UCG and LCG Seek To Whore Themselves Out To The World By Accrediting Their College/University

Its interesting to see both United Church of God and Living Church of God seeking to legitimize their "college/university" in the eyes of the world.  I remember back in the 70-90's when Ambassador College sought long and hard to be accredited.  The first time the accreditation process went down the rabbit hole when Herbert Armstrong went into a screaming fit over it.  He felt that the college was giving up too much of its uniqueness and would have to conform to the standards set by the "pagan world and its educational system."  Then a while later they were seeking accreditation again.  Then it was off again, then it was back on and this time the accreditation committee saw the blatant hypocrisy in the process on the side of Ambassador College/University.

The Worldwide Church of God faced problems in obtaining accreditation for its ‘Ambassador College’, under the direction of Michael Germano, who was unable to carry out all the changes necessary for accreditation, as he was not given full authority to do so. On refusing its second application in 1970, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges commented that, “The basis of ‘truth’ for Ambassador and its faculty is whether or not facts, information, or ideas agree with their Biblical interpretation ... Science has ‘advanced’ by constant self-criticism. Such a direction does not seem to be open for Ambassador faculty, however. This borders on academic dishonesty.”

After that epic failure and the rapid collapse of the Worldwide Church of God into numerous splinter personalty cults, accreditation went out the window for good.

Several years later though the three largest splinter personality cults established their own "colleges"  Usually nothing more than a couple rooms and a few library books on the second floor of one of the church HQ buildings.  Now with flippant arrogance on their side two of these groups are seeking to have their "college/university" accredited.

United Church of God is seeking to have their "college" accredited so that international students can attend.  Why they would want to is a mystery when there are other more highly evolved theological institution in the world than UCG's.

Viktor Kubik announced to the General Conference of Elders that the church is considering accreditation for Ambassador Bible College. “Ambassador Bible College will be further developed as a place of biblical learning and training in service and leadership. We’re looking into it being accredited for international students to be able to more easily come and learn as well.”

Living Church of God is also seeking to have their "university" accredited.  Michael Germano is heading up this process.  After ruling over two previous failed attempts with Ambassador College/University it will be interesting to see if he pulls the rabbit out of the hat this time.  This is also the same guy who spoke out debunking British Israelism and now pretends to believe in it.  Meeting Rod Meredith realigned him to the truth. or so it seems.

The Living Church of God’s Living University, under the presidency of Dr. Germano, has gained limited accreditation, so it offers resources that “Living University does not necessarily endorse ... nor vouches for their accuracy.”  Church of God News

I will be interesting to see how these accrediting committee's enforce broader teaching and scholarship than UCG/LCG are used to.  It will be fun to see how they treat evolution instead of trumpeting out idiotic booklets from WCG's glory days as proof it never happened.

Intellectual stimulation is not something that the Church of God is known for.  Thinking outside the box and reading books outside the COG norm are frowned upon. 

Herbert Armstrong had this to say about worldly colleges and education which LCG and UCG are trying to get as close to as possible.

I'm telling you what the world is like. AND CHRIST CAME TO CALL US OUT OF THIS WORLD AND TO BE SEPARATE — NOT TO GO ON INTO IT FURTHER. 

   Why is it that not only have we found that those students that come here that have had a university education are handicapped? And they are! And they're not humble like they should be. And that we find that those who graduate from here, never having gone to another university, if then they are encouraged to go and get additional degrees, right away they become so very self-important. And they look down on us and they look down that way on Ambassador College — it is of nothing. 

   University of Southern California, that's very big, that's way up here, UCLA that's way up here, Stanford they're way up there, Harvard, oh, that's bigger yet, Oxford and Cambridge. Ambassador College, oh, that little 'ole thing over there, they believe in Jesus Christ. Well you know if they believe in something like that, that's not scientific. Even God isn't scientific. You know science refers only to those things that are physical and material and Christ is not physical or material neither is God. So what do they think of God? They have nothing but disrespect and contempt for God and for Jesus Christ. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TAUGHT AND THEY COME TO HAVE THAT ATTITUDE. I'M TALKING OUT; I'M SPEAKING OUT HERE TODAY. THAT'S THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THIS WORLD. 

Real Accreditation

   There's one college that has real accreditation in this world and that is Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. And if Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas goes on to be a four year college it'll have that same accreditation. 

   Well, Jesus started the church by starting with twelve people. How's He going to start the Kingdom of God, that great family of God, that ultimately is going to consist of billions of people? He is going to start that through the church. He is going to start that through the church. 

   So here we are near the end of Satan's world that started back in the days of Adam, and they started a certain educational system. They started certain kinds of government. The first record that we have so far as I know is that of Nimrod after the flood. And we had, first city states, government of a certain city, and the wars from one city between one city and another. And finally we got into certain nations. And we had the nations of Egypt and Babylonia and of Greece and so on. And then a man named Nebuchadnezzar got a lot of those nations together in the first world empire and government came to be empirical. That was succeeded, it was called the Chaldean Empire or Babylon after its capital city. It was succeeded by the Persian Empire and that by the Greco-Macedonian Empire — split up into four divisions after Alexander died prematurely in a drunken debauch. 

   And then came the great Roman Empire, it fell in 476 AD and in 554, the Pope at Rome brought Justinian from Constantinople on over to Rome to start the Holy Roman Empire as they called it. That was a sort of resurrection, a rejuvenation of the old Roman Empire. In the meantime there had been the Vandals and the Ostrogoths and the Heruli and they sort of disappeared. We don't know what ever happened to them. The Bible says they were plucked up by the roots and a plant plucked up by the roots is gone. You can't find any record of it any longer and that's the way it was, and that came from Constantinople. 

   Now I had an experience just on this last trip, just about two weeks ago. In Jerusalem the patriarch, he's younger than I am, but he's the patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, the Greek Catholic Church. And he came to my suite in the hotel to see me. I thought he might come and I was prepared and I had a gift of Steuben to give to him, but he came with a gift for me. And he presented me, I didn't think; I might have brought it with me and I could show you here today. I think maybe we will show it; I don't know whether to show it or whether to throw it away. Well now, I don't mean any disrespect, I want you to understand what I mean. What he gave me he regarded as something of very great honor. It was a medal that had first been given by, oh what they call him, the great Constantine wasn't it? From Constantinople way back in those days about the fourth or fifth century and it is a fairly large gold cross and it comes with, well I believe it's a ribbon, that will hang around the neck and you can wear it. Course I'm not going to wear it, because it's a pagan symbol that's what I meant, but he doesn't look on it as pagan. And he looks on it as something very great and God does look on the heart. As far as he knows he isn't looking on it as anything wrong now you understand, I don't mean any disrespect and we should respect certain offices even though they are wrong. I tell you I respect the office of Satan, believe it or not, I respect it because I fear it. There is power there. 

   But so few of those have ever been given. From the first one they have a record of every one ever given. Way back since about the fourth or fifth century or something like that. I think it was Constantine the great who gave the first one. That will go back to the fourth century, 321 AD — 321. And that's the time of the Nicene Council, and the one I have is the, let me see, the one hundred and twenty-first wasn't it, or was it the one thirty-first one that has ever been given in all these years. Well I think that probably we shall put it in our collection of souvenirs and things that have been given, and of perhaps of decorations that have been give me and things of that sort. But anyway, I just thought I would mention it. It was looked upon as a very great honor and I'm sure he meant it that way, so I don't mean any disrespect. I think you understand that. 

Armstrong's take on "wordily" education is one of appalling ignorance and outright idiocy.  Even so, apparently UCG and LCG prefer to whore themselves out to the "world" they claim to not be a part of.

There is one thing that the Church of God has always been good at  - never "doing" what they "preach".  Hypocrisy is the name of the game.

How Many Living Church of God Ministers Does It Take?

The Charlotte Ministerial Elite

Guest article:

It looks like LCG is preparing for the death of Rod Meredith by amassing ministers in Charlotte at LCG headquarters. What better way to ensure that ministers will ally with you in a split than to bestow upon them the honor of being brought to headquarters? It feeds their egos and makes them feel special and extra worthy. It is likely that the thought is that by keeping them close, they will retain them instead of losing them to other ACOG’s in the turmoil of the imminent LCG split after Meredith kicks the bucket. Although Meredith has recently named Ames or even Gerald Weston as his heirs to the LCG throne, most in LCG speculate that the split will be Jim Meredith vs Doug Winnail. I like to imagine the battle being like that episode of Star Trek where Kirk and Spock are forced to fight each other on Vulcan. Jim Meredith is impulsive, overly-confident and short-sighted but he carries the Meredith name. Winnail is slow to act but cunning and calculated. Oh the suspense!

At present there are somewhere between 115-125 ministers in the entire Living Church of God (which ironically is dying).  At last count there were nearly 20 ministers in Charlotte alone. It is rare for them to preach on the Sabbath (we are primarily subjected to one of 3 sermons Mr. Meredith repeats over and over again, hearing from anyone else is rare). Rod McNair and Mike Desimone are officially the pastors of the Charlotte congregation if anyone needs anointed or wants marriage counseling or whatever but most would rather suffer than call McNair and Desimone is still wet behind the ears. 

There is no real explanation as to why so many ministers would be in Charlotte when those left in the field are spread so thinly. It is frustrating because there are so many members out there, who never or very rarely get to see a minister; who are dedicated to a church that would rather keep bringing ministers to headquarters and inventing jobs and fancy titles instead of using them to feed the flock. It would make more sense to hire trained professionals to fill these positions than to take ministers from the field. It seems kind of backwards.  One would think that the ministers would, in fact, miss ministering if that is where their hearts truly were. Unfortunately and predictably, they get to headquarters and enjoy having a title, being part of the upper echelon and having their butts kissed because “they are from headquarters”.  Forget those long hours driving to meet remote members or to meet potential new converts. Forget all that grueling work counseling and anointing members, visiting the sick, helping the poor, etc. 

Sadly, coming to work at LCG headquarters always leads to a huge let down as they learn how much backbiting and politicking goes on. They soon realize that “God’s true work” isn’t really that Godly and that men who they always looked up to are frightfully carnal with enormous egos that demand to be fed daily. But hey, you still get a free company car and a free gas card even though you only have to drive 4.3 miles to get to work every day so it eases the pain just a little.

The following LCG ministers are already suckling from the Meredith power tit here in Charlotte:

• Rod Meredith
• Jim Meredith
• Richard Ames
• Doug Winnail
• Dexer Wakefield
• Rod McNair
• Scott Winnail
• Peter Nathan
• Mario Hernandez
• Wally Smith
• Gary Ehman
•  Gaylyn Bonjour
•  Wyatt Cesielka
• Dr. Germano
• John Robinson
• Mike Desimone
• Don Davis (was a minister but has his power stripped a few years back and has slowly been getting more and more responsibility again)
•  Charles Ogwyn (no longer works in the headquarters building but still attends the Charlotte congregation

Rod Meredith speaks out AGAIN on how disunified the LCG truly is.

 Double click to enlarge

The Living Church of God has had a lot of issues with "unity" over the last couple of years.  As Rod Meredith draws closer to death, that grumbling underground is starting to quake the church.  Many are upset over the watering down of doctrines, others claim the church is too legalistic and tries to control members lives, others are upset over the nepotism that runs rampant in the LCG HQ staff and with Lil'Jimmy hovering in the wings. Financial abuse and wasteful spending is draining the LCG coffers day by day.  Disunity is the name of the game now.

That disunity has been so bad over the last couple of years that there is an incessant supply of articles, sermons and letters decrying the grumbling that is spreading through the membership.

Rod Meredith is back again with ANOTHER letter commanding unity.  He claims Satan is out to destroy the LCG and that the membership needs to throw their support behind Richard Ames if Meredith dies.

Anytime a Church of God leader or minister starts bragging on how good some things in the church, it is a sure sign that things are in BAD shape!  Also, because of the continuing unease in the LCG over Lil'Jimmy possible taking the reigns after daddy's death, Meredith lays out the power structure he has set in place in case of his death.

So we have a great deal of unity. The vast majority of our ministers and members all “speak the same thing.” And we are overwhelmingly involved in “giving ourselves” to “do the Work”! Brethren, I am extremely grateful to report to you in the name of Christ that we do have a greater sense of unity and harmony in this present Work than at any other time I can remember in the 63 years of my full-time service!

Most of you know that the man appointed to be my successor, Mr. Richard Ames, is extremely dedicated, balanced and loyal. I hope all of you will support him with all your heart unless he turns totally away from God as some men in recent years have done. However, those who turned aside a number of years ago had not been “tried and tested” in the way that Mr. Ames has. So I have every confidence that—although Satan will attack us and try to divide us and upset us in other ways—it will undoubtedly not be because Mr. Ames turns aside. So I ask you to give him every support and heartfelt prayers to continue on faithfully as you have done with me. Thank you!

Also, if anything should happen to Mr. Ames, another of the most experienced and dedicated leaders in the Work at this time is Mr. Gerald Weston, who has already been acknowledged by the Council of Elders to carry on in Mr. Ames’ place, if necessary, as Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God. Mr. Weston, also, has been tried and tested in many different ways. He has served faithfully throughout the United States, across Canada, and soon will be serving full-time in Britain, Europe and the Middle East. Do give him your support and your fervent prayers!

Meredith goes onto discuss "loyalty."

Lucifer was not loyal to His Creator. We must not be like that.

...we must do what we can to continue the wonderful spirit of unity, brotherly love and service 

...focus on doing with faithfulness that which is our own part—sincerely trying to support those who may have, at this time, a higher “rank” in the Work of God.

Only the "higher rank" men are the ones qualified to lead the church.  The dumb uneducated sheeple that have not been tested by the fires of Satan are not qualified to to lead anything.   Poor Lil'Jimmy, perhaps he can go and work for Bob Thiel since he and he alone is now doing the only "work" that is worthwhile on the entire earth.

Gerald Flurry: God Lovingly Punished the People of Nepal for their Sins

Another major disaster happened recently with the earthquake in Nepal that killed thousands.  As usual, the Armstrongite cult leaders start spouting their ridiculous nonsense on what it happened.

Gerald's god is a god that punishes.  He likes that god.  It validates the legalistic doctrines he forces upon his members.

Here is what Gerald Flurry says:

Because creation came from a Creator, it follows that environmental disasters have a spiritual dimension. Thankfully, the someone who created our planet and created us reveals Himself to human beings. He is God.

But a God who lovingly made creation would never allow humans to suffer. That is a false argument, based not on God’s actual nature, but on our own ideas.

God punishes. We can see that in the Bible, and we can see that in the news. Why? Because we sin. We sin so much that if God doesn’t intervene, we will drown in it. We are on our way to violently deleting ourselves from this planet, no environmental disasters needed.

So God uses something no human being can control to communicate with us: our environment. We just need to get the message: If your entire world is shaking, something is wrong.
 
When earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, mudslides, tornados and fires strike, does that mean God is lashing out at us in retaliation? No. It is God’s loving correction for those who will recognize it. Does it mean that the people who die as buildings collapse on them are extra-sinful people? Jesus Christ Himself answered this exact question. He said that those who die in such disasters are a warning to the rest of us that unless we repent, we will likewise perish.