Just Another Typical Sabbath Day Sermon

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.

Tackling the Sabbath Question: Old Covenant, Blended To New, But Not Fully, Yet Forever?

No topic has caused more debate in the Churches of God than the Sabbath and Holy Day Question. 

HWA Said concerning the Sabbath in the Bulletin, 1/13/76: 

Here's the Ratification of the Old Covenant as recorded in Exodus 24:

Exodus 24 (Biblegateway)
3 When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”
4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.
He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord.
6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar.
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up
10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.
11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God.
14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,
16 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.
17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.
18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Here's the Sabbath placed into Law in Exodus 31. 

The Sabbath Covenant, Exodus 31:(Biblegateway)

The Sabbath

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.
14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

Herbert said "Forever" has not ended?

Some obvious errors.

"For example, in the Old Testament the old covenant of the law is referred to as the "everlasting covenant" (Lev.24:8) implying that it was to endure for eternity. Yet the New Testament records that the first covenant was "done away" and "abolished" 2Cor.3:11,13. God "has made the first old" Heb.8:13. Either God is confused, or else translators have rendered the text inaccurately. Since the former cannot be true, it is incumbent upon us to search out the exact meanings of words and to find the answers to such discrepancies.

The Aaronic priesthood is spoken of as "an everlasting priesthood" Ex. 40:15. If "everlasting" means "eternal," then the direct descendants of Aaron and only they, would be allowed to function as priests, and this for all time. Yet Heb.7:14-18 declares an end to the Aaronic priesthood and a new priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. Peter describes the church as "a spiritual house, an holy priesthood" (1Ptr.2:5), a statement which John confirms when he writes that by Jesus' blood the church has been cleansed from sin and made "kings and priests unto God" Rev.1:6. Thus in the above Exodus reference, "ever-lasting" cannot possibly mean "everlasting."

The children of Israel were to "observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant" Ex.31:16. Yet Paul states there remains "another day" of Sabbath rest for people of God" Heb.4:8,9. Though translators may have used the word "perpetual," the Holy Spirit disproves this choice of words, exposing it as incorrect.

The misuse of words expressing "unlimited duration" when specific time periods were intended is most obvious in the following cases. Jonah was not in the fish's belly "forever" Jon.2:6. A bondslave could not possibly serve his master "forever" Ex.21:6. God did not dwell in Solomon's temple "forever" 1Kg.8:13.

The Hebrew word from which the aforementioned "everlasting," "perpetual" and "forever" were translated, is "olam." Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies by William Wilson, gives the meaning of "olam" as "duration of time which is concealed or hidden." In other words, an unknown length of time. Though it may have been a very long or even indeterminable period of time, the sense that it would come to an end was always there. This concurs with our New Testament texts which confirm that indeed these established practices were abolished and replaced with something better. The King James translators would have been more accurate to record that the old covenant and its priesthood were for an "age of time.""

(http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/eternityexplained.html)

Now back to HWA's reasoning: January 13, 1976, Bulletin: 

Is it possible that Herbert's lack of understanding and training of the understanding of Old Testament linguistics may have enabled him to come up with the interpretation concerning the Sabbath he came up with? 

submitted by SHT

C WAYNE COLE: A Prophecy Of The Future For The Church

BULLETIN: 06/13/76

clipping courtesy of SHT

C Wayne Cole had no idea that what he predicted above would happen to every single splinter group of the Church of God.  Not a single COG has a "mass impact" in this nation.  No one knows who they are. Even the groups that claim they are God's current mouthpiece are insignificant and nothing. All of the silly little men who self-appointed themselves have proven to be shallow and impotent.

This is what we paid for: The Herbert Armstrong Accomplishment Traveling Autobiography Lecture

PGR - Nov 20, 1974

Quotes from an HWA Head of State Meeting in a Cairo Testimonial Dinner 

Times Jesus Christ mentioned? 

None

Times the Gospel of Jesus Christ mentioned? 

None

Times the Accomplishments of HWA mentioned? 

MANY

"Quite often I cross paths with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, but he works in an official capacity. I work in an unofficial capacity." 

"I'm glad you're going to get to see a little something of Prince Mikasaa. He's a very close friend of mine." 

"When King Leopold was visiting me in my home in Pasadena - and we were having quite a group in my home for dinner one evening" 

"He said he wanted to award that fourth watch to me"  

"Back in 1914, I pioneered in making a survey of business and social conditions in a little town of Kentucky in the United States.It was published in a national magazine." 

"In my early business life, I was thrown constantly in contact with successful men. I mean presidents and board chairman of our largest industrial corporations in the United States and the largest banks in New York and Chicago." 

"Well, I have solved a lot of these things" 

"I have solved the missing dimension" 

"Someday all of humanity is going to wake up to it." 

"I found the answer to many of them" 

"Get and give" 

"I've attended many businessman conventions" 

"I've found that two banks will look at each other with jealous eyes" 

"There was a great teacher who said it's more blessed to give than to receive."  

"I began to put that principle into practice 40 years ago. I've been giving ever since. I've been on the giving side and not the getting side. I have built three colleges and they're based on that principle, and we try to base all life on that principle."  

"Just recently Ambassador College won an award for the most beautiful, best landscaped, and best maintained campus of any college or university of the United States. And I think you'll pardon me if I'm just a little bit proud of that." 

"We have no friction between students and faculty or faculty and administration - nothing but cooperation." 

"There was one very wise man who wrote that everything is vanity anyway."
"Give or get." 

"But for 40 years now, I have been sharing the things that I have discovered and that I know... knowledge that religion has never given us... it's outside the scope of religion." 

"I've discussed these conditions with heads of state all over the world and I get quite a bit of input from them to add to this knowledge. It's cumulative."

This was no "Gospel of the Kingdom of God." This was the Herbert Armstrong Accomplishment Traveling Autobiography Lecture - on Giving, Getting, and The Missing Dimension in Education. He gave God NO Credit in his lectures for anything he learned at all. It was all Herbert. All the time. The Apostle Paul preached Christ and Him Crucified. Herbert Armstrong lectured heads of state on his accomplishments and what he learned - without substance, with much pride and boasting.

This is what we paid for.

submitted by...SHT

Yes, The Church was Aware of the Harm Their Sermons Were Doing to the Little Ones

PGR 11/20/74

submitted by...SHT

Brethren, I have no intention of trying to humiliate United Church of God but I am going to anyway because I am doing this out of "love and concern"

It is another fun day in the land of self-serving, self-appointed Church of God leaders.

The official Church of God Pharisee is hypocritically posting today that he is preempting the United Church of God's official paper on who the God of the Old Testament is and who the God of the New Testament is.  Brethren, rest assured that he is doing this out of 'love and concern." UCG has not even released anything, yet this self-serving fool knows more than they do.

We are going to need a big manure loader in order to clean up this pile of steaming hypocrisy!

Brethren, I have no interest in hurting the UCG CoE by waiting until they approve their Paper and then analyzing it.  Quite the contrary I have felt moved to compile and publish this study before the CoE approves a Paper in December.  This Paper is published in love and concern, and in the hope that they will consider these points as they produce and approve their own Position Paper. 

The end result of approving what they have been discussing is a drift into the Evangelical concept that the Mosaic Covenant was with the Father and the New Covenant is with Christ. 

This potential new position, and yes it is a radical change of existing teachings; establishes the foundation of the evangelical concept that the Father was the God of the Old Mosaic Covenant with its laws, while Jesus Christ came to establish a New, different and much better Covenant where the laws given to Moses are no longer obligatory.  

This potential heresy is the foundation of the gross error that the laws that God gave to Moses are optional and not obligatory in the New Covenant!  

Once the CoE adopts their final Position Paper they will send it to the elders instructing them to teach it.  

If they adopt anything similar to what they have discussed; over time as the heresy is accepted, it will do away with the obligatory nature of God’s instructions through Moses, just like the adoption of a similar position did for Joe Tkach. 

Brethren, please ask your elders to read this Paper and carefully consider before crafting and approving a final Position Paper on the subject.  

The following message has been sent to the UCG CoE.

For the Chairman and all Council Members
Chairman Ward
Members of the CoE

Gentlemen
Today I published a Paper on “The God of the Old Testament.” This exhaustive Paper was published in advance of your own deliberations, out of sincere love and concern, and in the hope that you will consider these points as you produce and approve your own Position Paper on the subject.

This is for Chairman Ward to use to clean up the Chief Pharisee's "love and concern"

Here Today, and Gone Tomorrow - Idolatry in the Churches of God

Today, I want to focus on an aspect of the Church of God splinters - particularly one splinter - that is so evident, so blatant, so strong - but one they seem to completely ignore, explain away - or simply do not care. 

That subject is idolatry. 

Here's the definition for idolatry as is in the dictionary: (source: Google) 

"nounnoun: idolatry; plural noun: idolatriesworship of idols.
synonyms:

idolization, fetishization, fetishism, idol worship, adulation, adoration, reverence, veneration, glorification, lionization, hero-worshiping“the prophets railed against idolatry”

extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone."

Over the past few years, we've seen many of the leaders of the Splinter groups of the Armstrong Churches of God go practically nuts over created objects or people. Consider the following objects that have turned into or have been idols in the Armstrong Churches of God over the years.

• Ambassador Auditorium
• The Ambassador Campus
• Objects in the Ambassador Auditorium
• Objects that have been a part of the Ambassador Campus
• Church-owned fountains
• Church-owned sculptures 
• Herbert-owned items of any type
• The College Seal (or variations thereof)
• Items that have been associated with Herbert Armstrong
• Items that have been rumored to have been associated with Herbert Armstrong
• Church literature (Plain Truth, Good News, Youth, Envoys, Booklets, Bulletins, Etc.)

Prophecies, doctrines, and dogmas of Herbert Armstrong that have overwhelmingly and conclusively been proved wrong.

What is the evidence that these have become idols?

• Obsessive desires to own such materials, and pay exorbitant prices to obtain such materials
• Extreme emotional attachment and expression on seeing, using, or owning such items or materials
• Excessive desire to emulate as closely as possible either items or individuals
• The belief that such materials are closely related or somehow linked to God's blessings
• The idea that even though false they somehow have to be true, because they came from the mouth of the idol.

What has happened to the members because of this idolatry?

• The complete absorption of delusions and falsehoods believed in the name of Jesus
• The complete extortion of finances in the name of God for the purchase of items, or the dissemination of falsehoods. 
• The detachment of emotions and personal responsibility while funding the idolatrous behavior of their ministers.
• The absolute obedience of the ministry, dismissing common sense, rationality, and reason for the belief that their commands come from God, even though the evidence refutes the supposition. 
• The loss of friends, family, relatives for thinking such associations are false, worldly, and contaminating. 
• The ongoing belief that a short study by their founding leader started a wholly Godly and truthful ministry. 

What is it that allows them to continue to enable an idolatrous and wicked religion?

It is their belief that the core elements of their religion - Armstrongism - are what defines the True Church. Namely, Sabbath keeping, Holy Day keeping, and the name of the Church. Since they are hard pressed to find other groups that practice these doctrines, believe mainstream Christianity is a false Babylonian and pagan religion, and are very hesitant to go elsewhere - and because their entire social and family life is wrapped up there - any movement could crumble their whole life's house of cards. To them, for many, leaving is not an option. It is better to continue in the support of an idolatrous and oppressive religion, then to step out into the great unknown - where they have been convinced the demon world is ready to pounce on them once out of the boundaries of HerbertLand.

What's intriguing about this is that it is INSIDE Armstrongism that is actually a den of wickedness and evil, in so many areas. Abuse is enabled. Cover-ups have happened for generations. Fear is rampant. Immorality, Vanity, Conceit, Pride, love of material wealth and possessions, lies, deception, and intrigue have been constant and continual just as much within Armstrongism as it has been outside of Armstrongism. The truth is, it is no different on the inside then on the outside. In fact, wherever, and whenever, the main focus of anything is physically oriented and physically-minded - you will find the same wickedness wherever you go. In the church, out of the church, wherever. This is a fact of human minded behavior.

You will find the same things happening in other mainstream churches, too. Idolatry is rampant in other religions - in many forms, styles, and manners. Cover-ups, as well. Fear? Happens all the time. Immorality? Surely you can remember a few high-profile stories about this. Church splits? Even with the big ones. Charles Stanley, Robert Schuller - and many others have had their share of issues. In fact, the reality is, sometimes if you step into a mainstream church, you will find it in some areas no different than Armstrongism!

What's the common denominator in all of this? Two words.

Corporate Christianity.

Whenever one begins to believe the Church is a physical organization - you've already submitted yourself to the world. Business is entrenched in the methods of the world from top to bottom. Money at the top, to pay for insurance, buildings, salaries, executive expenses, and so on and so forth. Yes, in corporate Christianity, the proper use can be beneficial - pooled money used the right way can go far for the right reasons. But this isn't the Church. The Church as Jesus defines it.

The Church has always been from it's inception spiritual. Because it was the Holy Spirit that founded the Church. The Church is comprised of people who have the indwelling of God's Spirit. And though this may cause shackles to rise throughout many people when I say this - God's Spirit can be in anyone. Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Anglican, and the non-churchgoers. You can not limit the Spirit of God within physical walls and physical limitations. Actually, you can not limit the Spirit of God - period.

Yet, many in the splinters continually quench God's Spirit by focusing on the physical far and away above anything spiritual.

What is important is what is in your heart and your soul - loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind - and loving your neighbor as yourself. Doing everything you can to help others in the spirit of Matthew 25. Being a light shining to the world. Being in the world - but not subjecting yourself to the sins of the world like debauchery, idolatry, immorality, hatefulness, lying, deception, or greed - but showing the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering, self-control, gentleness, kindness, and mercy - not just to those who subscribe to Armstrongism - but to everyone and anyone you encounter in all walks and situations of life. Armstrongism stifled and shackled their members against so many opportunities to do just that under the excuse of "paganism".

Have not they read that against the fruits of God in love there is no law? That love is the fulfilment of the Law? That nothing you do in love - regardless of time, date, or season - with full regard to your neighbor - will be held against you no matter what time, day, or season?

It's time for the splinters to begin to focus on the Spiritual and see how steeped in wickedness it is when one focuses so greatly on the physical. Once that happens, they will then see Jesus for all He is and can be in their lives. There is more to Christianity then Armstrongism, Protestantism, Catholicism, or any other physical organization you can name.

Because God is Spirit. And His worshippers must worship in Spirit - And in TRUTH. And Jesus said HE is the way, and the Truth, and the Life.

Not the idolatry of the things of the past and of the physical, or of any man.. "Here today, and gone tomorrow." It is all about who He is, and what He has done, And who we are - in Him.

This post is an Opinion Editorial. The Views expressed are solely and exclusively that of the author...SHT

UCG's Winter Family Weekend Draws More People Together Than A Feast Does

It is that time of year as various Churches of God start taking reservations for their annual Christmas celebrations at various locations around the country.  It is striking to see UCG admit that their annual Christmas celebration draws more people than any of their Feast sites do.  After all, it is held in a resort all decked out for Christmas with Santa, holiday foods, Christmas music and glorious Christmas decorations.  The amazing thing is that not one single UCG member or teenager ever sees, eats, or hears anything related to Christmas while at the resort.  God certainly performs miracles!

“The Winter Family Weekend in Lexington, Kentucky has helped change the culture of the Church of God. Twenty years ago God blessed us with an event without borders. People quickly learned that it is what you believe — not the name on the church door that makes the difference. It’s an environment where friends can meet as equals to worship together and celebrate the Faith that is common to us all.” 

The United Church of God will be having a Northwest Family Weekend in Portland, Oregon, but its main WFW will be at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio. Viktor Kubik has commented that, “It is the largest gathering of United Church of God members in one place – larger than any Feast site.” COG News

"...most people here leave the church for one tiny supposed error on the part of the Church "

It is sad how many people here sit behind their computers and spew lies. What is even sadder is that most people here leave the church for one tiny supposed error on the part of the Church and before you know it, they're no longer attending any church.

This was a comment made on the following story:  The Living Church of God Needs 377 Page Manual To Tell Ministers How To Behave from April 7, 2015.

For most people who have left the church, it is certainly more than some tiny "supposed" error on the part of the church.   Errors do not necessarily drive people away from church, but spiritual, sexual and mental abuse certainly does.

Be Kind

Yes, the phrase “BE KIND” sums up what many religions are all about.  One exception is the Armstrong COG culture where you will experience love and acceptance only as long as you are loyal to the group and its leaders.

On the other hand, disagreement and asking questions “in a wrong attitude” will get you kicked out or frozen out.  Impure motives will be implied against you.  You will be called names.  Once you find yourself on the outs, it is near impossible to be readmitted.  

This lacking of love goes back to the days when HWA ran WCG.  Today, it has developed into a dysfunction that is now ingrained in the very DNA of so many of the offshoots of Armstrongism.   

Matthew 5, 6, and 7 are occasionally read but seldom implemented.  

submitted by "Anonymous"

Where are all the good works?

All the mainstream Christian churches have wonderful works:

  Gideons Bibles in all hotel rooms

     Hospitals

Great universities 

(picture below is Oxford, England)

Community centers

            Missions like sister Teresa helping the poor

Paul’s view – same as Jesus

Galatians 2:10¹⁰All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

And one scripture from the old testament:

Deuteronomy 15:10-11¹⁰Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Christ criticized the Pharisees for only keeping some of the laws – though they did them extremely scrupulously. Luke 11:42 – great tithers, but ignored justice and the love of God.

Are the ACOGs trying to emulate Christ or the Pharisees?

submitted by TLA

The SEP Music Flipout You Never Knew Happened

In the middle of the summer in 1984, Herbert Armstrong flipped his lid about music at SEP. Jowels were probably flapping fast and furiously. You could probably hear him yelling down the 3rd floor and in the elevator. It probably wasn't a good time in Headquarters! 

It seems that he was very upset about the choices of music that were at SEP back in the 80s. Apparently, somebody told him that they were going behind his back playing "Unacceptable Music." Which led to an immediate press release from Armstrong himself. That was to be read to EVERYONE. 

In short, he had a tantrum. 

I wonder exactly what music was playing that he got so offended about!

Madonna's "Like a Virgin" didn't come out until October in 1984. So that wouldn't have done it. 

One of the biggest hits of 1983 was Toto's "Africa". Nothing offensive about that one!

Of course, Micheal Jackson's Billy Jean was a huge hit clear up through 1984. This could have done it. 

For a variety of reasons! 

Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" came out in late 1983 as well. 

There weren't other songs that were especially scandalous in the Mainstream in 1984. To most of the world. 

But in Armstrong-Land, anything except classical music, musicals, Young Ambassadors, and Dwight Armstrong - and a few easy-listening stars and muzak type songs were scandalous. And somehow, the other music "Damaged" the kids.  

Herbert probably thought that the beat of the music would arouse all of the SEP'ers into wild parties of forbidden fornication. He always said fast beats were too "sexual". Of course, though things did happen at SEP, most of the campers just enjoyed music that was a little different than "Praise Ye The Lordo" or "Oklahoma" or "Singin' In The Rain". 

Well, you might ask - what happened? We don't know. But this happened just a day later. 

Guess what folks? 

No clarification was ever issued. And nobody knew this ever happened, because it was never read. 

Could Herbert Armstrong have become enraged at the rumor mill? 

Did someone give Herbert misinformation? 

What REALLY went down at SEP camp - or Headquarters - that summer? We may never know. If someone here knows, it would be interesting to know the backstory on this. 

But what this was is an example of the many rumors, conspiracies, and incidents that happened frequently at Headquarters as detailed in the Ambassador Reports, and from first hand reports of life in Pasadena. This one just happened to make it to the Pastor General Report. It never made it to the general membership - this kerfuffle about the music at SEP that get Kermit Nelson appointed as the Camp Director, where he remained for many years later. Wes White, a contributor here at Banned, has detailed other controversial incidents that have happened at Headquarters as well. The atmosphere at Headquarters was often not what we thought it was, out in "the field". 

submitted by SHT

What do GTA, Urantia, Proctor and Gamble, Indians, Hearts, and Cremation have to do with ANYTHING a Christian needs to worry about?

Obviously shocked to see the ragged and bleached out 1980's curtains.

How can a week go by without snickering at our resident self-appointed false prophet?  God's most special man to ever exist in human history (after Dave Pack) has released his latest video for his faithful to listen to at their weekly "sabbath" service of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God.

Doubly blessed Bob Thiel exhibits, once again, why he does not bother to really research scripture for a sermon on one topic.  He claims his members have sent in questions to his church on a vast number of subjects and it is his duty to answer all of those questions.  It is all a load of Armstrongite doo-doo.  All Thiel has done is use old reprint articles of the Worldwide Church of God letter answering department.  

It is all painfully obvious when you see all of the topics he covers in one sermon:

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel answers questions that have been submitted to the Church of God on many topics, such as: Is cremation acceptable for Christians? 

Can you wear garments of mixed fabrics? 

Does Romans 14:5-6 eliminate Holy Days? 

How should Christians dress? 

Is it right to have pictures of Jesus? 

Does Matthew 27:5 contradict Acts 1:18-19? 

What happened to Garner Ted Armstrong? 

Can you use a heart symbol? 

Should you trust 'The Urantia Book'?

What about dinosaurs and the age of the world? 

What are the origins of Native Americans, often called Indians? 

Can you use Proctor and Gamble products? 

Does 1 Kings 8:9 contradict Hebrews 9:4? 

Who is the 'elect lady' of 2 John 1? 

Was Abraham a Jew? 

What is a Hebrew? 

What was Ambassador Foundation for? 

Is 'Amen' pagan? 

Dr. Thiel goes through scriptures, facts, COG documents, and historical information to provide answers.

Are we expected to believe that his African members care about the silly questions of first world Americans? Do the handful of his American followers even care?

Living Church of God Calls Fast to Appease Their God

The kind of God needed for the COG's to function.

This past weekend the Living Church of God was asked to fast soon after the Feast of Tabernacles.  Many LCG members found it rather odd that the church just celebrated symbolically the coming Kingdom of God and yet within a few days after celebrating the millennium, where no one will be required to fast again, LCG members were told to reexamine their lives in order to devote more attention to pleasing their god and refocusing themselves into supporting the church in order to give more income to the church for a final witness.

LCG members constantly seem to be found guilty of doing something so wrong that they need to keep God appeased with works.  Instead of following Jesus, instead of the law, they fail to understand the rest they could have in the Jesus they claim to follow. All of this constant "doing" would be unnecessary if they understood the work has already been done.

Why Self-Examination? God told Abraham that one of the conditions of the covenant was to “walk before Me and be blameless [perfect]” (Genesis 17:1). Jesus urged His audiences to “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15) and to become “perfect” (Matthew 5:48). The Greek word for “repent” is metanoeo which means “to change your life, to think differently, to turn with contrition and sorrow from a former course of action.” This involves learning to live “by every word of God” (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4) and learning to recognize and eliminate behaviors that are contrary to God’s instructions. This requires “self-examination”—prayerfully studying God’s word and prayerfully examining our thoughts, attitudes, and actions in order to follow the example of Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle Paul advised Christians to do if they want to become more like their Savior (1 Corinthians 11:27–32). One way to do this is to review the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and to consider both the letter of the law and the spirit of the law as outlined in Mathew 5–7 and Galatians 5:18–24. Taking time to work through this self-examination process will help us walk more perfectly in the footsteps of Jesus and develop the very mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5–11).

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

HWA: No one is CUT OFF from going above my head to Christ; or above HIS HEAD to the Father

Pastor General Report 12/05/80

But the Whole World is cut off from God except for Herbert and his cult. 

There just isn't enough Herbert for everybody. 

The door is open. To ministers. Not lowly members of course. 

Just don't challenge Herbert Armstrong. 

"''Nuff said". 

submitted by SHT

Missing Member? Stalk Them Down, and if you can't find them, CONTACT ME OR ELSE!!!!!

PGR 08/20/82

submitted by SHT