UCG Scrambling To Maintain Control?

For decades we have been bombarded in the Churches of  God about a coming WWIII with Germany at it's head who will bring the United States and British Commonwealth nations to it's knees.  We have also had alternative bogeymen that became the chief scapegoat once the Berlin Wall fell. There's China, there's the rampaging Muslims, and some are even hoping that the Soviet Union regains it's power in order for HWA and Meredith's prophecies to come true.

In reality these are impotent nations compared to a far greater power that has emerged with the ability to bring down governments, presidencies, religious leaders and churches.

It's the Internet!  This one little tool has empowered people with the ability to check things out without having to go to their minister, elder or prophet/apostle.

A blog on cults today had a small paragraph about how the Internet helped decimate UCG late last year.  UCG has not recovered and will NEVER recover from this.

Recently, a friend of mine who came out of the Worldwide Church of God mentioned that the main splinter group from that cult has split again as an anonymous person had posted on a forum the happenings within that church and caused many to question the leadership. Again, the freedom to search and find answers has helped cult members to get free.

Steve Hassan: Interviewing Robert Jay Lifton

UCG is now lashing out at the evilness of the Internet and it's ability to change peoples mindset.  Scott Ashley has an article in UCG News August 2011 .  Ashley has written this article to contact the rumors that are swirling around UCG and on the Internet about changes in UCG's doctrines.  Apostle Malm, on the Shining Light blog is taking direct credit for cause of this article.  He claims he has been in several discussions with Ashely recently.

Apostle Malm writes:

Scott Ashley graduated from AC in 76 and then moved to Denver, he became a deacon about 1990 and was ordained in 93, see his CoE bio. He was not in Pasadena during the Tkach years and has absolutely no knowledge or understanding of what was going on then; therefore he cannot see through what is taking place now. He has commented on this Blog under an assumed name recently and he and I have exchanged messages both in the past and in the last few days. I have just sent him some information together with source proofs, but Scott has a dedicated “my group is God’s and corrrect in all things” attitude. He has seen fit to attack me on other occasions even more directly; without knowing what he was talking about. He is a man of great zeal for UCG and I expect that like Paul; when his light of understanding goes on, he will become a very special person. Right now he is blinded by misplaced loyalty and a lack of information and understanding. Do you think that he and certain others would waste their time on reacting to any other Blog? These things are a good indication of the impact that this Blog is having and on the need they feel to respond. I have never advertised this Blog and yet it is having a profound impact on the various COG groups. Many brethren and some elders are experiencing a renewed zeal for the Great God! Why? And How can that be, if the Eternal is not involved? James

Malm is a serious threat to many of these splinter cults.  He is going after die hard Armstrongites who are hell bent on keeping the law perfectly. Malm and his little legion of acolytes think they have all the capabilities to keep the law in it's entirety:

Recently I have repeatedly said that UCG is not changing its written doctrine; it is changing its practical application of its written doctrine.  They are also watering down the “Law and Grace” issue into a license to sin.  Yes, they know what sin is, but they have bought into the Evangelical lie [based on the Evangelically produced NKJV and the NIV etc] that we cannot keep the commandments properly before God;  therefore Christ will overlook our human frailty and sin out of “love”.

Many of these cults are afraid that Apostle Malm is going to start another group.  He is already telling people to stay home from their church Feast site, or attend this year knowing that it will be their last one with their present COG group.  He is soliciting money and has enough backers that can set up a new non-profit Church for him to step into without him ever lifting a finger.

What is going to happen to this group of people once Apostle Malm's prophecies and blovaiting all fail to come to pass?  More destroyed lives.  More disillusioned people.

Bill Swanson Forced Out of UCG

So Where Were You When God Called You into the Belief---I mean Truth?

So Where Were You When God Called You into the Belief-I mean Truth?


"I don't know anything that gives me greater pleasure, or profit either, than talking or listening to philosophy. But when it comes to ordinary conversation, such as the stuff you talk about financiers and the money market, well, I find it pretty tiresome personally, and I feel sorry that my friends should think they're being very busy when they're really doing absolutely nothing. Of course, I know your idea of me: you think I'm just a poor unfortunate, and I shouldn't wonder if your right. But then I don't THINK that you're unfortunate - I know you are."
(Plato)

"The difference between a man who is led by opinion or emotion and one who is led by reason. The former, whether he will or not, performs things of which he is entirely ignorant; the latter is subordinate to no one, and only does those things which he knows to be of primary importance in his life, and which on that account he desires the most; and therefore I call the former a slave, but the latter free."
(David Hume, 1737)

What happens when one is faced with the reality that ones truth is not really true? What do Christians, of all types, do when their truth turns out to be merely a belief that has been found wanting?

Years ago I gave a sermon using the then new and fascinating 3D art form where one had to practically go into a trance, release the fixation on the wavy pattern of nonsensical forms and let the mind sense another way of looking before one could see that, indeed, there was a 3D picture of ships and sharks staring you right in the face. I had this picture on a tripod by the lectern during the sermon which was on "Can you see it?" I suppose the point at the time was seeing the truth etc. What was fascinating was the crowd that gathered around the picture after the sermon to try and see what I saw and indeed, was there to be seen.

Some saw it right away and gave themselves a big pat on the back and acted like it was no big deal. They became the instant experts at helping others "see" it too. They pontificated on how to look, how to stand, how to relax ones eyes etc, and to their dismay, most could not do it with the pressure they were putting on them to "see it." The one or two who did received a great congratulations which was really the zealot congratulating himself for being such a good teacher.

Others were quiet, not needing help, nor wanting it. They would figure it out. Some quietly did and some did not and just wandered away perhaps feeling a bit dumb for not being able to see it or wondering if everyone that did see it was nuts. Some rejoiced when they finally could see the ships and sharks and some got mad when they couldn't and never did. It was fascinating and I learned more about how we see the truth of something after the sermon than I did in giving the sermon.

The fact is that a belief is just that and not necessarily a truth or the truth. We all have believed many things that turned out not to be so true from the not so reality of Santa Claus to the idea that perhaps I was not a part of the one really really true, only and exclusive Church of God. But belief goes further than that and mere belief in something does not make it truth by any means, or there would not be so much disagreement, for example on the doctrines, history, meaning and intent of God, the Prophets, Jesus, the Disciples, Paul, and all the so called "early Church (which Church?) Fathers.

Other impediments to the truth are the following beliefs. It should not be such a threat to question these core beliefs, but in fact, one might never come to see anymore truth if one gets stuck in these erroneous beliefs.
The Bible says it, I believe it, that does it for me"

To which we might add. "Darwin said it, I believe it, that settles it." If you think this is a silly reason for accepting evolution, you know why "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it" is a silly reason for accepting Creationism. But the evolution side does not use that argument: the Theory of Evolution is based on evidence, not Darwin's authority.

The Bible is literally true

To which we might add...There are many things in the Bible that are not literally true or did not literally happen. Yet to even hint at this is to raise the ire of fundamentalists. Joshua did not really raise his arms and stop the earth from rotating which is what stopping the sun from going down for "about a whole day" really is all about. Yet we struggle with thinking we simply have to believe that is literally true or God will be angry at us and label us as weak in the faith. Ok, well it won't really be God letting you know that, but it might be your Pastor.

The Bible says it is true

To Which we might add the Bible also calls a bat a bird which we know is not true or that snakes and donkeys can talk at times and do. It tells us humans can survive ovens, Fiery Chariots pick up the good guys so they can skip death, iron floats, fish deliver loose change and hundreds of other things that it is not my intention to remind us of, but you know them well. It also says women come from men and not men from women and I KNOW you don't believe that..at least not literally.

Prophecies prove the accuracy of the Bible.

To Which we might add that both Ezekiel and Isaiah prophesied different fates for the City of Tyre and neither one of them came true and Tyre stands to this day. Prophecies about Egypt also failed to materialize and adjustments to reality are obvious in much of what Ezekiel writes about. The idea that many "prophecies" in Daniel are so accurate because they were written after the fact never crosses the readers mind and enrages the fundamentalist and apologist.

The Bible must be accurate because archaeology supports it.

To which we might add that archaeology also does not verify Biblical stories as well. No evidence has ever been found in the Sinai of millions of people having passed through specific places in the wilderness, not with ground nor satellite surveys. And many never think that real place names can be used to tell stories that are not literally true as well. The literally true place name does not make the story true. The Angel Moroni gave Joseph Smith the Gold Plates, now conveniently unavailable, to start the Mormon faith at Hill Comorah in NY. I have been to the literally real Smith farm in NY and grew up where this literally false story took place and on which millions of Mormons base their literal beliefs.

Bible's accuracy on other scientific points shows overall accuracy.

To which we can add that the Bible makes some very big blunders in scientific observation. The sun does not rise in the east nor really go down in the west as we know even though a modern apologist would insist that is only an explanation of an apparent truth just as we today know it is the earth that rotates. Well, the inspired Bible did not know that back then. To the bible characters, the earth was indeed flat. The "circle of the earth" was not a ball, it was their idea of a round plate 360 degrees around them, not a sphere. Its what they saw when they turned in a circle , not what they knew was beneath their feet. Satan could show Jesus all the Kingdoms of earth because the earth was flat and they could be "seen" from a "high mountain."

The 29,000 feet high Himalayas were not covered by flood waters and did exist a mere 4000 years ago no matter what apologetic geo-creationists come up with. That much water would drain no where and only penguins and polar bears would survive the adventure on the ark if they could breath.

The Bible is harmonious in it's presentation

To which we could say it absolutely is not. I challenge anyone to sit down with the Gospels and try to put together a coherent account of what happened at Jesus birth or death from the "harmony of the Gospels." If you think it will be easy, or can be done with the proper approach, you are kidding yourself. If you think you can explain why Jesus chased the money changers out of the temple at the beginning of his ministry in John but at the end of his ministry everywhere else, go ahead. You'd have to say he did it twice. If you think you can reconcile Luke's account of Paul's conversion in Acts, and Paul's account in Galatians, go for it. You won't the first nor come up with a satisfactory solution. Of course, some, who need the belief of inerrancy to be true will satisfy themselves but it still will not be true.

It is not my purpose to prove these points one way or the other. It is merely my point to show how these ideas are what hold a belief in place that perhaps is not, in fact, the truth of the matter. There are hundreds of sites dedicated to both the defense of the Bible as literally true and sites showing how this is not really the case. I happen to be of the "not really the case" persuasion after spending decades sincerely developing a belief that I thought was true and was found wanting...for me. In reality, I consider it neither my business nor responsibility to any longer convince anyone of anything they simply are neither willing to consider nor able to "see."
For me, the joy is in the search for meaning and, yes, I still want to know the truth as it really is. That path has never changed in me and it began when I was a very young and precocious kid.

... it's quite true that the best of the philosophers are of no use to their fellows; but that he should blame, not the philosophers, but those who fail to make use of them. (Plato, 380BC)

And isn't it a bad thing to be deceived about the truth, and a good thing to know what the truth is? For I assume that by knowing the truth you mean knowing things as they really are. (Plato)

A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein)

'... I have a right to ask for a rational explanation of religious faith.' (Cicero)

So, how's the journey going for you personally in looking for "the truth." Is it not like that 3D confused patterned art in which someone managed to place a beautiful picture if only one could see it . Some will insist there is only that one true and obvious confused picture and there is nothing more to understand about it. Some will catch a glimpse only to have it fade and never be able to see it again. Some will see past the pattern to the 3D picture that really really is there and be amazed they didn't see it before. And of course some will just get angry and stay mad that they can't see it and that you and I are idiots for thinking we do.

Never confuse mere belief in ideas for the truth of the matter....

This is a lifelong process and we are all here to learn.

 

Dennis Diehl

DennisCDiehl@aol.com

UCG Sells Out to COGaWA Pressure and Reverses Sabbath Paper

UCG honchos in Cincinnati watching their church blow up in their faces and disintegrate to nothing changed their stance on the Sabbath controversy in a blatantly political move.  With close to 160 some ministers and elders jumping ship to Jim Frank's new splinter cult, UCG was set to loose thousands of more members when the Church of God a Worldwide Association holds it's conference in the next week.

In the same hypocritical backstabbing and lying  that went on when UCG split from WCG, COGaWA had the upper hand.  It was the conservatives vs the liberals all over again. The deciding factor on both sides was money.  The COGaWA's had to form a new splinter cult in order to receive income once UCG terminated them.  UCG had to do whatever it took to maintain a steady flow of income into their HQ to maintain their salaries.

Both sides now will continue to keep the members of UCG/COGaWA in bondage to a day no longer required under the New Covenant.  Both sides will continue to rule over and abuse their members with legalistic bullshit.  Neither side has the balls to really sit down and examine Sabbath keeping without using HWA's writings or other COGlet materials spread out in front of them.  But we should never expect such in depth study since COGdoom is intellectually and theologically bankrupt.

So the sheep still continue to suffer because they won't examine things either.  If HWA or a minister said it, so let it be done.

UCG statement:

January 4, 2011

After studying the material that has been provided from a couple in Chile, the Council of Elders, after full review and rendering due diligence, is prepared to issue the following statement in regards to observing the Seventh-day Sabbath and Holy Days in a proper manner to uphold the Fourth Commandment.

The United Church of God, an International Association, has a long-standing teaching on the subject of owner-operated businesses in relation to the observance of the Sabbath and biblical Holy Days. If a business is solely or majority owned by a Church member, then the business should close on the Sabbath and the Holy Days.

There are some exceptions, as Jesus Christ gave Sabbath-keeping principles in Scripture in this regard, which would apply to healthcare and retirement facilities and dealing with dairies and farm animals. But, day-care centers and schools do not fall under these categories. Therefore, the Council of Elders stands by the authority of Scripture in our lives and the consistent position of the Church which requires that such businesses, as long as they are solely or majority owned by a Church member, be closed on the Sabbath and the Holy Days.

We deeply appreciate the sincere request of the members in Chile in asking for the Council of Elders to render a judgment.

Melvin Rhodes—Chairman, on behalf of the Council of Elders

Official Wild World Church of God Pastor/Church Rebellion Guidelines

Official Wild World Church of  God 

Pastor/Church Rebellion Guidelines

Please consider the following guidelines should you feel the need to rebel against the authority of God’s true leaders, church or government. Please be concise and ministerial.   We will get back to you about the most appropriate format that your rebellion should take so as to inflict the most skepticism, mistrust and eye rolling amongst the sincere seekers in the COG’s.  We will do our part to insure the success of your rebellion.   

It’s what we do best.

1.    What is the nature of your rebellion? We beg you to be original. Answers containing the terms “remnant”, “144,000”, “the faithful”, “God says”, “Eljah”, “Two Witnesses”, “that prophet”, or overuse of “I” or “Me” and other such exclusivism on your part, will be returned for rewrite.  

2.    Please proof text your reasons why you are right and we are wrong. All scriptures from Genesis to Revelation are valid but we give more weight to your proof texts from the Major and Minor Prophets. Any rebellions not containing the phrase “but there will be a great falling away first”, etc will be rejected out of hand as mere pablum for the brethren and a sign of a boring ministerial career on your part.

3.    Please split Old Testament and New Testament proof texting 40/60  It is important to those watching the show we give the impression we are a New Testament/New Covenant Church.

4.    We expect curses on us, a pox on our head and fire called down upon us, so please be original. Points will be deducted for cliché’ and plagerizing the prophets out of context or original intent. Know your story!

5.    Please try to quote your proof texts in context. While we realize we all have the knack to make a scripture mean what it never meant, we have to appear that we are not , in fact, doing this.  Both our causes will be damaged if we violate this rule.

6.    Please be specific when accusing the leadership or the brethren.  Terms such as “they”, “those fools”, “the administration”, “the people”, “us”, “we” and “them” are too generic.  We want names! 

7.    Please be SURE to quote the appropriate falling away, deceived by Satan, in the bonds of iniquity, hireling and so on, scriptures to add weight and a sense of rightness to your cause.  Poorly worded or unsubstantiated or unscriptural outbursts will be a source of lost points as well.  We’re looking for emotion and clarity of thought.  I know this is expecting way too much.  We promise to do our part to match your expectations of our own responses.

8.    Please have the appropriate number of clandestine meetings with elders, deacons and members BEFORE you reveal your rebellion.  A minimum of 3 clandestine meetings, no less than eight hours long EACH, preferable held at night and during the week are required before we will even consider your rebellion valid. Points will be deducted for short meetings, poorly attended meetings and meetings held on the Sabbath where we are to be singing “We are not divided, all one body we. One in hope and doctrine. One in chariteeeeee”  Major points will be deducted for NOT singing the appropriate hymns during the duration of your rebellion.

Also, anyone falling out of the window during your sermons or meetings on the rebellion are points DEDUCTED!  It is not proof of your rebellion skills. I shows you don’t have a watch.

9.    Please do not bill HQ for all personal calls relating to your rebellion.  We can’t afford to underwrite the cost of talk, talk, talk and endless emails and paper explaining your position worldwide or at church. In every war, you have to pay for your own bullets and bombs. We also will not pay for meals out or renting facilities for the rebellion. While we suspect you are lying anyhow and we will be proven correct, please tell the truth on your monthly expense forms. We have now added the appropriate “rebellion expense” category to our expense forms and expect you to use them appropriately. Forms not listing any rebellion expenses during the breakout of an actual rebellion will be return unpaid until you can fess up to the differences between Godly and rebellious expenses.

10.   Points will be awarded for the most references to Mr Armstrong.         However, we expect that you personally to have known him and were actually present when the quote was given.  Co-worker letters, booklets and articles by HWA are second hand sources and we consider them hearsay. Mr Armstrong was always surprised at how many letters and articles he wrote and for good reason. Points will also be deducted for saying “It’s God, Christ, Herbert W Armstrong, (Garner Ted when appropriate) myself and a few leading evangelists that God is working through.” Like you know this? These comments will be thrown out of the discussion. We want names as we said and we expect “a few leading evangelists” to be defined.

11. Rebellions must stay within the “time, times and half a time” principle.  Rebellions that go on and on will require the participants be placed in an On and On Anonymous class.  We have to carefully schedule our scandals and rebellions so we must ask you adhere to a beginning and end date of your rebellion.

12.  Church wide fasts called to fuel the rebellion are illegal. No one can think correctly when tired and hungry. Those who ordain themselves to a higher rank during the actually breakout of the rebellion will be dismembered with cause immediately. Also please note. Any self ordination sermons given in less than four straight hours will not be considered sincere and you’re elevation to the next rank will not be recognized. Please call Dave Pack for details on how this is best done. We also would consider not ordaining yourself with multiple and exclusive titles during the rebellion to be an act of slackness on your part and your form will be returned to you with suggestions on how you can make it more convincing.

Rebellion and division is not a pleasant thing.  But it can be done right and with God’s blessing. No matter what happens or your obvious skill or lack of skill in implementing a rebellion in God’s Church, we will pray for you, not wish you ill will and hope for your genuine repentance that will be evident to all in time.  One again, proof text, proof text, proof text!   Make those puppies scream at us! Extra points can be given for rants on “The Chosen People” and “We are Israel.”  We promise to do the same to you.

One final note even though 12 is a sacred number and we are done.

Please know WHY sheep drop little round balls of dung, cows gravitate more to pie shaped dung and horses and elephants have straw in their dung. We cannot take ANYONE seriously who does not know sh….well you know. And then, once again be ashamed for all this baloney we inflict upon each other over nothing in this present evil world.

Happy Trails and warmest regards

Dennis C Diehl/Rebellion and Revolt Dept representing all the Churches of God united in love and hope. Now…let us prey and let the games begin!  J

Ozymandias and Crumbling UCG

Here is a partial list of the UCG resignations/terminations during the last month.  Check out my blog entry on December 5, 2010 for a more complete list        Ucg Hit List of Ministers Removed

 Even more resignations are expected in the next few days!

  Latest Resignations

Neil Hart, 

Arnold Burns, 

Bruce Gore, 

David Register   

Mr. Andy Burnett,  December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Doug Horchak, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Richard Thompson, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Clyde Kilough, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Roy Demarest,  December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Roger West, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Greg Sargent, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Mike Hanisko, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Arnold Burns, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Ron Kelley, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry
Mr. David Treybig, December 2010, resigned from the Council of Elders
Mr. Michael Blackwell, December 2010, resigned from the Council of Elders
Mr. David Baker, December 2010, resigned from the Council of Elders
Mr. Neil Hart, December 2010, resigned from UCG ministry
Mr. Jim Franks, December 2010, resigned from the Council of Elders

Mr. Alfredo Arboleas, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry
Mr. Eleodoro Avila, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Alberto Gonzalez, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry
Mr. Jaime Guiñez, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Adan Langarica, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Luis Mundo, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Fermin Nain, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Jaime Ortiz, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry 
Mr. Manuel Quijano, December 2010, removed from UCG ministry
Mr. Pablo Dimakis, December 2010, resigned form UCG ministry