Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

LCG: Gerald Weston "dismayed" that some LCG members are "lukewarm"



Gerald Weston was well trained by his mentor (Rod Meredith) in fear mongering his flock.  He recently sent out a member letter on April 19 outraged over Cadbury's "Easter" controversy and how supposedly a couple in the UK had their foster kids taken from them for refusing to say the Easter Bunny was real.  Instead of being outraged at the homeless situation in Charlotte, or being outraged that low income families can't feed their kids or provide adequate housing, or that LCG members are struggling to survive financially because of all the money they are expected to send to HQ, or expressing outrage at how families are being ripped apart by LCG's draconian legalistic laws, he is upset over Candygate.

Then after the usual screed about pagan Easter, he dumps on "lukewarm" LCG members.  LCG members should face the fact that they will NEVER be able to do anything right in the eyes of the church leadership.  They are too dumb, too lukewarm, and too Laodicean, at least in the eyes of the leadership.

Brethren, the world is about to explode!  It is a dangerous mess!  We are being overwhelmed by the news.  No more of those handpicked  single "major" news stories of the day; now people can find instantaneous news from thousands of sources.  Much like LCG members can find instantaneous news about the corruption of the LCG leadership, of which, Weston is none too happy about.

The time is short.  The end is near.  We have heard this mantra shouted out by Rod Meredith for 60 some years.  Not once in that entire time has he ever been right.
Dear Members and Co-workers, our world is getting crazier with each passing day! We never know what new shock may greet us each morning! Journalists once strove to publish the one major news story for the day. Sometimes they really had to scramble to find one, and we would often comment, “This must be a slow news day.” Not anymore! Today it is a matter of which major story takes precedence over the others. Will there be a war with North Korea? Will the U.S. and Russia have an incident that sparks a major conflict between the two antagonists in Syria? Will war break out between Israel and its neighbors? Then there is the specter of a terrorist attack at any time and nearly anywhere. 
Those who study the Bible should understand that we are truly living in the last days. The Apostle Paul warned us, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). What we see today is only the beginning. It will get much worse. We cannot know every twist and turn world events will take, but the Bible gives us the outline and the outcome. One troubling trend is that the very people of God will be lukewarm, neither hot nor cold at the time of the end (Revelation 3:14-19). 
How strange! One would think that it would be just the opposite. People should become more zealous toward God and doing His will as they see end-time events descending upon them. Such is not the case.
What can Weston expect when he, Meredith and the COG as a whole have lied to its membership for decades?   People are following God and are still zealous, just not in LCG or a COG.  That is a bitter pill for COG leaders to swallow.

Of course, there is the big bad bogeyman Satan who is the cause of all of this.
There is a real spirit being directing the course of this world (Ephesians 2:1-2). He is a master of distraction. He gives us every physical toy we could ever imagine. Television, once considered the greatest time waster, now competes with Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, Instagram and a host of other electronic devices and programs that vie for our attention. No technology is evil in itself, but taken together without exercising character to set proper priorities, people wear out before they get to those things that are important.
LCG members and COG members as a whole are worn out because of the constant abuse levelled at them by the church leadership.  Legalism trumps grace every time.  The "rules" must be followed over showing love to one another.  Love and grace are four letter words that COG leaders despise.
So what is important in your life? What is your passion? What demands the greatest devotion from you? Is it your hobby? Is it your family? Family is certainly important, but is it the most important? 
Apparently many in the LCG are placing an emphasis on their families and doing things with them instead of taking that money and sending it in to Weston.  How dare they!  How can Jimmy Meredith spend thousands of dollars every year skiing, snorkelling, boating, and travelling to exotic locales when that money should go directly to Weston's church fund?  He has a message to get out Lil'Jimmy!  Get on board!!!
At some point, we all come to the place where one question stands out above all else. Is there life after death? The Bible says there is. Does it not make sense to investigate the possibility? Hobbies, while of temporal value, will not get you there. The trappings of success, such as money and material possessions, cannot get you there, and you cannot take them with you beyond the grave. Even family is of no lasting value if you put family before God. Read Jesus’ own words for yourself:  “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate [love to a lesser degree by comparison] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). Is there life after death, and what must I do to find it? 
What will it take to stir each of us to take action and go all out to serve the living God? Jesus tells us, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together” (John 4:34-36).
Living Church of God members are asking just how much Gerald Weston, Lil'Jimmy, Rod McNair and others will sacrifice for the work?  LCG members have never seen these guys or the leadership as whole set any example.  Instead, LCG members and employees have experienced this:

My husband worked there for over 5 years and he never saw a bigger group of backbiters and cut-throats.
Rod Meredith promotes an atmosphere where if you stab your co-worker in the back, but give him your version of the story 1st, they other guy gets pushed down the ladder and the bully gets exalted.
Everyone is so insecure and selfish that they expend huge amounts of energy making sure that no one steals their piece of the pie. Working to make sure you get noticed before someone else takes credit for your work is a constant struggle.
If one were to randomly pick ANY worldly work office it would be more harmonious. Typically the people you work with aren't on the same level of self-righteousness, arrogance or filled with as much selfish ambition as the leading men at LCG headquarters. 
It truly is a "brood of vipers".
All the vipers have their little pet projects that feed their egos. It's disgusting.
It was hard being a member in LCG knowing what its headquarters was like. If the average member glimpsed a peek of the lies and other shady behavior that goes on their so frequently that it's become common place, they might think twice about sending in those tithes. 
What Gerald Weston and the leadership of the Living Church of God needs to do is to get on their knees this coming sabbath in front of their congregations and ask for forgiveness on how abusive they have been to the members.  Then every single minister and church leader should fast to prove to the members just how sick and degenerate they have become spiritually and STOP making the membership fast for you! Sadly, this will never happen. Egotism and narcissism cannot allow these "men" to admit they have a weak side or are wrong.  Humility has no room in the ministry of the LCG.  If you want proof of that, just go up to your local minister this Sabbath and ask him if he is a humble man.  No LCG member should ever again fast for the leadership to get its act in gear.  They will always refuse to.  All you are doing is making yourself hungry.

8 comments:

  1. Let's cut to the chase: The Exodus never happened and no matter what you may believe about God or not, the Bible itself is a huge lie, Christianity is a lie and the Churches of God have a much bigger problem than quibbling about just how dedicated members are because the churches of God have no right to existence and leaders of the churches of God have absolutely positively no right to any money whatsoever from 'Scriptural' principles.

    On the other hand, we do support the idea that false prophecy is idiotic and would not protest at all if all false prophets were put to death, since they are worthless crap anyway.

    That's what the congregations should ponder.

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  2. When I started attending services in the 1970s, I found out the hard way that the ministers are at war with their congregations. They view them as enemies to be conquered and dominated. It would have been helpful if someone had warmed me what the church was really like. Perhaps they were too afraid of the vindictive ministry to do so.

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  3. Let the ministers set the example of not being lukewarm by giving sermons that genuinely expand the ten commandments ie the type of material found in self help books. But no, they give the same milk slop that they gave 60 years ago. Boring repetitive material similar to Herbs two trees. Even tele Evangelists give better sermons.

    Why don't the ministers practise what they preach, instead of giving their members baby food that's on par with Kenneth Copelands religious mush?

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  4. Why does Weston open his letter "Dear Members and Co-Workers"? HWA and RCM always used to begin their letters with "Dear Brethren and Co-Workers". I guess Weston doesn't consider LCG attendees to be his brethren. They are not his peers before God as brethren, they are tithe slaves under control of President Weston.

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  5. We can only hope that the fine members of the LCG will find another source of heat. It's just a horrible thing when you suddenly realize that the members are the ministers' report card. As below, so above. If the members are lukewarm, it is because they have lukewarm leaders setting the tone and pace. Remember, pointed index finger, three coming back at you, Jerry? It was one of old Hog Jowls's favorite sayings! Right up there with hogwash and balderdash!


    BB

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  6. Is Gerald Weston blind spiritually, or what? Laodiceans must exist (and perhaps many are in the Living group?) or God would be a liar, wouldn't He, Gerald? So, why is Gerald Weston dismayed? Things are working out the way God said they would.

    GWeston wrote: "...Those who study the Bible should understand that we are truly living in the last days..."

    Really, Gerald? Who told you we are truly living in the last days? You were lied to, and you pass that lie on as you tell us stupid thoughts like that. HWA had a booklet on The Last Days also, but he and you are over a 1,000 years off!

    Here is some "good news" for the last days:

    Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW UNTO IT.

    Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, saith God, I will POUR OUT MY Spirit UPON ALL FLESH: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

    Gerald, why didn't you quote those 2 “last day” verses? Instead, you focus on a verse that seems so negative, yet it is true, but you are over a 1,000 years off b/c you want to slip in your Mickey Mouse Millennium where you believe Jesus Christ will be reigning on earth...and starting very soon, shortly! Just lie upon lie! You tell us 2 Timothy 3:1 is just beginning, but that is just more of your satanic baloney. Why?

    2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that IN THE LAST DAYS perilous times shall come.

    Gerald, some who study the Bible know that a huge event happens over a 1,000 years from NOW, over a 1,000 years from your make-believe version of "the last days." Huh? Can you handle the truth, Gerald (and Meredith, Winnail, Flurry, Franks, Hulme, Malm, Thiel, etc. pick another name)? Can your laodicean members handle the truth? Here it comes! The following verses will be fulfilled after your fake millennium, your Mickey Mouse Millennium, after at least 1,000 years from today comes to an end!

    Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
    :8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

    Gerald, most of this earth is submerged under water, but after 1,000 years the nations are all going to be deceived.....AGAIN!

    Now, Gerald, at the end of that 1,000 years, when do you think "the last days" might really occur? Oh, you say it is today. That is stupid! Don't you think that those "last days" should occur after Satan deceives the nations worldwide? Isn't that a big, huge, event yet to occur?

    Whatever that wimp of a Satan is doing today is puny compared to what is ahead over a 1,000 years from now! Why are you misapplying scriptures to scare us today and make people send you more $mammon$, and you aren't even understanding prophecy timing at all?

    You are dismayed? Not enough $mammon$ flowing in, and your leader, who left his ministerial credentials behind in Pasadena, of your man-made group has been talking about his/your "last days" for what now? 67 years! Is that anything to boast about?

    Time will tell…

    John

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  7. It's hard not to become "lukewarm" when you are forced to listen to boring, un-inspired sermons week after week, year after year!

    I was "on fire" when I first joined LCG but after nearly two decades of hearing the same 3 sermons repackaged repeatedly... I'm almost in a coma.

    I recognized the pitfall of this several years ago. We are each incumbent to grow. That responsibility is personal. No one can do it for us. I watch sermons online (from all kinds of groups not just ACOG groups), study my Bible and read commentaries to get keep my fire aglow. I'm smart enough to keep this information to myself (I don't even trust my LCG friends because I have seen where that can get you!).

    If I relied on LCG to keep me "hot" for the Word of God, I'd be utterly doomed.

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  8. Then you, GWeston, asked: "...Is there life after death?..."

    Well, do you believe the following verse applies not to just you "good," "godly guys," but to the entire world?

    "To wit, that God was in Christ, RECONCILING the WORLD unto himself, NOT imputing their trespasses unto them..." 2 Corinthians 5:19

    But Gerald, God does that reconciling; not you and/or any in your group! Incidentally, that is good news for Laodiceans, who will be part of the Bride that God is making. No Laodiceans, then no Bride....and no Kingdom coming either! Laodiceans aren’t evil. They just have a different job to accomplish God's will than the others making up that Bride, b/c their job was for a different time. There will be no 8th (Rev 2-3) Church, congregation, era, but there will be life after death! Why not thank God for reconciling the world? Now that you know that there is life after death, can you just be very thankful? Why not investigate that possibility?

    Time will tell…

    John

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