The boys in Charlotte are concerned about a new Danish law that requires sermons spoken in a language other than Danish to be translated and submitted to the state for approval. Since LCG considers itself to be a religious minority, they see this as a direct assault on their freedom to say anything they want. We saw where that freedom went when Meredith's sermons drove Terry Ratzman over the edge and to start shooting up one of their churches.
This will certainly send the Great Bwana Bob Thiel into a homeopathic knicker twisting frenzy as a sure sign the Beast is rising up in Europe to persecute the Church of God. Oh, wait, the Living Church of God says the same thing. No surprise there. Persecution is always at the doorstep ready to throw LCG members into concentration camps and hang their children from meathooks, at least those who are Laodiceans.
Danish Law vs. Religious Freedom: A new law under consideration in Denmark would require all sermons not given in the Danish language to be translated and submitted to the state (The Guardian, January 31, 2021). According to the government, the purpose of the new law is to “enlarge the transparency of religious events and sermons in Denmark, when these are given in a language other than Danish”—ostensibly part of an attempt to combat growing Islamic extremism.
However, many are concerned that the proposed legislation represents extreme governmental overreach that would squelch freedom of religious expression—as it impacts all religious minorities in the country, not just Muslims. In addition, many fear that, if the law is passed, it will “be replicated elsewhere in Europe at a time when religious minorities were generally finding their freedoms being encroached upon.” At this time, it is unclear whether translated sermons would need to be submitted before or after they are given.
Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of thought are all central tenets of Western civilization—and have been for centuries. These fundamental freedoms have allowed the Church of God to freely preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to nations all over the world (Matthew 28:18–20). However, Bible prophecies indicate that the freedom to preach the truth of Scripture will be greatly restricted as we approach the end of the age (Amos 8:11–12). Bible prophecies also reveal that a European “beast” power will emerge that will control not only trade but even religious ideas and teachings. The newly proposed Danish law could be a small foretaste of what is coming in the years ahead. For other important insights into Europe’s future, be sure to read The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon- Coming Reality?
Never fear though, Doug Winnail is back with warm fuzzy Happy Sabbath thoughts on the value of suffering through trials.
The Value of Trials: Trials are never pleasant. Yet, when trials come, it is important to maintain a godly perspective (Isaiah 55:8–9). The Bible reveals that God allows us to experience trials to accomplish His purposes. Job was a “blameless and upright” man “who feared God and shunned evil,” yet he encountered a sudden series of tragic reverses because God was working out a purpose in his life (Job 1–2). Jesus and John the Baptist did not suffer and die because they sinned. They each had an important role to play in God’s plan, and their lives ended when they had fulfilled God’s purpose. We can be confident when trials come if we remember that God cares for each of His children (Matthew 10:29–31) and that God is molding and fashioning each of us for a much bigger purpose (Philippians 1:6). We also need to remember God’s promises: that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), and that God will “make the way of escape” when we look to Him during our trials (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is why James wrote that we can rejoice as we endure trials, so we can learn lessons as we see God’s purpose for our trials (James 1:2–4).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
19 comments:
There's an easy solution to this problem. When speaking to Danish LCG members, give your sermons in Danish!
I can foresee Bob Thiel reacting to this if he hasn't already.
Yep! Bob will copy the info from here and post it as if a secret source sent it to him and then he will riff on it with more of his stupidity. This is the kind of conspiracy crap Thiel thrives upon.
Don't pick on old Doug - Richard Ames is also living in the past.
In his latest magazine articel:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHRISTIANITY OF CHRIST?
Do you know where God’s true Church is today? Can you find it among the thousands of denominations claiming to be Christian?
The real question should be: Can you find it among the hundreds of denominations claiming to be Church of God?
"All things work together for good to those that love God.' Romans 8:28. As a matter observation, this is simply not true. It trivializes sin and ignores the efficacy of evil. A proper translation of Romans 8:28 should be something like "God will be with us in all our trials.'
Doug gets John the Baptist wrong as well. John did not die because "he fulfilled God's purpose." He died because he criticized Christ for not delivering him from prison. God granted him his request by allowing him to be beheaded. John blundered here. Most apostles, including Joseph spent time in prison. This was part of their training so that they could comprehended how precious freedom is. A big contrast to the ACOG ministers who sneer at rights. John will get a lesser reward in the kingdom because he chickened out of his trial.
COG sermons can't be written down. The ministry wings it as they go and probably don't know how the sentence they just began will end. Too big a discipline for any COG minister. Of course the Danes probably think how difficult could it be to write a 15 minute sermon not knowing we're not talking here about 15 minute sermons.
Try writing down any of Dave Pack's daily sermons to the gyrating and read it back to yourself, it would make absolutely no sense written either.
I believe the law is directed at radical Islamic preaching but COGs? Same concern.
Submitting their sermons in writing should not be a problem. They have been repeating the same thing for the past 30 or more years. Just number them 1-10 and then the speaker can just select a number. They have not had a new idea since Herbie died. Of course Herbie said the same thing about the two trees for years.
Jim-AZ
Didn't Herbert Armstrong have to submit his radio messages in Oregon to someone for approval - especially during World War II?
Don't recall him making a bit "censorship" fuss about it.
COG sermons can't be written down. The ministry wings it as they go and probably don't know how the sentence they just began will end. Too big a discipline for any COG minister
So true. It was the rare speaker in WCG/UCG/COGWA that could give a coherent message. Most of them just sort of wandered around. Even if they had points oftentimes those points never really tied together.
Didn't Herbert Armstrong have to submit his radio messages in Oregon to someone for approval
I talked about this with a minister once - not sermons, but his radio scripts had to be vetted by wartime censors.
If HWA's radio scripts were anything like his PT articles (predicting the demise of the USA) I'm sure he would have been blocked and would possibly be under suspicion for treason.
@ Anonymous 4:23: You'd be surprised how many speakers in COGWA do NOT "wing it."
Attend services for awhile, and you'll find it can be the opposite - as speakers read prepared typed-out speeches, with some doing it better than others.
Hi Hoss.
In the past I commented that HWA was part of the government effort to scare war wary and internally focussed Americans to engage in European affairs by painting the assyrian image.
Remember, this was the time Roosevelt could not get Americans to even support the British, let alone the communists nd Germans would not be able to buy and sell houses in America.
Then we have a propagandist on radio telling a narrative on german invasion in the East and yellow invasion in the West.
Many defenses in New England but NO engagement in another European war was the strategy.
Before WWI Americans got very scared for "European" invasion in California and Texas and scrambled after the Zimmermann telegram.
In the 1940 PT, HWA, writes he has maps on his desk for a German invasion into the Ukraine,months before the Ribbentrop accords became null and void and the USA was going to support Stalin.
Nck
Exactly!
I wish that every country would do that with every sermon from every COG! Maybe then would they all get exposed for what they really are: cults!
During WW2 , Armstrong had to submit copies of his radio program for review. His predictions of imminent American losses were censored.
Doug shouldn't talk about trials considering he has been a major source of trials on members in LCG. All one has to do is look at all the dogs, trash and weeds he's allowed into the ministry in LCG.
Denmark is not the only nation that's doing something like this. Austria is not only requiring sermons by Muslim mullahs to be in Austrian, they're also requiring that all Koran's used by Muslims be in Austrian as well. If they don't comply, the mosques will be closed. So the LCG morons shouldn't piss, moan, and wail about there situation.
Ribbentrop pact was recognized as not being of much value. Hitler invaded Poland shortly afterward and the USSR did the same. I'm not sure when this PT article was published in 1940, but in June 1940 Stalin had already broken the terms of the pact by invading Bukovina, it took another year I believe for the agreement to become voided. So, the terms had been broken before the pact was voided.
2:13
HWA also talk about Ukraine invasion months before the Molotov - Ribbentrop pact itself.
Including detailed maps.
In 1941 he repeats this
Hitler's bold plan is clearly revealed in
a German MAP, discovered just prior to
or1 Nazi party headquarters in that country.
This map showed Hitler’s Timetable for
conquering Europe, before taking America
and the rest of’ the world.
As sdiedulcd in this map vprio~~ COWtries were to be talcen wet? thru power diplomacy or by war, as follows:
1938: Spring, Austria; Fall, Czechoslovakia.
1939; Spting, Hungary; Fall, Poland.
1940: Spring, Jugoslavia; Fd, ”lumaninn, Bulgaria.
1941 : Spring, France, Switzerland,
BeJgiunt, Holland, Denmarl:; Pall, Russian
Ukraine.
This is amazing when it is considered
that this map was drawn up before any bf
these countries had been taken,-and in fact
a copy of this map was in the ofice of The
PLAIN TRUTH prior to the start of the
war !
In the 1940's 2 years BEFORE Pearl Harbor he speaks about the conquering of the Dutch Indies by Japan.
But it doesn't matter if HWA was right or wrong years before, that is not my point at all.
My point is. This is all WAY before the general American public opinion even got aware that there was such a thing as (war in) Europe let alone engage in such a "domestic" quarrel.
nck
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