LCG wants its members to pay attention to prophecy, but considering the track record of prophetic failures in LCG through Rod Meredith and their mother church, the Worldwide Church of God, should you TRUST the Living Church of God telling you what prophecy means?
No one in any of the COG's has ever gotten anything right in the last 80 some years. Meredith never did. Bob Thiel still does not. Dave Pack has proven to be an epic failure. Gerald Flurry has not. Ron Weinland has not. John Rittengacugh has not. Alton Billingsley has not. Herman Hoeh did not. Dean Blackwell did not. Gerald Waterhouse most certainly did not.
There is not a man in any of the COG's that has gotten prophecy right, yet you must believe LCG as they are the only source of truth right now.
Pay Attention to Prophecy: Today, our world is filled with reports of violence, corruption, and other ominous events, and our daily lives are filled with multiple distractions—computers, emails, iPods, family, jobs, and other concerns. Yet, the Scriptures warn that Christians must be alert and watch for the convergence of specific events that will mark the end of this age and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The New Testament is filled with these warnings—see Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and more. We are watching the prophesied decline of the Israelite nations (Jeremiah 30) at the same time we are witnessing the rise of a more politically active Europe (Revelation 17), and we are hearing warnings from global observers and the Scriptures about potential triggers of a catastrophic nuclear war (Matthew 24:21–22). The convergence of these prophesied events should motivate us to grow spiritually, focus on finishing the Work, and prepare for roles we will play in the soon-coming Kingdom of God... so let’s watch and prepare to be ready!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
Ah yes, the potential to become gods and goddesses.
22 comments:
Reality is that prophecy, as it is used in Armstrongism and other cults, righteously Fs up members' lives. It is used manipulatively to cause members to modify their world view, attitudes, and behavioral patterns in ways that are very damaging to them.
Best solution that I've ever heard to remedy the prophecy problem in the ACOGs is for members to treat every prophetic statement made by their ministers as if it came directly from Nostradamus!
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Propets, yet the COGs scoff at the New Covenant command to keep your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus provides all the justification and sanctification needed for those united to Jesus to take their place in his Kingdom.
Instead, the COGs avert their eyes to Jesus and demand that you do the works of watching for their prophecies and preparing, in vague terms.
Thousands of people have died watching for the things HWA and RCM prophecied would happen in a few short years.
These people worked and worked at preparing but their COGs never gave them assurances that they had done enough,
Meanwhile, they missed their opportunity to focus on the beauty of Savior Jesus providing everything.
If you are a member of a COG, enter the Sabbath Rest by focusing your attention on Jesus’ work to make you righteous enough to enter the Kingdom and his work in sanctifying you.
All other GOG blabber serves to divert you from Jesus and his salvation.
The ACOGs have such a horrible track record relative to prophecy because their understanding of prophecy is founded on several FALSE premises. Their MISIDENTIFICATION of the English-speaking folks of the world as Ephraim and Manasseh causes them to interpret prophecies in ways that those prophecies were NEVER intended to apply. Likewise, their insistence on the dual application of many biblical prophecies (having both an ancient and present/future fulfillment) also causes them to misappropriate a number of prophecies. The failure of the ACOGs to consult Scripture for the interpretation of symbols used in the New Testament book of Revelation has also perverted their understanding of that book. They have also continually ignored Christ's clear statement that NO ONE knows the precise timing of God's future plans. Finally, their insistence on interpreting the Kingdom of God through the lens of a PHYSICAL and LITERAL kingdom instead of SPIRITUAL salvation through Jesus Christ has distorted many of their understandings of prophecy related to the Kingdom of God. In short, these distortions of ACOG interpretations of biblical prophecies have led to multiple prophetic failures and rendered their pronouncements in that regard extremely unreliable.
What these naive hucksters fail to realize is that "predicting the future" is not as easy as it sounds: there's actually an infinite set of vectors/possibilities at play on any given subject at any given point in time.
2 of the most important scriptures regarding our well-being are Matthew 24:4 and 2Thess 2:3. Whether you apply them to Armstrong nonsense, the covid scam, the political circus, or even to "Banned", be diligent! It's a lot of work. You are responsible for your own safety!
You can tell this is one of Doug's reruns (July 2011) because of his reference to iPods. Few people bother with iPods anymore, and Apple doesn't even sell them. But Doug apparently doesn't know that. How can anyone expect Doug to watch properly for prophecy when he can't even discern the world around him?
Sorry, Doug, but in 2022 most people play music and listen to podcasts on their phones. In fact, it's kind of weird that Doug dismisses iPods as a distraction when LCG makes podcasts and sermons and other materials available for people to play on their phones (and, yes, on their old, old, iPods). Does Doug think his own LCG materials are a distraction to be avoided? What a tool.
That reminds me what happened after the Challenger disaster - people were able to find quatrains of Nostradamus that "predicted" the event. This prophetic interpretation certainly didn't help anyone except the prophecy buffs. Like when Bob Thiel explains some disaster by finding a prophecy that "seems to predict" it - what Dennis calls Bob's "redictions".
The COG groups can't get prophecy right because Israel decentants are NOT America and Britain.
Anon 4:07 commented "predicting the future" is not as easy as it sounds
“It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
― Yogi Berra
Amen to all of the above comments. Absolutely true, but the leaders of these groups will NEVER admit any wrong, because it would nullify their entire life's purpose. Very similar to Adventism, who, if they would kick the uncompleted atonement and the investigative judgment to the curb, the people might actually have a chance to understand Scripture and receive the right Jesus as their Savior. I know, dream on.
Why do the cults have a need to claim the "only correct understanding" of prophecy, when all it does is leave members outside the Body of Christ?
The Coming Convergence
What's a decentant ?
We only have 10 or 15 years left! -- Rod Meredith in about 1960.
We only have 10 or 15 years left! -- Rod Meredith in about 1960.
I was in Global in 1995, and dutifully wrote down Rod's statement that Christ would return in "10 to 15" years. For this, I am eternally grateful to Rod. After the Feast of Tabernacles in 2010 I left LCG with a clear conscience.
why would anyone in their right mind believe a COG leader or minister when they talk about prophecy? Every single one of them are lairs, including Bob Theil and David Pack.
Doug Winnail, $profitable$ every day of the week, via Fear Religion wrote:
"...The convergence of these prophesied events should motivate us to grow spiritually, focus on finishing the Work, and prepare for roles we will play in the soon-coming Kingdom of God... so let’s watch and prepare to be ready!..."
A movie, The Coming Convergence, was available not too long ago this year telling us about what is currently happening, but in a far more interesting, convincing, manner than Doug writes.
But, that aside, why all of that focus on SELF, GET for SELF, Doug?
$Profitable$ Doug, what happened to the focus on the following words of scriptures? Aren't these a focus in your Book, and forget about that MMM while you are at it!
"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:18 Huh?
"For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Hebrews 4:3 And that is no reference to Doug's $profitable$ Sabbath rest for SELF!
"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:" Phil 1:6
"...He hath made us accepted in the beloved." Ephesians 1:6
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;..." 2 Cor 5:19
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"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
"But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand." Isaiah 64:8
John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Doug, it appears that God, not SELF and Fear Religion, has a lot more to do with the salvation of mankind, and subsequent destruction of Satan and his angels, than any of that focus you put on SELF! And you continue to repeat, and repeat, and repeat. Are you,unlike the Apostles Peter and Paul, running "in vain," especially if you continue taking glory to SELF, and teaching others to follow suit: paying so much attention to SELF, and on paying attention to that pretend Mickey Mouse Millennium with you and all of your little helpers reigning 1,000 years on earth with "another Jesus?" Why not learn to focus on The God, not another Jesus as some "God of the Old Testament," who has a perfect Plan of Salvation for all of us while we learn to hate evil (Ps 97:10 "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:..." and
Pr 8:13 "The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.), but...
Time will tell...
John
It's a typo. I was pretty tired due to working long hours from Thrusday...
Well, someone much wiser than I once sang "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls."
Well, someone much wiser than I once sang "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls."
Unfortunately, for as long as they live, we will never hear the sound of silence from these deceitful and greedy preachers.
Whenever I start to see them being persecuted by the Roman system or Roman Catholic Church like the Waldensians, Cathars Albergensians.. etc. then they might be the ones that fit. Worldwide failed as an inside job, not from some persecution.
On one hand, they cry about America is falling; then on the other hand, they want Christ to come, meanwhile talking about the great tribulation all the time. They are wishywashy. They love the world and their titles.
I have a prophecy for the COGs: As their population ages out, they will decline into deeper obscurity. Silent Gen, and baby boomers are the main demographic that consumed the revered demigod HWA’s marketing. There is some Gen X that latched on to the marketing as well. Even fewer yet are some older millenials. As the older generations eventually come to their end so will the splinters in their current form. Looking back on HWA’s marketing is going to be a progressively weirder experience as time marches on.
Response to Anon 4:31
yep, the marketing will also depend on America's economy which continues to go down. Like what was said earlier, their marketing was pretty good back in the 50's through the 70's, as America's economy was thriving after WWII. The babyboomers ended up being the luckiest generation in terms of inflation, factory jobs, loans, housing wealth etc. But the younger generations will have and are having a much more difficult time giving in the COGs old covenant system of tithing and offerings.
The babyboomers (NOT ALL) don't care about the complexities, they are greedy.
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