Bill Swanson Forced Out of UCG

Al Portune's Story

Someone sent me a great link to Al Portune's story of his life.  It is fascinating reading and brings back many memories of life in Pasadena.  Names and places that have meaning to so many people. 

Al's story begins with meeting his wife, heading off to War serving in the Coast Guard and then finding Ambassador College.  He tells about his rise up in the organization with HWA and GTA's encouragement.  Then he tells about his time as manager of the finance department.  Being exposed to the use of money and having to sign the checks started opening his eyes.  Confrontations with HWA over his begging for money started to seal his fate.

He tells of his leaving the the employ of the church and has quest for expanding his knowledge.  Too few in Armstrongism have ever dared to question religion, life, where we come from, etc.  Far too many prefer to have someone else tell them the answers.  It alleviates any responsibility for accountability on their part.

Al has obviously advance far beyond COG thought into something far more meaningful to him.

Astounding as it may be, on honest investigation, the basis of religion has little changed from the religion of primitive man. It is still belief in gods who control everything, even life and eternal life itself. Most of mankind still feels it cannot be safe and have any kind of secure present or future without serving, worshipping, placating one or more of those gods. Religion has become more sophisticated as MAN “tweaked” it, added to it, embellished it and tailored it to the benefit of power centers, profitable institutions and self aggrandizement. However, sacrifice of one kind or another is still a requisite, predominantly sacrifice of money for those who have found that religion is a lucrative business. Promoting their religion as the “salvation for man” requires money and is perhaps the most prominent sacrifice to enable the “preaching of the gospel or “good news” to the world . One could list thousands of sacrifices and offerings threaded through manifold religions, but it is still that same primitive motivation – that sacrifice, offerings, sacraments and worship bring existential advantage.

The grandeur of religion’s leaders, their robes, their churches and cathedrals, the pomp and “sanctity” displayed, the rituals so “elegantly” displayed and on an on create the illusion of a sanctity and relationship to “god” that even those in those exalted positions are looked to as actual vicars or representatives of god himself. The desire to be recognized and acclaimed as the leader or founder of a church or religious movement is great. It even was thousands and thousands of years ago in the preeminence of being “the Medicine Man.” But it all goes back to the first primitive placation of existential apprehensions and those who devised methods of placation.

For me it has come down to an elementary acceptance of what this earth and its long, long history has brought forth naturally and spontaneously based on the “forces” at work upon it going back to a “beginning” beyond the comprehension of mankind. What those forces or “a force” has brought forth on this earth has followed a pattern. Not a religiously defined pattern but a natural pattern, verified by the “natural evidence” that has progressed from the very first elements of life down to the present highest form of life extant on earth – man. Religion ignores or seeks to refute that natural process and replace it with various creation stories that establish a power basis that is nowhere evident in the natural evidence on this earth. Creation by fiat establishes a god concept and therefore a power that controls all things and must therefore be served, placated, obeyed and worshipped according to a methodology devised by “religion” that was created by man.  

Check out his story here:  Religion and WCG  or the Index here: Index of Memoirs

Upcoming War With Arab Extremists (According to Malm)

Move over Six-Pack!  Move over Weinerdude!  Move over Spanky! There is a new 'voice crying out in the wilderness!'  

God's greatest gift to the COG's has declared that there were will be an upcoming war with Islamic fundamentalist nations which will result in the total defeat of Muslim fundamentalism and a peace accord.  Of course soon after this there will be World War III and the tribulation.  Petra here we come!  Oh wait, we won't be invited - only Malm and his true believers will make it to the place of safety.

Malm seems to see himself as one of the only voice out there proclaiming the truth of God.  He has not yet declared himself Elijah or one of the Two Witnesses, but he is just a hairs breath away from doing it.  Only HE is the lone voice proclaiming these things:

TheShiningLight is the only site declaring this truth!  V I C T O R Y IS SURE!

No matter how severe the situation seems: This is NOT the tribulation and this war will NOT be lost.  The Anglo/Judeo/Americans will defeat Islamic Extremism and reach a peace agreement.  When that peace is declared as the abomination goes to the Holy Place: Then the tribulation will begin with the occupation of Judea and the defeat of the Anglo Americans by the New Europe.  1 Thess 5 and Mat 24:15-21.

Egypt is coming out of this Revolution a stronger than ever American ally; the United States has managed to overthrow the Ghaddafi regime in Libya and gain another ally in the region. Islamic Estremism is euduring defeat after defeat while a new broad Middle East war is brewing to destroy Pan Arabism and Shia Mahdi Fundamentalism.

When Israel destroys Hamas and Hezbollah and the US bombards the Revolutionary Guard in Iran, facilitating a regime change in that country, the stage will be set for a genuine dialogue for peace in the region.

 This war will most likely begin on Israel’s borders, with the United States entering against Iran.

The Israeli goals will be met with the US exercising its veto power to prevent the Security Council from stopping the violence before the Israeli goals are met.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards will be largely destroyed by American bombing; allowing an internal revolution of the Green Path party to take over in that nation.  This will be subsidized and encouraged by the National Endowment for Democracy.

Ultimately, Israel will reach a Peace Agreement with her neighbors. The Scriptures tell us that when the condition of Peace and Safety has been achieved and is officially announced; sudden destruction will fall from an unexpected source, Dan 8:23-25 and 1 Thes 5:3.

This coming war will be intense and bloody: Islamic Extremism WILL BE DEFEATED!  At that time; with our people at their peak:  Sudden Destruction will fall upon us, for the multitude of our evils.

And how does the prophet discern these miraculous events? God created the computer and online concordances just for his use!

In this latter day we have been provided with a great tool in the computer and the Bible with concordance on computer.  I suggest that you make use of the Blue Letter Bible site, which is Strong’s Concordance.  I also suggest that you copy the scriptures in your study including all the synonym scriptures and then paste them all onto a single page.  That way you can see all the scriptures on a point TOGETHER  which is a big help for me.

He is also making repeated exhortations that proper Bible Study can only be done by using a study of 'synonyms'.  Who would a thunk it!!!!!!!!!!

This second key is that we must put every scriptural reference  on a particular point together to understand the whole subject.   When doing so remember the synonyms!  God’s Word covers the same point in many places and in many ways with many synonyms; that is a protection against translational error.

Before studying any subject ALWAYS pray to our loving Father and ASK him to provide his spirit of  understanding [this is another vital key], then sit down and write out all the possible synonyms on the subject; then as you study write down any more synonyms that come to mind.  Look each up and study them.

I also suggest that you copy the scriptures in your study including all the synonym scriptures and then paste them all onto a single page. 

If Malm was a real Christian he would know that Christians don't have to sit on their butts reading COG materials worrying about the end times. All they seem to do is worry about saving their rear ends! It's all about "qualifying."  Have you not been eating out on Saturdays, have you never knowingly let a little pork by-product entered your body, have you thrown out all the leavening - including those brewers yeast tablets, swimming pool baking soda, cream of tarter toothpaste and other tainted satanic tools of deception.  Grace filled believers know that all of this malarkey is a waste of time.

It is interesting that the lectionary scripture readings for the last several weeks has been about a 'new light' coming into the world.  A new way of doing things, believing and thinking.  Yet when you read Malm's blog all you see is 'glowering darkness'. War death, destruction, satanic influences, conspiracies, tribulation and trials.  The only hope is to follow myriads of rules, regulations, laws and  silly interpretations in order to save you sorry ass.  It's no wonder Armstrongism is fading into uselessness and irrelevance.  There is no hope in Armstrongism!