It is the Sabbath in Church of Godland and people are heading off to services to be edified in the word of God, well...except for one Church of God. You will be heading off to services to listen to a tape of your leader expounding for 1 hour 16 minutes on Masonry.
Forget learning about the awesome significance of how Jesus came, what he did, and what was accomplished or coming in to be edified in your Christian walk by learning godly principles or being inspired to be a type of Christian that emulates the Good Samaritan. Nope, you will never hear any of that in the improperly named "continuing" Church of God, but you will hear all about Masons and Freemasonry.
This is what happens when your church leader has never had a proper biblical education and every truly practiced exegesis and hermeneutics.
This is what happens when a church member is spoonfed answers to every topic under the sun by a church that claimed to have all the answers about everything and then proceeded to put those "answers" into booklets, form letters, and correspondence courses.
This is what happens when church leaders don't understand who Jesus is and what he accomplished.
This is why some self-appointed church leaders of today were consistently overlooked and bypassed along the way for ordination to leadership positions in the church. That is why doubly-blessed Bob Thiel can only wildly-jester a sermon by pulling out of the file cabinet a form letter or a booklet off the shelf about a topic his mother church had previously deemed spiritual significant.
26 comments:
Looking at that self-righteous smug expression of Bawana Bob's face makes me want to smack him upside the head with his big thick Bible.
Why, oh why will this fool not listen to any of the criticism and get rid of those sun-bleached faded curtains? Herbert Armstrong, as deceived as he was, at least had an eye for quality and proper looks for a video set that backed him up with solidity, class and visual appeal. He would be appaled at the backdrops Bawan Bob has used. Crooked bookcases, door knobs, key-card light switches, bathroom doors, file cabinets, dirty fake plants and sunlight bleeding though worn out curtains. A quick trip to the local Goodwill would provide all kinds of items to make a proper set to preach in front of. Even a velvet painting of Elvis would be more appealing than those God-awful bleached out curtains!
From my few remaining church friends, they say the splinters have become very pro trump and conspiracy ridden. Are there still Freemasons?
Dennis - my impression it is more individual members. Most of the ministry stay out of politics.
If you don't believe in voting, it is hypocritical to takes sides - so most don't
Bob seems like he just won't listen to anyone. He's too big in his own mind.
He just does not seem to care about the completely justified criticisms he has received regarding context, ability, appearance, or subject matter. He continually, and unashamedly, appears to laugh off with smug arrogance, everything that has been said in an honest light concerning his "Presentations". Instead of thinking "Maybe they have a point", he seems to take offense at it all and just calls it "persecution".
And what do we have? Injections of Thielism with a numbing power far more potent than Novocaine. I can't even call it Armstrongism, because as horrible as Armstrongism has been, Armstrongism is far, far, FAR superior than Thielism - and that, from me, is truly saying something!
No, nothing changes, because Thiel seems to be completely incapable of constructive criticism, regardless of the source. So his listeners must put up with the crooked bookcases, the shabby bleached curtains, the non-professional backdrops, and so on, which could easily be corrected by a little bit attention to detail and concern about quality. He is apparently too good and too smart to do anything about it.
To me, Bob appears to be like a mix of Sheldon Cooper and Steve Urkel. Yes, THAT Steve Urkel. Too smart to realize the problem, while completely and totally ignorant as to how he is perceived by others!
Dennis, LCG HQ met for several years in a Masonic Hall, and even lost some members as a result. Their discomfort of course doesn't track back to WCG, which routinely met in such halls. Anti-Freemasonry, though, is tied to a particular strain of conservative Protestantism that many in the ACOGs find appealing. Remember that many longtime ACOG members long ago realized that HWA had fed them a load of caca. The problem is that people don't want to walk away and start new lives, with new friendship networks. They and their extended families have invested far too much in Armstrongism to walk away from the social environment. However, they cannot invest their hearts in a belief system that they have proved faulty, so many find replacements such as conspiracy theories and right-wing politics. Gerald Weston has even had to deal with flat-earth proponents among LCG membership. Interestingly, very few seem to move from Armstrongism to left-wing causes, although LCG's recent diatribes against marijuana have cost it some support among younger members in particular, and there is apparently a small gay subculture growing in the ACOGs.
I remember reading how the RCG/WCG and now some of its offshoots would hold services in Masonic temples and I was shocked at this. A friend who was with the WCG in years past told me they wouldn't want to enter a Catholic church for services. I probably would prefer the latter tbh since there are some Catholic churches that are contemporary in decor and so don't have any statues or symbols or would otherwise violate clear Biblical injunctions that would offend our consciences. And having services in a Masonic "temple" would be like the early Christians holding services in a pagan temple imho which I don't believe ever happened.
I wonder if Thiel realizes that the more he preaches the more he looks like a clown. There is nothing godly about the man. He looks and acts like a fool.
HWA used to have a little story that is appropriate to Bob Thiel. A well known evangelist was visiting Christian churches during his travels. He was amazed by one preacher's ineptness, although he knew the man's heart was right. So, as they were visiting later, he asked the man how he had gotten into the ministry. The man replied that he had been a farmer, and that one day, looking up into the sky from his tractor, he saw some clouds in the formation of the letters "PC". He immediately knew that that was his calling, God was telling him to "Preach Christ". The evangelist looked him straight in the eye, and said, "But you were a farmer, right?" The man replied, "Yes, of course!" The evangelist smiled and told him "God was telling you to plough corn!"
I can honestly say that I do not know one person who belongs to the Masons or any Fraternal order or Lodge of any kind. These type of organizations have been in serious decline for decades now, almost as bad as the decline of the COG.
8:46 -
Sounds like you've been reading the old Church literature! Read this myself a few days ago. Only added "Plow Corn, Pluck Chickens" and one other thing. The minister than told them to prepare to start plowing.
If I remember right the article was about false prophets in the church trying to get their own ministries!
The Masons are still quite popular in the Southern U.S. (where I currently live) Mostly, just a bunch of old white men. Several of the guys that I worked with were Masons. They do kind of look out for each other. We met in a Masonic Lodge when I was in PCG. This was when I lived in the Pacific NW. The place gave me the creeps.
Bob looks like a child playing "television preacher."
Bob is doing a good job! And I love the name: "Continuing Church of God"!
Hey Anonymous 8:17
Hi Bob! So you enjoy making a fool of yourself? Well, knock yourself out!
@ 8:17 AM, God names things what they are; humans name things what they WISH them to be. Consider:
The "United" Church of God has always been divided into cliques and factions.
The "Global" Church of God could be found in just a few of the world's 200 nations.
The "Living" Church of God is spiritually dead.
The "Philadelphia" Church of God knows nothing of brotherly love, nor of faithfulness to Church teachings.
The "Restored" Church of God has Revised many of HWA's core teachings.
The improperly named "Continuing" Church of God will not continue beyond the death of Bitter Bwana Bob.
Maybe Bob will wise up and rename his church, as HWA did. I suggest: [b]Asperger Syndrome Church of God[/i]
Crooked Bookcase Church of Bob
Ragged Curtains make me Sob
Dirty plants in front of doors
Awkward Gestures all the more
Says he was ordained to be
A prophet's personality
Saw a line go up and down
Rod did really make him frown
Out from living did he go
to run on his own, to and fro
Set up his own church one day
other folks to tithe thus pay
Vitamins should be his job
Not the Crooked Bookcase Church of Bob
LOL, 9:03! Asperger Syndrome Church of God! No doubt, you are also a fan of the old "Boston Legal" TV series.
Seriously, I didn't know the correct spelling of Asperger for several years. I had assumed that people were using the vernacular and talking about hamburger meat made from rump roast.
Thiel has ASS-PERGERS !
Bob is an inspiring speaker. His sincerity is refreshing.
9.03 AM
It's not that they are predominantly naming their churches what they wish them to be, but rather name them to mentally blind people of their character flaws.
For instance, Herb kept repeating that AC taught students "how to live." How can this be since it was run like a prison? My tyrannical minister claimed from the pulpit that he was freedom loving.
They cover up their sins by claiming the exact opposite of what exists.
Hi Bob,
I enjoy reading your comments about this blog.
I'm assuming you are referring to BB, 11:03?
Dr. Thiel has been appointed by God to be the final witness to the Church. Why do you mock him so?
@ 9:05, are Assburgers clean meats?
In case I am not clear, I am referring to Bob Thiel.
"Dr. Thiel has been appointed by God to be the final witness to the Church. Why do you mock him so?"
Personally, I have been appointed to be a good husband to my wife. If she cares to comment, she can let us know if she agrees!
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