Unable or unwilling to hold down a real job where he has to actually work, the Pharisee sits at home all day writing his version of church history, creating his own doctrines and working overtime in reading any news he thinks will support his erroneous expectations for his prophecies.
He naively thinks his imagined great understanding is so superfantabulous that he is influencing the United Church of God and the Living Church of God into examining their doctrines and will have an influence on them to teaching his flawed interpretations.
I can guarantee you the end of 2020 will be here and the deluded Pharisee will be predicting some other future date because his god was not yet ready to come. Pharisee Malm is just another liar in the midst of the COG wasteland.
The Chief Pharisee imagines his "work" as being able to prepare the way for the two witless witnesses to go forth into Jerusalem and preach his message. Ultimately though, Pharisee Malm has another motive in mind. Since he has no desire to work a real job, he, like so many other COG fools that have set themselves up to have gullible followers fund their useless and unrewarding lives.At this time all events are lining up for the 42 month great tribulation to begin at the end of 2019, or if things go slowly at the end of 2020.Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to call an election with a polling date in late May. The logic is that there will soon be a general war and he can use the Independence Day festivities to celebrate the defeat of Israel’s enemies and generate an election result giving him a strong mandate to control the Trump Middle East Peace Process.This year the Israeli Independence Day by the modern Rabbinic Calendar is May 9 2019 or by the internationally used Papal Calendar May 14th. President Trump has agreed to withhold his Peace Initiative until a new government is formed after the elections.If Bibi gets his way there will be war in early 2019 followed by elections in late May or June.Once the confusion of war has settled and new governments have been set up, the Trump Peace Initiative will be unveiled. US and International officials have been working very hard consulting parties throughout the entire region to put together a peace deal. This deal is actually a completed basic peace deal which would be put in place with more advanced issues to be discussed according to a rigid time table. Whether the miracle worker is set up in the Vatican in late 2019 and the tribulation begins at the end of the year or takes another year will depend on God’s will.While acknowledging that things could go slowly and take another year, I have no choice except to do everything possible to prepare the brethren in case this does indeed come in 2019.
At that point, Spring Festivals and doctrinal material along with Proverbs and the New Testament will commence and continue through the Fall Feast in order to provide solid doctrine and spiritual meat for the brethren in preparation for the advent of the miracle worker, God’s two servants and the decision to stay or leave. Preparing the brethren for these things is the purpose and reason for the existence of this work.Please support this work to publish sound doctrine and warn the brethren with your prayers and offerings. 11/25/18 entry
60 comments:
We should have a COG idol where all the prophets compete with each other. Maybe we could get Simon Cowell to be a judge and provide snarky comments.
Malm notes: "At this time all events are lining up for the 42 month great tribulation to begin at the end of 2019, or if things go slowly at the end of 2020."
"Or if things go really really slow...never mind. I'll get back to ya"
The "Place of Safety" is Malm's apartment!
Dennis - you do not sound like a believer!!!
In your ministerial days, how did you explain how we had a prophesied 3 and a half year place of safety at the end of which Christ returned with the warnings by Jesus that no one would know until He arrived? (Matthew 24 verses 36 to 44).
It seems a little contradictory to me.
Netanyahu is a mental case.
Any bets on when the end will come?
TLA
I am am atheist. During my ministry I did not give speculative prophecy sermons. Did my with s poor track record
I hated the NS about Petra and gave no sermons on that
Waterhouse annoyed the he'll out of me from the start and I told him finally he csusedore problems for me than he solved with his tall prophetic tales.
I did not promote HWA as many did and GTA did like me.
Had he been around in 72 he'd probably have kept me out of the ministry.
My Presbyterian Dutch Reformed upbringing kept me real and practical as a pastor
I emphasized the "no man knows the day or hour" part
The "Place of Safety" - for Malm - is actually Malm's ass, where he often buries his head.
Somebody needs to set up a website where every prediction by a COGlodyte is tracked in real time with a clock. The failed predictions will pile up very quickly.
It ticks me off that church leaders have a history of wanting the end to shortly come, AFTER they have lived their lives, and are old sick men. They don't give a damn about the younger generation. They experienced what life has to offer, a education, a job, marriage, family, yet they accuse the younger generation of just wanting to enjoy themselves, if the desire the same. Callous, heartless bastards! And not forgetting, let's have church mandated fasts for the physical healing of these old farts ailments.
The old leaders have hijacked the church at many levels.
Dennis - I know you are an atheist - I was just joking about your Malm comments.
RCM kept saying in the next 5 to 15 years - which was a moving target. Plus he never ended up going to jail, so we don't have to worry about that any more.
And still the uninspired prophets continue.
If they really believe the Bible, you would think they would be scared.
What are we to think then - are they stupid, do not believe the Bible, or both?
TLA, you are right that RCM often told the brethren that he would likely be put in jail before Christ's return. I often wondered whether he was committing secret crimes and was setting the brethren up to consider it persecution whenever he might be brought to justice.
No man knows the day or the hour, but that implies that you CAN know the week.
Well Dennis, you did not belong in the WCG. You were never with the program. What were you doing there? You were just an infiltrator or a misfit. Can you really blame them, or should you blame yourself? You shouldn't have been there, you were just pretending to go along.
When people find out that the end time has been talked about for years and nothing has happened, what do we expect them to feel? "Here we go again?" Is there any group that has gone easy with the the "end time?" A little off topic but these groups need presenters that have attraction. Stop with the men that remind me of my six grade teacher.
TLA, I think some of them see that it's all a big scam, but they're hooked in it and terrified about what would happen to them if they admitted their doubts. I began to see the contradictions and impossibilities long before I up and voted with my feet. Most of those I associated with at the time did the same thing and got all the way out. Yeah, it was traumatic, and I could have compromised, begged for any kind of job in the "work" like many others did, but I'm glad I didn't. I survived and have my self-respect. It hasn't been easy. Few lives are. But, I can hold my head up high like Dennis and proclaim my atheist stance.
"...I can hold my head up high like Dennis ..."
Why can he hold his head high?
Perhaps it was having a minister like Dennis that enabled some to leave the corporate church with their faith still intact.
I was one of those that had the privilege of being in Dennis congregations. After being spiritually abused by ministers who major in legalism and encircled by a cadre of spying and backbiting elders and deacons, Dennis was a breath of fresh air. He gave me the freedom to question which led us to leave the church with our faith intact.
"Perhaps it was having a minister like Dennis that enabled some to leave the corporate church with their faith still intact."
Maybe so, but today Dennis has faith in Darwin, not Jesus.
Only God can judge Dennis' heart. We cannot say what he believes. Only God knows what he believes, atheist or not.
Back in my Protestant days, a minister told a story about Satan getting advice from his Council of Demons on how to cause a falling away. After some bad suggestions, he went for "Tell them there's no hurry".
COGs seem to be getting good suggestions too, "Tell them TIME IS SHORT!", "Tell them we have 3 to 5 years!" and "Be sure to SET DATES (and tell them you don't)!"
Anonymous said...
Well Dennis, you did not belong in the WCG. You were never with the program. What were you doing there? You were just an infiltrator or a misfit. Can you really blame them, or should you blame yourself? You shouldn't have been there, you were just pretending to go along.
I was just barely in the ministry when the Systematic Theology Project came out. It matched my hopes for change in the WCG. It put a balance on healing allowing for an understanding of the medical profession. It addressed the crazy old divorce and remarriage theology that separated couples and took into account other NT scriptures such as "if they depart, let them depart. A brother or sister is not bound in such cases." I never would have told a couple to separate in any case as I had studied it out and came to the same conclusion the STP did. It addressed many topics with updated common sense answers which were all fine with me. Then HWA comes along and blows it all out of the water and recalls all the copies of it. However, on the topics of healing, D and R and many other things, I simply applied them with no care for what old mindset of HWA was. He can recall the copies of STP but he could not recall the common sense of it.
In my world it was anointing and hospitals. No one had to leave a mate due to a former marriage. I understood the difference between speculative baloney and Biblical doctrine. I absolutely should have been there. I sacrifice to be there and always thought that my generation of ministry would be the ones to shift the church from its overzealous and less informed self to a more common sense edition. Boy was I wrong. The old guard won out and I just pastored guided by my conscience on such topics and resisted those who gave me a hard time about it. But one scandal after the next was too much and yes, I did stay too long.
My shift came when I read John Spong's Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism and there was no looking back on origins and intent of the Gospels along with their problems and contradiction.
Unfortunately, WCG ended up with many dropping their belief in God. This is more of an indictment on WCG than the people who no longer believe.
Personally, I think life is too complicated to be anything other than intelligent design.
The DNA results have caused me to think that the creation account in Genesis was more like 100,000 years ago, and we need an additional gap theory to get us from Adam to Abraham.
I plan to find and talk to Bible scholars who are not close minded and have some research as well as ideas (opinions). Plus do my own research.
Like Scully in the X Files, I believe the truth is out there.
con't
Over time and through the crazy changes in WCG I simply realized I was evidence based in my views and not faith based which as we know is the hope that what we believe is true based on absolutely no evidence that it is true. Hebrews 11:1
The Bible is no science book. Genesis in not about human origins or a proper view of cosmology, paleontology or geology much less mythology.
I am an a-theist because I see no evidence for a God. The Bible is not the Book I was brought up to revere. What was taught as history is mythology and how it came to be is less inspired than conspired. Prophecy harms people by tricking them into not living the lives they actually have and no God needs near the money churches think he/she/it needs.
My religion in kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, understanding and mind your own business. My church can be a perch along the Columbia Gorge at sunrise or a night in the High Desert considering what Hubbel has shown us about the size and age of our Universe.
I thought at one short time, I and others were the next generation force for good in WCG. That was a very foolish thought on my part. I did stay too long but my intentions were good until it was costing me my sanity and robbing me of the life time I actually have left.
I just returned from seeing my boys and grandkids in SC. I also spent a good amount of time with my former wife, taking her to her radiation and chemo treatments. She has terminal brain cancer. We laughed, we cried, we made amends and realized how much we both had changed for the good. That's the stuff of life. I am so happy to be free from all the bullshit the Armstrongs and the Tkaches tried to force down my throat but thank them for forcing me to examine it all to see it be so. It wasn't.
...but anon 12:30 Don't pretend to know where I needed to be or not or if I was an infliltrator or misfit. You live your journey and story and I'll live mine.
And Ted did not like me because after calling me to his office to reem me out of my hair being too long and that he didn't like the look on my face in services (he went ballistic on me the previous Sabbath in front of the entire church. I did not know he was talking about me until he called me to his office the following Monday having me taken from class by the Dean of Students.) he found out he could relax. You see, he thought I was giving him the look because I knew he was dating the same girls I was. He thought I knew what he was up to. I didn't. He was a bit paranoid over the topic in those days. But after finding out I had no idea why he called me out in church, he never talked much to me on campus and I always felt that one event put a wedge between us.
Nor do I "believe in Darwin" I believe in the good work of the modern sciences that show clearly, except in the minds of fundamentalists and God-haunted literalists, the evolution of our planet and all the life on it.
FFS
"Only God can judge Dennis's heart." Well, sort of. Patterns in peoples behavior tells us who they are. The 'you shall know them by their fruits' thingy. A high percentage of church members are cut from the same cloth. This helps discern the intent of the more sophisticated members. They think that they are mentally invisible, but they aren't. Perhaps outside the church they are, but not inside the church. There's too many similar people.
"Only God can judge Dennis' heart."
Without faith it is impossible to please God. That is God's judgment. God already told us what his judgment is.
"We cannot say what he believes. Only God knows what he believes, atheist or not."
He already told us he's an atheist. What more do you want? If he's not an atheist, then he's a liar, and the bible says no liar will be in the kingdom. That's also God's judgment.
The stupidity is beyond the pale.
You can't believe half of what scientists tell you. They lie like everyone else. They would get fired if they didn't. That is how the world works.
"He already told us he's an atheist. What more do you want? If he's not an atheist, then he's a liar, and the bible says no liar will be in the kingdom. That's also God's judgment."
Indeed comments like this are stupid beyond the pale!
Perhaps Dennis can confirm that like me, his take on science is kinda like mine. I feel that although it is possible to take a radio apart piece by piece, the music itself is an enigma if one proceeds that way to find it.
I feel I understand his pragmatic approach during wcg times since we share common philosophical backgrounds. The funny thing is many preachers of that confession who in the past preached fire and brimstone all over the world today openly confess being atheists. I know they are not atheists but it makes for good discussion in the niche they preach for today. Others fervently disagree with their colleagues One could call it a crisis in faith but the catholics have always called it an enigma or mystery.
Nice how everything comes together once you've learned how to pick the goodies from every religion and faith while remaining grounded in reality, that is not lying that is reality.
nck
Anon 11:28, Don't be so sure. Our Lord does know our heart better than we know them ourselves. Can the action of the holy spirit turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh and maintain it as such even when belief has been withdrawn or no longer fully realized? Dennis generally does not lash out and he appears to have had a real compassion for his congregants that is not present with some that call themselves ministers. Some are compassionate just to those that believe the way they do.
There is no other way without Christ, so there is that.
But, a heart of flesh is easily made into a believing heart. Upon Christ's return will He find faith in those that may have been hurt in this life and call themselves atheists, but now see Him? Will that belief come quickly? Will the Spirit stir? The parable of the Sower and the stony ground comes to mind (was WCG the stony ground for many? Obviously).
I'm not saying you are wrong, but you aren't exactly right either. We don't fully know Dennis's heart; nor does Dennis nor do I fully know my own.
I suppose we will see what our Lord thinks about the hurt and disillusioned and those that hurt and disillusioned them. We should guard our hearts (and minds) so as we are in neither of those groups.
Dennis is my friend!!! He had shown love, compassion, kindness and and gentleness to those he served both as a minister and now in his present occupation. Dennis is so opposite the self righteous judging people on here. There were some wonderful people in the WCOG, but some were back-stabbing two-faced “friends.” I am an atheist. I don’t believe in the God of Herbert W Armstrong! Many of you on here who like to quote scripture are ignorant of real bible knowledge. You could not carry on an intelligent conversation with Dennis. Most of you don’t have a clue what Dennis has gone through. Dennis, if you are reading this, you are welcome to break bread with me anytime.
Jim-AZ
It is unfortunate that some of us cannot accept we are all different and that we should not only accept this, but rejoice in it. When people are willing to truly accept this, it will get rid of conflicts and wars. Instead the world is getting worse.
One of the theories on why we have not found intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, is that they end up destroying themselves.
I see humanity's only long term hope is God - if there is no God to save us, then we will probably destroy ourselves.
Comments like 11:28 make me nauseous.
Some people just do not understand how God looks on the heart. He knows our minds, our hearts, our souls, our fears, frustrations, doubts, insecurities, blocks, triggers, mindsets, and every last emotion, hindrance, and hurt we have ever gone through.
Dennis, while he was a minister, acted as a minister should. He acted in ways of compassion, tolerance, kindness, self-control, putting others first. He was different than many of the other COG ministers. He was likeable, and approachable. Dennis was burned by the COG experience. God does understand this. Far more than anyone would ever know.
I am well aware that Dennis is an atheist. I am well aware of his belief system as it stands today. I also have read how he has come to these conclusions. I believe differently. And according to my belief system, I believe that God (Whom I believe exists)knows - and I do mean KNOWS - why Dennis has chosen this route, and I do believe God understands because he knows the heart. Dennis' heart has always been kind, compassionate and loving. Many will stand in judgement and judge Dennis according to "the Law", or the black and white of scripture that says this or that in general. But God is a personal God - and knows Dennis far more than you, me, or anyone else does. If there is a God - and I believe that there is - I would be pretty certain he would look at Dennis's heart as more pure than thousands of people who profess to be Christian and act like maggot-infested rabid roaches. I appreciate Dennis for his honesty and compassion, which is far more than I can say for many other who think they're heaven-bound and act like they came from hell.
It’s just that old Armstrongite mindset for you. “We’re God’s True Church, and everything and everyone else is of Satan until Jesus returns to install Armstrongism as God’s government on earth forever and ever and ever!”
You can’t change that attitude in people. You just have to realize that those who hold it are going to be the ones who receive a surprise.
BB
Dennis - we ordered John Spong's Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism - sounds interesting.
I have also been reading Messianic Judaism authors who have a whole different perspective. Plus they know the ancient Hebrew and Greek - actual scholars.
SHT, a very good comment on Dennis. I have a new term for people like him--ones who grew up with and live their lives according to the principles of Christianity, but can no longer pretend to accept the supernatural beliefs and see no need to participate in the rites. An article the other day used the term "nonobservant Jew" for someone with Jewish heritage and Jewish mindset who does not participate in the rituals. On that analogy, I would call Dennis, if he will accept the designation, a nonobservant Christian.
I think of myself that way, although up till now the term has been "secular christian," with a lower-case "c" to indicate I am not aligned with any organized Christian group. "Non-observant" may be a better term because it has fewer pejorative associations than "secular."
Dennis was a Mr Nice guy minister, with many good qualities. I'm always impressed with his diplomacy. But this is not the same as growing enough to qualify for the kingdom. Out of self protection, readers should ask themselves why Dennis has a religious spirit. He pushes his 'gospel' like no other.
You're dying to say "crown stealing", right?
@ 1:29 PM, WCG and the saner ACOGs say that you qualify for a POSITION in the Kingdom, not that you qualify for the Kingdom. To say that you qualify for the Kingdom is to say that your salvation (not just your reward) came through your works, which is a horrible Christ-denying heresy.
HWA claimed to be an apostle. If you were under HWA, you either believed he was an apostle or you should have known he was a false apostle.
Anyone who thought he was a false apostle and stayed there and acted the part of a loyal member was either a deceitful subversive or a hypocrite.
Anyone who thought he was a true apostle and tried to subvert his works would have been fighting "God's apostle" which would have been inconceivable.
A five year old in Greece knows Greek. Does that make him a scholar?
A five year Jew might know Hebrew, does that make him a scholar?
Anon 1:29
“But this is not the same as growing enough to qualify for the kingdom” Please explain how one qualifies for the kingdom.
Thank you SHT for your comments about Dennis. I am glad Gary has people like you, Byker Bob, Retired Prof, and several others.
FFS enjoyed your courage to tell us of your journey through WCG.
Jim-AZ
You can't be a non-observant Christian. Christianity is not in your DNA, like being a Jew is with Jews. A Jew is born a Jew and dies a Jew even if he does not accept Judaism the religion.
But if you're only some percentage...?
If you don't have to qualify for the kingdom, everyone will be saved, even Satan and GTA.
8:28 AM is apparently not a Christian, so doesn't understand.
Salvation is a free gift, but nobody is forced to accept that gift. Satan didn't accept that gift, and we don't know GTA's heart as to whether or not he ever did. However, as long as you don't reject the gift, it's up to you how you invest what you were given, whether you will receive a great reward, or a small reward.
Back when I was an atheist and later an agnostic, I used to say that I generally practiced Christian ethics. For the non believing or non practicing public, that lent a certain aura of acceptablility to my existence. Christians had hope for me, but certainly didn’t consider me to be a brother.
What I’ve found over the past decade or so is that even amongst those who are part of the same Christian church group, it is difficult to find oneness or total agreement and acceptance in discussions and beliefs. Being Christian is highly personalized, as well it should be for thinking people. Armstrongites are not the only group of people who do not universally accept everyone who self identifies as Christian as being the real thing. Although often unstated, there are groups who weight their belief system towards Father God, towards the Holy Spirit, or towards Jesus Christ. There are people who believe their job is to evangelize everyone they meet, while others quietly practice their beliefs. Some are accepting, others find reason to reject others as even being fellow Christians. Some Protestants rule out Catholics, and vice versa. In other words, just as in the secular world, discussing religion or politics can be a very troublesome, contentious, or even treacherous process. Philosophically, people tend to eat their own. This judgmental propensity of human nature unfortunately affects believers and nonbelievers alike.
BB
Every real Christian knows that salvation is a free gift but it is not offered to evil destructive exploitative scum, liars, etc.
Excellent BB.
Even the most secularized nations on earth like the Northern Europeans or Scandinavians are culturally as christian as can be to people of other faith philosophies. I do wonder what would trigger even older demons or even fairies to surface. I find it a most fascinating thing to behold and tend to see it in female hairstyles passed on to the young, heavy metal bezerker music, folk style music, war, when salvation is granted or sentences given and perhaps in matters of love too.
nck
"I do wonder what would trigger older demons or even fairies to surface"
You're kidding...right?
Amazing how all those defiant ungodly sinners with a "good heart" will be in the kingdom, making life miserable for the righteous just like they do now. Obviously, the righteous will not want to be there. Eternal death is a better option for them.
Dennis.
I meant the deepest of psychological cultural traits. Even deeper than the christian veneer.
In my opnion the traits of a people caused by the experience with their immediate surroundings, weather patterns and natural peculiarities
In short, the gods, demons (bad) and fairies (good).
Wotan being woode or "anger" , the sound of the wind blazing through the eternal woods.
Or perhaps the Great Spirit as the natives experienced the great plains in bloom with millions of bison thundering the ground while the fish filled the rivers again that spawned life.
Kinda like that.
Nck
Atavistic.
That would have covered my thought.
Nck
When Jesus said no man knows the day or hour, that was 2000 years ago. He did not say no man will ever know the day or the hour.
11:27
You remind me of our associate pastor. He said that scripture told "Not many wise man now are called", however he said, scripture did not state that it had to remain that way.
Nck
Dennis, just so you know.
I just heard word that the Danish Queen put the rice pudding in the attic to appease the fairies for Christmas. You know how to google for verification.
nck
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