We are rapidly approaching the high season in COGland with the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a time when family and friends gather in exotic locations for 8 days of overindulgence in food and fun and butt-numbing recycled sermons. It is supposed to represent a foretaste of the millennial kingdom of God. A time when the church is unified and basking in eternal bliss with the lion and lamb playing together,
That all sounds lovely until you read the following little blurb. Two different cities, each with 9 different COG's meeting in the same city for this millennial foretaste, and all 9 refusing to acknowledge their sister churches as brethren. How shameful can the Church of God be? Is it any wonder the COG is not growing?
Feast of Tabernacles 2019
As in previous years, Branson, Missouri, tops the most popular festival sites with 9, but it now has a challenger – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which also has 9 festival sites there.
9 is the number of judgement
ReplyDeleteCogland are not alone in observing Tabernacles. Jews and a growing number of evangelical Christians go to Jerusalem for Tabernacles these days.
ReplyDeleteThe difference is cogs mandate Herbie’s followers to observe Tabernacles the way he laid down ie at various places the cog admin have approved. Jews and Christians otoh are free to observe it in Jerusalem or wherever they are.
DeleteIt is a franchise business like McDonalds.
ReplyDeleteThe various franchise owners each have their own loyal set of customers, and they don't want to share, because that means they make less money.
As the saying goes - its all about the Benjamins.
(For non USA visitors who don't get out much - our $100 bills have a picture of Benjamin Franklin.)
Imagine the hit to your P&L if some of your customers attended one of the other franchisee's sites.
The original McDonalds were bought out for peanuts and driven out of their business - all that is left is their name, and some of their food service principles.
Draw your own conclusion about the COG franchises.
There must be a lot of confusion in the minds of the local business owners when members explain to them that the F.O.T is symbolic of a time when everyone will be united and at peace with each other when there are so many splintered groups competing with each other for the remaining scraps of tithes and offerings.
ReplyDeleteFor my family, it’s time for my spouse to drive off with church friends and leave me and the kids home to manage school, babysitting, meals, all the chores etc so they can go have their pious party and sport their fancy clothes and give away the money to the cult leader. I hate FOT.
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone 5:35. I don't hate the FOT but I do hate the "I'm commanded to go" ideology. That's whats I'm told when any question comes up.
ReplyDeleteHumans , by nature , love to have their own little tribes , and want to judge or hate all others.
ReplyDeleteGoes for race, sports team preference, music selection, looks, financial status , ad nauseam.
To our discredit, none of this has anything to do with loving your fellow man.
Humans don’t always hate each other; they just find themselves working at cross purpose to one another. Now, granted, some use this as an excuse to hate, but mature ones just recognize the fact that there will be many times in life when there are differences in opinion.
ReplyDeleteIf there was ever any real unity in the old WCG, it was the result of HWA’s fiery temper. Once that was out of the picture, independence of thought and ego lead to all of the splintering. The ACOG movement today is simply a nostalgia act, with much about it being simply imaginary.
BB
ASB Comment: In reading the Posted article and the comments I agree that the way the FOT is applied today destroys the original purpose of it's existence. When I began attending FOT it's only existence was Big Sandy, Texas. For me and my family it was a religious experience not a human play ground activity.
ReplyDeleteOver the years there were many changes in locations and a focus on going places that were viewed as exciting for humans to enjoy. This of course contributed to activities defined sinful human behavior. While the NT has a different view of OT activities these could have a value for Christians if the focus was on pleasing God rather than the people and the world we live in. ASB
From the "Why are we Here" opening sermon to the "Next year-Jerusalem' and "best ever" manyras at the end,it's one big fiasco
ReplyDeleteIts supposed to be held 'Where God Places His name for groups with kids I guess God placed his name in Orlando FL
ReplyDeleteYou can't spell Orlando without lord, so I guess you're correct.
ReplyDelete