Friday, February 18, 2022

LCG: We Are Sighing And Crying For The Starving Children Around The World But Not Enough To Help Them

 


LCG sends each week The World Ahead Ministerial Publication with items they think are related to prophecy happening before their eyes.

This week they have two items:

Eroding American-European Relations: The relationship between the United States and Europe has been suffering, especially since 2016, and contrary to what many hoped, it has not improved with the arrival of a new American administration in 2021. As the U.S. continues to pivot toward Asia, it also pivots away from Europe (Politico, January 10, 2022). Actions like America’s unilateral withdrawal from Afghanistan and the creation of the AUKUS security pact among Australia, the UK, and the U.S. have kept Europe on the outside. 2022 will put increasing pressure on the transatlantic partnership, as will the added stresses generated by Russia and China. 
 
Many Europeans are worried about the tenuous nature of American democracy. According to the Pew Research Center, “a median of only 18 percent of the publics in nine European nations believes that American democracy is a good example for other countries to follow.” A concerned New York-based foreign policy expert recently noted, it is no longer the sick man in Europe people are talking about, “it’s America that is the sick man.” 
 
It should be no surprise to see the eroding relationship between Europe and America and the rapid decline in respect for the U.S. Bible prophecy has long foretold that as we approach the end of the age, the influence of and respect for the Israelite-descended nations (such as the U.S., Britain, several western European nations, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and others) will dramatically fall, as their allies turn against them (Jeremiah 4:30) and they become the “tail” instead of the head (Deuteronomy 28:42–44)—events that will happen very suddenly (Deuteronomy 28:20; Isaiah 30:13). To learn more about what lies ahead for these nations, be sure to read “Sudden Calamities Ahead!” 

No news here. News publications around the world know this, but let's take Bible verses and assign them to stories we think fit our doom and gloom scenario. It works every time! Many fall for it.


Hunger Producing Premature Babies in Afghanistan: Since the U.S. and coalition forces pulled out of Afghanistan and the Taliban regained control, hunger has dramatically increased in that nation (Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2022). Half the country’s population—about 20 million people—are facing conditions of acute hunger as the economy continues to collapse following the Taliban takeover and the Western sanctions that have followed. While Taliban officials blame drought from God for the famine, there are additional challenges. Relief efforts are complicated by the sanctions and the government’s lack of international recognition, and the Taliban has focused most of its resources toward military control rather than relief efforts. Food prices are soaring, and many must choose between food, fuel, or medicine. 
 
Extreme hunger has many consequences. Pregnant mothers are giving birth prematurely to babies with very low birth weights. “The Wardak provincial hospital’s director in Maidan Shahr, Muhammad Nadir Rahmani, said the hospital is seeing the birth weight of babies reduce alarmingly, as the bodies of malnourished mothers are unable to carry their children to full term.” Many of these little ones are too premature to live. Breastfeeding mothers who lack food lose their milk supply and cannot feed their own infants. As one mother said, “We have always been poor, but things have gotten so bad I don’t have words to describe it. 
 
Many other nations around the globe, especially in the horn of Africa, are also experiencing extreme hunger (UN News, February 8, 2022). Sadly, it is often the youngest who are hardest hit. While many in the Western world suffer from “first-world problems”—such as not having their favorite brand available at the grocery store—those in developing nations are far worse off. Such conditions should move us to “sigh and cry” for the suffering we see in the world around us and pray that God will hasten the return of Jesus Christ to set up the Kingdom of God that will bring peace and abundance—and an end to hunger. To learn more about signs of the end of the age, be sure to read “The Black Horse of Famine.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater

LCG could give some of their precious tithe money to relief organizations that can help these starving children, but no, let's tell them that Jesus is coming to fix the problem.

LCG could send money to relief organizations that deliver dried milk and water to feed these children, but no, let's tell them about how Jesus is coming to fix it at some point in the future.

LCG could send money to deliver rice, corn, and other dried food staples to these people, but no, let's tell them about our Jesus, whom we rarely talk about, that will be coming to fix this all at some point in the distant future.

All of those starving children will appreciate this news so much!

What LCG should be doing, if they truly believed in that glorious kingdom to come they long for, is to share that excitement and help that kingdom break forth in a hurting world and help others. But it cannot and will not because it only looks inward seeking to draw in co-workers with money to fund their lackluster tv programs and youtube videos. Giving hurting people a foretaste of that glorious kingdom is not a priority. Never has been.

Well, I do have to admit, they DID mention Jesus in the next to last sentence. Priorities matter.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

To much talk, and not enough walk.

jim said...

One of the worst teachings in the COGs is "the coming kingdom of god". Now, this is not to say that the actual Kingdom of God is not a wonderful thing. This Kingdom recognizes the current lordship of Christ in our lives and His grace and salvation to believers. And this also includes the glory of Christ's second coming.

But, in the hands of the COGs it is largely poison. As evidenced by their actions, it allows the COGs to care very little for those around us today or to associate with Christians outside the COGs. They can sigh for the hurt of others and wring there hands while talking about this simply being satan's world, but that some time in the future all will be set right. So, those that are currently suffering just need to wait till they die in this physical life and are raised up in the kingdom. According to the COGs, fake Christians who are actually striving to help others will be taught that they were fake Christians and in need of the Law (of course the COGs would say they really need Christ and He will teach them how they needed the Law which is really the parts of the Law that HWA decided were valid today). Except for the HWA part, this was explicitly stated this past year in cogwa; the HWA part is true but they obviously avoid that issue.

In the minds of those in a strictly forward looking religion, the practitioners can absolve themselves of responsibility for others today.

TLA said...

It is ironic that the COGs teach that their members will be rulers and teachers in the Millenium helping people recover and then lead prosperous lives.
But they expect the members to just pay and pray - no hands on training for their future lives.

Anonymous said...

Feed My Starving Children is at least doing this work. LCG could volunteer with them and do some actual good in this world.

Anonymous said...

The cost of just one bottle of Mario Hernandez's hair dye could provide basic nutrition to a starving African child for 8-10 weeks.

Phinnpoy said...

Jesus said, the kingdom of God is among you. I. Matt. 25:41-46 tells us what the children of the kingdom should be doing right now. To the best of my knowledge, none of the ACOG's ever did anything remotely as individuals or groups to fullfil the positive things said in that chapter.

Anonymous said...

Listen the gospel is hope for a better future.

Anonymous said...

—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater wrote:

"...Such conditions should move us to “sigh and cry” for the suffering we see in the world around us and pray that God will hasten the return of Jesus Christ to set up the Kingdom of God that will bring peace and abundance—and an end to hunger. To learn more about signs of the end of the age, be sure to read “The Black Horse of Famine.”..."
******
Cry and Sigh? We've been hearing that phrase, like the very soon "second coming" of Jesus Christ phrase for decades from the days of the former WCG and HWA. Ask Doug Winnail!

For one thing, for decades, on a daily basis approximately 30,000 to 40,000 children worldwide have been dying b/c of a lack of food and unsanitary living conditions. That's daily for decades! Why the big deal now?

And that Mickey Mouse Millennium (saying "another Jesus" will very soon return to earth and reign for 1,000 years) Scott and his dad still believe in. Why continue to call God the Father and His Son liars? Lots of scriptures state Jesus will be at His Father's right hand until all enemies have been subdued, and Satan is loosed from the pit after 1,000 years to cause deception, war, etc. again! Did Jesus Christ lie to us?

God already has a plan and has no reason to "hasten" up the timing to please you.

Yes, thanks to God's Plan He knows how and when famines will come to an end and when that everlasting peace will be a reality on earth.

Will anything those of the living group encourage God to hasten the return of Jesus Christ?

Time will tell...

JOhn

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 12:21 is correct, the price of just one bottle of Mario's hair make-up would go a long way toward feeding a starving child.
If LCG also threw in the price of Doug and Scott Winnail's monthly hair dye and coiffure, some serious suffering could be relieved.
If the very portly Council of Elders repented from their gluttonous greed, entire villages could be fed.
The vanity and greed of LCG makes them the foolish virgins, in the dark, blind and careless to all that's happening around them.

Anonymous said...

While the level has thankfully, pretty much wound down, there still remain a collection of fairly average people who believe they have been exposed to the message of the end time Elijah, when in fact, they have been scammed by Fert-Elijah.

The things we are witnessing around us, the horrific effects of climate change, a disease pandemic, the exacerbation of already existing political and social unrest, and the economic effects of it all will soon further expose Armstrongism as a movement inspired by a poseur, a know-nothing. What we see around us will not culminate in what Armstrongism has preached that it would, just as it did not as a result of World War II, or the Cold War. We may be in for some rough sailing for a while, and it could become very ugly. But, it will not be fulfilling for Armstrongism, and for the Armstrongites who need validation for their lives of often extreme sacrifice to a man with an imaginary mission. As we witness the clowns all vying for a meaningless mantle which would supposedly prove that only they are the true heir of HWA, keep this in mind. These franchisees are just as clueless as their mentor who started it all, a savant who had the intuition to realize that in the midst of a depression, a philosophy which cost him no money whatsoever could be lucrative beyond his finest expectations, a man who died with the most toys and actually won. That is what it was all about, and it ended with him. There was no Elisha to Herbert W. Armstrong's Elijah, and never will be.

Anonymous said...

The Afghans soldiers surrendered as soon as the Taliban attacked. The blood of their dying babies, and the famine in their country is on their cowardly heads.

Anonymous said...

If LCG also threw in the price of Doug and Scott Winnail's monthly hair dye and coiffure, some serious suffering could be relieved.

If Doug would sell his cowboy boots, the ones he has worn to Sabbath services, he could feed a child for months. Doesn't it bother Doug that ordinary members wearing cowboy boots to services have been told to go home and change into something Sabbath-appropriate? But Doug gets to wear whatever he wants. One standard for me and another for thee. That's the LCG way.

Anonymous said...

Anon, Friday, February 18, 2022 at 8:32:00 PM PST, said:

"The Afghans soldiers surrendered as soon as the Taliban attacked. The blood of their dying babies, and the famine in their country is on their cowardly heads."
******
Would a god, The God, well, The God of the Bible, agree with your assessment to so easily blame/judge human beings for those deaths and famine? Is that death and famine wholly "on their cowardly heads," or might there be more to the picture than Scott Winnail and Francine Prater said (assuming they also wrote the 1st article)? Would Scott and Francine agree with you and also judge/blame the Afghans for death and famine as you have done? Would a Doug Winnail, a Vic Kubik, a Jim Franks, a Dave Pack, a Bob Thiel prophet falsely so-called, et al agree with you?

To my knowledge these all believe in a Mickey Mouse Millennium with "another Jesus" to very soon appear at some "second coming" to rule on earth for 1,000 years. Who wouldn't believe that? The former WCG via HWA taught such a thing for decades, and yet things just have not worked out "their way" yet; they still wait, but don't worry b/c it's "very soon," or is it? Why don't they all just join up together, as they have a lot in common.

These former WCG hirelings all like to demonstrate the fruit of boasters (one of many evil fruits according to Romans 1:28-31) to us of how they are to preach prophecy; they are to preach Jesus' very soon coming, that they have been so blessed to give out some commission to warn this world, Satan's world, about something.

They all seemingly turn a blind eye to verses such as follows:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]." Ephesians 6:12

"He that committeth sin is of the devil..." I John 3:8

"Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother..." I John 3:12

"And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Tim 2:26

"...The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy..." James 4:5

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." Luke 23:34

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;" 2 Cor 5:19

All of them former WCG hirelings may agree with your assessment, but based upon these above cited scriptures, would The God (Ton Theon) agree that: "The blood of their dying babies, and the famine in their country is on their cowardly heads"

If the former WCG hirelings, both Winnails, and Francine cannot see, nor understand, how the principalities of Ephesians 6:12 impact the minds of human beings, including their own minds, then perhaps they don't really believe in The God either.

Are they, like so many, driven by another spirit (James 4:5), which they may have received (2 Cor 11:4), in order to preach another god, another Jesus, another gospel (e.g. MMMillennium, very soon second coming, very soon 10 kings, anti-grace (Gal 1:5) gospel, etc.) and continue to wholly judge/blame human beings for all of the evils about us?

Time will tell...

John

P.S. And Anon, continue to stick with your convictions, unless and until you learn otherwise.

Anonymous said...

5.05 AM
John
I do not give a crap whether the ACOGs leaders agree or disagree with me. I am not like some child who needs the "big people" to validate my conclusions. You seem to have a soft on crime approach, and as is typically the case, harass those passing moral judgement.
Btw, the "forgive them for they know not what they do" in Luke 23:34 does not appear in early manuscripts. It appears to be a human tack on rather than inspired. It was probably added by someone like yourself.

Anonymous said...

Scott Winnail and his SO CALLED “News and Prophesy” is a TOTAL JOKE!! It is nothing more than FAKE NEWS!! A “Seal” has been opened and it WENT RIGHT OVER HIS HEAD!! (and the heads of his little sycophants!!) They are too busy feeding each other’s egos to see where they are going!!

Anonymous said...

Do tell about this “seal” that has been opened.

Anonymous said...

Anon, Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 11:30:00 AM PST, said:

"...
5.05 AM
John
...You seem to have a soft on crime approach, and as is typically the case, harass those passing moral judgement.
Btw, the "forgive them for they know not what they do" in Luke 23:34 does not appear in early manuscripts. It appears to be a human tack on rather than inspired. It was probably added by someone like yourself."
******
Why soft on crime? Was it b/c 2 Cor 5:19 was quoted?

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;"

God is working out a plan (Psalm 74:12) and He has planned to work out things such that He will not impute trespasses to this world. Is God soft on crime? Was Paul soft on crime? Do you believe the words of 2 Cor 5:19?

I didn't write those words, but I believe God did not lie to us when He inspired Paul to write them.

You mentioned that "...Luke 23:34 does not appear in early manuscripts."

If so, then what changes regarding the two thieves. They will be in God's kingdom, or Paradise as Christ called it. Is that being soft on crime? Forgiveness will be afforded to the two thieves, just like it will be afforded to you.

There are a lot of other things regarding things Jesus Christ said/did that could have been recorded and preserved for us, but God didn't allow it.

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." John 21:25

If Luke 23:34 isn't in the original, I did not know it. and whether the thieves knew or knew not what they did, the forgiveness is coming for them. They sleep now. The spirits of both thieves returned to God, and when they are resurrected there will be nothing to judge them for. Why not? Wages of sin were paid! How? By their deaths!

Of course, some of the former WCG hirelings (perhaps especially those who still believe and teach a Mickey Mouse Millennium of "another Jesus" soon to return and set up shop on earth for 1,000 years), who like to blame/judge others, may still want to judge/blame them and see at least one of them end up in some lake of fire.

For the time being you and I live in Satan's world, and we all sin, and like the two thieves, we, you and I, will pay those wages of death. How will you get around that? Will God have to be soft on crime in order to allow you to be counted worthy to be in God's kingdom, along with those two thieves?

Will you someday be thankful that God had a plan of salvation (and there is no self in salvation) to save this world, and forgive you, and subsequently destroy Satan and his angels?

Time will tell...

John