Detail from a Puck magazine cartoon, "Superstition Has Always Ruled the World," April 19, 1901. Satirizes the Millerites, followers of William Miller, who predicted the return of Jesus in the 1840s.
"The salamander safe." A millerite preparing for the 23rd of April." A playful caricature of a Millerite, an adherent of the Adventist preacher William Miller who predicted that the world would end on April 23, 1844.
His prophecy today is:
No one in 1,900 years has ever been able to understand this till James came on the scene!This post is about prophecy and personal plans for this work in the coming months.
The 2,300 day prophecy reveals that the sanctuary will be cleansed 2,300 years after the empire of Alexander is divided into four parts; cleansed by the coming of Christ. The difficulty lies in determining the date that the empire became four parts and the start of the prophecy.
The year of the division of Alexander’s empire into only four parts has now finally become clear and the coming of Christ is to be expected according to the Prophecy of God in 2020.
The fact that no one knew this during the life of Christ does not contradict Revelation 4-5 where Jesus is found qualified to UNSEAL these things AFTER his resurrection! “No one knows” does not mean that no one will ever know!
As Dan 12 tells us these things were sealed until the end time and at that time Jesus Christ will unseal [As per Rev 4-5 and Daniel 12] these things and reveal them in a large increase of spiritual knowledge.
There is an extremely high probability [at least 90%] that Christ will come in early 2020 and that the abomination will be set up in the Vatican in early Oct 2016 with the tribulation beginning by the end of 2016.
Being a prophet is a HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD work brethren! Devoting sixteen hours EVVVVVVVVVVERY day is taxing on the wallet! Having a real job apparently does not play into this picture of being a prophet. This huge financial drain on Malm is cutting into his time writing his book and other articles.
It is also time for this true followers to cut back on their standard of living in order to send it in for the final push. That loyalty to the prophet with their finances will earn them high favor with Malm's god.As we get close to Passover if necessary I will leave the book I am working on, to return to it after Passover, as I want to cover John right before Passover.
Then during the summer I want to complete the Gospels and also the Epistles leading up to the fall Feast. At the same time I want to keep up with world and COG news and I also want to do studies on specific doctrinal matters and issues such as child rearing, marriage physical and spiritual etc.
To apply myself about 16 hours a day seven days a week in composing articles for posting [remember that nearly every post takes hours of study, thought and preparation], and also in personal counseling; I need your prayers and financial support to complete this work
How can one not support a prophet with the following mission?As we see God’s correction coming into sight; this work must be redoubled; and we must all awake and run to our Mighty God and to a zeal for his Word. In that way true unity with God will come for the called out.
- Brethren I am come NOT to sow division from God, but to HEAL THE DIVISION of the brethren FROM GOD; by calling all to sincere repentance and a wholehearted relatiuonship with Almighty God!
- I have come as a healer of the divisions between the brethren and God! If that means that I must call the brethren to divide themselves from sin; I will do so without compromise or hint of holding back!
- Yes, I AM dividing the faithful brethren from following idols of men and false traditions to turn to an intense zeal to learn and to keep the whole Word of God! I am wielding the sharp two edged sword of truth, dividing the holy from the profane; according to the Word of Almighty God!
- In order to reconcile with God, it is essential to divide ourselves from our idols and false traditions: Yes in that sense I am causing division: Division from idolatry and sin, and reconciliation to God!
- Brethren the time of our judgment for following men blindly and without question is at hand, within the next months.
- I can proclaim zeal for God, but the choice is yours.
The question now needs to be asked....when will all of you reprobates return to the this slop?
i too suspect Christ will Return in 2020: me thinks it will be 9-19-2020...
ReplyDeleteIt was the same idea concerning the 2300 days that messed up William Miller.
ReplyDeleteThe idea is not new or original to Malm. He is just claiming on WHEN to start counting the 2300.
If the return of Christ is 2020, then that means that the Tribulation has already started in 2013.
Malm should offer a guarantee. Off the Web in 2020 if he is wrong. It also means that 2016 would be the last 3.5 years, so he should quit even earlier if nothing happens ala Ron Weinland.
"There is an extremely high probability [at least 90%] that Christ will come in early 2020 and that the abomination will be set up in the Vatican in early Oct 2016 with the tribulation beginning by the end of 2016."
ReplyDeleteCorrection: There is an extremely low chance {At most zero percent} that Christ will ever return.
Nemesis of charlatans
Malm says this kind of crap every year, but it seems like his "certainty" keeps growing with each repetition.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually the first time I've heard those weasel-words to get around the "no man knows the day or the hour" thingee. Enter, Prophet Malm, not the first man THINK he knows the day and the hour, but the first man to REALLY "know," direct from Jesus, the day and the hour. Umhmm. Sure.
I would like to hear how he "knows" the year from which to start counting. I think it's funny when people like James Malm say they "know" things about matters of "faith" since "knowledge" is defined as belief that is justifiable, and "faith" is defined as belief that is not justifiable. It's amusing how sloppy prophets always have to be with their epistemology. All of their "knowledge" turns out, if we use standard definitions, to be just more "faith."
I'd like to see his probability calculations that force the probability of h (Jesus returns in 2020) to be sooooo much higher than ¬h (all the other competing deities that could return to subjugate the earth in 2020, or if 2020 might be just one more relatively non-eventful year). Or did he just pull that probability estimate out of his ass? If he didn't do any calculations, how do we distinguish this statement from a flat-out lie, especially when 2020 turns out to be just another year?
Like Connie said, I think he should give everyone the Harold Camping Guarantee—"Jesus returns in 2020 or I acknowledge I'm a false prophet and shut the f up."
I guess he's giving himself 2 more seasons to dig this hole for himself deeper and wider, so he can look like that much more of an idiot when his Jesus lets him down. This should be fun to watch...
It would be good if the COGs could come to understand the Book of Revelation is a failed first century "prophecy" meant to encourage the folk stuck in Jerusalem in the Roman seige and destruction of 70 AD. Probably written shortly before that time and not in the 90's as seems traditional. It is not a book for today and back then, "to show the things that must shortly come to pass" meant what it said and it failed.
ReplyDelete"House of cards" does not come close to describing the COG prophetic understanding or realities.
The TV programs of today are often chock full of little wisdoms. I was watching ION last night, a Numb3rs rerun. The topic of beliefs came up between two mathematicians, one of whom was living in a monastery. The younger one made the statement that the true measure of beliefs is the damage they do.
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me when I left WCG that the church would be recalculating and revising their failed prophecy of Jesus' return for the next forty years! Logic would have dictated that those involved in setting the original date might have concluded that they did not, could not, know when Jesus would return. Unfortunately, Armstrongism is such a repulsive religion that it must be spiked by an appocalypse. Revise, and rescare should be their motto or mission statement.
BB
Well, I seem to remember Apostle Pack suggested the year for Adam was 3981BC in one of his World to Come videos... If you do the math, considering that there was no year zero, 2020 places us at 6000 years since Adam... Coincidence??
ReplyDeleteWho's stealing from who???
Ronco
Jesus is nothing but the latest of a long line of sun gods. He will never return because he never existed.
ReplyDeleteConnie has it nearly right -- but the guarantee should be that since false prophets are to be put to death, if Malm (or anyone else) gets the date wrong, they simply commit suicide.
ReplyDeleteScriptural solution: Problem solved.
Malm is here to "HEAL THE DIVISION" but he is the biggest gossip in cog land. And no, it's just not a matter of calling out sin like you say. It's a matter of web page hits.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading a pro cog blog and one of the readers commented he felt better when he stopped visiting Malm's site- it was filled with so much negativity. It's not too hard understand that sentiment, regardless if you are a believer or not.
I wonder how long it will be before Bitter Bob comes out and "corrects" Malm. Oh, and call him a false prophet as if he isn't one himself.
Malm is now doing the same thing HWA and many others have done and are doing, and that is getting people to think Christs return is just a few years away now, I have heard many of them say maybe just 5 more years brethren, then say how bad they need money to finish the work. Malm says I have come to bring people to repentance and to the truth blah blah blah, come? come from where, he makes it sound as if he was sent personally by God, but the reality is that he came on his own and with his own explanation on what HE thinks. Malm has to be the one totally in charge of everything and only he has the whole truth, how did God ever manage without him all those years, he only puts down the other churches and their leaders and even points to some of them being old and weak so they won't be around much longer. I remember him saying that about RCM a few years back, maybe it's Malm who won't be around for too long, afterall, he is getting older and has health problems, then what will God do without him and his version of the truth? He does have truth but he also has error to go with it but he is blind to his self righteousness, and truth and error together is still error. Malm only puts comments up that he agrees with and that he can answer to make himself look good, no one ever can say he is wrong about something his self righteous ego couldn't handle it, the great know it all just couldn't be wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnd how is it that you know this Ed, have you found some proof no one else has?, please explain your new found proof.
ReplyDeleteChurch of God teachings are so based on the unknowable future and ridiculous speculations on what they misperceive as "prophecy", which is also a bogus concept, they waste the only time life they really have which is NOW.
ReplyDeleteI thank me that at least I had enough time left to come to my own senses on such things, do, think and be what I want to without being "organized" by religion and climb out of that very small box.
I did end up going alone for the most part and it was very costly and still is but I don't miss the drama and being part of exactly why folks get fed up with religion and religious leaders, falsely so called.
None of these people in the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia have nothing viable to offer anyone.
ReplyDeleteThey are worthless.
James Malm trumpets: "...Brethren the time of our judgment for following men blindly and without question is at hand, within the next months..."
ReplyDeleteIs James Malm saying that we only have the "next months" in order to choose to follow him "blindly and without question?"
When one examines Malm's doctrines it is very evident that he is serving "junk food," which means that one can follow James Malm in only one way:
That is: "blindly and without question!"
Also, Malm keeps talking about his work as "this work," which is what? He emphasizes zeal, but it has to be zeal without understanding...without knowledge. He certainly is not doing God's work, because God does not need his/our help. He just does it:
"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." I Thess 5:24
But how can God just do it? And do it without Malm's words, writings, speculations, etc.?
"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:18
Surely, James Malm does not know of His works, or he wouldn't be writing what he writes and redefining many of the definitions of God's Festivals and their timing.
Repentance and zeal? When God wants repentance He'll just make it happen, or as we've been told:
Psalm 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Anyone have a heart that is living forever? No, it's not time for that yet. God's timing is nothing like what James Malm has in mind.
Are we in a time when: "...All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD?"
No, it's not time for that yet, and James Malm thinks he has something to do with people shall "turn unto the LORD?"
Dream on...and time will tell.
John
Ed said...
ReplyDeleteJesus is nothing but the latest of a long line of sun gods. He will never return because he never existed.
Ed...that's a secret you were supposed to keep. If there was a Jesus, he was not like the Gospel version which of course contradict, few credible sources outside the Bible ever heard of him and his one year ministry (or 3 if you like John's version) is suspiciously the same as the journey of the sun through the 12 signs of the zodiac.
As it is written:
Mal 4:
2 "The SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will rise with healing in his wings (RAYS) for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall. 3 You will trample on wicked people, because on the day I act they will be ashes under the soles of your feet," says the LORD of Armies.
Why does it always have to be about mystical magic with conquering heroes swooping down to earth on white unicorns?
ReplyDeleteWhere is there any mention of redemption: Isn't that good enough?
Oh.
Right.
Why are the stories of so many mythical gods so similar to the story of Jesus? The list is long, Horus, Appolos, Mithra, and even eastern gods like Krishna and Buddah , all have a lot of similarities to the story of Jesus. Could it be that these stories are similar because they are based on the suns yearly cycles?
ReplyDeleteLet me also add that all the signs of the zodiac are in the story of Jesus and many mythical gods.
All I can say is do a google search on, Jesus and sun worship or Jesus and the zodiac. There are you-tube videos and web-sites that go into detail on all the similarities.
"And how is it that you know this Ed, have you found some proof no one else has?, please explain your new found proof."
ReplyDeleteYou misunderstand Ed. No intellectually honest atheist says he can deductively prove there's no god. Not even Dawkins would say such a dumb thing. This is what you're reading into it, and therefore asking for.
Instead, what you should be asking is, "What is the probability that the Judeo-Christian pantheon is the correct explanation of ... ?"
Just the fact that there are so many other gods/pantheons out there, each with an equally valid explanation for the universe, that alone reduces the probability of any ONE particular religious system being the "true" one, effectively to zero. But there's more:
ALL gods, for some strange reason, right down to a being, in lockstep uniformity, ALL follow the exact same "pattern" that curiously, is what we'd expect if there weren't any gods, but instead only men making up gods. How come none of these gods breaks rank and speaks for himself? ALL gods rely on men to relay their "messages" to mankind. Why does Baal need prophets and priests? Why does Apollo need so many sibyls to speak for him? Why does Allah need Mohammed to speak on his behalf? For the same reason Yahweh/Jesus needs so many prophets and priests? Coincidence?
Why does the Judeo-Christian god require many of the same artifacts as the Egyptian gods? Why do they both need temples and priesthoods? Why did the Egyptian temples to Amun-Ra and the Jewish temples to Yahweh follow the exact same pattern? Why do both Annubis and Yahweh require wooden shrines inlaid with gold and carried on poles? Coincidence?
Why is Jesus just one more dying and rising god, like Osiris and Zalmoxis? Coincidence?
Why does Philo, a Hellenized Jewish philosopher from Alexandria write about the celestial "Logos" in advance of the anonymous gospel bearing the name of John and the anonymous epistle named Hebrews? Coincidence?
Since Hellenism was being combined with so many other religious traditions to spawn new religions, and Christianity is predictable as the fusion of Hellenism and Judaism, why shouldn't we think that's what it is?
Why is there nothing unique about the Judeo-Christian religion? Why does it look so much like all the other religions. An evil supernatural conspiracy? Really? LOL!
The probability of the Judeo-Christian religion NOT being made up bullshit, just like all the other religions it borrows all of its tropes and motifs from, is truly infinitesimal.
Like one commentor said, he remembers reading where someone mentioned how much better they felt after quitting reading James Malms articles, that was probably me and it is true. Malm constantly as one person says, gossips and puts down all other COGs, no matter what they do or say, only he is right and only he knows the whole truth. This man is causing division against all the brethren against all other churches and against all other church leaders (if indeed they really are Gods churches). I can almost guarantee you if you totally shut down turning to and listening to James Malm for a month or so you will notice how much more at peace within you will be, then once you go back and listen to him again you will notice that peace slip away. He is the most self righteous arrogant know it all person claiming to have all truth of them all, and doing it all while putting everyone else down in one way or the other and claiming he has come to straighten everyone out and reveal the truth to them and bring them to repentance, only him. God must be slipping if James Malm is the only one with the whole truth because not many have even heard of Malm, to most he doesn't even exist. James Malm has no love, compassion, mercy or nice things to say about anyone, he truely does set people against the other churches and all to try and make everyone believe it is only him God has given all truth to, there are many far ahead of him in understanding, and they don't think they are the only ones that can teach others and they are also humble enough to realize others have truth too and they will listen to others, unlike Malm who defiinately has to be in charge and even screen anything anyone has to say because again, only he has the whole truth.
ReplyDeleteI thought Jesus was already here on earth. Isn't his name now Pope Francis?
ReplyDeleteI think he was corresponding with me on a previous post. He kept asking "Would you?"
Hmmmm...reminds me of a story...
Sam I am
I am Sam
Sam I am
That Sam-I-am!
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like that Sam-I-am!
Do you like
green eggs and ham?
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
Would you like them
here or there?
I would not like them
here or there.
I would not like them anywhere.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Would you like them in a house?
Would you like them with a mouse?
Sam and fox in box
I do not like them
in a house.
I do not like them
with a mouse.
I do not like them
here or there.
I do not like them
anywhere.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
Would you eat them
in a box?
Would you eat them
with a fox?
Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them
here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Brethren, please open your Bibles to I Timothy 3 verse one:
ReplyDeleteThis is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Mr. Malm is not the husband of one wife: He is divorced. He cannot be a minister.
Moreover, he is lifted up with pride, believing that only he has truth, but teaches error. He cannot be a minister.
He does not seem to have a good report from without; certainly he doesn't have a very good reputation here. He should not be a minister.
And so, brethren, you can see for yourself, Scripture condemns Mr. Malm.
Do not listen to him and for heaven's sake, don't give him any money.
Brethren, please open your Bibles to II Timothy 3 and read along with me:
ReplyDeleteKnow this know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Brethren, Scripture is very clear about this: You must all turn away from Mr. Malm.
Ed said...
ReplyDeleteWhy are the stories of so many mythical gods so similar to the story of Jesus? The list is long, Horus, Appolos, Mithra, and even eastern gods like Krishna and Buddah , all have a lot of similarities to the story of Jesus. Could it be that these stories are similar because they are based on the suns yearly cycles?
Let me also add that all the signs of the zodiac are in the story of Jesus and many mythical gods.
All I can say is do a google search on, Jesus and sun worship or Jesus and the zodiac. There are you-tube videos and web-sites that go into detail on all the similarities.
___________________________________
I have the material here that you need to understand this:
http://www.hwarmstrong.com/video/more/greatest-story/greatest-story.html
Didn't HWA at least get ONE thing right - the reunion of East and West Germany in 1990?
ReplyDeleteThere are very few people that God specifically hates. Proverbs 6:16,19 "These six things doth the Lord hate . . . he that soweth discord among brethren." Based on this, I have to believe that God Himself hates James Malm.
ReplyDeleteThat's hardly much of a prediction. East Germany was bound to West Germany by culture more strongly than its Eastern Bloc neighbors - it was just a matter of how long it would be before circumstances permitted.
ReplyDeleteSame with North and South Korea. The DPRK still has far more cultural and familial ties with South Korea than it does with China. Unless China just annexes the place, you can bet the Koreas will likely reunite at some point. That doesn't make me a prophet.
I've come to the conclusion that although there are tangible benefits for living life in certain ways right here and now, God and Jesus are not holding the people who have been subjected to the cluster fuck (relax, Christians invented that word!) of Armstrongism responsible. Too many lies, too many theories, too many horrid examples, too much crappy research, too many bad fruits, and too much fragmentation. Also, no clear cut witness of God behind any one or more who teach it.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, even if one person actually has it right, you have nothing to "prove" that other than that person's word. No prophecies actually being fulfilled, no Down' Syndrome or missing limbs healed. Let's face it. Holding someone responsible under these conditions would be like holding some man or woman with the 'heimers responsible to remember that he or she was heterosexual if there were some sort of accident or lapse in the activities room.
BB
Why is it that "prophets" show up with messages *ONLY* for COG people and no-one else? There's at least one other guy out there who fancies himself a "prophet" with a warning message only for the COGs.
ReplyDeleteThat right there should be enough to render them eligible for non-prophet status. In order to believe that a real deity would send a "prophet" to urge people to return to the "true" religion once delivered to an incestuous pedophile, you would have to be insane.
Today Malm put out an article, or rather a rant, showing how Flurry and Bad Bob are false prophets, something most already knew. In so doing he couldn't help but brag how they said something that didnt happen, but "he" and probably only "he" was right because "he" said the opposite of what they said and it turned out to be so, to me it stuck out like a sore thumb how he wanted to be noticed about it and seemingly trying to imply he is a true prophet of God, you can read it on his site, the only thing that makes it not a big deal that he fails to realize is that hundreds of people said the opposite of Flurry and Bad Bob on the subject. Malm is so self absorbed and trying so hard to be a somebody, and the only somebody that should be listened to, its sickening, I hate to say this but rather than enjoy listening to certain things he says, I am repulsed by him, he is far to arrogant and self righteous and tries telling everyone now that only HE has all the truth. Why would anyone send him money to have a part in causing division or follow O.T. Laws that need not be followed?
ReplyDelete"Why is there nothing unique about the Judeo-Christian religion? Why does it look so much like all the other religions. An evil supernatural conspiracy? Really? LOL!"
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question, although it would be better without the word, "all" included.
Grasping at straws, some who espouse the "purity" of their own brand of Christian faith invoke Christianity's second-favorite character- SATAN!
To them, Satan invented those earlier religions because he knew God's Plan ahead of time and made those earlier religions and earlier festivals and holidays so that later on, people would get all mixed up about the TRUE PURE GODLY origins of Christianity.
Thankfully, so such peoples' minds don't get too boggled, such people can fall back on the Holy Ghost thingie! ......
Their "faith" gives them the power to convince themselves that they have the Holy Ghost in them - who tells them that they're RIGHT about their theological opinions regarding the Bible and it's Gods.
I'll make a few comments here about a recent interview I heard on NPR, some which may have relevance to the OP and also to comments.-
ReplyDeleteThe interview I heard was on Oct 31st, of Terri Gross interviewing the author Stephen King.
(Although Stephen King has a new book out, 'Revival' , the interview centered around experiences and he had while growing up and was about his book 'Joyland' (which takes place in a carnival setting.)
He grew up hearing Oral Roberts and other preachers on the radio.
Joyland- like most of his works- combines elements of the natural and supernatural.
Early on, his favorite movies were movies like Earth vs. Flying Saucers, and Them (which had giant ants attacking humans).
He had a love/hate relationship with being scared.
(Does that sound like any COG acolytes you may know, lol!?)
He later watched a lot of other TV preachers out of fascination- for the rhythm of speech and entertainment.
(For one of many examples, I've listened to Creflo Dollar for much more than the 10 seconds it took me to realize he's a person that should never be trusted- It was more about his rhythm of speech and the entertainment provided that I listened longer.)
Stephen, in the interview, talked about the fact that "people love a show!"
(Didn't some of you get chills up your spine when Herbert Armstrong pounded the lectern and screamed in a very amplified voice at your Feast site?
Stephen King also mentioned that he adores the fact that what Christian megachurch preachers offer is so close in style to what the "carnival barkers" (pitchmen) spout.
He also mentioned that organized religion is like a "theological religious scam", and if this is God's Plan, then "there's something very peculiar about it"
Also he mentioned going to the bathroom and written on the bathroom stall was, "Jeff Goldblum is watching you poop!", and his comment was that God is traditionally a 'Holy Ghost', and he's the ultimate spook trying to scare you.
Ha!
All-in-all, a great interview.
"Stephen [King], in the interview, talked about the fact that "people love a show!""
ReplyDeleteThis became clear to me when I was in a small congregation in the midwest of about 50 or so. Myself and a couple of others became the "it" people who were relied upon by the pastor to do just about *everything* including snacks, speaking, songleading, audio, video, sermon recording, and maintaining the website. No one else was interested in committing to doing anything on a regular basis, not even people who were ordained as deacons! The rest just wanted to come, have a show put on for them, socialize, eat and drink coffee, and then leave. Every Saturday they just expected someone was going to put on the God Show for them. What would they do if there was no one to put on the God Show for them? Why, I think they might die!
Now, don't get me wrong, I like gospel music. But for some reason, the one place I don't like gospel music is in church. I also don't like the vibrato-laden phony speech patterns of Martin Luther King. I despise fake sentimentality, emotionality, and put-on affectations. I also despise rituals for the sake of ritual, such as in the Catholic church. Since COG services keep all this stuff to a bare minimum, that seemed just about right to me. Until...
It became apparent that even our COG services were just a show as well. A weekly God-haunted Anonymous meeting. Other than give people a certain fake "special" feeling and a fake sense of "belonging" to something that keeps the fear of death and the future at bay, for all these hours and hours and hours of being lectured at, what does anyone get out of "church"? They don't learn anything new. They certainly don't become better people. COG people are stagnant, living in false hope for a future that will never materialize. And even if, contrary to my expectations, such a future does materialize, they have absolutely no reason to think they'll be the "special" people they think they are now. They'll die a horrible death in the tribulation and as gentiles, wind up as the eternal slaves of their religion's actual "chosen people," the Jews.
COGers might as well go watch a movie every Saturday from 2:30-4:30 for all the good their current Saturday entertainment is doing them. And as far as I'm concerned, even a bad movie would be better than the God Show.
>>Today Malm put out an article, or rather a rant, showing how Flurry and Bad Bob are false prophets, something most already knew. In so doing he couldn't help but brag how they said something that didnt happen, but "he" and probably only "he" was right because "he" said the opposite of what they said and it turned out to be so, to me it stuck out like a sore thumb how he wanted to be noticed about it and seemingly trying to imply he is a true prophet of God, you can read it on his site, the only thing that makes it not a big deal that he fails to realize is that hundreds of people said the opposite of Flurry and Bad Bob on the subject.<<
ReplyDeleteI read that post. It was especially strange for me because it linked to one of my posts. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.
Redfox712--could you explain a little clearer what you are saying in your last post here, sounds interesting, thanks.
ReplyDeleteA god who calls for blood sacrifices, sanctifies slavery and allows torture, murder and genocide in his name cannot be anything but evil. If I chose to believe in a god, it wouldn't be bible-god. However, since there is no evidence of any gods, I see no reason to believe that any gods exist.
ReplyDeleteIf the NT writers are taken at their word, all Christians have been "left behind" - like in the book by that name. But, in real life, Christians don't believe Jesus and the apostles when they said that judgment day was at hand and that their generation would see all scripture fulfilled and that they were living in the last days.
Nope, that stuff gets ignored or explained away...some are even brave enough to say that Jesus and the apostles were mistaken about the end of days being in their lifetime.
But hey, what if Jesus and the apostles weren't wrong and the end of the age did come in their lifetime? Where does that leave Christians today? "Left Behind", that's where.
Since Jesus supposedly came in the likeness of Elijah; feeding the hungry, healing the sick and raising the dead and failed to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, God smote the earth with a curse (Mal. 4:6).
Yep, since the Christians did not "continue in his goodness" they were "cut off" (Rom. 11:20-22). After all it was only a "short work" (Rom. 9:28) to start with and then it was "cut short" when it was finished almost 2,000 years ago.