting (or an approximation thereof) is present in nearly all world religions.
Velvet said:
>>"He was the main enforcer of HWA's divorce and remarriage policy which destroyed countless families but no good reason."
Which was repealed.<<
But the pain he and HWA inflicted by enforcing this most wicked policy lives on forever.
We have every right to be offended and condemn HWA and Meredith for this horrific and systematic act of abuse that destroyed countless families for no good reason.
Velvet said:
>>"He hypocritically had eye surgery to save sight in one eye while COG members were dying or getting sick because they were told by HWA and co. that to rely on medicine is idolatrous."
Which was repealed.<<
HWA never repealed that most horrific doctrine of his. Even though HWA went to doctors and took medication in his later life he still taught his anti-medicine superstition till the end of his life. It is impossible to know how many people have died before their time or been inflicted with life long medical complications that could have been avoided because of this most horrific doctrine which HWA plagiarized from the Jehovah's Witnesses.
From 1921 till 1952 the Jehovah's Witnesses' leaders forbade their followers from taking vaccines. It seems most likely that HWA believed them and embraced this doctrine, although he certainly abandoned the idea for himself later on, but he still continued to teach this damnable doctrine of death till his death.
It was Tkach, Sr. who 'repealed' it in one of the very first reforms he made in WCG. Thankfully many COG members today know better, have moved on from this most dastardly superstition and see doctors for treatment and take their medicine.
Velvet said:
>>You are also leaving out the salient information that Meredith was disfellowshipped from the Church and everyone I knew thought the sermons he gave after he managed to ingratiate himself back into the leadership (note, NOT back into the Church, because once you're DFed, that's it), were genuinely whackadoodle.<<
First of all this information is not salient for what I was saying in my previous comment. I was simply listing some of the reasons why Meredith deserves no one's tithes or offering because of the many terrible things he have done, often at the command of HWA.
Also I'm not sure what you are referring to here. If you referring to Meredith's little exile to Hawaii in 1979 it is my understanding that he was never disfellowshiped but simply taken out of headquarters.
If you are referring to what happened under Tkach Sr. then I have to say that it is quite difficult to know precisely what happened during those turbulent times.
You say his sermons were whackadoodle and not just you but your associates thought so too. I agree with you.
You should share them with us. I encourage you to bring these things out into the open. Alas, far too many in the COGs continue to think that Meredith is worthy of respect. He is not.
That is why I started up my blog in the hope of informing people why HWA, Meredith and the other COG 'leaders' do not deserve anyone's allegiance.
Velvet said...
Corky,
Regarding your thoughts on fasting, I would recommend you track down a BBC documentary (I can't find it on YouTube) called "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer" -- there are proven health benefits to fasting, and it is not just some wacko thing the Church does; fasting (or an approximation thereof) is present in nearly all world religions.
Find where it says in the Bible that fasting was for the purpose of health and living longer. And, yes, it is present in nearly all religions but so is animal and human sacrifice, so?
not sure if anyone caught this or not, that does not even look remotely like the Rod kind of writing we normally see. Who wrote that for him? Also, the we would be stupid not to... comment from the last letter sounds more like a Joe Jr. type thing, so is sonny boy now writing his letters?
Strange to me that the writing is so very different.
If he took a $100,000 pay cut that would free some money to waste on Canadian TV and still leave him $20,000 to live on (like his beat-up followers)
Rod King making big six-figure-salary in Meredith cult
Anonymous said...
"not sure if anyone caught this or not, that does not even look remotely like the Rod kind of writing we normally see. Who wrote that for him?"
I believe this is a good observation. It is not RCM style. This is agreat example of how theologians can tell that books in the Bible also were written many authors and not those whose name is affixed. It is why no serious theologian thinks any Paul wrote Hebrews or some of the letters attributed to him.
Yep, no doubt. The letter doesn't have the "usual" style of Rod, with "quotes" designated throughout, very much in the "style" of his mentor and "father figure" HWA.
And no mentions of God spanking anyone, to boot.
"Rod" supposedly wrote: "...Yet, as we fast, we need to remember James’ caution, "do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ’The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? ,,,"
Why capitalize "Spirit," because it has nothing to do with God's Spirit. The verse is speaking about a spirit that lusts...envies...and God's Spirit does no such thing.
If anything it is Satan's spirit that bears that sort of fruit/works in one's life.
Does Rod really know what he is talking about?
Also, Rod....it's God or mammon and it looks like Rod is looking for mammon and not God. If God really wanted more done, wouldn't He just provide the mammon anyway?
John
uh....no offense John but you bunged the meaning of James 5:4-5 up more than you think RCM did..I'm thinking you don't know what you are talking about and have missed the point
context-context-context John. The verse is about God wishing to see the Spirit he gave us working in us but that is also why we are extended grace...doi
RCM used James 5:4-5 in its intended way Your view is bogus
another problem with James quoting "does not the scripture say" is that no known scripture says that so it is difficult to know what old James was gettiing at or where he got it
Holy crap!
I saw this entry has 33 comments! I didn't read them yet, but I will.
I wonder if has to do with Ms. Velvet.
But my comment is this:
Meredith should try to be less of a jerk, and offer free hamburgers and potato salad to everyone, on what were to be fast days.
-Norm
You mean the Ms. Velvet who's presenting the refreshingly straight-up Armstrongist points of view? I may not be religious anymore, but I'm so glad I know the truth, which means, proceed directly to the third resurrection and a quick bath in a lake, which is so much better than eternal torture. As an atheist, I believe what matters is not so much that you're lost, but from whose brand of religion you've lapsed from, because that's what's going to determine what your eventual punishment is going to be. lol
Hey Norm, is Ms. Velvet one of your Jennies?
~Miguel de la Rodente
BB,
I don't know what you mean by, "one of your Jennies"
I've known a few people named Jenny, but none of them are mine.
-Norm
Jenny was on another COG forum. She had an answer for everything and had no time at all fir anyone who had left the cult and then spoke out about it. Everyone was always bitter in her sight.
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