Bob Thiel wants you to know today is Herbert Armstrong's birthday. Bob Thiel also wants you to know that TRUE Christians do NOT celebrate birthdays - they only acknowledge them. WTH?
Like any good Armstrongite trained at Rod Meredith's feet, Debby Downer has to bring death and sex into the birthday
wishes acknowledgements.
Herbert W. Armstrong
was born 121 years ago, on July 31, 1892. And a lot has happened in the
world since he was born. From automobiles to the space age, from paper
to computers and the internet, from WWI to WWII to terrorism, from
societal respect for biblical principles to abortion & homosexual
marriage “rights.” There have been changes.
But “he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).
Even though we in the most faithful COGs actually do not celebrate
(but do acknowledge) birthdays, nor do we celebrate his (see also the
article Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?), since many who come to this page know little about him that this would be a good time to tell a few things about him.
12 comments:
Babe Alert @ 06:45
Penny had it going-on back in the day.
Isn't this hilarious? Back in the days when I was travelling ACOGnito, it was not permitted to know the date of HWA's birth. I had been told that this was done deliberately because "Mr. Armstrong does not want us celebrating his birthday."
We were also reminded that the ancient Jews (our primary example) celebrated the date of notable mens' deaths. (Except, of course, Enoch).
But, hey, why not? Armstrongites can't very well celebrate HWA's resurrection, even though they venerate him more than the Messiah, so why not disobey him and celebrate his birthday?
BB,
The video will take up to a minute to load.
(see also the article Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?)
Did early Christians fly around in jets, ride the elevator instead of walking up the stairs?
Did early Christians call Wednesday "hump day"? Did early Christians flush after taking a dump? Did early Christians take a shower in the morning or in the evening?
We need to know the answers to these very important questions if we are to copy the early Christians.
But, back to the original question.
Yes, the Jews, the gentiles and even space aliens (gods) celebrated birthdays. So, yes, the early Christians celebrated birthdays. If they had a rule against it, they would have said so.
But, hey!, don't waste your money on birthday gifts and stuff - send it in. The head preacherman needs it for him and his family more than your family needs it.
Armstrong's wedding anniversary was the same as his birthday, July 31st.
No Armstrong fan here AT ALL, but I too, was born today, July 31st.
Not sure if this makes me Zecharriah, or Malachi or whatever, but Im sure I can spin it to start my own cult if I so desired!
Joe Moeller
Cody, WY
This is warmed over JW nonsense. Their article on the subject is virtually identical to the article Ken Herrman plagiarized and published.
Yeah Bob whatever ya' reckon!
It astounds me how all of these faithful Armstrongites--oops "Christians"--believe they are pure and holy because they have agreed to the proof texting interpretations of HW Armstrong!
I once believed this stupid doctrine too. And ironically it was an independent Armstrongite (who left WCG decades ago during the scandals of the 1970s i.e. incest, 1975 false prophecy, etc) that enlightened me to the utter illogical, historically inaccurate and unbiblical arguments of HWA & WCG re banning birthday celebrations.
Basically what made me think twice about HWA's dogma re birthdays was that if you read the story about Joseph in prison & the dreams of the baker & cupbearer in Genesis 40 the cupbearer is restored to his position on Pharaoh's birthday while the baker is executed. So don't you think that the cupbearer would've had reason to celebrate future birthdays of the Pharaoh? To extend it further just because something bad happens on a specific day isn't reason enough to no longer celebrate it otherwise why do they celebrate Passover when Christ was murdered on that day?! Isn't that bad?! Doesn't that mean all Passovers are bad and shouldn't be celebrated?! The other "evidence" HWA used to support his faulty doctrine like Job's children celebrating each day of the week, Jeremiah's lament that he wished he had never been born & John the Baptist's execution on Herod's birthday all again reflects terribly poor hermeneutics & proof texting.
The more I study--or RE-study--HWA's doctrines the more I learn how outrageously guilty he was of proof texting, distortion & eisegesis that it makes me very upset that he got away with duping so many people including myself for so long! Now I know how Jeremiah felt & wish I had never been born! Actually strike that I just wish I had NEVER EVER heard of HWA & his "church"!!!
It will come as a shock to some of you still in the Cult of Herbert Armstrong, but News Flash: Herbert Armstrong is Dead!
So many of you continue to act as if he's still around, but on a long journey and will be back any time. He's not coming back. He's a dead false prophet.
And celebrating his birthday is repugnant, sort of like having a party for Joe Stalin (Joseph Tkach, Senior), Gengis Kahn and Hitler. Are we seeing celebrations of Joseph Tkach, Senior's birthday, by the way? It's just amazing that so many put so much offering into someone who came up so short and was so fat.
The Day After
As Professor Farnsworth would say, "Good News, everyone!"
Some of you know about "Showdown at Big Sandy" by Dr. Greg Doudna, but have been put off buying the book because it's been $258 at Amazon.com (probably because I bought the last two copies at a reasonable price). Now it is back at a reasonable price and is even on Nook at Barnes & Noble: Greg's website, Scollery.com.
Also many of the chapters are online there. Don't just catch the 4 chapters on British Israelism, go on and read Chapter 20 on tithing. The Cult of Herbert Armstrong has no more excuse for tithing.
"But," CoHA members may ask, "how can we keep the Feasts?!".
To which I reply, "Exactly".
Ah, yes. Fert-Elijah is now fert-elijah. Several of his fans and imitators have expressed interest in becoming fert-elisha.
BB
How do we "keep the feasts" without tithing money?!?!
I'm sorry, but where does it say in Scripture:
1) You must tithe money or
2) To keep the Lev. 23 feasts you must tithe money????
To answer: NOWHERE!
The TRUTH about tithing for 1 thing has been widely available for decades if the CoHA truly wanted to know what the Bible really teaches about it! 1 valuable resource on the topic IMO has been Kelly's "Should the church teach tithing?" www.truthforfree.com/files/PDF/REK-Tithing3.pdf
Tim,
I was unable to get your link to work.
Is the "Kelly" you refer to, Russell Earl Kelly?
Russell Earl Kelly is certainly an interesting person, having come to the conclusion that tithing is not a Christian obligation, despite his Baptist-oriented education.
His conclusions differ sharply from megachurch leaders and others who mock him.
(And his conclusions also differ from mainstream Christians' views- like Creflo Dollar, who has said that non-tithers should be rounded up, lined up, and shot in the head with Uzi submachine guns.)
Funny, how those "Christian leaders" who are raking in cash from ignorant people, so strongly believe in tithing!
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