Armstrongism's Fascination With Conspiracy Theories

There has always been a sub-segment of Armstrongism that has been wrapped up in conspiracy theories and speculations.  The Church always thought the Roman Catholic Church and the Masons were corrupting everything. The Worldwide Church of God published articles criticizing the Mason's yet there were members who were Masons over the years, and purportedly a couple of leading evangelists.

The Protocols of Zion was passed around Pasadena by many of the hard-line followers of Armstrongism.  Others bought into the "mark of the beast" as being "bar codes."

There were Jewish conspiracies. There were Catholic conspiracies. The Illuminati. Disciples of Gary North. Belief  in the Spear of Destiny, Pyramidology, New World Order. The Jews were conspiring with the Jesuits to destroy Christianity.

Yet through all of this, these people thought they were the most loyal members of the church.  They clung to the law and demanded that everyone else do the same things they were.  They were the stalwart members of the Church who remain to make sure that the conspiracies of Satan to destroy the Church would never be forgotten.

Fringe groups always attract an odd sort of fringe believers.  These people are looking for hidden secret truth that further enhances their worship experience.  This hidden knowledge, known only to a select few sets them further apart from the Called Out believers as the true remnant.  These are also the same people who believe that they, and they alone are the true holders of the "faith once delivered" by Herbert W Armstrong.  They maintain the "pure truth" and use all their means to make sure that those coming up after them are brought to that truth.  Many of these people still remain in Grace Communion because they feel that God had called them to the truth in that organization(WCG/RCG) and that they cannot leave.  They remain to quietly and subversively continue to spread the teaching of Herbert Armstrong and the"restored true religion" to all they come into contact with - without rising the ire of GCI top brass.

On several COG related groups recently there have been all kinds of posts about the Vision of Fatima, there is one last pope to come, lots of articles on German Nazi mythology and paganism, articles on the secrets behind Masonic lodge architecture in Washington DC, and much, much more.  Many of these people are followers of Art Bell, World News Daily and The Raiders News Network.  They also buy into all of Dan Brown's books as legitimate sources of symbolism and history.

Why are people so fascinated with conspiracy theories?  Scientific American has this to say about conspiracy theories:

Why do people believe in highly improbable conspiracies? In previous columns I have provided partial answers, citing patternicity (the tendency to find meaningful patterns in random noise) and agenticity (the bent to believe the world is controlled by invisible intentional agents). Conspiracy theories connect the dots of random events into meaningful patterns and then infuse those patterns with intentional agency. Add to those propensities the confirmation bias (which seeks and finds confirmatory evidence for what we already believe) and the hindsight bias (which tailors after-the-fact explanations to what we already know happened), and we have the foundation for conspiratorial cognition.

To see this amazing 'truth' that captivates so many Armstrongites check this out. The Raiders News Network

Melting Glaciers and Rampaging Chinese Hoards

I continue to be amazed at the things COG members speculate about. You never hear them speculating or talking about Jesus, what he did while he was on earth, what grace is, what it means to be a disruptive Christian upsetting the order of things, reaching down to help the homeless or sick, or anything of that sort.  It's is either all about the law and more law, and more law or end time speculations.  If you thought Art Bell was out there with his silliness, these COGers are no different. Armstrongism has always had an undercurrent of members who dwelled in conspiracy theories and speculations.

Last night it was about what is going to happen when the glaciers all melt causing the Euphrates to dry up allowing the Chinese and Indian hoards to start conquering Europe.

What is WRONG with these people?

Just be warned that if you click on the link below you will be exposed to some of the stupidest conspiracy theories I have seen yet.  I am surprised that an Armstrongite would allow themselves to be tainted by this crap.

http://defenderpublishing.blogspot.com/2009/05/part-sevenread-it-before-it-is-banned.html No cheating, read the whole thing.

 This helps explain why I suggest that it could be 10 yrs before Jesus comes, minimum. You can see how slowly, slowly things appear to be moving now. Then I was thinking, that Germany etc don't really have capacity or materials to create the army they will need for Armageddon... tack on a few more years to collect it. But now India has joined China in killing off so many girl babies that there is a preponderance of single men in both countries. With the melting glaciers vanishing, which supply many cities with water, can it be long before the Euphrates dries up so they can cross over?? I donno where its water is sourced.

Joining the rampaging Chinese and Indians will be the Swiss.

Long time ago we were told about the secret bases in Switzerland and Germany.

Whole fields and sides of "mountains" roll away to reveal bases. 

Switzerland is an armed camp really as all males are in the army.

They have weapons they need as they are in NATO and simply need to confiscate them including nukes.

There are foreign troops and planes already here in the US from both Germany and China.

Germany has bought up millions of acres in the US also.

They are probably far more prepared than we know. They certainly were before WW2 when we did not think they were.

They will soon then be crossing the Atlantic to join up with the Germans and Chinese who own property here in the United States.  Will those millions acres be used to build the concentration camps that the COG loves to talk about?  But at that point when those of us who have not been killed off by famines and disease we will e too weak to fight the invading armies and will almost welcome being imprisoned.

At one point in time a few years ago the UK was the biggest property owner here in Los Angeles.  It still may be, but do not know for sure.  Does this mean that the British people will be imprisoning and torturing us also?  Is Ephraim going to get his payback for Joseph's deceit.  The stupid speculations are endless.

Why After 70 Years the COG's Still Have Zero Impact in the World

The following was posted as a comment on the "What's On Your Mind Today" entry.  The response by Douglas sums up perfectly;y what is wrong with Armstrongism and the myriad of Churches of God.  Even with WCG's 60 some year presence in Pasadena and all the 'good work's that it did, it was till looked upon by the community as weird. Living in Pasadena, you soon got in the habit when you picked up the Star News and saw an article about the Church you cringed, knowing that there would be some idiotic comment or story about something stupid that the church or a chruchmember had done or said.

Douglas Becker said...

Armstrongists don't seem to understand what fools they look like to the outside world: No one is going to consider them credible with their infighting, silly ideas, failed predictions, blatant heresy, abuse and generally bad behavior.

If the Armstrongists want credibility, they need to set boundaries, abandon their crazy ideas, rethink their positions, stop the narcissism, quit the greed, take responsibility, stop setting a terrible example, quit the abuse and generally get their act together. They seem to think that their behavior is isolated and no one that matters can see their evil doing.

Wrong.

The couple being stalked in the UCG got a restraining order from Superior Court. That Boy in the Box thing hit the newspapers. The Orthodox Jews aren't happy about British Israelism. The Church of God Seventh Day isn't going to consider keeping the Feasts because of the entirely accurate reports of drunkeness and alcoholic behavior at the Feast of Tabernacles. The Seventh Day Church of God calls Armstrongism idolatry. Failed prophecies make the venue look really ridiculous to the general populace. The "church wars" are nothing but entertainment for stable Christian Churches -- and as evidence of the lack of viability the entire Armstrongist community has. The values and behaviors are laughable and panned at every turn. Psychiatrists who have learned of their behavior evaluate the Armstrongists of having multiple mental disorders.

Congratulations on bringing darkness (and dorkness) to the (spiritual) Gentiles. Do you claim to be of God? It sure doesn't look like it to an objective eye.

Congratulations for setting a terrible example to the whole world.

The ACoGs are much like an obstreperous drunken couple arguing at a restaurant, seeming to believe that no one around them sees or hears them because they are so focused on each other in their anger. They should be aware that if they continue and the Manager returns, they may be ejected after paying for the damages they caused.

March 6, 2011 8:11 AM

What's On Your Mind Today? UFO's, Atlantis, Robots, Food Riots?

Being part of the Worldwide Church of God or one of it's 700 splinter cults we were/are surrounded by every imaginable conspiracy theory there was.  Pasadena was filled with those who saw the Illuminati behind everything, the new world order, new money systems, Zionist Jews, Bilderbergers, and on and on the list can go.  When you free your mind from this silliness you see a world  filled with wonder about you.  However, those still entrenched in Armstrongite thought still think about these things.

On one of  the ultra far right HWA loving Yahoo sites these are the topics of discussion.  I must add that in hardly any of the 26,000 some entries do you find people discussing Jesus and his radical message.

This is just a sampling of the topics these people feel are important to their spiritual lives:

Germany's new generation of female political leaders

Germany is beginning to proclaim herself as a leader in Europe

Intermarriage in the US is destroying our bloodline

UFO flies over Temple Mount

First Gad, now Dan, build tunnel to Assyria - for future captives?

Google finds Atlantis!

A mysterious, pale green figure seen in televised news coverage of the Egyptian riots has prompted some viewers to ask, "Could this be the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse?"

Robot's are attacking us.

For what it's worth, my thoughts are that the Laodicean era started when Mr.
Armstrong died. Both Philadelphia and Laodicea continue today. Those of us in
Philadelphia are striving to"...hold that fast which thou hast..." Rev. 3:11.
The Laodicean attitude is the predominate one now.

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica is only legit encyclopedia

Hidden underground cities for 2012 survivors

Hidden underground military bases

The Georgia guide stones

Sociologists claim 225 of Russians are Israelites

There will be another Hitler someday

Super moon on March 19 will cause huge earthquakes and other extreme weather

Massive food riots this spring

Upcoming civil war in the USA that will cause the country to break apart.

How Finding 'Grace' Sent Malm Into Fits of Rage Today

Interesting things have been going on over on James Malm's 'Glowering Darkness' blog today.  He seems to be going into meltdown mode.  . He is posting things that are getting crazier and crazier every day.  Conspiracy theories, demons, Russian witches, Judaizing, UCG accusations, and theological ignorant ramblings.The entire world is a conspiracy and a tool of Satan to keep us from keeping the law and doing 'works.'


Malm is going ballistic over Bible translations that he claims are 'new age' and are products of demonism inspired by Russian witch Madam Blavatski.  Malm says Thomas Edison was one of Madam Blavatski's acolytes and got many of his inventions from demons.   Since Satan is an angel of light, he inspired Edison to create the light bulb........ He also claims Hitler was one of her acolytes as well as Henry Ford.


Malm says President Roosevelt never made a decision without first consulting spirits in seances and that Chruchilll was a druid who worked with demons. And that the Anglo Saxon world is rotting away because of demons, Theosophy and Madam Blavatski.


So what stirred up this conspiracy theory lunacy?  It was something that you would never have guessed.


An ex-UCG member who spent time studing his bible without any HWA, UCG, related booklets and articles and discovered GRACE!  That simple little word that turns rabid Armstrongite's into frothing at the mouth rage!


If you believe in God's grace you are a damnable heretic committing all kinds of  wantonness because being grace filled means you are an unrepentant, sodomizing, adulterous sinner.  Oy!  The lies Armstrongites love to tell in order to keep people enslaved to the law!

This is the false religion of license to sin, through the grace of God; which was prophesied to come in the last days.  This denies Christ even though it purports to emphasize Christ.

This false permissive “love” removes the AUTHORITY of Jesus Christ and the need to recognize that authority and to obey him and his Father.  This deceitful insidious evil, preempts obedience by producing the attitude that it really does not matter because we shall all be forgiven anyway.  The law is then  pictured as something Pharisaical and an unnecessary heavy burden; when in fact the law delivers us from the burden of sin.

Here is what set Malm off the deep end today: Grace may be entering the UCG (FINALLY!!!!)

This is what happened in the WCG with the Tkach era and it is what is now happening in the UCG.  In May there will be another Conference and election: WATCH the direction that is taken after that.  The fruits should become clear by the fall Feast.

I received a message from a man in the UCG, who is now taking a sabbatical to write a book on Law and Grace in preparation for the coming changes. His Blog is an excellent placce to see the subtlty of the new take on the Covenants, and Law and Grace; that are slowly being inserted into the UCG.

Michael Mynard’s Blog  will put right before  your eyes in a  nutshell; what will be done subtly over many months in the UCG. His web site is now under construction.  By all means look through this Blog and its pages to see the subtle errors. See how he says that the sons of the King are “above the law” subtly twisting a scripture on the temple tax to somehow include all the law.  Be sure to notice how many “New Age” quotes and translations he uses.

Read through this Blog and then take a listen to the New Covenant series of audios by Robin Webber.  Look for the subtlities, the inferences, the allusions and the little twists, as he uses a six or seven part series to put over the new UCG agenda and bury it in a multitude of words.  “Church family is to love one another; we obey God because we love him and for no other reason because we no longer have to obey,

Double speak to confuse and distract as the subliminal message of “love trumps law” is entrenched in this phsycologiocal warfare of the spirit. Teaching us that we should just wink at and tolerate sin; and compromise with God’s law anytime the going gets difficult.

Teaching that “love” is the “easy way” and that when the going gets tough we should just push the “easy butten” and compromise with God’s law because he is love and will understand and forgive.

One reader who mistakenly thinks Malm is endorsing Michael Maynard's blog sends Malm into meltdown with his response.  Careful Bro!  You are going to pop a blood vessel!

I AM NOT ENDORSING HIS BLOG! I AM PRESENTING IT AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE EVIL THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE RESULT OF THIS “LOVE TRUMPS LAW” GARBAGE; SLOWLY BEING SEEPED INTO UCG.
Michael’s blog is the anithesis of sound doctrione and true reliogion; his positions are an abomination and utterly disgusting to me!!! James

Malm also has this to say about "'love is the fulfillment of the law' hype"

It destroys faith and without faith we cannot please God. It also destroys “works” and there can be no faith without works for only the “doers of the law will be justified”. A terrible and most subtle evil is seeping into the organization. The whole concept that UCG is now following is to focus people inward at serving each other and loving each other and the organization. The problem is that the focus is being changed from God to US; the focus is being changed from serving God and achieving unity through our unity with God to unity by and through ourselves

Michael's blog is here The True Doctrine of Christ
and here  Unraveling Armstrong's Doctrinal Errors
Here are some interesting quotes from Maynard's blog that I am SURE that set Malm off today:

I told  Dave Treybig, the Tampa United Church of God's former pastor, by email this past July, I was taking a sabbatical to write a book on a biblical topic. My topic had to do with investigating the UCG’s doctrines that teach a blend of Old Testament Laws including Holy Days, Tithing, and Circumcision, with New Testament theology that can never be fully reconciled from scripture.  This area of UCG theology has always caused me, and many others I know, internal conflict because it obviously contradicted the new testament aspect of Salvation through Grace.  This caused me to attempt to ignore this conflict between Bible truth and  UCG (Armstrong) doctrine. But sooner or later I knew I would be forced to face this seeming “paradox.” On what level I did not know until now.

The general membership of the UCG and other churches that adhere to Armstrongism  know that  observing all of the Old Testament "annual sabbaths" or holy days is a doctrinal requirement for church members. Further it is reasoned that is  the only way the church could fully understand God’s plan of salvation. However based upon the writings of the Apostle Paul, this doctrine is clearly anything but Christian and not supported by any New Testament scripture. The first era Church of God never observed these days. Not one instance of observing the Feast pf Tabernacles, or other Feast Day Observance is recorded after the first Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was given thus beginning the New Covenant Church of Christ.

Salvation  is offered by God by Faith through Grace alone,  the Gentiles knew nothing about the Laws of Moses. They were never bound to observe the law of Moses by the apostles of Christ. 

 

 There was no salvation, no eternal life obtainable under the Old Covenant.

According to All  New Testament Teachings          ..especially those of Paul...Herbert W. Armstrong taught a theology that CUT HIS DISCIPLES OFF FROM CHRIST and LEFT THEM FALLEN FROM GRACE! CUT OFF FROM SALVATION! 

RIGHT NOW, ALL WHO FOLLOW

ARMSTRONGISM ARE LOST!

(as Paul writes in Galatians 5)

FOR INSTANCE, BY KEEPING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES THIS YEAR YOU HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF YOUR SALVATION!

Michael Maynard has discovered many of the things a lot  of us discovered years ago.   Being free from Armstrongism is such a great thing!

The Pope, Thiel, Malm, Elijah, COGaWA and LCG

 

Reading the Shining Light blog today is like reading one huge conspiracy theory after another.  Of course Armstrongism is filled with conspiracy theories up the wazoo and has always thrived on the nuttiness.  The crazier the theory is the more people believe it.

When I came to Pasadena a group of church members followed a deranged idiot who had proclaimed the egret sculpture was going to come alive. An egret was going to get on each corner of the Auditorium and the fifth would lead as they picked up the Auditorium and flew it to Petra.  Since this was God's House he was going to protect it from the invading German armies.

Also in the  late 70's early 80's Gary North books were spreading around the campus.  Old town Pasadena was filled with newsstands that contained his free books. Monetary and religious themes permeated his writings.  Because he was so conservative (North was a Dominionist) he fit into the mindset of the uber-conservatives struggling to gain control of WCG HQ in Pasadena.

Another book that made the rounds on the Pasadena campus was The Protocols of the Elders  Zion,  that is supposed to be about the the Jewish take over of Christianity and society.  The whacked out Armstrongites that believed this nonsense were the ones behind the anti-Stan Rader movement.  Rader was a Jew who 'converted' to Christianity.  While he was hobnobbing around the world with HWA he was secretly attending Synagogue and supposedly would be at synagogue every Friday night when he was back in LA. Rader was supposed to be the one behind the government take over of the church.

Then we had the Jim Jones tragedy.  Many of the uber-conservatives said this was a work of Satan to deliberately stop the WCG from fleeing to Petra.  There were secret groups in Pasadena supposedly planning our escape to the wonders of Petra.  By this tragedy happening the news media and society started eyeing cults and weird groups like WCG. Therefore, no trip to Petra could be planned.  Boo hoo.

The Ambassador Auditorium was constructed as a Masonic symbol.  The square black cube that the Auditorium is shaped as has Masonic symbolism and also points back to the square cube that is the Kaaba in Mecca.  The number of pillars, the colors, the location of various rooms inside up in the ceiling area all supposedly have Masonic ties.  Church members faced East toward the rising sun when they worshiped their 'god'. In essence the Auditorium is filled with pagan symbolism.

These listed above are the 'normal' ones that do not even compare to the religious themed ones WCG was filled with.

Due to Armstrongism's fascination with numerology and Esotericism we made counting numbers and divination a byproduct of Armstrongism that carries on to this day.  The Oracle of Delphi pales in comparison to the myriads of 'prophet's Armstrongism has produced.

Malm on the Shining Light has turned himself into one of those prophets.  Of course he trips and stumbles around claiming he is not, but in fact he is.

Today it is all about Bob Thiel and his book 2012 And The Rise of the Secret Sect, that was written with the cooperation of the LCG higher ups. He presents an exact time line of future world events in the next few years.  There will be soon coming peace for 3 1/2 years for the Jews followed by 3 1/2 years of pure hell.

There is the supposed COGaWA conspiracy of Kilough and Franks to secretly planning to join up with Rod Meredith and proclaim an 'Elijah' Message.

While it would not surprise me at all that Kilough and Franks have ulterior motives I think many in the new COGaWA will balk at joining up with Meredith due to the fact they had refused to join his cult in the previous incarnations.  

There are theories about the present pope dying within the next two years.  The rise of the final and last Pope of Catholicism who is going to bring a reign of false peace and terror to the world.  

There will be a huge war against the Muslims where they will be whipped into submission.

Malm goes on to utter other trigger words that Armstrognites will quickly understand.  But just like HWA, Malm covers his tracks with this disclaimer:

Do NOT believe me!  Do keep this in mind and do keep eyes wide open!  The only real proof will be in watching these things being fulfilled before your eyes!  Then when the two are empowered you will recognize them and be ready for them.  Do NOT fall for this strong deception of 3 1/2 years of peace when God’s word says, that when Peace and safety is declared; sudden [immediate] destruction will come, 1 Thes 5:3.!
WATCH!!!

Reading all these silly conspiracy theories is like watching the idiot Jesse Ventrua:

Thank God I am free!  Free at last from this kind of stupidity!