Can you help the PCG find JC?
I was looking through the Philadelphia Church of God today and as usual it was a mishmash of Herbert Armstrong worship, keeping the law and nothing about following Jesus or anything he taught.
Here is just a sampling of the articles meant to encourage PCG members.
How to Select Toys For Your Children
Includes this strange comment:
"Parents should avoid any toy that promotes hatred, violence or anything else contrary to God’s Ten Commandments. Guns were designed to kill. If you intend to kill, use a gun. If you don’t intend to kill, don’t use a gun—the real thing or an imitation!"
Live Healthy Part III: Heart, Hustle, Muscle:
Nothing really wrong with this, especially since it did not have to reference HWA as the epitome of fitness. Article on weight training and cross fitness training.
Parents Save Your Teens From The Technology Tr@p:
Since we all know that Satan owns the airwaves and since technology uses the airwaves, Satan is after your children through technology. Satan temps people to read dissident literature and web sites to lead them out of the PCG....
As much as our teens may know about technology (usually more than parents do), teenagers are often too young to fully understand its dangers. This is where parents must be involved. Satan the devil is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and modern technology offers him access to our young people that hasn’t existed before.
As Herbert W. Armstrong once wrote, “Most parents neglect teaching their children’s minds …. But Satan does not neglect your child’s mind!” (Good News, October/November 1981).
Give Thanks Every Day
When one gives thanks to God they must always remember that life is shitty and filled with trials.
It is hardest to maintain this attitude during our trials, but this is when it’s most important. Trials aren’t pleasant for us, but do you think God enjoys seeing us suffer? God gives us trials and allows them to happen so we can build His character, His faith and His patience. When we thank God for our trials and for the opportunity to build character, we are letting God know that we understand what He is doing. If we do this, we demonstrate that we are growing in the trial. We comfort our Father because we are producing fruits. Thanking God for the trial is one way we can take our minds off our trial and focus on God. This will help us overcome trials and become more positive and joyful. King David was a master at turning trials into opportunities to praise God; study Psalm 27 for an example.Him and His Family? What? Is Mr. and Mrs. God running around heaven with their created child Jesus and millions of other little godlets?
The examples of David and Paul show that God wants us to be thankful for Him and His Family in our daily prayers and continue each day with a thankful attitude in everything.
Will You Give Thanks?
Dennis Leap wants you to make sure you give thanks while you are suffering because of God's anger. For some reason in PCG, God is always pissed about something. Maybe God is pissed at tight biker shorts....just say'in.
What Does Thanksgiving Day Mean To You?
There is no question Americans are going through tough times. Consider our many national troubles that continue to plague us. Extreme weather disasters such as the September floods in Colorado, the early summer tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, and the violent November wind storms in Illinois and Indiana have taken lives and racked up billions of dollars of damage. noaa‘s November 19 report shows that 32.5 percent of the U.S. is still experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. Our failing economy has had some gains but is still lagging behind since the 2008 meltdown. These continuous problems show God is angry with us. Why? Because of our national sins, which are many.
After telling the history of Thanksgiving, the author has to start immediately in on the negative side of things.
Think about it: The modern Thanksgiving Day holiday is typically filled with football games and other forms of entertainment, excessive drinking and gluttony. Thousands of people travel the highways, rails and skies in a frenetic clamber to “have a good time.” The entire day is filled with the emphasis on self-gratification. At some time in the 24-hour period, some manage to stop and say “grace” over a meal. But how many express heartfelt thanks to their Creator God?How To Serve God as a Single
Let’s face it: Our careless, godless, decadent lifestyle has stripped the value and meaning from Thanksgiving Day. We are, generally, an ungrateful people.
Being single in many of the splinter cults of Armstrongism is a depressing thing, particularly in the PCG. With such a small playing field , there is little hope for many PCG singles. The only two options that remain is to be a professional celibate or eave the stupidity of Gerald Flurry and get a real life.
They have this point for singles to take to heart:
Have no fear though! If you are lonely and depressed and know you will NEVER get married,, immerse yourself deeper into the cult and know that you will get to marry Jesus eventually.3. Don’t over-romanticize marriage
Singles, Hollywood has bombarded society with lies and deceit on marriage. Study The Missing Dimension in Sex. This is revelation from God! Society is missing this dimension in their understanding—but you have it!
A happy marriage is an intense delight, but must be based on the right foundation. When we are single is the time to build that foundation. Put God first (Matthew 6:33). That lays the foundation.
Be careful that your desire to marry doesn’t become an idol. Just do your part to prepare, doing the Work of God.
I’ll-never-get-married syndrome
Ultimately we all marry Christ. A God-Bride marries a God! Read Matthew 7:7-11 and Revelation 19:7-9. Seek the faith of Christ and His patience. Allow God to prepare you through your submission to His will!
I-am-so-lonely syndrome
If you feel alone and depressed, immerse yourself further into God’s Work. Seek to give! Being lonely is often just too great a focus on the self: Woe is me. Avoid that problem by getting involved wherever and whenever you can (Matthew 23:11-12).
Absalom, My Son
Dennis Leap writes the story of Absalom. All of Leap's "hero" articles deal with Old Testament men. He never has the balls to write anything about Jesus, grace, unconditional forgiveness or anything to do with the New Covenant.
Dennis Leap is back about Cooking "Chinken" (Chinese Food) His article is about "proper" child play. Give the racist COG history and the number of "chink" stories I heard growing up, somehow I think there is more to this story than he is admitting.
I could go on and on listing their articles. None ever focus on Jesus. He is only mentioned in passing and that he is usually pissed about something and is coming back to rule with an iron rod.
Its no wonder tat the PCG offers no hope for it's members when they can't even mention the guy they claim to follow.
