Every once in a while someone decides to get their knickers in a knot, and throw down self-assured threats of condemnation, supposed curses, and attacks in their self-righteous zeal of those who do not exactly go along with their views on the Church, on God, or generally the way that they think things should be done. Usually, people aren't quite so rambunctious with their supposed "zeal", but when the hornet's nest gets knocked on, the angry wasps come out to sting.
What is amusing to me is the amount of power and authority that they like to believe that they have. They are so certain of themselves and their calling, and that they are so right, that they have no issue declaring judgements in God's name against others. They almost are giddy with glee about watching their enemies face the wrath of their God, watching with joy and jubilation as "lightnings bare the earth, men see and shake", and those who speak out against their god's church melt into vapors in the lake of fire they are certain God will condemn them to.
I am reminded of many examples of those who also have been certain of Armstrongism who have, in their belief, have issued "curses" and "judgements" on those who don't defend their belief systems. One of these was Ronald Weinland, a former minister of the old Worldwide Church of God who went rogue and started his own Church - the Church of God, Preparing for the Kingdom of God. It was eleven years ago - 2008 - when he predicted Christ's return, and in the process, proclaimed himself as one of the Two Witnesses. With this newfound authority, he would curse his detractors, even saying they would - paraphrased - die from the inside out. Of course, all of his threats and curses were totally empty and without any authority. Every one of his predictions did not happen, and slowly, his entire ministry turned out to be founded on a bed of lies and false judgements. As for Weinland himself, he is now a felon with a conviction on tax evasion. His church? The last I heard, things were not going so well at all for the sad man.
I am reminded of another example of a Church of God pastor who would claim divine power through a self-proclaimed rank of "Apostleship". Dave Pack, leader of the Restored Church of God, would often use fear as a tool of power in his ministry. He, also, would make wild predictions and speculations - only to have them spectacularly fail. After they failed, his statements in print would then be redacted, as if they never happened. Another ministry founded on a bed of lies and deceit.
The passion and zeal of individuals like these two is not isolated. Others who also have had an excess of zeal include a man named James Malm, and a man named Bob Thiel - both attempting to predict, and both claiming the same exact title and rank of authority. Of course, the bar always is in the future and never materializes into the present. Even bigger corporate Church of God leaders have done the same thing, with, of course, the same results. Others have tamed down and seem to be a little cautious to "pull the trigger" on divine utterance and knowledge - learning to effectively use disclaimers of chance as an easy out of denial if (and when) it is needed.
All of this stems from the very beginning of Armstrongism, also founded on wild, rampant, fear-mongering speculations, judgement, and condemnation against others who do not share the same beliefs as those who carried it's deceitful message. If Armstrongism had been truthful, honest, Godly, and forthright, there would be no record to be shown of the horrific amount of absolute judgement, condemnation, arrogance, pride, greed, squalor, envy, immorality, wickedness, corruption, anger, intolerance, abuse, and hatred coming from the very ones claiming God's truth. Yet God's truth does not engage in a bed of lies, and God's truth does not masquerade in a web of deceit, anger, and materialism. It is by these standards - the standards of truth against those who claim their divine calling - that one must hold while testing whether or not one is from God, or not.
One can claim their "truth" against their standards of judgement: Holy Days, Sabbaths, and the name of the Church. Yet against these standards lie volumes of records of charges of exactly the above in the last paragraph that are the true judge of what is godly and what isn't. Jesus said, "You shall know them by their fruits." Jesus also said, "By this shall all men know that you are My Disciples if you love one another." Jesus also said, "A new command I give you, love one another." And finally, Jesus said that those who will not inherit the Kingdom are not charged with violation of Holy day and Sabbath keeping - but the fruits of evil which include liars, idolaters, immorality, and greed. All of which are rampant in Armstrongism that claims to hold the truth but instead holds the fruits of Satan.
If certain members of Armstrongism want to get on here, with their accusations, with their curses, with their judgements, with their arrogance and pride, dripping with desire of harm and hate against those who simply disagree - so be it! It does not bother me, nor does it bother others here. Say what you want. Because what you say is not truth. It is wrong, it is lies, and it is empty. I will say directly to you: You have zero Godly powers, zero authority, and you are not feared. Because the truth says you are wrong. And the truth sets us free. The truth is the standard. It is, after all, the truth that stands as the post to the narrow gate. Those whom are ignorant of the truth of history, and the truth of what scripture says, are ignorant of reality and susceptible to nothing but deceit, delusion, and deception. This will be the legacy of those who walk in lies, and not truth.
This does not need to be. Walk in truth. Cast out judgement. Live in love. And be free.
Submitted by SHT
11 comments:
Not a heck of a lot of accuracy with prophecy amongst the Old Covenant (Sabbatarian) Christians. This hasn’t dawned on the majority of them quite yet, which is why some still come here all puffed up with the attitude that they are qualified to judge the rest of us.
Most of us here are not consumed with hatred for HWA. I’ve even remarked that f he makes it into the kingdom, I’ll help him polish the sandals of the Popes, just to show him a little Godly love, and the spirit of forgiveness. The point is, we’re doing the work of God here by exposing false teachers, and holding charlatans accountable, pointing out where they were wrong, exploitative, and oh so destructive. Those still inebriated on the Kool Aid haven’t yet learned to appreciate our work!
BB
That was beautiful, SHT. Thanks for the reminder. Go forth, walk in love and truth! 🤗
The national anthem of WCG and offshoots, two witnesses, apostles, and prophets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irU_RWDLwBU
What is at the core of the problem and what has stained many in the COGs including myself, is evident in the leaders of the churches and by extension many followers who act the same.
Having been weaned on the bottle of; "you are one in a million" or "you have won the godly lottery" and "you are the only one who can understand this" tends to puff a person up for the worse.
Self righteousness is the main fruit emanating from all those that have a "voice" and is the driver of condemnation of all others with a different view.
And why would condemnation even be in conversation for any representative of God's Church? It is because most believed the condemnation gospel - the gospel that HWA and GTA used to put people in the seats separate from a true calling from God.
History has proven that following truth is equal to which direction the wind blows at any given moment. In the 90's when 100,000 went one way and 20,000 went another way and 5000 followed this guy and 10,000 followed that guy, where was the truth in all that? When Paul asked of his church why they were so soon removed unto another gospel or asked another of his churches who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, he could have easily asked them why are you following ungodly men?
Following and supporting self-righteous ungodly men is why the COGs have turned into a circus that is able to keep at least one blog going strong and what has so trampled the truth, the truth can scarcely be seen.
If the truth in the COGs is scarcely seen, then what is left is easily mocked. There is coming a time when there is going to be many foolish mockers, but that time is most assuredly not now!
Here is a good rule of thumb for measuring "church leaders"...
If they don't look like they would be fun to be with at a baseball game, or going fishing with, then they are going to suck in terms of leadership and are guaranteed to have an abusive management style.
Obviously applies to Pack, Flurry, Weinland, Thiel, Malm does it not?
Honesty benefits everyone except those who cheat.
DBP
I just punched in my symptoms into Doctor Google. It tells me that I have one week to live. Goodbye cruel world. Don't forget me at Banned.
If they don't look like they would be fun to be with at a baseball game, or going fishing with, then they are going to suck in terms of leadership and are guaranteed to have an abusive management style.
Well, Jesus wasn't much fun when He was on a fishing boat with His disciples, so I'm not entirely sure that your rule of thumb is very workable. For that matter, if He decided He didn't want each of the disciples to pay $12 for a cup of beer, I can picture Him getting his group thrown out of the stadium for turning their water into beer. Again, not much fun.
The Bible actually gives some pretty good guidelines for church leaders, but few in the ACOGs pay much attention. Here are some of Paul's comments about how to recognize a good church leader. Such a leader is:
- Hospitable to rich and poor alike
- Not a drunkard
- Not a money-grubber
- Gentle, not violent
- Faithful to his one wife
- The father of respectable children who have remained in the church.
- Well-respected outside the church
How many ACOG leaders are good about teaching those last two points as qualifications for church leadership? How many can you think of who fulfill all seven? Scripture doesn't say that an elder should have "a majority" of those qualifications; it says he should have them all, so why do the ACOGs and their members settle for less?
In the hopes for some ecumenism and the shared interests of the human experience, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a joyous Passover and a Happy Easter!
And if you need a little seasonal levity, break out your old Gefilte Joe and the Fish cassettes, and enjoy their classic “Walk on the Kosher Side”. Bet you forgot about that one!
Wonderful weekend everybody!
BB
the vile man of sin is among us, lying continually; the catholics do also, and all you people can do is obsessively comment on some obscure church what has so significance in the grand scheme of things...
c f ben yochanan
BB,
I just saw your 7:33 post so a belated happy Easter to you and yours.
Kevin McMillen
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