...why do false teachers have such a love for strings of titles?
After all, there are worldly religious figures I respect more than you,
who themselves are doctors, but they do not obscure it
with a long list of irrelevant and superfluous other degrees, studies and titles.
Several people have recently sent me emails concerning Almost Arrested, Doubly Blessed, Elisha, Elijah, Amos, Joshua, Chief Overseer, Apostle, Prophet, Mayan Authority and End Time Witness Bob Thiel and his constantly changing story about his "theological" education and the Ph.D and Th.D he attaches to his name to legitimize his prophet status in the eyes of his deceived followers in Africa and gullible media personalities that include him on there radio broadcasts.
As one reader here points out, the self-appointed false prophet got his Ph.D from a diploma mill in Cincinnati called Union Institute and University. It does not take much searching online to find out that UIU has some serious issue with their diploma's, particuarly with the Ph.D's it issued at the time the self-appointed false prophet claims he was earning his.
The false prophet has this posted on his "Who is COGwriter?"
I have studied graduate level Early Church History from Fuller Theological Seminary and other schools in and out of the USA, and after a lot of writing, was granted a foreign Th.D. in early Christianity. A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was earned from the Union Institute and University (1993) where I studied various biological sciences and research methodologies. I also have other degrees/training, and have studied theology, both formally and informally.
By lumping a few classes at Fuller Seminary close to his "Th.D" it gives the impression his "theology" Th.D degree is from Fuller.
Compare this to the story Ambassador Watch posted in April of 2016 after Thiel said he had a Th.D from TCU, which if you are from the U.S. means Texas Christian University. One of AW's readers contacted TCU and this is what transpired:
...in the endeavor to "prove all things" I called the Registrar's Office (817-257-7825) of Texas Christian University located in Ft. Worth, Texas – and talked to one Kristi Harrison at the Registrar’s Office. She informed me of the following facts: First of all, Texas Christian University does NOT have a doctorate of theology (ThD) program. They do have a Masters of Theological Studies program, a Master of Divinity program, and a Master of Theology program – but not a ThD program. And second, the name of Bob (or Robert) Thiel does NOT show up on ANY student listing the university has. They have a computerized file dating from 1984 forward – and Thiel is NOT on this one. And they have a microfiche file for students who attended before 1984 – and Thiel doesn’t show up on this one either.
Thiel, then changed his web site to state this:
...I have studied graduate level Early Church History from Fuller Theological Seminary and other schools in and out of the USA like T of CU, where a Th.D. in Early Christianity was earned). A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was earned from the Union Institute and University where I studied various biological sciences and research methodologies. I also have other degrees/training, and have studied theology, both formally and informally.
It was then discovered that Thiel got his diploma from another diploma mill in India, even though it is essentially attached to a fundamentalist Calvinist belief system:
Bob may have acquired a mail order degree from Trinity School of Apologetics & Theology in Kochi.
Kochi?
TRINITY??
Following up on an anonymous tip in the previous comments section, a web search revealed that Trinity is a fundamentalist institution in India which has a Calvinist orientation, and offers "Free Apologetics/Theology Graduate Distance Programs." It's listed in places like Conservapedia and Creationwiki, and is sited next to Cochin University, but from what I can tell is definitely not part of that institution (although to read the Trinity website you might assume it was!) T of CU would then mean Trinity of Cochin University, which seems to be a clear misrepresentation.
Not only did Ambassador Watch take on Thiel's bogus degrees, but a Living Church of God member, who knows more about Thiel's shenanigans than most, also laid into Thiel's lies.
Take his “doctor” title. Doctor of what? If I came to you and said I was a doctor and gave medical advice, wouldn’t you assume by my actions I was a doctor of medicine? Likewise, if I went around putting “Dr” on my books, and the books were on religion, would you not assume my doctorate was in theology? And, if those things turned out not to be true, wouldn’t you believe I was a fraud? And, rightly so!
Buried deep within his website is the admission that “I have studied graduate level Early Church History from Fuller Theological Seminary and other schools in and out of the USA, and after a lot of writing, was granted a foreign Th.D. in early Christianity. A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was earned from the Union Institute and University (1993) where I studied various biological sciences and research methodologies.”
Not that it matters, which makes it even more curious that he would use such a means to elevate himself. However, his pride in his research is obviously flawed...
Which makes you wonder why anyone would follow such a person who claims to hold the truth dear when they obviously do not. Thiel twists COG current events and the Bible in a similarly deceitful manner.
A quick check of the internet pulls all kinds of stuff up on the Union Institute and University. One of the more telling things is how UIU lost their ability to issue Ph.D just a couple years after Thiel claims he got his. This means his "degree" was "earned" without the expectations that normal doctorate students have to follow. Plus, being a self study program basically let Thiel do whatever the wanted to claim his expertise in.
The Union Institute's Ph.D. program came under scrutiny by the Ohio Board of Regents in the late 1990s, early 2000s which culminated in its 2002 Reauthorization Report. The report was critical of the Union Institute's Ph.D. program, noting in particular that " ... expectations for student scholarship at the doctoral level were not as rigorous as is common for doctoral work ... " (OBR 2002 Reauthorization Report, page 13) As a result, The Union was put on probation, the Union Graduate School was dissolved and the Ph.D. program was restructured. The Gist
Thiel has this to say on his Doctors's Research site where he peddles herbs and vitamins:
The research group at Doctors' Research is directed by Robert Thiel, who holds a Ph.D. in nutrition science. He is licensed as a naturopath by the State of North Carolina, registered as a naturopath by the District of Columbia, and is licensed as a naturopathic physician within Idaho. He maintains a natural health clinic in Arroyo Grande, California.
His UIU PH.D that was "earned" under less than desirable doctoral research.
Thiel uses this Ph.D and his questionable Th.D every chance he gets. The gullible Africans might fall for it, but COG members do not.
Thiel also claims he has other qualifications:
Dr. Bob Thiel holds a Master's degree from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University. His writings have made him a sought-after expert in the fields of philosophy, religion, research, science, and prophecy. In the past twelve years, he has published scores of articles on these topics in a variety of respected print publications. Dr. Thiel has also received several awards for his research.
Dr Thiel is a Christian who relies on Bible prophecies. He has been married to his wife Joyce since 1981. They travel extensively to ancient and prophetic sites throughout the world, including Mayan sites, Asia Minor, Greece, Asia, Africa, Fatima (Portugal), the Vatican, and Washington D.C. Armageddon Books
Thiel uses his travels as if he is the authority upon all the areas he goes to. Just because he has been to Cappadocia, Turkey, Israel, the Vatican and scores of other places does not make him an authority these places.
I have been to England many times have have had private tours of Westminster Abbey and personal conversations with historians and vergers working there. I have an extensive library filled antique and modern books on UK and Anglican history, but that no more makes me an authority on Westminster Abbey, the UK or Anglicanism, than Thiel is an authority the Cappidocians, Ephesus, Asia Minor.
I know what he is doing though. He is following in the myth that Herbert Armstrong used as his excuse for not getting a theological or college education. He earned his degree in the School of Hard Knocks. Even Thiel's spiritual Daddy, Rod Meredith has used that phrase for decades.
The Church of God Perspective site asked Thiel the following:
You yourself stated that your PhD was not in Theology. If that has changed, then so be it. However, I know it will go above your head the fact that this makes you an even smaller man that even I could have imagined. Please, tell us, Dr Thiel, why do false teachers have such a love for strings of titles? After all, there are worldly religious figures I respect more than you, who themselves are doctors, but they do not obscure it with a long list of irrelevant and superfluous other degrees, studies and titles.
Title's and studies have been very important to certain COG leaders over the decades. Every single one of them ended up being liars and false prophets. |
For more see:
Bob Thiel and his remarkable PhD
Bob Thiel: Is Still a Liar and False Prophet
COGWriter Bob Thiel is a seriously delusional character.
Thiel's personal sites:
Nazarene Books
Doctors' Research
