Ever since Rod Meredith lambasted his membership recently on why they had not sold their homes, businesses, cashed in retirement funds and investments, LCG members have been asking why the LEADERSHIP of the church have not stepped up to the plate first.
The latest picture sent is is of Dexter Wakefield's close to 3,800 square foot home that he shares with his wife in a gated community.
The question that was asked is:
Why is Wakefield's 3800 square foot home with an estimated worth of $712,000 (with only Wakefield and his wife living in it) acceptable but the brethren are chastised for sitting on hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars and property?While the lowly members are expected to sacrifice and disinherit children, the ministry still sit by their cozy fires night after night. Sacrifice is not a quality any of them have.
See:
Rod Meredith: Personal - Pray for Our Financial Growth!
Rod Meredith is not happy that LCG members are "sitting on millions of dollars worth of money and property" instead of giving it to the church
LCG Fails to be good stewards of God's money.
Ah. What if somebody gave an ACOG, and nobody came? This apparent stalemate is basically a vote of no confidence by the brethren. Let us pray that it continues until the ministry realizes that the best dorm of leadership is leadership by personal example. pssst! Hey! If you do it, they will come!
ReplyDeleteBb
Well, see, it's like this: Herbert Armstrong pursued the Law of Moses, which promised absolutely no eternal life -- it promised prosperity to the Nation of Israel as a whole if most of the people kept it, but there wasn't any real spiritual content to it. Note that the Feasts given to the Israelites were totally physical and required animal sacrifices at each one of them because, even though the blood of bulls and goats didn't forgive sin, it was a requirement to insure that the nation was on the same page. The tithe was to insure that people would go to the Feast of Tabernacles using their produce and on the third year in a cycle of seven, they would give their tithe to the widows and orphans so that they could go and the tither would stay home for a local feast. In all of that, there was not one shred of eternal life and only the promise of a fairly decent physical life for MOST of the Israelites if they ALL pretty much kept the Law of Moses.
ReplyDeleteSo here we are with Herbert Armstrong, who, as he committed incest with his daughter the first ten years of his minister, meaning that he was not a quit converted, uncooperative with the CoG7D ministry, assuming his intellectual superiority, even though he did not even finish high school, his false prophecies making him a false prophet and, most of all, seriously inhumane with his insane narcissism mental disorder -- meant that he was never qualified to be a minister at all, let alone an apostle (???!!!???) and / or prophet. Yet people buy into it and make him a hero to be worshipped in the place of God. You have to know that the people that do so simply don't have much in the way of good judgment.
Why would we ever assume that LCG ministers would be inclined to sacrifice one single creature comfort for the benefit of others? They were taught through the induction of the evil Ambassador College to be completely secular, totally in tune with the physical, not at all understanding kindness and mercy. They don't really know how to be nice, they only know how to pretend to be spiritual as predators preparing to seduce and devour their prey.
What is it that Jesus said?
Oh, yeah.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
I guess Armstrongists think the word "beware" means "embrace".
Dexter Wakefield
ReplyDeleteI say to the LCG leadership, Give the members communism. An outline:
ReplyDeleteThey should only live in shanties and should use only public transportation. Any spare room in a members 'home' will be shared with a member of the collective that is homeless. Members will talk as one and be in agreement with the Central Committee. Any un-Armstrongian behavior will be reported and investigated. The Committee has the power to expunge all serfs who's behavior that the party deems 'subversive' into the lake of fire.
The Politburo (leadership) shall live in such homes that allow for party meetings with visiting dignitary's. The homes shall reflect 'God's Kingdom" here on earth and are required to be of the 'Armstrong Empire style' or 'Armstrong Classicism style'.
The workers are not to question these decisions. The only business of the workers is to OBEY!
on January 23, 2016 at 5:27 PM
ReplyDeleteBlack Ops Mikey said...
"....the Law of Moses, which promised absolutely no eternal life...."
If such is the case then why do you suppose this was written?:- "Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
cheers
ralph.f
Dexter may have many of his own resources besides working for LCG. He grew up in a rather privileged and relatively wealthy environment in the manner of "the old South" in S. Carolina. I believe the extended family are/were bankers. Long ago I ate at the Wakefield table and was served in the traditional Old Southern style by a black woman who did all the cooking etc.
ReplyDeleteThe Wakefields I am familiar with, going back a couple generations are and were very fine people. I did not know Dexter personally however.
However, I could not agree more that in a give til it hurts and send it in environment of religion, the homes these folk have are don't exactly send the message of sacrifice, service and respect for the freely given funds of the membership.
It is somewhat like HWA and others preaching 1972/75 BS while building the Auditorium at the same time.
Gerald Weston will have tendencies towards the finer things in life as being what God wants us (them) to have. He highly recommended Dom Perignon , at about a hundred dollars a bottle, to the members as a good Night to be Remembered libation back in the day. Perhaps the years have mellowed him and made him more practical than then.
Dr. Winnail also comes from a background far above that of the average church member and is used to the type of homes most never set foot in.
I was probably stunned most in my life by Earl Williams home in Atlanta back whenever. He had a huge home and garage where he had a dozen radio controlled airplanes nicely displayed on the floor taking up all or most of the garage space. We were "peers" at the time and how a minister lived like that and could have hobbies that expensive was beyond me.
As years went by, I learned that some ministers who were higher up the chain in the buddy system were paid much much more than myself for similar responsibilities. I pastored as many as three churches at once and never got to be "Pastor Rank". I realized it was merely a pay scale title an not anything to do with actually the job of pastoring.
ReplyDeleteVery impressive LCG Mansion excellent detective work to flush it out!
Someone had to get inside the Gated Community and that can be risky!
I must say, as an outsider, I'm impressed by LCG Executive Wealth!
Ralph, the Scriptures testified of Christ -- as a future development -- but the Law of Moses itself did not promise eternal life and, say, doesn't the Apostle Paul say that?
ReplyDeleteOf course, some people insist that Scripture is suspect....
"John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
ReplyDeleteSounds like something Apostle Dave Pack would say.
I had no idea Dexter Wakefield lived in a house like that, and even within a gated community.
ReplyDeleteMy word. When I took a look at his articles I had no idea that he was so well off. I might have been more tempted to write about his articles if I had known.
It would seem that different rules apply for those in power and regular members. Regular members are told they "have" to send more money. But it goes to those in power within the organization.
The religion is exploited by LCG's leaders for their benefit. Actions speak louder than words.
***
And on another topic PCG has just released an article that admits their "college" is unaccredited but insists to potential students that this does not matter.
"Another excuse young people use in not applying to AC [Herbert W. Armstrong "College"] is that it is unaccredited. While true, in the grand scheme of things this fact means very little. [Unaccredited] Armstrong College students are able to put their practical job training to use in the real world immediately after graduation. Don’t let the accreditation factor keep you from applying to AC." (Michael Cocomise, Why Attend Armstrong College?, January 21, 2016.)
No, it's not 'give til it hurts,' rather it's 'give till it hurts, then give some more.' whilst they live in mansions, eating caviar and drinking champaign.
ReplyDelete7.30 PM, the photo could come from someone living in the estate, or any passing house guest. Your statement is a accusation against the guards. That might not be correct. You don't want to inadvertently endanger the guards jobs.
ReplyDeleteI say to the LCG leadership, Give the members communism. An outline:
ReplyDeleteAnd what follows is NOT communism -- it's George Orwell's 1984.
Nicely done.
with every word, they demonstrate that they are not of God but merely carnal minded hypocrites...
ReplyDeleteand one Scripture comes to mind: "But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken" Luke 12:45
his demand for the lay people to make sacrifices while his friends and family live in carnal comfort and pleasure is oppressive, and frankly bizarre, given the fact that this very same behavior was the root of the collapse of the original wwcg, and given the fact that they claim to be followers of Christ...
their behavior is not unlike the "churches of the world", despite their rhetoric...
dr. meredith's insensitivity and hypocrisy continues to stunt the growth of the work a la 1 Corinthians 9:12, and sadly there is no one close to tell the man that he is wrong...
ReplyDeleteIt is said in Texas GTA - "America's Playboy Preacher"
also lived in a Gated Community to keep out the riff-raff!
his dad preferred Los Angeles where, like another wealthy residence..
"What HAPPENS in the Playboy Mansion STAINS in the Playboy Mansion!"
Black Ops Mikey said: "Ralph, the Scriptures testified of Christ -- as a future development -- but the Law of Moses itself did not promise eternal life and, say, doesn't the Apostle Paul say that?"
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Paul did say that. For example, we have his words here:
Galatians 3:21 "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."
And the promise of life was made a long time ago:
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" Titus 1:2
All Israel will be saved, as scriptures point out, and after they awake in that second resurrection God's Spirit will be poured out upon them and they will thereafter fulfill, for example, the following verses:
Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as ALL THIS LAW, which I set before you this day?
But why didn't do all of that in Moses' day and age? Something very important was needed in the Israelites' lives, but it wasn't something they could just take, steal, dig up, grow on a tree, etc. What was it?
"Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Deuteronomy 29:4
Wasn't it easy to choose life, good and blessings?
They all died, but...............they will live again. They will live again, when, for example, the prophet Isaiah, in the flesh, lives again. Huh?
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isaiah 26:19
In fact, that is the same time Job, who knew about a future life in the flesh, will live again:
"And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:" Job 19:26
Is that really true? Well, time will tell....
John
When Rod says "pray for our financial growth" that's what he means. He's talking about his ministry club. It's a lot like HWA saying "there's a way of give and a way of get." You give. I get. See how that works? It's just an upgrade from what you've heard before.
ReplyDeleteThere can be no social justice on this issue so long as the brethren quietly and humbly continue to accept that it is simply the way that things are supposed to be.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a student at AC, I was once shamed by my dorm monitor (who now works for Rod) by the question, "Do you know that in the early days of the college Mr. Herbert Armstrong had to eat beans, just to keep it all going so that we could enjoy what we have today?"
Years later, I realized that unless you come from a wealthy family, this is just something that you do when establishing a business. In fact, the case could be made that collecting and administering tithes is the equivalent of coming from a wealthy family! Who else could enjoy such advantages? But, it is not what you have access to, it is what you do with it that counts. Honesty, commitment, thrift, even caution in making sure that you don't personally benefit in excessive material ways from preaching the gospel, these are all criteria for evaluating the total package and decisions as to whether to join up and support.
BB
John, please stop preaching to us. We'll let u know if we want to attend your services
ReplyDeleteHave you seen this blog's comments? We always have a couple of characters floating around who want to fence with bible readings, or set themselves up as the newest cult leader.
DeleteAmerica's Playboy Preacher? Perhaps we can call him Garner Hefner Armstrong. I read that he died from "complications from pneumonia" at age 73. Gotta wonder if it was venereal disease related.
ReplyDeleteAt least men like Wakefield, Cesielka or Winnail (Sr and Jr) became rich before being fulltime ministers (which changes nothing in the fact that they should lead by example).
ReplyDeleteI'm counting my blessings, I've found true happiness
ReplyDeleteCos I'm getting richer, day by day.
You can find me in the phone book, just call my toll free number
You can do it any way you want just do it right away!
There'll be no doubt in your mind, you'll believe everything I'm saying
If you wanna get closer to him, get on you knees and start paying!
Genesis
Jesus he knows me
If the leadership of LCG claimed that they have sold their assets and gave them to the LCG, would you believe them? Stanley Rader said,, "It's not what you own, it's what you control." The leadership could say that they own nothing, but they control much. HWA didn't own the house on the AC campus, or the Cadillac limo, but he had a huge expense account and salary. On the website Charity Navigator, it reported that GTA had a salary of less than $60K, but he lived in a gated community. How can this be? The house, his cars, planes and other toys were probably all in the name of the church, which of course, he controlled. The best part of this plan is that he is not responsible for the maintenance of these things, since he wasn't the owner. The church paid for everything. The $60K salary was used for little more than spending money, loose change, since the big expenses were already covered by the church. HWA used to tell us in the AC gymnasium on Friday night that he didn't own anything, yet he lived like a king. What we do know is that many of these leaders are power hungry, corrupt, pathological liars and are very materialistic.
ReplyDeleteCeeselka wasn't wealthy. He was a software salesman failure. When he couldn't hold a job in the real world he did what all do that have a connection to HQ. Hey that minister gig looks pretty lucrative. It's not what you know, but who you know.
ReplyDeleteCan Charity Navigator find out anything on Tkach?
ReplyDelete4.39AM. The dictionary definition of ownership is control. Everything you say is spot on. In terms of control, the Armstrongs were filthy rich.
ReplyDeleteMinimalist
ReplyDeleteWhat are you trying to find out about Tkach
ReplyDeleteWhat are you trying to find out about Tkach
Just wondering if there are financial details on the GCI "charity"