Some things in Armstrongism never change! Well, maybe I should have said, Things NEVER change in Armstrongism.
All the 700 some splinter personalty cults of Armstrongism are only in existence because they poached ministers and members from other COG's. Not a single one of these men have ever had the balls to step out and do something original. Almost all worked behind the scenes in their respective COG's as they plotted and schemed to move into a reincarnated COG.
Bob Thiel is now doing the same thing. He admits that he has brought on board UCG ministers and others who have been scheming behind their own COG organizations back for the best time to leave and get paid by Bob Thiel.
As far as leaders new to the CCOG, after the conference, one of the attendees who asked for a meeting with myself and Pastor Ochieng, became one. This was John Owak. For the past ten years he had been a minister in the United Church of God (UCG). John Owak explained that he had been studying CCOG literature for some time (he had also contacted me in the past), and the conference convinced him he wanted to be part of CCOG. We discussed also differences in the governance, prophetic understandings, and the work between CCOG and UCG. He then asked if we would accept him as a volunteer (unpaid, and he did not ask for a salary) pastor of the CCOG in his geographic area, working under the direction of our Regional Pastor Evans Ochieng, myself, and ultimately Jesus Christ. Pastor Ochieng and I agreed and welcomed him into the CCOG.
Leaders once part of GCG, LCG, WCG, COGaIC, COGIT, COGTE, CG7, SDA, and/or VWCG, but now part of CCOG also attended. This was the first time I had been able to meet any of them in person (some had email contacts with me prior). CCOG has over 20 congregations in East Africa.
VWCG?
ReplyDeleteso, how many members can they fit into a Volkswagen?
I don't wish to slur people in third world nations, but from the standpoint of validation for Bob, it would be much more impressive if someone recognized as a long term leader in Armstrongism joined him. That's got a snowball's chance in hell of ever happening.
ReplyDeleteOne marketing technique he could use to attract members would be to fool people by naming his church the Ludicrous Church of God, and then using LCG as the initials.
BB
Ministers and members in many, if not most parts of Africa are like cats. You never ever really own them.
ReplyDeleteA study was done on cats that are allowed to roam freely, and a camera was attached to their collars. They discovered that on average, an outdoor cat "cheats" on their masters, and goes to at least two other houses on a regular basis and eats food there and even sleep there!
I know this is true, for I am currently doing the same thing with a neighbors cat!
The brethren in Africa view the American churches as "suckers", and join as many of them, or maintain relationships with as many of them as possible.
They know that the USA COGS are desperate for "numbers" to promote their "org" as growing or "relevant". The African churches are thus more than willing to provide inflated numbers for the various propaganda machines to use. This in order for the propaganda machines to promote themselves to the "real audience"... those who have money to contribute in wealthier countries.
Thiel knows all this, and is playing a game so as to appear "legitimate". Im sure his 6 followers (including family) in the U.S. will be thrilled!
The African connection is good for swelling member statistics, but because of the poverty level, it doesn't work along with the basic equation developed in the 1920s by COG-7 that ten tithe paying members will support one minister and his family.
ReplyDeleteBB
Yeah well, right now he's trying to sensationalize a decision in France to drop "religiously-mandated substitution meals".
ReplyDeleteI suppose that's persecution too. Please, Bob. I never got any "substitution meal" in school either and would have been surprised to even have it as an option. Go over to the prison camps in the DPRK and cry about how persecuted you are.
(and if we'd had such a thing, the joke might have been on us because I recall school food as particularly bad quality!)
ReplyDeleteAll the 700 some splinter personalty cults of Armstrongism are only in existence because they poached ministers and members from other COG's. Not a single one of these men have ever had the balls to step out and do something original.
ReplyDelete1) If they did something really original they would no longer be "Armstrong splinter cults" so your statement sounds rather tautological.
2) Most of those who leave Armstrongism to do something "original" seem to end up as run-of-the-mill evangelicals, atheists, etc. Most are still lemmings, just following a different movement. Because it's now a mainstream movement, they think that they are now thinking for themselves. Usually, they aren't.
BT SAID: "We discussed also differences in the governance, prophetic understandings, and the work between CCOG and UCG. "
ReplyDeleteWhat they actually discussed were the differences between the fairy tales and myths these prophetically haunted religionists have imagined.
Thanks Connie, I'm not letting Mikey out (but then I really don't believe he could get a better deal).
ReplyDeleteSeveral of the COG groups that I have been with have boasted about African church growth. Most of them were just desperate for toilet paper. The Philadelphia Trumpet and Real Truth are perfect match.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered how many who are desperate for the basics of life could have cell phones and fabulous Internet connections....
Oh, I almost missed one.
ReplyDeleteHere ya go...
It's All crazy.
I go to Tanzania each year to teach theology and have visited the Maasai tribe. I was surprised to find that not only do most people have cell phones but even the Maasai people have them, and digital watches. When cell phone models go out of date they dump them into third world nations, they are very cheap. The Maasai, who are nomadic cattle people get their phones charged at businesses, if they are lucky enough to have electricity.
ReplyDeleteConnie Schmidt said: "Thiel knows all this, and is playing a game so as to appear "legitimate". Im sure his 6 followers (including family) in the U.S. will be thrilled!"
ReplyDeleteActually, two of his sons stayed with LCG!