The Apostle has a hard time for those poor folk in the COG that might have to stop off and get their gas tanks filled up because they have to drive such long distances for church services. God forbid if you are stupid enough to also stop and grab a bite to eat! You eternal salvation is at risk if you do. The Lake of Fire is your destination for that Big Mac and Coke you had to stop and buy to keep yourself awake after sitting for three hours listening to a boring preacher.
If you had only been a REAL Christan and had planned ahead you would not have had to buy gas or food. And, if you were foolish enough to have bought a home a long ways away from a 'local' church then that is your fault too! Apostle Malm has these awesome words for you to consider:
We are not to work, cook, travel, buy or sell; nor are to be the direct cause of others working. To buy food and services in a restaurant on a Sabbath or Holy Day is to break the Sabbath, it is hypocrisy to pay other people or businesses to do what we would not do ourselves on moral grounds and it is setting a very bad example.
If in driving to services we must buy more gas; we are going too far and should better stay home and listen by other means. Artful organization will provide answers to these various problems. Elders are to set an even better example and are NOT to travel, or enter a restaurant or business establishment on the Sabbath or Holy Days.
Buying gas or food on Saturdays is not the only problem Apostle Malm has an issue with. He does not appreciate that you might have to take care of your animals on Saturdays or at the Feast of Tabernacles time. If you are a foolish and unthinking COG member that owns a large farm with a lot of animals it is YOUR fault and you should get rid of them so you will not have to 'work' to feed, milk or care for them on Saturdays.
The fact that you have a lot of animals is a direct result of Satan attempting to cause you to sin on the Apostles so called 'sabbath' day. When you have to care for the animals or have to hire someone to help you, then you are a heartless reprobate who has become a tool of Satan. It's Satan's fault that you have "no feelings whatsoever for either workers or animals."
How many more stupid rules and regulations is this man gong to continue to dump on his acolytes in order to make their lives more miserable than they already are?
LEAVING FARM ANIMALS FOR THE THREE PILGRIM FESTIVALS
This is indeed a problem. First I would say that the biblical concept of an agrarian society is far removed from the feed lots and factory farms common today. Since these are seven days a week operations and have no feelings whatsoever for either workers or animals I would suggest that it is not appropriate to be involved in such activities and that anyone so involved should take steps to disentangle themselves. The family flock or farm was the Israelite tradition of the past and it will be the wave of the future in the Kingdom of God; where every family will again have its inheritance of land.
I realize full well that Satan has set up an economic system which strangles the family farm today, and that the family farm is facing virtual extinction in America. That is Satan’s means to taking to take control of every aspect of society and God will change that very soon now.
We could speculate endlessly about the Kingdom, but we live in the here and now and must apply scriptural principles to the situation today.
1. Take proper care of your animals on Sabbath and try and do what you can to make that easier by preparing what you can during the week. If you and family members are not enough and you have an employee, take the time to explain to him that you want NO work done on Sabbath except that which is necessary for the comfort, safety and care of the animals. No spreading manure etc etc. Make your instructions very clear and take a close watch to see that they are followed.
If someone is working for you, then you are responsible for their actions while in your employ. We may ask people to help in performing lawful acts such as caring for animals, or acts of mercy; we may NOT pay [which payment assumes responsibility for], or seek help to perform unlawful acts; such as working in a restaurant, flying an airplane, or selling anything else on Sabbath!
2. When leaving for the Festivals, make the same instructions absolutely clear: Only do what is essential for the care, safety and feeding of animals on Sabbaths and Holy Days. Since the caring for animals is a biblically recognized essential; it is not inappropriate for someone to remain behind during the Festivals for that purpose. Therefore it is not unlawful to pay someone who is not attending the Festivals to care for our beasts.
These are broad guide lines based on the scriptures and on the input that has come in. I hope that they are helpful and further input is most certainly welcome. The details will have to be worked out as each individual farm and family has different circumstances
