Real Christians (COG, of course) Will NOT Be Watching Football on Thanksgiving Day

Prophet Thiel is on his annual anti-football rant because it is close to Thanksgiving and football occupies the TV's in most homes that day. 

Is playing football really about "loving your neighbor" as the Prophet claims?

Dirty, nasty, violent, ungodly football! You are damned to the Lake of Fire!

Should Christians support violent sports like American football?

The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

Hostility toward the other is sin…Boxing at Ambassador College is definitely banned. God did not create the human brain and head to be pummeled and knocked senseless by an antagonist.
Wherever a game in sports involves antagonists–in hostile attitude to harm the other and/or to “get” from the other–to get the best of the other then a harmful, satanic and evil attitude enters in, and the sport is evil, not good…
Football (American football) is a violent body-contact sport. It is often played with an attitude of hostility and is dangerous and is fraught with physical injury. (Plain Truth, July-August 1984)

While I have even heard some thank God for football, it is not a sport that I believe that the God of love would condone.

“Love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:9), yet what do sports like American football and boxing do?

Gnats and Camels

This is courtesy of Van Robinson, a reader of this blog:

GNATS and CAMELS

*Man-made religions all strain at gnats, with their do's and don'ts.
*The Internet is a veritable library of websites by innumerable sources, proclaiming what they believe as "truth."
*Human religious leaders will often lead the gullible and the naive down a path of gnats.

*Jesus taught that the pharisees strained at gnats while swallowing camels and this is typical of the religious minded.
*The religious minded will focus on days,  physical buildings, physical temples, dress codes, head gear, tithing, titles, credentials, religious "education", Ink on paper called "the Bible" as if God is the Bible,
"religious languages", scholars, "pastors", "prophets and prophetesses", "end times", television preachers and quoting "the pastor said", or some "prophet or prophetess" said, or upon following someone that is a
charismatic leader and speaker, or someone that is thought to be of influence.

*Jesus taught that swatting at gnats as so many do, is a narrow minded focus, while this type of tunnel vision blinds the mind to the far more important issues of LOVE, COMPASSION MERCY, EMPATHY and HUMILITY.
*Many church groups and countless church goers are GNAT SWATTERS.
*Gnat chasers think that going to church, observing days, tithing, financing pastors so they can go fishing, hunting and play golf, while poor people struggle to make a living and other gnat ideas, is what makes a "Christian."

*It is human to swallow camels and strain at gnats. 
*There is no greater and more important life principle than "love your neighbor as you love yourself" and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "blessed are the peacemakers", based upon Jesus Christ.
*Gnat chasers are more concerned with Saturday church, Sunday church, meetings, days and religious issues than "LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS and GLORIFY
YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN."

*Camel swallow(ers) bypass HUMILITY and draw attention to their own self-importance, as all religious leaders do.
*Cult beliefs always involve swatting gnats, because their ideas of what "truth and righteousness" are, are simply the cult leaders camel swallowing nonsense.

*What is more important---to love others, or to go to church?
*What is more important---tithe to the local "pastor" or feed your children and family?
*What is more important---listen to preachers preach, or be led by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit?
*What is more important---read the bible everyday for life, or produce the fruit of love, compassion, mercy, empathy and humility?

*Gnat chasers make a religion of bible study, going to church and following human religious leaders (who themselves are deceived, they just don't know it).
*Gnat chasers deny that they are gnat chasers.
*Gnat chasers think that gnats are so important that they swallow camels.

Only The Best For The Leaders

I had to laugh when I read the following news story this morning that someone sent me.  It immediately reminded me of the hypocrisy of Armstrongite church leaders that claim to be "Just stewards" of the tithes of Church members as they live lives of luxury. 

Mr./Evangelist XYZ is God's TRUE Apostle/leader/Pastor General who needs to interact with world leaders at their own level.  Therefore we MUST have the best. Best Westerns and Marriott's are NOT for us!  We must have our luxury suites, drive the best cars, wear the best tailored suits, etc.

While the people suffer, the leaders revel.

As we can see from the following article, hypocrisy knows no boundaries:

Occupy Wall Street Leader Reportedly Pitches Golden Tent at 5-Star Hotel

Hell no, we won’t go — unless we get goose down pillows.

A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can “unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko,” The Post has learned.

The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room.

“Tents are not for me,” he confessed, when confronted in the sleek black lobby of the Washington Street hotel where sources described him as a “repeat” guest.

Spitzer, 24, an associate at financial-services giant Deloitte, which netted $29 billion in revenue last year, admitted he joined the protest at Zuccotti Park several times.

Read the entire story here:  Occupy Wall Street Leader Reportedly Pitches Golden Tent at 5-Star Hotel