Brian Kaidannek: Ex-Restored Church of God Minister Dies

From an LCG source:

We received the news from LCG that Brian Kaidannek died earlier this week of a heart attack. He was 68. So far I can't find an online obituary. 

 

It might or might not be blogworthy, but his name came up within the past year. After Brian finished up at Nortel and then left LCG, he became a minister in RCG. Brian went from standing up for people and for what was right, and from never being a yes man, to one of RCG's dedicated zealous lackeys. He became more ministerial and one of RCG's yes men than the ones he had rightly criticized, and then he left RCG with his son Greg about a year ago.

We had the letter that Brian Kaidannek sent to Restored Church of God members about his resignation here:  Restored Church of God: Brian Kaidannek Letter On Why He Left RCG

Mr. Pack, who declared last Feast of Tabernacles that he was a prophet and had been for some time then went on to make a plethora of predictions of when Christ would return, none of which obviously came to pass. Yes, he has said he had never claimed God spoke to him, that is true. But brethren do not ignore the clear warning in Deuteronomy 18:22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” Many times, we have heard, “On God’s authority, I am right!” He HAS spoken Presumptuously! And then to say he was foretold to be wrong is just foolishness. We do not serve a God of confusion! Recently he has stated he is not a prophet. When one says they are a prophet they are either a true or false prophet and later claiming not to be a prophet becomes a mute point. Now again Mr. Pack claims to be Elijah and a whole plethora of other titles; and has once again predicted that we can’t go past Thursday, just before Trumpets. Again his prediction failed and he proved himself false. How can we sit at the feet of, and listen to, this false prophet?

And then the response from Restored Church of God to the letter:  Restored Church of God Letter on the Kaidannek Resignations

Though filled with error on even basic understanding, Greg Kaidannek’s letter is long and reasonably well written, proving much time and thought. He admitted thinking long and hard about writing it. Yet shocking to everyone here at Headquarters, he never uttered any concerns. The Headquarters’ contact for both of these men spoke with them biweekly. They had abundant opportunities to express disagreement or confusion but never did.

Greg Kaidannek’s portrayal of his time at Headquarters is flat wrong. As one who has been in scores of meetings, there is always a chance to ask questions. His problem was not questions; it was attitude. Personal spiritual issues (not prophecy) led to him being demoted in rank (which rarely happens) and given a field assignment over a small congregation. God is patient and merciful, so we hoped that this correction and re-assignment would help him develop the heart of a shepherd and learn to focus on others. His letter made it evident that he chose not to address his problems, but instead justified his transfer and allowed bitterness to set in.

Brian Kaidannek was fully aware of his son’s issues. He agreed this was the right move to help him. In private discussions at Headquarters, we were concerned that if Greg Kaidannek left, his father would follow him. Again, sadly, this proved accurate.

Crackpot Prophet's Book On Dating Making A HUUUUUUUGE Impact in Africa

 

How is it that we continually fail to see what a magnificent and important man Bob Thiel is? No human the history of the world and particularly in Christendom has had an impact in Africa such as he has. No one on the entire continent had ever heard the real truth till Bwana Bob hit the scene. At that moment the gates of heaven opened and the True Light shined down upon Bwana Bob's doubly blessed head and Africa knelt at his feet as the Great White Overseer come to tell them his truth.

Like any good Church of God leader, Bewana Bob has to stick his nose into every corner of the lives of his followers in Africa, even into their dating and sex lives. Though with their sex lives he treads lightly as polygamy is still an accepted practice by many there.

Like all white missionaries from the past, Bwana Bob the Chief Overseer is here to tell Africans how to date and they are lapping it up! Noting is more important to the Christian walk than to have some smug white American tell you just how things should be. That includes how Africans should be dating. 

Bwana Bob, like all of his fellow COG leaders, has never had an original thought in his head so he has to plagiarize and rewrite Worldwide CHurch of God literature and pawn it off as his own. His dreams can't keep up with his needs so he takes the works that others have done and repurposes it for his own edification.

The Bible teaches that “in a multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 24:6). Therefore, this book consulted many Church of God writings on courtship from ancient times to present. Such as a book originally published by the old Worldwide Church of God in 1969 titled “Modern Dating,” a series of articles in the 1987 editions of the “Good News” magazine, a 2003 article in Servant’s News, 21st century writings at COGwriter.com, and, most importantly, the Bible.

This new tome by the Great Bwana is so important that Africans are flocking to read it.

As far as dating goes, CCOG evangelist Evans Ochieng mentioned that our booklet, Dating: A Key to Success in Marriage, a practical dating guide for Christians, has been popular in Africa.

The proper translation to the above comment by Bwana Bob is that one little group of probably no more than 10 - 15 kids might be interested in his book, yet it is important for the Great Bwana to make it look like it is wildly important in Africa. 

One of his tidbits of "truth" states:

If you are dating to be seen, to be more popular, to get physical affection, or other selfish motivations, you are following the way of get.

Interesting comment considering how much Bwana Bob does and says is due to his constant need to be seen. He has an intense need to be popular in the COG so that people will flock to his group, but as usual, all of these deceived people are following the way of "get" and refuse to follow him. Everyone is so selfish!

When a gentleman asks a lady out, he is putting himself on the line - risking rejection and hurt feelings. By using charm and grace, a lady can promote a man’s self-esteem in a right way, even if she wants to (or has to) turn a date down. 

 

If you are a woman, be a gracious and truly feminine lady. Likewise, if you are a man, be a noble and masculine gentleman.

As usual in the COG movement, most of the responsibility lies at the feet of women so that the delicate egos of its men don't have to face rejection. Bwana Bob's blatant rejection by the ENTIRE COG movement is constantly simmering in his head and it carries over into what he writes. 

Like all other COG literature on the subject, you can tell it is written by a man. Its always from the man's point of view:

Women appreciate men who take the lead in the proper manner. Not on some macho kick, but truly showing thoughtfulness and consideration. Pulling out a chair, helping with her coat, opening the car door - these are but a few of the characteristics that make a man stand tall in a woman’s eyes. 

 

In the same way, men genuinely admire and appreciate a true lady - one who will respond and do her best to make the occasion he has planned for her successful.

And more words of wisdom:

Men and women are different emotionally. Men often accuse women of being over-emotional and irrational. Women frequently complain that men are demanding and insensitive. 

 

Because God’s morality has been more and more rejected, women sometimes say: “Where are the men? We just meet irresponsible, immature little boys - we never meet any real men!” The men counter: “Why don’t women stop being so aggressive and hard? Aren’t there any sweet, gentle, feminine women anymore?” 

 

Now, men should not be cavemen types, with no regard for a woman’s feelings, nor should women be spineless, clinging vines.

Spinless clinging vines and immature little boys pretty much describe a certain "leader" of an improperly named COG who seems to be in a constant state of immaturity and whininess.

33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:21-33)

And on that last point (verse 33) ladies, if you do not really respect the man you are dating, you obviously should not marry him as you are told to respect your husband. A man wants to be respected.

Another sore point with the Great Bwana is that there is no COG leader today that is disrespected the most than he. Even the craziness of Gerald Flurry and Dave Pack fails to keep at bay the lapdogs that grovel at their feet willed with respect and awe of them. Bwana Bob is incapable of getting that kind of respect and it gnaws at his ego constantly.

When we begin to recognize the differences in emotional makeup, problems that come up can be defused and overcome. A true gentleman will respect a woman’s feelings. He will seek to understand her point of view, and he will strive to be sensitive to her moods and emotions. He will try to support her in both her ups and her downs. He will do things within his power to put her at ease. He will realize the value of a sincere compliment at the right time to encourage her. 

 

Likewise, women should recognize how fragile the male ego sometimes is. As well as realize that men simply do not always see things the same way as women. That does not necessarily make them insensitive—it makes them different.

Never has the COG had a leader with such a fragile ego as we have in the Great Bwana Bob. Literally, anything with burst it and send him into a narcissistic fit.

The Great Bwana also talks about morality.

So, what should be your authority for morality? 

 

Jesus taught: 

 

4 It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) 

 

Yes, we get teachings on moral authority from the word of God.

It is always laughable when you see a COG leader and so many in the ministry talking about morality when some of the most immoral people the COG has ever seen are in its ministry and leadership. 

No one should ever look at COG leaders as standard-bearers of morality!

The Great Bwana then goes on about "loose" women.

 

As morals become more and more lax, men need to be even more wary of “loose” women:

3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. 4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. 6 For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. (Proverbs 5:3-6, NLT) 

 

Whatever “comfort” sexual relations with the immoral provide is not good for you. Consider also that prostitutes are usually women pretending “love” for their clients—they want their clients’ money, but otherwise despise them.

It is painfully obvious to anyone reading Bwana Bob's book as to where he copied material and anecdotes from - Herbert W Armstrong. Anecdotes and stories from the late 1800s to mid-1930s filled so much of HWA's writings and personal views on sex. 

Once a man has engaged in fornication (and other forms of sexual immorality), it is more difficult for him to keep from wanting to continue in it. Once a woman has engaged in fornication, she knows she is no longer a virgin and it is more difficult to turn down fornicating pressures. 

 

Let me add that studies have found that Protestants that identify themselves as Evangelicals are about as likely as those who do not claim Christianity to engage in fornication. Many reason around scripture and confuse sexual desire for love.

Not only is it "protestants" fornicating but Church of God people at Feast of Tabernacles sites. Feast sites have long been hotbeds of wild sexual escapades. Facebook is filled with stories of people who had their first sex at the Feast of Tabernacles when talking about "Feast flings". As usual, though, COG leaders love to throw the first stones.

Did you ever turn down a date because you found something wrong with the person and made up an excuse? The Great Bwana Bob says this is a direct ticket into the Lake of Fire! Who knew! Bwana Bob has apparently been on the receiving end of this kind of rejection far too many times!

Realize that a date is a commitment. Whether you are the one who asks for the date or the one who accepts the date, you need to keep your commitment. If you have agreed to a date, be ready for it and be on time. 

 

Remember, the Bible teaches, “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8).

Only truly masculine leaders are men who lead on dates and plan those dates according to what HE thinks the women would like:

For the first few dates, the responsibility for selecting and planning activities normally rests on the man. While some men are not comfortable with this (especially when they first start dating), this is a unique and profitable opportunity to develop proper masculine leadership, and have fun at the same time. 

 

A thoughtful leader will try to plan dates around activities that he thinks that the woman would like to do. A man could have two or three ideas in mind, and ask the woman which one she would prefer. This allows the man to do the planning and preparation, while giving the woman input.

It's important for the man to take control like this so that the woman can dress properly:

A man should tell his date what she will be doing and where she will be going so she can plan and dress appropriately.

The Great Bwana even tells them how to dress properly. Remember, COG members are too stupid to know how to dress for dates.

If you are going to a fancy restaurant, to see a play, or do something somewhat elegant, formal attire might be called for. 

 

If you are going on a hike or some similar outdoor activity, boots and/or rougher clothing are more likely to be called for. 

 

If you are going bowling or something casual, casual clothing would seem to be called for. 

 

If you are going to a beach, appropriate swimwear, which for women would tend to be a full one-piece bathing suit and a cover-up, and for men some type of bathing trunks (not like small, tight underwear) and a t-shirt may be appropriate.

More words of advice:

Men and women can consider styles and fashion, but should not try to dress in ways society now considers to be sexy/seductive.

This basically means you should not wear clothes that are too tight or are sheer enough in inappropriate places to see through (unless there is a slip or something not see-through under it). Also, your underwear should normally not be seen and your clothes should cover up a sufficient amount of skin.

Do you want your date to end decently or in tragedy?

While dressing decently does not guarantee the date will end well, dressing provocatively increases the risk the date will end tragically. 

Why is it that COG leaders think women are too stupid to know how to dress? Mansplaining seems to be their main job.

Ladies, despite seductive clothing styles many wear today, be assured that you do not need to dress seductively for a man to have interest in you. Any man who chooses to date you because you dress like a harlot or seductress will later look for others that way, even in the unlikely event he would stay around long enough to marry you.

The Great Bwana then warns us about COG men who can't keep their pants zipped and usual it's really the woman's fault for enabling those men.

Ladies, consider that men, Christian and otherwise, can have issues with self-control. Male libido hormones tend to engage more quickly than female ones. Be careful on dates to not be in situations that may tempt your date to pressure you to sin. If someone, be a date, relative, friend, or stranger, attempts to force you to have sex resist and scream as loud as you can—do not allow it (Deuteronomy 22:24-27). If you are raped, report it to the proper authorities. Do not enable rapists.

Gentlemen, you also need to remember that when a seductress grabbed Joseph’s clothes, he fled (Genesis 39:12). “Flee fornication” (1 Corinthians 6:18, KJV)!

The Great Bwana then tells us about the time he got trolled online by a seducer: 

Let’s look at a real-life example. I got the following message recently when I was on Facebook (with slight edits): 

 

Shalom: 

 

I am Ian XXXXXX from Africa. I'm happy to meet you. I'm looking for a wonderful lady like you. I hope you will like me too. 

 

... God bless you we are in touch as a church. 

 

So, this person is claiming to be a Christian, hints he is a Sabbath keeper, is claiming to be interested, and wants to someone to ‘like’ (presumably romantically) him. Well, he apparently does not pay too much attention to who he sends this type of trolling trash to as I am not female. 

 

Also, during the time I was working on this book, I got a some type ‘Flirt’ request from some social media email. 

 

Should you receive them, do NOT be flattered by such things and other improper flirtations. You need to be concerned about flattery (cf. Psalm 12:2-3; Proverbs 6:24; 26:28), even from people, like Ian, who claim to be interested in the Church.

Ian can't be any worse than a Chief Overseer who starts a cult based upon some silly dreams and a mythic double blessing. Ian and Bob are the same kinds of trolls. 

The only proper online dating letter one should receive is this:

Hi. I am XXXX XXXXXXXX. I am a member of the Continuing Church of God in central New Zealand. I saw your profile on Facebook. How long have you been part of the church?

Also, remember the fields are white with potential dates out there...somewhere...

If God is involved in your choice of a wife or husband, and both you and your future mate set yourselves to obey God’s laws concerning love, marriage and sex, you can’t go wrong. Ask God to help you see everything you should as you decide who you want to marry.

Jesus told His followers:

2 The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2)

More laborers for the harvest means more Christians. Which also means more potential people to date.

The Great Bwana also speaks out about dating people in other COG's with one HUGE qualification:

Does this mean that the only people in the Continuing Church of God can date are those who are baptized members in the Continuing Church of God? 

 

No. 

 

There are other true Christians in many Sabbatarian Church of God groups. 

 

However, since we are unaware of other such groups/organizations being Philadelphian, it is our hope and prayer that your potential spouse is one who would be ‘Philadelphian’ (Revelation 3:7-13).

The Great Bwana then tells people to look at an individual's mental stability when deciding to marry. Imagine that, Bwana Bob telling someone to look at a person's mental stability first. This is Bob Thiel, remember. Bob Thiel.

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7) 

 

Yes, there are people you should not hang out with.

Amen to that Bwana Bob! That's exactly why people in the COG will not follow you. 

Not everything in his book is bad but the problem remains is that this is Bwana Bob writing this, a man who is a walking comedy routine which leads us to not take anything he says seriously.

LCG Claims They Are The Watchman And Are Prepared To Suffer The Consequences

 

Bob Thiel was seen whimpering in the corner of his homeopathy shop in the Five Cities area of CA today after the Living Church of God declared that THEY are the Watchman.

Doug Winnail states that it is not a pleasant job being a Watchman when they warn the world about being such degenerate sinners. Winnail claims that LCG is prepared to face the consequences for being so forceful. 

How can they expect to be persecuted when no one knows who they are? 

The Church as a Watchman: The Church of God today has the same job as the ancient biblical prophets—to proclaim the good news of a coming Kingdom of God and to warn of a coming time of judgment on the Israelite nations as well as the world (see Ezekiel 3 and 33; Matthew 24). In order to fulfill this mission, we need to watch world events and trends and proclaim a warning as we see ancient prophecies coming alive today (Matthew 24:42–44). Pointing out that there will be serious consequences for the sins being committed today will not be a pleasant job (Isaiah 58:1; Ezekiel 3:4–9). However, God says that He will provide an “open door” for His Church to fulfill its mission as we approach the end of the age. Along with the warning, we can share the exciting “good news” that Jesus Christ is coming back to save mankind from what will appear to be ultimate destruction. Let’s strive to be “effective watchmen” that God can use to fulfill this vital mission.
Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail

LCG Members Fasting To Humble Themselves This Weekend

Gerald Weston is seeking that LCG members can finally be "one" by declaring a fast this weekend. Oh, and to humble themselves.

Instead of forcing members to fast, he should make the fast requirement of all in the ordained ministry as far too many of them are as far as being humble as they are to practicing oneness.

Members often ask about the purpose of a fast when the Church calls one. When the disciples of John came to Jesus and asked why they and the Pharisees fasted often but His did not, He explained that there was no need to as long as the bridegroom (Jesus) was with them, but when He would be taken away, then they would fast. This is a clear statement that fasting is for the purpose of drawing close to God. Other scriptures show us that fasting is a means of humbling ourselves. When we look around at all that is happening in our world, all the distractions that can cause us to stray from the right path, the current dangers and those that loom on the near horizon, it is imperative that we draw close to God in humility. This applies to us individually and as the collective Body of Christ. Let us spend extra time in prayer, study, and meditation this Sabbath as we draw close to God in humility and oneness of mind.— Gerald Weston

Petulant Prophet of Possibly's Shouts Out "I WAS CORRECT!"

 

Today, the greatest prophet the Church of God has ever had, the Chosen One whom the Bible describes as coming in the last days to lead the truly faithful into the kingdom where they will reign as gods, welding power and authority over the deceived masses who survive the destruction of 2/3rds of humanity, let the world know that he is also the most accurate prophet the church has ever seen! Everything he says comes true!

For the last several years the Great Bwana to Africa and 304 Caucasians has written "books" about what failures the incoming President/Vice President will be. Given the fact that 90% of the "prophetic" mumbo-jumbo he pukes out are just direct quotes from mainstream and conspiracy ladened blogs and websites, he is bound to find at least one thing wrong with every elected official we have and then claim to be accurate.

Joe Biden took office one year ago. 

 

Which was within a day of my book, Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction, getting published.
Has the Biden Administration fulfilled any warnings in that book? 

 

Yes.

A reader here made a comment on another posting that accurately sums up how our Petulant False Prophet operates: 

By the way, for those seeking insight into how the Petulant Prophet of Possibly's works, notice one of his newest articles: Have published COGwriter warnings about Joe Biden come to pass? What Bob doesn't tell you is that over the years he has made strikingly similar comments about Hillary Clinton and other public figures. Throw enough mud against enough walls, and eventually some of it will appear to stick. But if the Joe Biden book from which he quotes is allowed to count as fulfilled prophecy, his Hillary Clinton book must be allowed to count as failed prophecy. You can't have it both ways. That is, unless you are Bobaniah, living in your own delusional Bobbylon.

The Well Trained Counseling Ministry Of The COG

 

Satan Attacks God's Most Significant And Fastest Growing COG Ever To Exist In Christendom

Voted the most beautiful 

World Headquarters of a Church of God 

for 10 years in a row!

Satan has attacked the world's most mind-boggling Church of God in the history of Christendom. Satan knows that "work" must be stopped and will resort to any thing he can to inhibit the most amazing COG to do its job of preaching some kind of "gospel" to the world. However, even Satan himself can't quite figure out what that "gospel" is. Is it a message about some kingdom to come or about Bob himself?

We have been impacted a bit by COVID-19 here, but not the way most would guess. 

 

One of my company’s employees, who had COVID in early 2021 before she began to work here last May, again got COVID-19 in 2022. Because of that, the man that does nearly all of the formatting of CCOG literature has been partially sidelined to help make up for her being out for nearly two weeks now. 

 

Anyway, we hope she will be available to come back next week, and we can be able to get more CCOG literature ready for printing.

 

The Great White Man in the Sky

 

Left, an Ashkenazi Rabbi and, right, a Mizrahi Jew. 

Which one does the Armstrongist God look like? 

Which face would you worship?

The Great White Man in the Sky

By NeoTherm

 “Adam was made by God. The God who made Adam was Jesus Christ. "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). This is speaking of Jesus Christ, the Word, or active Spokesman of the Father. Now notice how Christ made Adam: "And God said: Let us make man {Adam} in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). What is the meaning of "likeness?" The facial expression! So Adam looked like Jesus Christ. Adam also looked like God the Father. God said, "Let US make man after OUR image." Both Jesus Christ and God the Father look alike.

   “When Jesus was on earth 4000 years later, He looked exactly like the Father. Jesus was "the express image of His {the Father's} person" (Heb. 1:3). But Jesus also looked like the average Jew! Judas had to kiss Jesus in order to point Him out among His disciples who were also Jews (Luke 22:48).

   “Since Adam looked like Christ and Christ looked like the average Jew, then Adam — the first man — must have resembled the Jew. Adam therefore was a white man as are the Jews! Jews are not Negroes, as a few colored people contend. The Jews are Whites.” Herman Hoeh, “The Race Question”, 195

 “The Great White Man in the Sky” is a fanciful phrase that is rooted in serious Armstrongist theology.  Armstrongists decidedly believe God is a White man – not a biological being but a spiritual paradigm or archetype.  More aptly, God is a White superman.  And, though it is difficult to find clear statements, God very probably abides somewhere in the Cosmos, if not in published Armstrongist theology then in demotic characterization.   This opinion piece is focused on the views on this topic from Classical Armstrongism and uses early information resources.   Denominations derived from the now-defunct Worldwide Church of God may have updated or modified some of these views.  For instance, I recently and unexpectedly collided with the fact that the United Church of God now asserts that God is not bound by space and time.  I have no access to the post-classical theologies of these denominations.  It is expected that most will maintain an appreciable belief in Classical Armstrongism and this writing will be a midrashic response to them. 

The Armstrongist Anthropology 

The deductive path in Hoeh’s statement above is easy to follow.  Jesus looks like God the Father.  Adam looks like Jesus.  Jesus was a White man.  God the Father, Jesus, and Adam all then looked like White men.  Further, Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) states in his book “Mystery of the Ages” (MOA), page 94, that God in creating Adam “purposed to reproduce himself.”  While Adam was biologically a White man, God is the spiritual and archetypical White man on which Adam is based.  Underpinning this argument is the assumption that God has a body and I have challenged that idea elsewhere.  

Genesis speaks of both an image of God and a likeness.  Hoeh identifies the likeness as God’s “facial expression” or his appearance in the quotation above.   What the image of god actually is varies in Armstrongist publications.  At one point it seems to equate to the bodily form of God (MOA, p. 46).   At another place, HWA states that the image of God consists of two components: “…man, made to become in the character image of God and also in the likeness or form and shape of God (MOA, p. 102).”  Similar variations can be found in archival sources, but nobody seems to have ever retracted the concept of God as a White man.  So this means that, in classical Armstrongism, God is the White man archetype both in persona and soma.  

But a separate question is, “Whom does Hoeh regard to be a White man?”  The two photos at the top of this article are both pictures of Jews.  The man on the left is an Ashkenazi Jew and the man on the right is a Mizrahi Jew.   The Ashkenazi left the Middle East long ago and settled in various places in Europe.  This is the Jewish type Americans are most familiar with.  They are in fact of 30 to 70 percent European ancestry in contravention to the common but mistaken belief that Jews have preserved their racial purity in Diaspora.   The Mizrahi are Jews that never left the Middle East, never went into Diaspora.  They were there in the time of Jesus and they are there now.  Jesus was a Mizrahi in today’s terminology.  There is no reason to believe that Jesus did not look like the Jew on the right. I would expect that Hoeh did not have the Mizrahi in mind when he made his categorical statements about the appearance of God, Jesus, and Adam being like that of a “White” man.  

The Inadvertent Dehumanization of People of Color

God as archetypical White man is a problem.  I would conjecture that this problem was unforeseen at the time that this combination of racial theory and the doctrine of God was developed by whomever and wherever in the Armstrongist movement.   Adam was created in God’s image and Adam was a White man.  This means that the White man is God-like – he possesses both the character and form of God by creation.  What then of people of color?  In line with the Armstrongist view, people of color are a departure in persona and soma from the White ideal and, therefore, from God’s nature.  They are then neither in the image or likeness of God.  And what of people with mixed ancestry?  Might some be only partially in the image and likeness of God?

As a matter of praxis, are the various Armstrongist denominations now on the scene willing to tell people of color in their congregations that they are not in the image or likeness of God while the White congregants are God-like by creation?  

Does this departure from God’s nature mean people of color are somehow inferior to the White race?  The answer, in spite of some earnest advocacy of humanistic values in some of Hoeh’s articles, seems to be ‘Yes.’   This is apparent from Chapter 7 in the MOA.  Here we find that the Gentiles, both White and people of color, will be ruled over in the wonderful world tomorrow by the greatest White people of all: the “Israelites” (as defined by the ideology of Anglo-Israelism).  As HWA states (MOA, p. 341), “And, again, no gentile nation will be as great as one of the Israelite nations.”  For eternity. 

Some Biblical Issues and Christian Views in Brief

The idea that God is a racial type is, of course, wrong. God is Spirit.  The idea that God even has a body as a part of his eternal essence is illogical.  Belief in a corporeal God is just a failure to recognize figures of speech in the Old Testament for what they are.  The image of god and the likeness of God are not a matter of personal proclivities of character and bodily form, respectively, but have to do with intellection, creativity, and the capacity for spiritual understanding. (Admittedly, precisely what Imago Dei is, is controversial among Christian theologians and preachers but what it is not is clear – it is not about bodily shape.  It is about persona but not a particular racial persona.  God would not be limited in such a way that he only knew what it was like to be White in persona and soma.   Such limitation would place the valuable personal attributes of sub-Saharan Africans, for instance, outside God’s cognizance and creative purview.)  And as for the Israelite nations (as defined in Anglo-Israelism) ruling over the Gentile nations, we have this statement in Isaiah:

“And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering … they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them … Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:19-25)”

This shows Gentile nations (including a dark-skinned Hamitic nation) interacting directly with God without the priestly intervention of national Israel and occupying a status equivalent to Israel in the sight of God, in spite of what Dean Blackwell may have said decades ago. 

Further, the separation of “image” and “likeness” into two different concepts, here reconstituted by HWA (MOA, p. 102), was abandoned by Christian churches in the Middle Ages.  Neither term was thought to refer to God’s bodily shape.  In Genesis 1:27 we find “image” used alone and in Genesis 5:1 we find “likeness” used alone yet both usages in similar contexts.  They seem to be used as synonyms with Genesis 1:26 being a repetition of synonyms for emphasis. 

And A Genetic Constraint

If one insists that the first man was a fleshly replica of God, it is important to establish who the first man was.  The first modern men were haplogroup A and were sub-Saharan Africans of the Negroid racial type.  Other racial types developed as mutations from this original type.  I believe this proliferation of races was guided by God.   This genetic history is imprinted on all human DNA.  And using the logic of HWA’s exegesis, this would make God racially a sub-Saharan African.  I believe that Adam was, rather, a haplogroup J Middle Easterner but that is a larger treatise. 

Conclusion

This is not a diatribe against White people.  I see no reason to believe that White people are in any way more or less important from a Christian perspective than any other race of people.  But for those who accord White people a superior position in the plans of God, this essay may seem like an audacious act of lèse-majesté.  Nobody should accord White people, or any other people, a role in the world as Übermenschen and certainly not based on a misconceived and underdeveloped version of the Doctrine of God.  God is not a man with cellular biology, a genotype, and a phenotype.  He is Spirit.  He does not possess race as an attribute.  There is neither Jew nor Greek in Christ.  And God is not the great White man who lives in the sky.  

Note:  Armstrongist dogma is notoriously difficult to research because each topic is scattered in many publications.  I would appreciate knowing about any published and official dogma that contravenes what I have written.  Please provide the source.  I would especially like to know if the idea that God is a White man archetype has ever been directly retracted. 

 

Religious and Theological Obsession and Fanaticism in the Churches of God

 

While not a psychologist nor endeavoring to play one on BannedHWA, observing the seemingly God-Haunted workings in the minds of some of my past life peers lies somewhere between fascinating and terrifying. 

What is going on in the minds of these men, such as a Dave Pack, Ron Weinland, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel and others, who have come to believe and promote what they do?  

Religious fanaticism

Religious fanaticism is a pejorative designation used to indicate uncritical zeal or obsessive enthusiasm which is related to one's own, or one's group's, devotion to a religion – a form of human fanaticism which could otherwise be expressed in one's other involvements and participation, including employment, role, and partisan affinities. Historically, the term was applied in Christian antiquity to denigrate non-Christian religions, and subsequently acquired its current usage with the Age of Enlightenment.

Why would Dave Pack build a mini Ambassdor, as did Gerald Flurry copying HWA, while also teaching their Christ's Second Coming was imminent?  What makes a man, like Dave, give himself every Biblical title he can find in scripture such as "Watcher", "Elijah to Come" "Apostle"?  What would make one believe the Two Witnesses would spring from their insignificant church and that they would, of course, work under Dave's oversight?  How can Dave Pack make one predictive mistake and miscalculation after the next, as if he could know, about the Second Coming of Christ and claim his math is correct and nothing can go past any time he has set no matter how far past that time it goes?  What kind of mental illness is this?

What motivates those in RCG to deny this phenomenon that plays out before them every single week and come back for more?  Does it ever cross their minds it might be time to give up on Dave Pack being anything but delusional as to his role in grand scheme of all things religious?  Do they ever tire of false prophesies and one dramatic but completely and terribly mistaken line of reasoning on Dave's part after another?  Tell me if you know.

What kind of thinking, besides "stinking thinking" does it take for a Gerald Flurry to inflict his kind of oversight, pain and tithe gulping lifestyle on the members of his Church of Brotherly Love?   What does it take to see yourself spoken of in the scriptures and remind the brethren of that with a straight face?  What kind of followers does one attract that can do that with a straight face and deny what they see and hear is not insanity on display?

What of Ron Weinland, a most insignificant player in the world of theology and religion who does a practice run to Jerusalem as the Witness Couple of Revelation, can't stop predicting the end of all things and thinks he only has the truth of anything when clearly, he doesn't have the truth of just about anything theological?  Who does he attract with that record of failure?  Oh, and prison not exactly for persecution's sake?

Bob Thiel is supposed to be an educated man. He claims to be a scientist.  Why can't he get beyond the ignorance of the Bronze Age with regard to the causes of bad weather?  What makes him reason out that "It is God trying to get our attention".  Why doesn't the concept of God "trying" give him pause as to the fact that his version of God is obviously not all powerful, knowing or capable of getting the message over to everyone or anyone?  He is the God that tries and fails pretty much.   Why does an educated man, so called, think his dreams are special announcements in the night about who he is and what his God is "trying" once again to tell him? Why does he draw conclusions from his dreams that billions of others who also dream would never draw? Why the need to be so special?  Is it being ignored in childhood?  Is it the inability to be skeptical about ancient scriptures being valid today in every way?  Is it simply the simplistic view that regarding the Bible, "God said it, I believe it, that does it for me" denying evidence to the contrary?

What is it about all these one man shows that gets stuck in prophecy and seems to have no clue about, or interest in the real message of the New Testament?  Why do they hang out in the Torah and the prophets more than in the Gospels and Church letters? Are they bored with that and if they just taught what the actual Christian Church teaches, who would pay attention to them?  Is it a perverse attention at all costs they crave?  Malignant narcissism? Snakes in suits?  Is prophecy their hook that works the best even when false, fake and futile?  Have they found that fear sells and deliberately so or do they believe their own delusions sincerely? 

What is going on here in the minds of these men who use and fuel fear, guilt and shame to control others and make fools of themselves often. How is it that they can make one foolish prediction and mistake after the next and fail to mention that they did?  Tell me if you know. Please.

"Psssst.....Sermon's over..."

PCG Admits They Are Laodicean?

 

The Church of God movement should change its name to The Endless Excuses Church of God considering how it is constantly having to make excuses as to why all of its leaders, predictions, and prophecies fall apart around them on a daily basis.

Herbert W. Armstrong died on Jan. 16, 1986. So why didn’t this age of man end at that time? To find the answer, we must understand what Christ meant when He said “then shall the end come.” 

 

Notice this quote from Lesson 22 of our free Bible correspondence course: “The word end used here in verse 14 is not talking about the end of the age. In verse 3, the disciples asked Christ about the end (Greek sunteleia)—meaning the entire completion, or consummation, of the age. In verse 14, the word translated as end is the Greek word telos, which can mean the termination or limit at which something ceases to be; or that by which a thing is finished, its close. Thayer’s Lexicon states that ‘what end is intended the reader must determine by context.’” 

 

After Mr. Armstrong preached the gospel around the world as a witness, the end of the Philadelphia era of God’s Church occurred. The Laodicean era—which is the last era before Christ returns—came on the scene. You can learn more about this history in Malachi’s Message. 

 

Revelation 10:11 shows that God’s loyal remnant must prophesy again in the short time before Christ returns to this Earth.

Petulant Man-Child Whines On Anniversary Of HWA Death About Being Ignored

 

Today is the 35th anniversary of the death of Herbert Armstrong and our most highly favored prophet in all of Christiandom has had another meltdown over people using the word "Armstrongism" and the fact people CONTINUE to ignore his dreams and his supposed legacy of being the only TRUE COG left on the face of the earth today. As usual, it is a shitshow of stupidity, but as usual, so highly entertaining!

Consistently trying and always failing to make people believe he is the one true end-time leader of the one true end-time church, Bwana Bob trots out HWA's 18 point list of things supposedly restored to the church, though any halfway good student of church history knows that none of those things were ever lost. But, hey, this is a COG after all and it has to be "special".

Herbert W. Armstrong wrote: 

At least 18 basic and essential truths have been restored to the True Church since” the year 1933 (Mystery of the Ages, Dodd & Mead, 1985, p. 251). 

The only Church of God group I am aware of that specifically lists all of those truths, using his list, as part of their official beliefs is the Continuing Church of God. 

Bwana Bob then has to use HWA's use of media as proof that his church, the improperly named "continuing" Church of God, is doing the same thing. HWA's message attracted millions through TV and print while Bwana Bob is not known by anyone and is making no impact on the world as he attracts 10's of people.

It just yanks Bwana Bob's BVD's to no end that NO ONE in the COG movement pays him any attention nor will they join him in his minuscule "ministry".

Herbert W. Armstrong ultimately believed that a dream, which had two proclamation parts, was a prophecy from God for him to enter the ministry, which he did, and he completed the first proclamation part of the dream. Thirty years after his death, the only group that has claimed to be working towards completing the second part of that dream is the Continuing Church of God. 

 

Most groups with leaders once part of the old Worldwide Church of God discount all dreams and have not placed the public proclamation of the kingdom of God to the world as their true initial priority (Matthew 24:14; 28:19), do not fully understand all of the restored truths, and have not valued the truth enough, hence they have shown that they are not the possessors of what has been called the “Philadelphia mantle” (leadership authority). The group with said mantle is also represented by the “woman” of Revelation 12:14-17.

The Book of Hebrews teaches: 

 

1 Let brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1) 

 

Why bring that up here? Because the word translated as “brotherly love” is the Greek word Philadelphia. Philadelphia was to continue, even into this Laodicean time, as well as be present (to a degree) throughout the history of the Church of God. Philadelphians are deeply caring people.

Christians through the centuries have been deeply caring people. The COG doesn't even rank in the same category considering its decades of abusive ministers and leaders acting anything but Phaildphian love.

The Great Bwana then says that his group is just like HWA's because his group is growing at a 30% rate annually. 

It is a well-known fact that church leaders and department heads in Pasadena fudged numbers constantly in order to make church statistics look better than they actually were. As one head of accounting boldly said years ago, "We can take any figure and make it mean anything we want."

The Continuing Church of God has exceeded the 30% growth per year that the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God used to claim it had for decades. Many of those that we have with us did NOT have a WCG background as we reached people others had not. 

 

We are the fourth or fifth largest xWCG group and have been the fastest growing xWCG in the 21st century. 

 

We have the type of growth that Herbert W. Armstrong said should indicate God’s blessing.

Bwana Bob's amazing "growth" has been nothing more than church-hoping Sabbatarians in Africa who seek out the group that helps them the most with things. They've jumped from SDA's to COG groups to COG7 and back to COG groups. Over and over it goes. It all depends on which group the so-called "evangelists" chose to lead their followers in to and when they pick Bwana Bob as their Overseer his head grows a few more inches bigger.

Much to Bwana Bob's chagrin, the Church of God 7th Day is growing faster than he is and consistently maintains its members, something the COG is inept at.

The Church of God (Seventh Day) recognizes more than 200 congregations in the United States and Canada. It also has affiliated ministries in more than 35 countries outside North America, with a worldwide fellowship near 300,000 members. As an agent of God’s grace, the Church offers warm-hearted fellowship and willing support for people everywhere who trust and obey the same Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. It is in serving others that the Church finds relevance for her Bible-centered message and her God-inspired mission.

Today's COG's have splintered and splintered and splintered and have no focus anymore. They have nothing to offer anyone that is of substance. Without Jesus being central to their message they flounder and sputter in obscurity.

As Sabbath Leaves Earth: Dave Pack and RCG Waiting for Christ This Weekend, Again.

Perhaps Dave believes anniversary of the death of Herbert W. Armstrong 36 years ago today (January 16, 1986) is another good time for Christ to return?  

I think all Dave got in Ohio this morning was the return of snow

 "It has become CLEAR that our watch will extend to the end of Sabbath   (1/15) as it leaves earth.

This is deep in the night, at some hard-to-pin-down moment BEYOND midnight here.

While waiting past sunset at Headquarters at first seemed unlikely, God laid out MANY PROOFS AT THE LAST MINUTE showing this WILL BE the case.

We look forward to seeing you soon!"

BUT WAIT! THERE"S MORE!

"In RUSHING to get yesterday’s announcement out before the sabbath, in EMPHASIZING the time of day, we NEGLECTED to remind you it COULD still be a later day.

In fact, it HAS BECOME MORE EVIDENT that we are probably at least two days away—with STILL a small chance that it could go beyond that.

In other words, the way Mr. Pack concluded his last sermon is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, except that the likelihood of the day moved further out.

In any event, IT CANNOT GET OUT of Sebat!"