I was checking out the COGWA web site tonight just to see how they talk about Jesus, the god they claim to follow. As usual there is not a whole to about Jesus, his miracles and healing of unconverted broken people, no mention of Jesus breaking bread with prostitutes and the outcasts of society, nothing about the parables filled with metaphors about being there for the other, nothing about unconditional grace, nothing about rest in Jesus, not much of anything about Jesus. There was however, LOTS and LOTS of law. Myriads of lists of things you should not and cannot do. Rules and regulations abound. Typical Armstrongite proof-texting abounds, but no Jesus.
Britten writes:
The Ten Commandments are some pretty simple rules of life. In fact, Jesus taught that these are laws of love—loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. They were designed by our Creator to be very basic and easy-to-remember rules that would help us live the right way and enjoy the resulting blessings. But where are we today with regard to the most fundamental of God’s laws?
Here’s a test for you. Can you, right now, list the 10 Commandments? If you can, you’re a rare person!
In a 2007 survey of 1,000 Americans—including churchgoers—80 percent could name “two all-beef patties” as the main ingredients of a Big Mac, but only 60 percent knew “Thou shalt not kill” was one of the 10 Commandments!
Less than half, 45 percent, knew that “honor thy father and mother” was a commandment, but 62 percent knew that a Big Mac has a pickle!
Forty-three percent of those surveyed could recall that Peter and Bobby were characters on the old Brady Bunch TV show, but only 34 percent recalled that “remember the Sabbath” and “do not make false idols” were among the 10 Commandments.
This level of ignorance is amazing and, I must say, immensely disrespectful to God!
Better yet, how about asking a COGWA member to tell you about Jesus, who he was and what he did. The level of ignorance will be amazing, and I must say, immensely disrespectful to God and Jesus.
Well , people do not know the 10 commandments, nor do they do a real good job at keeping the ones they know anyway.
ReplyDeleteHowever, to be fair, lets see if you REALLY do know more about the Brady Bunch than you do about the 10 commandments!...
#1 How many Brady's live in the house?
Your Answer: (Show Hint)
#2 Who is Alice's boyfriend?
Mike
Sam
Bob
Joe
Billy Bob
#3 What Brady is the oldest?
Your Answer: (Show Hint)
#4 The Bradys rode down the Grand Canyon on donkeys.
True
False
#5 The Bradys went to what tropical location?
Your Answer: (Show Hint)
#6 What mascot from a rival school did Greg once keep?
Pig
Goat
Horse
Bulldog
#7 What is the Brady's dog named?
Pooh
Tiger
Happy
Hank
#8 What is Mike Brady's occupation?
Your Answer:
#9 What color was the Brady's refrigerator?
Your Answer:
#10 The Bradys put on a play of what Disney classic?
Your Answer:
(ANSWERS IN POST BELOW)
Joe Moeller
Cody, WY
ANSWERS --hey no sneak peaking! ;-)
ReplyDelete1. 8
2. Sam
3. Greg
4. TRUE
5. Hawaii
6. Goat
7. Tiger
8. Architect
9. Green/Avocado
10. Snow White
Luv,
Joe Moeller
Cody, WY
There's no way that Greg is older than his dad Mike. Mike is a Brady too. I would have said Alice, but she's not really a Brady. I did pretty well, but didn't know about the Grand Canyon, the play, and couldn't recall the color of the fridge.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, COG people may be able to recite the 10 Commandments, but who cares? That doesn't mean they practice these "easy-to-remember rules," which they don't. But I guess rote memorization of the instructions is all you need to be the weather god's only chosen special faithful people. Totally neglecting to follow those instructions is not disrespectful? I guess "living the right way" isn't necessary to "enjoy the resulting blessings," which they all claim to "enjoy." All you have to do is memorize the rules, not follow them. After you've memorized them, then the weather god stops noticing, I guess.
The 10 Commandments are those who are not very far along spiritually: Designed for "unconverted" Israelites, they were so simple even a child could mostly understand them, except the one about adultery (unless they were part of a family in United that went through a nasty divorce as a result of it).
ReplyDeleteNo, the Cult of Herbert Armstrong has never gotten to the New Testament, specifically to Matthew 5: 6: 7: -- "You have heard it said..." "...But I say to you...".
Now here's a challenge: How many of the 10 Commandments do the leaders of United keep?
Careful now, Jesus is watching and He doesn't much like liars.
(It's entirely possible the Brady Bunch kept more of them.)
And just think of it: United is considered one of the better ACoGs.
Perhaps it's time to put the Old Testament away as an Olde Testament Christian (no such thing exists), blow the dust off your New Testament and delve into the Beatitudes.
Or maybe just get a beginning book on ethics.
This is basic Herbert W. Armstrong 101. I definitely remember him flapping those hog jowls over this. He always claimed to preach the gospel that Jesus preached, the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. He complained that somehow this had become lost, and that in most people's minds, the gospel had become about the person of Jesus.
ReplyDeleteHWA was correct regarding the fact Jesus preached about the coming Kingdom. But, He certainly didn't downplay or diminish His own importance, His role in the eventual restitution or reconciliation of all things! Neither did the writers of the epistles. Jesus made it all about Himself when he made statements such as "I am the way", or his much quoted words to Nicodemus in John 3:16. What about the words of Peter and Paul in their addresses to Jews and non believers in the book of Acts? All about Jesus, and Him crucified.
I have never understood how or why HWA felt that he had arrived at superior theology by omitting from his gospel, or deemphasizing the parts about the person and saving power of Jesus Christ. That has never made good practical theological sense to me. HWA believed and taught that Jesus had become our Savior because he had perfectly kept the Law of Moses. Yet it is abundantly clear that Jesus and the disciples were constantly exposing themselves to things which, according to the Law of Moses, would make them unclean. They did this in order to minister to, and heal people. Also, there is no difference between bending down to pick some corn, or bending down to pick up some manna. Jesus became our Savior by perfectly doing the will of the Father, and by keeping the law behind the law, the Royal Law of Love. Jesus told people to keep His commandments, and the commandments which He gave are known today as the Two Great Commandments of The Lord, each dealing with the love that WCG theology teaches has been overemphasized by mainstream Christianity. Yet, when you do downplay the love aspects of Jesus' and the real apostles' teachings, you end up with a Flurry or Pack cult. I certainly hope this isn't the direction that the COGWA is going in
BB
BB said: "I have never understood how or why HWA felt that he had arrived at superior theology by omitting from his gospel, or deemphasizing the parts about the person and saving power of Jesus Christ."
ReplyDeleteIt was all marketing shtick. He pointed out the flaws in protestantism and said "Can you believe how dumb they are? Come with us; we know the truth. Plus, you can save your skin in the place of saftety because the world is ending in a few short years."
That summarized the gospel of HWA as he tried to cleave off a segment of protestantism for himself. He couldn't demonize the protestants and then turn around and say that they were right on some things. Thus we have the anti-protestantism that still persists in the COGs today.
Here's a test for UCGers who know the ten Old Testament "commandments":
ReplyDelete1. Where does the bible say that a MAN is to be an "ordained minister", and get a hefty salary for being one? Can you find those two words anywhere in the scriptures? Should a man peddle the word of god for a profit?
2. Where does the bible tell us that New Testament "ministers" are Melchizedec priests?
3. Where does the bible say that a true Christian should tithe?
4. Where does the bible mention a "second" tithe or a "third" tithe?
5. Where does the bible tell us that the Gentile "churches" went up to Jerusalem to keep the feasts? Where can we find the whos, the whats, the wheres, the whys, the hows, and the whens of feast keeping in the New Testament, and where in the bible does it tell true Christians to rely on the Jewish calendar?
6. What does the bible say is the true REST of a Christian?
7. Does the bible tell us what the true gospel is?
8. What does it mean, "Whatsoever is bound in heaven....."?
9. Where in the bible does it tell us that the "true church" would be in existence now, today?
10. Where in the bible does it tell us that there are three resurrections?
11. Why won't any of the Brady bunch be in the first resurrection?
Byker Bob said...
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope this isn't the direction that the COGWA is going in
MY COMMENT: Have you been to COGWA lately? Do you know who's in charge over there? More die hard Armstrong yes men! Leopards don't change their spots. As long as they're making money, why change anything? Besides, the "ministers" will go wherever they can get paid. If the well runs dry over there, they'll look somewhere else for more "water".
How many COGers can define basic Christian terms such as:
ReplyDeleteGrace?
Justification?
Saved by Grace?
The Double Imputation?
Shame on Britt Taylor for being so ignorant and disrespectful to God - and especially for not teaching his people the essentials!
Last time I saw Britt, he looked like he had eaten the entire law and all the prophets. Perhaps he skipped over the biblical prohibitons against gluttony.
That's the way with the law pushers - they are outwardly convicted of failure to keep the same law with which they burdon others.
Only 9 of the Ten Commandments are repeated after Pentecost. The Sabbath, a ceremonial, not moral law, is not repeated. WCG's do not keep the Sabbath as instructed (those who break it are not killed). Giving (voluntary) is urged, tithing (mandatory) is not mentioned in the NT (after Pentecost). The true Gospel message is I Cor 15, that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures.
ReplyDeleteJesus was a priest, like Melchizedek in that he was both priest and king (no separation of church and state back then). Jesus said I will be with you to the end of the age which suggests that Christians (the church, the body of Christ) will always be. The church is not an organization, but an organism, the body of Christ. Perhaps a higher percentage of the Brady Bunch will be in the first resurrection than members of some of the COG's. Saved by grace through faith, not agreement with a cult's teachings or organization membership.