Armstrongism, Eisegesis, and Fake Prophecy

Herbert W Armstrong preached false doctrines about the end times and British Israelis that he derived from prior, flawed sources. Despite the appearance of scholarship in his approach, he essentially put himself above the Bible as the source of truth for Christians. He avoided sound exegesis all his life.

Feast of Trumpets Is Approaching And LCG Goes Into Fear Mode: Beware Of Those Rascally Germans!

 

Those rascally Germans, always stirring things up in COGland. When will they ever stop pestering the Churches of God? Living Church of God would have no reason to exist if it wasn't for Germany.

The fear factor is constantly alive and well in Armstrongism

We are now less than three weeks away from the Feast of Trumpets and as experience tells us, it will come quickly. Similarly, although we appear to be some years away, the day the Feast of Trumpets pictures will be here much more quickly than we might imagine. Germany is taking a turn to the right and cracking down on immigration. Events in Europe are setting the stage for the fulfillment of prophecies that we have known for decades must happen. Here in the United States, this is likely to be the most consequential election in memory, but who knows how it will turn out, what the fallout will be whichever candidate is elected, and most importantly, who God will choose, as He can turn elections in whichever direction He chooses. Leaders do make a difference, but anyone placing his trust in man and in our democratic approach to choosing our leaders is destined to be disappointed.—Gerald Weston

 

Lone Wolf Crackpot Prophet Ticked Off Football Season Starts Today

Football season has arrived with the start of September here in the United States.  Both College and NFL teams are starting their seasons off this month. Football stadiums will be filled to the brim with diehard fans. Televisions will be tuned to the games and food and drinks will be overflowing with fans.

But not in Grover Beach/Arroyo Grande, CA! No sirree, Bob! Our favorite crackpot, self-appointed, and deluded prophet is back getting his holistic undies tied up into another indignant knot.

After numerous quotes about sports injuries during the games, he has to open his undignified sacred mouth and make a royal ass of himself, once again. Satan is the father of American football and the Great Bwana to Africa is having none of it!

The National Football League (NFL) season is upon us as the 2024 NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday, September 5th. 

 

Should Christians support this? 

 

Early Christians would not have watched sports like it. 

 

What kind of sport is NFL football? 

 

A violent and damaging one. One that will hurt people this season.

The Great Bwana is "crying aloud and sparing not" when it comes to football. He is a beta boy when it comes to preaching about Jesus, but not when it comes to football! He speaks with force and power for all to see and hear! 

Many non-Philadelphian Christians do not wish to seriously consider that American tackle football is harmful, despite the facts, and would prefer that I not post about it. 

 

The Bible suggests otherwise:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;

Lift up your voice like a trumpet;

Tell My people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1) 

 

The reality is that American tackle football is evil–the players get harmed. This really is not debatable as it is an established fact.

A little later he has to drag Living Church of God into the mix due to the bitterness still raging inside him after all of these years. The Great Bwana Bob suffers from LCGDS: Living Church of God Derangement Syndrome. It eats away at his soul daily ever since the church rejected him en masse when he apostatized.

Clearly with any who have eyes to see, the fruits of this ‘sport’ are evil. 

 

Over the years, I have seemingly stood alone among Church of God leaders in the 21st century warning against American tackle football. I first spoke against it at the old Spokesman’s Club in the Worldwide Church of God last century. And, when I brought the subject up in the Living Church of God, it made many uncomfortable enough to take steps leading to my departure from that group. 

 

There is no doubt that American tackle football is dangerous to health. While some in the world consider watching it to be an ‘ethical uncertainty,’ true Philadelphia Christians (as well as many who are not) realize that something about this sport is physically harmful and should not be encouraged.

Apparently, Bad Philadelphians are justifying sin by watching football and not heeding the Bwana's words:

Let me state that there is a human tendency to try to justify sin. Many think if something feels right to them, it must be. According to the Bible, that is a wrong attitude:

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

10 I, the Lord, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

Bad Philadelphians are also displeasing God by watching football and those scantly clad cheerleaders. Sigh. 

I could not reconcile loving my neighbor as myself and cherishing my flesh and not doing violence to any man by watching others do it in a football game. Consider also the following:

9…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10)

Jesus also said:

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:20-21, NKJV). 

 

Is watching American football a deed that would be pleasing to God?

 

He drags in Apostle Paul to prove football is wrong:

The Apostle Paul wrote:

12… they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.(2 Thessalonians 2:12) 29 … they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32, NKJV) 

The Great Bwana Bob then has to drag Herbert up out of the grave to use him to support his LCGDS:

The late WCG Pastor-General Herbert W. Armstrong categorized American tackle football as evil. 

 

You may be telling yourself, well since my church does not (presuming you do not support a group like the Continuing Church of God which does) condemn football and/or possibly encourages it, the Bible really does not apply here. If so, be careful about accepting that type of tradition. Jesus Himself taught:

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

9 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:7-9) 

 

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 

 

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

The Great Bwana Bob then goes off by letting you know that in his household NO ONE watches evil satanic football and those who do are Laodiceans (especially LCG members who refuse to heed his call).

I do not watch American football. I consider that it is evil (also, no Christian can really defend how professional football cheerleading females are often publicly dressed and displayed). Others want to falsely act like there is nothing wrong with watching it. 

 

Some may not wish to hear about any of the evils of violent sports, and instead prefer smooth things, but hopefully I have tried to follow the Apostle Paul who declared:

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27) 

 

The bodies and blood of those who engage in violent sports is important. It does not show Philadelphia love. 

 

Regarding American football, do you believe that Jesus or the Apostle Paul would endorse it? This is something that Christians, and those that claim to be, should think and pray about. 

 

Those Laodicean Christians who are fans of American tackle football are NOT Philadelphians and will be subject to violence themselves as they will have to go through the Great Tribulation if they do not repent (Revelation 3:14-22). 

 

Encouraging violence in sports does not show brotherly/Philadelphian love. 

 

Philadelphian Christians do not watch American tackle football–whether the USA or Canadian version of it.

LCG: Oh No!!!!!!!!! The Germans Are Coming...AGAIN...and AGAIN...and AGAIN! What ever will we do?

 

Still Germany, Germany, Germany.

Thousands of troops is a far cry from millions of troops.

It’s the same old song, but with a different feeling since Herbert has been gone.

Why are 

Satan and Germany 

always hiding under the beds 

of Church of God leaders?

Why continue to live in a constant state of fear?

hat tip to a reader here as the source

Ever since Herbert Armstrong declared that Hitler was still alive and living in South America, the focus of the Church of God movement has been upon Germany. The more villainous the church could make Germany, the better. From concentration camps built all around the country to crematoriums filled with Laodiceans and non-members, with adjoining rooms filled with meathooks where the Germans would hang those they wanted to torture. The youth of the country would be taken to Germany and auctioned off around Europe as slaves to their new masters.

Hardly a week went by without a sermon or magazine article talking about Germany. The church talked about Germany as much as they did Satan.

In spite of the endless stream of prophetic failures by Herbert Armstrong, today's COGs try as hard as they can to carry on that mantle. None does it better than the Living Church of God.

Concern in Europe over the invasion of Ukraine, potential problems in Poland, Belarus, Georgia and Estonia with Russia, Europe is rightfully concerned about their nations sovereignty. Of course, this plays right into the hands of COG mythology that this is a sure sign that the phoenix of Germany will soon arise and take over the world as they prepare to march upon Jerusalem for an epic showdown in the Valley of Armageddon (after they torture, kill, and enslave Americans in concentration camps, of course).

Living Church of God had a post about this in 2022 and here we are a year later and they still are searching for what they see as confirmation of their incessant proof-texting.