COGer Teaching Other COGers about Cults

Church of God-Speaking to the Remnant

I guess it takes one to recognize one.  The only trouble is that cult recognition usually happens when a person leaves an Armstrongite splinter cult and their eyes are opened at the abuses they have just left behind.  It is worse when it is an Armstrongite who sees these things and then justifies it all by remaining in their respective splinter cult thinking their group has none of these traits.  Then there is also the group that claims that the early Christians and the Catholic Church was originally considered a cult therefore COGs are in good company..

So now we have another group in Armstrongism who thinks they have all the answers. Of course this is another Church of God like all the others. Just like all the other splinter cutls, its all about the law.  Law, law, law, hardly anyting about Jesus but tons of crap about the law.

This one is another Church of God but has attached Remnant to it's name: Church of God-Speaking to the Remnant.  Why do all these splinter cults think they are something special?  Remnant?  Really? REALLY?

Like in true Armstrongite blinded to reality in the church,  they have to start off bashing all the web sites and blogs that point out the foibles of Armstrongism.  This person has listed all the different character traits of those who expose Armstrongism. For all of you that expose the crap of Armstrongsm you are suffering from one of the following:

Sadly, many who know anything about the true “Worldwide Church of God” have gotten their information off of websites or out of books by people who no longer even believe in God. Many of these misfits were told to leave the Church because they abused their wife, practiced homosexuality, taught false doctrine, etc. After refusing to admit their sins and become clean in God's eyes, they instead chose the path of sin and began to make false accusations against the true Church. Anger consumes them! “For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.” [Proverbs 24:2] 

Then he goes on to uses HWA's favorite method of reasoning: "Don't believe me, believe the Bible."   We have all seen how well that has worked out! 

Most of the hateful information found on these websites and books is arrogant jargon. They make claims that all true members of the Church are “evil”, “confused”, “lost”, etc. The fact is, these people should be testing all claims based on what the Bible says, not what any man says. I challenge all people who visit this website and read my articles to test it all against the Word of God. The fact is, these people just do not want to live the Christian life. Thats okay but why so much anger against the truth? This should not surprise us. These types killed almost all the apostles and hung Jesus from a stake. Making a clean break from false worship may not be very fun. Jesus warned that one's relatives may oppose such a course. But if we are called of God this should make no difference in our decision. [Matthew 10:32-37] If we truly love God we will run to Him. We will throw away all of our false doctrines and cherish the TRUTH!

This much he got right.  After Herb died hundreds of splinter cutls were formed.  Just a a few are: LCG, PCG, RCG, GCG, CBCG, UCG, COGWA, CGG etc.

It is true that after the first latter day apostle's death many broke away from the true Worldwide Church of God and started cults. Many of these groups have leaders who use scare tactics, power tactics and even pay people to help them control others. This also should not surprise the true Christian. The apostle Paul from the Bible warned: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock

His qualifications for cults are as follows. Most of these are truly irrelevant. 

Cults Have False Apostles and Prophets: False groups teach false doctrines and their leaders have some sort of egomaniac problem. Instead of putting God, His Law and His Word first they seem to stress importance in themselves.

Cults Try to Control: Another aspect of cults is the fact that they use fear to try and control their people. Now we must remember that there is such a thing as “healthy fear”. We should be afraid of those trying to hurt us...Just because true Christians do these things does not, from a Biblical standpoint, make them “cult” members. God leaves it up to you, the individual to make the choice. No true Christian is commanded to control you or some how force you into believing the TRUTH. But cults do indeed try and use psychological tactics and sometimes physical tactics to do just that....

How You Live Your Life Matters: You have a choice in these Last Days...days of confusion and spiritual battle, to make a choice about your future. You can live a happy future or a miserable one. No man can make that choice for you. No cult leader, no denomination, no “spiritual” teacher. You must make the ultimate choice. How you live your life does not just effect you and others...IT EFFECTS GOD.

Fault Finders & Accusers of the Brethren: For those who have the true Gospel be prepared for hard times! We [true Christians] have the TRUTH, not “a truth”. When we fail sometimes to live up to the truth we find many around us begin to swarm in like flies to begin the “breaking down” process. These are nothing but demonic attacks to try and discourage you and make you turn from God's truth. Just because a Christian fails sometimes to live a perfect life it does not change the fact that Saturday is Sabbath, Jesus is Lord, and His one true church is the one and only Worldwide Church of God....There are many instances in the Bible where the people would judge the messenger instead of the message. This happened with the prophets. King David murdered, worshiped false idols and many other sins he committed but through him God wrote part of the Bible. King David wrote many beautiful Psalms. When we look at the type of people Jesus chose to be His apostles we see some sinful men. But no matter who God ultimately chooses God continues to tell them to not give up, to continue to try and follow His commandments no matter what anybody else says.   

He never touches on the dangerous aspects of cults and how they damage the person mentally, spiritually and physically.  Instead it is just superficial fluff.  If he exposed the falsehoods, lies, the mental manipulation, the physical abuse and spiritual abuse he would have to condemn his own splinter cult. But no, it is better to keep one's head in the sand with their butt in the air as they continue to make asses of themselves.

"Gentile Idiots," "Nincompoops," and Pretend Jews: A COG Wallet Drainer

 The Good News About Herbert W Armstrong

Just when you thought Armstrongites could not get any crazier along comes another one out of the woodwork.  This one comes to us based out of the Philippines.  When you read through it you have to ask, is this for real or is it a parody?  It is just so off base that it could be parody, especially when it starts talking about "Sweet young things" donating money.  :-)  Though, it is just crazy enough to attract COG members over to it!

This site claims to have been aorund since 2000.  This one is unique above all others though because they claim to be neither Christian or Messianic Jews.  They despise Messianic Jews as frauds and the same for Christians.  Like any true Armstrongite splinter cult they know all. They are the ONE and ONLY "congregation" that follows the truth of Jesus that is wrapped up in all the useless laws of Judaism.  This should appeal to the hardliner Armstrongites that try as hard as they can to be Jewish while worshiping HWA's teachings.

On September 10, 2000, Adonai Eloheinu placed in the possession of Rav Yeshua Ed a book written by J.R. Church titled ‘Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms.’ Rav Yeshua is able to decode the Sefer Tehillim better than Mr. J.R. Church on account of the prayer he asked face to face before Rabbi Yeshua that his eyes could see clearly. There are many authors of prophetic books who wrote of things they did not fully understand like Michael Drosnin of The Bible Code 2. Some people are given understanding and knowledge that many people do not have.

The New Jerusalem congregation started as a religious organization with the Key of David in its possession already. The Key of David is a key that helps us understand biblical prophecies and their fulfillments in the latter days of mankind.

I wonder if Gerald Flurry knows about this?  Two crackpot Armstrongites both claiming to have The Key Of David.  Only in Armstrongism!

Remember this. When you worship, worship God like what the Orthodox Jewish people are doing. Flee Christianity. Set yourself free from Messianic Judaism now. Worship God not in the same way that the born-again Christian group are doing. Even though they believe, God will not welcome them in the coming Kingdom of God.

 For instance the Jewish rabbis have confused all of the believers in Jesus Christ as Notzarim or Christians and Catholics alike. They think of all the believers as Roman Catholic Church members.  Christians do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians worship God in the spirit of rebellion and idolatry. Therefore, it must be Jesus who taught the Christian people to do what they are doing in the past and in this present time, they conclude.

The New Jerusalem congregation is not a Christian congregation. Only idiot (sic) believes the words ‘congregation’ and ‘church’ are different from each other. If your group is sporting the word ‘church’ you must be Christian or if you are a congregation, you are Jewish. 

The Kingdom of God is Jewish. And so are we in Kahal Yerushalayim Hachadasha (The New Jerusalem Congregation in Hebrew).

You only convert once with us.

 Then to appeal to a small segment of Armstrongism they get into the sacred names crap:

Rabbi Yeshua Bar El heads and leads the New Jerusalem congregation in a way the people on earth would not be able to comprehend. The righteous and knowledgeable people on earth know that this Yeshua is the son of Miriam and Yosef way back on his birth at 5 BCE.

Yeshua Ed is the Hebrew name of the administrator of the New Jerusalem congregation. The title ‘rav’ means a teacher. The Hebrew word ‘rabbi’ explicitly means ‘my teacher’ or ‘my master.’ In the New Jerusalem congregation we only have one master and that is Rabbi Yeshua Bar El a.k.a. Yeshua Ben Yosef veMiryam.

We have two entities in the New Jerusalem congregation with the Hebrew name of Yeshua. Yahshua is not the name of Jesus Christ in Hebrew even if it seems the same. But once you learned Hebrew language you will realize Jehovah is not the correct pronunciation of YHVH. Yahweh is not also the proper pronunciation of the name of God in its transliterated form. Only the uncircumcised Gentile idiots and nincompoops of this world use the names of Yahshua, Jehovah, Yehovah and Yahweh as the names of the G-d they worship. (emphasis mine)

Since their leader uses the name "Yeshua" in his title he is referred to as "Jesus". Only true truth is revealed through this lunatic.  Again, this should really appeal to the Armstrongites.....

However, I do have to hand it to them for being "different" from the other COG's.  This one uses Katy Perry videos in their web pages......The Seven Churches    Now all we need is Rod Meredith to start using "Pet Shop  Boys" on his web site......oh wait, that's too obvious....

If you are a believer in Jesus the Promised Messiah of Israel, what generation among the seven Churches do you belong to?

 Are you a Philadelphian or a Laodicean?

 Are you an Ephesians or a Smyrnians?

You will now know the truth about the seven Churches of God.

 You need to register so you can access the true interpretation of the seven letters of Jesus to the seven Churches. But the creation of account in our website is not accessible to the public at this point. I am not in my best mood at this time. Account shall be created personally by Admin for a donation of $ 10.00 to our Paypal account.

 Otherwise, you wait until I finish writing the little book of Revelation.

 So if you want to access articles concerning the content of the Book of Revelation, contact us after you have sent your ten dollar donation. Give us your email account and we will register your e-mail address for an account in this website.

 A young and beautiful thing can get a free registration here. The dead and dying can also get a free registration. Simply send us your picture and we will register you personally. If we owe you money or any thing, you are entitled also for a free registration. But consider our debt paid.

 The Two Witnesses are also entitled for a free registration.

 If you donate, $ 5,000.00 to our Paypal account you can consider this website yours. Your name is going to be in the by-line of all the articles that will be created starting from the date of your donation.

 Shalom Aleichem to all who would land in this page!

They do have one rather LARGE character trait that sets them apart from the rest of Armstrongism. This should really make Gerald Flurry and Meredith boiling mad that they never thought of it.  They have a link on their web page for people to send in "Offerings for Sin".    Maybe our Yahooists can join up and tell us the details!  :-)

That is what the little orange (yellow?) button is. It is a test that only the true Philadelphians can pass. A $100.00 donation means you are ready to enter the gate of righteousness where only the righteous can enter in. Please send us a note stating the amount of your sin offering for we want to know who you are. It is like, we will go through hell and high water to bring you people to the place of safety we know as Eretz Yisrael—at the border.

Entertaining, to say the least!  All power to the Nincompoops!

Dennis on Weinland: "Oh Ye Of Little Faith?"

Oh Ye Of Little Faith?

Last weekend I had the rare Saturday afternoon off from the spa where I work in therapeutic massage.  Januaries are like that.  So I tuned into Ron Weinland's sermon to hear what Witness One had to say.  Ron , as we know, is one of the very true Two Witnesses of Revelation 11 and Pastor Only of the Preparing for the Kingdom of God Church of God. 

I'm am writing this to those of you from Ron's congregation or who follow him as if he really was who he thinks he is....but is not.  

I would have hoped that most would have learned by now to question their minister when he claims to see himself written of and spoken of in the pages of the Bible.  I mean really, what's the chance?  I suppose believing such things goes back to when we got "Waterhoused" over who and what everyone from HWA to GTA to Joseph Tkach were in the pages of the Bible and the mind of God, but look back and see how well that went.  

If HWA brought the hearts of the father's to the children and the children to the father's," etc, I guess I don't see it.  If Joseph Tkach was a "Weaver" then all i got from that is that he used lousy material, mixed his fabrics and it all fell apart as a very inferior garment.  What i mean is that if you look at what was supposed to be what, it was not and still isn't.'  Personally, if I have to be under a Ron Weinland, Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry type in the Kingdom...well,  can I just have a log home in the mountains and be left alone?

Ron thinks that holding back your money over the next few months, "just in case," is a total lack of faith.  Those of you who do this, congratulations, it is a total exercise in common sense and proper care of yourself and your family.  Don't quit your day job as they say.  

Somehow, Ron had found out that some of his very own congregation were holding back on their offerings and funds that he would really like to get his hands on "just in case Jesus doesn't return " in May of this year. (2012)  I expect that a year or so from now, this article will seem prophetic, but I spare you.  Don't confuse prophecy for Common Sense.

He chided you for your lack of faith.  I think he must of said, "incredible" in there somewhere because that is what Ron always says when he simply can't understand why others do or don't do what he does or doesn't do.  

But we have to talk...

Please don't put all your hopes, dreams , faith and resources into Ron's opinion, and it is just an opinion, of what the immediate future holds for you. No God is going to chide you for your caution.  "Prove all things.." remember?

 I listened to Ron totally misuse the original context and meaning of the Book of Daniel to motivate you to see the error of your ways on this putting all your eggs into one basket thing.  Ron does not really know the historical context , setting of or even the actual time and peoples to whom the Book of Daniel was written, so of course he can't get it right to begin with.  But please, please, do your own homework and draw your own conclusions.  

Anyone can be a Bible reader.  When you read the Bible like a newspaper, which you should not do, you can come up with all sorts of hope that "time is short," "the day is far spent," or it is time to reveal things "which must shortly come to pass."  Ron never notices that ALL those verses were addressed to people 2000 years ago who just knew the end of the age was upon them and Jesus would soon return.   From our perspective, we now know that they were wrong.  How badly it hurt them, their families and resources we don't know.  The Bible never really tells us the rest of those kinds of stories.  I always wish Paul had not just told us what a loser he was ("The things that I should not do I do and the things I should do I don't," but what exactly he did or did not do that made him such.  But alas, I know the trick.  I'm a bad person, I do bad things but don't ask for specifics.  We'd probably all feel better if Paul had told us specifically how he was just like us.

 Ron, like most, read the New Testament as if it was written yesterday to all of you today, but that would be wrong wouldn't it?  Ministers get around that by fooling you about the idea of "types."  Remember when Ron was wrong about a date or event awhile back that you all had been earnestly looking for and when he had to finally speak up about his failure, HE BLAMED YOU!   I remember him saying something to the effect that "You people took it all wrong.  I didn't mean it was physical, I meant it was spiiiiiiritual.....incredible."   Evidently most of you bought it as you are still there waiting for the next shoe to drop. 

I prophecy ahead of time you will hear, "God is giving us more time," or "Who knew God had even MORE to reveal to me!   I never know until we get to that time where God talks to me and tells me more!!!"   Of course, Ron is full of bullshit on this, but it's a great technique and keeps you in your seats doesn't it...

I don't question (maybe one should) Ron's sincerity, perspectives, motives or way he filters his world both Biblical and currently, but I do question his common sense and wisdom.  Do you?  You do realize that every prediction about the imminent return of Jesus, every date set, every expectation expressed, sermon given, shortly, soon and almost ever expressed on this topic over the past 2000 years has been 100% wrong 100% of the time don't you?  What's the chance a real Deity is talking to Ron and will get it right this time.

I will spare you from the entire argument that Jesus is not coming back at all and all of the Bible including the New Testament is past history but that is terribly hard for us all, me included to accept.  Even in the New Testament after the Apostle Paul had told the married to be as they weren't and those that were not married to forget about dating and marriage at that point, (hmmm, sounds familiar?), we find Paul was dead wrong. 


Real people listened to Paul, adjusted their lives accordingly and ended up with nothing to show for it but less funds and broken relationships.  Of course, Paul never said, "I apologize,"  "I meant well,"  "I thought that voice in my head and light in my eyes that spoke to me was real but I guess not,'" or anything like that.  He turned on the church and accused them of being "scoffers who asked where was this coming of Jesus we keep hearing about."  Please stop and realize that to Paul these people of common sense were scoffers, but in fact, they were right.  Time was not proving to be short nor was the day shown to be far spent.  Life went on, Paul said basically, "oh well, I fought a great fight. It was fun while it lasted.  I kept the faith.  I came up with and I know there is laid up for ME a crown of righteous which I guess you get too maybe someday...gotta go."

I know you will have a hard time with this, but from all we can see and read in the New Testament,  the Apostle Paul, Peter, James, John, all the Elders, all the opening prayer givers, all the closing prayer givers, Deacons , Deaconesses, False prophets and false apostles and yes....even Jesus as presented to us in the Gospels was wrong about the arrival of that Kingdom and just how soon it would be upon them.  "We shall not all sleep but we shall be changed, " for them and every prophecy haunted minister and church since has turned into "We shall all sleep...deal with it."

I am speaking to you with a sincere heart.  I suppose in some way, I am ministering to you in a really weird way from what you have always thought of what ministers do.  Actually I am no longer a minister but go with me on this concept.  :)  

PLEASE DO NOT LET RON WEINLAND CHIDE YOU FOR YOUR LACK OF FAITH IN HIS OPINIONS

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY HE SEES AND FILTERS THE BIBLE THROUGH HIS BRAIN IS HIS OPINION

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU ARE TO 'PROVE ALL THINGS' THEN YOU HAVE NO PROOF THAT RON IS IN TOUCH WITH GOD NOR GOD WITH HIM IN ANY REAL WAY THAT CAN BE PROVEN

PLEASE REALIZE THAT ANY REAL GOD IS NOT OUT TO TRICK OR DECEIVE YOU AND THAT THESE THEOLOGICAL DISASTERS IN THE MAKING IS MERELY DUE TO THE LACK OF WISDOM AND COMMON SENSE OF YOUR PASTOR

PLEASE GIVE IF YOU MUST.  IF THAT IS WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS THEN LET YOUR HEART FOLLOW, BUT PLEASE USE YOUR OWN COMMON SENSE AND PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN "JUST IN CASE."  JUST IN CASE IS NOT A SIN.  IT IS BEING RESPONSIBLE.  YOU KNOW...'IF A MAN PROVIDES NOT FOR HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD HE IS LESS THAN AN INFIDEL.." OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

LEARN TO SAY DIRECTLY TO MR. WEINLAND, SHOULD THE NEED ARISE, "PLEASE MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS ON HOW I PERCEIVE MY FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD THIS REALLY BE THE END OF THE AGE OR REALLY NOT."

PLEASE FIND A WAY TO DISCONNECT THE RING IN YOUR NOSE THAT RON HAS THE LEAD FIRMLY ATTACHED TO.  FOLLOW IF YOU MUST BUT FOLLOW ON YOUR OWN TERMS.  RON CAN NEVER PROVE TO YOU THAT HIS WAYS ALONE ARE GOD'S WAYS OR THAT YOUR CAUTION IS UNBIBLICAL OR A TOTAL LACK OF FAITH.  REMEMBER, RON IS ACTUALLY ASKING YOU TO HAVE FAITH IN HIM WHILE HE MAKES IT SOUND LIKE YOU ARE DENYING YOUR FAITH IN GOD.  APPLES AND ORANGES...

Well, I think you get the point.  I promise that if the real Jesus really really returns on Pentecost of this year and you really really are the only true church and Ron was truly truly God's faithful witness of two, I will write a humble letter off apology and recognition of this as being so.  I'll renounce my own insights over the years and sit quietly in church and never never want to be a deacon, elder or minister ever I promise.  I'll just give what I have not got, or should not give and call it even.

Well, I guess this is the Forrest Gump moment.   And that's all I want to say about that.....

 
Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com