"16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. NRSV
Like any good Armstrongite, Matthews claims that no one outside COGPK can truly understand what this verse is about. Leave it to Matthews to turn the verse into one concerning money.
Money is one of Ron Weinland's favorite subject! After all, Laura his dingy wife and Second Witless Witness needs some more diamond rings so it is important to keep the money coming in! Weinland loved money so much he even went to prison for it.
But there seems to be a problem in COGPK these days. It seems COGPK members are not as fruitful with their money now that Weinland's prophecies have all failed and that he is now is waylaid due to a heart attack. Why give money to a weak and impotent little man who is well-known to be a failure? Some COGPK members have apparently been giving money elsewhere, and that is not kosher! Even then, their motives are suspect!
But there seems to be a problem in COGPK these days. It seems COGPK members are not as fruitful with their money now that Weinland's prophecies have all failed and that he is now is waylaid due to a heart attack. Why give money to a weak and impotent little man who is well-known to be a failure? Some COGPK members have apparently been giving money elsewhere, and that is not kosher! Even then, their motives are suspect!
People will give something (they may give a hundred dollars to a charity), well, their motive really is selfish. They can’t see it. They can’t understand it, but we can see it that deep down there’s something coming back to them. They wouldn’t think it; they’re just giving a hundred dollars to a charity, therefore, it looks good on the outside, but deep, deep down their motive is selfish. Well, when we give a hundred dollars to whatever – the highest priority, of course, is God’s Church. If you had excess money why wouldn’t you give it to God’s Church to God’s work on this earth rather than to something physical?How dare you give money to someone not in the COG! God's second Witless Witness needs it more! When you help others you apparently grieve the Holy Spirit, even though it SHOULD have been working through you to give that money to the church.
It is all your fault.
Always.
In spite of Matt 6:3, evidently Wayne wants to know what both your left and right hand are doing and prefers two left hands only being charitable to Ron and The Dwindling Church of God
ReplyDeleteI would like an explanation of just what is coming back to someone who is giving to a charity.
ReplyDeletePeople will give something (they may give a hundred dollars to a charity), well, their motive really is selfish. They can’t see it. They can’t understand it, but we can see it that deep down there’s something coming back to them. They wouldn’t think it; they’re just giving a hundred dollars to a charity, therefore, it looks good on the outside, but deep, deep down their motive is selfish.
ReplyDeleteThis must be something he seems to be able to convey through personal experience. This is not the way humane and caring people think. This is the way armstrongism's pride and arrogance thinks.
Many of the people who give to charities select the charities they give to because it hits a personal home to them. People who give to the American Cancer Society often give because cancer has personally affected them or someone they love. Same with ALS, Lung Disease, Heart problems, or any other health issue. People give to these organizations because they have compassion, sympathy, and they want to help find a cure - in the same way organizations have cured many diseases in the past. They have DEEP, intense feelings about the disease and their intent to help find a cure. To accuse these people of being selfish is the absolute epitome of cluelessnes and selfishness on the part of the author.
What about disaster relief? What about when a hurricane or a tornado demolishes a home? Are you just supposed to ignore what happens with no feeling at all? I don't know many who give with selfish intent (some do, for tax reasons, I'm not denying that), but a GOOD majority of humane people really do feel for those who have just lost a home, or a family member, or a neighborhood, and everything they own due to a natural disaster. For those people, giving is NOT selfish. It's an expression of decency, humanity, and compassion to those who have just lost everything.
Is he REALLY saying that giving to St. Judes or to Shriners is selfish? Is he REALLY saying that "adopting" a child through world missions, or feeding the hungry is selfish? Is he REALLY saying that making a difference in the world is deep down selfish? Is he REALLY going there? That you are not being DISCOURAGED from helping a neighbor? The AUDACITY!
AND THEN, even MORE audacious, is the GALL to say don't give to charities no matter how much you are feeling for the cause in your heart and soul, and want to help- instead, give the money to a convicted felon's ministry who used the money to buy BMW's and expensive jewelry in the past.
There are NO WORDS for the brazen stupidity that comes from so many of the mouths of the cronies of what seems to be Armstrongism's greatest, in my opinion, scammers and extortioners. And from what was just posted here?
I hope everyone who reads this comes to their senses and puts this dribble right where it belongs. In the damn garbage where all the bullshit needs to go. I commend, and thank EVERYONE who has given to charity, and is giving to charity, to help those who cannot help themselves - because that's love in action, and doing what you can.
If I could, I'd print out the author's letter and piss on it in plain sight. That's what it deserves. And - THANK YOU to everyone who gives to charity. So many have benefited from your selflessness.
Mathews analysis is absolutely inane. Virtually all human decisions are based on self interest, and if done with enlightened self interest, then all the better.
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me today that just like some people have the deep psychological need to be abused in a sadomasochistic way, that people who stay within abusive cults are suffering from a similar syndrome.
Totally disagree with you on that connie.
DeleteI totally disagree with Connie on this too.
DeleteThinking people out there have a deep psychological need to be abused in a sadomasochistic way is behind doors minister talk.
Only the Ministerial elite think like that Connie, Doris Day, Tonto.
DeleteMatthews says it is wrong to give to a charity because you may somehow get something back. Instead, he wants people to donate to Ron because Ron guarantees you will get nothing back, except lies and poverty.
ReplyDeleteYou give your surplus to Armstrongism expecting to be taken to the place of safety and spared from the tribulation. It’s save your ass Christianity.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, some people are deluded and believe that a starving homeless family needs help more than a man wearing a $2,000 suit, living in a mansion with a swimming pool and driving around in a new Beemer. How do people get their priorities so mixed up?
Don’t listen to Matthews, PKGers. This is a twisted message, a rationalization, a distortion of reality.
Most members defaulted on their God given responsibility of learning to use their minds. Many times I had members tell me 'but have you discussed this with a minister.' Many scriptures such as 'prove all things' and 'wisdom is more previous than gems' point out this responsibility.
ReplyDeleteLike wolves, these wacky leaders are ruthlessly exploiting this default. Hence the 'send me all your money,' 'worship me,' 'ours is the only true church,' etc.
There are many excellent books on this topic out there. Edward de Bono for instance, has written some very good books on how to think.
I am surprised Mr. Matthews didn't invoke Dave Pack's ironclad belief and church doctrine that states any member of a COG that gives to charity is INTERFERING with God's punishment of people that are laden with sins.
ReplyDeleteAny church members who believe Mr. Matthews or Mr. Pack or any of the COG leaders who disdain the poor, the elderly and the needy, are not reading their bibles and studying the words of Jesus Christ which is clear about what the conduct of a Christian should be towards the poor and needy.
One thing is for sure with these men and their obsession with money and status and law and traditions above all else, they fit right in with the Pharisee priesthood - the enemy of Jesus Christ.
Traditionally, the two word synonym for conversion in Armstrongism was: ego death. The old HWA “burned out hunk of junk” prayer.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that there was a double standard. Continued ego death was expected of all church members in good standing with the proper attitudes, but rarely exemplified by members of the ministry.
That double standard is yet another condition that should have tipped us off to the bogussness of it all. When the leaders do not live what they preach, it becomes an experience that cannot meet its stated objective.
This anti-charity teaching is simply a huge gourmet meal for ACOG leaders’ egos, or at the very least, an extension of them.
sounds like something you'd hear on TBN... maybe that's the vehicle for them.
ReplyDeleteAnyone by chance here ever Read Matthew 25??
ReplyDeleteMultiple categories of People in bad situations Christ said we should help..
Anyone notice how we are Judged by Christ on these things as well???
We reading church booklets or the Bible here?
hahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaha
ReplyDelete"...Second Witless Witness..."
bahahahahahahahahahahahah
The love of money is the root of all evil. He seems jealous of where other peoples money is going if not to him.
ReplyDelete