One thing Armstrongism was good at was segregating people into "us vs them" categories, but its biggest epitaph was to calls someone a 'Gentile" which quickly translated into an "unconverted" person. COG members were enlightened and chosen by God while all others were not called and were labeled as Gentile, particularly those of color and those assumed to not be part of the British Israelism belief the church clung to in order to make itself special and better than others.
There is one book of the Bible that irritates COG leaders the most and that is Galatians. Nothing makes their legalism look more stupid and silly than this book. They particularly do not like Gal 3:28 as it puts everyone on an even playing field, though this doesn't stop the Great White Bwana and Chief Overseer from labeling his black followers as Gentiles, i.e Black...the other.
The CCOG has nearly 6,000 Gentiles, which compares to about 300 or so in early 2014. CCOG has been the fastest growing x-WCG COG in the 21st century.
Sadly, many people are affected by prejudices and other factors which stop them from acting on the truth and supporting the reaching of the Gentiles. Many also seem to dismiss that we are reaching tens of millions on non-Gentiles with our internet presence and programs.
Jesus taught that the end does NOT come until the ‘Gospel of the Kingdom of God‘ reaches enough nations (Matthew 24:14) and, based on Paul’s writings, we also see that “the full number” (as the NIV, NLT, BSB, CEV, GNT, HCSV, ISV, and NET Bible, put Romans 11:25) of Gentiles God wants in this age come in.
Notice also the following that Paul wrote which points to Gentiles, and then those of Israel:
25 As He says also in Hosea:“I will call them My people, who were not My people,And her beloved, who was not beloved.”26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,‘ You are not My people,’There they shall be called sons of the living God.”27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,The remnant will be saved. (Romans 9:25-27)
In CCOG we are reaching Gentiles and non-Gentiles (cf. Romans 9:27, 11:23-24; see also What is the Ezekiel Warning?).
We have done this in person and over the airways, as well as reaching over 100 million computers/talbets(sic)/cellular telephones in 2021.
And that is part of why we have been the fastest growing xWCG church in the 21st century.
Its interesting to notice that here is a guy who thinks his witness is to the House of Israel and the 12 tribes scattered around the world (at least according to COG mythology) and the guy is UNABLE to attract any Caucasian followers, except for a scattered 1 or 2 here and there, let alone any followers from ANY of the Churches of God. Instead he as to contend himself with "Gentiles" and "non-Gentiles" whoever they are supposed to be.
Bob may actually be doing all he can to better the lot of "his" African congregants, but because of the way in which he obtained his degree(s), his dog whistled "ordination" as a prophet, and the way in which he sets himself up as judge and jury over all the other ACOGs (guess that one's not so bad, we all do it too), the optics suggest that by claiming the African sabbatarian Christians who float amongst CCOG and other sabbath keeping groups, he has found a way to artificially equalize himself and his importance with the other larger ACOGs which have superior resources.
ReplyDeleteThinly veiled sleight of hand.
In due course this ‘work’ will die a natural death.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad reading.
It would be very interesting to see what the media and social activists would make of this if it became widely known he referred to ‘his followers’ on the African continent as ‘Gentiles’.
Armstrongism at its worst.
Even a causal reading of the gospel accounts casts an illuminating light on his ‘theology’. And how far removed it is from the church spoken of in scripture.
I didnt know COGs were measured by their whiteness.
ReplyDeleteAnother passage from Galatians that the WCG hated was that the law of Moses was in place UNTIL the Messiah came. To continue to observe the Law of Moses, as the Jews do, is to deny that the Messiah came in the form of Jesus. They also like to talk about the idea that only a few are called in this age. John 6:44, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. They ignore John 12:32, "But I, When I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.
ReplyDeleteAll men, regardless of nationality, ethnic group, etc.
....... he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector - Mat 18:17 ASV. Applicable to Bob?
ReplyDeleteI believe in 1977 Herman Hoeh was a visiting minister at one of the (government mandated) "black" Feastsites.
ReplyDeleteHe started his sermon with the topic name. "Why do We Gentiles get/ or have to keep the Feast?"
Which was a pun relating to his German ancestry.
Nck
Everyone is "racist" to some degree. Hell, I can't stand anybody that isn't caucasian.
ReplyDeleteYou must be a "new" soul, 9:56! Old souls have been members of other racial groups in their past lives, and, although white in this lifetime, have a special affinity for those groups, to say nothing of empathy.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 9:56
ReplyDeleteThe term "caucasian" is obsolete. It does not seem to map to a race but to an appearance type that is mostly in the eye of the beholder. I think when White people use this term, they mean someone who looks like themselves. Caucasian does not have a biologically tight definition.
The problem is this, for instance. The British and the Norwegians are both White people and both classed in olden times as Caucasians. Yet one could argue that they are quite different races. The Scandinavians came to western Europe very early as a wave of hunter-gatherers. Then were then followed by a wave of agriculturalists. And finally, Europe was invaded by steppe pastoralists - the Indo-Europeans. One could argue that they are all White and all Europeans, so they are the same race. But genetically, where the truth resides, they are not the same people. The light-skinned Scandinavians are haplogroup I. The darker skinned agriculturalists are haplogroup G and the light-skinned pastoralists are haplogroup R. The Brits are late arrivals and are haplogroup R. Many Europeans are a combination of all three races plus a dash of Neanderthal. The genetic distance between R and I is large. They are different genetic races with a similar appearance. Different genotype but similar phenotype.
This also has cultural/historical impacts. It is now believed that the people who built Stonehenge were not the British Celts but were the early haplogroup I population (Scandinavians or some Southern Europeans). This is based on genetic analysis of excavated burials.
My guess is that you will not be able to stand Jesus when you meet him. Jesus looked more like a Mizrahi Jew or a Mexican or a Muslim or an East Indian (all have been considered Caucasians by the way). Jesus did not look like you in spite of a long tradition of biased western European portraiture of an Aryan Jesus. Good luck.
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Back in less enlightened times, some folk used to apply their own set of criteria to determine who deserved to be called the good name for their race, and who actually embodied and should be called the derogatory one. In the spirit of that, 9:56 does not deserve to be called "Caucasian". He's a caukker!
ReplyDelete6:59, your racism is showing.
ReplyDelete