Umm...Doc, Where have you been?
Dr. Thiel wants us to notice what he said last week about Dave Pack's delusions.
August 2013 is now history. The massive reunification that that David Pack, leader of the improperly named Restored Church of God (RCG) claimed should have happened did not.
This is no surprise. Notice what I posted a just over a week ago at the News of Those Once Affiliated with GCG page"
"I have absolute confidence that David Pack is wrong about a lot of this and there is no possible way that any significant amount of Philadelphian remnant Christians will go to him and become part of his church by August 30, etc. I will be correct."
and this little piece of barfage...
"Either David Pack is right about that effectively all of God’s people will come to him on August 30, 2013 or I am right that they will not. Just because David Pack is not God’s apostle, does not mean that someone such as I do not have a prophetic role from God. Those in RCG, and elsewhere, need to consider how they should act and what they should do (see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God). “Take heed, all you people!” (2 Chronicles 18:27).
Of course, I was right."
Hi...My name is Smuggly
Aside from the good folk at Banned HWA saying this for the past SIX MONTHS, Bob's use of "Notice of what I posted" and "I will be correct" is just the mini me version Dave Pack's personality and approach to "knowing." Robert goes out of his way to say one way or the other that his readers need to either realize or admit that "HE" noticed this , that or the other reality before they did. I suppose this is what Non-Prophets with a double portion of precisely nothing expect of themselves.
But no matter. Bob Thiel has the very same self absorbed tendencies as Dave Pack and like most, has no awareness of it. He mistakes his own ego centric views for some sort of spiritual insight which it is not. This trait among the "creame of the crud" for lack of a better concept theologically which I actually hate but it fits here, is unprofessional and misguided. COG members get so used to it, they don't realize genuinely trained ministers and theologians would not survive five minutes with these attitudes about themselves infiltrating and infesting every comment about every topic they can come up with Biblically. Episcopal Priests have their scriptures for the day and 12 minutes to stick to the topic, which they do very well. I sense there are plenty of things they leave out, but they don't promote themselves, no not for a second....
I just returned from a second Episcopal service. Very formal and very predictable and I can't say it helps me with my own theological conflicts, but one thing is very clear.
It actually confirms them as I gaze upon the stained glass of a literal lamb on a cross which in my mind is the symbol of the end of the Age of Aries 2000 years ago when the SUN , in the constellation of Aries the Ram/Lamb moved out of the Easter Spring position at the crossing of the ecliptic and the celestial equator to be replaced by the two fish of Pisces, which is the Christian symbol of the last 2000 years. Jesus the Lamb of God wasn't kidding when he is said to have said, "Behold I am with you always, even unto the end of the AGE," which was the Age of Aries. . Ok, Dennis...drop it! :)
But also, it is obvious the Priests are not fools. They don't promote themselves or their own views of themselves or obscure passages and pet ideas. They are educated and know more than they probably can actually say to a congregation about how things really are in theological studies. My sense of the average congregant, who are very high end successful and a positive influence on the community is not all that Biblically literate. It does not seem to be a need. They don't harp on being the True Church and making snarky comments about "splinters and slivers." The Priest certainly does not make a complete ass out himself by finding himself spoken of in the Bible as either "that Prophet", "A double portioned Prophet", or "Joshua the High Priest." Pull any of that and you lose.
In the COG and many fundamentalist churches, ignorance is almost proof of calling and being the true church. I hear it all the time here on the radio. Preachers making fun of going to college or some "fancy seminary" when all you need is the "Word of God!" (Audience snickering..) In Greenville, and up until the mid 70's, the Mill owners gave huge donations to local churches for Pastors to discourage kids from going to college. They were needed in the mills and the clergy pointed them that way...Bastards. I can't tell you how many radio sermons around here begin with, "Now I ain't the smartest pea in the pod," or "I don't got no fancy education but...." Ignorance and mere Bible reading is a badge of honor around here and all the credentials you need to be God's man of faith and power.. Half the ministers who I ask just what their theological credentials are tell me, "I quit drankin'" Really? Great.......
I have to say that I personally cringe at my own "theological education" at Ambassador, which I swear to you know who, I thought was a real seminary when I turned down going to Roberts Wesleyan Seminary in Rochester, to go there. Now naive. I know I was educated in Bible reading. That's all Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Ron Weinland and now Mini Non-Prophet Bob Thiel are educated in. It's mostly what Baptists fundamentalists are educated in and certainly what Bob Jonesers down the street get. It's why I got rid of the TV 12 years ago and upgraded myself so, even without credentials, I could live with myself when I spoke of things theological and get the background, history and even the problems with scripture half way understood and recognized so as not to mislead anyone or to be really able to give an answer of whatever is still left in me.
At any rate, wake up Dr. Thiel. See if you can go an entire day without writing about how YOU understood this or that or YOU pointed something out before others saw it in your own mind. Are we supposed to say "wow....he saw that coming. He must be a prophet."? If you don't, you're just another Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry or Ron Weinland in a not very convincing disguise seeking whom you may devour, which we already suspect even if you don't.
...and get a booster seat to at least be even with the book shelf when you major in minors giving sermons.
9 comments:
HE will be correct, not God. Just HE, HIM, HIMSELF alone!
The almighty mouth and catholic prophet of prophets.
Let us have a moment of silence now.
"Episcopal Priests have their scriptures for the day and 12 minutes to stick to the topic, which they do very well."
There is a saying in the Episcopal Church that a sermon should be about 10 minutes and about Jesus.
The COGs fail on both points.
Stephen
AC was not an institution of higher learning. It was an institution of indoctrination. RCM in first year Bible class said that he was once a Golden Gloves Boxer in his youth. It takes courage to be involved in such sports. But in the classroom, he was a coward. He was afraid to allow for the free discussion of ideas. Worse than their ignorance was their arrogance. Only they had the truth and other groups were mocked. I am embarrassed to think that I was a small part of it for a few years. "Never in doubt, seldom correct" should have replaced their "Recapture True Values" motto.
I was one of the deceived true believers in those indoctrination classes hanging on every word that came out of idiot mouths. I had an instinctive dislike of Rod Meredith and his boring ramblings from scripture to scripture to scripture but was too taken in to realize what a fool I was to sit there and listen. We had "the truth" I had convinced myself, so I just swallowed whatever was sent my way. At least I learned the lesson well and no longer fall for that kind of garbage.
I just spent way too long reading bob's http://www.cogwriter.com/true-prophet.htm
Like Dave Pack, he takes reems of print to get to the obvious intent of his article. "And yes brethren, I am a prophet." What BS.
I never got the double portion whammy that Bob relies on for his credibility in his own mind. I was told "For you Dennis, the sky is the limit," when I graduated. I never thought that meant it was obvious I was an angel or a fighter pilot. Maybe I should have lol.
I think getting back to a real church with a stable clergy and liturgy has awakened me even more to how stupid the COG mindset is concerning "government" and titles is, much less how one man oriented it feels the compulsion to promote.
"Never in doubt. Seldom correct" works!
Bob Thiel says of himself.
"Please understand that on a per attendee basis, the Continuing Church of God appears to reach more people on a regular basis than any Church of God in recorded in history. On a total basis, the Continuing Church of God has already reached more people than most COGs in known pre-20th century history and is currently the group most boldly leading the effort to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and finish the work. Is that not consistent with the fruits of a group led by one with a prophetic anointing from God? The Continuing Church of God is leading final phase of the work.'
This guy is amazing. I think "per attendee" must mean, "I have three people attending my sermons in my living room and I reach 1 million people. This means For every member, 333,333 human beings are reached. What drugs are these guys on?
Dennis,
Armstrongism was aversion therapy as much as it was a religious system unto itself. Part of the indoctrination was the breaking of confidence in any systems outside of WCG. I, too, have found sound basis for much of what makes up the better mainstream churches. Like yourself, I take exception with some of it, but these churches have undeniably been a much more stabilizing influence on peoples' lives than Armstrongism could ever hope to be. Fanaticism is not balance.
To get a sense of this, all one need do is google the unusual or distinctive names (most easily found) of some of our classmates from the old neighborhoods and public schools. These people are the ones we thought would suffer horribly at the hands of the Fourth Reich! Seems like even the jokers and clowns did well, and in many cases, the churches we knew them to attend are still an influence in their lives. Some had long, successful marriages, did well in their careers, and raised fine families. In some cases, it seems as if the fates we were taught reversed themselves, and not in our own favor.
And, someone wants to revive, reunify, and preside over the system that did this to people? No! HELL no!
BB
If Thiel (Smuggly) thinks he is reaching so many people...how come most of his YouTube views are only about 125? Obviously, it is a conspiracy against him and his great CCOG.
Dennis, you said, "I think getting back to a real church with a stable clergy and liturgy has awakened me..."
???
What qualifies for that description in your estimation?
Post a Comment