The Accuser of the Crazy Self-Appointed Ministers

Today started of with one of the most hilarious posts that Bob Thiel has posted in a long time.  The Almost Arrested Elisha Elijah Joshua Bob had an epic millennial melt down this morning.  His delicate doubly-blessed sensibilities were apparently severely tweaked by a post on this blog.  

The post that sent God's end-time, self-appointed prophet over the edge was:

Hear No Evil, See No Evil: 

Why does the ministry turn their back on abuse in the church?

Gary Leonard, the webmaster at the Banned By HWA site (an anti-Church of God website), seems to relish in posting false accusations and innuendoes against me and others.
Why do I think that?
Well, in my personal case, for some odd reason he likes to lump me in with others he apparently detests and then asserts that I have the same flaws he claims others have.  For example, here is something he posted yesterday:

The question that really needs to be asked is why do the leaders in various Churches of God keep silent as they watch Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack, Rod Meredith and others abuse their members.  Why do none of them speak out?

Flurry, Pack, Thiel, Malm, Meredith and many others are NOT their brothers.  These men are not brothers in the faith. They sit there and do nothing as one horrendous abuse after another is dished out upon COG people.   How many more need to die from suicide, die from lack of medical care, have their families ripped apart and marriages destroyed?

While I am not aware of all the details of the others listed above regarding all the alleged abuse, I would like to comment about myself (But as far as various positions and actions by the others listed above, readers can read the following articles Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God, Why Not the Restored Church of God?, Error-Ridden James Malm Not Doing an Elijah Work, Roderick C. Meredith’s Accusatory Letter to Bob Thiel, and What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the ContinuingChurch of God?) 

In the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) I have repeatedly worked to NOT rip families apart, but to strive to keep them and marriages together (though not all who are married wish to listen). None I am aware of in CCOG have died from suicide, though that happens in and out of COGs.  And although I personally strive to avoid mainstream ‘medical care’ for myself, I have never taught members to not seek it if they wish. And I do care for the brethren (and pray for them daily). 

So Thiel claims he has makes an effort to never break families apart.  Well good for him.  The problem remains, which was the point of the entire original post was WHY do the ministers of the various COG's sit back and say NOTHING and DO NOTHING when they see the horrible abuses going on in the Philadelphia Church of God, the Restored Church of God, the Living Church of God and elsewhere.  Unnecessary deaths due to medical prohibitions, suicides due to aberrant teachings of sick ministers/evangelists, pedophile ministers who are mollycoddled by the big boys.

While Thiel may not do these things, the fact that he self-appointed himself as a splinter cult leader after a bitter row with his idol Rod Meredith makes him just as culpable of spiritual abuse as those who physically, and mentally abuse their members.

God no more appointed Bob Thiel as an end-time prophet/church leader, through the blessing of Gaylyn Bonjour during a simple prayer, than Dave Pack was personally educated at the feet of Herbert Armstrong.   Just because Thiel and a disturbed woman in the Southern Hemisphere had some nightmares, which they assume came from their god, it no more makes Thiel a prophet than the dream of my cat being made Supreme Leader of the Planet Argon I might have had several months ago.

The false prophet then writes:

Gary Leonard is an accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), and often a bearer of false witness (Exodus 20:16).

Accuser of the brethren?  If anything I would say accuser of the corrupt, self-appointed, lying  ministry that DO NOT represent God in any manner whatsoever.  Ministers who teach aberrant heretical doctrines that enslave their members and actually work to turn them away from the grace and mercy of the Jesus, that most inconvenient dude they claim to follow, yet know nothing about.

From taking tithe money from struggling members for their own benefit or to use it to publish theological mishmashes of heretical doctrines.

Its the brethren that suffer and pay the consequences of these lying prophets.  For a church that claims to be restored first century Christianity, that has made a cottage industry out of mocking Christianity and its various divisions, it has turned the lives of hundreds of thousands of members upside down over the last eight decades.

Bob Thiel is no more a prophet or agent of God than Gerald Flurry is.  I can say that in confidence and with no fear of pissing off the god they claim to follow.

It's not the brethren who are accused.  It is the snakes in the grass that occupy self-appointed church positions that lead 3.8 million visitors to come here to find out about and comment on how they are abused.  Of course self-appointed prophets claim those people have bad attitudes and everyone should ignore them.  We have seen how well that has worked over the last 20 years as tens of thousands have left the COG.

Thiel is like Flurry, Pack, Malm and Meredith.  They all have an obsession with having religious status in the church.  They want to be seen as the revealers of truth and store houses of exclusive knowledge.  Every single one of them are self-appointed, whether they like it or not.

Thiel is an addict.  A religious addict, which is just as destructive to the soul as alcohol, sex and drugs.

Religious AddictionAnything that can alter our mood can become addictive. Religious behaviors can certainly alter our mood. Is that a good thing? Of course! Just like sex and food and work can alter our mood in positive ways, religious behaviors can also alter our moods in positive ways. But can religious behaviors also become a problem—become addictive? Absolutely. It may be easier to imagine what religious addiction looks like if you think about extreme examples such as religious suicide cults or religiously motivated extreme self-deprivations or self-injury. Our experience, however, suggests that religious addiction is much more common than you would conclude from looking only at the extreme cases. A wide variety of religious behaviors have the potential for mood alteration and therefore the possibility of becoming addictive. Evangelism, worship, personal spiritual disciplines, church attendance, service, and many other behaviors that are important and praiseworthy in a general sense can be subverted by the addictive process into very harmful and destructive parts of our lives. This is an important point. Just because prayer is good does not mean that addictive prayer is good. Just because worship is good does not mean that addictive worship is good. Just because evangelism is good does not mean that addictive evangelism is good. The addictive process can destroy the most precious of God’s gifts to us. Except perhaps as loose rhetoric, even getting “addicted to Jesus” is not the solution to our problems with addiction. Addiction to Jesus is just another addiction. God’s desire for us is not that we find the “right” addiction—Jesus. God’s desire is that we find a way to live without being addicted at all. Sobriety is the solution, not being in an addictive relationship to God. The addictive cycle in religious addiction follows roughly the same stages found in other addictions. The process begins with preoccupation. We alter our mood up by thinking about, focusing on, obsessing about our next religious experience, the next evangelism opportunity, the next worship service, the next retreat or whatever. This preoccupation, while it may alter our mood up may also distract us from important parts of life. In most but not all cases, religious addiction also involves a major element of ritualization. Our pre–acting-out behaviors can become elaborate in religious addiction. We may repetitively recite memorized prayers or biblical texts, we may engage in what seems to others to be very Godly or pious behaviors. Eventually our preoccupation and rituals lead to some kind of religious acting out. As we have already emphasized, the specific behaviors that are part of the acting-out stage can vary. Evangelism addicts may experience an enormous rush when approaching a stranger with a presentation of some kind, and with even more of a rush if the stranger responds positively. Worship addicts may experience profound mood alteration when the “Spirit descends.” But all addicts eventually find that their addictions lead to a stage in which their mood is altered down. In some cases, questions or doubts may trouble us or even plague us. We may become obsessed with whether or not we have done well enough. Shouldn’t we try harder and do more to stay out of trouble with God? We may leave church on Sunday to face the next week determined to live the Christian life, only to return the next week and hear once again that it wasn’t good enough. And for many, even if the reminder doesn’t come this week at church, it comes readily from the echoes in our hearts and minds of past religious training. Addictive religion never leads to soul rest. It always leads to trying, trying harder and trying our hardest. It always leaves us tired, frustrated and depressed. Just like addiction to alcohol and drugs, the acting-out mood alters up, while the entire cycle mood alters down.   When Religion Goes Bad: Spiritual Abuse

Bob Thiel needs to set the right example and be the first Church of God leader to seek counseling with a licensed therapist  for the mental issues that lead him to think the is called out, set apart, and God's personal hand-picked representative on earth.   I would suggest that Bob check out some licensed Christian therapists in Arroyo Grande that can help him work through his addiction to self-made religion.   Christian therapists would at least have some communal understanding when it comes to religion.

Am I an accuser of the brethren? No! Accuser of lying, deceitful, abusive ministers?  Yes!

You can read his entire post here.

UCG Still Struggles To Make Its Self Relevant

The minutes are out of the latest Council of Elder's Report.  Here are some of the highlights.

Chairman Ward welcomed everyone. He commented on the smooth transition from the previous chairman, Robin Webber, to himself as chairman. Mr. Webber has cooperated in every extent of the word and so has Gerald Seelig, the secretary. Transitions can have rough edges, but he thanked them both for helping make it go smoothly.

God forbid if they ever actually elected a newbie to the elite circle of men who keep rotating though this position. It's the good old boys club that never lets in the newbies.

Then they announce how mind-boggling spectacular the Ambassador Bible Center is.  This is almost as superfantabulous of Dave Pack's group!  This is UCG's pathetic attempt at imitating Ambassador College.  The ABC "college" only has 23 students!  Yes, you read that right...23.   Millions of dollars are being dumped into this failure, but no worries, gullible members will continue to support it with their hard earned tithe money.

Ambassador Bible College (ABC) will have 23 students begin classes next week. They are still waiting to hear about the student visa program for approval. New faculty members will include Scott Ashley, Randy Urwiller and Gary Petty.

23....sigh.

Every Church of God needs a piece of fine art in its lobby.  After all, Herbert did it, so why can't they?

The home office has seen improvement with new carpeting and painting and lighting in the entry way, hallways and conference room. There is also some new furniture. Much work went into it with a lot of work by Tim Sipes. Other improvements upstairs were done as well. There will be a glass sculpture designed with the Church’s Mission Statement for the entryway, to be completed soon. Mr. Kubik was thankful for the faithful service of all the home office employees, and he commented on the family atmosphere that is there.

Let us guess...a lion and lamb?  A crystal mosquito net in honor of Vic Kubik? A UCG minister on his knees washing the feet of a member?  Well we all know THAT will not be the subject of the sculpture! A crystal Mystery of the Ages or the US and BC in prophecy?

Next up, make sure you order your very own static cling window decal so you can advertise Beyond Today as you drive around town.  People will be sooooooooo intrigued that they will stop you and ask you questions.  Brethren, it is an evangelistic tool!  Every UCG member must show their loyal support of the rather pathetic TV show and print rag.

Beyond Today window clings: We still have a supply of Beyond Today car window static clings for ministry and members to apply to their car rear windows. They are available to be shipped to any pastor who requests them for his congregation. They are also going to be provided at all U.S. Feast sites at the literature and information table.

Check out this article about how sneaky and deceitful the Beyond Today program and magazine are:  
Beyond Today Magazine, United Church of God and Herbert Armstrong.

Next we come to a rather interesting admission:  UCG members just are not sending in as much money as they used to.  UCG is just as good at spinning numbers as their mother church was.

Fiscal year-end: The Church’s fiscal year ended June 30. For the year, Church income exceeded budget by $250,000; but it fell short of fiscal 2015 income. It was also noted that year-end cash balances and total assets for the Church were higher than they were in the previous year, for the fourth consecutive year.

UCG is buying more church buildings in the hope of making themselves part of the "community."   I hope they do due-diligence in checking out the contributors who will give them a lot of money.  UCG does not need a repeat of the Bluefield Church building that was built and paid for by a woman who embezzled money from the bank she was a manager at.  UCG had to surrender title to the building because the government was auctioning it off in order to recoup some of the outlandish sum that was embezzled.

Assets: The Church completed the purchase of the Portsmouth, Ohio, church building on Aug. 12. The Church also took ownership of a donated parcel of land for the church building in London, Kentucky. A complete listing of all the buildings and land owned by the Church was distributed.

7.4 billion people exist in the world. Millions have been spent on advertising on TV, Cable networks, Apple TV, Roku and other streaming devices and they added 95 new members.  95!

95 baptisms so far in 2016, which is 38 more than at the May meetings

UCG has been stagnating for quit a while.  All of their media campaigns have failed.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to being in one potential new recruit.  There used to be twice that number at certain WCG Feast sites!

Average U.S. Sabbath attendance for June 2016 was 7,459. Attendance remains steady with no upward or downward trends.

Only Jelly can rescue the church, apparently. 

Did You Get Your Wedding Invitation From Church of God In Truth Yet?

One of the many splinter cults to break off of Armstrongism was the Church of God in Truth run by James Russell.  Russell, like all other other splinter cult leaders believes he has the only truth out there and that all other Churches of God are of the Synagogue of Satan.  Poor Elijah Bob Thiel and Pharisee James Malm!  I bet this burns their righteous lazy behinds to know that they are wrong!

James is so adamant that he knows how things should be that he claims that all the COG's are keeping the Feast of Trumpets on the wrong day.  It was actually last night, August 31. Most Church of God's accept October 3 as Trumpets.  Unless you are Pharisee Malm and you may either be October 2 or 4th. 

Russell is also big into the "postponements" malarky.  Those silly Jews set their own calendar and it is wrong!  Only Church of God leaders know the correct calendar!

Russell is also so sure of his message that he has been sending out wedding invitations for the marriage supper with the lamb.

The Church of God, In Truth, has been sending out God’s wedding invitations for the last twenty three years beginning with the first PROVE ALL THINGS NEWS LETTER, dated December 1993. The way things are shaping up this year, it might be the last opportunity to accept God's dated invitation to His wedding . Are you ready? Are you going to be calibrating the wedding on the right date? Or are you going to be like the 5 foolish virgin having to go and buy God's truth [Pro 23:23] after the Bridegroom has come. Many are called, but too many are sitting on a fence waiting for someone else to make a decision for them before jumping to the right side, away from the wrong side! We are told, "Be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom.12:2). "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (I Peter 4:17)

Douglas has this about the COGiT over on the Painful Truth site.

The Church of God in Truth with James Russell? He said himself that “we haven’t learned anything new in 40 years”. He does claim that because the other Churches of God don’t keep the Feast Days at the right time, they will be those described in Revelation 3:9, “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” Yes, friends, all the other Armstrongists are the synagogue of Satan saying they are Jews but are not, will suffer in the Millennium while CoGIT members will be God as God is God, lording it over everybody else. With this ‘holier than thou’ attitude, there is no chance that there’s going to be much change: Expect stagnation. If there is an afterlife, someone is in for a BIG surprise! You should all get their flagship magazine, Prove All Things. It’s worth it for the misprints in every issue. For example, a favorite is “Herbert Armstrong Pasture General”. Replete with manure? Watch where you step? They have something every issue. It’s hilarious! They should Proof Read All Things.

Hear No Evil, See No Evil: Why does the ministry turn their back on abuse in the church?

There was a comment made on the blog of the Chief Pharisee today that asks why no one dares challenge the leadership of the Churches of God.   The question that really needs to be asked is why do the leaders in various Churches of God keep silent as they watch Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack, Rod Meredith and others abuse their members.  Why do none of them speak out?

Flurry, Pack, Thiel, Malm, Meredith and many others are NOT their brothers.  These men are not brothers in the faith. They sit there and do nothing as one horrendous abuse after another is dished out upon COG people.   How many more need to die from suicide, die from lack of medical care, have their families ripped apart and marriages destroyed?  How many more need to die in a needless shooting?

Is it because they know deep down that they are just as corrupt but in different ways?

I mentioned to an elder here a few years ago that it is high time for the priests of Baal to be cut to pieces. That didn’t go over too well. I meant of course for them to be cut to pieces verbally. No one who wants to do an Elijah type work should leave this part out! I think that most don’t want to seem offensive to the purveyors of gross error that are partially responsible for the mayhem in the world. Since the proverbial pen is mightier than the sword this can be achieved except for the fact that now we have a lot of subjects that are deemed ‘Hate Speech’.

The Most Disrespectful Church of God Dares to Teach About "Respect"

Leave it to an aberrant splinter cult of the Church of God that is ensconced on its compound in the middle of Oklahoma to lecture its members and children on how to be "respectful."  Mind you, this comes from a cult that has disrespected its members so horribly that many have committed suicide.  This is the same cult that told a family to abandon their child at the mall so the state could take care of it.   This is the same cult that keeps employed in its ministry one of the most vile men the PCG has ever had in its midst, Cal Culpepper. A man who has destroyed countless lives and marriages.

Russell Williams writes:

While the world becomes worse and worse, we need to become better and better in our interpersonal relationships both with God and man. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). That is a command from God to all of us. Recapturing the true value of respect is our responsibility as we prepare to teach it in the soon-coming Kingdom of God.

Interpersonal relationships are not a priority for PCG members, at least when it comes to threats of "government" looming over peoples lives day in and out.  Parents are expected to turn their backs on on their children,  and adult children are expected to turn their backs on the parents, if any of them dare question the Holy Father and Son, Gerald and Steven Flurry.  Members must never show any disrespect towards any minister or upper echelon leader.  If so then God may rightfully strike them down. Bears are the just reward from disrespectful kids.

Disrespect toward God and His servants carries a heavy penalty. In 2 Kings 2 we read the account of a gang of youths who mocked God’s servant, Elisha. They disrespectfully called him “baldy” and mocked that he should “go up” (as in a whirlwind as Elijah had just experienced). They were actually disrespecting God, not just Elisha. Elisha cursed them in God’s name, and two hostile, fleet-footed, female bears came out of a nearby forest and savaged these delinquent hoodlums. They were torn in pieces by razor-sharp claws —a terrible consequence!

PCG is filled with parents that beat their kids and punish them mercilessly. Yet, PCG claims actions of the parents are to be the standards and examples for their kids.  When husbands kick their wives out of the house because a minister told them to, or wives walk out on their husbands because the husband dared to question the Dear Leader or God forbid, Cal Culpepper.  Its no wonder that the young people leave the PCG in droves.

Parents must first demonstrate respect for God and also show respect toward each other. Children will learn more by the example set by their parents than any other way. To parents God says in Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath [frustration or resentment]: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Show them respect and require the same from them, especially when they are corrected. When an adult asks your children a question, let them answer. Don’t step in and do it for them as if they cannot answer properly or may embarrass you. 

The PCG has been working overtime since they bought the Edstone cult compound in England to promote to the PCG members that they are "royalty."  The British Royal Family is brought up every chance they can as the standard they need to look up to.  This follows  right along with Flurry imitating HWA in everything.   HWA had portraits of Queen Elizabeth in several places on the Pasadena campus, particularly on the main floor in Ambassador Hall (Merritt House.)

Address another person by name or title, otherwise “Sir” or “Ma’am,” “Mr.” or “Mrs.”­—never “Mate,” “Love” or “Hey there.” Do not be presumptuous or take liberties in calling seniors by their first name unless you are invited to, and even then, use caution. Ministers and wives within the Church should be addressed as “Mr.” and “Mrs.”

What child or adult in the U.S. goes around calling people, "mate,' "love,' or "Hey there?"   Even disrespectful kids never say that.  There are no ministers in the PCG employ that deserve to be called "Mr."!  That title is one of respect, and their is nothing respectful about the ministry of the PCG.

Children should refer to and address adults by “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Miss,” or by their title. Adults should not invite children to call them by their first name, because it fosters disrespect and encourages taking liberties. Children should be reminded until it becomes natural. Look to the spirit and give people greater respect rather than less.

Don’t talk over others nor focus the discussion on yourself. Remember to “esteem others better than yourself.” Avoid informal replies such as “Yep,” “Nope,” “Dunno,” etc. Uplift others in conversation by listening and keeping it positive.

When has Cal Culpepper, Lil'Stevie or Gerald ever "esteemed others better than themselves?"  When?

Self-Appointed Prophet Claims That The Government Will Soon Be Attacking Them Because Of What They Preach

One thing the church has been really good at is creating a "persecution complex" in many of it's so-called leaders.  They self appointed themselves as leaders, started their own splinter personality cults, and claim to proclaim the gospel message with "authority."  Because all of these so-called leaders claim their message is the most forceful and truthful message they will be persecuted for the things they preach.

These so called leaders are so paranoid that they think the entire world is out to stop them. They are persecuted when their magazines are thrown in the trash, when TV/cable stations cancel their programs, and when they are mocked on the internet.

All of them fear that the government is monitoring them and is ready to shut them down.  None of these so-called leaders have been more paranoid than the Almost Arrested Prophet Elisha Elijah Amos Joshua Chief Overseer Bob Thiel.

Today the so-called leader of the so-called Continuing Church of God said:

It is my view that the USA no longer has the type of ‘freedom of religion’ or ‘freedom of speech’ or the freedom to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ its founders envisioned. 

Furthermore, the time will come when the USA, and likely some private companies (probably with direct or indirect governmental pressures), will apparently stop the efforts of websites like this one. As well as our numerous video channels on the internet.

Consider the following prophecy:

13 Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time. (Amos 5:13) 

The above indicates that even those that are doing nothing wrong will need to be silent at the coming evil time. The times are evil.

Yet, currently, it is still time to:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1) 

Which is what we in the Continuing Church of God are doing. We have denounced, not only sins that the world sometimes seems to consider politically correct, but also sins that many claimed 501(c)(3) COGs will not do, because of their own concerns about their political fates and/or fates that could happen if they offended their financial supporters if they told the truth to truly fulfill Isaiah 58:1 (cf. 501(c)(3)? Why the Continuing Church of God chose a better option).

Many in and out of the government have plans and are watching the internet with plans to deal with materials that they some day hope to silence. 

And while you might think that if you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear from surveillance, consider that many in the government of the USA consider that not supporting homosexual marriages is an extremist position.

As mentioned before, I also saw someone once on a documentary that stated that people who believed in the millennium could not be trusted and should be considered as potential terrorists. The fact that we in the Continuing Church of God would be considered pacifists, does not change the fact that since we hold to millennial and other biblical views that we will not be improperly classified by government employees with various agendas. 

We are getting closer to this time. And consider that until this century (and perhaps theoretically, the latter part of the 20th century), it was not possible to really control buying and selling.  But certainly that ability exist now–and it will come to pass.

I believe that the USA is paving the way for the final European Beast power to spy on people and monitor financial transactions, as well as preaching restrictions. 

SaveSave

Philadelphia Church of God: The Army of Liberators?

The Church of God has always found life to be hard a fight to live.  We were constantly battling some evil force as we struggled to advance a few yards towards the kingdom.  Satan was always there in front of us fighting to take as many as he possibly could away from the truth.  Who can ever forget hearing ten thousand people or more at a Feast site singing, Onward Christian Soldiers, Marching Off To War in unison.  It was stirring and unifying at the same time.  We naively thought were helping fight the battle along side Herbert Armstrong as we journeyed onwards to Petra.

Our sermons and funerals were always filled with, "fighting the good fight."  Not only was our Christian walk one big continuous battle, but an even larger battle was coming in the future when the wrath of satan would be unleashed upon the world in one final battle of Armageddon. 

Of the three larger Church of God splinter groups in existence today, three of them use battle cry as their rallying cry to rake in more money.  Dave Pack has been fighting his personal and religious demons for decades and  has brought that fight to his members encouraging them to be good soldiers ready to sacrifice for the common good of the church.  Rod Meredith is perversely attracted to the war motif and loves to talk in vivid details about torture and other atrocities at the hands of the German Army.  Noting is more gratifying to him than discussing concentration camps, fiery ovens and meats hooks that Americans will be strung up on. Gerald Flurry uses war, battles and fiery judgment to keep his dwindling flock under control.  Notice the latest below by James Brady that was posted on the PCG web site:

Army of Liberators

Here is one final, inspiring thought to sing and march to as we finish our war together. In this evil world, armies sometimes set people free from oppression. The most famous case in living memory is the Allied conquest of northwestern Europe, ending the Nazi menace. American journalist Andy Rooney said the day the Allies liberated Paris was probably the happiest day the world has ever known. The liberation of the Dutch city of Nijmegen by British Grenadier Guards was vividly and accurately depicted in the film A Bridge Too Far. Throngs of deliriously happy people pressed in on the tanks, offering flowers, kisses and hugs, waving Royal Union and American flags, singing in English, “The war is over!” Seeing this film as a boy, I was enthralled. I wished I could jump on a tank and liberate a third-world country from a dictator! 

Is that not the role of God’s Church in the near future? Like those troops, we have to fight heroically to be there for those people! 

Maybe you have straggled behind at times as this awe-inspiring army, the Church of God, conducts its “forced march” (no resting) to battle. We all have. But we do not want to be remembered as a straggler in the coming battle. As Gerald Flurry writes in How to Be an Overcomer, “What hope we can deliver to the world! We have the opportunity to win a glorious victory that we can savor for all eternity! We will never regret what we did for God … in this end time. That will be our joy forever.” 

Song of Songs teaches us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves, bigger than our problems and desire for comfort! Empowered by God, this army delivers hope. We rescue entire nations! We fight in an epic war that shakes the heavens and the Earth! (Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6). We march in lockstep, in unity and purpose, fighting together against all odds with valor and heroism.

As Mr. Flurry wrote in the last sentence of How to Be an Overcomer, “Let’s all be noble knights together and thank God that we have the opportunity.” We have the chance to fight as one for Christ and the Father and be an awesome bannered host! 

It is this kind of thinking that allows such terrible and physical abuse to run rampant in the Church of God.  As soldiers supposedly unified on the path to war, it is not good to be a questioner, to rock the boat or disagree with the Pastor General.  To do so, destabilizes the ranks and the battle cannot be won.   Christ has had to delay his coming so many times now that even he forgets the exact date, all due to the fact that the membership was not ready.  It had failed to fight the good fight.

If these men were actually Christian that might have the understanding that the battle has already been won. The fight is no longer ours to worry about.  There is a rest that comforts the weary of hear tired of fighting a fight they can never win because they just can't ever measure up.

Matthew 11:30The Message (MSG)

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Why Do COG Ministers Preach About So Many Silly Topics?

I had a news alert today regarding Almost Arrested Elisha Elijah Joshua Amos Doubly-Blessed Chief Overseer Bob Thiel. It was about his latest online sermon. Poltergeists and Lying Wonders.

Who sits around and thinks about poltergeists day and and day out?  Who really cares about levitating chihuahua's in Scotland?

Here are other things that he thinks occupies peoples minds continually.  You will notice how fear based it all is.  Demons, government conspiracies, illuminati, rouge planets, and the collapse of the dollar...where would the church be without such fearful things to worry about?

• 10 Reasons Not to Vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton
• Chinese threats against Australia for real?
• Hillary Clinton, Theresa May, and Isaiah 3
• Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction?
• Germany ready for military leadership?
• America's Day of Reckoning 2017 Dollar Collapse?
• Forbes' Brexit Monster is the Beast of Revelation
• Post Brexit Prophecy
• Can the Bilderberg Group Affect 2017 and Beyond?
• Is the Universe Expanding or about to Catastrophically Collapse?
• Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017?
• USA pushing gender confusion
• Eliminate the $100 bill?

Thiel has also come up with a new gimmick in order to make him look like the biblical "authority" he foolishly believes he is.  Hold up your big thick bible and shake it at the camera and people will know you mean business!

The self appointed lying wonder Thiel is not alone in his fear based topics and embarrassment of Jesus.  Here is Gerald Flurry's latest topics.  Jesus is not even a consideration.  Much of Flurry's articles are militaristic, about old testament "hero's", and loyalty to church government.

• How Secure Is Your Outpost? Paul called true Christians good soldiers for Christ. Are you? Or is Satan ready to take you captive?
• By the Waters of Babylon Psalm 137 paints a terrifying prophetic picture of a tragedy about to befall a great many of God’s people.
• How Not to Be Deceived Christ’s greatest warning to this world is found in Matthew 24. What makes it 
the greatest? It addresses the world’s greatest deception! 
• Improve Your Memory Five practical ways to strengthen a mental muscle that is critical to your salvation.
• A Law of History Learning lessons from great leaders of the past is critical to national well-being.
• Moses: King, Prophet, Priest Get ready to rule like Moses.
• Moses: A Man For All Christians
• The Significance of the Hezekiah Bulla
• You Have an Office in God’s House God is preparing an incredible future position for you
• The Palm Tree and You
• End-time Mighty MenStudying the works of David
• Jeremiah’s Vital Lesson in Faith God had to teach His prophet, and us, a profound lesson

Armstrongism is fear based to the core.  Grace, mercy, peace, justice and redemption are not part of the church make up.  Showing kindness to ones neighbor, deliver food to the hungry, helping the needy and being agents of comfort to the hurting are not part of their church plan.  Who needs the words of Jesus when Moses, Jeremiah and Elisha are more important.

When Thiel talks about lying wonders, he perfectly describes himself, Malm, Pack, Flurry, Meredith and the rest of the corrupt church leaders.