In what can only be described as a divine comedy of modern corporate theology, a manager from the United Church of God—a denomination that proudly observes the Saturday Sabbath—has teamed up with the EEOC to sue a Chick-fil-A franchisee for... not letting her have Saturdays off. Yes, you read that right. The very group that keeps the biblical seventh-day Sabbath is now dragging a chicken empire famous for its Sunday closures into federal court. Pass the popcorn and the waffle fries.
Laurel Torode, a dedicated United Church of God member, disclosed her religious need for Saturday off during her interview. She was initially accommodated as a delivery driver manager. Then, according to the EEOC lawsuit filed this week, the franchisee allegedly decided that business needs trumped her faith, offered her a demotion to a lower-paying driver role, and ultimately fired her when she refused to bend the knee (or the Sabbath). The irony? Chick-fil-A famously shuts down every Sunday in honor of the Lord’s Day—founder S. Truett Cathy’s heartfelt conviction. Saturdays, of course, are their biggest money-makers precisely because they’re closed the next day.
So here we are: a Saturday-keeping church member suing a Sunday-keeping chicken chain for not being accommodating enough. The public relations team at United Church of God headquarters must be reaching for the antacids right about now.
Why This Is a PR Nightmare for UCG
The Optics Are Brutal
Most Americans have a vague, Sunday-school understanding of Christianity that involves church on Sunday, eggs hunts at Easter, and closing businesses on the “Lord’s Day.” Now they’re learning about a smaller, more doctrinally strict group that insists Saturday is the true Sabbath. The lawsuit instantly paints UCG as the group that sues beloved family restaurants over scheduling. Not exactly the warm, welcoming image most churches aim for in 2026.
“But Chick-fil-A Closes on Sundays!” Social media is already having a field day. Expect endless memes: “Chick-fil-A won’t work on Sunday for Jesus, but apparently won’t work on Saturday for your Jesus either.” The cognitive dissonance is delicious. One side sees principled religious conviction; the other sees hypocrisy and entitlement. UCG risks looking like they’re demanding special treatment from a company that already bends over backward for its own faith-based brand.
“But Chick-fil-A Closes on Sundays!” Social media is already having a field day. Expect endless memes: “Chick-fil-A won’t work on Sunday for Jesus, but apparently won’t work on Saturday for your Jesus either.” The cognitive dissonance is delicious. One side sees principled religious conviction; the other sees hypocrisy and entitlement. UCG risks looking like they’re demanding special treatment from a company that already bends over backward for its own faith-based brand.
The “Suing for Jesus” Problem
Churches generally don’t love headlines about their members weaponizing federal agencies against private businesses. While Title VII does require reasonable religious accommodations, the average person scrolling X at 2 a.m. doesn’t want a lecture on undue hardship—they just want their chicken sandwich without a side of federal litigation. This story feeds every stereotype about litigious religious groups demanding the world rearrange itself around their calendar.
Internal and External Backlash
Expect awkward conversations in UCG congregations this Sabbath. Some members will cheer the stand for principle. Others will quietly wonder if suing a franchisee that employs hundreds of people is really the best witness. Outsiders will lump UCG in with every other “fringe” group that can’t seem to get along in a pluralistic society. The denomination, already relatively small and low-profile, is about to get far more attention than it ever bargained for—and not the flattering kind.
The Sarcastic Silver Lining
Look on the bright side, United Church of God: at least Chick-fil-A can’t accuse you of anti-chicken bigotry. You’re just asking them to honor the original biblical schedule while they honor a slightly modified one. Nothing divisive about that at all.
In the end, this case is less about waffle fries and more about the messy collision of sincere religious conviction, modern business realities, and America’s increasingly hair-trigger discrimination lawsuit culture. Whether Laurel Torode wins or loses, the United Church of God is about to discover what happens when your deeply held beliefs make national headlines—especially when those beliefs involve telling one of America’s most beloved (and closed-on-Sunday) brands how to schedule its Saturdays.
Pray for their PR team. They’re going to need it more than extra Polynesian sauce.
hat tip to Tank
60 comments:
"...members weaponizing federal agencies against private businesses."
There are many YouTube videos on the many businesses, including McDonalds outlets, closing because government mandated minimum wage, benefits, and regulations have made them uneconomical. Federal agencies are already weaponized against businesses to the tilt. The bible depicts Christ going to a far country to obtain a kingdom. That is, contrary to contemporary Christianity and ACOG culture, he is not a micromanager of people's lives, and this applies to businesses as well. God's social system is a separation of state and church, which includes a separation of state and economics.
'The optics are brutal.'
You don't say.
I know it sucks losing a job. It's not like there aren't several fast-food jobs out there. Sometimes, we just have to turn the other cheek. And carefully choose our battles.
There is nothing unusual about this. Even though a few Christian churches have called Sunday the sabbath, the majority that observe Sunday as the "Lord's day" still recognize Saturday as the 7th day of the week, the sabbath day of the Bible. They just take the approach that most here do, being the Sabbath is old covenant, it's Jewish, it's done away, it's been replaced, etc.
The only rights we have in this country are the ones we can enforce. It's too bad she has to go to this extreme. I once received a letter out of the blue from the IRS saying I owed 20 thousand dollars when I didn't. I had to go the legal route to prove it.
I don't see any fall out for the UCG over this. Any publicity they can get is probably welcomed.
UCG will be quick to point out tout that this is a member suing and not them. But the odds are 100 to 1 that Torode went to UCG legal and asked for advice. Regardless of her rights to sue, etc, the look for UCG is NOT good. What will we see next, Muslims suing to not work on Fridays? Is there no end to this silliness? Find a job that fully accommodates your work schedule and go for it, instead of manipulating employees to pander to your self-serving desires. Besides, Sabbath keeping is NOT a New Covenant command, so there is that.
Eh, this is a non issue. Chick fil A has a low tolerance for sabbath keepers. They generally require employees to work either Friday night or Saturday night because those are very busy times for them. Yes they are closed for business on Sunday, but they do require employees to work on some of them. So much for keeping the "Lord's Day, huh? ( and yes, I have first hand knowledge of Chick fil A operations)
I'm going to go out on a limb here. It is wrong to fire an employee for keeping the sabbath, especially when you as a company have first accommodated that employee's sincere beliefs. This is one case in which I agree with UCG and the EEOC. We have a history of religious freedom in this country, Terminating someone for seventh day sabbath observance is clearly a "camel's nose" type of move, and we should all be concerned.
Having said that, I disagree completely with Armstrongism, and most likely, had I personally been terminated for refusing to work on the sabbath, I would have simply found another job. In fact, that is precisely what I did on two occasions back in the day. But, I also respect those who refuse to accept or allow the erosion of our historic rights.
BB
That will be no fallout against UCG. Why would there be? Chick-fil-A is a large chain, and the store probably hires a goodly number of employees. It would not be an undue burden to give this employee the time off. Chick-fil-A is the one looking bad here.
Well, Chick-fil-A and this site. Now you’re really killing people for using civil rights laws because they’re doing so for something you don’t agree with. I doubt you would ridicule a mainstream church that tolerated LGBTQZYXDKMC…. Whatever for one of the members suing on that account.
Honestly, this post is likely to drive some ACOG-attending readers further into Armstrongism. It will reinforce their Ex 31/“Mark of the Beast” theology. Makes it look like your target isn’t the Armstrong colt so much as it is the seventh day Sabbath.
I’m not sure why you posted this. You know better than to think it’s going to look bad on that particular denomination. Honestly, she’s gonna have a lot of public support the more this gets out.
As BB noted, this has nothing to do with any love for the religion of Herbie the pervy. And I for one have an issue with these “civil rights” laws. Arguably unconstitutional, and we see how they in conjunction with Woke pressure efforts, actually enable incompetent and lazy employees of PC demographics to earn the same pay as working employees, and yet have special protection against firing. However, the laws are on the books, and I can’t fault this person for choosing to take this fight.
You are 100% certain and don’t even know the facts lol
UCG isn’t suing Chick Fil A and neither is the employee. This situation was refereed to the Justice Department from what I’ve read and discussed with others. It was the government that decided to take action against Chick Fil A. Can we at least try to make a real attempt to understand stories before we report on them?
I agree with the belief that this will not paly well in the press. A Christian being fired for keeping the 7th day sabbath seems odd for most Christians. I remember back when Dan Thomas refused to play in any baseball game on Friday nights or Saturday. This was before I became a member of the WCG. I thought at the time that it was very strange. The WCG and Dan Thomas where not portrayed in a positive way during that time.
Interesting attempt at COG-skeptical spin here.
But what strikes me is that a branch of "Team Trump" (EEOC is a government agency) is suing a company which a lot of Christians love. That's the "brutal optics" part of this case.
I'm no prophet, but I suspect a settlement will be reached.
Great catch with Dan Thomas reference, also the jewish player Shawn Green sat out of Friday games, and even when he was in the playoffs. There was some criticism, but he was such a great player, they overlooked it. Since he was jewish they were more understanding of the situation.
Yes. Kind of goes against some of the betrayals by his opponents. The spirit of Charlie Kirk.
It’s silly to think this will come back negatively on UCG. He’s just taking a reflexive shot at Sabbath observance. A member being involved in something like this, especially with such a straightforward case, won’t look bad. White Christians have civil rights, too. It actually would more likely bring sympathy for the denomination.
However, someone made a point about it might bring attention to UCG doctrines and background. That would be the only downside for them with the few people who pay any attention to this. But even then, it would be primarily in terms of outreach. People seeing their TV show, recognizing the name, and having gone so far as to look at the background of UCG would be less likely to fall for their line.
But who knows? Maybe this will bring Armstrongism as a movement into mainstream attention, given that a company like Chick-fil-A is involved. That would not be good for them at all. People would be sympathetic towards their right to practice, but their bait-and-switch, as well as members hiding their beliefs and practices from family, would be demolished.
I can hope.
Theological upshot: Armstrongists and some other Adventists might take the case as proof of their “Mark=Sunday” belief, of course. It is a case of a place being closed on Sunday, and this interfering with Sabbath keepers.
However, the member did not lose her job entirely. She simply was to take a lower position. She could still “buy and sell,” but she wouldn’t have necessarily the same lifestyle. Which of course goes against their health-wealth materialism.
Back in my Armstrong days, working in a grocery store, I was considered without my knowledge for being made manager of the dairy department. However, that department got its deliveries every Saturday. So obviously the manager would have to be there on Saturdays. So the position wasn’t even offered to me, but rather to an employee who was demonstrably inferior. Believe me, he was inferior. He only lasted a few months before they replaced him.
I didn’t mind. I didn’t want the position. I kept my job because I was willing to settle for less. But I wonder how many Armstrong followers will be able to make that distinction or accept that condition. Even in the dystopic future their prophecy presents, there will be Sunday work, which means an opening to get Sabbath off (nobody can work every day). There will always be jobs like healthcare and – if they’re willing — Security requiring 24/7/365 operations. They may not be prestigious managers, but they will still have work.
The Law of Unintended Consequences will kick in at some point, guaranteed.
Ah , the Tennessee Lineman case. Or at least that’s what I call it. WCG member doing the Glen Campbell thing in the Volunteer State Takes managerial position. He was told he wouldn’t have to work on Sabbath, and then it turns out he did he tries to go back to his regular position, but the company won’t let him. So here Chick-fil-A is doing more than that other company did.
It should’ve been a slam dunk case for the lineman. But according to reports, he got demanding. He started wanting more. And it eventually caused him to lose the case.
If this UCG member plays it cool, she may have a chance. But the more I’ll look into it. There is a certain difficulty. It is looking more and more to me like the store thought they could handle it with her being gone on the day they receive the most delivery requests and complaints, then discovered it was an undue burden.
Blue Laws were still in effect in my state while I was growing up. Many businesses were required to close on Sunday, and alcohol sales were not allowed certain hours on Sunday. This was problematic for Jewish people. One of my Jewish buds in high school wrote a scathing paper on the Blue Laws for Civics class. He shared it with me because he knew we kept the same sabbath. It was a great paper!
Thing is, in the Armstrong prophecy model, you aren't just compelled not to work or to shut down your business on Sunday, you are also required to worship. That would involve policing and verification, and most likely, once approved or renewed, they'd "chip" you, as they do animals at the humane society. The mark of the beast! Get it? The buying and selling thingie comes into play with your chip being scanned with each financial transaction. This means that sabbatarians would be subjected to financial limitations inherent in bartering, exchange of services, or purchasing from criminals on the black market. Since doing anything illegal is sin, I have a feeling Sabbatarian Christians and observant Jews would arise each morning hoping and praying that mannah accompanied the morning dew!
Ah well, there's always going off the grid. In these dystopian times we live in, it's probably a good idea to break out the ol' "Freedom Outlaw's Handbook" and give it another read.
Ephesians 2:2 calls Satan the "prince of the power of the air." If Satan is the prince, then the king is God. It's God who radiated the spirit of the Renaissance and the enlightenment. Having given post WW2 socialism its hour in the son, he has now switched it off, and put it into reverse. So today's
Zeitgeist (“spirit of the times”) is now tyranny, which is shaking people off the moral fence. No more post WW2 just sitting on the moral fence.
In the broadest sense, the mark of the beast is obeying man rather than God. It's not just working on the Sabbath.
As far as I'm concerned, those ACOG ministers who have followed Herb rather than Christ, and have given themselves the right to abuse their members have already accepted the mark of the beast.
To Anonymous at 10:52 PM Sunday (Yes, I am answering an anonymous post):
That is not the Armstrong prophecy model at all. It does go sound like some later Armstrongist Thinking from people trying to incorporate the chip idea into their religion because it’s neat. Armstrong stuck to the traditional idea among Sabbatarians that not being able to work on Sunday would make it harder to keep a job.
The problem with your incorporation of “worship” into the Mark is simply that it is not a sin to worship on Sunday. You can have a church service every day of the week if you want. You can go to a required gathering, listen to people sing, listen to people talk about God, Etc. etc. The day of the week has nothing to do with it. Is if you have to bow down to the.Virgin Mary or something like that that you have a problem. But again that has nothing to do with the day of the week, or a work schedule.
You will find references in Armstrong literature about worshiping in conjunction with the Mark. Much of that, though, comes from the simple binary, thinking common to religious people of the time. It was Sunday with all the trimmings or Sabbath with all the rest. Either/or. He explicitly said that you can worship any day you want and every day — Just as long as it is in addition to the Sabbath.
Texas is an at-will employment state, meaning employers and employees can end the employment relationship at any time for any legal reason or no reason at all.
Maybe this will make UCG members stop and think about their sabbath practice at least….
We definitely enjoyed chick fil A on Saturday more than a few times. Why is it okay to eat there but not work there? Aren’t you approving of sinful behavior if working on a Saturday in a restaurant is sinful???
I was grateful for my chicken sandwich.
At-will state or not, employers above a certain size or number of employees cannot discriminate on the basis of religious affiliation or conviction, and are required to make reasonable accommodations for things like religious practices. That her sabbath practice was central to her employment change seems uncontested.If it can be shown that this Chick-fil-A failed to offer reasonable accommodation, they can be liable. They would have to show that the necessary accommodation was an “undue burden.” The argument in this case would be that having their delivery manager gone every Saturday, when Saturday is the biggest day for deliveries, constituted such a burden.
Race, religion, national origin, sexual… whatever anymore, and a few others, I’m sure, are “protected classes.” (Of course, certain demographics are “more protected” than others.) Yes, it’s unconstitutional. But it’s the law.
The argument back in my day, we’re at least the one I used, was a combination of Exodus 12, I believe verse 18, and first Corinthians 7 something or other. The former said, “No work, except that you may eat,” on the Sabbath, and the second talked about using the world, but not abusing it. In essence , it objectifies the people working and treats them as vending machines.
More like the spirit of Colonel Sanders Nobody loss a life, just a job.
Dan Thomas! Now there is a name from the WCG past. During the years I attended the R/WCG, there were only a handful of celebrities in the Church. Remember, not many mighty now are called; not many noble brethren! There was Bobby Fischer, the American chess grandmaster; Garner Ted Armstrong, the church’s radio and television presenter, personality, and Hee-Haw television guest; actor and singer Daniel Truhitte, best known for his portrayal of Rolf the telegram delivery boy in The Sound of music; and Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder Dan Thomas.
When Thomas became a member of the WCG, he announced to the Brewers that he would night be playing on Friday nights and Saturdays. He was given the nick name by his teammates, “The sundown kid”.
According to Wikipedia: Joining the Brewers in September 1976,[5] Thomas played 54 games for the Brewers in 1976 and 1977 as an outfielder and designated hitter.[6] He had a career batting average of .274. Thomas joined the Worldwide Church of God and began practicing strict Sabbath observance.[7][8][9] When he arrived for spring training in 1977, he informed the Brewers that he would not play on the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Sadly, in June 1980, Thomas was arrested in Mobile, Alabama on a rape charge involving a 12-year-old girl. While in jail on the rape charge, Thomas died by suicide by hanging on June 12, 1980. His family was so impoverished by then that they were unable to afford funeral expenses or even remain in Alabama for his potter's field burial.
One has to wonder what impact the WCG had on Thomas’s mental outlook.
Richard
Speaking of celebrities, my Mom gave me a chuckle one time, Richard. She had always admired Lucille Ball. As the story goes, Lucy was in attendance at one of the cultural events put on by the AICF held in the "House for God". One of the observant AC student ushers noticed that Ms Ball had lit a cigarette, and took it upon himeslf to remind her that there was no smoking in the Auditorium. Lucy looked at him matter of factly, and said something like, "Oh, so there's no smoking? Guess I'll have to put it out!" She dropped it on the carpet, and crushed it with the sole of her shoe.
My Mom lost all respect for her.
Yep, that actually happened. She wasn't at a concert though, she was a guest on Gene Kelly's TV special being filmed there. She sang and danced with Cyd Charisse. She was nasty the entire time she was there.
Looked up Gene Kelly special: “Cgangin Scene,” 1970. Featured Mike Curb Congregation singing “Sweet Gingerbread Man.” Blondes were in their typical attire. Glad to see Herbie allowed it. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds5FpBNNBtM&list=PL81kbTmsEHmz7mt9BCoQLXlVXUGbiD5k1&index=7&pp=iAQB8AUB&ra=m
I was hoping they performed. “Burning Bridges.” It’s a story of a man who ignores his friends and makes a stupid decision, even giving up a job in the process. Years later, he has learned that it was a stupid decision and knows he can never get back all the things he’s lost. Kind of the story of a number of people around here.
But alas, I am denied the irony. Still a good performance, though.
Mike Curb Congregation was never in the Auditorium. This is Gene Kelly and Lucille Ball.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPDwYCN-J4c
Disregard previous message. I just noticed the date was 197-0. I copy and paste it, thinking it was 78. It must be the apply titled, “ Gene Kelly: an American in Pasadena.” Something tripped in my mind about the other one that made me think it was it. Sorry about that.
I didn’t realize Lucille Ball actually appeared on the show.
https://dcba.fandom.com/wiki/Gene_Kelly:_An_American_in_Pasadena
Yeah, I sent message correcting that. I forget what it was now that made me think that was the show.
Here’s full video. Features a song about St. Patrick’s Day, some sort of Navy tribute, and Lucille Ball in a mini dress. She still had the legs for it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu8dvqx89jA&pp=ygUiR2VuZSBLZWxseSBhbiBBbWVyaWNhbiBpbiBQYXNhZGVuYdIHCQkECwGHKiGM7w%3D%3D&ra=m
Lucille Ball gave a small fortune to the church, so asking her to put out her cigarette could be interpreted as a lack of gratitude and respect for the woman.
Lee 318
Even when I was in Armstrongism I never subscribed to Sunday being the Mark. There are better explanations than that, or it being a "chip".
A funny story I have told before. I once hired an Adventist kid to work with me as my go-fer, and we would discuss religion in our down time. He knew I was also a sabbath keeper, but being outside the Adventist Church, he assumed I needed additional education. Once he asked, " Did you know that in the future working on Sunday will be outlawed and it will be enforced by the military "? I said, that's great, I don't like working on Sunday anyway. That will give me more time to watch the ballgames! Lol. He was irate.
BP8: Revelation 14:11 — Mark consists of the Beast’s name (or derived number — ch 15, KJV). Alternate manuscripts on chapter 13 concur. Sunday/anti-Sabbath readings of are based on a shallow reaction to the “buying and selling“ reference. But we are seeing that any number of violations of something can lead to the loss of jobs – E.G., Covid vax refusal. Plus, rich people would not be thusly affected by Sunday/anti-Sabbath positions, Yet the Mark is still required of them in order to buy and sell. Linkage of this to Sunday/anti-Sabbath loses any affirmative basis.
All very straightforward. And completely destructive to the Armstrong theology.
Even the SDA’s see some of this. They have expanded their view of the Mark to have application to all 10 of the Decalogue points seemingly to give some cover to their claim.
Revelation 14:11 - The death verse of Adventist/Armstrong religious eschatology.
Before she was hired, she had to know that her "franchised" employer was closed on Sunday, most Sabbath keepers try to work on a job that is open on Sunday if they work at restaurants or in retail. She didn't have that option here. Austin has an incredible job market. I would have just sucked it up and moved on. Hey, but that's me...
1:27
Looking back methinks the student could’ve handled it better by either waiting for her to finish her cigarette and then respectfully remind her re the rule or just ignore it altogether and leave someone more senior to remind her.
Lucille Ball actually gave a small fortune to the WCG? Guess my Mom was right about her after all!
BP8 1:46 & Lee Walker 4:37
Re the mark of the beast I remember many years ago now for some reason connecting the mark in Rev 13:16-19 with Acts 17:29 and that the mark would have a man-made or technological aspect to it. When the C19 vaccines were mandated I told my family and friends that although I was going to refuse it and didn’t want anyone else to get it I would respect their freedom of choice and whatever they would end up in deciding. I also told my ACOG friends—especially one who was adamant the vax was the mark—that I didn’t believe that it was the mark since we read in Rev 13 people won’t be able to “buy or sell” unless they have 1 of 3 things ie the mark; or the name; or the number 666. And seeing where things are heading—albeit we see “through a glass darkly”—it’s possible, even probable the closer we get, it’ll include CBDC; social credit score; and/or even some kind of RFID chip. But only God knows ATM and like John always says only time will tell…
Anonymous person at 7:17 PM
That was never the ultimate Armstrong/Adventist view. I do remember a local elder in the early days of UCG trying to push some ideas about chips. Some of us in the congregation would remind him that the doctrine was Sunday. I remember him saying, “but there is obviously a certain technological aspect of this.“ This is also a guy who sunk a bunch of money into prepping for Y2K. For the record, he has since gone Sacred-Name. So he was a bit given to theories like this.
As for the Armstrongist who thought the Covid jab was the Mark, you will always have those like that elder who stray from the reservation.
If you look at the 1939 Armstrong government article, he tries to twist Sunday Mark doctrine into “church government.“ Remember, this was at a time when he was at odds with centralized church administration. So he tried to make the whole thing that defrocked him out to be the Mark. It was an interesting collaboration. But it did still come back around to Sunday, in that it asserted that Sunday observance was a product of, you guessed it, “church government.“ He was trying to twist the standard doctrine to help him in his case against CG7.
She's simply standing up for herself. Same as you smart-alecks do over here with your complaints on what you went through during olde WCG counselling sessions.
Amen, 11:41:00
Thanks BB.
It won't be an undue burden since Chik Fil A has gobs of Sunday keepers able to work Saturdays when she wouldn't.
I certainly would say UCG folk ought skip eating @ Chik Fil A on Sat.
Miss Ball should not have held so dearly the right to poison one's self, nor to cast 2nd hand smoke onto draperies or into others' health endeavor. Tobacco use has no badge of respect.
You know, God was quite clear with Israel about not attempting to procure food on the Sabbath. He said there would be none, and there wasn't any when the few went out looking for some. God was very displeased with those that went out looking to gather food. Some in COG leadership have done a great disservice to the membership by condoning, and even encouraging, eating out on the Sabbath and Holy Days. I've even heard of some scheduling NTBMO in restaurants!
Anon 4:19
The point was about courtesy and proportion. Modern society so loves to treat smokers as if they’re uniquely immoral while happily overlooking countless other harmful things people consume or promote every day. Asking her not to smoke indoors was fair enough, but turning it into a sermon about “poisoning oneself” comes across as rather sanctimonious.
717
For what it's worth I will give my understanding on the mark of the beast and try to be as brief as possible.
Revelation 13:16 says, And HE causes ALL to receive a MARK in their right hand or in their forehead".
The "HE" represents the Beast entity, whether you want to define that as an individual or a system. Both ideas represent supreme absolute authority. Receiving the MARK in in one's right hand or forehead illustrates that the mark is to be the guide in how one thinks and acts. This makes the MARK the orthodoxy of the authority figure, of which the individual is expected to accept, believe, trust in, and give full blind allegiance to, merely on the authority figures say so, or else there will be consequences. See Jeremiah 17:5 and Psalms 118:8 in this context.
You can see from this definition that types of the "mark" have been around since creation. Covid, with its restrictions and consequences, was a type. The events of the Inquisition illustrates another type. Even the WWCG falls into this category. We were expected to give HWA full allegiance without question or face the consequences (excommunication).
Every machine in this world system (political, religious, medical, educational) has some form of this MARK of which there are consequences to bear if things aren't done their way. Why? Because they as the Authority define reality and set policy for us to follow. Of itself that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be abused and used as a controlling weapon.
The ultimate fulfillment of this Mark in Revelation is also about authority, control, allegiance, and worship. The whole world will wonder after and give their full blind allegiance to the Beast. But in doing so will also bring consequences. God (the one who rightly deserves our trust and allegieance says,
"If any one worships the Beast and his image and receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture . . .", Revelation 14:9-10. See also Ephesians 5:6 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 in this regard.
In summary, Cursed is the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, whose heart departs from the Lord. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is (Jeremiah 17:5,7).
If she was just a schmuck worker, absolutely. But she is managing deliveries. Accounts I’ve read said she was THE delivery manager, not simply A delivery manager. I say else were here about in my own life, not being considered for a dairy department manager on a grocery store because it took its deliveries every Saturday. They needed the manager there. Heck, that was his main job.
I can imagine this scenario: Armstrongists are having an impromptu picnic. They decide to order Chick-fil-A. But there’s a problem with the order. They called the restaurant, but I told that the manager doesn’t work would handle the matter doesn’t work Saturdays. The sabbath keepers talk among themselves about how silly that is. “If you were going to do deliveries on Saturday, which is going to be your busiest day, then you need to hire somebody who will work on Saturdays to manage it.” Very logical, and bypasses the sabbath issue.
The following week, they hear that one of their members, who knew nothing of the impromptu picnic, has lost her job. “Oh, what did she do” one of the members asks? “She was the delivery manager at the local Chick-fil-A. Something about they were always getting complaints about Saturday deliveries, but she wasn’t there to deal with them. They finally got tired of dealing with it when there was a problem with a big order this past Saturday. Some kind of church event, I think it was.”
Yes Lee Walker 7:18, I remember a popular 1980s book promoting the idea that the UPC barcode was the mark of the beast. I think it was Mary Stewart Relfe’s “When Your Money Fails: The 666 System Is Here.” Around that time, some Christian Identity groups were also warning that vaccines would be a type of, if not the, MOTB.
Later, when I came across HWA/WCG and learned he taught the mark was Sunday observance, I initially accepted it. But like the elder you mentioned, I felt there had to be more to it. Much later, connecting Rev 13:16–18 with Acts 17:29, I came to the conclusion the mark would likely involve some technological or man-made aspect as well.
Also (5:18 might find this personal anecdote of mine interesting) I recall about 16 years ago at my first UCG FOT, I was praying about whether using money on the Sabbath was wrong coz of the “buying and selling” aspect tied to the MOTB in HWA teaching. I needed to catch a bus to the evening service and was uneasy about paying the fare. When I offered the driver the money, he unexpectedly waved it off and said not to worry about it. I took it as an answer to prayer at the time. Interestingly, that same night I met a young Asian man at the church service who needed a place to stay and I suggested he stay with me (which he did for a few days before I got him his own room) and he ended up driving me back home that night and to and fro the services for the rest of the Feast.
Anyway when COVID and the vaccine mandates happened, it all felt strangely reminiscent of things I’d read and heard back in the 1980s and 1990s—seeing “through a glass darkly,” so to speak. I still think we’re only seeing pieces of a much bigger picture that may become clearer in time.
It's not sanctimonious to promote masks during covid, nor to promote ending tobacco dangers. Seems both efforts are meant as the public's "best interest" and not as a "sermon".
She likely could have lived longer without that damn smoke.
How could the concise, shortened 34 words total in 4:19 be a "sermon", 6:33?
I'm sure the restaurants are deleavened ahead of time. /s
Ok Anon 1:34 “sermon” might’ve been too strong a word. Maybe “sermonette” would’ve been better 🙃
Monday morning quarterbacks always like to judge tough decisions that are made during unknown times! When Covid 19 hit, very few people knew anything about it. When I started seeing people in the supermarkets wearing masks, I thought "Hey! These people are afraid of life!!" Soon, I had my own KN-95's and was wearing one every time I was out in public. I bought a generator, a propane grill, bulk hand sanitizer, and knew the stores nobody thinks about where such things as Jerky were remaining on the shelves. Hard to determine balance in such times, but I watched incredulously as people started ingesting tropical fish medicine and large animal medications and deep inhaling Lysol spray. It got to the point where you might just as well take your Sharpie and write "Democrat" across the front. So I revelled in that. It's when I started dressing in black, and still do today. The carton of cigarettes which I bought cause if things get irreparably broken to the point where you might just as well relax and enjoy yourself has remained unopened and is probably stale, but that's another story!
WTF? Most people did crazier stuff than I. Guess it was a good test, prep, or whatever. The false prophecies prepared me well!
Ah! I know what some of you guys are thinking! You are secretely wishing that this Sabbath lawsuit chick was working at Los Pollos Hermanos for Gus Fring on "Better Call Saul"!
Shame on y'all! 😑
Besides Thomas and Fischer and others mentioned, other "famous" WCG attendees included Joe Campbell (1st rd NFL draft pick) and Barbara Ann Scott (Canadian gold medalist figure skater, '48).
Or was Campbell just an instructor and not an attendee?
Wasn't an Isley Bro. also an attendee
Big wow, 5:27! Would love to have talked with one of the Isleys! Hendrix was a member of their band before he went solo in '66, got discovered in NYC by Chas Chandler of the Animals, and went off to England and fame.
Guess he was Chris Jasper of the Isleys, passed away Feb. 2025, and attended Westchester NY WCG in 1990s, eh...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/67518270109/posts/10162877801965110/
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