Its starting to sound like a broken record when it comes to Bob Thiel and Rod Meredith. Thiel has been extremely bitter since Meridith publicly rebuked him over a year or so ago for his delusional behavior. That public rebuke reached Thiel's eyes from this web site BEFORE he heard it from anyone at Living Church of God. That certainly has to be the most humiliating day in Thiel's apostolic life!
The LCG has been swift to rebuke and warn LCG members to be wary of delusional men who self-appoint themselves to positions of power and authority. The constant public rebukes by Meredith and other LCG leaders strikes a raw nerve in Thiel's delicate personalty. Apparently Thiel is not thick-skinned like Herbert Armstrong was who ignored his detractors. Thiel lashes out whining and moaning every time he is labeled as false leader and an usurper in the faith.
The other day he lashed out at Rod Meredith AGAIN though a bitter come back at Wallace Smith regarding an article he wrote telling LCG members to be wary of self-appointed men in the church claiming that they were prophets sent by God. "Plain truth about "Prophets" from Herbert Armstrong."
Smith writes:
I was just studying a topic and came across, once again, Mr. Armstrong’s plain and simple explanation of what it means to have the office of Prophet. Ironically, it is given in a statement he makes explaining that he, himself, was not a prophet. And given that Christ prophesied that there would be “many” false prophets in the world as the end approaches (Matt. 24:11) — including those aiming to deceive God’s own people, specifically (v.24) — I think the clarity of his words is terribly helpful.
Later Smith writes:In the February 1972 Tomorrow’s World (nice title!) magazine on page 1, He said (bolding mine):
“Emphatically I am NOT a prophet, in the sense of one to whom God speaks specially and directly, revealing personally a future event to happen or new truth, or new and special instruction direct from God — separate from, and apart from what is contained in the Bible. And I never have claimed to be.“There is no such human prophet living today!“The Bible is the written Word of God — and, for our time now, it is COMPLETE! Never have I believed or claimed that God reveals to me new truths not contained in the Bible — in addition to, or apart from the Bible.”That description of what it means to occupy the office of Prophet is both simple and completely consistent with the lives of those who held that office in Scripture. I’ve seen the definition of a Prophet messed with many different ways by individuals who were, essentially, trying to craft lists of “qualifications” they could claim apply to themselves, and, in doing so, do great violence to the Bible — contorting it with all their might to make it say something that it simply does not say. (More specifically, contorting it to make it say something about them.)
Poor Bob, that must REALLY hurt to hear that!Those who would wish to make the office of Prophet about having unique and special insight concerning biblical understanding or seeing who in the world is represented in the Bible would find themselves doing (or claiming to do) no more than Mr. Armstrong did in his own life. And, as he said clearly and simply, that isn’t enough to make you a Prophet like, say, John the Baptist, Elijah, or Agabus.
For instance, I’ve seen Self-Appointed Prophets claim that the ability to “predict” some things and to understand the prophecies of the Bible are the fruit of a prophet. Cherry-picked scriptures (against Isaiah 28:9-10) are sometimes used to support this idea. Mr. Armstrong’s life and work — he did both, himself — contradict that statement, however, and clarify the meaning of those scriptures (as do other scriptures), and his personal example highlights to us that this is not enough to grant one the title of Prophet. He did those things and was not, himself, a Prophet. In fact, he did those things far more impressively than any of the pretenders I see in today’s crop of fake “prophets” and, yet, recognized that such things did not qualify him to bear that title.
(Note: This is all aside from discussing the fact that many Prophet Wannabes list “successful predictions” that are far from actually being actual, successful predictions in any meaningful and relevant sense of the words. I’ve seen various lists of “predictions” and put them to the test. Literally not a one has ever passed the test like they claim to do. None. Always examine such lists closely; the failure to meet the standard of “Prophet” is usually pretty clear. The points I am making here are broader than this, but it’s still a good point to make as an aside. I have simply never seen a list of “predictions” or a video from a “Prophet” making such predictions that are of the sort sufficient to qualify them as a Prophet. Ever. It would be exciting to see one, but I haven’t seen one yet.)
Delicate thin-skinned Thiel lashes out with this:Those individuals today who claiming the title and office of Prophet are, judging by Mr. Armstrong’s biblically consistent words, sadly self-deluded or purposefully being false (I prefer to believe the former).
Like any good prophet, splinter group leader or wanna-be apostle Thiel then has to have SEVEN PROOFS that he is for real. Seven, that magical number in Armstrongism of perfection. Since Thiel leads the greatest work the COG has ever seen in 1,900 years, and is the worlds most accurate prophet, perfection perfectly describes him.Wallace Smith has repeatedly attacked me--and the above was intended as another attack against me.
Next, Thiel brings in Aaron Dean's opinion on why he (Thiel) is a prophet:
Then Thiel uses an old article by Meredith that prophets would arise in the end time. Thiel believes this is the second proof he is a prophet. Logic dictates, at least in Thiel's mind., that since this is the end time he is one of those prophets.First, I spoke at least twice to Aaron Dean about Herbert Armstrong's position about prophets. Aaron Dean said it was Herbert Armstrong's belief that there were at least two alive when he wrote the Mystery of the Ages (with Aaron Dean's assistance) who God would later use as prophets. No one should imply that Herbert Armstrong did not believe God would raise up any prophets in the last days.
Thiel's third proof is that his prediction of God striking down Meredith and his wife came to pass. Meredith had a stroke and his wife died of cancer.Second, Dr. Meredith, current head of LCG, decades ago wrote that the church was to have prophets (Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 4-5). So, does it not make sense as we get closer to the end that there would be at least one?
Next Thiel uses the dreams he and a woman in his personality cult had as the fifth proof that he is a prophet:Third, I did tell LCG's Davy Crockett in August of 2008 that I believe God revealed to me that a top leader in LCG would be struck if he would not implement certain corrections that he promised to implement, and that happened to Dr. Meredith the next month. This was an 'outside of the Bible' prediction that came to pass.
Fourthly, I also tried to warn Dr. Meredith in December 2011 that his wife was to be struck health-wise and several weeks later it was reported by him that she was. This was another 'outside of the Bible' prediction that came to pass.
Next Theil gives the sixth proof just because he assumes so:Fifthly, it was the position of the old Worldwide Church of God that God would again use dreams (Personal Correspondence Letter). Yet, the old WCG never reported any, hence the belief was that this would happen in the future, and it has. God has used dreams several times for at least three now part of the Continuing Church of God. For details, please study the article Dreams, the Bible, and the Continuing Church of God.
Then Thiel drags Rod Meredith back into the equation:Sixthly, I do have the other fruits of a prophet Jesus spoke of. For details, please study the article How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God.
Seventhly, it was LCG's Dr. Meredith who called me up and told me that GOD may consider that I was a prophet in October 2008. Wallace Smith neglected to share that part of the truth in his post. I was NOT going around for years telling people that I was. Prior to my 'double-portion' anointing by LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour, I never told any LCG leaders I was a prophet. I told them what Dr. Meredith said and told them that I felt that I must receive a further ordination to accept that.
Thiel is so incensed at Meredith and others actions in the Living Church of God that he claims that NO ONE in the LCG will ever be able to understand when the end times gets here. That is only possible through Thiel's personality cult. Unless you are a member of the Continuing-Ed Church of God you have NO HOPE of salvation.It is Wallace Smith who is clearly reporting a lie. And he remains too cowardly to name me by name--yet he is being a false accuser of the brethren.
The role of being a prophet in the Church of God is certainly messy!
