In Gerald Weston's May/June letter to the LCG membership, he comments about a recent trip he took for Passover and the music he listened to in his car while travelling with his wife. On his way there he heard songs of Elvis and had this to say:
Dear Brethren, Carol and I recently traveled by car to New York for Passover and the beginning of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, looking forward to joining more than 200 brethren who shared a few days together as one large family. Long road trips are challenging, and to amuse ourselves we alternated between conversation, listening to the one family-oriented comedy station on satellite radio, and enjoying some music.
A station on the radio devoted to Elvis Presley played a mix of recordings and stories of the deceased “King of Rock and Roll.” There is a mystique about him in the minds of many. His music was part of my early years and I personally like his voice, but the virtual worship of the man and the desire of his most ardent fans to live in the past is a bit over the top. Enjoy his music if you care to, but please—the man was mortal. He is no god! He is dead!Two guesses as to who else Weston has a "mystique" in his mind about...
The way the LCG hierarchy and some members virtually worship two men from the past is exactly the same as diehard fans worshipping Elvis. Weston and others look to the past with flickering nostalgic memories of days gone by as the "glory days" of the old Radio Church of God/Worldwide Church of God. Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith could do no wrong. The worship is more than "a bit over the top". Both are elevated to heights of worship even worse than the Elvis fans. One has to stop and wonder if both men are still alive! HWA and Meredith were not God! They are dead!
I am still looking for Weston and LCG to place Jesus on such a pedestal and worship him, but...
A little projection on Gersld's part I'd say as well as ""C'mon brethren, get over Rod"
ReplyDeleteI was never impressed by Rod Merredith after meeting him at feast of 1984. He came across as a dunderhead.
ReplyDeleteOn several occasions ministers and elders quoted Herb rather than the bible to me. Calling it the World wide church of Herb would have accurately described many members attitude.
ReplyDeleteI didn't ever belong to WWCG. I started going to LCG as an adult. The way that people fawned over Armstrong and Meredith creeped me out. When I started looking into both men and their pasts I realized how much of a cult it was and how brainwashed people were. Granted I never really fully was assimilated, never got the special invites, or really socialized much with everyone though at times I tried. When I found out Weston was taking over for Meredith I laughed. He has zero charisma or sense of humor. At least Meredith smiled occasionally.
ReplyDeleteI've heard entire sermons about HWA, his stupid autobiography or his booklets many times.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a ACOG family that thinks HWA was an apostle.
I always wonder if they have the slightest clue of their idolatry.
ELVIS IS NOT DEAD!
ReplyDeleteWeston is wrong for saying that! He is working here in New Hampshire "incognito" as a Walmart associate,
and I have proof!
1056, 1213 - Although I never heard him speak, Gerald Waterhouse apparently was a one-sermon show, and it was all about HWA. I do remember a sermon by Dr Hoeh, who quoted only from HWA's Autobiography.
ReplyDeleteTo a CG7 minister, HWA claiming to be an Apostle would be no big deal; he'd say, But we're ALL Apostles! CG7 used the term for what it meant, one who is sent forth - not as an exclusive hierarchical rank.
Gerald Weston leads the Church in to the depths of worldly depravity with such permissiveness suggesting the brethren may "enjoy" the "music" of that wicked Elvis, with his gyrating hips and satanic emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats! Herbert W. Armstrong would FROWN on this!
ReplyDelete@ 4:14PM, in LCG you are allowed to enjoy Elvis singing about homosexual activity in prison ( Jailhouse Rock ) but if you truthfully point out that one of Weston's top ministers is a sociopath you will be hounded out of the church.
ReplyDeleteI am a little surprise to hear that Gerald Weston would listen to music from Elvis Presley. That is a shock, heh.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is indeed an irony about his comment on Elvis and people in COG groups attitude towards their religious leaders.
Jeremy
Nice to know he can afford satellite radio. Wondering how many members wish they could.
ReplyDeleteI for one am surprised that Jerry Weston is still capable of an occasional lapse into coolness. While Elvis would be a little tame for my own musical tastes, I know that if HWA had read that one of his spiritual heirs enjoyed Elvis music, he would have been outraged, and that is enough to put a smile on my face and to give Jerry a pass just this once.
ReplyDeleteBB
I had same thought.
Deleteit is spooky as to how HWA is idolized by some groups...they even take his writings over the Bible, which just blew my mind.
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