It is that time of the month in the Living Church of God. It is time for the monthly flow of sex, gays, transvestites, pot smokers, sex and more sex. Nothing in this universe seems to make these people happy. Can the world ever be more miserable than how the Living Church of God portrays it?
Church members and particularly the youth are getting sick of the constant put-downs and are starting to ignore LCG's stances. This does not make Gerald Weston happy! He has discovered, after all of these years, that there are three different ways COG youth and members present themselves.
This desire to live in two different worlds is a strong temptation. Many who grow up “in the Church” remind me of the 1950s television drama, “I Led Three Lives.” It was based on the true-life story of Herbert Philbrick. All that his friends and family saw was his role as husband, father and white-collar worker, but he had two other lives. He also worked as a communist spy, and he was actually a double-agent working for the FBI as a counter-communist spy. He was constantly on guard to protect his credibility with whichever side was watching him. One can only imagine the stress this created!
Similarly, some members and teens live three lives. Friends and neighbors see one life. A second life is lived on the Sabbath, around the ministry and members who are viewed as solidly in the Church. Then there is the third life, away from the Church and around friends who are wrapped up in the culture of this world. Many young people describe their experience before baptism as having one foot in the world and the other in the Church. They desire the world, but keep a toe in the Church, just in case.
However, this article is not about young people only. It is about all members, and about those things we may stubbornly hang on to. What is it that you have not been willing to give up? Do you disagree with our stance regarding marijuana? Apparently, some do. Do you believe that so-called “mercy killing” is okay, even though one of the Ten Commandments tells us “Do not kill [commit murder]”? What about abortion? And do you privately believe that God made homosexuals and lesbians to be “born that way,” that He put males in female bodies and vice versa? Or do you believe the Bible, that these abominations are choices people make (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:18–32)?
Marijuana is an interesting case in point. In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, many people still believe it is harmless and beneficial. Please note: We do not deny that there may be medicinal properties found in part of this weed, but the medical benefits do not generally appear to come from the hallucinogenic ingredient, THC. “But it’s a natural substance!” some will say. “It’s now legal!” So are poison ivy and tobacco! Is it not odd that at the very time when there is an all-out war against tobacco, there is a push to fill your lungs with another kind of smoke?
So, let me be clear on this subject. We will not hold back from telling the truth to the world and to the Church! Have You Bought the Lies?Oh my, "We are not holding back..." Such a forceful message. This must make Elisha Thiel bitter with jealousy!
Month after month, week after week, magazine article after magazine article and booklet after booklet, LCG members are bombarded with one negative thing after another. Everything and everyone is wrong, except for the "delightsome" LCG leadership and some of the members. There is an endless list of DONT'S in the Living Church of God and the list on the negative side is 95% longer than any positive listings.
Just imagine if a future issue of Tomorrow's World was filled with positive, uplifting articles with not a negative comment insight, what a novel concept that would be! Imagine seeing articles on the beauty of nature, on the beauty and richness found in different cultures and even religions, and on how good people do good things for other people. All of these are qualities of the Kingdom they claim to preach but never truly believe in. It is much easier to live a miserable life than it is to be joyful.
Gerald says: "Marijuana is an interesting case in point. In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, many people still believe it is harmless and beneficial.'
ReplyDeleteHaving been on both the ignorant and informed side of this question and now living in Portland where I just passed three Marijuana shops (which when you enter seem like jewelry stores in their layout) and have four beautiful Marijuana plants growing outside my window, some observations.
Marijuana definitely has excellent medicinal qualities in the CBD portion. It certainly beats opioid addictions. Living where every conceivable way of enjoying pot exists including edibles of all sorts, the glitter of it all is gone. Like many things, when you have no access you sneak it. When it is everywhere, not so much. There are no lines in any shops. There were too many shops and too many growers and now the surplus in Oregon is astounding. It can't be sold outside the state but that is a concern with the surplus. Some stores closed and some I know who wanted into the business changed their minds. In short, it is not a big problem that I can tell. Drunk driving is. Alcohol abuse and addiction is and while marijuana is relaxing, I can't recall anyone getting run over by someone using it. (It could make one inattentive I suppose). I do smell it in wafting from the car ahead of me at times.
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Weston needs to smoke a joint and chill out. CBD's are excellent for pain. The stuff works great and you don't need to get high from it. No more painkillers for this author. Using "MOXIE" will keep you off opioid's and free of pain.
ReplyDelete"Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many naturally occurring compounds called Phyto-Cannabinoids found in certain strains of the Cannabis/Marijuana plant. CBD has many medicinal properties; it acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-pain and antioxidant. CBD is non psychoactive (will not get you high), has minimal side effects and in recent years has gained the reputation of being the most valuable Cannabinoid in the Cannabis plant."
- Dr Paul Hornby, Medical Cannabis Pioneer
... I have tried it since I could legally and I have to say it is not interesting nor relaxing to me personally. I don't and wont' smoke or inhale it as I have never smoked. That would be a health issue in my view. The CBD for pain aspect does work well for those in need. Then one day a colleague offered me a cookie about the size of a ginger snap. I ate half and went home....nothing. I ate the other half....nothing until I was on the phone and realized I could not remember what was just said and could not keep up a conversation. It was odd and not "relaxing". That was my experience and it cured me personally. I would take or use or recommend the CBD aspect anytime.
ReplyDeleteIn short, none of it is a big deal if it is legal in one's community. I would not buck the illegalities and the consequences in a place where such still exist. But here, it is everywhere and I'd recommend that Gerald focus more on the ever present problems with alcohol which should probably be much more of a concern than pot ever could be.
As far as LBGT issues are concerned, the church is in the dark ages. Again having been on both sides of the issue in my life and after 20 years of dealing with clients and getting to understand them and their issues, it is in the DNA and chemistry. My first ministerial visit with the most beautiful transgendered female (born male) I had ever seen, whose story was amazing to me, grew me up real quick. This was in the 70"s.
The scriptures on such things are cultural in their context of course and in Romans one might note that "gayness" was the punishment God gave out for worshipping the creature more than the creator and because they could not "CLEARLY" see God in creation and became stupid. Three times in the text God "gives them up" or over to it as if powerless to inspire a change etc. But no matter, the author would not know then what we understand today about how humans think, function or behave and know now.
And the tale of Sodom and Gomorrah was NOT about an entire town of gay men wanting to rape Angels for fun but would have settled, in Lot's mind, for his daughters "who had never known a man." It's a Middle Eastern Hospitality tale.
LCG has hired homosexuals in the past, with Rod Meredith's full knowledge of their homosexual conduct.
ReplyDeleteLCG has hired marijuana and tobacco smokers in the past, with Rod Meredith's full knowledge of their conduct.
LCG has hired thieves in the past, with Rod Meredith's full knowledge of their conduct.
LCG has hired liars in the past, with Rod Meredith's full knowledge of their conduct.
By Gerald Weston's stated standard, Rod Meredith was not qualified to be Presiding Evangelist of LCG. If Rod Meredith wasn't qualified to be Presiding Evangelist of LCG, he wasn't qualified to appoint Gerald Weston as Presiding Evangelist of LCG.
Oops!
Is the use of marijuana a salvational issue?
ReplyDeleteLCG leadership tolerates (or encourages) the liars in their midst, even though lying violates a commandment, while marijuana smoking is merely stupid and unwise. What does this tell us about the values and priorities of that church?
I suspect as well that Paul noted that "God gave them up to..." because it was just a part of the culture, as today , that no God really had any say over to change and so that was Paul's reason for seeing it everywhere.
ReplyDeleteAnd too...it is not beyond belief that Paul's "thorn in the flesh" and
Romans 7:15-20 New International Version (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
...are his profound frustration with his own sexuality. Paul cared nothing for women and against Jesus own teachings taught it was better to remain single as he did. Paul was a complicated, hard to understand at times and conflicted character
...the man said he had to beat (literally?) and keep himself on the straight and narrow, "lest after preaching to others" he himself became a castaway. At least he was honest about his struggles. I Cor 9:27. On the other hand, such drama makes one wonder what "the simplicity that in Christ" actually is or what "Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light" really means...
ReplyDelete"Paul cared nothing for women . . . and taught it was better to remain single as he did." It was my understanding of his stance that being on the road all of the time, being shipwrecked, stoned, jailed, etc. It was best for him, at that time in his life, to not have family responsibilities and to remain single. I don't read into his comments anything related to his sexuality. I served 32 years in the military and there are many military occupational specialties that make it very difficult to be a good husband and father and for some soldiers, it would be better to remain single, for the time being.
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot "Mercy Killings"
ReplyDeleteIn Oregon there is right to die options for those who with proper medical approval and support for their terminal illness can end their own lives peacefully and painlessly. I have several clients who have been through this with a parent or relative. There is NOTHING wrong with taking charge of your own life when and how one see's fit. It is not others doing it to them. It is the personal choice of the person to the point that no one is allowed to administer the life ending cocktail to them. They MUST be able to take it themselves. It consists, here at least, of 600 barbiturates ground up into a slurry that the person drinks. They gently fall asleep and about 20 minutes later their heart simply stops.
Those who have witnessed this in support says it is so peaceful and the person so grateful to end what has been so much suffering with chemo, pain, weakness and loss of mental faculties. Of course, in a Church/ministerial/Bible setting, "and the prayer of faith will heal the sick and if they have committed sins, they will be forgiven." That is simply crazy and 35 years of on the scene anointings of the sick has left me with a complete understanding and experience that James 5:14 should be considered cruel and unusual punishment for the terminally ill or even mildly inconvenienced.
It's a "prove me now herewith.." and "By their fruits they shall know them.." kinda experience for me with James 5:14.
amen as far as I know..... :)
There is NOTHING wrong with taking charge of your own life when and how one see's fit.
ReplyDeleteThe Logos chose to lay down His life when and how He saw fit. If it is a sin to die when you otherwise didn't have to, then Christ died as a sinner, and we have no Savior.
Well, Im glad Gerald didnt get on the case of "Diet Coca Cola", (my daily morning caffeine fix), or I too would be living a triple life! ;-)
ReplyDeleteAs usual the cogs seek questionable sources to support their point of view. For another point of view about the op ed piece they quote from the Wall Street Journal, read http://transadvocate.com/clinging-to-a-dangerous-past-dr-paul-mchughs-selective-reading-of-transgender-medical-literature_n_13842.htm.
ReplyDelete" It is time for the monthly flow of sex, gays, transvestites, pot smokers, sex and more sex."
ReplyDeleteNobody could do it than Rod Meredith- how we miss good ol' Spanky… LCG just isn't the same!
Go Charlottens!
Armstrongist theology seems to presume that people will universally and automatically go way overboard with certain activities, so they arbitrarily proscribe them. Anything that you do in life to excess can remove your personal balance, and cause you to become a nonproductive member of society. In other words, to put it into ACOg terms, this removes you from the race, and makes it so that you are no longer growing or qualifying.
ReplyDeleteI believe that one of the very useful general principles of the Bible (although this is not exclusive to the Bible) is the promotion of balance, facillitating within an individual’s life an upwards trend. Unfortunately, many read scripture through fanatical lenses. Giving yourself over to fanaticism can remove you from that upwards trend just as surely as losing your balance to the activities of which the ACOgs have always made a federal offense. Either extreme results in minimizing your talents and your abilities to be a blessing to those around you. The worst of the ACOg fanatics are a scourge to everyone around them, not a blessing! Part of what we do here is to expose and satirize these scourges, and to promote a more balanced approach.
The “narrow” path is not either extreme! It is the thin line of balance between the two extremes, the personalized sweet spot where one can be productive, develop one’s talents, and be a bastion of strength to assist others.
BB
Besides the the stance taken on the issues, which lack understanding, there are logical issues and manipulations throughout.
ReplyDeleteThe argument against recreational marijuana is no different than recreational alcohol. (Not tried it, just pointing out the inconsistency.)
Stating that "Today we are expected to agree with the LGBTQ community. If Johnny wants to be JoAnne, we are expected to encourage him." Only looks at the "T" in LGBTQ and conflates the need for people to be treated with fairness and respect with encouragement.
Abortion isn't always about taking life. Sometimes it is saving a life. Personally I believe that abortion is a tragedy but would rather it be legal than have a woman or young girl risk the dangers associated with an illegal procedure.
Mercy killings are not murder. It is easing the pain associated with an imminent end at the request of the sufferer. Besides how they square that commandment with all the killing perpetrated by Israel in taking the promised land is something I wonder about. E.g. it's okay to attack, kill and take someone's possessions but not ease someone's suffering when death is soon and the only outcome? Eh, no.
The article tries to scare people into not thinking or weighing information by equating those who do with Baal worshippers. Who, whatever they were in truth, according to the record are baby killers.
That pervasive "think like we tell you or you whole spiritual life is suspect" attitude is just sickening.
I am acquainted multiple members of lcg and I have been to a few of there Feast services, and I agree that their organization fosters a culture of negativity. It may be that righteous Lot vexed his soul day and night over what he saw going on around him, but that is not a very happy way to live. And the energy required to be a productively loving person does not come from such negative thinking. Nonetheless, I agree with Gerald that there are a lot of people doing themselves a disservice by not aligning their actions with their goals and not aligning their goals with their values, for it seems to me that is essentially what he is saying. Yeah, lcg is not a culture in which loving energy thrives, but that doesn't mean that Gerald never has a useful thought.
ReplyDeleteDennis, first, I believe you have rid yourself of the most damaging effects of Armstrongism without the therapeutic aid provided by marijuana. Compared to the stereotypical WCG minister, you have already lightened up, or mellowed out.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, most people don’t understand weed from one experience. First of all, it’s not something you would want to do primarily alone in your room, even if you are on the telephone. It’s a social activity, opening a door to connect with trusted others in a communal way, and to get to know yourself better. It’s a special place you occasionally go to chill. Music, especially live music that you enjoy with others, can play a big part. You’ll hear it more deeply than you ever heard it before. The taste of snacking materials will also be enhanced. It’s an opportunity to be silly together with friends for a while, and not to have it held against you.
I’ve known some who didn’t even get off during their first attempts, and others who did and were terrified. Easy does it. You’ve got to meter it, and to cultivate and maintain the optimal buzz for you. It isn’t for everyone, and it’s not a silver bullet.
There are both positive and negative side effects. Amongst the negatives, if someone is already on a downer, it can dull them out. Excessive use can interfere with short term memory even when the user is no longer high. If you have existing mild paranoia, you should know that the THC can exaggerate that paranoia. This could be bad if you already worry about what everyone else is thinking about you (a common ailment produced by Armstrongism). Many of these factors vary from person to person. Not everyone starts as a strong Type A person.
I have known some people who were going through such difficult life circumstances (which could have properly been dealt with in more constructive ways) who developed a dependency. They had to get baked on a daily basis just to deal with it all. Over a period of time they became slow, and lost IQ points. Some cleaned up, and others never did.
I personally don’t use the stuff. Most of the time, I don’t need to “get down”. I need the opposite, iow, to get up. That is a natural progression due to age. Vitamins, exercise, proper diet, and coffee work best for me these days. Pot was therapeutic at one time in undoing some of the damages of Armstrongism, but it worked for several years, and ultimately I reached a point where I realized that further usage was going to do damage rather than accomplishing further good. I never did it every day. Mostly, it was once in a while on the weekends. I am also one of the fortunate ones who is not addictive. Not everyone is quite so fortunate. It would be bad thinking for an alcoholic to believe that switching from Scotch to pot would be beneficial in any way.
Hope that helps anyone listening in. Unlike Mr. Weston, I can speak from personal experience.
1155. Well said and true. I pretty much cut out alcohol as well out of am understanding it does not serve my tendencies towards depression, much less now, and anxiety. My cure was to get out of South Carolina which I hated and out of organized religion opting for my own perspectives, experiences and doubts which are ok to have
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it nice that we live in times where we can choose between red and blue states to suit our philosophical yearnings? I’m thinking that might work well both ways! Imagine a born again family who were distraught over the marijuana boutiques and assisted suicide of Oregon moving to South Carolina. To them, that would be their breath of fresh air, their sanity, and the promised land!
DeleteI’m fairly happy with my state that I chose back in ‘92. I wish we’d had better choices in 2016 for POTUS, but so far, no unliveable repurcussions here. Worried about all of the failed Hoover policies and secession from global solutions, but hopefully help will be on the way in the mid-term elections.
BB
Did Weston really write that ?! It is very unpolished, quite amateur, and bizarre.
ReplyDeleteOf course many in the Church are living a triple life, they've been living triple double lives for decades. It's called survival.
If many members work colleagues knew everything about their Church hardly no one would be employed.
Herbert and Loma lived a double life, and non other than Garner Ted lived a extreme double life. They had the power and money to get away with it.
This is just Weston exaggerating "the worrrrrrrrld" to scare his members again. Would be entertaining if that same old song and dance didn't keep working on the sheep.
ReplyDeleteI don't need it right now, either for pain of for psychological reasons, but I push for it being just as legal as alcohol. If I had Parkinson's, I'd be desperate to get my hands on some because I know it works for that. This wanting to control what others can do is an evil syndrome. It gave us the debacle of prohibition. If it's ever totally legal in this ossified rethug (fascist) state, I'll grow a couple of plants and experiment with it much as I do with different herb teas now. Since I have a psychological thing about taking in smoke, I'd probably use it in recipes instead for my experimentation.
ReplyDeleteForgot to add that I'm not all that enamored with alcohol either. I have a 30-pack of beer on the porch that's been there over three months and isn't even half gone. Same with hard liquors. Once in awhile, I sip a little whiskey, have a seasonal eggnog, a margerita, etc. I'm blessed not to be born with a compulsion for such things, and I can tell you from my experiences with a Yavapai Apache step-son, it's a horrible compulsion for anyone who has it.
ReplyDeleteYou might think that, considering several Meredith family members' experience with alcohol and drunkenness, that LCG might exhibit some degree of reluctance to advocate alcohol consumption. Although at least three of Rod Meredith's children experimented with marijuana, and two were or are regular users, it is alcohol that got one of the boys married (after impregnating a girl while drunk), and that got another into multiple embarrassing situations that tempted RCM to put the molested girls out of the church to protect the boy's reputation.
ReplyDeleteHow long will it be until Weston rails against white sugar, and against showering without a vigorous towel-rub afterward?
ReplyDeleteDunno. Weston pretty much copied HWA’s straight back Brylcream hairstyle back in the old AC days.
DeleteIn the ‘60s, the old R/WCg favored honey and raw sugar as sweeteners, not realizing that most commercial “raw” sugar was actually molasses-sprayed.
I do believe that the health consciousness back then was not altogether a bad thing. Like everything else, though, it was fodder for abuse. The visiting team gestapo went through members’ cabinets looking for white sugar and white flour, as if having that were a venial sin.
BB
Relax and keep calm because in the Living Church of God it is always about gay sex, gay sex, and more gay sex.
ReplyDeleteFIFY.
People love their families. People love their friends.
ReplyDeletePeople in LCG know that if they speak out about LCG's problems, they will be asked to leave, and will lose most of their friends. Fortunately, it's not as bad as in PCG where leaving the church means losing your family. Many LCG families remain happily in contact with friends in other ACOGs and in no ACOG at all. Some families, however, will fracture along church lines when family members leave LCG or leave Armstrongism altogether.
This infuriates Weston and his fellows, because he can only really control tightly the boot-lickers who aspire for ordination or HQ employment. As for the others, he needs to keep them around as tithe-payers, so he can only push so hard. Even so, he has pushed enough and driven people away such that LCG's income has dropped significantly, by 10 percent and more, since Weston came to Charlotte.
It is important to recognize that very few in LCG are "true believers." Most of the people who sincerely believed that LCG was God's Church in any unique or even "best" way have left by now, disheartened by one scandal or another. The vast majority still in LCG have a general sense that Sabbath-keeping is more Christ-like than Sunday-keeping, and that the world's churches have butchered the original Jewish-Christian teachings, but they are in LCG much more because of friends and family than because they have any particular loyalty to LCG. As Weston has admitted, most don't keep up with the telecasts or magazines, which they know are filled with errors and are watered-down milk at bet. Many of these people have decided to stay in LCG only until their children reach adulthood, which means that within a generation LCG is likely to wither away. Certainly there is no credible leader after Weston who can prevent the church from splintering, though several of the younger Pastor-rank ministers are quietly networking and planning to ensure that they have loyal supporters in the event of a church crisis.
Much of what these ACOGs teach clashes with everyday reality. So in order to survive, members are forced to live a double life to some degree.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.
ReplyDeleteThere is definately a great deal to learn about this issue.
ReplyDeleteI like all of the points you have made.