Monday, May 9, 2016

Rod Meredith Letter To Executive Staff Justifying His Hiring of David Meredith




From an LCG source (Meredith letter at the end)




Rod Meredith truly lets his arrogance, superiority complex and ego shine in this memo.

It is of note that many of the people RCM mentions in this letter like Tom Baca, Lara Prejean and the Bryce family no longer work for or even attend LCG.

Although RCM tries to downplay David's job (and it did start out as he describes), new, more important/ higher paying "jobs" with titles were quickly invented for David . Ultimately he ended up with a cushy corner office with a $5000 couch on which he could take his afternoon naps. His office was much nicer than many other HQ's employees who were also serving as full time ministers (and not without causing contention amongst those ministers). David was no where near qualified for the positions he held. Yet his opinion on IT issues and other things was always taken over the opinions of employees that actually knew what they were talking about, creating even more contempt and disharmony as a direct result of David's employment. This ultimately led LCG's Director of IT, Charles Ogwyn, to "resign".

The two ministers (Charles Ogwyn and Davy Crockett) that had the nerve to complain about David's poor work quality were,  in true Rod Meredith form, were both gone not long thereafter. You can't complain about the bosses kid and remain unscathed. Especially in a corrupt organization like LCG!

It was common knowledge that RCM only wanted baptized members working at LCG headquarters in an effort to prevent many of the problems he saw in Worldwide as a result of "unconverted" people being given jobs. That is, except in David's case. He wasn't/isn't baptized and has never remotely tried to act like he was converted or making any effort to leave his "worldly ways" behind. He drinks excessively, curses without shame, talks about porn, smokes pot and has a history of cheating on his wife (whom he impregnated  before marriage on the couch at a drunken young adult Feast party in a room full of people).

When David came to Charlotte in 2009 to live with his dad and mooch off LCG, it was because his wife kicked him out for drinking, drugs, porn addiction and adultery and he had nowhere else to go. So daddy gave him a place to live and work instead of making him face the consequences that might have actually inspired change in his behavior.

Getting kicked out was nothing new to David though. Gerald Weston once kicked him out of church (in Kansas City) for the same type of behavior (although the  subsequent fury of Mr. & Mrs. Meredith - that someone would DARE kick their precious baby out of church -  later forced Weston swallow his pride , recant and apologize like a good puppet).

Let's not fail to notice the not-so-veiled threat in RCM's last paragraph, "My thoughts and prayers are with you - as I do not want to lose any of you..." In other words, if you dare to voice disagreement with a decision made by RCM, you are going to get yourself fired. Disagreeing with RCM is like disagreeing with Jesus Christ Himself after all!

I especially like how RCM attempts to define and then negate the rampant nepotism in LCG. All of his children and at least one of his grandchildren have been or are currently on the LCG payroll. Lil Jimmy Meredith makes more money than anyone in LCG except his own greedy daddy WHILE expensing luxury vacations in the name of "looking for Feast sites" (he just loves to serve). His daughters married men who RCM promoted into the full time ministry and then gave them territories like the Caribbean (hey, somebody's got to do it ). 

Ego and self will. Abuse of power and delusions of grandeur. Seldom is such a total and complete display of poor character available for all of us to enjoy



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


EXECUTIVE MEMO

FROM THE OFFICE
OF
RODERICK C. MEREDITH

TO:                 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SUBJECT:      DAVID MEREDITH HIRE
DATE:            JULY 20, 2009

To all directly concerned:

Knowing that many of you have already heard about this situation I am addressing, I am sending this to a number of you so we all can be “on the same page.” I pray that you will see this with an open mind and heart – as it comes from the Presiding Evangelist of God’s Church and the one whom Christ used to raise up the Church and therefore make possible your job in the first place.

I received a personal memo just as I was leaving the office late Friday afternoon. The writer acknowledged that he knew that I had “given the order that David Meredith is to be hired.” So he knew that the Presiding Evangelist had already decided on a policy and a decision was made. The memo concerned my decision to hire my son David into a very basic, low-level job in the Media Department. I had previously talked with Mr. Tom Baca, Lara Prejean and others in the department regarding a genuine need I had heard about for a few weeks in an area that was needed in a number of areas there. One job involving a somewhat “grubby” job of cleaning old tapes so they can be reused and another which Mr. Baca himself proposed was helping him catch up on a number of filings and office type work that required no special skills. Mr. Baca sent Mr. Ames a note on this and – at the time - Mr. Ames and I approved the hiring of David Meredith who is in a real “tough spot” in his life and in desperate need of a job to even be able to keep himself, his wife and his little three-year-old daughter together. I felt at the time that this was an act of compassion and was going to help us fill a need that would have to eventually be taken of anyway.

Then- all of a sudden- the “static” began! Comments were made regarding “nepotism,” a “Public Relations disaster,” and the brethren possibly being upset if they find we are helping our own children, etc. I am going to take time to address, in general, these accusations and unkind comments so all of you can understand the way God has always had His people act, and the way the Work of God did act under His Apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong.

In ancient times, as you all know, God did work through families, we are told about the “fathers” – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We find as an intrinsic principle in the statutes of God – statutes which we are preparing to teach, indecently, that ownership of the land was to be carried down through the sons and daughters of the owner. The older sons were expected to help carry on the family business, farm or enterprise. All over the earth – as most of you know – this has been a custom for centuries. But now, with the break down of the family and the rise of the “corporate structure” type of approach this is often being denigrated- partly, of course, because a number of executives have grossly abused this. Nevertheless the basic principle of God working through families is well established in scripture without me going through a whole lecture on this.

In the Worldwide Church of God – under the direct control of God’s Apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong – it was common practice that we would hire our young people coming along in the college and often through our families to give them an opportunity to function, carry on responsibility and hoping that most of them would finally become converted and part of the Church and the Work fulltime. All of Mr. Armstrong’s four children were on the family payroll at one time or another plus his sons-in-lawand later, some of his grandchildren. These grandsons were not converted at the time but were given an opportunity.

No one, so far as I know of, objected to this because of the deep respect they had for the fact that God had used Mr. Armstrong to raise up the Work and that they were – in a sense – an extension of the Armstrong family and we knew it was a help to him and an honor to him to help work in his children and grandchildren and  give them these opportunities – along with hundreds of young people in college, graduates of the college, and others who had come in to work on the grounds, in Imperial School, in publishing in television, etc. During those years, a very few disgruntled brethren might have talked about “nepotism.” And certainly, some of Mr. Armstrong’s children and grandchildren were very carnal as many realized. Yet some of them did work hard and accomplish for the Work in spite of their lack of conversion.

Incidentally, “nepotism” is a term derived from a Latin word “nepos” usually referring to a nephew receiving favoritism by Medieval prelates who often appointed some of their children or even nephews to be bishops in the Catholic Church even before they were out of their teen years! The dictionary relates that this term is used “especially” to appointment to desirable positions. As I am sure you can gather, I have no interest in appointing my son David or anyone else to a “desirable” position in opposition to the principles in God’s Word. His job in the Media building will be perhaps the lowliest position over there and he will be starting at a very base salary – far below what most of you are making! So to anyone who properly understands the English language, the “charge of nepotism” is indeed showing a lack of understanding about the work itselfplus a disrespect to the Presiding Evangelist of God’s Church.

As two or three who have heard about all of this have told me, “There will be no public relations disaster unless some of these people who try to criticize try to bring it about!”

Obviously, such a move as that which would undermine the respect for the office Christ has set me in and would be causing division in God’s Church and Work – and mentally and emotionally upsetting to others who were given a negative and completely wrong “spin” on what is actually being planned. Contrary to what some have indicated, most of our loyal members would be happy to see that some of our children are being used in the Work and that our sons and daughters are indeed being allowed to “fit in” and help carry on the Work of God as long as it is done in a reasonable manner and without high salaries, high titles, etc. being involved. Again, the vast majority of the field ministry will feel the same way – as we hope that many of their own sons and daughters may be “part of the Work” as time goes on. Certainly Jonathan McNair, Rod McNair, Charles Ogwyn and Scott Winnail are all fine examples of young men in their 30’s and 40’s who have matured and are now being used in a very fine way – among other relatives of God’s people whom we have hired through the years.

When the time came, we hired Angie Pyle, Deborah Lyons and others of our children when they were able to “fit in” and have an opportunity for a part-time or fulltime job – which we often modified to fit their schedule of classes, and etc. as you know. When Mr. Charles Bryce came here as Director of the Ministry, I certainly tried to help him – because of his grave responsibilities and the service he was then rendering – by allowing the Work to hire his daughter and his son, Scott, who had a mental handicap and – as Mr. Bryce explained to me himself – had a situation where he would some times “forget where he was” or what he should be doing and simply drive around in circles, etc. Yet he was not a danger, had a good attitude and could accomplish certain things under direct guidance from others. So, because we honored Mr. Bryce, we all pitched in to help Scott, encourage him and hope that his family situation could be strengthened by this action – thus helping Mr. Bryce to concentrate on his job and helping the thousands of brethren around the world – which Dr. Winnail is now doing so well.

The charge has been brought that there has been a “hiring freeze” at this time. In actual fact, it has been a very limited hiring freeze – since the decision to have such a freeze was made in early May and we hired Laura Denny on June 1st and Susan Corbett on June 22nd and have been in the process of hiring one or two ministers or elders in the field ministry beside. Therefore, since my son is being brought in at the very lowest level, it is certainly not going to “hurt the Work” and is not inconsistent with what we are already doing.

Brethren, I have put David on notice that he is on “probation” in the first 90 days with his work for the church – as are all of our employees. I will be checking regularly with Tom Baca and others in the Media Department to make sure that he does his job properly, causes no problems, etc. But I am charging you – as you all profess to be Christians – to try to give him the same support, the same help and encouragement that you did these other individuals that I have mentioned and that the vast majority of us tried to do with those young people – hundreds of themwho were brought along while still unconverted back in the days of the Worldwide Church at Ambassador College.

I realize that we are not the Worldwide Church or Ambassador College. But both of my sons had expressed a fervent desire to attend Ambassador College some day. They were deeply hurt when Ambassador closed its doors. They never had the opportunity to go to Ambassador College or to be surrounded by God’s people and be a part of God’s Work in that way. They both had to sacrifice in a number of ways that I will not go into here because of their father being sent “in disgrace” – so to speak – into a kind of internal exile in Glendora and having other young people in the Church ask them, “What is wrong with you father? Why isn’t he preaching anymore? We thought he was and Evangelist?” Some times they would come home crying and wondering, “What is wrong with the Church? Why are they treating you this way?” So it hurt them deeply. And I would like to help them understand that the Church can be helpful and loving!

In the earlier days of this Work, my son David helped out in the office in San Diego for two or three months with no salary – helping run errands, handle the mail and personally put the stamped addresses from the address cards on the envelopes by hand – as we had to do in those days. David helped in Bill Brazil’s printing work – which was also considered “part of the work” as Bill was printing all of our booklets and magazines at that time. Bill liked his work, and told me so a number of times. So David has been “part of the Work” before most of you were ever employed. But I want all of you to know that in the last eight weeks when David has been living in our home, I have had several long talks with him and he has responded very well. He has come to realize that he did a lot of immature – and using his own words – “stupid” things. He is certainly in the process of repenting about these things, wanting to be more mature in every way and to serve the Creator God. I sincerely feel that he is making good progress and now has a right attitude which I want to continue.

So I ask all of you in Jesus’ name, to join with me, as Christians, in welcoming David Meredith into our office, giving him encouragement and support. I am also instructing you not to join any others who might be so inclined to “make an issue” of this and thereby cause and “public relations” problem. As I said before, this would certainly be divisive and I don’t feel that any of you really want to do that.

But perhaps, so many years after Mr. Armstrong’s death and the constant bombardment of the “worldly” approach to things and the distancing of our entire society from the kind of family structure we ought to have been learning, we forget how God often operated through a family. God Himself is building a family. And, as long as our children do not cause and problem and are genuinely trying to grow, to overcome and to help – we should give them every opportunity that we rightly can, under the circumstances, to be part of the Work through various part-time jobs or activities as the Work grows and increases in years to come.

So if you have even part of the respect that all of used to show Mr. Armstrong, I hope that you would respect the office God has given me by trying to respond in a positive way to this employment in a very base, entry level position in God’s Work at this time. I will appreciate and pray for your positive response and your prayers for me personally – for this has certainly brought a certain amount of stress upon me at a time I do not need it. My thoughts and prayers will be with you – as I do not want to lose any of you – as long as you remain in a right attitude and are genuinely loyal and supportive to the human leadership Christ has placed in His Church.

In Christ’s name,
Roderick C. Meredith

61 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is one of the most disgusting things I have read in a while. Living Church of God is sick!

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I just wanted to see Davy Crockett's name somewhere because it's funny.

(I hope there are no stonings involved!)

Byker Bob said...

Wow! What a rewrite of Jesus' parable! It's like the prodigal son has been invited back into the fold while still engaged in iniquity! What lesson does that teach?

Uncle Roddy has a way of spiritualizing away the stench of manure, and commanding that all his members' noses perceive it as if it were a bouquet of roses!

BB

Redfox712 said...

Meredith sounds so different in this letter from how he sounds in his recruitment writings. He sounds like one who simply wants to help. But here he insists on being followed. The real purpose of LCG's recruitment writings is get people to accept being lorded over in this way by those higher up within LCG.

He has no idea how haughty he sounds in this letter.

It is strange that Meredith should cite Charles Bryce four years after he left LCG to start up his own COG splinter group.

Anonymous said...

LCG's David is the WCG's Garned Ted!!

Anonymous said...

"They both had to sacrifice in a number of ways that I will not go into here because of their father being sent “in disgrace” – so to speak – into a kind of internal exile in Glendora and having other young people in the Church ask them, “What is wrong with you father? Why isn’t he preaching anymore? We thought he was and Evangelist?” Some times they would come home crying and wondering, “What is wrong with the Church? Why are they treating you this way?” So it hurt them deeply. And I would like to help them understand that the Church can be helpful and loving!"

MY COMMENTS:
1. Poor babies. Their father behaved badly and there were consequences. Let's all grow up now and stop blaming our behavior on things that happened 30+ years ago.

2. Is anyone else noticing that RCM appears to STILL believe that his "internal exile" was unwarranted? Has there ever been a man less willing to take personal responsibility for his actions? How can one idolize HWA like RCM does, yet fail to see that his decision to punish him was well over due and totally justified???

3. "help them understand that the Church can be helpful and loving" - other than helping themselves and loving money, LCG leadership has never been "helpful and loving". The same goes for the members. The majority of them would drown each other like rats on a sinking ship in order to exalt themselves in the eyes of the ministry which they idolize and believe are infallible. As mentioned in a previous article on this blog site, LCG is loveless and joyless. LCG is legalism ruled with fear and nothing more.

Anonymous said...

The Rod of God says, "But I want all of you to know that in the last eight weeks when David has been living in our home, I have had several long talks with him and he has responded very well. He has come to realize that he did a lot of immature – and using his own words – “stupid” things. He is certainly in the process of repenting about these things, wanting to be more mature in every way and to serve the Creator God. I sincerely feel that he is making good progress and now has a right attitude which I want to continue"

Flash forward 6 years and David is once again kicked out of his house and dependent on his dad for food and shelter even though he's almost 40 years old. His wife is divorcing him for all the "stupid" things Rod was helping him with in 2009. So much for that newly found "right attitude".

To be fair to David, I can't imagine what it's like to endure "long talks" from RCM. I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out. I'm sure David said whatever was necessary to just MAKE IT STOP.

Maybe Rod should read some books on being an enabler. Breaking news Rod: if you keep bailing him out, he will NEVER improve. Take the silver spoon out of his mouth and make him face the consequences of his actions. Only then does he have a chance to grow up and learn to act like a man instead of an 18 year old skater boy.

Although, Rod himself seldom faces the consequences of his own actions so let's not hold our breath...

DennisCDiehl said...

...."as it comes from the Presiding Evangelist of God’s Church and the one whom Christ used to raise up the Church and therefore make possible your job in the first place"

I recall Al Portune walking past while I was gardening at AC and said "Just think, if it wasn't for me, you'd not have a job."

I was new to AC and WCG so , for a change, kept my mouth shut, but I do recall the thought "And without my parents tithe, you'd not have yours...." Still holds true for all who "work" for the Church from the least to the greatest.

This is such a revealing memo about RCM's ideas about himself, his view of his authority and proof texting to find a biblical justification for ideas already decided.

While one can appreciate trying to help a son , this kid can't be young and has obviously made little or no effort at an education and a career he could excel in a a human being. I imagine he's a very damaged by the church and RCM's way of being as an adult. This I can also understand.

Age has certainly not mellowed RCM or taught him much about "come let us reason together." There is no together in this memo for sure.

RCM is a proud man with a large Ego for his value and place in "the work" His classic statement in class when I was 18 years old of "There is God, Christ, Herbert Armstrong, Garner Ted , MYSELF and a few other leading Evangelists..in authority" one of those "Uh oh" moments I should have paid more attention to on many levels.

This self justifying memo is very telling . Obviously Banned having it to post shows someone in the Royal Court of LCG is not happy. I sense the concept of "livid" coming up soon in a meeting.

Anonymous said...

It appears that the man who has never committed a "major" sin since baptism has raised a family of alcoholics. You know, he should have paid attention to the email I sent him over a decade ago about the topic.

But if he wants to help his children, he needs to find out how at:

rational.org

In fact, all you boozing ministers and leaders of the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia need to get started NOW before you end up like Donald Weininger.

Well... let's just say that the third and last stage of alcoholism is marked by serious deterioration -- those hypoglycemic headaches can be a killer.

Get off the sauce before you kill yourself or someone else. Maybe if you go to prison for vehicular homicide, you'll HAVE to stop drinking.

Practicing boozing alcoholics are disgusting and given this day and age of reason and information, there is absolutely no excuse. Being willingly ignorant and rejecting science in a cult is not an excuse.

Go out and get a copy of "Under the Influence" by Dr. James Milam and its companion book, "Ending the Drug Pandemic: Discovering the Liberating Truth".

My disgust with Armstrongist Alcoholics is consummate, so I'll stop now, but you stupid fools need to pay attention.

Anonymous said...

So, if you honestly disagree with Rod, you are according to him, disrespecting, Herbie, Rod and his office. This is intellectual bullying. He also claims disagreement is "divisive."
This accusation is the most popular club used by all the splinters. Members rights are constantly being walked all over, all in the name if 'unity.' Unity is a commie/collectivist theme, not a biblical theme. Christ said He wasn't bringing unity but division, parents against children etc.
Rod left out the family of Eli, who put his sons before God. These corrupt sons were killed by God. I'm not saying Rod is doing a Eli, but rather having family involved, isn't necessarily prudent. And not forgetting, Eli was fat, ie living the good life like many leaders today.

Anonymous said...

6.16AM so Christ, Herbie, Ted then Ron etc. These people live in a fantasy, called church-world. They have no idea what the 'real' world is like, or what church members are going through. Many members endure appalling persecution and hardship. Yet Herbie, Rod etc think they will have the best positions in the kingdom because of their 'pretty' sermons and articles. Personally, I don't believe Herbie or Rod will be in the kingdom.

Anonymous said...

"...it comes from the Presiding Evangelist of God’s Church and the one whom Christ used to raise up the Church and therefore make possible your job in the first place."


sounds like he's taking credit for something Jesus Christ has done.....

don't question me! I'm the one that makes your job possible! you owe me!

just the fact that he feels a need to justify his actions tells me something is rotten in Denmark.

Anonymous said...

According to Rod, Christ 'disrespected' the Pharisees and their seat of authority, by criticizing them. Christ was also 'divisive' by rebuking them of their evil practises.

Anonymous said...

The exposure of this letter is sure to send Meredith into a fit of rage. It proves once an for all what an egotistical delusional man he is. Everything Meredith is, he learned from his mentor Herbert Armstrong, his idol. Instead of discussing how Jesus was a forgiving man who associated with the sinners and made them clean again, Meredith talks about disrespecting himself and the name of Herbert Armstrong. Meredith's focus has never been upon Jesus but upon himself.

Just because HWA hired his kids and some of his grandkids, does that make it the right thing to do? Meredith uses this as an excuse for hiring his rebellious children (from both marriages). The kids of ministers in the COG have had a hard life to live up to and I do feel sorry for them, at times. It cant be easy, and it can't be easy being a child of the most sinless man on earth. Meredith's kids have all had everything handed to them on silver platters and it shows.

This letter also highlights the reason HWA sent Meredith off to Hawaii to examine his attitude. He writes this letter is almost like the delusional letter he wrote from Hawaii. His mind has never been able to grasp what a delusional fuck up he truly is.

Anonymous said...

Wow! The spittle will be flying in Charlotte today! I can't wait!

Byker Bob said...

These kids tried to do something very noble. They were insightful enough to reject a false religion and a bogus lifestyle, one that I might add was all that they ever knew. However, it appears that they failed to replace that with a workable code by which they could live meaningful and productive lives, partially because they were debillitated by their parents and the mind rape of the spirit-breaking child-rearing principles taught by these ACOG churches.

If you are going to reject, imo, you should display some gumption. Pick up the tab yourself for your lifestyle. Don't desire or take anything from the parents whose way of life you have repudiated. Learn to stand on your own two feet. That is the only way to pull it off. Anything less leads to co-dependent relationships which bring everyone down.

BB

Anonymous said...

To You Church Members working in LCOG HQ:

I'm a long time church member with many years working in the world...
my 1st job out of College was for a Family Owned/Operated Business.......

Some of the hard lessons I learned:

1. "....but some are more equal than others"....a Quote from "Animal Farm" applies to your church, folks..... Family trumps(no pun!) Religion and Ethics, sad to say!

2. Expect to work twice as hard to be seen as half as good

3. Expect a "golden boy"(or girl) to get away with things that YOU would be fired for

4. Expect to do a lot of work and a Family Member will get the credit/and/or rewards

5. Expect to see important positions go to Family

6. Expect to not be taken seriously, no matter how much you know! and...be 2nd and 3rd class in their team. Always.

7. Expect when downsizing/layoffs come, YOU will leave before any family.

8. Expect if a Scandal comes, YOU will be thrown under the bus before Family. Always.

Now ask yourself:
Shouldn't the shrinking of this Church teach you something?
Is this a real church or a just a family business?
Do you really want to enable a "work of men" ?

Steve D said...

Don't worry. As soon as RCM dies, there will be a huge power struggle (especially if there is a merger with another C of G) and then the heads will roll. Perhaps David should be praying for good health and further longevity for RCM, otherwise, he needs to update his resume.

Anonymous said...

Rod Meredith does not even have legitimate credentials anymore. He left them behind in Pasadena. God's church is not the living group. God's church is a living organism and it is scattered elsewhere nowhere near the living group, which is another man-made organization under a "ROD!"
Their evil fruit is showing as that fruit continues to be exposed.

It is obvious that Rod is no presiding anything than some man in the moon...well, perhaps he is just one big presiding SELF.

When will Rod, and Doug, realize that God is not using them for anything...such confusion!

Duh, and time keeps telling us the same thing over and over again...

Without Jesus Christ they all will bear no good fruit and...trying this and that does not "cut" anything...

Sure, maybe we see some milk, from HWA, and lots of junk food, but where is that "strong meat?" It is nowhere to be found as they continue to preach an old message received not from Rod, but from his former employer HWA.


John

Anonymous said...

Looking back in time, did Rod Meridith defend and speak up for Ted's sake or did Rod round himself up a posse to get rid of Ted?

Lake of Fire Church of God said...

Th idiot Rod Meredith wrote: "I realize that we are not the Worldwide Church or Ambassador College. But both of my sons had expressed a fervent desire to attend Ambassador College some day. They were deeply hurt when Ambassador closed its doors. They never had the opportunity to go to Ambassador College or to be surrounded by God’s people and be a part of God’s Work in that way".

MY COMMENT - Big Whop! As I have written here before, I am an Ambassador College reject (Thank you God). I went on to be accepted and to get a B.S. in Finance from The University of Maryland and a M.B.A. from Drake University. I then went on to have real jobs in the real world involving real products and real services.

Why is little Davy Meredith more important than I am? Suck it up and GROW UP little Davy!
Oh, and get yourself a real job in the real world instead of a phony job in Daddy's "make believe Work" living of the dumb tithe slave sheep.

Being an Ambassador College reject is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I wear it like a badge of honor now.

Richard

Anonymous said...

Leave David aaalone!
Jelly

Anonymous said...

Redfox! How can you possibly say that Bryce "left" LCG? He was violently thrown out. Disfellowshipped and marked (even tho those words were not used). His private letter made public by Meredith with rebuttals designed to humiliate Bryce. Winnail accused Bryce of being an agent of Satan (member letter - Dec 8, 2006).
Bob Thiel also also claimed Bryce left the church. How can you guys be so blind?

RSK said...

RCMs memo is so full of fallacies I scarcely know where to begin. From the flimsy Biblical appeal (do we need to bring up Eli, Samuel, the sons of multiple "righteous" kings, etc?) to the Presiding Evangelist self-stroking (is this what RCM would have advised the Pergamos, Thyatira and Sardis "eras" to do?), the whole thing seems written by a tantrum-throwing 14 year old.

Anonymous said...

" Personally, I don't believe Herbie or Rod will be in the kingdom."

No, they won't, simply because that "kingdom" is a fantasy. It was supposedly promised 2000 years ago to come immediately. It still is nowhere in sight, and it never will be! You might as well face the fact that you've "been had" and get over it.

Anonymous said...

Just so you know...you were the topic of discussion in Charlotte with some employees and the executives. It won't be long now till Mr. Meredith does another scathing sermon lambasting you and all who read here. I hope he does because it will bring more members to this site.

Anonymous said...

This supportive compassion for this errant church official’s young relative, on the face of it, is laudable; just the kind of thing a loving, Christ-following church should be doing, providing financial, social, and faith-based help to overcome the sufferings the victim’s sins and errors have resulted in.

But there is an hypocrisy here that negates all of that.

Were this sort of thing ordinarily done by a common, supported and encouraged ministry of the entire church, all would be well. Instead, and incongruously, the accommodations (of several sorts, financial, theological, social, etc.) made for this fellow simply are and never have been made for common church members and their close relatives. Instead, noncompliant “sinners” in church families have been utterly excluded and/or excommunicated (“disfellowshipped”) — tossed out onto the street and prohibited to ever even so much as to verbally contact their family.

Marriages and family relationships have been extremely stressed and shattered by the “no contact” policies of this and the other Churches of Armstrong.

Christ found the same hypocritical faults among the Pharisees, and ate with, encouraged, and blessed sinners of every sort.

Anonymous said...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

People who can't see past the nose on their face and grasp the reality of what this side show is all about deserve what they get with this band of wannabes.

The same goes for all the COGs who have refused to acknowledge the sand upon which the entire movement was built.

"The one?" Really? Do people still buy such nonsense?

Wow. Beyond pathetic.

Unknown said...

Here is Rod Meredith's line of reasoning...

"Well , if Herbert Armstrong did it, then I get to do it too, no matter how stupid or wasteful that it is".

Using that line of reasoning,( and knowing the mad life that HWA lived from the beginning of his ministry, to its absolute criminal wasteful opulent end ), then RCM can literally justify virtually anything.

HWA is not a standard!

Here is yet another example of why unaccountable and non replaceable one man hierarchy does not work, and is not Gods New Testament model.

Anonymous said...

Not everyone who works at LCG HQs is an idiot (although they have more than their fair share). I can't imagine how the less stupid employees can read something like this and still support RCM. It is like a blaring banner proclaiming how horrible this man is. Maybe they have to check their brains at the front door. Or maybe they've sold themselves for a paycheck. I can't figure it out for the life of me.

Anonymous said...

THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT BOILS MY BLOOD!!! YEAH, I AM ALL CAPS NOW INSTEAD OF MY USUAL LOWER CASE!!! THIS GUY MEREDITH DUMPS ON ALL THE LESSONS OF THE SCRIPTURE, AND TH WORK SUFFERS GREATLY FOR IT!!!

HE HAS NOT LEARNED NOT ONE THING FROM THE FAILURES OF SAMUEL TO CONTROL HIS SONS, OR THE FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRIEST WHOM SAMUEL REPLACE, OR THE FAILURE OF OF BAR NABBAS' TO REFRAIN FROM FAVORING HIS FLAWED NEPHEW MARK (but mark appeared to have repented of his short comings later)...

NEPOTISM IS A RECIPE FOR ABSOLUTE COMPROMISE AND HINDERENCE OF THE WORK!!!

Anonymous said...

3.36PM. Well, according to my answered prayers, the coming kingdom is very real. I like many, have 'been had' to some degree by deceitful ministers, but the kingdom is clearly mentioned many times in my bible. Perhaps it's you that has 'been had' by others or your imagination.

Anonymous said...

Using Rod Meredith reasoning of nepotism, his name is not Armstrong, so he is disqualified as leader. Mark Armstrong is the church leader. You cannot consider any defect in character, training, drugs, divorce, etc. in Mark. He is number 1. Rodney is an imposter.

Byker Bob said...

If LCG were "the Republicans", then Rod Meredith would be their Donald Trump. LCG grudgingly accepts RCM and his family because they feel they have no choice. Most likely, members are indulging in one of the ACOG classics: being patient and waiting for God to clean up the mess.

BB

RSK said...

"It is like a blaring banner proclaiming how horrible this man is. Maybe they have to check their brains at the front door. Or maybe they've sold themselves for a paycheck. I can't figure it out for the life of me."

Is it possible that with multiple COGs competing for essentially the same customer base, plus the larger number of former WCG members who no longer retain ties to a COG (for whatever reason), all that's left is mostly individuals incapable of or unwilling to practice discernment?

Anonymous said...


Self-appointed cult leaders like RCM always act so concerned that the little sheeple must try to BUY their way into his cult, try to BUY their way out of the coming Great Tribulation, try to BUY their way out of the Lake of Fire, and try to BUY their salvation, by sending more money to the leader. The little sheeple must always desperately try to BUY, BUY, BUY--like a shopaholic!!! That is the life of the sincere little sheeple on the GIVING side of things. The only upside is that all the buying does not clutter up their homes like it would for regular shoppers, since they do not really get anything to show for their money.

These same self-appointed leaders like RCM who have always been on the GETTING side of things always seem to raise such godless, spoiled, immoral brats who never seem to care at all about joining the cult (other than as an under-qualified but over-paid employee in need of excessive beer money, authority to misuse and abuse, co-eds to screw, etc.). Their godless brats never seem to worry at all about a coming Great Tribulation, or burning up in the Lake of Fire. They never seem to worry about trying to get salvation in some next life, since they have everything they want right here, right now. They go on openly doing everything that the church supposedly teaches against, and get away with it. The sincere little sheeple get told to send in more money to support all this bad behavior, and get warned not to grumble about it or else they have a bad attitude and are in danger of getting put out of the cult, going into a Great Tribulation, getting tossed into the Lake of Fire, and losing out on salvation. This scares them more all the time. The only hope of the sincere little sheeple is in the next life since this one has been wasted and ruined by 50 years of supporting wrong prophetic guesses that the end will start to come in the next 3 to 5 years.

For all their talk about how to live and how to raise children, the cult leaders seem to produce and raise some of the most godless brats and perverts around. What is the point of sending money to these family religion businesses if they are really just all about financially supporting the self-appointed leader's totally unconverted and immoral family members?

If this is the way things are with RCM and his Living It Up Church, then e-mails from RCM and his LCG requesting more money are not just SPAM but part of a SCAM.

Anonymous said...

Connie, I don't believe Rod and other leaders are following HWA primarily, but rather the Protestant movement. I believe this is their emotional home base. Much like many nations formerly considered the USSR as 'mommy.' Watching the Tele evangelists, I can't help noticing all the similarities. Sometimes they use the same words and body language as WCG splinter ministers. Kenneth Copeland ministers teaches their members to pay each others monthly mortgage and car repayments. Obviously the irresponsible come out ahead with this economic 'system.' This is HWAs 'give way' but expressed differently. And no mention of trade. The protestants also embrace lording over members, just like the splinters. In fact, the splinters have 'stolen' all their deceitful ploys, such as 'loading the language,' eg 'administering Gods government' is a code word for tyranny. Both demonise self love, since they have to keep the peasants beaten down. Has anyone seen Joyce Meyers mocking 'robot imitation' of self love? She does jerking movements whilst saying "what about me, what about me" over and over. Evidently, only the big people have a right to self concern.
I don't think that Christ will accept the excuse of 'Copeland and all his friends said it was OK.'

Cheers TradingGuy

Lake of Fire Church of God said...

Byker Bob said, "If LCG were "the Republicans", then Rod Meredith would be their Donald Trump".

MY COMMENT - With all due respect Byker, I fail to see the analogy. Unlike Trump, Meredith never built anything on his own. Trump has real world experience. Meredith, on the other hand, never tried to make it in the real world. Meredith franchised his ACOG when WCG splintered inheriting a portion of the dumb tithe slave sleep from HWA's fear religion business. Meredith has lived off tithe slaves all his adult life, and is now passing that mentality onto his children - little Jimmy and little Davy.

If anything, if LCG were "the Democrats", then Rod Meredith would be their crooked Hillary Clinton. Hillary used public service to enrich herself like the idiot Meredith used the ministry to suck the financial life out of the dumb tithe slave sheep for a lifetime. Deception and dishonesty seem to be common traits between the two. Even nepotism, when you read about Chelsea's political aspirations even though she has no real world experience. She is a Clinton and that gives her a birth right to public office in her mind.

From my vantage point, Meredith has more in common with crooked Hillary than Trump.

Richard

Unknown said...

Lake of Fire and Byker Bob:

Actually Meredith has more in common with Saddam Hussein or Hitler than he does with either Clinton or Trump.

Byker Bob said...

Think more narrowly, Richard. The Democrats want Hillary. Many of the Republicans do not want Trump, some will grudgingly support him while others will withdraw. That aspect is the primary way in which I was comparing the two. Granted that there are probably some additional similarities and dissimilarities.

BB

Anonymous said...

The Biblical standard for the ministry is that their children be in subjection: After all, if you can't maintain your children in good stead, how could you ever be expected to take care of a church.

Therefore, the logical and Biblical answer to this dilemma is for the congregation itself to kick Roderick Meredith and his family out of the church -- he's not qualified and has no business being in any part of church leadership or administration.

Check your Bibles.

Problem solved.

Anonymous said...

Byker Bob: I have to agree with Richard when he states that these churches more closely align with the principles of Democrats than Republicans. Democrats in general love to mooch off of the hard working public with high taxation (similar to using tithes for ones own gain). They boast helping the under privileged when in reality they spend very little to help the poor, and spend most of their ill-gotten gain leveraging power through lining the pockets of their cronies or "yes men" and feathering their own nest (reference Clinton Foundation, or any immaculate building procured in the name of a COG, lavish vacations, fat paychecks for council members, etc). They love enriching themselves with more and more power through greater control of the individual and tighter and tighter regulation. They despise free thinking, in that they believe that there should be no dissent and anyone who disagrees with them, or even asks a question, should be utterly eliminated from the planet (see theory on who will or won't be in the kingdom, or see opinions on what should be done with individuals who don't buy the easily disproved man-made global warming theory). The list goes on and on. In fact, the similarities between Democrats and COG Leaders is so similar, it's uncanny.

Interesting facts - Richard Ames believes in man-made global warming, and has actually publicly stated that "we owe much to Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Gore." He's even go so far as to quote Joe Biden in one of the LCG booklets he authored. Additionally, Doug Winnail has also shown a tendency to lean left, as have many other members of the LCG council of elders. When the DNC arrived in Charlotte a few years ago, a group of LCG staff were sent to the location of the convention. Several pictures were taken and posted on the LCG facebook page.

Anonymous said...

May 10, 2016 at 9:57 PM

Hoarding for the Lord!
Lord Hoarders for the Kingdom!

Anonymous said...

BB:"Many of the Republicans do not want Trump, some will grudgingly support him while others will withdraw."

I'm sick and tired of picking the lesser of two evils!

Anonymous said...

" Well, according to my answered prayers, the coming kingdom is very real. I like many, have 'been had' to some degree by deceitful ministers, but the kingdom is clearly mentioned many times in my bible. Perhaps it's you that has 'been had' by others or your imagination."

I saw through the Bible a long long time ago now. It's the most popular work of total fiction out there. I long ago quit wasting time on fiction books, beginning with that champion of the Western world.

Anonymous said...

Have you suffered a stroke in the past few years?

Byker Bob said...

11:33~. Actually, how they act will always be consistent with their basic M.O. of pick and choose. They behave as Democrats when that works to their advantage, and as Republicans when that helps them obtain what they want. These are people for whom the end justifies the means. Somehow, they never see a character flaw in that.

12:19~. Me, too. Better candidates were eliminated way early in the process.

BB

Anonymous said...

This letter is shameful.

Defenders of LCG will say, "he's just a man and none but One has ever been perfect".

This letter and other horrific actions that RCM has taken over the years put him in a completely different category than your average flawed man. These demonstrations of his character in action are far and above normal.

Plus, he's a spiritual guide of sorts. He is held to a higher standard. LCG also teaches that when a man is ordained they receive "an extra measure of Holy Spirit". Shouldn't that extra measure make RCM more equipped to behave righteously and justly? If he were really a minister of God, wouldn't that be reflected in his character? This man has more works of the flesh than fruits of the Spirit!

I have friends in LCG who are quick to say, "we don't follow a man" but that can't possibly be true. Rod Meredith is the Presiding Evangelist and owner of the Living Church of God and he is rotten to the core. People are in fact following him and many LCG members believe that if they don't obey him they will not make it to the kingdom. Many in LCG believe that LCG is the one and only Church of God.

After all these years and all these splinter groups and ministerial abuses, I wonder how ANYONE can still believe that the Church of God is contained within one corporate organization. The Church of God is a group of God's people spread all over the world. Your behavior qualifies your membership. Not obedience to a human leader. Not membership in a corporation. The only government you need obey is that of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Anonymous said...

I hope this letter embarrasses LCG members and minister.

Wake up people. This is your highest ranking official on earth.

If you aren't embarrassed, you should be.

DennisCDiehl said...

Got to thinking today about David Meredith , I do not know him, and how difficult it must have been to grow up in the RCM household with such a legalistic, thwarted and Presiding Evangelist for a dad. I imagine he has seen it all and his life shortcomings can certainly reflect a lack of a healthy self esteem, coping skills and the gift most parents give their children in time of making their own life decisions and choices without fear , guilt or shame. How difficult it would be perhaps to have a real and balanced relationship, friends, family, partner or otherwise in the incredibly toxic environment of all the COG experiences he had been dragged through.

Just a thought. Id not wish anything said here to push him over the edge in any personal way . As I said, I don't know him, but I can imagine the problems generated by being RCM's son. I have more experience with Dave Pack's sons and their life difficulties having grown up with Dave as the dad. Even Dave's first wife told my dad "You know Fred, it's not easy being married to Dave Pack." One son did share some personal experiences with his father and some other matters in his desire to hit back, but we put that all aside as I told him he did not need to do such things , it is still his dad and time would catch up with much of what has gone on without him having to initiate it, perhaps to his own harm or guilt etc.

I can't help but hope, even though this posting is an old memo, David has found himself and his own voice and is doing ok.

Anonymous said...

11.33 AM you are spot on. Herbies 'give way' is the same as Obama's 'spreading the wealth around.' Both are wealth redistribution. The only difference is that Herbie and some splinters are strong on military defence. The reason is that they want to protect their "church-world" alternate reality, from outside gangs. It's not because they are opposed to these gangs ideology as such. This is why Herbie opposed communism, but adapted commie policies, such as the theme of 'unity.' As with Stalin, church members are constantly slapped down if they disagree with the minister. All in the name of so called unity.

Byker Bob said...

Yowza! Just got down off the roof from putting a new condenser fan motor into my AC (air conditioning, not Amballador Cossage!) and happened to notice Dennis' latest contribution. Kudos, Dennis, for bringing it all together!

We expect Rod and his executives to read here, but since his name was mentioned, doesn't it stand to reason that David Meredith would most likely read here as well? One would hope that he would find healing, and a good path, as we would wish for all people whose lives were ever touched by Armstrongism. When one person is in a better space, it improves the quality of life of all those around him. Co-dependency is eliminated.

I've said it before, and Ian Boyne more or less agreed with my point, if they are open minded, can see past their "authority", and don't knee jerk react with dismissiveness, we are potentially an excellent focus group for the ACOGs.

BB

Anonymous said...

Laughable!

Rod Meredith is a saint and the LCG are lightweights when it comes to nepotism. At least Meredith felt the need to justify his actions with an attempt at explaining his decision to his staff, even if he didn't mean it.

To witness nepotism and incumbency in their purist form you need look no further than the PCG. Consider the following examples of the objective employment selection processes currently at work in Edmond:

Stephen Flurry (son) - Evangelist (only three evangelists in PCG!). Note: We anticipate "new revelation" any day now about Stephen holding some prophesied office, can't wait!

Wayne Turgeon (son-in-law) - Evangelist

Laura Turgeon (daughter) - Employed as a teacher (home economics)

Amy Flurry (daughter-in-law) - Employed as a teacher (home economics)

Grant Turgeon (grandson) - Writes for PCG publications - pedestrian writer at best.

Paris Turgeon (granddaughter) - employed in the vital life-saving role of Irish dance tutor.

Joel Hilliker (Amy Flurry's brother) - employed in a senior editorial role, second only to Stephen Flurry and also pastor rank minister.

Although I have no knowledge of the figure, you would have to wonder how much Amy Flurry and Laura Turgeon are paid to "teach" home economics. It would also be interesting to know what their actual qualifications are, if any.

Other lesser examples of nepotism and professional in-breeding within the PCG's hierarchy are too many to mention.

Even just the perception of nepotism within a cause or movement is what cancer is to the body. It is a lethal disease of the morale that will erode the life and credibility out of any organisation, irrespective of whether or not it is religious.

You have to wonder if at any point whether the feelings and morale of Church members were ever considered when hiring these people.... obviously not.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous 4:57
VERY well Said

To LCG Members who will read this:
When this church of MEN started, remember Rod's letter? Emotional ranting about doing a work with NO SUBSTANCE or REASON given? Remember that nonsense? Did any of you catch that Rod really never Believed in Cooperative Government? The booklet on Church Government was just to get you out of Worldwide...His puppet CB said so in Atlanta! Some of us saw where your "Living" COG was going and wanted no part of it

Now you have had the one man rule, for years now...

What fruits do you see?
1. Shrinking church
2. family on the payroll
3. endless government sermons
4. ineffective programs
5. ministers preaching organization far more than God or Jesus Christ?
6. endless praise of the leader...
7. your attitude..
every COG person not in your church is 2nd rate. Is THAT a Christlike attitude?
8. less true conversion the higher up in the organization you go?


Please Oh Please ask yourself "Is God in This...?"

Anonymous said...

Yes, nepotism runs rampant in churches.

You'd think followers might see all the red flags, but NO!

Example: Did Billy Graham REALLY think his sleazy son Franklin was the best and most suited in all the world to take over his ministry?

The charred landscape of Christianity is littered with such examples of horrid nepotism.

Steve D said...

"RCM is just a man and no one is perfect," his defenders say. Yes, that's true. But, there are qualification for a leader in the Church. And how many leaders truly meet these qualifications? How many could be ordained if their resume was in front of a group of impartial members and the candidate's identity was not known to them?
Was GTA qualified? Really! His only qualification was that he had the voice to bring in new members. Perhaps he should have been an unordained speaker on the program and have no "leadership" responsibilities. Besides, when you think about it, how much real leadership responsibility did anyone have besides the top man? Could GTA, RCM and other "top evangelists" make any real decisions without getting the top man's approval? Did any of them formulate any policy or were they simply used to implement them?

Anonymous said...

Sounds similar to the high priest eli and his sons. Didn't end well either.

Anonymous said...

In 2013, suggestions were given to the elderly to leave all their substance to the church in their will's instead of their families, also information to a lawyer of the churches so they could immediately do so, before it might be too late and they die.....lcg disgusting supports corbin of which the Word speaks against.

Anonymous said...

I do not want to lose any of you

In retrospect, this may have been the very memo with which RCM "lost" several of the HQ staff who would either leave LCG in the next few years or would become "moles" ferrying information to critics outside of LCG. Rod Meredith at his most hypocritical and disgusting.

Anonymous said...

This horrible man is the source of Gerald Weston's authority to lead LCG.

Rod Meredith rewarded liars, coveters, adulterers, fornicators and Sabbath-breakers, and favored such commandment-breakers over Christians who sincerely tried to obey God. He convinced people that obeying Rod was obeying God. When God's word disagreed with Rod's word, Rod insisted that Rod's word was supreme, since God had appointed Rod and would remove Rod if He ever disapproved of him. It is no accident that people called LCG "The Church of Rod."

Anonymous said...

In ancient times, as you all know, God did work through families, we are told about the “fathers” – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Those ancient families could be judged quite favorably by their fruits. God chose to work where He saw fruits. By comparison, consider:

Rod Meredith: Never repented of the attitudes HWA discerned in him. Rebelled against HWA's judgment that RCM lacked the qualities to lead God's Church.

Mike Meredith: Serial adulterer, removed as an elder, no longer attends an ACOG, divorced his ACOG wife and married a non-ACOG member much younger than him.

Jim Meredith: Flunked out of AC. Couldn't keep his construction business afloat in California's housing boom. Daddy made him an elder and gave him a top job at LCG HQ. Gives infantile sermons. Massive ego, uses church resources for his own enjoyment. Takes opportunities that should go to more qualified and converted people. Overspends. Would be a complete failure were it not for his gentle and smart wife.

David Meredith: Alcoholic. Drug abuser. Liar. Fornicator and adulterer. Liar. Baptized under false pretenses. Politicked with his father to get his way about matters he had no qualification to weigh in on. Stupid and immature. Cruel to brethren he dislikes.

Jon Meredith: Alcoholic. Schemed to ruin the reputation of a young woman with whom he fornicated. Politicked with his father to get his way about matters he had no qualification to weigh in on. Cruel to brethren he dislikes. Caught vandalizing property. Voted in North Carolina elections while remaining a Church member in good standing. Much smarter than his other brothers, but very immature.

The only "god" working with this screwed-up family is the god of this world.