It is another sunny day in COG Lalaland with another “Philadelphia-era remnant” led by Jon W. Brisby and his Church of God, the Eternal (COGE). This little Armstrongist splinter promises to guard the sacred flame of Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings while conveniently extracting maximum cash and obedience from its members. How noble. How typical.
Brisby's COGE is Armstrongism on steroids. Regular Armstrongism is for amateurs like Bob Thiel.
COGE doesn’t just follow the old Worldwide Church of God doctrines—it clutches them like a security blanket soaked in British-Israelism and apocalyptic dread. Brisby positions himself as the grand protector of “restored truths,” meaning if you question anything, you’re not just disagreeing with a guy in Oregon—you’re rebelling against God Himself. How convenient for the guy at the top. How utterly typical of Armstrongism.
Members are told that when Brisby (or his ministers) picks a Feast site or meeting location, God Himself rubber-stamps it from heaven. Miss it? Well, bless your rebellious little heart, you’re probably outside God’s will. Nothing says spiritual freedom like mandatory attendance at designated locations.
Like any old covenant Church of God, tithing is commanded. Tithe to Jon with a joyful smile or receive a divine smite. Your Choice, Peasant
Here’s the real masterpiece: the classic triple-tithe system. That’s 10% first tithe straight to headquarters, another 10% second tithe for travel to the approved holy-day sites, and roughly 3.33% third tithe for the “widows and orphans” (which somehow always seems to need more funding).
Add it up, and you’re looking at 21.4% of gross income—before taxes, rent, or that pesky grocery bill, every payday, every year. Brisby’s sermons reportedly hammer home that skimping on this holy obligation brings curses, while faithful tithing grants invisible divine protection. How generous. Especially when he tells struggling members in places like Kenya to keep the money flowing upward instead of, you know, feeding their kids or helping local causes.
Pro tip from ex-members: some spouses have allegedly been coached on how to hide tithing records from “unconverted” partners. Nothing builds a strong marriage like secret financial loyalty to a church in Eugene, Oregon.
While members struggle to survive, Jon lives an elitist lifestyle. Do as I say, not as I… drive. Flashy cars for Jon, used cars for lowly members.
While the average member is scraping by, skipping vacations, and wondering how to afford gas to the next mandatory Feast site, Brisby and leadership apparently aren’t exactly living the “humble servant” aesthetic. Former insiders have pointed out flashy cars, comfortable homes, and an overall lifestyle that seems strangely insulated from the financial sacrifices demanded of the flock.
But don’t worry—he left his cushy corporate job to serve full-time! How sacrificial. Of course, someone has to “collect God’s tithes” and “manage the organized Work,” right? Wouldn’t want all that money just sitting uselessly in members’ bank accounts or going to people like Gerald Flurry or Bob Thiel.
Bonus Red Flags, Because Why Stop at Money?
- Sermons that put the marital blame squarely on wives while reminding women they don’t really own anything anyway.
- Quick shutdown of any pesky questions or doubts—can’t have the sheep thinking for themselves.
- The classic Armstrongist guilt special: your financial struggles? Clearly, you’re not pleasing God enough. Try tithing harder, champ.
If you’re sniffing around Jon Brisby’s outfit, maybe pump the brakes before you sign your paycheck over to “God’s Work.” What’s sold as the one true church preserving pure Armstrongism often turns out to be a high-demand, high-extraction machine that enriches the leadership while the members tighten their belts and hope the curses don’t hit too hard.
Do your homework, talk to ex-members, and remember: any group that needs 21+% of your income plus total obedience to stay “protected” might just be more interested in your wallet than your soul. Shocking, I know. But this is Armstrongism, after all.
12 comments:
I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance - Num 18:21
From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD’s tabernacle. Num 31:30
At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. Deut 14:28-29
Tithing was 10% every third year, not every year, to 2% of the population the Levites, and to others
The more on reads of these Armstrong acolytes and the competing forces one starts wondering if evil forces are behind all of them
During my time in the WCG I was fortunate to attend where we had excellent Pastors. However, the last Pastor in charge before I bolted was a real jackass!
One late summer sabbath, an elderly couple who owned a big farm brought in a load of fruits and vegetables to share with the brethren. It was a small congregation so it didn't require a lot of work. At the close of services, the minister announced that nobody was to pick up anything until HE first had a chance to go through the line. He even gave a reason: "I have no inheritance"!! We were all thinking, in this day and age, who in the hell DOES?
That was the last time the old couple bothered to share.
Hopefully, anyone picking through the minutiae of the Sinai Covenant will be submitting dna samples of the people whom they believe to be Levites to the appropriate scientists for analysis to determine whether their prospective tithe recipient is descended from the Cohenime. If you are going to physicalize elements of the Old Covenant into the spiritual New Covenant, you need to do it not only with all the practices that affect the brethren, but also with the ones which pertain to the members of the ministry. It is just as bad to arbitrarily designate your ministers as Levites as it is to designate the first day of the week as your sabbath. Especially if you do this just because those who seek to have you tithe to them tell you it is so!
If you insist on the old wineskins, at least don't confuse and mix them up. There must be parity!
They should have thrown the fruits and veggies at him!
They should have pelted him with the fruits and veggies!
Started with 'thrown' but then quickly changed your mind to 'it should have been pelted'!
Violence is never the answer "Phinnpoy"!!!
I always wonder with that name "Church of God, the Eternal", is the comma there because "the Eternal" refers to the Church, rather than to God? Otherwise it would be called "Church of God the Eternal", i.e. it is God who is eternal.
Reminds me of a minister in COGaic many years ago, who used phrases like, "Me first, you members later." I forget the context, but that attitude was very prevalent with some ministers, thinking that they would always be first in line for blessings and handouts.
The Church of God The Eternal is an organization that does what so many do it depends its doctrines on one scripture rather than looking through the scriptures for patterns "to see if these things are true". Folks wake up the levites failed their duties if you base your leadership on them your lacking scriptural understanding. There was only one Levite family who remained faithful and it wasn't HWA. He like most men add to and take away from the Faith Once Delivered to the Apostles by Christ. HWA may have started out well but he trusted to his own nature and those who did the same. Do not look to this world and its ruler for anything. Draw closer to Father through Christ only!
More Armstrongites were daydreaming about Petra during fifth grade English class, Avoura, while grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the diagramming of sentences was being taught! I'm sure that these same individuals were nodding off, later, when the great philosophers and logic were being discussed. Or, they had to quit school as Daddy's farm was so richly blessed from all that tithing, and the abandonment of commercial fertilizers and medications for their chickens and cows! At the very least, they should have maintained their memberships in the FFA, but alas! 'Twas a worldly organization!
There are those who are foreordained to this condemnation. These were the words of the Apostle Jude. Those words rang true then, and they will till Christ returns to this earth.
The Apostle Paul said that although we may have ten thousand instructors in Christ, we do not have many that will look after our well-being. Paraphrasing, of course, but the warning is that more likely than not, the number of men prophesying Christ in a church like atmosphere will be greater than those doing His real bidding. This is why the emphasis is on hearing the voice of the shepherd. My sheep hear my voice.
While walking to see Jesus, His disciples came upon a man doing miracles in the name of Jesus. Because this man would not join their "click," so to speak, they rebuked him. When Christ came to learn of this, He scolded His disciples and told them that this man doing these things in His name could not likely do Him harm. The emphasis here is that not every so-called church organization has the corner market on all things Christ.
There are so many other things that could be said from the Bible in regards to this, but I truly believe the paths of these charlatans will be allowed uninterrupted until Christ does return. Why? In order to wake some up and leave the others to continue their slumber.
I knew Mr. Brisby, personally, and I witnessed him meddle in marriages to the point that some were destroyed. I watched this man tell bold-faced lies from the pulpit in order to further an agenda he was pushing. Either that, or lie to cover his tracks from some fire, he'd already doused with so much gasoline that it could no longer be put out with humility. His list of guile is long and verifiable, and for this, he will stand and give account for one day.
The beloved brethren that still remain sleep, though some are awake and beginning to see. For them, we can only pray.
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