...preaching the gospel is a business, and when you don't get a return, you pull out. We tried Africa, but got nothing back, so we will not help African brethren"
Of the hundreds and hundreds of various splinter groups of Armstrongism that have emerged over the decades, those that have actually done things beneficial for people have been extremely small. Two standouts are Norm Edwards, Port Austin Bible Campus that takes in the poor and homeless to help them get back on their feet and Bill Goff's, Kenya Hands of Hope, that take in orphans in Africa.
Bill Goff relates below his frustration in various Church of God's he has reached out to for help in taking care of the kids and building them places to stay and other facilities. The tale of the Good Samaritan or Jesus caring for the prostitute or valuing the gentiles more than the law guardians are just useless fluff to the leaders of the Church of God's. The true face of Armstrongism at its finest is on display below!
A Voice In The Wilderness web site.
Trouble At The Orphanage
Greetings Brethren,
Hope this letter finds you well, as we patiently await the return of our Lord and Savior, whom this world so desperately needs. We are having some trouble at the Sengera Orphanage. The police have arrested Haron (the overseer). They are complaining that we are not completing the improvements they required of us, fast enough. We still need to plaster the outside of the cafeteria, tile the girls bathroom, and erect a security wall along the front of the orphanage.
We have made much progress with their original demands; the store room is completed, the boys indoor and outdoor toilets and shower have been tiled. The cafeteria is completed inside so the children have been able to use it. But the work came to a stop because schools were opening, and we used the only remaining funds to pay their tuition.
Fortunately this time they released Haron temporally, although they are threatening to close the orphanage down if we don't complete these required improvements quickly. (Last time they jailed him for two day, and when he was released, had to be brought to hospital because he had been beaten by some of the inmates.)
Brethren, If you can spread the word that these church orphans need help, please do so. I have contacted numerous large churches of God recently, trying to get them to help assist, but sad to say, haven't received even one positive response. Please understand, I'm not requesting more help from the few who have consistently been assisting these orphans, I'm reaching out to those who have the means to help, but are not aware of the dire situation because their "leaders" continue to cause division in the churches of God, and refuse to inform their congregations that there are true members of the Body of Christ, the church, who need help.
After informing one high ranking leader of one of the large churches of God of the dire need of some of our impoverished brethren, he patted me on the back and said (and I quote) "Your doing a great job over there, but we like to take care of our own brethren before helping those abroad." He would not help at all, and I know for a fact that his organization has tens of thousands of dollars of tithe & offering money sitting in the bank. I then contacted another high ranking leader explaining the suffering that our African brethren are enduring, and how they need our help. His reply was even more shocking, he said (and I quote again) "preaching the gospel is a business, and when you don't get a return, you pull out. We tried Africa, but got nothing back, so we will not help African brethren"
Another well know "leader" of another larger church of God group who had a little over $200,000. of tithe and offering money sitting in his bank account also refused to help. He said we weren't part of "his" organization. Yes, you heard me correctly, he would not help because we weren't part of his particular "cog group". And he not only had $200,000 sitting in his bank accounts, but was also purchasing stocks and bonds with all the tithe & offering money that the brethren were sending him.
I don't mean to be so blunt here, but keeping silent about this atrocity would be a sin. The Apostle Paul instructed us to do good unto all men "especially" those who are of the household of faith. Brethren, these suffering people are of the house hold of faith. Even these orphans children came to us from various churches of God who could no longer care for them after their parents died. We didn't care which particular cog group they were part of, that didn't matter one iota. What mattered was that they needed our help. And believe me, their needs are quite dire. And I'm not only addressing these orphans here, there are also other brethren who need our help. I received a call from a cog pastor in Western Kenya last week informing me about two deaths in his congregation. One was a child. They needed to bury them, but didn't have enough funds to purchase coffins. I had to turn their request down due to lack of funds.
We have also been assisting a number of "true" widows, also from various cog groups. One from the border group living near the Maasai tribe, another from Ogembo, and a few from Sengera area. We help the brethren that are reaching out to us the best we can, and our Heavenly Father has always been good at stretching the funds that come in, but if a few more were involved, we could help so much more.
Brethren don't allow these false leaders to continue dividing the church of the living God. Don't be fooled by men. Men have divided the church of God into hundreds of separate organizations, but in God's eyes, He sees only 2 groups (yes two) the wise & the foolish, the sheep & the goats.
Please pray for our impoverished brethren who are living in these 3rd world impoverished countries, many of them are suffering severely. And most of all let us pray "Thy Kingdom Come" because the coming kingdom of God is the only thing that can resolve all the man made troubles of this untoward world.
Your brother in Christ.
Bill Goff
Support Bill Goff through Paypal
23 comments:
Where does one donate for this cause?
Individuals can always contribute to various organizations on a personal level, but for a church group to effectively do this sort of work, several ingredients are needed. First, a big church with massive resources is required. Secondly, the people contributing to the effort must have a passion for the African people and for improving their often desperate situation. Thirdly, any thoughts of self-aggrandizement, or aggrandizement of one’s organization need to be recognized as being not only irrelevant, but also impossible. This is a pure relief effort, a money-pit to alleviate human suffering, and not a business opportunity. This sort of activity falls outside of the business-models typical of the Armstrong family of churches.
In the past, I’ve contributed to a good organization that develops clean water resources for Africans, particularly for children, and also provides sturdy Croc-like shoes for children to help prevent the types of diseases that are spread by walking barefoot in squalid conditions. The people who run the ACOG splinters need to recognize that any return that comes back to you for expressing your humanity in this way is most likely going to be in the form of intangible blessings that fall completely outside of the monetary equation. It’s not a balance-sheet thing. Unfortunately, because it was founded by a wannabe advertising mogul, Armstrongism has historically been run as a business in which decisions that should be moral, humanitarian, or ethical are governed by the dollar sign, ie “how can we create a bigger tithe pie?”
It’s not bad that this topic has come up from time to time. I’d strongly recommend that anyone who is concerned for the plight of their fellow humans in Africa investigate amongst the well established and ethical organizations which offer relief, and consider making periodic contributions.
BB
Kenyan, Charles Mully does more Christianity in a day, than all the WCG offshoots do in a lifetime.
This is a true story.
Kenyan orphan, Charles Mully, wakes up to find himself an orphan living in the streets. The self-made man becomes a millionaire. When his Mercedes automobile is stolen, he decides to give up his wealth and rescue orphans. Below you can watch the trailer, the movie, or visit the the Mully Children's Family website.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku9mPSUJFzI
https://mcfus.org/
https://www.amazon.com/Mully-Charles/dp/B076XVZG5J/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510269402&sr=8-2&keywords=mully+movie
Connie: I added a link to his web page and a link to his Paypal for supporting the orphans.
now is the time for Bob Thiel to put up or shut up. Let's see him put some money towards the orphans without any demands or expectations other than helping children! Does he have the balls to do what is right? Testicular fortitude is not something Thiel understands.
Balls? Bob Thiel? I don't think he has any considering how much he whines about everything. He doesn't care about the orphans. They will have a chance when they are resurrected in the kingdom so why waste money on them now.
the poor will always be with you....
I don't mean to trivialize their plight, but there are others in the world in need as badly as they are, maybe even worse.
those folks are front & center in Mr. Goff's mind, because he knows about them...he should be careful about his attitude toward those that won't support his cause...thank them for listening and, if they don't contribute, move on.
Exactly, there are always going to be poor, and needs. This is why some work animal rescue, others have a passion about homeless children, and some work to assist battered women. There is no shortage of worthy causes, and certainly there are specific things which tend to arouse each of our own passions. The important thing is for each of us to give back in some way, as we are able.
BB
I'm reminded of A Christmas Carol- where the spirit repeats Ebenezer Scrooge's own words back to him: "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"
And, of the boy and girl clinging to the spirit's legs, the quote, "This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased." reflects the genius of Dickens.
A short video of that scene from the movie is at-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrjrcOp_TL0
"Unfortunately, because it was founded by a wannabe advertising mogul, Armstrongism has historically been run as a business in which decisions that should be moral, humanitarian, or ethical are governed by the dollar sign, ie “how can we create a bigger tithe pie?”
Yeah right.
And when I gave you about a hundred examples of support going to many cases ranging from, research about rare diseases, china - western relations (oxford chair), hundreds of scientific research projects in the humanitarian field (going on in a foundation that still exists and lists HWA as its founder still), world wildlife fund in its inception phase, the international court of justice diplomacy in its inception phase, the initial programs for legal mediation that are now all over the USA, moral support of the 9th circuit court through manpower support and hundreds of more cases
THEN you say, well I didn't know that they were doing these things which fell out of the range of religion.
Well I don't blame you for not knowing since most occured when you had already gone. But you don't make a convincing case in your last remark.
BTW WCG supported several schools from Sri Lanka, Jordan and Thailand where pupils attended of which non of the parents were WCG members. Besides minor agricultural projects in Africa for members and huge agricultural support for the Hill Tribes in Thailand and Extreme political and moral and financial support for Marcos agricultural reform program.
WCG mostly dealt with leverage where small support leveraged or benefitted hundreds of thousands of people or millions if we speak about the Courts.
THIS IS what WCG doctrine about GOVERNMENMT meant, although I do realize that the little people intepreted it as lording over the sheeple and being lorded over since I cant think for myself. But the FRUITS and WORKS of the Foundation show what the real interpretation of GOVERNMENT should have been.
The little people spoiled it all. And with "little people", I also mean people that can go up to the white collar upper echelon.
The big people are the hundred thousand who understood what I wrote above and contributed generously toward those causes. (although I do remember spastic movements and problematic behavior with my kin when a kid would ring the bell at our house and ask for a donation of the Red Cross.) I'll be honest about that too.
nck
In reply to Anon @ February 4, 2018 at 11:15 PM, I will further reply by quoting from A Christmas Carol, as follows.
Ignorance and Want
"'Forgive me if I am not justified in what I ask,' said
Scrooge, looking intently at the Spirit's robe,' but I see
something strange, and not belonging to yourself, protruding
from your skirts. Is it a foot or a claw.'
'It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it,' was
the Spirit's sorrowful reply. 'Look here.'
From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children;
wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt
down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.
'Oh, Man. look here. Look, look, down here.' exclaimed the Ghost.
They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling,
wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where
graceful youth should have filled their features out, and
touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled
hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them, and
pulled them into shreds. Where angels might have sat
enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing. No
change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity, in any
grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation, has
monsters half so horrible and dread.
Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him
in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but
the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie
of such enormous magnitude.
'Spirit. are they yours.' Scrooge could say no more.
'They are Man's,' said the Spirit, looking down upon
them. 'And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers.
This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both,
and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy,
for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the
writing be erased. Deny it.' cried the Spirit, stretching out
its hand towards the city. 'Slander those who tell it ye.
Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse.
And abide the end.'
'Have they no refuge or resource.' cried Scrooge.
'Are there no prisons.' said the Spirit, turning on him
for the last time with his own words. 'Are there no workhouses.'"
- A Christmas Carol, Stave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits
nck,
I'm sorry, but I don't always check in here, and have missed the "about one hundred [excellent] examples" of where financial support given to the WCG has helped humanity greatly, or in so many ways.
Can you please list them? Here, or perhaps on your own blog or something like that? If you've already written them out here or elsewhere, can you please link to it?
I'm sure that if you do that, people will will be able to see them more clearly, rather than having to try and hunt and extrapolate from previous posts. I'm sure I'm not the only one who reads here but not all the time.
Thanks, G S
Herbie’s philanthropy was used as a door opener, getting him all of those photo ops, and admission into the clubs of the dignitaries.
BB
nck said
(although I do remember spastic movements and problematic behavior with my kin when a kid would ring the bell at our house and ask for a donation of the Red Cross.) I'll be honest about that too.
nck where do you think that attitude came from?
It came from HWA and ministers telling members that they should not give money to charities but only to the church, as the main function of their calling was to support HWA in preaching the gospel. I was around during those days you spoke about
and yes I agree that they were done but always the backdrop was to make inroads to preach the gospel,first and formost. I was completely in agreement with it at the time, today, not so much
toby
BB,
That is how indeed how you would reformulate the "stated purpose".
I won't debate your opinion or twist on the same fact.
I know you are aware of my opinion that a "gift" to the World Wildlife Fund in its inception phase (in retrospect and today a huge viable organization) contributed leveraged to mankind. (although of course every rumor about rhinoceros horn viagra in asia kills of more in south africa).
GS 10:06
Hello GS I understand. You have noticed that the format of this blog (and others where I have contributed) does not make it easy to retrieve past postings.
If you are really interested you could perhaps make a start yourself.
I would refer you to all the online pastor general reports, sermons by hwa and Worldwide News newspapers, Plain Truth etc and instead of focussing on "spiritual meat" focus on what is being said about what the Church (hwa) is doing there in terms of contributions.
Now if you would list only 15 of the thousands of good causes wcg supported it might convince me to add more to your list of fifteen that can easily be found online.
I am not some clerk listing the easy to find causes we supported.
I would rather EXPLAIN the leverage. So for instance when you would find how WCG supported the Constitutional Law Chair at UCLA, China - Western relations Chair and scholarships at Oxford University, Mediation Services in California now implemented all over the USA.
Then I might explain how the "little" contribution we made grew into bigger trees.
Another example. The minister of education and technology of one of the largest industrial nations on earth took a few courses at AC.
Of course as a young man this person was ALREADY destined for a life of consequence and I am not in any way implying AC made that man great. I am just saying that for ALL who studied at University especially abroad, great memories and life altering experiences are made. And I'd like to contrast that mans life of which AC was a small part to the complaining of others.
I saw president XI of China visit his American Host family just a short while ago. Proving my point how impactful such studying in America can be, he did remember these folks.
My point.
The hundreds of causes are easy to find. I might explain a few for you.
(for instance the one where Stanley Rader pledged WCG support for the Marcos agricultural and land reform program at the largest airforce base of the Philipines. Just a small and insignificatn amount of money (couple of hundred thousands over a decade period) but so important for political leverage to get things done in that country. (which hosted some of the largest cia programs) (Also easy to find if you are really interested in the subject.)
Did I tell you about the time the Lebanese leaders called hwa one of the "navigators" for world leaders. In present terms we would call that "a consultant". Perhaps why the leader of our strategic ally in South East Asia cried on HWA's shoulder after having escaped another attempt on his life for choosing to follow the direction of America.
I am not going to list WCG financial support to some of the most visited cultural venues today that broadcast to millions of people today, since that example only invited mockery in the past.
The foundation founded by wcg that to this day supports hundreds of scientific research programs is more difficult to find and impossible to find for "people hating everything related to wcg)
Assistance during the negotiations on the transfer of Okinawa to the Japanes people got HWA the highest decoration for a foreign civilian by the emperor. Now how does this affect YOU TODAY. Okinawa is where the jets come from keeping N Korea in check.
etc etc etc etc etc
nck
Hello NCK, Your reply has failed miserably in your attempt to answer GS at 10:06.
You are hiding from giving full clear answers and I suggest you put up or shut up with your grandiose descriptions of Herbie's legacy.
I've seen your techniques before, and they've never been from someone who is willing to be forthcoming and honest. Rather, it's from people trying to bait others and get a reaction, or succinctly suggesting others are below your level of understanding and less worthy of your 'knowledge'.
Within your genre is the "at best" [yet possibly worst] reaction- to feign attempted helpfulness while hinting at great things you know, as you've done above.
Yes,
Toby. I am in agreement with you. I am debating the naysayers.
I only knew one Toby in WCG. Are you my friend Toby, you know who you are?
My friend Toby was extremely intelligent and a writer of spy novels? Don't blow my cover then.
But perhaps you are another Toby whose comments I apreciate.
nck
9:53
You are unclear.
I gave easy to find answers.
I doubt GS real interest by the language he used. So I am not providing what he csm find in 5 minutes.
Yes I am smarter than him and you judging by the insincerity in your attempts to make use of my time.
Get a life instead of wasting my time.
But I promise to offer assistance if interested are willing to invest 5 minutes themselves.
I m sorry. I m not a stupid socialist handing out goodies if asked by some supposed needy person.
Your comment shows your insecure stupidity by the assumption that I would try and bait you, while you show no sign of effort.
I find your reaction more interesting than sad though from s pscychological angle.
Nck
9:53
Even now I have clearly expressed my extreme disaffection with your comment that is an insult to normal relations I will offer to answer when you ask one normal question to show my sincerity. And it better not be a question to list 100 things. Ask about what I wrote for instance. A reaction to that would fall in the definition of normal interaction asshole.
Nck
nck your cover is safe :-)I am another toby
or as has been said, toby or not toby that is the question?
...there are always going to be poor, and needs. This is why some work animal rescue ... There is no shortage of worthy causes, and certainly there are specific things which tend to arouse each of our own passions. The important thing is for each of us to give back in some way, as we are able.
Strange how some who rail against racism at every opportunity are now equating helping animals with helping orphans in Africa. I guess we see where their priorities really lie. Maybe they spend more on their motorbikes or dog food than the disadvantage people they pretend to care about.
"equating helping animals with helping orphans"
Without the bees, we all die! Away with pesticides, safe the bees.
nck
I have a good laugh occasionally as I watch the minds of some posters malfunction in accordance with their own defects. Grouping different types of public service because they are similar in that they are service is not equating whomever or whatever is served. That is absurd, illogical, and provides perhaps the deepest yet insight into the mind of anonymous 8:23. Can’t even say “nice try” about that one, Adolf. Just, “wow, more sickness!”
BB
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