Dennis Muses on: Gospel Teachings That Didn't Make the Cut

The Gospel of Thomas

No Priests-No Ministers-No Church

"Know Thyself"

"The Gospel According to Thomas, commonly shortened to the Gospel of Thomas, is a well preserved early Christian, non-canonical sayings-gospel which many scholars believe provides insight into the Oral gospel traditions. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945, in one of a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. The Gospel of Thomas was found among a collection of fifty-two writings that included, in addition to an excerpt from Plato's Republic, gospels claiming to have been written by Jesus' disciple Philip. Scholars have speculated that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius who for the first time declared a strict canon of Christian scripture.^[1]

The Coptic language text, the second of seven contained in what modern-day scholars have designated as Codex II, is composed of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus.^[2] Almost half of these sayings resemble those found in the Canonical Gospels, while it is speculated that the other sayings were added from Gnostic tradition.^[3] Its place of origin may have been Syria, where Thomasine traditions were strong.^[4]"

The 114 Sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas

http://gnosis.org/naghamm/gthlamb.html

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” 
― Gospel of Thomas

“Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty.” 
― Gospel of Thomas

The Gospels we have in Mark, Matthew, Luke and John are not the only ones written.  The were the chosen ones and came on the scene in the mid second century of the Christian era.  They are not eyewitness accounts and were not written by the men whose names were later added to give them credibility.  They were anonymous works to begin with. But they were the ones chosen and many many others, such as the Gospel of Thomas were not.  It should be plain to see why The Gospel of Thomas was not chosen.  While containing many of the same sayings of Jesus found in the Gospels , these two quotes, along with others were never going to make it into the organized Church canon.  The debate still rages over which came first, the Gospel of Thomas or the New Testament Gospels.  That each contained parts of the other is clear. 

How different the truth of Thomas than the Gospels.  Salvation came from within and it came from "knowing yourself".  Nothing here about blood sacrifices without which there can be no forgiveness.  Ever ask just why without the shedding of blood there is NO forgiveness of sins.  What's wrong with just saying, "I forgive you."?  Thomas is speaking of the inner work that is the spirituality organized  religion hates. 

Spiritual human beings are not prone to membership.  The religious love it. Spiritual humans don't follow all the rules being told "Trust and obey for the is NO OTHER WAY to be happy in Jesus...but to trust and obey!"    Their spiritual journey is inward.  They don't tend to take the rantings of priests and ministers too seriously. They probably hold on to their money with a bit more wisdom and only pull the big triggers they choose.  Pulling big triggers may not even be a part of their vocabulary.  In short, they can't be controlled, coerced  and they aren't compliant to the organization and certainly not to the Priests and Ministry as if they get the final say.  Today you get to know what your church tells you to know.  Today people sit and listen to others tell them how it all is.  You know,  Greetings-three hymns-opening prayer-sermonette-hymn-announcements-hymn-sermon-hymn-closing prayer.  You sit, you listen and others pour into you what you are expected to be, do and think.  You are told what "we" believe , when to meet so we can all believe it together and how much to give. 

How many sermons and rituals have you ever sat through just hoping it would end sooner than you knew it would?   Going within to find the Kingdom is simply never going to cut it with organized religion.  When Jesus said, "the Kingdom of God is within you" in the Gospels, The Gospel of Thomas proves he did not mean he, Jesus, as representing the Kingdom was among them.  It means it is  WITHIN you.  The Gospel of Thomas tells it's readers to go in and know yourself which is the hard work of a truly spiritual person.  And this was some of the most early teachings and beliefs of many of the earliest Christians.  The literalism and organization with it's some Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some teachers and some helps...etc, came much later. 

“Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you."  In other words, the birds are already in the kingdom ahead of you if you think it is in the sky and the fish are too if you think it is in the sea.  No...it is inside you and knowing yourself is a huge part of what the Kingdom is to Jesus of this gospel rejected.  

From my experience, most are afraid to go within and know themselves.  Mostly we don't know how to go about it.   It is much easier to let the Church tell you all about yourself.  Poor, miserable, blind and naked come to mind and certainly with a heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.....needing priests to do sacrifice for you back then, or ministers and "the Church" in our times.  

"In the Thomas gospel, Jesus is presented as a spiritual guide whose words (when properly understood) bring eternal life (Saying 1). Readers of these sayings are advised to continue seeking until they find what will enable them to become rulers of their own lives (Saying 2) and thus to know themselves (Saying 3) and their legacy of being the children of "the living Father" (Saying 3). These goals are presented in the image of "entering the Kingdom" by the methodology of insight that goes beyond duality. (Saying 22). The Gospel of Thomas shows little or no concern for orthodox religious concepts and doctrines. Scholars have traditionally understood the Gospel of Thomas as a Gnostic text because it was found amongst other gnostic texts, was understood as being prone to a Gnostic interpretation by the early Church, and emphasized knowledge as the key to salvation, particularly in Saying 1. "

The Gospel of Thomas emphasizes direct and unmediated experience. In Thomas saying 108, Jesus says, "Whoever drinks from my mouth will become as I am; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him." Furthermore, salvation is personal and found through spiritual (psychological) introspection. In Thomas saying 70, Jesus says, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not bring it forth, what you do not have within you will kill you." As such, this form of salvation is idiosyncratic and without literal explanation unless read from a psychological perspective related to Self vs. ego. (Some ministerial egos certainly need to be checked at the door before services)

What a different experience personal spirituality would be without the literalism and hierarchy of Church organization , ministry that must be obeyed and respected because they say to and the occasional rant on sending it in and pulling big triggers when in your heart you know just how stupid and foolish that would be.  The "Edifice Complex" as seen in Gerald Flurry and Dave Pack would be replaced by the much more rewarding inner work of the individual.  Instead of reaching the world with literalism and religion, we'd reach inward with a spirituality .  It is not a selfish thing, it is simply learning who you are and not having others decide who you need to be to please them. How different would one's spirituality be as opposed to their religious fears and compliance if the Gospel of Thomas had made it into the New Testament.  It would have changed everything.  

"The teaching of salvation (i.e., entering the Kingdom of Heaven) that is found in The Gospel of Thomas is neither that of "works" nor of "grace" as the dichotomy is found in the canonical gospels, but what might be called a third way, that of insight. The overriding concern of The Gospel of Thomas is to find the light within in order to be a light unto the world."

The modern version of The Gospel of Thomas

Instead of being asked "Do you know Jesus?",  we would have been asked by Jesus and those given to a kinder more gentle spirituality, "Do you know yourself?"  The ministry would have been both real helpers of your joy and facilitators of just how one might go about it instead of mere Title Takers to be obeyed as if they knew and you couldn't understand anything without them. Yourself is that part of you that you give up and lose when you allow priests, ministers and organizations that no Jesus of either Thomas or the Gospels probably ever intended to be what they have become today.*

Just sayin'...

*(PS  "I will build my church.."  was probably added to the text when the physical Church needed to be built long after Jesus did not actually return shortly)

Eric King: ET Is Real! The Government and News Media Ignores My Truth!

Mr. Eric King, the Mr. Know-it-All of Armstrongism now claims to be the worlds foremost authority on UFO's and extraterrestrials.

If the people on this planet knew exactly the extent of what was truly going on just outside earth’s atmosphere they may go into total shock. The United States government has tried to “keep a lid” on what is going on but they can no longer do so. The truth is out there. I wish to share just a little of what the true Worldwide Church of God [COGSR] knows regarding this important issue. Many of you know that COGSR has an extra department dedicated to studying science in light of God’s word. This department is known as “Science of Christian Thought” or SOCT. Much research has been going on in regards to understanding the Human Potential and the human brain. In the last two years we have been looking closely into the UFO phenomenon and we have even picked up good connections….people who have been studying this type of stuff since the early 60’s.-

What I am about to share with you cannot be proved and the news media has tried to ignore the facts all together. So let us look into this subject and get some clarity.

Most people think that if a person talks about UFO’s they must be a little crazy. It, like true Christianity, is not much for conversation these days. The facts show that there is indeed UFO activity in earth’s atmosphere and just outside earth’s atmosphere. NASA has documented much of this activity for a long time. During World War 2 many unknown crafts were spotted by fighter pilots doing things that the human technology of the time could not perform. Every country has reported such activity. Militaries from all over the world have documented such craft in their own air space.-

Eric's god did not know exactly how to create perfect humans so they could become god like he was.  God had to experiment on how to create.  Lots of mistakes were made till he got it right. 

God began to create many life forms over a long period of time. The angelic beings [IB’s] who once had the opportunity to inhabit glorified bodies and take care of our planet were now left going through the process of exchanging body for body and witnessing the effects of their sinful rebellion.-

The angelic beings wished that they could have remained the care takers of creation. About 47,000,000 years ago God created the lemur-like creature. These had forward facing eyes and were small little fella’s. They loved to climb things. And then about 30,000,000 years ago monkeys of all sorts were created. God placed most of them in what latter became South America and Africa. These creatures had hands and feet and good brains. The angels were hoping that God would create a more usable body for them.-

About 7,000,000 years ago God decided to create some very interesting beings. He created Sahelanthropus Ttchadensis. We have given this species the nickname “Toumai”. These creatures were the first to look like modern man in many ways but still fell short. These creatures exited for some time and developed a form of communication amongst them selves. God was taking pleasure in all of His great acts of creation. God loves to create! God can manipulate His laws and construct how He wishes. One thing to think about while contemplating all of this is the fact that God is using four material blocks to do all of this creating. These four blocks are; up & down quarks, electrons, and neutrinos. That’s all! Wow!

In Eric's world, the earth is millions and millions of years old - at least he got that part right!

Let us look at what SOCT has discovered thus far in our journey of the history of our planet. We have discovered that our universe was created 13.7 billion years ago. We learned that our galaxy is called the Milky Way Galaxy and was formed roughly 13.2 billion years ago. We learned that our solar system (4.6 billion years old) and our planet was formed and created by our Almighty God and that it was originally created to be inhabited around 6 billion years ago. We learned that God created IB’s [angelic beings] to inhabit and take care of our planet as “care-takers”. We learned that these angels failed and rebelled against God during what we call the Permian Period and the angelic war ended with what we call the KT extinction event at 65 million years ago. The angels had traveled to heaven and tried to war against God. As a result they were cast back to our planet which caused great devastation and the destruction of the dinosaurs. When the IB’s hit the Earth they caused four great craters.-

We learned that after this event God continued to create through additional periods. At the end of the KT extinction event God proceeded to create. We can start this new phase of creation with strength around 47,000,000 years ago. This brings us up to the last ice age which ended roughly 10,000 years ago. We understand that the first 4000 years of this time helped melt the ice and prepare the way for the Garden of Eden and the creation of the most recent and last human couple, Adam and Eve.-

Eric's fallen angels have been kidnapping earthlings and takingthemto other worlds to help populate the planets:

Now the Scriptures teach that mankind was “made a little lower than angels”. The angels are a bit more intelligent than we are. As a matter of fact we like to call them I.B.’s (Intelligent Beings). Of course the fallen angels have used their intelligence for the wrong purposes. Some of these fallen beings are taking life [from the Extractors Class] from our planet and are now “seeding” other planets for their use. As a matter of fact, there is a constant “coming and going” of craft to our planet.-

Eric's god is coming soon and only his group will be sought out by God and translated away because they are sooooooooooooooooo enlightened..

When it comes to the end of our planet Jesus Christ will send His angelic beings to gather His elect…the enlightened ones. Only those humans who have been “seeded” with the Holy Spirit will be allowed to enter the beginning of the restoration of our planet.-

Eric also wants you to know that he and only he has the REAL truth about UFO's. He knows the kinds of propulsion systems they use to fly their crafts with, how fast they fly, that President Regan was afraid of them and that they are here to be worshiped.

So what have we here at SOCT learned in our studies regarding the physical manifestations of this UFO phenomenon?

1-Intelligently Controlled Craft are visiting our planet.-

2-These craft are using a special type of nuclear power (perhaps nuclear fusion) and are using Hydrogen and Helium propulsion systems.-

3-They can travel 0-600 miles an hour in less than a second putting them at 30 G’s.-

4-Any being can survive any ‘G’ as long as the duration is extremely short.-

5-Most all of these craft are inhabited and are using electro magnetic charge systems.-

6-These craft adjust ionized air plasma using magneto propulsion systems.-

7-Craft have been witnessed traveling 1800 miles an hour and making up to 2200 mile an hour turns.-

8-Some of the fastest speeds are around 7000 and then able to “stop on a dime”. Extremely fascinating….to say the least.-

9-After 1950 an increase in craft numbers and bolder appearances of the crafts began.-

10-President Ronald Reagan was concerned about the beings being hostile.-

11-True Christians have to deal with the fact of their existence.-

12-True Christians are aware that some of these beings are seeking worship and are the source of all false religion.-

This information written by and released into the public on February 12^th, 2014 by;-

Mr. Eric William King [founder of COGSR & SOCT]

Ex-Philadelphia Church of God Members Say Church Is Evil and Oppressive

Exit and Support has a new letter up from former Philadelphia Church of God members.  This family had the sense to wake up and leave the cult.

Of all the various splinter groups of Armstrongism this one has the potential to be deadly to its members.

After reading Malachi's Message, we thought PCG was truly the church to attend. I'll have to say as rotten as Worldwide Church of God was it was nothing compared to the oppression and evil we felt in the Philadelphia Church of God.

Slowly and systematically Gerald Flurry started pulling in the reigns, cutting all family off, even people who gave us no trouble about the PCG at all. Pretty soon we were told we couldn't eat out, we had to eat there at services (every week). We were expected to bring dishes of food while they had people in there watching your actions and words. If they thought someone was a bit more relaxed and would open up and say things, they wanted to know how devoted you were to him (not God but Gerald Flurry).

We were assigned seats and could only sit where they wanted us to--next to people who tended to draw you out and question you about your loyalty. Flurry insisted people there were to be "family" to each other. It never worked for me as I really felt uncomfortable with everyone there. They all seemed like zombies to me--"yes men" that were devoted to Flurry. Their eyes were glassy, they stared ahead a lot, their conversations were nothing but buzzwords. No one was interested in anything you did or said outside of PCG. So you were encouraged to talk only about "the church."

----------------

One time we were all told we better be at services. A woman I knew who was in the last stages of cancer was told her she "better get to church or else!" Another woman I knew was in the hospital with cancer and the ministers insisted (against the doctor's advice) that she come to services that day. (She later died but the ministers didn't even care, attributing it to some "hidden sin" in her life.) When we all arrived that day, they had blocked the windows with black plastic and it was so dark in there you could hardly see. There were guards (bully-like men) by the doors. Some were at the entrance, some were where you go into the room for the services, and some standing at the bathroom door, intimidating people who entered, saying who could go in and how long they could stay. They said they were handing the information to Flurry.

After the woman who had cancer got home, she got up enough strength to phone the ministers and ask them to come to her home. She really told them off about a lot of things on her mind, including about others in there. When they started in on her she yelled at them to get out of her house and not to dare threaten her again!! Apparently, they then phoned Flurry and the next day they called her and said, "By the authority of Mr. Flurry you are disfellowshipped!" She later told me that she never felt so much peace in her life or felt so free of that evil place.

Read the entire letter here.

Satan Flooding Jordan With Syrian Refugees Around Petra To Focus World's Attention On The Area Making It Difficult For COG Members To Flee There

Geoff Neilson has more amazing insights for the Church of God.  

Satan is soooooooooooooo pissed off at the COG that he is resorting to all kinds of silly pranks in order to make life difficult for TRUE COG members.  Satan knows that 700 different splinter cults of Armstrongism want to flee to Petra where they will all coexist in complete harmony for 3 1/2 years.  It will be love fest as never before seen in human history and Satan is NOT happy!

I cannot imagine what it is like to have a mind so finely attuned to numerology, prophecy and world events so that every story you read can be found to have prophetic significance.

IF THE CHURCH IS GOING TO PETRA,

IS THE DEVIL BEHIND THIS FLOOD

OF DESPERATE REFUGEES TO NEAR PETRA?

--Geoff Neilson--

"In less than three years, 

the Syrian conflict has forced well over two million 

of that country’s citizens to take refuge in other states. 

...600,000 to Jordan..."

http://reliefweb.int/report/jordan/beyond-emergency-assistance-syrian-refugees-jordan-and-northern-iraq

Dennis reluctantly muses:

"I want to make a statement about..Me..now..."

Apostle David C. Pack

Ten Points for the Crisis

December 12, 1998

Sorry couldn't resist.  I am sitting here in a dead quiet, nothing is stirring not even a mouse, snow covered Greenville, SC.  It's about as much snow as I recall walking to school in every winter of my young life, but I spare you.  Snow is perceived as a Northern Plague around here and when it comes, all hell breaks loose.  It is actually a very peaceful and calm view. No cars, no people out. Nuttin'.    In a few days it will be in the 60's and we'll be back to the biz of being distracted and working to live so we can work to live. 

I am not an A-Theist or "against God."   I may be A-gnostic, against not knowing and would have to say that I suppose that is where I am, but let's be honest,  that knowing causes much more of a problem than the searching thing.   I have never liked "not knowing."   Maybe I mean, "not looking."  In most fundamentalist churches, and all the COGs are them, not looking is fine with them. Growing in Grace may be fine, but growing in knowledge?  Not so much.  Or at least one "looks" from the top down.  We see this evidenced in the insanely stupid ministerial questions Dave Pack demands an answer to from any man that would think to come into the RCG Ministry. Dave is less than a child in his thinking and more than bully in his application of scripture.  He is not as intelligent a man as some claim when it comes to knowledge of the real world around him.  He is a clever man which is the dangerous part of intelligent when combined with religion or politics. Herbert Armstrong was not an intelligent man in the same sense.  He was blinded the Book as was Ted to the wonders that actually were known about our world and universe. 

"It's NEW and EXPANSIVE ELEMENTS.. SIR..Boy!"

(19) Do you believe ministers should be able to voice opinions to others about:

Where Headquarters is “wrong”?

What Mr. Armstrong taught/said/did “wrong”?

What Mr. Pack teaches/says/does “wrong”?

Where your boss is “wrong” or harsh, etc.?

Where you disagree doctrinally?

These kinds of "knowers" are dead on arrival.  Men like Dave Pack spend every sermon and much energy on keeping the "knowing" going.  Any seeking better be from him to the brethren and not the brethren back to him.  It's why he filters his knowing through the 16 agreers to lend credence to his knowing.  Those 16 Agreers are also dead on arrival.  There is no knowing or seeking anything to know outside of a man like Dave Pack without his  permission.  Pretty pathetic but whatever floats your boat and there is a seat for every butt, as they say. 

I suspect, not believe, there simply has to be something (I hesitate to say "someone" but it could be a someone) behind the curtain, the field or wherever one chooses to place this hidden something.  Let me be plain.  It is not the Hebrew version to me.  The Hebrew version of God is too small and too cultic.  In the text this Deity admits to being "jealous" and demands that other gods not be brought into its presence by any Israelite.  In the text and in the times there were many other gods.  This one just didn't want them brought into his presence.  Today we think YVHV only meant, "of course they aren't real and I just hate wooden and stone idols which you think are real."  Baal was very real as was Chemosh in the text, but I spare you. 

As a child in Sunday School, the Hebrew child killing, genocidal, Isaac slashing and meat savoring Being made little sense to me. I never understood why this God rejected vegetable growing Cain and loved the meat sacrificing Abel.  I do now or suspect I do. I don't like and never have liked the concept of the "chosen people" because when a God chooses one people, everyone else is unchosen and in big trouble. The unchosen always pay the price of not being chosen.  

HWA-"There were two trees in the Garden of Eden..."

Me-"Oh dear Lord, NOT this again.....!"  

 I was told what the "Two Trees" meant as a young man but that's no what they meant at all.  I recall noticing contradictions in the Gospels in Rod Meredith's "Harmony of the Gospel" classes but when I raised my hand to ask about them, it was not pretty.  I kept these things and pondered them in my heart quietly after that because even then I realized we must not talk of such things.  I always learned to say 'that's a great question" rather than, "you ain't from around these parts are you boy?"  When a teen asked me once why, if God did not marry or was not married to Mary in the story, yet conceived Jesus in Mary, that was not considered fornication?  I first said..."that's a great question,"  then went out to find a real answer.  My answer eventually was, it's a literary writing style and it had meaning but is not literally true. I genuinely thought it was a great question.  I'd hate to think what would have happened had I asked THAT one in class!

There were many times I felt HWA was a bit off base in his views and that GTA was a bit behind in his homework, but everyone is in every organization.  It took me a few real life experiences to realize that because they were I had to be too because you don't rise in knowing past what they thought they knew.  It is still this way today between congregants in the COGs and the Ministry.  It is this way in most churches that are "organized."

Whoever and whatever makes up the personality that is me simply does not think this way.  In this, I don't don't drive the bus.  I simply go along for the ride.

So...what do I believe and trust me, I know it really doesn't matter what I believe.  Beliefs are not truths and it is just fine if another believes, at the time they believe it, what they believe.  Sometimes I labor under why do I write about what appear to me to be both silly and dangerous beliefs that others perpetuate.  Why not just leave a Dave Pack alone and let him and his believe as they wish?  Good question.  Perhaps I will as each person seems to need to have their own story and experience in which to learn something that they need to learn.  I can only "learn" what I have learned in my class and story.  On the other hand, I think perhaps if one so close to that particular mindset and class can help another not repeat the heartache, pain and anger that a Dave Pack class can produce, maybe I should speak up.  I guess it depends on which buttons get pushed along the way to class.

In my heart and soul, if I have a soul or am a soul makes no difference to me, I believe there has to be some "thing" higher or "out there" behind the scenes. I am not sure this power or entity can be accessed.  Maybe that is against the rules.  Maybe it uses me and you to experience itself.  I don't know. As a fish is unaware of the water it swims in, so maybe that's why we see darkly what to another is clearly there if one is outside it.  We are immersed in "it".  

Whatever it is, it is benevolent and not malevolent.  It is not there to separate sheep from goats , the good from the bad people and to burn up or burn forever those that never got it.  People kid about going to hell to be with all their friends because they really don't believe it exists and neither do I.  People make up their hells and satans to explain why bad things happen and why they themselves won't accept responsibility for it.  Whenever "Satan" was attacking the Church, it really was the leadership being stupid, vain and unconscious of themselves or how they came across doing what they did.  Satan is the bad boy excuse for humans who need a spanking.  Whenever Satan was blamed for me seeking to know outside the box provided by the Church it was really the leadership not wanting me to know something they had no clue about.  Some of that knowing did determine how I told people the "must" live and think so it was important and always will be to me to get it as right as possible.  On the other hand, I am now free from even having to do that.  I only care what I think and what I discover about life, origins, history and meaning.  Everyone does that in the final analysis.  I'll have to look up what "ysis" means.  I know what anal means.  They don't call them "anal-ogies" for nothing Dave!

Seems a No-Brainer

God's Sun/Son?

As for astro-theology, it seems a no brainer that the first story humans told themselves was in the sky at night.  The Sun of God became many human Sons of God.  Their story was and is the story of the Sun.  It's what humans come up with. The motions of the stars and planets and the journey of the sun through the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac (zoo) would have been the Netflix of the times...most of human time.  You can't grow up thousands of years ago and when the sun goes down, not wonder what all that is.  So we tell stories of what it seems to be.  Those stories up there become our religious beliefs down here.  It's just how it works.  You can dress up the story, put expensive clothes on the story tellers and give them great titles, but it is still a story.  I suppose when the story teller gets snarky and demanding , silly and forgets the origins of the story or why it was written, my "have to speak up" genes kick in.  Maybe yours should too?

I could not have said this any better...I understand his calling and enthusiasm for it.  I won't say I missed mine as his wonder for the stars brought him to science and mine to religion for other reasons.  I simply wish I had captured his vision first.

In hind sight, and I can hardly say the word, I would have made a much better cosmologist, archaeologist, paleontologist or live in the Adirondacks small town doctor who did take fish and chickens in payment for helping good and like minded folk out should the need arise.  I am and always will be an idealist, one who speaks up for the underdog and hates conflict.  That's how the wires go.  How I ended up as a WCG minister is no mystery to me for at the time it seems to be the ultimate truth and who'd not want to be associated with that.  I suspect most here felt the same way.  It wasn't and while I have many regrets, I had to be there so I could be here.  I made decisions and had experiences because of that story or perhaps something made those decisions for me and had their experiences through me.  If so, that something and I are going to have a chat someday.  

Must to say on a snowy day because I enjoy saying it and it tends to fill the void of a deeper feeling at times that I have wasted my time and life on things that simply were not true.  Maybe a higher self or whatever lies behind the "field" wanted to feel what wasting time and choosing the wrong story feels like.  Maybe time can't be wasted and there is no wrong story to choose?  I do know that , in hind sight, it does seem I was not driving the bus and only going along for the ride.   It is just a ride after all.  

Bill Hicks, like George Carlin were "funny" because the spoke the truths that most just think about and think no one else is thinking about.  It strikes us funny when spoken.  It's what makes us laugh and realize that was true.  Maybe I need to go on the Magical Religion Mystery Show tour...lol.   Recently a kid when I was his pastor who is now in his 40's asked me if I was serious when I made him laugh about some Bible stories and how they really may have played out.  He said he told his parents on the way home from church that he thought "Mr. Diehl was serious," when he said that.  They said no and he wanted to know.  Of course I told him I was dead serious but that's how passive aggressive worked in Bible reading in WCG and it fit my personality.  He said, "I knew it!!"  I think it was the same kid who asked me if I was the Mr. Diehl who, when he was 15, said,  "Jonah had two choices.  He could obey God and become fish vomit, or he could disobey and miss the point and become fish poop."  He assured me he has laughed about that for 30 years and I assured him that was the day I learned you could not say such a thing in Church.

Instead of resurrecting HWA or Ariel Sharon, how about some insightful humans?

Miss ya Bill

Miss ya George

Geoff Neilson: Crazy COG Numerologist Predicting That Ariel Sharon Might Be Resurrected

Geoff Neilson, that wild and crazy COG numerologist who strives to find prophetic meaning in COG history and numbers, predicted that Ariel Sharon might be resurrected.  Then to get even crazier, he claims that Satan may attempt to hijack that resurrection by bring German skier Schumacher out of his coma.

Is it any wonder that so many people mock Armstrongism when people like this run a muck saying stupid things?

Apparently a resurrected HWA is coming back to resurrect Sharon....I kid you not!

Does Ariel Sharon's now 8-year coma, have a Divine purpose? 

Only a miracle could help Sharon, hospital director says | The Times of Israel January 6, 2014, 12:07 pm http://www.timesofisrael.com/only-a-miracle-can-help-sharon-hospital-director-says/#ixzz2pchq3MTR 

Sharon is probably the greatest General of Judah in the endtime.  8 is a Bible symbol for Resurrection.  Is it possible that Elijah will suddenly appear and revive Sharon to protect the half of Jerusalem that doesn't go into captivity?  This would confirm to Judah and the Church who Elijah is, before the Day of the LORD.  And could be, or precipitate, the Midnight Cry that unifies the Philadelphians, and puts the Laodiceans on notice, that they better wake up or be shut out of the Wedding Supper of Christ and his Churchly Bride.

It's also interesting that the greatest endtime Assyrian charioteer--the famous Schumacher--is in a coma suddenly. Could this possibly be to divert the world's attention from what God does, if he revives Sharon, by having Schumacher revive at the same time?  He fell 29 December 2013 while skiing in the French Alpine resort of Méribel, in a life threatening incident. This is resonant, in a sense, of the fall of sporting star O.J. Simpson had.  The point being, that these unusual events involving famous people, are like Greek tragedies that mirror the influence of the Devil in the affairs of man and God. In ancient Babylon-influenced Egypt, Meribel meant “beloved of Amun” ( http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Meribel ).  Amun was viewed in Thebes as the King of the gods: “the original inscrutable and indivisible creator” (  http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/amun.html ).  Which made Amun a symbol of Satan.  As was the chief god of the Babylonians, Romans and Greeks, called Bel, Jupiter, and Zeus). Did Satan caused Schumacher's fall?  Is he able to revive him?  Satan certainly did several diversions of public attention when some important things happened in Herbert W. Armstrong's ministry.  Angela Merkel the greatest female Assyrian chancellor, has also suddenly fallen—and cracked her pelvis—skiing in Switzerland.  Is something going on in the spirit world that is causing these incidents and leading to the endtime clash between Christ and the Devil?  80th Anniversary of the World Tomorrow

Dennis Muses on:

The Great Dilemma

What words don't we understand...

Matthew 24 was never written for us today.  It was written for them about the times in which they lived.  Nothing in the context indicates it would apply 2000 years later.  No serious theologian today believes "this generation" means and meant anything but "their generation" just prior to the fall of Jerusalem and the Roman destruction of the Temple then. 

Ok .... this is how it works for sure, for sure

Matthew 24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.

 ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me........ 

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.²⁸ Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁴ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

Gospel Jesus, as presented in the story, fully expected his generation to see the routing of the Romans from Jerusalem and the "Son of Man" coming in the clouds of heaven.  "This generation" meant that generation he was speaking to and not "the generation that all these things will happen to somewhere down the road."  The audience and the events he was predicting were one and the same time in history. Any projection 2000 years into their future is merely a construct and done because none of what Jesus said would happen in their time happened as predicted. The Romans won and while predicted by the author of Revelation to be routed in 42 months, the Romans just took 8 months to defeat Jerusalem.  Revelation was also a sincere but failed prophecy of the day.  The author of Revelation who said he was speaking of "things that must shortly come to pass," was not kidding.  When Jesus of Revelation said, "Behold I come quickly," he was not kidding either.  "This generation" used in Matthew 24,  is used more than 20 times in the New Testament and every time means that generation of those days. 

Matthew 10:23

New International Version (NIV)

²³ When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Revelation 1:3

New International Version (NIV)

³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

The Key to the Book of Revelation is found in the first three verses not anything come up with 2000 years later by Evangelists who cannot admit the book is not for them today.  These books were included in th canon to keep what clearly failed to looking like it actually did and to keep the hope alive.

Revelation 22

New International Version (NIV

⁶ The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

⁷ “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

What word don't we understand?

Hebrews 1:1-2

New International Version (NIV)

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, (Which is why we no longer have to consider anything the Gerald Flurrys, Ron Weinlands, Dave Packs and Bob Thiels of the world have to say) ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

What word don't we understand?

1 John 2:18

New International Version (NIV)

Warnings Against Denying the Son

¹⁸ Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

Hebrews 9:26

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

1 Peter 4:7

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you (Not us today ) may pray.

1 Corinthians 7:29

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not;  (This no doubt caused some domestic problems back then)

1 Corinthians 7:25-28

New International Version (NIV)

Concerning the Unmarried

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis,  (Time being short)I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. ²⁸ But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. (Again, end time advice that impacted real people then)

Clearly things were not going well...

2 Peter 3:3-10

New International Version (NIV)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days  (Which are soon but not as soon as we thought)scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: (First we have heard this) With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (Now we have more time to reach people...sounds familiar)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. (Not obviously as we first thought) The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a]

What words don't we understand about this progression of being disappointed and having to realize they were very wrong about their own times.  Their leaders were wrong, not because it was yet in the future and they didn't now it but because the concept of the end is wrong.  Gospel Jesus no doubt thought he was correct yet he was wrong.  I suspect based on "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" Jesus was surprised at his non deliverance and impending death.  The "God had to turn his back on Jesus" is the apologetic for failure of Jesus words in the Gospels to come to pass as stated for those people.  No one predicts to people then things that have nothing to do with them. There would be NO motivation to care what Jesus said if that were so.

2 Peter is a later written apologetic by someone not Peter actually but claiming to be Peter  (forgery) to explain why Jesus had not returned and is used to this day.  Written in perfect Greek, this is no Peter the fisherman writing.  It, typical of today even, blames "scoffers" rather than the failure of Jesus words to come to pass along with Peter and Paul's.  Scoffers are nothing less than "noticers of that which is true."   

Romans 13:11-13

New International Version (NIV)

The Day Is Near

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

What words don't we understand?

The answer to "we know now it was not for them which proves it is for us" is not the correct conclusion to draw from this.  These men in the early church and Jesus himself were simply wrong about their perceptions about how the times they were living in were going to work out.  This is what the text reveals.  It is a mental habit, a gift of the church, to read and hear these words in print as if they were written yesterday to us.  They were not.  

"We"

Ok..it is not all of you but it still is me

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

New International Version (NIV)

⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

New International Version (NIV)

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Finally the truth of his times dawned on Paul.  One can't see the day approaching if it is not possibly approaching in one's lifetime. But alas...

2 Timothy 4

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

No wait...this is it

It is natural to read the Bible in any one's lifetime since it was written long ago and get the impression it is for whoever reads it and whenever they do.  This has been true for 2000 years.  The Bible is like that.  The problem is having it read to you in this manner and then saying that since time is short, no more marriages, send in your retirement, send in what you'd leave in your will, pull big triggers, you don't need it and such foolishness as that.  Misunderstanding scripture can lead to personally terrible decisions that do not have to be made and losses one does not have to incur for the reasons given by a minister who doesn't get it either. At lleast we hope he is just as ignorant of scripture and not doing it knowing he speaks with forked tongue.

The reasons the Church of God don't seem to get the spiritual message of the New Testament and the stated purpose for Jesus is because they are consumed with prophecy, soons and shortlys that don't concern them.  They build religious empires, or try to, on the Book of Revelation, Daniel which was used by the author of Revelation as a template and Matthew 24ish texts to give an immediacy to something that will prove to not be as immediate as thought.  In short, they are reinventing the mistaken notions of the early church described in the New Testament.  It will end the same way.

It seems impossible for COG leaders to say "hide me in the grave until thy wrath be passed."  Screw that...I want to be changed and skip the dying stage.  Well everyone from the Apostles on wanted that. 

Gerald Waterhouse would only believe HWA would be dead after three days and three nights as he told me.  He believes it now.  Ron Weinland just knew 2012 was "it".  Well it was it but not as he thought.  Gerald Flurry will soon learn he won't survive until Christ comes and he was not as special as he thought.  Dave Pack will learn all the lessons again that Herbert Armstrong learned and those that followed him felt wasn't' quite right but refused to bring to his attention.  Dave is paticularly odious because he is reinventing and recreating the same mistakes of the past and ridiculous title taking started by HWA.  Joe Tkach Sr evidently learned that "if I am wrong, may God strike me dead" may not have been a wise challenge to throw out there.  And no I don't think God killed him.  I have to wonder what he thought towards the end.  All the current COG leaders and all of us will pass and also not see our soons and shortlys come to pass.  They weren't written about us or for us.  They weren't types and duality is not at play here.  

It is a mistake to live one's life "just around the corner," "just over the next hill,"  or in the mode of "3-5 years brethren, no more than 10, 15 at the outside and 20 max." mentality.  You'll find your real life passing you by and making decisions that others think you should make when in time you find out that none of it was necessary or even wise.

Think about it....