From LCG Skeptic
This past week, Gerald Weston gave orders that all LCG congregations must lock their doors shut as soon as services begin and remain locked for the duration of services. There are rumors that someone may have threatened them. We all know about the shooting years ago…
Or it could be another form of control on their part to make sure everyone is there on time. It seems more and more people come in late now.
Does anyone know anything about this? Weston hasn't even explained to the area "pastors" the reason for doing this. Nothing like being open with "the brethren".
25 comments:
Weston has become increasingly irrational in the last few months. But I'm skeptical of this report, as LCG meets in rented facilities that need to obey regulations enforced by the Fire Marshal of the local area. If anyone reading this attends an LCG congregation where this locking up is being done, I urge you to contact your local Fire Marshal and have LCG prosecuted for violating the law and putting brethren at risk of injury or death.
Well, I think it's hilarious when any of the splinter groups do stupid things like this. But then again, I believe we should use every tool available to us to empower Gamaliel. Seems like these door lockers are some of the internal players working for Team Gamaliel!
The local fire regulations are an interesting point, because LCG isn't the only group to lock their doors during services. I've heard of localized instances of this going on in other groups. In some cases someone is assigned to stay near the doors to let people in or out if need be.
They used to do it in my local congregation all the time, up until they were threatened to be reported; and there hadn’t been a direct threat or anything, they were just being paranoid with the constant desire for persecution
It really is an issue for the SC and Fla congregation. Rumor has it that over a year ago they were threatened by a mentally disturbed person. Weston is not being irrational. That is one one of reasons that I chose to worship at home. The ministry does not like it but then again they don't pay my bills. It is a real threat out there for those congregations.
It is not a fire marshal issue, just simply for the safety of the brethren. Where I attended there was not much of a lock. And we had a police officer give us tips on what to do. I never felt safe in that building after and never ever will again.
Given what happened at LCG Milwaukee, as well as many houses of worship since then (Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, TX, etc.), this is not "irrational."
It's a smart security move - and a sad sign of our times in the U.S. This happens in Christian congregations in other countries, as well.
I'd think whoever rents halls gets approval from managers first, as a courtesy.
But around here, skeptics are gonna, well, skepticize...
In todays increasingly dangerous environments, this makes a lot of sense. Schools lock their doors too.
Remember, LCG had the tragic Milwaukee shooting a number of years ago at church. All churches of any type are considered to
be "soft targets" and should have written security protocols.
Locking bad guys OUT is to be expected. Locking brethren IN crosses a line of cult excess.
Imagine driving over an hour to get to service and you’re a tad bit late due to some circumstance and they lock the door and keep it locked.
I guess their god is not able to protect them. Faith in that cult only applies when talking about doctors and using medicine. Not so much when talking about being protected from the evils in the world.
Not justifying anything, but when you meddle in peoples lives as most of these splinter groups "so called ministers" have done, your bound to hit the wrong nerve with someone.
Someones marriage was probably meddled in, and it caused an uneeded divorce.
I can imagine a scenario where if something is amiss and members and ministers are not informed as to the nature of the beast, and something actually happens, trouble for HQ.
If I was still involved in a Church and this came up without explanation, I'd stay home until I got one.
I seem to remember that during the "Rebellion of 1974", the Worldwide Church of God did the same thing at my local Washington D.C. congregation. Pastored by Regional Director Ken Westby, the region was a hotbed for the "rebellion" and the new regime which HQ Pasadena sent in to replace Westby kept the congregation under lock and key until they could figure out who "the dissidents" and who the HWA loyalists were. Perhaps history is repeating itself and LCG is bracing itself for what the world needs now--- another Armstrong splinter group!
Richard
There are definitely things to criticize about LCG, but I don't think this is one of them. Many security experts now recommend doors be locked during church services for the safety and security of those inside. Many churches (inside and outside of the COG community) simply assign someone to sit near the door to let in latecomers or, if the doors can't be locked, have a security team to keep a watch if any potentially dangerous intruders enter. I'm not sure I'd want to attend a church that didn't take these kind of precautions for the safety of their members. It's sad that it has to be that way, but it's the reality of the world we live in.
I know that at the feast site in Branson, MO....if you wanted to attend one of their services and you weren't registered to be there (if you were with another COG group and you wanted to visit, maybe spend time with family or visit friends) you had to call a phone number, speak to an elder (to be vetted), and then he'd decide whether or not to give you the actual location services were being held. So....you had to pass their sniff test. Something is going on inside LCG. They're trying everything they can to hold on to power and control over their membership. It didn't work for PCG or RCG, looks like LCG is heading down that same path.
Some here are right that LCG needs to be cautious, but the steps they are taking are for something more dire than they are letting on.
I work for a large church that has active shooter drills, disruption of services, earthquake, explosion, etc., regularly with the local Police Department. Locking people in is a human safety issue that can lead to serious repercussions with LCG. If a church is prepared for such issues the doors are always open and your first line of defense is the eyes and ears of greeters and ushers. Given that almost all COG's are now well under 100 people in attendance, and usually less than 50, it is easy to see who is a loner, stands out, or is an outsider.
Considering this is a COG the chances are proportionally higher that it may be a disgruntled member than any outside person or hate monger
I was in Big Sandy a few years ago in church and was standing in the back when church was starting. A deacon at the time came up to me and said is there a reason you are standing back here? My response was because I want to. Also UCG in Big Sandy locks their doors and they patrol during services.
If it’s for safety, they are better off posting the exits and keeping the pathways clear. Maybe even making announcements about where your nearest exits are. This is cult stuff. Control, control, control…
Exactly. Imagine the shooter is a member inside like in Milwaukee. Everyone is locked in.
There are other things that are happening at LCG. I have heard they are looking at a policy that members can't associate with members of other COG groups too. Seems like Weston is showing himself to be quite the tyrant.
I imagine that’s only a matter of time
If your ACOG is locking you into services, I'd recommend bringing a large mason jar, or one of those orange plastic buckets from Home Depot to services for your bathroom needs. If you did it back in the corner, nobody would accidentally see. Wouldn't be that big a deal because Armstrongite women are used to breast feeding and nobody gets offended.
They have has a "soft" policy in the past- depending on the pastor. Generally they will "advise" against it or say its a bad idea. But if they have a hard policy, then they are becoming more and more like PCG/RCG by the day.
This is an odd paradox; on one hand, it appears that LCG leaders do care about the physical safety of their members, yet on the other hand, they have historically refused to teach their members about the salvation issues of grace and justification.
Of course, the LCG leadership does not care enough about the members to honestly, openly discuss specific or general safety threats they face.
LCG will never engage the members in a decision making process, even one related to personal safety.
LCG doesn’t trust the people to be of any value to short term or long term solutions; on the contrary, perhaps LCG fears the decisions members would make regarding their own safety.
Maybe LCG is worried that an informed membership would stay home, and that would result in a hit to their income.
That fear would cohabitate cozily with their theology of withholding the righteousness Jesus seeks to bestow on believers, as well as salvation being a free gift of grace.
Both the keeping people safe enough to continue attending and withholding present security in salvation completely provided by the work of the Savior are aimed at keeping the money rolling in.
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