Somebody's Mad!

 

Every once in a while someone's delicate nerves get pinched and we get comments like this.

Koke61 commented on "LCG: The next 1 - 5 years will be traumatic!"

You can mock all you want, but the Church of God from the hand of Mr. Weston will continue forward and the entire ministry from North America to Patagonia and each member around the world will continue as one man united until the end, one day you will give account of this just like the vile soldier who slapped our Lord Jesus Christ.

LCG is anything BUT united, especially after Gerald Weston told LCG members who visited other COG Feast sites that they had done so under the influence of Satan.

The Math is Incorrect: Prophet Bobalonia Pronounces Bullshitta on Shemitahs!

 There's been a lot of talk about Shemitahs lately...evidently. 

 

"Modern Jews claim that the period of time from sunset September 6, 2021 through sunset September 25, 2022 is a 'Shemitah year.' Some claim that this and the year that begins when this one ends (the claimed 'jubilee' is being called a 'super shemitah") and runs through 2023 may cause destruction or the Great Reset. Is this possible? Is Messianic Jew, Jonathan Cahn (of the Harbinger fame) a prophet of God as Pat Robertson has said or a false prophet? Was he right about the financial collapse of the USA in 2015? Are the Jews right about their Shemitah year being year 5982, or is 5991 closer? What about the beginning of sorrows? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more."

BibleNewsProphecy: 2022-2023 Shemitahs: Destruction/Reset?

Spoiler Alert

For entertainment purposes only

The Great Prophet "clearly" shows how the Great Shemitahs Destruction Reset is nothing to worry about.  They do not fit his calculations so if you were concerned about them beginning this month on the 6th, you can relax.  

And too...Someone, please send Prophet Bobalonia a New Testament for Christ's sake...and his own!

Was Herbert Armstrong The Elijah Of The Endtimes?

 

From an LCG source:

The topic has come up recently about whether HWA viewed himself as Elijah. Below are some excerpts from WCG literature and correspondence, which hopefully will clear it up. Members of the Church seemed to believe he was Elijah, and there is no indication that HWA attempted to correct this. The fact that the Church chose to publish, rather than squash, such comments indicates approval of and agreement with the comments, and the intent to influence the readers to favor that view.

Comments From Monthly Church Reports, PGR May 15, 1981.  

MIAMI, FL--AL KERSHA: Mr. Herbert Armstrong's sermon (delivered via the movie screen) was as strong and motivating as I have ever heard him in the 15 years I have been in the Church. The message was clear, earnest and powerful. Certainly an excellent message in preparation for the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread. In physical appearance Mr. Armstrong looked about 70; in spirit and power he sounded like a 35-40 year old man. The spirit and power that was in Elijah is obviously moving him. 

 

Weekly Letter Comments, PGR June 5, 1981. 

Yesterday we were blessed to hear from Mr. Gerald Waterhouse! I don't believe anyone left not having learned something new, or realizing even more the importance of God's Work and you (Mr. Armstrong) being the Elijah of this end time. He was, as always, very interesting and quite humorous! We are thankful for him and his helping all of us to speak the same thing. T.B. (Fincastle, VA) 

 

H.W.A. Diary by Robert E. Fahey, PGR Aug. 7, 1981. 

When Mr. Armstrong began I was all prepared to hear about the two trees once more. But I was in for a surprise. The beauty and blessings that we had seen seemed to inspire Mr. Armstrong to the sobering awareness that the national sins of the House of Joseph would cause God to remove the peace and prosperity from our peoples. "Britain and the United States are going down! And OUT!!" he thundered. "Like Elijah, I say to you, if God be God, GET OVER ON HIS SIDE! If this is God's Church, GET OVER ON HIS SIDE!" Then he went on to show that as Zerubbabel had prepared a physical temple among physical Israel for the physical Jesus to come to, so he was called to prepare a spiritual temple (the Church) of spiritual Israelites for the resurrected SPIRITUAL CHRIST to come to and make His own. 

 

Comments from Monthly Church reports, PGR Oct. 21, 1983.  

ROANOKE, VA--ROBERT PERSKY: All of the brethren who attended the Feast thought it was the best Feast ever. They all wished Mr. Armstrong had spoken longer on the Last Great Day. They always look forward with great anticipation to hearing him speak. They know he is God's end-time apostle and the "Elijah" of Malachi 4. 

 

Members' Reflections About the Church, PGR Nov 4, 1983.  

What a wonderful privilege it is to help hold up Elijah's hands and to have a small part in preparing the way for Christ to return, which shall end mankind's suffering. A.D. (Somerset, KY) 

 

From Ministerial Services, PGR June 7, 1985.  

Jesus Christ told His disciples, "Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things" (Matt. 17:ll). The many truths of God's plan and supreme purpose for His Church and eventually all mankind have been restored in God's Church through His end-time Apostle. Yet, as Paul warns, we can, through neglect, let these things slip away from us! Mr. Armstrong has brought into sharp focus these "mysteries," now restored to God's Church, in his book MYSTERY OF THE AGES. As he has mentioned in the Refreshing Program, this is a book that should be reread as soon as we finish it the first time, in order to really soak up what God is teaching us. Learning is indeed a lifelong process. We must continue to study and review God's Word all our lives. 

 

Booklet: Inside Story of The World Tomorrow Broadcast 

But Who Is Behind All This ? 

Just as Noah, a "preacher of righteousness" (II Pet. 2 : 5 ) , stood ALONE in warning the world of his day of its impending destruction ; just as Abraham, with his family, stood ALONE in obeying God in his day; just as Moses, "whom they refused" ( Acts 7 : 35 ) , stood ALONE when God first began dealing with ancient Israel and bringing them out of slavery in Egypt; just as Elijah warned ancient Israel and cried out : "I am left ALONE, and they seek my life" ( Rom. 1 1 : 3 ); just as John the Baptist stood ALONE, not affiliated with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes or any of the other religious groups of his day warning Israel of his day "like a voice in the wilderness" ; so Mr. Armstrong and this prophetic Work stand ALONE as God's instrument in warning the modern descendants of ancient Israel America and the British Commonwealth of Nations-of their coming national punishment, and heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ JN PERSON as King of kings and Lord of lords !  

 

Just as Elijah trained the "sons of the prophets" to aid him in ancient Israel 

( II Kings 2 : 35); just as John the Baptist had his disciples and assist ants ; just as Jesus Christ Himself trained young men as disciples to assist Him in the ministry as He stood ALONE against religionists of His day; so Mr. Armstrong has founded the Ambassador Colleges to train dedicated servants of God who bring forth the "fruits" showing that Goo has called them to aid in this ministry of preaching the true Message of God's soon coming, world ruling Government, and standing ALONE as God's "watchman" (Ezek. 33:2) to warn modern Israel of exact and SPECIFIC punishments from God! These prophesied punishments on our people are right NOW beginning to have a great effect on the lives of every one of you who is 1'eading this booklet.' As I have already shown you, the men in this Work of God are alert, intelligent, successful and balanced men. But we DARE to preach a Message that is definitely DIFFERENT from the hackneyed, sentimental ideas going about today under the name of "religion." 

 

Mystery of the Ages, pp. 290-291 

This era of the Church was to produce fruit. To this era-or to its human leader-God had set before it an open door. It is recorded in I1 Corinthians 2:12 and also Acts 14:27 how Christ opened the door for Paul to go into other countries to preach the gospel. This Church and/or its leader had but little strength. Neither were of great and powerful stature in Satan’s world but those of this era were faithful to the Word of God. Though much of the original gospel truth, imparted to the original apostles by Jesus in person, had been lost, it was restored through the Bible to this era of God’s Church who were faithful in keeping it. It is revealed in Malachi 3:l-5 and 4:5-6 that God would raise up one in the power and spirit of Elijah, shortly prior to the Second Coming of Christ. In Matthew 17:11 Jesus said, even after John the Baptist had completed his mission, that this prophesied Elijah “truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Although it is plainly revealed that John the Baptist had come in the power and spirit of Elijah, he did not restore anything. The human leader to be raised up somewhat shortly prior to Christ’s Second Coming was to prepare the way-prepare the Church-for Christ’s coming, and restore the truth that had been lost through the preceding eras of the Church. Also a door was to be opened for this leader and/or the Philadelphia era of the Church to fulfill Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” It was to be at a time when, for the first time in the history of mankind, the weapons of mass destruction were produced that could erase all humanity from the earth (Matt. 24:21-22). This also was to occur just before the Second Coming of Christ (verses 29-30). These prophecies have now definitely been fulfilled. The true gospel has been restored and has now gone in power into every nation on the face of the earth.

Does A COG Minister Have The Right To Determine Who Will Be A Church Member?

 

A comment was made on a previous thread about how the church has always claimed that no one could join the church unless God had called them. The problem then arose, did a minister ever have the right to determine who was in and who was left out? Potential members had to jump through all kinds of hoops in order to impress ministers that they were "called." From reading Mystery of the Ages, countless booklets, and a grand litany of does and don'ts, potential members needed to jump through a myriad of man-made and totally useless things to do. 

The COG loved to mock the Mason's for all steps they needed to climb in order to reach the top, while the church required the same amount of nonsense for members to become enlightened and part of God's privileged "called-out" ones. Then at that point, the church began to instill the fear into members that they could never leave the church and if they did they would lose their salvation. What utter nonsense! 

LCG Expositor has left a new comment on "Doug Winnail: God Is Watching You!":

LCG's practice of secret meetings stems from the old practice of WCG, where they tried to position themselves as an elite, sacred group. "We are the only ones who know the truth. The only ones God is working with on this entire planet. You can't just make yourself a member; God has to put you in. And we determine whether He is doing that. And once you are in this secret, elite group, it is so special you'll never want to leave, even if there is some abusive leadership. There's nowhere else to go. If you leave us, you're turning your back on God and on His selected leaders, and headed for the lake of fire. 

 

As far as I know, Flurry and LCG still engage in this detestable behavior, although LCG has toned it down. 

 

This practice started with the idea that "church" comes from "ecclesia" and means called-out ones. And we in the ministry get to determine whether you are called out or not. The problem is that while the word ecclesia is derived from "call" and "out-of", that is NOT what it means. Look it up in any Bible dictionary. Ecclesia means "assembly". Often an assembly of Christians, but not always. And nowhere in the Bible do we see any inkling of this arrogant exclusivity.

Dave Pack Blows A Gasket Over Ex-Members Gathering Together To Celebrate 4th of July

Dave Pack popped his prophetic white shirt last week when he lashed out at ex-members and ex-employees who got together to celebrate the 4th of July together. One of his ass-kissing young men on the payroll has been monitoring certain facebook pages of ex-member/employees to find any dirt he can report back to Dave with. Imagine living a life so petty and filled with such jealousy that this is what you spend your day doing so you can run and "impress" Dave. Little does this guy know that he will suffer the same wrath from Dave and be treated like dirt at some point in the future, just like the ex-employees and ex-members were.

Dave was incensed that these people all gathered together to celebrate the 4th of July. Imagine that! Dave really popped the buttons on his white shirt when he said some of these ex-members and ex-employees were CHRISTMAS KEEPERS! How dare some of these people associate with such heathens! Even worse, there were ex-members and ex-employees who were supposedly there from various splinter groups. How dare those people associate with Christmas keepers! Lord have mercy! Imagine a group of exRCG people enjoying a day of fun, friendship, and patriotism! What a damnable thing to do!

Dave was not happy that these people chose to gather on the 4th of July instead of waiting patiently for Dave's creature called "christ" to return on the weekend of July 17. Which it did not, as we all know.

So, now we wait for the creature to return this Saturday, but I have a feeling it will delay its second coming once again so it can watch the Olympics. After all, what would be more interesting....some creature return to Wadsworth to walk the hallowed ground of Dave's campus or watching the amazing abilities of world-class athletes in all their glory? Even JC knows the answer to that!

It's a strange thing. There's a group of people who recently who got together for the 4th of July, a week ago. Somebody showed me some pictures of them, and a lot of them are now Christmas keepers and a lot of others are in the splinters. And the one thing they had in common was that they had all been here (RCG HQ in Wadsworth, Ohio). But it was like there was no difference between them! Whether you are a Christmas keeper or you go to a splinter they are all right there enjoying the 4thof July together and they are happy to post it. Now I thought about some of the people who left us who would rather go send the 4th of July with CHRISTMAS KEEPERS, Easter, Halloween, who blew off all the laws of God and they wouldn't even say good-bye to us, never mind Thank-you, for anything.   Well, there's a lot of actors out there who are stage players and God has to get rid of them. And if people will quit when there is no fire, Come now and have a great meal and you can have eternal life in a few days and they say, "No, I choose my field and my cows or my wife who is gonna be DEAD WITH ME!" Boy, oh boy! Shallow, actors! So we ended where we started. There are a lot of people who are like that. Many are called, few are chosen. Blessed are those and happy are those who come to the 1335 and are REALLY BLESSED is a tiny little flock and there was always for 2,000 years a tiny ongoing microblock, generation by generation who actually going to be blessed a week before the others and I think it'll happen God willing, within the next week!

Even nominal Christians know that the God of Scripture has a far better outlook about people's lives than Daves nasty vengeful god does. Dave needs all of the COG reprobates to die horrible deaths in order to be proven right while scripture states just the opposite:

MSG
Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.

NIV
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

NRSV
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

KJV
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Living Church of God Tells Those Soon To Be Ordained To "...cut ties with friends who are members and rather build friendships with those who are ordained"

 

A reader here commented on Doug Winnail's Peacemaker post about how Living Church of God expects those soon to be ordained to cut ties with friends who are members and instead build friendships with those already ordained. Talk about elitism! Talk about being peacemakers! Sheesh!

Dr. D. Winnail is one of the main Ministers who tells people before they become ordained they have to cut ties with friends who are members and rather build friendships with those who are ordained. He is not the only one who teaches this as it is a "Normal Routine" to tell anyone who is considered for an ordained leader position.

I have seen many friendships just end all of a sudden and the ones who are not ordained are left wondering what happened. I thought it was crazy and something that was NOT Biblical at all and it certainly does not promote unity.

I was told by not only family who were being ordained but also close friends who were about to be ordained that they had to distance themselves from us in order to be ordained. After about another 10 years of dealing with practically being ignored at the Feast because we are not of the "Elite ordained" so they could not fellowship with us...HA that was my own family and of course our once very close friends that could not have time for us until maybe after the Feast. Mr. Weston also told our "very Close friends" (who turned out to not be real friends) to "SEEK OUT and DESTROY ANYONE who is considered a cancer to the Ministry and church." That hurt us deeply and our children. So we have left that because the fruits are not good. There are good people in that Organization but the majority of the leadership that we have met (remember we have family that are in the Ministry ) do not have good fruits. I have heard that Atlanta is almost as bad as HQ too.

Living Church of God: "He called me “Satan,” told me to stay away from him and even threatened to divorce me."

 

We have all heard horror stories over the years of marriages being ruined or broken up by the church. Whether it be in Dave Pack's cult or in Gerald Flurry's the abuse has been horrific. They are not the only destroyers of marriages and relationships, as the Worldwide Church of God reigned supreme in that department, particularly when heavy-handed Rod Meredith was over Church Administration. 

One would think that when all of the current splinter groups split off to preserve the "one truth" that they would have reinvented themselves and stopped the many cases of abuse they saw prevailing in the WCG. Instead, all any of them did was carry on exactly like they did in the WCG. They were so used to the power they had that they felt unstoppable and in no need to change anything. Living Church of God, despite being part of two different splinter groups, never has cleaned up their act and still is an abusive church.

Check out the latest post on Exit and Support Network from a woman in LCG:

Why I’m Leaving Living Church of God:
July 10, 2021 

 

I’ve been a member of LCG from 2012 but I always had doubts and tried to convince myself that it was the “true church.” Many things preached by LCG never added up. For example, the promise that Jesus would return within the next 5 years. 

 

LCG is a dangerous cult leading to many divorces for members who did marital counseling with the ministers. I ended up with serious anxiety issues and suffered financially when my husband forced me to pay the third tithe. I have never seen a verse in the Bible that says the Levites should be in charge of the third tithe and that the excess 2nd tithe should be given to the church on the Last Great Day. My question was always around why LCG never does any charitable deeds like helping the poor? 

 

I discovered the incest allegations about HWA and I found that very disturbing that someone who was supposed to be a servant of God could even be accused of such a thing. 

 

LCG preaches closet racism about interracial marriages in youth camps as being unequally yoked. I realised they were preaching nonsense and are not Christians who read the Bible. 

 

My husband is still part of the cult even after I showed him allegations about HWA and racist articles written in the Plain Truth. He called me “Satan,” told me to stay away from him and even threatened to divorce me. We were constantly fighting and my husband was trying to force me to remain with LCG which became emotionally abusive. He is determined to teach our kids about the nonsense of LCG child members being princesses when Christ returns. 

 

So many wrong things about LCG are so blatant but my husband refuses to see reason. How do I live in peace with someone like that and I’m worried about the influence on my children. Not sure what to do. I only pray that one day he sees the real truth not LCG fables. I just want to say thank you for your website as it helped me to see the true state of affairs at LCG. –[name withheld]

Greg Albrecht on Evil and Satan

The comments below by Greg Albrecht on Satan and evil will certainly set off one doubly blessed prophet of god into a naturopathic fit of self-righteous frenzy. I can't wait! 😈

QUESTION:

Some time ago you gave a sermon and talked about Satan, and asked how “real” is he and how “symbolic” is he. I think he is real, and I have many Scriptures that support my conclusion. Of course, I know that there are many references in the Bible which are true but not literally so. Can you elaborate?

 

ANSWER:

 

Some brief thoughts, perhaps if I enumerate them they might be a bit more logical! 

• The question of the devil, and how “literal” biblical references to his existence are, and how symbolic, is an ongoing discussion – has been for many centuries. 

• Excuse the double negative:  I do not believe that the devil/Satan does not exist.  I believe that would be an uncalled for (biblically speaking) conclusion.  I have no idea how real and literal Satan is, and that fact does not bother me because my believe in the reality of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit completely transcends any worries I might have about Satan.  

In COGland, Satan is the most powerful entity on earth today. Far more powerful than Jesus who is sitting in some faraway place pouring over all the details of COGleaders who have determined when he is to return. Satan is constantly on the prowl for the minds of COG members and apparently, according to most COG leaders, he is quite successful in leading church members astray - not the ministry of course, but the members.

• I also believe that it is possible to have an unhealthy interest in the things that constitute evil and darkness.  Thus, I suggest the more literal one tends to take Satan and his demons, and how much power one attributes to them, the “weaker” and more “vulnerable” one’s faith is.  This is the spirit of 1 John 4:4 –“… the one who is in you [Jesus] is greater than the one who is in the world [Satan].”  Trust God, focus on him, know that he alone is on the throne of the universe.  That we know.  That we believe.  There is our faith.

The emphasis on Satan in the COG is unhealthy and has led to mental health issues with members who think they are under his control. Every single week Satan is brought up in a sermon and members are warned to be on guard for his wiley ways. Jesus is seldom discussed, but Satan certainly dominates the airwaves in the COG.

• Whatever and whomever the devil and his henchmen are, and whatever they may do (Paul calls him “the prince of the power of the air”) the Bible clearly teaches they are limited in their scope of influence.  At times a fallen spirit world (whatever such a spiritual dimension is, and I do not pretend to know specifically and doubt anyone who dogmatically claims they know) they often have power and influence in someone’s life because an individual allows and gives them such powers. 

In COGland, Satan controls everything is craftily planning on how to get COG leaders kicked off the airwaves so their messages can't be preached. Since no COG leader has ever had a real theological education (and this particularly means Bob Thiel)  and spent time examining the subject of Satan in church history and fictional accounts that have entered the church belief system, they are totally oblivious to the many traditions and false understandings that infect COG leaders today.

• The greater question regarding how Satan may or may not literally exist, and the biblical passages that speak of him (or is “he” a “she” – just kidding, but the question is fair given the tone of our politically correct world today) is the matter of evil.  There is no doubt whatsoever that evil exists, that it thrives and that it causes enormous grief and heartache.  Satan may be in some way responsible for much of the evil we see in the world, and in some ways he may stand for and symbolize evil in some biblical references.   But evil does exist without him. Humans cannot blame Satan for all the evil in this world and specifically, the evil to which they contribute.  The totality of evil in our world is greater than the sum of its parts.  Evil is the greater enemy I believe, and thus it deserves more of our attention.

Evil is only discussed COGland when it can be connected to Satan and never is much discussed on how humans contribute to it all by themselves. Just look at the evil that transpired when numerous COG leaders took it upon themselves to set up COG splinter groups, diverting money into their pockets and separating families from loved ones. Did Satan cause that or just vile evil men who were consumed with their own greatness and lusts for power?

• Christ-centered, biblical faith does not offer any perfect solution to the problem of evil and why it exists (called a theodicy).  In brief, 1) God is all powerful.  2) God is good.  3) Appalling evil happens, all the time.  Why? How do we reconcile those three statements?  Some propose that we blame the devil, and when we are particularly involved in evil, conclude “the devil made me do it.”  This is overly simplistic and does not fit within the love, mercy and grace of God.  Do we propose that evil exists because of a mutual attack on goodness by our inherently evil human nature and by Satan and his demonic world?   Some do – again, I don’t think the Bible speaks authoritatively on this topic. But of course 1) God is all powerful  2) God is good and  3) Appalling evil happens, all the time.  These three truths are not perfectly resolved, to our satisfaction, by the love, mercy and grace of God either.  We are left with the problem of evil, where it comes from, how it happens, who is responsible and what can be done about it.

• Whether we take all biblical references to Satan being “literal” and “real” or not is a bit of a snipe hunt, I believe.  For example, one can say that people put on too much weight because they eat hamburgers and fries, while another person may say that people put on too much weight because they eat too much pasta and drink too much alcohol.  While there are folks who say they know dogmatic answers to weight gain, retention and loss (and they stand ready to sell you their book of course!)  the issue is a bit more complex than some of the simplistic solutions offered.  What can we say and know, and where should be place our attention?  In my opinion, Christ centered faith offers no intellectual solution to the problem of evil, or of Satan…. or for that matter, many other topics, including weight gain and loss.  But here’s the ultimate solution, here’s where our focus must be — the Cross of Christ stands forever as absolute testimony to the fact that there is no evil so vile and reprehensible that God cannot transform it to his goodness and grace, and that ultimately, he will.  Christ-followers have, by God’s grace, a cruciform faith, not a fearful of the devil faith.THE DEVIL AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL – GREG ALBRECHT

This is the standard belief of traditional Christianity, but not the COG version. Jesus gets little lip service in the COG while the law, Satan, and obedience do. People live in a state of fear in the church, constantly worrying if they are going to make it or if they have kept all of the laws properly. Any quick review of exCOG boards on Facebook makes that appallingly obvious on how people struggled when in the church to do everything right and how it helped destroy their mental health, so much so, that many are still dealing with the after-effects decades later.

Crackpot COG Prophet On Why People Who Use Splenda and Sweet'n Low Will Not Recognize The True Church

Will Splenda keep you out of the true church?

 

It's another sunny day in Grover Beach, CA, and our favorite self-appointed crackpot prophet whips out another ludicrous article. Never has a prophet been so consumed with some of the silliest and irrelevant topics that a prophet would be speaking about than in what we see penned by Almost-arrested, doubly blessed Elisha Bwana Bob Thiel, the great savior of Africa and 299 Caucasians.

There is a reason you do not see prophets in the New Covenant church or even in its theology. Apparently, God foresaw the future line of blithering idiots the Church of God would be producing in 2021, in the likes of Gerald Flurry, Ron Weinland, Dave Pack, Alton Bilingsley, and Bob Thiel, and then decided that with the becoming of Christ no more prophets were needed. 

If you are a Christian and a follower of Christ then that need for a prophet is eliminated, plus the problem with today's COG prophets is that they all speak presumptuously for the god they claim to follow. The self-appointed prophets in the Church of God today were NOT appointed by God nor set apart by God to spread some kind of end-time prophetic message.

Notice what Deuteronomy (the COG's favorite book, after Leviticus) has to say about our current crop of self-appointed prophets:

But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’“When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

That's pretty strong words against our COG prophets. Considering the fact that every single one of these guys has prophesied things that never came true, even just ONE time, is all we need to know about these fools. God rejects them just as we should.

But let's not forget our favorite blithering idiot of a prophet, Bob. Today he has an article up about artificial sweeteners (which actually has some good info in it) and then goes on to equate the idea that people refuse to listen to science that artificial sweeteners are bad for you just as they refuse to listen to the self-appointed prophet of God and the message from the one and only true church supposedly doing a work today. 

I'll skip the artificial sweetener fact list and jump in where he starts comparing those people who use it to those that reject his teachings as a prophet and as a non-apostolic minister pretending to lead a church today.

Avoiding artificial sweeteners, chemical additives, excess refined sugar, and some other items commonly associated with junk foods is consistent with the warning to eat what is good. 

 

Despite the truth, most people (over 98%) who take typical vitamin supplements believe that whatever they take is actually natural and does not have the risks that researchers keep finding that typical vitamin supplements have. This is a false belief. The truth about vitamins in supplements can be known, but most do not want to learn and then act on the truth. 

 

It is a lot like religion. False religion is also artificial and it DOES NOT BRING salvation.
Because of tradition, family influence, and/or social pressures, most people (over 99%) have a faith (religious, atheistic, or agnostic) that is based upon false belief.

That is a perfect description of the Church of God splinter groups today. A works-based false religion that will not bring salvation. A lot of COG members are in it because of family influence and pressure from other COG members to stay in it. Almost all of the larger groups in the COG are based upon false belief and the command to heed church government.

Most WILL NOT WORSHIP GOD IN TRUTH, but instead cling to falsehoods and false traditions. Many use Jesus’ name, but He says He will say to many that He does not know them. 

 

Like those who swallow a lot of artificial sweeteners try to convince themselves that they are helping themselves. 

 

Nearly all take false beliefs into their hearts and minds all the time. They hope, despite the truth, that physical benefits and/or spiritual salvation will come from faiths built upon falsehood. 

 

Consuming large amounts of artificial sweetener can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, dementia, and other diseases. Being a consumer of false religion does not lead to salvation in this age.

Following these false COG leaders leads to unhealthy mental issues, poverty, sickness, broken marriages and families, divorce, depression, suicide,  and even murder. These followers all hope, despite the truth surrounding them that salvation will come to them through their church and its leadership. Follow them and you will make it to the kingdom and become a god as God is God.

Prophets of God, when they were needed, encourage and convict people to act upon something in order to prevent something drastic from happening. Not so with Bob Thiel. This bumbling fool preaches on these topics as if they are important to anyone seeking to be a follower of Jesus Christ:

• Purim 2021 and Iran
• Could Switzerland be descended from Gad? (Even if it is, it is not relevant)
• I365: 800-Year-Old Prophecy and Hidden Torah Codes 
• COGwriter: No, not this COVID pandemic …
• Polycarp: Any relevance? What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about him? (Herberts opinion is irrelevant)
• Is it really logical to believe in God? (Bob is unable to prove his point on this subject)
• German State Forbids Drivers From Wearing Masks, Sunglasses & Hats At Same Time’
• Did Papias of Hierapolis teach CCOG or Church of Rome doctrines? (It is a FACT that Papias did NOT teach CCOG doctrines, in fact, no one in the Bible does)
• Should believers ‘completely trust’ the KJV Bible?
• MS: If You Believe Life Will “Return To Normal”, You Have A Fundamental Misunderstanding Of The Times In Which We Live; Biden Pushing ‘Equality Act’
• BibleNewsProphecy: USA pushing (im)’moral leadership’? (COG leadership has been the most immoral group of men ever)
• ‘China Betrays Its Deal with the Vatican’
• Joe Biden: life may not return to normal this year due to COVID mutations; Paul Roberts: The Covid Pandemic Is The Result of Public Health Authorities Blocking Effective Treatment
• Sermon: What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?
• Munich Security Conference: Biden urges allies to show democracies can ‘still deliver’
• ‘Biden Withdraws Trump’s Restoration of UN Sanctions on Iran’ ‘Israel: US paving path to Iranian nuclear bomb with push to rejoin JCPOA’
• CG7-Denver, the Paulini, and Binitarianism
• 1984 to be banned? Vaccine needed to buy & sell? 666 precursors?
• Nord Stream 2 and other European moves away from the USA: USA too damaged to lead?
• Conspiracy theories do not mean that Freemasons do not exist
• WND: Archbishop to Biden: Stop calling yourself a ‘devout Catholic’ (God says, Bob Thiel Stop calling yourself a Christian!)
• ‘You Must Eat 100% Synthetic Beef, Says Bill Gates Who Is An Early Investor In The Fake Meat Industry’
• Ash Wednesday: Did Early Christians Observe Something Like It?
• UN: Iran producing uranium metal in violation of 2015 nuclear deal; Israel is concerned and may not support Biden-Harris plans
• Aim of impeachment to support monitoring ‘domestic terrorism’? Kevin Sorbo removed from Facebook
• Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday?
• Germany pushing ‘mark of the beast’?
• AP on COVID conspiracies, but it fails to report on major vitamin D study
• DW: 500 years after Martin Luther’s excommunication: A chance for ecumenical Christianity

Not one single thing listed above is relevant to a Christian's walk. None of them have anything to do with salvation. While they may be interesting or even factual, they still are 100% irrelevant to the spiritual life of a follower of Christ.

Fake prophets and false preachers in the Church of God need to keep their few followers whipped into a frenzy of fear and dread. Because every single one of today's COG leaders ignores Christ and everything he came to accomplish and did, they are left with the kind of crap Bob publishes and the things Pack and Flurry says.

Followers of Jesus know this:

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This invalidates all of the conspiracy theories, false doctrines, false teachings, and blatant lies of today's COG leaders. No one needs their crap.

Philippians 4:9
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Galatians 5:22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

 

Colossians 3:15
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

 

Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:6
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Ephesians 6:15

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

 

John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

James 3:18
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (Have you ever noticed that COG leaders are NOT peacemakers? They are constantly stirring up strife and trauma in the church) 

 

Philippians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

No follower of Christ needs to follow anything Bob Thiel says. They do not need to follow Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry or Ron Weinland, or any other leader of a corporate Church of God. 

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

UCG: Don't Go To The Radicalized News Sources But Come To Us Because We Have The Real Truth. We Have The Logos!

Those fun boys in Cincinnati are back letting us know that they are the best source for unbiased news that there could possibly be! With their claim that 57% of Americans distrust the news, they want you to know that they are the best source of news you could ever possibly need. 

It’s important to note that these numbers represent journalists and media on both ends of the spectrum—liberal and conservative. And government doesn’t fare any better. 

 

What is disturbing about this for us in the Church of God fellowship? Follow-up research conducted a few weeks ago found that a majority (57 percent) of Americans interviewed noted that divisiveness is so extreme that they believe the United States “is in the midst of a cold civil war.”

Then the boys say this:

Consider these parallels: even before he was president, Abraham Lincoln saw similar issues. Back in 1858, he declared: “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it” (Lincoln’s emphasis). When he spoke this, the United States was bitterly divided. He famously then paraphrased the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 12:25: “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” 

 

Today, this is more important than ever. In this current crisis of mistrust, we need to recognize that people on both sides have become radicalized. 

 

As Lincoln stated, “what to do and how to do it” are critical. In this world where credible, reliable and trustworthy information is all but lost, where can people turn for real truth?

Hmm...let me guess...just where are people to turn to for real truth? Hmmm...I wonder where that could possibly be? 

The biblical answer is found in John 17:17: “your word is truth” (English Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).

Imagine that, the "truth" found in a Church of God, particularly the United Church of God. Who knew! 

Remember, these are the same guys who plotted and schemed, behind the scenes, while still employed as ministers of the Worldwide Church of God. This went on for many months with them meeting in the SOG apartments and off-campus to figure out how they could start a new church, take as many people as possible to fund a new organization that would keep them all employed as ministers. And while they did this they were actively kicking out WCG members left and right who disagreed with the changes. Depending on how well they liked you and if they thought you had a lot of money, they would then pass on to these people to wait and a new church would be formed and they could join it. 

Yes, these are the men now asking you to trust them with the "truth".

Never mind that though, the boys want you to imagine that they answer to a higher power. 

But consider this. There is a certain Greek word that refers to vocabulary. The phrase for vocabulary that is simply translated “word” in English is lexi (from which we get lexicon). 

 

But lexi is not the Greek word that is in the inspired prayer from Jesus to God in John 17:17. This is a critical point: Jesus uses the Greek word logos—the verse actually reads: “your logos [Word] is truth.” 

 

Why is that Greek word logos important? Beginning a few hundred years before the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, many philosophers claimed and used the Greek logos to refer to the ability to think, as a means to persuade, as reasoned discourse, as the difference between humans and beasts. Logos was the center of many teachings.

I guess Logos is as good a word as Jesus, or getter actually. UCG, like most COG's do not mention Jesus that much. Its law, law, law. Or, law, tithe, government, hoy days, and a little Jesus. 

If we now revisit the entire prayer of Jesus in John 17:17, we then see Jesus praying for us today! “Sanctify them [set apart for holy service] in the truth; your word [logos] is truth” (ESV). This Logos—Jesus Christ as the Word—must be living within us (Ephesians 3:17). 

How can Jesus be living in the COG when the church has basically ignored the dude for decades? These are the same men who were embarrassed to even say the name Jesus for many years. Today it is cool for the more liberal COG's to say the name Jesus more as it makes them think they are appealing to real Christians in the world.

Think on this: if we indeed are to fulfill our personal individual mission of being lights to this darkened world (Matthew 5:14), a world darkened by mistrust, we must fully know, understand and be living the precious truths that we hold. We must be anchored in faith and active in trust! People in the world should see that Word of truth openly living in us. 

 

As we approach the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, I call upon each one of us to revisit the spiritual trunk of the tree and hold it fast. A most crucial part of this trunk of the tree is the precious plan of God, highlighted by the knowledge and application of the Holy Days.

Jesus, plus the holy days. That's how it works. In the COG it is always a "+" god that needs to be affirmed. Something always needs to be done to placate the angry god they actually follow.

Do we consider that this Word, this Logos spoken of by John, who is today our Elder Brother who stands ready to help us, is the One who both gave the Holy Days we observe and also lives in their meaning? Does the understanding of these Holy Days live and manifest itself in our daily lives?

It is always important to do something to make the angry god happy. Do a lot of works and God will be pleased and then it may drop a few spoonfuls of grace upon you. The Jewish holiday s were vital to the identity and growth of the Children of Isreal to gain their identity. These laws were to them alone and not for anyone around them. Contrast that with what most Christians understand, that with Jesus, grace overwhelms everyone and everything, not just a certain group of people.

But then again, this is a COG and the law must reign supreme. The Cincinnati boys want their members to pray about their message during the upcoming holiday instead of placing their focus upon that dude that embarrassed them. the dude who can give them rest, comfort, and distress them from the rigamarole of everyday life.

Allow me to address one more issue: as we approach the upcoming Holy Days, I would also ask you to consider and pray about the fact that the message of the Church must endure and prevail in this turbulent environment of mistrust. We don’t speak for the Left or Right—we openly declare the reality of the coming Kingdom of God! We contrast the truth of the Bible with the events of the day, “crying aloud” (Isaiah 58:1) and proclaiming a warning message to repent of national and personal sins. 

One of the COG's biggest fear tacts was to constantly whine about a "famine of the word". For two millennia there have been Christians who have fought and died to preserve the word they claim as too important to keep let die.  These martyrs who died knowing the truth they found never once believed that it was going to disappear at some point in time. Their God was more powerful than that. Not the god of the COG's though. It was so impotent that it let its message disappear for 1,800 years till Herbert Armstrong discovered it in a public library. 

We should solemnly consider that the Bible warns of a coming time of spiritual famine, “of hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8:11). That time is not yet, but in a time when research confirms that media and government leaders are “purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false,” we must double down in prayerful vigilance, holding fast to the spiritual trunk of the tree.

For decades the COG has misled people with what they call the "truth". A truth that many of them don't even actually believe because that truth needs to focus upon Jesus and that just pisses them off. The COG in 2021 places more emphasis upon sacred rocks, double blessings, dreams, and visions of apocalypse as the god they look to than it does at any time upon Jesus and what Christianity knows and understands.  Some day the COG might catch up to that understanding.

From Personal from the President Victor Kubik

David C Pack's Words Come Back To Haunt Him

 

From a reader:

More highlights from David Passover Christ's Is 'That Prophet' Alive Today? 

Page 80:
When such suddenly-elevated leaders give themselves over to urges of “new understanding,” they are actually completing the cycle of “falling into the condemnation of the devil.” Too unskilled in the scriptures (particularly passages about prophecy) to resist the “deeper insights” they feel are coming to them, they wind up yielding to demonic whisperings in their ears. As these men become conduits for fallen spirits, they pour out pure garbage on their followers.

The result is that they destroy far more people than just themselves—and in the end they do always destroy themselves! I have seen it all too often, with name after name—past and present—coming to mind as I write this.

Page 46:
Saul was vexed, and often outright possessed, by a demon. The unwitting and fearful (which was apparently almost everybody in Israel at the time) continued to follow him anyway simply because he was “the king”—and this led them to eventually conclude that he was “among the prophets.” Fear gripped the majority—while only a few hundred people chose to follow David until Saul died! The lesson is that despite the fact that Saul had become a crazy demoniac, most of his subjects continued with him anyway!

This account should truly sober you! It is a characteristic of false prophets and demoniacs to bellow, rage, belittle and attack other people—sometimes relentlessly—to elevate themselves. Apparently, Saul also had a particularly murderous spirit, which repeatedly tried to kill David, or have him killed. Saul became abusive. Yet, few had the courage to stand against him, because he was “the king.” Over time, Saul became a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” One moment, he could be warm, friendly, charming, and David’s best friend, and seconds later a raging murderer seeking to kill David!

Be careful if what is being described is a pattern visible in your leader. It is not of God.

Page 48:
…within the understanding that demons are actually the ones inspiring a false prophet, it is God who has sent one or more of these spirits to fulfill His purpose, which can also be to present a test to God’s people regarding whether or not they will follow those He has not sent.

If a prophet is sent by God, every one of his prophecies will always be perfectly accurate—no exceptions! He would not merely be close to the timing and truth of events “foretold.” He would always be completely correct, if God was sending a warning through him. Never forget this, because God is always right! 

Bob-baloney-ia Notes: RCG’s David Pack about to be proven wrong again

"While David Pack needs to repent and then to be forgiven, no, it is not possible for Jesus to return this week. Furthermore, it is not possible for the Millennium to end as early as April 3, 3028"

The Millennium cannot start until 7 years after the deal of Daniel 9:27 has been confirmed/pushed–for details check out the article: The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27. Such a deal is NOT going to be done by April 3, 2021, hence David Pack’s date for the end of the Millennium is too soon.

David Pack went over the ‘deep end’ years ago and his recent rantings should make that more and more obvious to any that will look.

David Pack has repeatedly been proven wrong and will be once again."

Dave Pack: One More Day And It's Finished!

 

PCG on why church members are important

The Philadelphia Church of God has a new article up that regurgitates some stuff Herbert Armstrong wrote decades ago. It is about the "vital" role of members to the church and is from HWA's incredibly boring book, Mystery of the Ages.

Like many things written by church leaders over the decades, it has NOT aged well. It starts right off by making a ludicrous statement:

The individual lay member has his vital part in proclaiming the good news (gospel) to the world. How? Not by going out and himself proclaiming Christ’s message to the neighborhood or to the world. That is done primarily and directly by God’s apostle through radio, television and in print!

There is no better example of Christian values than by the everyday actions of a Christian in his/her everyday life. If they actually believe what they say they believe then they live it and it is apparent to those around them.  It doesn't take some globe-trotting "apostle" who has "prepaid" for his visit with world leaders so he can preach about a "strong hand from someplace." Who needs to hear that kind of crap? That message has had zero impact upon the world while the everyday lives of Christians have made such an impact that Christianity has been an active force for 2,000+ years.

The author, Christ’s apostle [Herbert], can say emphatically that the apostles, evangelists, pastors and elders could not carry on the Work of God without the loyal backing and continual encouragement of the lay members. 

 

Neither can the individual lay member develop and build within him God’s holy, righteous and perfect character without the operations of the apostle, evangelists, pastors and elders. All these various members God has set in His Church are interdependent—mutually dependent on one another. They form a team—an organized spiritual organism—utterly different from any secular and worldly organization!

Christianity, and most religions, all operate as "spiritual organisms". Most are mutually dependant upon the interaction of followers with religious/spiritual leaders. This is not something new that Herbert pulled out of his hat.

Then they get to the real reason the church needs members. Money! 

In general, the whole operation of the Church costs money. Facilities and methods are available to the Church for performance of its commission that did not exist in the first-century world. Without the tithes and generous freewill offerings of lay members, the Church commission could not be performed in today’s world.

Oh, ye of little faith! No church needs an extravagant campus. No church needs a multi-million dollar concert hall. No church needs private jets. No church needs faculty rows and housing for its elite ministers on the cult compounds in Edmond and Wadsworth. No church needs any of that. It doesn't even need its leaders going to speak to leaders of nations in the world. 

Oh, and don't forget, church leaders need the support of the members because of the INTENSE persecution they all suffer.

Without the fervent and prevailing continual prayers of all members, the Work could not be accomplished. Without the continual ENCOURAGEMENT of lay members and those over them locally, those of us operating from headquarters could not bear up under the persecutions, oppositions, trials and frustrations.

Every "persecution" PCG faces and COG's as a whole are because of their own perverse actions. When they run off at the mouth and say dumb things, treat members like crap, and make utterly asinine prophecies, they have no right to claim persecution, opposition, trials, and frustrations. These idiots brought it upon themselves. 

Also in reverse, the lay members need just as urgently the encouragement, teaching, counseling and leadership from headquarters and local pastors.

Oh no, they don't! Considering how awful the leadership is in so many of the COG's and the fact that 99.50% of them actually have no training in real counseling presents to church members things they do NOT need. 

The “loner”—the “individual Christian,” who wants to climb up into the Kingdom some other way than by Christ and His way through His Church—is not being trained in Christ’s manner of training, to rule and reign with Christ in His Kingdom!

While it is true that Christian is a "communal" faith that creates the need for community in order for the faith to grow it is not a training ground for "proper church government" nor for becoming god as Christ is god.

The Kingdom of God will be the God Family—a superbly and highly trained and organized family of God beings. The Church is God’s special school for training those He has selected and called to be trained in His Church—to be kings and priests, to rule and to teach—for their part in that Kingdom. Only those so trained in the Church will be kings and priests in the Kingdom of God.

Pure bunk. Millions of Christians down through the centuries who have never been part of an Armstrongist COG are immediately cast aside by such flippant remarks. If the soon-coming Kingdom of God is going to be comprised of current COG leadership and certain members then the licking flames of the lake of fire would be more compassionate. Can you imagine 1,000 years being ruled over by the Flurry clan and their followers? Or, Dave Pack and his ministers? Or, even Bob Thiel. Nothing could ever be more frightening!

The sad thing is that over the 80 years existence of this version of the Church of God we have had piss-poor leadership, horrendous abuses dished out on members, hundreds of false prophets, heretical teachings, and morally bankrupt leadership. 

Never has the COG NOT been an example of first-century Christianity than it is today. 

See The Vital Role of a Church Member