I tuned in to Sheldon's sermon and heard exactly what I expected. It's the same old story that goes all the way back to Gilbert Cranmer swearing off his corporate mistress, Ellen. Then Herbert slandered his master, Dugger. And then Roderick pilfered his boss, Tkach. And now Sheldon is mowing down cold faithless Weston. Yes, the incumbent takes on too much power, becomes lukewarm, smug, insensitive, self-righteous, hypocritical and indifferent. This is not good. Someone should do something. Why not me?
The body of Christ is infected once again and needs vaccinated with a good ole fashion dose of "living faith." It's really very simple according to Sheldon. He prayed and fasted about the Texas camp (multiple times). Then he bullied the Seventh Day Adventist President into letting him have his way. Then they took temperatures throughout camp. The result: no one got sick. And that is how you walk on water. (The title of the sermon was, "If You Want to Walk on Water, Here is How")
You talk a big game of faith and by the looks of you, I believe you could kill a lion and a bear just like David. It really takes some kind of man's man to come out with a sermon title like that a week after being fired. No doubts in Sheldon's mind. In fact in Sheldon's he-mind, doubt is the ultimate faith-killer. But is doubt really a faith-killer? Is wearing masks proof of oh ye of little faith? You said when doubt enters, bad things happen. You said doubters are unstable and double-minded. Oh, I know the verse too. You said God doesn't hear us when we are sinning. God only loves us when we are "all in." Classic HWA. Gods got this...but when He doesn't, it's your fault. Sheldon pointed to Revelation 12 to show how God does not protect Laodiceans.
According to Sheldon, "Gods got this." Every Sabbath, Gods got this...except that time Terry Ratzmann murdered 7 people during services just miles away from where Sheldon was serving. Every annual holy day, Gods got this...except that year a hurricane ruined Hilton Head just a week before the feast and everyone had to go somewhere else. At our camps, Gods got this...except that time one of our precious daughters was killed by a passing speed boat at the Ohio camp. Yeah, you were there, Sheldon. Where was God? Who sinned?
Understanding that there is a place for doubt is wisdom. Doubt is the sign of a thinking mind. Doubt is what helps a sound mind sniff out bullshit. Doubt reveals a profound complexity as it relates to man sorting out God. No one in COGland is capable of grappling with doubt, helping hurting people with practical applications in understanding doubt, coming to grips with it, managing it or overcoming it when necessary. The all-stupid answer to many things in COGland is: "Sin? Don't do it!" "Doubt? Don't do it?" "Depressed? Smile!" God is blessing HIS Church but when He isn't...well. Horrible things are swept under a rug and thinking brethren should place their doubts under there, too.
LCG carted out Dick Ames during a fast to sure up the faithful and I kid you not, both Sheldon and Dick essentially concluded their sermons using the same classic tactics of labeling the opposition Laodicea and themselves Philadelphian. And next week, Sheldon said the sermon will be, "We Ought To Obey God Rather Than Men." Of course.
About 150 were watching on Youtube so that could be somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-600 people. This could be as much as 10% of Living's membership but probably closer to 5%. Sheldon and Fritts are both very popular with the youth. This should be interesting because Weston has put all of HQ's resources toward wooing the next generation of tithe-paying dupes to secure retirements and paychecks of ministerial sons being trained as we speak. Not even Walrus Smith has the pull he once had with kids and their parents since HQ has brought out his true colors.
So Sheldon got "Munsoned" for his living faith. So my question for Sheldon is, ARE YOU GOING TO GET A JOB? OR are you going to fleece Jesus' flock for 10%-30+% using false doctrine? Is it going to be the same old COG song and dance, my friend? Knowing you to be an Armstrong purist, I'm afraid I already know the answer.
by Stoned Stephen Society
Here's a thought...supposing there was no big healer man in the sky god, just suppose...if there actually wasn't and everyone who went to Munson's happy faith camp went there with no viral infection...wouldn't the outcome (no-one caught COVID-19) be exactly the same, no-one got sick during the happy faith camp? So maybe it wasn't he-man faith that produced the outcome...is that a possibility worth considering?
ReplyDeleteA quote from Brennan Manning; revamped for the GOGosphere:
ReplyDeleteThe greatest single cause of atheism in those who've experienced the COGs is GOGers who barely acknowledge Jesus with their lips and deny Him by their loveless lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
On two occasions God told king Solomon that if he obeyed God's laws, all would be well. In other words, God doubted Solomon's character, which proved correct since he morally fell away. So even God doubts on occasion.
ReplyDeleteGreat article and so true! These COG ministers are so spiritually blind and hopelessly self righteous it's shameful. How does anyone in their right mind actually listen to and support these pompous individuals?
ReplyDeleteHow dare you insult The No Mask Church of God!
ReplyDeleteHey - the best we could do - all the good names were taken and even the mediocre names like Continuing are gone.
SSS = a high ranking UCG pastor.
ReplyDeleteThe Unmasked Church of God would like to announce our first booklet:
ReplyDeleteThe Book of Revelation Unmasked.
Stoned Steven noted:
ReplyDelete"Understanding that there is a place for doubt is wisdom. Doubt is the sign of a thinking mind. Doubt is what helps a sound mind sniff out bullshit. Doubt reveals a profound complexity as it relates to man sorting out God. No one in COGland is capable of grappling with doubt, helping hurting people with practical applications in understanding doubt, coming to grips with it, managing it or overcoming it when necessary. The all-stupid answer to many things in COGland is: "Sin? Don't do it!" "Doubt? Don't do it?" "Depressed? Smile!" God is blessing HIS Church but when He isn't...well. Horrible things are swept under a rug and thinking brethren should place their doubts under there, too."
Thank you...
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA quote from Brennan Manning; revamped for the GOGosphere:
"The greatest single cause of atheism in those who've experienced the COGs is GOGers who barely acknowledge Jesus with their lips and deny Him by their loveless lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
And too...discovering one's ministerial education, to be passed on to the member, was devoid of Biblical and Historical literacy and an acceptance of Scientific realities.
Or as generally noted, for atheism, the best argument against the Bible is the what is in the Bible.
Don't you ever have a man in the mirror moment Stoned stephen? Whoah you really are something.
ReplyDeleteWHEN ARE YOU GETTING A JOB? you HWA style shout out to someone you don't know. Isn't the question coming right back at you Stoned Stephen?
Or is some bloke from the middle ranks of LCG actually doing something and making a stance for something they believe in, what really rankles your emotions Stoned Stephen. Dear Lord Thankfully you cannot infiltrate LCG as well.
You want the church not doing nothing. *sigh * shrug shoulders *sigh again.
Nothing at all. Kill them with apathy. Take all the jobs and then destroy from the top down. Destroy the Holy Days, Destroy Tabernacles, bit by bit.
Lie in wait with tricks and spells. Devise intricate set-ups that the oh so stupid brethren fall into.
But you always forget about God.
Maybe Munson is like all the rest. Like you turned out to be Stoned Stephen. Then again maybe he's not. But at least he's trying. Which is something you always stop cold dead. People trying.
You have the doubt Stoned Stephen and God will bring forth people with the faith. Stand aside, you've had your day.
With all the headache, trouble and excitement that Monson has generated in the LCG, he should probably be called...
ReplyDeleteMONSOON!
Dennis:
ReplyDeleteYou wrote: "Or as generally noted, for atheism, the best argument against the Bible is the what is in the Bible."
What? Is there an Atheist Authorized Version (AAV) of the Bible? Have the atheists achieved what the Christians and Jews never have - a common midrash, a common exegesis? So atheists know precisely and incontrovertibly what the Bible means and intends and they reject it? I thought only Armstrongists and Branch Davidians actually knew what was in the Bible. Perhaps, atheists practice Waterhousean (i.e., Gerald) exegesis - it says it right there, all you have to do is read it. Maybe some atheist society should take up a collection and publish their certified rendition of the texts so we an all know what the Bible really says and all he great debates will cease?
An example of the complexity of this issue is that there are those who believe in theistic evolution, like myself, who believe that their interpretation of the Bible accommodates Darwinian mutation and natural selection. Yet atheists persist in promulgating the mythic idea that if you believe in evolution you can't be a Christian and vice versa. That is a long ago superseded strategy.
When you speak of he Bible, you speak of interpretations.
Ellen, Dugger, Tkach, Weston
ReplyDeleteI'm reading two books on the history and reasons for Christianity's* separation from Judaism* in the first few centuries. And so it continues...
* anachronisms. "The Way" was another sect of the Jews; these tags came later.
So Stoned Stephen is not the same person as Steve Hassan??
ReplyDelete8:58 Here's an example... No mercy, no conversation, no common ground to find just execute everyone who disagree with you and your religion. The Bible is not a pleasant book at all. Human life has so little value, especially in the pages of the OT.
ReplyDelete1 Kings 18:40 "Then Elijah ordered them, 'Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.' So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there."
II Kings 10:25 "When he (King Jehu of Israel) had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, 'Go in and kill them (servants of Baal). Do not let anyone out.' So the guards and officers struck them down with the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal..."
The best argument against the Bible IS what's in the Bible.
The problem Dennis is that you're way past doubt, you deny. Big difference. Especially since there's absolutely no way of knowing whether there's a God or not. Doubt is good, denial not so much.
ReplyDelete"The best argument against the Bible IS what's in the Bible."
ReplyDeleteGrittyman, if it's that obvious then why did it take you so long in the WCG to figure it out? Could your position really be self justification?
Sheldon's sermon now has 1500 viewers on YouTube. That is significant considering LCG only has ~5000 people in it. The count of 5000 includes children who wouldn't have access to YouTube making the concentration even more significant.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that, that very few knew he was going live last Saturday and his numbers look pretty detrimental to Weston.
I predict that next Sabbath will bring even larger viewership.
Don't get me wrong, the world needs another Armstrong splinter group like we all need a hole in our heads. But I can't stand the evil men at LCG so pretty much anything that deflates their pride and causes a thorn in their side pleases me.
I hope more truth is revealed regarding LCG through Mr. Monson and others once apart or part of that church. For the sake of the current members especially.. some of them, maybe quite a lot, let's hope not.. I believe are acting very cultish. I know people in LCG (older people) required to rent a hotel every Sabbath for a very small group of people. Even during this covid-19 pandemic I believe. I believe this small group consists of three or four people only and maybe a visiter once in awhile. How ridiculous! When they could simply hold Sabbath services in their homes! And what a waste of tithe money! I believe my friend said they used tithe money to rent out these places! How ridiculous! I don't have the greatest memory, but I believe my friend said at least a grand or more goes into renting these hotels every year. It's quite sickening because they could channel that money to poor people who are in need. Man.. I don't understand the LCG higher ups. I guess they're not humble enough. And I personally know a lady who was kicked out of lcg for supposedly being demonically possessed. How sickening.. it makes me sad to think about it. They should have helped her. Especially the minister who kicked her out. I don't understand. I guess these guys are just too caught up in themselves..
Delete12:43 Because Jews and Christians have had 3,000 years to invent all manner of creative ways to sew up a giant sieve full of holes in the logic with tidy and convenience excuses and justifications for god-inspired murder, misogyny, ethnic cleansing, slavery and torture...along with some really great messages about forgiveness and mercy. And, heavy indoctrination can take the best of us some time to completely dismantle, thankfully for others of us, take one straw out and the rest crumbles instantly.
ReplyDelete1:49
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that the so called "1500 views" are at most 150 people, some getting coffee after 10 minutes, 15 are regulars from this blog, 5 are from other cults monitoring a new kid on the block(g) and 75 are parents who feel foolish they send their kid to a camp where this fella was leading.
I feel a split of at most 55 people coming and then I'm being very optimistic.
But hey some of the major churches started with 12. But they had new revelation to reel in people.
And doc Stavrinides taught us already about "masks" as in persona, as in trinity.
Nck
Me thinks, definitely the boys in Charlotte are irritated; Mr Monsons You tube channel has over 1,800.00 views now and is growing by the hour: 181 subscribers. Next Saturday at 2 pm eastern, most likely will be starting off with 200+ subscribers; hopefully we will hear more confirmations on the activity of the Abuses and lies the leadership of the LCG has been peddling these Five + years; oh did i forget to mention privately among the Ministry, they dont teach Doug's new falling away doctrine also all those upgrades like the wedding supper: not to mention they'll never retract a mistake they make publicly or in print. When I asked Weston if they still teach the new falling away doctrine that supposedly sets them apart from all the COGs, They said they do: well its a downright lie: They haven't mentioned it in years: they dont want the lay Sheep to know the truth: it would tarnish there reputation The little Birdie said to me Leadership has rejected that, but wont publicly admit it among many other things: Get Ready LCG sheep: the next mandate from Headquarters will be the new Corona vaccine; if you dont take it you most likely will be Disfellowshipped: the Boys at Charlotte are downright scared and shaking in there boots: they dont have the faith they preach about: there Faith is there paychecks: Stay tuned More from the Bird
ReplyDeleteThose who've been around know these kind of splits don't happen on a whim. Masks or no masks. This has been brewing for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWishful thinking nck. This LCG split could be few or a lot. Time will tell.
Munsun could even end up in UCG. Wouldn't you like that.
1:01
DeleteWe'll see. Indeed Time will tell. I was just being professional, I have no stake in this ONLY that I regard Sheldon a fool in his disregard for the health of the elderly. And I stated many postings ago that ANY European company would have fired him last week.
I learned on this blog that UCG would not be a place for a hardliner legalist like monsoon.
Nck
"there Faith is there paychecks"
ReplyDeleteOh my! Their faith is their paychecks!
Nazi grammar police strikes again.
DeleteNazi grammar police here, It's really not that difficult to learn when to use there, their and they're. Nor is it difficult to learn when to use your and you're. It's laziness not ignorance.
ReplyDeleteNot the same person, Nazi grammar police. Ha ha!
Delete"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteNot the same person, Nazi grammar police. Ha ha!
August 20, 2020 at 1:46 AM"
What is that supposed to mean?