David Passover Pack imagines himself to be the most educated and soundly biblical man to ever exist in the Church of God. His god directly speaks to him and reveals all kinds of secret knowledge. When that happens Dave puts in in print to show his dwindling flock what a mighty tool of god he is. Now, more and more frequently those rantings are coming back to bite him.
Dave feels that he is incapable of being deceived. His god will not allow it. But if he ever did, then he wanted his members to not listen to him because he was going to paint things in such a way that he would deliberately try and get people to forget his words and follow him.
I want to make a statement about me now. If I became deceived, I will never tell you what I’m going to tell you now. I am telling you, if I go off into strange ideas, misconduct, rebellion, you name it, don’t follow me. I want to tell you that now, because if I start doing that, I’m gonna try to get you to follow me! I’m gonna come to you and tell you it doesn’t apply, it doesn’t mean me. No, no, no, no, no, no, it’s ok to follow me, because ABCD and XY and Z. Do you understand what I’m saying? Listen to me now, when I tell you, don’t follow me if I go off into weird ideas, or if I get off into other things that are total absolutely unscriptural conduct, because if I do, I’m gonna paint it with a different face and try to get you to follow me. Do you understand what I’m saying, brethren? Please remember that, because I promise you that, if I become deceived, I’ll forget it, and I’ll want you to forget it. And I hope you’ll remember it well enough to quote it right back to me. (1998)
"mighty tool" pretty much says it all (not of God, mind you).
ReplyDeleteOh, you know how repentance works: You say something true and then you recant later.
We should not be surprised by this sort of thing. It has been happening since the beginning.
The most recent example is Ronald Weinland who said that if his prophecies didn't come true, then he was a false prophet.
Not that being a false prophet should limit anyone these days. As Dixon Cartwright said recently, “False prophet”? Interesting that you still are tuned in to the concept of false prophet. That strikes me as a religious and conservative-theological way of thinking that I try not to do anymore. It’s like saying someone’s a heretic. For a person trying to stay above the fray, some of those concepts make little sense. People obviously have strong religious convictions, and I think that can be an objective statement. But lamentations about false prophets and heretics and interpretations of Scripture and doctrine are not.
Trying to pin this stuff on David Pack is "a religious and conservative-theological way of thinking". Objecting to this sort of thing makes little sense. It really doesn't matter what Armstrongist leaders say and even contradict themselves, we should all compartmentalize "to be above the fray".
If we can't all be speaking the same things, at least we can hold high concept to believe we are.
I think Dave's god is trying to make him look bad. First he makes him write a big book about HWA being Elijah, and requires it a must read for all converts. It was also a doctrine for the membership. Then Dave's three guys going down in flames doesn't happen. And for the last few years " we are exploding with growth. " NOT! Poor Dave. How many more failures can he endure?
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ReplyDelete“I am telling you, if I go off into strange ideas, misconduct, rebellion, you name it, don’t follow me.”--DCP
Okay, now that you have done all those things, I won't follow you, Dave. Thanks for the warning, Dave. You sure were a swell guy to warn us about all of that, Dave. Hope you get better soon, Dave.
Maybe you could repent, Dave. Maybe you could demote yourself from being Elijah, Dave. Maybe you could re-publish your old book about HWA being Elijah, Dave. You could still call yourself an apostle, Dave.
Awww, who am I kidding, Dave? You are too proud and stubborn to do any of that, Dave!
Yeah, what a mighty tool. lol
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, for anyone who is looking for a way out of RCG, THIS is your golden "Get Out of Cult Free" card.
All you have to do is present these words to your local abuser—er—I mean, minister or to Dave himself along with the ways you've noticed that Dave has become deceived or that RCG has gone off the rails into strange and weird ideas and total absolutely unscriptural conduct. And at this point, if Dave hasn't given everyone too many examples to choose from...
And when anyone tries to "paint it with a different face" you can call them on it. When they try to say "ABCD and XY and Z," you can point out how that contingency was covered. When they try and say that it doesn't apply, or doesn't mean what it says, you can show 'em how it says they would say that. It's the next best thing to a money-back guarantee that anyone in Armstrongism has ever given.
I know this is a gross oversimplification, but if I had one of these when I left Armstrongism, it sure would have helped.
Dave knows his tendency to go off the deep end so thus his own words will be his undoing
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the money, and whatever technique looks like it could be most effective in bringing it in. Money is nearly always a very poor substitute for a moral compass.
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It's all about the money, and whatever technique looks like it could be most effective in bringing it in. Money is nearly always a very poor substitute for a moral compass.
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Double popped for emphasis!
Caption for picture: "This guy thinks he is a type of Me, or of Elijah???"
ReplyDelete~Miguel de la Rodente
Maybe "We are exploding with growth!" was a typo, due to Davey's tight shorts.
ReplyDeleteWhen The Packmeister dies, he'll be busy telling Saint Peter at the Golden Gate why his tight shorts are responsible for the many stupid things he's said.