Saturday, December 26, 2020

Jeremiah 10 and the lies of COG leaders


If Bob Thiel will lie to you about something so simple to understand as Jeremiah 10
then why should you believe anything else he says?
 

It's that time of year and Christmas trees are everywhere and Church of God leaders are popping their corks on how evil Christmas is compared to the fraudulent "holy days" that they have appropriated and changed to fit their needs.

One of the biggest myths in the Church of God about Christmas is the Jeremiah 10 malarkey that so many of them trot out this time of year. All of them are just passing on information that they were fed at the feet of theologically bankrupt men from Pasadena.

Bobiniah Thiel is one of the most whiney guys about this that the church has ever seen. He has produced a long list of things that wank him off about Christmas and Jeremiah 10 is in that list.

In Jeremiah 10, God says not to follow pagan practices, such as using a decorated tree, in the worship of Him.

Here it is, 2021 and real theologians have understood this verse for hundreds and hundreds of years and yet The Great Bwana to Africa actually believes this verse is about decorating Christmas trees. I guess that is what we should expect since he has no formal theological education about the Bible from REAL professors. He has to rely upon COG booklets and crackpot teachings of Rod Meredith and others. Plus, it is always important to remember that COG ministers and leaders are experts at "proof-texting." Picking, choosing, and isolating one or two scriptures while ignoring the previous verses and those that follow; is how these guys operate.

Ralph Woodrow was, unfortunately, one of those that contributed to the fallacies taught by the Worldwide Church of God through his book, Babylon Mystery Religion much of it based upon the errors put forth in Hislop's, Two BabylonsWCG ministers embraced this book with gleeful spitefulness. It was their proof to denigrate Christians around them. To Woodrow's credit, he later repudiated his erroneous book and its teachings with another book, The Babylon Connection?.

Woodrow later wrote a book in 1994 called, Christmas, Reconsidered.

He has this to say about Jeremiah 10. You will also notice veiled references to Amstrongite mythology.

Did Jeremiah in the tenth chapter of the book that bears his name, forbid the use of Christmas trees?

A number of years ago, I received a phone call from two men. Both help positions in an organization which has distributed multiple thousands of booklets that claim Jeremiah condemned the Christmas tree. But contrary to this booklet, written by their founder, they pointed out to me that the Jeremiah text, when taken in context, simply will not allow this meaning. Though not wanting to be disloyal, they could not in good conscience continue to hold a view that was contrary to what the text actually said.

For any who will study it out, the Jeremiah text clearly condemns idol worship. The subject is not the Christmas tree as we know it today. Here is the text - Jeremiah 10:3-14:

Learn not the way of the heathen...the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree ou of the forest, the word of the hands of the workman, with the ax. THey deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it might not move. They are upright as the alm tree, but speak not: they must needs be bourne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of then; for they cannot do evil, neither also si it inthem to do good...the stock is a doctrineof vanities. SIlver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the wor of the workman, and of the hands of the founder...Every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten images a falsehood, and there e is no breath in them.

There are five points about this passage that should be carefully noticed:

First, consider the workman: "...one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman." A surface reading has caused some to supposed this workman to be a lumberjack, going into the forest to cut down a Christmas tree. But this is not the intended meaning. A "workman" was one who took material - in this case, the wood from the tree - and formed it into an IDOL. Later in this passage, the "workman" is portrayed as plating an idol with silver and gold - clearly not a lumberjack!

The same word appears in a parallel passage about making an idol from a tree: "He that is so impoverished that he had no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image" (Isaiah 40:19, 20; see also Hosea 8:4-6) Idols were commonly made out of tree stock (Jer 3:9)

Second, notice that the tool the workman uses is called an "ax." Though the word as (or axes) appears 18 times in the Bible (KJV), the word here translated "ax" is a different word! It is not the ax that a lumberjack would use to cut down a tree, but is, more specifically, a carving tool. The workman would use this tool to form an idol from the tree already cut down. Some translations use the word chisel; "For the customs of the people are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel" (NIV).

Third, the idol described in Jeremiah 10, carved from the "stock" of a tree (margin: "wooden idol"), was "upright as a palm tree (verse 5) - as a person standing. This does not fit today's traditional fir or spruce "Christmas tree" which is not shaped like a palm tree.

Fourth, Jeremiah spoke against worshipping an idol made from a tree, not the tree itself. though the workman could make the idol look like a living, walking, talking being, yet it was lifeless.

The prophets commonly pointed out the absurdity of believing in "idols...the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet they have, but they walk not" (Psalm 115:4-7)

So here, the idols Jeremiah described, "speak not" - implying a mouth, not speech. The same point could not be made if Jeremiah was speaking of a Christmas tree - no one expects a Christmas tree to talk! These idols apparently had legs, yet could not walk. They must be carried, "because they can not go" (Jer 10:5). Had Jeremiah been speaking of a Christmas tree, his whole argument would break down; everyone realizes a Christmas tree must be carried - no one supposes a Christmas tree should walk.

Fifth, these idols were dressed in clothing" (Jer 10:9). A Christmas tree may be decorated, but no one puts clothing on a Christmas tree, not blue, purple, or any other color.

Jeremiah comes right out and uses the term "graven [carved] image" (Jer 10:14) - not a Christmas tree - but an idol carved in the likeness of a man. Isaiah described the same thing: "They that make a graven image...the carpenter stretched out his rule...and maketh it after the figure of a man...he heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak...eh maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto" (Isa 44:9-15).

By simply applying sound, recognized, and basic biblical interpretation, it is clear that Jeremiah described idol worship, not tree worship.

But even if Jeremiah's subject had been actual tree worship, what bearing would this have on our subject? At the Christmas season, thousands of people have a Christmas tree, but I am not aware of any of them worshipping it.

I have seen ant-Christmas booklets that argue that people worship the Christmas tree because they bow on their knees to place presents around it! The very weakness of this argument exposes the absurdity.

It could be argued that time and expense are wasted on a Christmas tree. It could be argued that leaving a tree to grow in the forest might serve a better purpose. It could be argued that the lighted tree presents a fire hazard. But to argue that Christians worship Christmas trees - no way! Christians worship Christ, not trees. When the season is over, they get rid of their trees: they burn them up hand them over to the trash collector! - not something people would do with an object of worship.

A Christmas tree is a seasonal decoration. If there is was a danger of Christian people veering off into tree worship, then not only a seasonal tree, but perhaps even trees for landscaping would be condemned. Imagine someone preaching that we should destroy all trees on our property lest we be tempted into tree worship!

The fir tree and pine tree were considered objects of beauty, even for the sanctuary of the Lord (Isa 60:13). Some believe there were avenues of trees leading up to the sanctuary, while others think in terms of wooded slopes around the sanctuary. In either case, an ornamental purpose is implied, not merely lumber from these trees for building purposes.

Inspired prophets often used the tree as a symbol of that which is good. A man who serves the Lord is "like a tree planted by the rivers of water" (Psalms 1"3). The righteous flourish "like the palm tree" and gro "like the cedar in Lebanon" (Psalms 92:12). They are "trees of righteousness" (Isa 61:3). Wisdom is "a tree of life" (Pro 3:18). The blessing of long life is likened to a tree (Isa 65:22). Those who overcome wat of "the tree of life" (rev 2:7). god's people are symbolized as an olive (from 11:17). These and many more references show how trees can symbolize good things.

The Christmas tree, as we know it, only dates back a few centuries. In those earlier times, trees were decorated with fruit, which some considered symbolic of the tree of life 9rev 22:2). Today's round Christmas tree balls are simply stylized fruit (unless you are a COG member and think they are Nimrod's testicles).

For some, anything round is a pagan symbol. But who made the fruit round, who made manna round, who made the moon round, who made the sun round, who made the earth round" Roudnis not wrong.

Ideas about paganism can be carried to a fruitless extreme - even innocent things become suspect. If someone sought to condemn flowers - a young man bringing flowers to his girlfriend, or placement of flowers on a grave - probably some pagan origin could be claimed even for this!

Some object to the star decoration that is commonplace at the top of a Christmas tree, pointing out that the star was the symbol of the ancient pagan god (Amos 5:26). But a much more feasible explanation for the star would be that found within the Christmas story: the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem.

A person who places a star on a Christmas tree is not worshipping a demonic god, knowingly or otherwise. It is only a decoration. those who are quick to brand anything linked to stars or the sun with some occult origin, need to remember that even Jesus is called a "Star: and the "Sun of righteousness" (Num 24:17; Rev. 22:16; Mal 4:2). Let's not accuse biblical writers like Moses, Malachai, and John of promoting paganism!

It is quite inconsistent to build a belief on some minor similarity, while ignoring vast differences. Consider the following examples: alcoholism is bad, so one should not use shaving lotion - it has alcohol in it. Smoking cigarettes is bad, so one should not eat smoked meat. It is bad for people to chew tobacco, so one should not chew gum. Jeremiah condemned idols made from trees, so people who decorate with a Christmas tree commit idolatry!

We have given reasons why we believe Jeremiah spoke against an idol made from a tree, and not the tree itself. Still, if a brother in Christ feels he shouldn't have a Christmas tree, let him follow his conscience. If another chooses to decorate his home with a Christmas tree, he should not be condmcned for this. The greater harm would be to allow a nonessential point to cause needless confusion and division among the people of God. Christmas, Reconsidered

If Church of God leaders will lie about this simple little verse, how can you trust them to interpret other scriptures?



 


Petulant Man-Child Preaches Another Sermon About How Magnificant He Is While Ignoring Jesus...As Usual


 

One thing we can say about Bobiniah Thiel is that he is consistent. Consistently glorifying himself every time he waves his hands or thrusts his big Bible in the air as if it gives him some kind of authority. It is always about himself and the things he does. Jesus is hardly ever spoken of and when he's it is as if he's an embarrassment.

Bobiniah is telling his 299 caucasian members today that he is still being persecuted. Eight years of intense persecution and yet here he still is, whining like a little petulant spoiled brat.

CCOG 2020 Hindsight: 8 Years of Philadelphian Restoration (you can watch his patheticly boring sermon here) 

Has there been 8 years of Philadelphian restoration in the Continuing Church of God? 

What has happened over the past 8 years. 

What happened in 2020? 

Was there any interference from censorship by Vimeo or YouTube? 

What are the plans for the future? 

Has God poured out His Spirit in the last days consistent with the Apostle Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:17-18? 

Has the CCOG taken more seriously performing the teachings of Deuteronomy 31:10-12 and Matthew 28:19-20 than any other COG that Dr. Thiel had been affiliated with? 

Is CCOG going through open doors? 

What about Africa? 

Does the CCOG now have Spanish language videos? 

How large in the CCOG? 

Is the CCOG the fastest growing xWCG organization in the 21st century? 

What has been going on with websites, videos, personal visits, literature, and youth programs? 

What about false statements from anti-COG types? 

Has CCOG been restoring more knowledge of God’s plan (cf. Matthew 17:11)? 

What about preparing for the short work (Romans 9:28), the full number of Gentiles (Romans 11:25), and leading the final phase of the work? 

Do Laodiceans seem to have a race problem? 

Are there any future plans for radio? 

How many languages are available at the CCOG.org website? 

Why did CCOG acquire CG7.org? 

Why has CCOG put together a lengthy apostolic succession list? 

Does the CCOG expect that some of it members will ‘instruct many’? 

Should Philadelphians support CCOG?


Can you imagine what it feels like for his African followers, who believe they are following Jesus, to have to sit and listen to this kind of drivel on the Sabbath? It's no wonder so many of them jump to other COG's. If this is the kind of ridiculous crap they are being fed each week it is not going to take long till many of them leave for greener pastures (or more money).











LCG: Things Doug Winnail Forgets


 


From an LCG source:

Of note is Winnail's statement, "Jesus’ message did not focus on Himself or His birth but on the coming Kingdom of God"

He maybe forgot:
  • John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
  • Acts 16:31  They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
  • Acts 4:10-12  be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.  11  He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’  12  There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
  • John 10:7-9  Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.  8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.  9  I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.


What to Remember: As the world celebrates the December holidays—that find their roots in the ancient Roman Saturnalia with its feasting, drinking, gift-giving, and partying that culminate on the winter solstice to commemorate the rebirth of the sun around December 25—it is good to remember that Jesus Christ was not born on that day, but probably in the fall of the year 4BC around the time of the Feast of Trumpets. Jesus’ message did not focus on Himself or His birth but on the coming Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14–15; Matthew 6:33) and a way of life based on His laws (John 14:15). It will be His government that will bring peace and justice to this troubled world (Isaiah 9:6–7) as He rules from Jerusalem with His saints (Revelation 5:10; 11:15–18; Isaiah 2:2– 4). The biblical Holy Days are designed to keep us mindful of God’s Great Plan of Salvation for all mankind (Leviticus 23). The mission of God’s Church is to proclaim the knowledge of that plan to all the world before He returns (Matthew 24:14). The time is coming when the pagan-based revelries of December will give way to the true Holy Days of God and what they picture for all mankind and for all time. 

Have a profitable Sabbath, 
Douglas S. Winnail

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Dave Pack Carries His Bible In His Head While Admitting He Can Be A Sadist To His Masochistic Lap Poodle Ministers



Did anyone ever tell us that Dave has mental health issues?

Dave Pack said the following in his recent sermon (from an anonymous source):


(Context: HWA's vision was getting so bad that he couldn't see his Bible during sermons, so just used what was in his head. DCP states that people aren't accustomed to that.)


"Because we're not going to pull out our Bibles much today, I'm going to…. We will later in the sermon, but not right away. But brethren listened in services in the synagogues when Paul would go. They didn't have a Bible they could take with them for centuries upon centuries and more after that. They sat there, and they listened. And they learned, as the word was preached to them.

Now, how many scrolls could Paul or Peter or others take to the synagogue or into a Sabbath service? You know, you walk up to a pulpit and I take this, what did they carry with them? They may have carried some things, maybe written out on a parchment, but they probably carried an awful lot in their head. I carry the Bible in my head in many ways that probably, uh, the average person who's newer in the faith and doesn't deal with it as much as I do maybe couldn't understand. Um, but uh, the Bible actually slows me down. I can explode through long strings of scriptures in my mind and put things together without the Bible, so, um, I hope you'll understand that.

And if you're older in the faith, you probably do that to some degree yourself. The two men I work with are the same, um. And, uh, I feel sometimes like a sadist when I'm working with them, 'cause we have to work so fast. And fortunately, God rewarded me with two assistants who are masochists, and, uh, so it works very well, works very well, but it is a quite a dynamic. You know, what's that old joke? What did the, what did the uh, the, the masochist say to the sadist when he met him? The masochist said, “Hit me, hit me!” And the sadist said, “No.” That was a way to be sadistic don't give ‘em what they want. Anyway, I thought that was a good joke when I heard it – I was ten years old and, and I've been telling it ever since. Obviously you can see that.

 


 

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Gerald Weston: LCG Members Forgetting They Will Soon Be God's Ruling In The Kingdom of God

 

It's another week in the Living Church of God and its members have screwed up once more. This time they are taking for granted that they have been called to send in money  to "do a work". After all, the fields are ripe for harvest" and LCG needs to swoop in and collect them before they go to Bob Thiel or some other COG group gets them.

Weston has been so well trained in the spinning of scriptures to fit Herbert's teachings about the kingdom of God that he failed to see that most Christians also know about it. Herb liked to tell us that Christians were only concerned about getting to heaven and not about this earth. However, a large percentage of Christians know full well what the kingdom of God is and most believe that it is their job as the church to bring that Kingdom of God to earth in this present age, to give people foretaste of that heavenly kingdom, one person at a time. They are all about bringing peace and grace to others, while COG leaders and ministers sit and cluck on about how great they are, how many people watch their programs and read their magazines, and how special they are in God's sight and yet do NOTHING for those around them.

Weston, like all COG leaders, love to spout numbers as if that is pleasing to God. Numbers can be and are manipulated to mean anything they want. It does not make any difference if 3,000, 4,500, 5,000. or 6,000 people "watched" one of their broadcasts or even responded. Weston wants you to believe that at least 18,000 new people have responded to their programs. Where are the numbers of those tens of thousands of people over the year that have actually become LCG members?  What are the numbers that became "co-workers"? What are the numbers of newly baptized people have they taken in who never had any contact with an Armstrongite theology? Those numbers could be counted on two hands.

Greetings from Charlotte, 

This week’s telecast is by Mr. Wallace Smith, “Just What Is the Kingdom of God?” It is so easy to take for granted this wonderful truth God has opened our minds to understand, whether we are new in the Body of Christ or whether we have been around for many years. I remember that when I first came to this knowledge, I saw it as simply changing the location of our eventual reward from heaven to earth. But the difference between the concept the world has of going to heaven and the world-ruling Family of God into which we may be born as sons and daughters of God—what we call the Kingdom of God—is as great as east is far from west. However, the longer we are the Church the easier it is for us to take this wonderful truth for granted. It is also easy to take for granted that we have been called now to do a Work, yet it has been exciting to see the progress in the Work over this turbulent year. Even this month, Mr. Cristian Orrego and Mr. Peter Nathan report that new groups are coming with us in Mexico and Africa. Last Sunday we learned that income is up in Jamaica, one more of many of our offices around the world where we see this trend. At the beginning of 2020, a good week saw over 3,000 responses to the telecast. Today, a good week is over 4,500 responses, and some programs have drawn more than 5,000 and one over 6,000. We have much to thank God for and much not to take for granted.—Gerald Weston


 

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Dave Pack, the Church of God and Willful Ignorance


 

Banned by HWA recently posted some commentary on a video produced by Dave Pack which purports to definitively answer the question: Does God Exist? In fact, Mr. Pack's video is only one of many offerings from the ACOG's on this topic - The founder of the movement, Herbert W Armstrong was the first of this tribe to discourse on the subject.

The problem with these offerings is that they almost always rely on false science - bits and pieces of real science which ignore anything that might contradict the point they are trying to make. This is often called confirmation bias in the real world. What is confirmation bias? According to Psychology Today, "Once we have formed a view, we embrace information that confirms that view while ignoring, or rejecting, information that casts doubt on it. Confirmation bias suggests that we don’t perceive circumstances objectively. We pick out those bits of data that make us feel good because they confirm our prejudices. Thus, we may become prisoners of our assumptions."

This phenomenon is closely related to the concept of willful ignorance. In defining the term, Urban Dictionary tells us: "The practice or act of intentional and blatant avoidance, disregard or disagreement with facts, empirical evidence and well-founded arguments because they oppose or contradict your own existing personal beliefs. This practice is most commonly found in the political or religious ideologies of 'conservative' Americans. Many times it is practiced due to laziness--people not wanting to have to do the work to rethink their opinions, the fear of the unknown, the fear of being wrong, or sometimes simply close-mindedness." In this connection, it is interesting to note that the author of the Second Epistle of Peter denigrated those who are "willingly" ignorant (see II Peter 3:5).

However, this kind of ignorance is not the exclusive property of Armstrongites or Christians in general. Unfortunately, it also very often afflicts the atheists and intellectuals who are fond of pointing out the cognitive dissonance and outright hypocrisy of their religious counterparts! Very often, these folks ridicule or dismiss the concept of FAITH (which should be the real basis of the true Christian's belief in things Divine).



And most students of the Bible know that the best definition of faith is found in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. As with many things biblical, however, the flowery old King James English sometimes gets in the way of comprehending the real import of what is being said. Please allow me to paraphrase those critical first three verses of the chapter: "Faith demonstrates the reality which underscores our hope - it is our EVIDENCE for the things that we cannot perceive or evaluate by the exercising of our human senses. Our forbearers shined through the expression of their faith (and we should not devalue their contributions to our understanding of these things). Faith is our tool for understanding that God created everything out of things which are also not readily perceived through our five human senses - it allows us to conclude that God is the source of all things without having all of the physical evidence at our disposal to reach that conclusion based entirely on our own observations." (see Hebrews 11:1-3)

It makes me sad when folks attempt to negate or dismiss things which they don't understand (and don't demonstrate any inclination/desire/willingness to understand). Unfortunately, most of us reach conclusions about things based on varying degrees of research and consideration (often little to none), and then we are finished with it. We have proven our belief(s) to our satisfaction, and everyone else be damned! The problem with this should be obvious to everyone. When we are no longer willing to explore and learn, when we close ourselves off to the possibility that others may be right (and we may be wrong), we have taken the path of willful ignorance. Is it really so terrifying to admit that we don't know something? Is God finite or infinite? Is God contained? Is God finished? What is the origin of our ability to learn? Can God learn? Can God grow? Is ignorance bliss? What do you think?

Lonnie Hendrix/Miller Jones

Monday, December 21, 2020

Philadelphia Church of God: A Breeding Ground For Unhappiness

...as if any of them ever did in the COG
 

There is one trait that Church of God groups have and that is their self-righteous indignation about everything they work overtime to find wrong with the world around them while their own houses are cesspools of spiritual wickedness and moral depravity.

The all-knowing purveyors of righteousness in the Philadelphia Church of God are ragging about "Universities" and how evil they are and how holy and righteous Herbert W Armstrong College is.

Rufaro Manyepa has an article up in The Trumpet about the evils of universities.

Going to university used to be considered the natural course of life for a young person. Acquiring a degree was the crowning achievement setting them up for a life of success. After all, having a degree meant making more money. But the data shows decreasing graduate salaries and rising non-graduate salaries.

In fact, having a degree is no longer even a guarantee of finding work. According to the Telegraph, graduates no longer stand out in a difficult jobs market in which degree certificates are commonplace. These grim circumstances, coupled with enormous student debt, are leading many graduates to be disillusioned with their lot.

Why are universities failing? Because the educational system as a whole is built upon the wrong foundation.

Late educator and namesake of Herbert W. Armstrong College wrote in his autobiography: “[T]he Bible is the very foundation of all knowledge—the basic concept as an approachto the acquisition of all knowledge—whether academic, scientific, historic, philosophical or otherwise. The Bible provides the missing dimension in education. Therefore, it must be the basis for all academic courses.”

Granted there is a lot wrong with universities and colleges today, but those I know that have been to university and graduated are upstanding people who contribute to their communities. They work to better their communities and the lives of those around them. None of them ever went to a Church of God "college".

What good has this "missing dimension in education" been in the Churches of God today? They have all produced a cadre of abusive ministers who have made the lives of church members a living hell. That superior education has also produced some of the most idiotic Pastor Generals, Overseers, Presidents, Apostles, Evangelists, and Witless Witnesses the church has ever seen. Well, unless you are an Overseer and you get your diploma from an Indian diploma mill then you are in a category all by yourself.

Herbert W. Armstrong College is built on the very same policy. A house built on a faulty foundation is bound to fall (Matthew 7:24-27). That is the problem facing the educational system of today. That is the reason why this world’s universities are churning out unhappy, dissatisfied graduates.

God’s college stands in stark contrast. It is built on the foundation of all knowledge, God’s Word, to teach students not just how to make a living, but how to live. The graduates from God’s college receive an academic, social, physical and spiritual education that trains not only intellect but also character.

A "house built on a faulty foundation is bound to fall". Let's look at that statement. The entire "house" that was Ambassador College/University failed. Three campuses were sold for pennies on the dollar. The very church behind them all imploded in the most ghastly manner imaginable and now we are confronted with hundreds and hundreds of bastard children of the mother church, all claiming they are the one true successor. So much for being inculcated with that true knowledge and living lives of integrity and good moral character! Does the church even have a leader today that has good moral character?

Facebook is filled with numerous COG related groups that are filled with thousands of ex-members who have shared their horror stories of what it was like being treated like dirt by COG ministers and leaders. They share their stories about how they were mistreated as children growing in the church and the spiritual damage it has wreaked in their lives.

On those Facebook pages, this blog, The Painful Truth, Exit and Support Network, As Bereans Did, and other worthwhile sites, there are hundreds and hundreds of horror stories from Philadelphia Church of God members and ex-members. The vile PCG doctrines and teachings that have wrecked people's lives, marriages, and families are shocking and continue to this day with students from their so-called college. Even PCG admits they have had a few "disgruntled" past students.

In its nearly two decades, only a tiny portion of Armstrong College graduates would claim to be unhappy. Unhappy students are certainly the exception rather than the rule. That would be a lofty achievement for this world’s universities. But even more ideal prospects loom for the entire world.

I find it hilarious that COG groups just cannot stand people who rebel against their abusive teachings and hold them accountable. 

The bleak circumstances surrounding today’s graduates will not last. Very soon, the world’s system of education will be abolished. There will be no more unhappy students, no dissatisfied graduates, no anxiety or worry among college students or the general population itself. God’s system of education, founded on right knowledge, will proliferate around this entire world. Never again will there be an unhappy graduate as all come into the knowledge of God and His way of life.

The bleak circumstances surrounding the PCG and many of the other COG's will certainly not last. Very soon, many, if not all to them, are bound for the dunghill where they belong upon. There will be no more unhappy members, no dissatisfied students, and no anxiety over whether or not they are pleasing the angry god of their leaders. The perverse personality cults that masquerade as God's very elect will be no more. None of the current leaders of ANY of the COG groups will ever again be able to destroy members' lives. 

What a glorious day that will be!