From an LCG source:
There seldom used to be negative information leaked out of theLivingDying Church of God but as the foundation crumbles informants leak out from the cracks giving us insight into how bad it really is, especially in Charlotte.Banned By HWA has brought Meredith to his knees repeatedly over the past year. Meredith himself went on a tirade about Banned in front of a live audience of over 250 people motivating even more LCG members to visit this site.It is driving them half mad that they can’t figure out who the leak is. At first, they assumed it was some of the purge victims. But then they realized that much of the information found in various stories would not be known to someone no longer in attendance. HQ has even leaked fake information to various people to try to figure out who the mole is. So far, it hasn’t worked. Unfortunately for them, the problem goes so high up that they can’t get away with much.After the increase of stories and complaints about the nepotism surrounding the Meredith family, Rod’s youngest son who was being paid to “sort of “work from home in Louisiana has been temporarily brought back to Charlotte to make the arrangement look better to members and employees that were annoyed that he was collecting a pay check for nothing after it was made public on this site. It won’t likely last long, but at least RCM is making an effort to make it look good thanks to pressure resulting from the Banned story.Meredith also decided to permit a minister who had been denied permission to attend the Hawaiian feast site to attend after reading a story on Banned which outlined how LCG ministry was annoyed that NCIS Jim gets to go every year while others get forced to serve less luxurious sites.They have also lightened up on the suspensions and disfellowshipments status post all the public blow back they felt after the purge last year.There is still an undercurrent of mistrust of the ministry and displeasure in the direction LCG is going among a fair percentage of the brethren. This would have previously initiated a Gestapo cleanse but now they are a little slower to act out their tyranny because of the fear of exposure on this site and others like it. There are LCG members presently who are getting away with things that would have never been tolerated before but Spanky and McNair have consciously decided it's safer to turn a blind eye. At least until they get this PR nightmare under control.Hopefully this site will continue to expose the atrocities at LCG which will improve knowledge and facilitate more members to have the courage to walk away from the Sanhedrin.
44 comments:
This is great news. I've often referred to us as being an "accountability partner" to the ACOGs. If we can help get you guys into some more tolerable daily living conditions, I think that is just awesome. After Jesus cleans up all of the theological error and misunderstandings in all of us, perhaps we can get together for some beer and pretzels in the Kingdom!
BB
Way to go Gary!
Our most recent blog post at ABD just happens to be about LCG too...
http://asbereansdid.blogspot.com/2015/10/whats-written-between-lines-in-lcgs.html
There is no way that LCG had over 10K people at there Feast sites. They are exclusivists and won't just let anyone come (like UCG or COGWA). They don't have the ministry to support 10K people.
Unless, all these members are in Africa or some other far-flung region of the world. Oh, I forgot
most of the African LCG are now with the false prophet Thiel.
Interesting that the people are disgusted by the current regime in charge and are not disgusted by the actions of HWA who made Rod's little house of horrors possible.
Goes to show you where their moral direction lies. Very self centered people, just like the narcissist and chief of that side show known as the lcg.
I was with living for nearly 5 years, What did I see CONTROL, CONTROL. Minister or elder do not trust anyone to do opening or closing prayer. They control everything, if you are not in the click the only thing they trust you to do is send in money, and from meredith's letters that isn't going to good.
Here we go again.
Another baseless story without any factual evidence to back up the false accusations this blog continues to regurgitate.
Why don't you give your readers the factual evidence that brings you to your false conclusions. You obviously dont care about facts or your readers.
At the end you say: Hopefully this site will continue to expose the atrocities at LCG which will improve knowledge....really?
You expect everyone just to believe whatever you post and that will improve their knowledge? You continually shoot yourselves in the foot and I don't know what planet you're from but people arent as stupid as you make out they are....we want facts so you come across as credible. But there is no credibility here because there are no facts. The only knowledge you provide people are lies and propoganda.
What a ridiculous blog post. You act like crazed psychopaths and thats why hardly anyone takes you seriously except for those few regulars who you've managed to brainwash. As for the rest of the public who visit this site, they are certainly concerned about your spiritual state which seems to be non-existant.
Would you care to share "the real facts" with us, Anon 5:23, and perhaps this time, using spell check?
Maybe you could also have some of the members of the public that are concerned for our spiritual state weigh in with some of their comments to verify what they have apparently shared with you. Attempting to brainwash us would be kind of like trying to herd cats.
Thanks for giving us the benefit of doubt, and at least diagnosing us as psychopaths, rather than insinuating that we are demon possessed.
As for the blog entry, it appears that one of your brethren has provided Gary with first person testimony. That usually carries a lot of weight.
BB
PS: Don't you have a tribulation to fear, or something?
"You continually shoot yourselves in the foot..." anon 5:23pm.
Amazing!
The Lamp that lights your feet has been broken for some time now! Re-hoodwinking them will only blind them as you already still are. The truth does not require your belief.
all shills aside
Posts like Anon 5:23 are very encouraging, as they prove Rod Meredith's minions do visit this site.
Why don't you give your readers the factual evidence that brings you to your false conclusions.
OK, Jim Meredith, what about your own Facebook posts in which you show off your luxurious lifestyle? You tell people that it's the convention sites that pay for all of this for you, but even if that was true, which it isn't, it shows how little you care about the feelings of the average working man in LCG, who can't come close to living your lifestyle despite working a thousand times harder than you have ever had to work.
OK, Jim, what about your ridiculous anti-Hawaii-FIve-0 rants, which criticized an episode of that show that was only shown after sunset Friday and before sunset Saturday, proving that on the Sabbath you watched a TV show that your Dad tells members not to watch?
What about lie after lie in weekly announcements from Charlotte, bragging about advances that if true would bring LCG hundreds of members and millions of dollars? The members and the dollars have not come, and many people have looked at the numbers and proved for themselves that you are lying.
What about Meredith family members who not only can get away with engaging in conduct that has gotten ordinary members disfellowshipped and marked, but keep getting paid by Rod while engaging in that conduct?
What about it, Lil' Jimmy? What about it?
What a typical answer from the bikie rebel leader bob. A spell check is more important to you than factual evidence. You need to get on your bike more bob and breathe in the fresh air, clear your mind of the deception and determine whats more important. You're like a little kid as if you havent ever spelled something incorrectly mr perfect.
You need to read the comments a little more carefully before you do your accusation thing that you're renound for because I didnt say you were psychopaths but that you act like one, expecting everyone to believe you without actual facts.
You say: As for the blog entry, it appears that one of your brethren has provided Gary with first person testimony. That usually carries a lot of weight...oh really
To you it might, and you might think the light shines from gary or maybe he's your guru but as for the majority of decent folk, we want facts not hearsay. If you dont have the facts for everyone to see then dont accuse.
This blog is well known for the false information it spews out, so how about some evidence so we can determine your credibility. But lets be honest, there isnt any credibility because there is no hard evidence is there.
Anonymous 7:47
is a perfect example of a person who thinks that everyone who's in church, including a minister has to be dirt poor and isnt allowed to have nice things. He might have a nice house but he's worked hard all his life so what. And what do you really know about the average working man in lcg who supposedly works "thousands" of times harder. What a narrow minded view you hold.
Who cares about Hawaii-five-o. Is that what you use as evidence...man you need help. And you accuse the church of lieing about members and dollars, again how about some hard evidence so we can believe you.
You say: many people have looked at the numbers and proved for themselves that you are lying. Here we go again, dont be fooled by this lot because there are no numbers and no actual evidence of any numbers, its all speculation to make themselves look good and the church bad because they are jealous of the powerful growth thats taking place, something this blog cringes.
And why do you call him Lil' Jimmy, why not Jim. I'll tell you why, because you've been sadly brainwashed by this site and the disrespect it shows to anyone it doesn't agree with.
How many times has this site said that jim would take over after his father? I'll tell you many many times, but as usual they were lieing to you because they speculate...they have no facts, arent credible and so when they see their mistake they come up with another personal attack which again will be exposed over time as fake.
So as usual you say "what about it"? Well what about what, when you have some proof we can all check up on then and only then can you be trusted because right now hardly anyone can believe a single thing you post.
Great work, No2HWA.
i think the angry pro lcg anon is lil jim as himself
Anon 9:47---this blog has touched a little nerve has it, well guess what, get used to it, lots more coming. This blog has helped many people including myself to check up on things to see if they are true or not, and I have found a lot of truth I would have never believed if I hadn't checked. That's something you should do instead of telling others to provide it, do your own homework instead of letting your hurt feelings spout off on things you don't even know if true or not, you only think they are not.
This blog is getting more and more people than ever before, it's even attracted you, how about that. Well, keep coming back as I'm sure you will, and tell your friends to check it out while your at it, the more who see what's going on and how they are being used and abused the better. And keep letting us know how you feel from time to time, it gives us something to chat about as we answer your concerns.
did or did not dr. meredith go on a tirade about this site, anon 5:23pm?
when i used to post on lcg's fb page before i was banned he once chimed in when i was critical of their euroccentric format and bias, so i know the man can get defensive when criticized...
and your need to come on here and post is further proof that somebody feels threatened by this site's criticism...
and the fact that you are calling people names calls in to question your maturity, i.e. the lack thereof, your integrity, your credebility and your character...
if there was not some truth to this site's allegations there would not be a ripple being made, but true to form whenever the lights are turned on, the vermin become upset...
anon 9:47, one thing the bible teaches us is that history repeats itself because human nature generally does the same sins over and over...
just as hwa allowed his son to affect the integrity of the original wwcg when he largely tolerated his son's wayward ways, just as the excesses of the original wwcg, and the political clicks, the exclusivity, and yes the racism ultimately caused God to turn His back on them and let them collapse, so too do the cogs today repeat the same mistakes, with many of the same people making them...
are we not supposed to believe what we are seeing with our own eyes, e.g., the son of the top evangelist suddenly, and without prior experience, or any meritocrisy becoming a top minister in the church founded by his father? is this not also what the "churches of the world" do?
does not the passage of time, especially in this digital age, not eventually catch up with and expose the truth, and test the integrity of any organization, especially religious ones?
i once briefly made a comment to one of banned's readers about the unpardonable sin and literally within hours thiel posted an entire article about the unpardonable sin; i suspect that in addition to some lcgers, he also reads this site from time to time...
Anony of October 30, 2015 at 5:23 PM,
You said that we don’t care about facts or the readers. We do care very much about both. Our main concern is that our loved ones in the GOGs would come to see the facts of how corrupt and evil their leaders and churches are. We rejoice in the thought of the COGs falling because we’ve seen the numbers and heard the stories of those the COGs have hurt. I look forward to hearing any shred of evidence or hearsay that the COGs are crumbling – in hopes my friends and family will soon be free. Just as surely as Ambassador College is being demolished, the COGs are crumbling! Time will prove I am correct but, I’m so impatient, I keep checking this blog for evidence of this inevitability.
Yes. We are the psychopaths and people controlled by a corrupt "church" lead by a narcissistic liar are completely normal.
Anonymous – Banned gives us an outlet to say what we can’t say publicly because we live under the threat of retaliation. I have proof that an LCG minister lied to me about the numbers of members flocking to his church. I can’t expose the lying, thieving, gluttonous monster because if I did, he would brutally attack me and my family. He doesn’t care about the facts, he just demands we follow his version of reality. He learned that trick from Rod, who learned it from the Father of Lies – SATAN!
Now tell me just why we should treat a false prophet of 60+ years failure and a liar who bankrupted his own church through his hubris and any of his henchmen require respect?
If the example of Elijah is any sort of guide, if anything, we don't mock these evil people enough.
Anyway, Scripture pronounces the death penalty on them, so what's the big deal exposing their rotten wickedness in a blog: They'll face worse if we are to believe in the lake of fire.
Of course we can't give you any facts about this because there is no way to prove that the Book of Revelation is true....
I am SO glad that psychiatrist anon has taken the time to write. He is the proof, the "fact" if you will, that this article is in fact true. It is very clearly under his skin just like the post states. How funny that he proved the point while attempting to refute it?!
I have been in LCG since before they moved their headquarters to Charlotte. I moved to Charlotte to be closer to headquarters and grew more and more disheartened every day. Unfortunately, the stories you read here are true. On occasion a minor detail is misconstrued but on the whole they get it right.
The reason the irate anon above is so upset is because Banned has struck a nerve.
The truth hurts.
Dear Angry Anonymous,
I agree with you that this blog sometimes posts speculation and that does hurt its credibility. Speculation can be newsworthy - it should just be labeled that way.
However, no one alive is more guilty of preaching speculation – that has proven to be FALSE with time – than Rod Meredith. What a LOSER when it comes to the facts you claim to care about. Just read over only his and HWA’s writings to find the mother lode of false speculation. What’s worse is when they printed their lies they claimed they came from God – to get the people who were not good at checking facts to send them their money!
5:23/9:18/9:47, you're right. There's you, and that other person who thinks like you. You've got us outnumbered.
Anonymous 5:23
I will give you some facts. First off HWA who Rod puts up on a pedestal was ego filled and full deception. He claimed that God revealed new truths yet with a little research we find he plagiarized other people's work. His incest with his daughter is now well known. In a conversation with Rod Meredith the subject of HWA's incest came up. This was before it was all over the Internet. Rod said to me "you know about that". I said yes I know about. This tells me he knew about it as well. He told me HWA warned him about GTA being a womanizer when he (GTA) came to college in I believe it was 1955. Rod told me he feared for any cute blond haired college girl back then. Rod knew this but it was covered up. When GTA was kicked out in 1973 a message was sent out from HWA warning members not to try and find out about GTA because they were hoping to cover it up. HWA lived in opulent luxury. He had to have the best of everything. His desk was a Monteverdi Young desk at $30,000. He had gold statues, vases etc in his off valued at $250,000. He has a table reserved full time for him at a Beverly Hills restaurant. When he died a look in his chest of drawers revealed several Patek Philippe wrist watches. By several I think the number was 6 or 7 but I forget the exact number. A Patek Philippe watch sells for in today's price at over $100,000. I had an opportunity to go aboard the church's G-3 jet. At 18 million it was a real tool. The China and silverware and it was real silver came from Harrods in England valued at $60,000. He had a wine cellar in his home with dozens of bottles of wine some valued at $3,000 to $5,000 a bottle. He changed doctrine to fit his needs. For example women could not wear makeup. He wrote no painted woman wil rise to meet Christ but when his wife, Romona, threw a fit about not being able to wear it then the doctrine changed and painted women would rise to meet Christ. I could go on and on but a reasonable person will get the picture. I am not against people having nice things. If someone can afford a nice house or car or whatever good for them. But HWA wrote numerous letters telling members and co-workers the work needed money. I remember taking out a loan so I could send in money. I was newly married with a baby on the way. I had to make payments for a year to pay off that loan. All the splinter cogs are built on the foundation laid by HWA and the Worlwide Church of God. Rod Meredith has bragged about being number 3 in the work for years. He has bragged about Ambassador College being God's West Point. Rod has used the term "leading ministers" which meant those kept their mouth closed and did what they were told to do. Some of these leading men were alcoholics, some commited adultery, etc. I heard sermon after sermon about qualifying for the kingdom keeping the sabbath keeping the holy days shunning worldly things, giving more and more money. Everyone judged each other. Self righteousness reeked in the Church. I got so tired of hearing Rod say brethren we probably have only a year or two to get the work done. It has taken years to get rid of the gloom and doom. Now I look forward to the kingdom coming when ever that might be, I know I will never qualify for the kingdom but I know I have the promise of eternal life through the blood of Christ. I know that Grace trumps keeping the 10 Commandments.
I have proof that an LCG minister lied to me about the numbers of members flocking to his church. I can’t expose the lying, thieving, gluttonous monster because if I did, he would brutally attack me and my family.
Ask Mr. NCIS Lil' Jimmy about these facts:
1. How many new members are there?
2. Has the income increased in proportion with the members?
3. Since the income hasn't increased in proportion with the members, is the explanation:
a. Thousands of poor Africans are being counted as members while "Israelite" membership declines.
b. More and more "Israelite" members are banking their tithes and cutting back on offerings as they see the corruption.
c. LCG is just making stuff up as it goes along, without making sure the lies match each other.
The problem our angry anonymous poster seems to have is that he redefines the words "fact", and "factual". Obviously, in his mind, LCG gets to be the final judge as to what constitutes fact and what must be rejected as speculation. Frankly, this type of mind control is what results in the conditions known as "brain-washed", or "cult zombiehood".
Insinuating terms, like "psychopath" in the context of a discussion like this one, don't need to directed specifically. The association is present, and automatically applied by both sides, even if only on a subliminal level.
As for "rebel", I have spent much of my life rebelling against arbitrary authority, the kind that many people voluntarily accept, and take just as seriously as those whom we elect and employ to keep the law and order of our civilization. There are those empowered to incarcerate offenders, or to apply the death penalty. There are those set up to judge, and their decisions are binding. Religious cult leaders are a form of imaginary authority, especially those who continue to redate a bogus prophecy mold which failed in 1972-75, and to utilize that prophecy mold as a kind of low-mentality intimidation. Face it, people, the whip or scourge dissolved in 1975 when God failed to validate the dates HWA set, and then backpedalled on. There is no record of a Biblical prophet from ancient times needing to backpedal. False prophets were the ones who were faced with that fate. So, Uncle Roddy has no mandate, no real power, and no real authority. His only method of control involves fear and intimidation, telling the little kiddies on the playground that if they don't let him have their way, they have to go away and can't play with him and his friends any more.
I don't believe that most of us would care what is done in the ACOGs if they were not so toxic and disingenuous, and if they had not done so much completely unneccessary damage in members' lives, our lives personally, and even now continue to damage and exploit the current wave. Even if someone still believes the major doctrines (study easily reveals viable alternatves), they don't need the bogus and botched pseudo police enforcing compliance on them, and insisting on their cut of the irresponsibly used "tithe pie". If you believe the doctrines, you can keep them at home. There are even non-aligned Feast sites these days for the people who don't want to be oppressed by cruel and bogus heavy handed and exploitative authority.
If the ACOG splinters really want to be of service to God and man, it is time for them to dissolve and disband, freeing them to do so.
BB
Anon5:23/9:18/9:47 wrote:
"You say: As for the blog entry, it appears that one of your brethren has provided Gary with first person testimony. That usually carries a lot of weight...oh really. To you it might, and you might think the light shines from gary or maybe he's your guru but as for the majority of decent folk, we want facts not hearsay."
I guess I could take this opportunity to point out that the bible itself is 100% hearsay.
So, if it is true that the majority of "decent folk" want "facts" instead of hearsay, then it is also true that these "decent folk" are non-religious.
No one can dispute that the evidentiary quality of the bible is too low to be admissible in court. Courtroom standards have been established over hundreds of years as a practical matter to protect people from unreliable "evidence." These standards have been hardwon, due to the blowback from courts getting it horribly wrong, such as in 1692, when 19 people died at the hands of the Salem court on the basis of dreams people say they had about the accused. Yes, you read that right, on the basis of dreams. You can imagine that back in the 1st century, the sort of things people would accept as "evidence" were even less reliable. It's shocking when you realize that despite how much higher the private personal evidentiary standards of the common man are in the 21st century, that 1st century parlor tricks still pass muster in the minds of so many.
The many books in the bible, especially the gospel, were written by unknown authors, despite popular attributions. The gospel authors do not claim to have been eyewitnesses. Believers will often rebut with, "Well what about those 500 witnesses?" Problem is, a story about 500 witnesses is not the same thing as 500 witnesses. There are no witnesses. All there is, is an uncorroborated story, and worse, a story which the manuscripts show was not written by a single author, but produced through a process of legendary development.
But these are things that pastors never tell their congregations. I guess that must be because, according to Anon5:23 those congregations are full of mostly indecent folk who don't want facts, but prefer hearsay!
I am somewhat surprised. Why would anyone think that someone of the stature of Mr. James Meredith would be so insecure as to attempt to use this blog as a voice to validate his position, that of his father, or that of his church? Why would anyone from LCG even acknowledge this site of grievous "speculation" and untruths? If they did not take it seriously, and the things in this site didn't strike a chord or ring a bell, wouldn't they just ignore it, and, assuming they have the correct doctrinal approach, rely on Christ within their members to do all of the damage control? Or, are they worried about the Gamaliel syndrome, because deep inside they realize that what they are part of is man-made?
BB
Until the brethren, (who are supposedly led by the Holy Spirit) get a say, a vote, and have local elected councils with teeth and empowerment, this TOP DOWN hierarchy of madness will continue, as well as the money, power and control issues. Make no doubt about it, TOP DOWN structure is not one of service and love, but rather one of turf, status quo, and protectionism. It is a communist model, without any free market feedback mechanisms that would allow an organization to grow , become relevant and have checks and balances.
It is obvious that those "in charge" have absolutely ZERO faith that the brethren are led by Gods spirit and that they have any ability to discern and to properly judge. Critical reasoning is squelched and subjugated, and the Saints are treated like little children.
"Who cares about Hawaii-five-o. Is that what you use as evidence"
Well apparently Jim cared enough about it to create a laughable, weak youtube video about it. I doubt that many of us here actually care about Hawaii 5-0 or NCIS but Jim sure does.
"And why do you call him Lil' Jimmy, why not Jim. I'll tell you why, because you've been sadly brainwashed by this site and the disrespect it shows to anyone it doesn't agree with."
I think I speak for a lot of us here when I say that we believe that respect should be earned and Jim Meredith has done absolutely nothing worthy of our respect. He failed in California so his daddy saved his butt by giving him power and position in LCG. He demonstrates poor character and is vain, egotistical and materialistic. I know him personally.
Favoritism, lies, abuse of power and fear mongering are the name of the game in LCG. If you can't see that, please enjoy the rest of your life with your head in the sand.
I'm not sure that the angry anon is Jim Meredith. It seems a little below the crowned prince.
I'm more likely to believe that it is one of the blindly obedient cronies that gets paid to monitor this site (and others), facebook and the content of personal emails coming in and out of lcg.org email accounts.
LCG is like East Germany.
I can imagine them having an emergency executive meeting to figure out how to counter the stories coming to light on banned. I know how they operated and I would be willing to bet that said meeting actually occurred. The problem is, it's hard to get people to believe their propaganda when the stories on this site are true and a huge majority of LCG members can corroborate it.
Thank you for posting here Little Jimmy "I got my minister job from my daddy" Meredith.
I don't mean to be nasty, but attending Sabbath Services with the Living Church of God could get you killed like those in Milwaukee; and sending your children to Living Youth Camp could get them killed. Not to mention that those who survive are reduced to a lifetime status of dumb tithe slave sheep - all so that the Meredith family can live a grand lifestyle and not have to work for a living doing real work, not "Church make believe" work.
I have listened to Rod Meredith since the 1960s WCG - he's an idiot! Herbert Armstrong didn't think much of him either otherwise he would have named Meredith as successor to WCG and not Tkach.
Richard
The thing that continues to boggle my mind is that LCG still has NO self awareness. There is not one shred of the HQ collective consciousness that stops and thinks, "maybe we planted these seeds when we lie, when we slander, when we don't have the same consequences for the same actions based on favoritism and family connection".
When the core is rotten (and it is at LCG) eventually the entire fruit will turn brown and die.
That's the writing on the wall.
If even if you are 3rd in all the universe, you reap what you sew Rod. There is no escaping it.
Oh, get over it.
LCG is a cult.
Cults have no accountability for the elite at the top.
If anyone in the LCG complains they can just take a flying leap... into something like the FLDS... or Scientology is good too.
Just why haven't the members wised up to the fact its a cult?
Stop giving away your money and leave.
Problem solved.
people have been preaching the eulogy of the Church of God for the last 80 years, like they have been been predicting that rap music would have died by now...
what is the motive behind such a pov? i think it is more wishful thinking based personal disdain rather than any substantive observation...
The Church of God Seventh Day has been around for ~150 years and now has over 300,000 people world wide.
Now the Armstrongist Churches of God sects are cults which have been around for 80 years or so. They are based on the debunked hypothesis of British Israelism which has produced quite the crop of false prophets.
It is true that many cults last a very long time. However, with the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia sects, entropy has taken hold and though they may last, they are slowly evaporating away even as ever more dates for the third coming keep getting set and keep passing without fulfilment.
Just how is that sustainable, do pray tell?
i am merely talking about the fact that it has yet to fall: Sabbath keeping Christians are here to stay because Christ said they are here to stay; He did not say it was merit based: in fact in the book of Revelation He enumerated its problems;
but the Church of God will never fall; the united states is in decline, and will sooner collapse, and all the full belly pontificating will cease right along with it; but the COG lives by the Word of God...
"The Church of God Seventh Day has been around for ~150 years and now has over 300,000 people world wide."
you equate numbers with God's blessing.....shows a profound lack of understanding on your part.
Anon Nov. 2 at 8:03 AM claims that it shows a "profound lack of understanding" to "equate numbers with God's blessing."
I agree with you--except this lack of understanding permeates the COGs. Look at how Pack and Flurry do the very thing you object to when they boast about their numbers.
On a smaller scale, I know a COG elder with a prison ministry. I asked him if his sermons and counseling seemed to help the prisoners get their lives straightened around. I expected stories about shattered lives mended, frayed connections rewoven. That sort of inspiring narrative. Instead, the elder told me the number of baptisms he had brought about.
It could be that he simply assumed a baptism signified that the sinner had achieved righteousness and experienced the joy it entails, and expected me to make the same assumption. However, he never satisfied my curiosity about how it helped them cope with their imprisonment and prepare to rejoin society upon their release.
"I agree with you--except this lack of understanding permeates the COGs. Look at how Pack and Flurry do the very thing you object to when they boast about their numbers."
ahh yes, you assume that everyone claiming to be a minister of light actually is...
Read closer, please.
I assume that all those who equate numbers with God's blessing suffer a profound lack of understanding.
Furthermore I assume that NOBODY claiming to be a minister of light actually is one. I grew up a mile south of the Missouri line, and I spent enough time on the north side of it to adopt the skepticism of the Show Me State. If anybody wants me to believe there can be such a thing as a minister of light, they've got to show me one, with convincing, objective evidence.
I'm in LCG and I love my church and my church family. The events of the last year have been so upsetting to me. Why, why, why can't these men just do right and show the kindness and love that Christ spoke of????? Why do they have to be so hard nosed and hateful. I know some of the people that they have done things to and they are good people. None of it seems fair or loving. I pray and pray that they will wake up and get back on the right path before it is too late and they end up losing everything. People are talking of splits. I have been there before and once people start to talk about it, the foundation has been laid. Please WAKE UP!
If LCG headquarters ministers are reading this right now, please remember that Christ "desired mercy". Have you shown mercy? Have you shown love?
You say you are God's true church and I really want to believe that but your actions towards my brothers and sisters in Christ say something else. It is never too late to change. Each day is another opportunity. Please, please, please don't let your egos and hardened hearts ruin the church that so many people love and need.
Post a Comment