Five Years Ago A Church of God Leader Lied To His Members

It has been five years since a self-appointed lying false prophet made a statement to his members that was regarded as fact.  This is nothing new to the Church of God though.  COG leaders have been lying to their members for decades with one false prophecy and teaching after another. Not once in the 80 some years of the current configuration of the COG has any leader or minister utter a single true prophecy.  From the King of the North to the King of the South, to invading Germans, rampaging Chinese and Muslims, concentration camps, Fatima and Mayan prophecies to the precise date Jesus is supposed to return.

It was five years ago that one of the COG's biggest liars (till Dave Pack and Bob Thiel hit the scene full throttle) made the prediction that on this day, May 27, 2012, Jesus was returning in all his glory.

Ron Weinland made the prediction that the creature he calls "christ" would return on May 27, 2012. When it failed to happen Ron had his excuses ready, just like all COG leaders have done for decades.

It just struck me today what day it is…………today’s the day the world was supposed to be changed forever five years ago, but it turned out to be the day when almost everyone in PKG had their lives turned upside-down. 

Yup—–May 27, 2012 was to be THE DAY that Ron claimed Jesus Christ would return, but instead it was a big “nothingburger” and a lot of us were looking up to the sky (at noon on May 26), and a HUGE letdown was to follow. I still remember a flurry of emails going back and forth, and one of them was from Johnny Harrell letting everyone know to calm down and Ron will be sure to have a sermon to explain what happened. 

Ron gave a very interesting sermon that day looking back, and I truly believe he had that sermon pre-written out. IIRC, late in the day Ron posted on his blog a lengthy “explanation” of what happened, and how “heavy of heart” he was. The very next day, he gave a lengthy sermon expounding on what he wrote the day before. 

I can’t believe he came up with all of that on the fly, and the more I think about it, Ron could have had that sermon written as far back as 2008 when he made the first “change” from 2011 to 2012. He knew that there’s no way it would happen despite believing it with “all his being”.

Just the same, life has certainly gone on for me, but this is one of those days I’ll never forget for as long as I’m walking the planet. I got to see firsthand all the damage that was done to people’s lives, and if nothing else it certainly was an eye opener into how deceptive people can be. It still would take me 2 and half years to finally wave goodbye to PKG and get on with the rest of my life.

I had a hard chuckle from a co-worker today (overtime) as I was telling her what had happened back then. She said, “You mean all this was supposed to happen? I wouldn’t have had to come into work today——–I hate when that happens!”

I got a good laugh, but five years ago it was no laughing matter! 

So here we are with 2017 about halfway over, and still no earth shaking events to make one stop and pause. 2018 will be on our doorstep before you know it, and Ron will be proven wrong YET AGAIN when 2019 comes and goes without so much as a whimper. 

And there will still be those that will swallow the “disclaimer” hook, line, and sinker. 

So sad…………… From Don't drink the flavor aid

Herbert Armstrong lied to the church when he said the Christ would be returning in 1975.  For his "christ" to return in 1975, the church needed to flee to Petra on January 7, 2012.   Who can forget that even prior to this Herbert started preparations for building his monument to himself, the Ambassador Auditorium, with groundbreaking in 1972.  Deep down he knew he was wrong, just like every single one of the COG leaders who lie today knows.

Not only did he lie then, he did it countless times previously:

1934:

"...the year 1936 will see the end of the Times of the Gentiles.... we may expect the present worldwide depression, time of trouble and fear of war to continue until the year 1936!... quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling.... which shall be followed by the 'Day of the Lord." (The Plain Truth, June-July 1934, Herbert Armstrong, p. 5) 

1940:

"...Armageddon, we believe, must be at least three or four years away..." ("Democracy Doomed!" The Plain Truth, April-May 1940, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1947

"...in a few years NONE OF US will be living in our present homes—EVERYTHING material we possess now will be swept away from us...it will strike DURING THIS PRESENT GENERATION—it cannot now be more than A FEW YEARS... (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker letter, December 8, 1947) 

1953: 

"Now HERE IS SOMETHING STARTLING! Herman Hoeh, in his eye-opening article you will read in the June number of The PLAIN TRUTH on the Times of the Gentiles shows that the Times of the Gentiles—if chronologies are correct—will come to their final end in the year 1982." .............

"Now if this chronology is correct, that means Christ shall return some very few years PRIOR to1982! NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY, HOUR, OR YEAR OF CHRIST'S RETURN. But we CAN know exact dates of one or two other events." ...........

"IF THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES END IN 1982, in October, as Mr. Hoeh has it figured, THE INVASION OF AMERICA AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION MUST BEGIN NOT LATER THAT MARCH-APRIL, 1972!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker letter, May 22, 1953)

1956: 

"Indications of prophecy are that this drought ... will strike sooner than 1975— probably between 1965 and 1972!" ... "Yes, millions of lukewarm inactive professing Christians will suffer MARTYRDOM—and that before the anticipated push-button leisure-year of 1975 dawns upon us!" (1975 in Prophecy, 1956, pp. 10, 20, Herbert W. Armstrong)

"You're going to be shocked to read what goes on undercover in the United States. Five major vices threaten the total collapse of our country inside of 20 years. The handwriting is on the wall of America, now!" ("U.S.A. Riding to Total Collapse in 20 Short Years!" [subtitled: "Here are the naked FACTS that ought to astonish and shock you into immediate action.] (The Plain Truth, February 1956, Herbert W. Armstrong)

[After fostering many scare tactics in the article concerning how many in the U.S.A. are going to die of famine, pestilence and war "in less than 20 years," he goes on to say:]

"I've shown you from the very word of God what is next coming in prophesied events...It's prophesied for 15 to 20 years or less." ("U.S.A. Riding to Total Collapse in 20 Short Years!" (Ibid.)

1957: 

"God prophecies that finally, within the next fifteen years, fully ONE THIRD of our whole population will die of disease and famine." (The Plain Truth, December 1957, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1958: 

"We are just coming now to the grand smash climax of this whole age when there are far more prophecies--far more world shaking events--to happen in the next 15 or 20 yearsthan ever happened before in the history of the world!" (The Proof of the Bible, 1958, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1959:

"I say to YOU, now, that your money—your home—every material thing you have—will be taken from you SOON—probably in 12 to 13 years, certainly in 15 or less!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, August 13, 1959 Co-Worker letter)

1960: 

"In 12 years or less the U.S.A. will suffer the worst depression ever suffered by any nation." (Herbert W. Armstrong, December 1960 Co-Worker letter)

1963: 

"We may now have only eight or nine more years to FINISH His Work!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, October 27, 1963 Co-Worker letter)

"In eight years all of our ministers will be silenced!" (November 23, 1963 sermon, Herbert W. Armstrong)

"Somewhere along about seven to ten years from now the REVOLUTION IN THE WEATHER will become a national and international calamity. Drought, epidemic of disease, will reap a mountain harvest of death across North America--and in Britain." (The Plain Truth, January 1963, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1964: 

"We may have an occasional good year in the weather, but the trend in general will continue until--probably by 1971-1972--it will become an acute disaster, especially to the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia." (The Plain Truth, January 1964, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1965:

"We are in the grand smash climax--only six more years left." (Co-Worker letter, December 13, 1965, Herbert W. Armstrong)

1966: 

WE MAY HAVE ONLY ONE OR TWO MORE YEARS LEFT TO FINISH THE WORK THE LIVING CHRIST IS DOING THROUGH HIS CHURCH! Time is running out on us! It is now FAR later than you think! (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker letter, June 27, 1966)

1967

"The God who is REAL says of OUR PEOPLES: 'Prophecy against the prophets of Israel . . . O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes of the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up a hedge for the House of Israel TO STAND in the BATTLE IN THE DAY OF THE ETERNAL (Ezek. 13:1-5).' That is NOT a message to ancient Israel—but to OUR NATIONS TODAY. The 'DAY OF THE ETERNAL'—a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies—is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now! You will know, then, how REAL it is. You will wish, then, you had heeded. I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, ON AUTHORITY of the living CHRIST!" ("HOW the U.S. Can END the Vietnam WAR . . . NOW!" (The Plain Truth, Feb. 1967, p. 47, Herbert W. Armstrong)

"A STAGGERING TURN in world events is due to erupt in the next four to seven years. It will involve violently the United States, Britain, Western Europe, the Middle East." (The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy, Introduction, 1967, p. IX, Herbert W. Armstrong)3

"Now, other prophecies reveal, we are to have soon (probably in about four years) such drought, and famine, that disease epidemics will follow taking millions of lives ... Well, we have been getting foretastes of that! That condition is coming! And I do not mean in 400 years—nor in 40 years—but in the very next FOUR or FIVE!" (Ibid., p.184)

"You need to look at the prophecies of Jesus of Jeremiah, of Isaiah, and others, describing how much more INTENSE is to be the punishment God is going to lay on the British and American people in five to seven more years!" (Ibid., p. 185)

1969: 

"If that unseen Hand does not exist, humanity will not survive on earth another 25 years, or less! I know whereof I speak, for no organization on earth has a more knowledgeable grasp and understanding of world conditions, trends, and causes, than ours. ..." (The Ambassador College Correspondence Course, Lesson 5, 1969, p. 15)

"There is very little time remaining. You now know only a minority of humanity will remain alive just a few years from now

1977:

"During this generation--within 60 to 90 years or less-from 1927--Christ will come again..." (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker letter, January 20, 1977) 

1980: 

"The actual movement of world events as prophesied WARNS US that all this MAY now occur in the decade we entered day before yesterday--and, if delayed past 1990, most certainly during the decade of the 90s." (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker Letter, January 3, 1980)

1984:

"The Plain Truth brings you UNDERSTANDING of the very Word of God, the SOURCE of TRUTH--and of the PROPHECIES of events soon to occur, in the next two, five or 10 years!" (The Plain Truth, September 1984, Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong)

1985: 

Right up to the end of his life Herbert Armstrong continued to make false predictions. Here is just one quote from his Mystery of the Ages: 

"And, secondly, to reveal—preserved in writing for us TODAY—what is to happen "in the latter days"—actually within the next two decades—THIS LAST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY! (Mystery of the Ages, Herbert W. Armstrong, p. 298)   

From Exit and Support

Why do COG members sit there, year after year, listening to the lies of men like Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Gerald Flurry, James Malm, Rod Meredith/Gerald Weston and others, as everything they have said consistently fails to happen?  Even with the blatant lies of Ron Weinland, there are still gullible members who send in money to him. Despite being liars, Malm, Thiel, Flurry, Pack and others still con their members into sending their heard earned money in.  Why?

Dave Pack: RCG Members Will Be "Reckoned" Away From Their Ungodly Mates Who Might Happen To Be In Other COG's

The Church of God has made a business out of mocking some Christians who believe in the rapture.  From Garner Ted to Waterhouse to Meredith, the derision and venom dripped mightily.  Now, low and behold, Dave Pack is declaring that he and a select few Restored Church of God members will be taken up into the air to meet with his creature he calls "christ".  The only difference now is that Dave has changed the word "rapture" to "reckoning."  He and his small flock are rising for their reckoning.  Left behind will be all the low life COG member still in the various splinter groups.  Some will be married to RCG spouses, some may be working beside back-sliding COG members and POOF they rise up leaving the xCOG members messing their pants that they got left behind.

But I want to go to another question. Christ said and, we could say, was most careful, and…yet again, using the term…went out of His way to talk about a moment when He comes to Earth where one is taken and one is left. He says it five times, and once and for all, I want to clarify exactly who it is that’s taken and left. I think we all pretty much know who is taken—it’s us taken to the reckoning. That’s pretty easy. But why does Christ, five times…I’m going to do this for dramatic effect…say one is taken and one is left…one is taken and one is left…in Matthew and Luke…one is taken and one is left…one is taken and one is left, and one is taken and one is left?

Five times, He emphasized that one gets left. Who is that? And they are working together…these are people right beside those who are taken. Who is that? Now the Rapturists think it’s the poor…the poor idiots on the bus, that when the driver is taken away, they’re left behind to crash and get killed. Or, the pilot on the plane…You’ve heard all these lunatic ideas that they’re vacuumed up to heaven. Well, we know we’re not vacuumed up to heaven. We are taken to the reckoning, the Kingdom of God arrives. But beside those people who are taken was somebody who was left behind—whether in the field, the mill or the bed.

Who are those people that you and I are going to be right with? We’re jerked away and they’re not. It’s a critical question, and it’s one I have battled with and I have the answer and the answer is simply astonishing. It will astonish you, and it sets up a bigger question that we’re going to address right after it, although this is a big one. Well, let’s go through the possibilities. Here are the possibilities…

“It’s you working at the mill beside some Lutheran, and you’re in the field beside some Baptist, or you’re in bed with a carnal husband or wife. It’s just people in the world…all around us.” Now that would agree with the Rapturists. I’m suspicious of that one just because the Rapturists came up with it. So is that really what Christ wants us to know? Five times emphasizes that the world is going to be left behind while we go to the reckoning. Who would doubt that? Who would doubt that the world is not going to the reckoning to be given the Kingdom…and we need to be told five times, with specific references to different locations, they’re not going; they’re right there with you and they’re not going. I’m not saying it’s wrong to believe some in the world could be near us when it happens, but is that Christ’s meaning?

“It’s the handful of brethren who might work beside someone who’s in United or Living or COGwa or PCG…or you’re married to a mate, you know, and we’re not in their church, but it describes us in bed with them or in the field or the mill with them; grinding at the mill with them. It’s got to be a mate, right?” That’s precious, precious few people that we actually work right beside at the auto plant or at Giant Eagle or flipping burgers together, or…There are very few people in the Restored Church of God, men or women, who are married to somebody who goes to a splinter. I’ll bet the number in the entire church, worldwide, of that kind of people, I’ll bet it is not half-a-dozen couples. I could be wrong, but it could easily be three or four…but maybe it’s ten, you know, the huge number of ten. Is that what Christ is talking about…or who He’s talking about that is left behind? You ought to want to know this. 

Dave Pack: I am the Shepherd...I have trained more ministers than anyone in the church

Super Dave, not even Herbert Armstrong is as mighty as he is.  He has "shepherded" over 11,000 members, and trained more ministers than any man in the church ever has. No man in human history has ever been as great as he is.

I would love to hear from the 11.000 COG members who suffered through his church pastorates. I can be guaranteed that they have a different story than Dave does.

I’ve been a shepherd all my life. Mr. Armstrong’s background was not as a shepherd. His background was a businessman, and he began to work with the Church, and for a little while shepherd it, but pretty much got into colleges and trained others. The Church never got very large. The final man would have to be one who had spent his whole life shepherding…11,000 people…I know what I’m doing. Sometimes, I wonder why I don’t get to keep doing that. Except I understand that I can bring a grander application. I know how to do that. I’ve trained so many ministers, I don’t begin to have the fingers and toes to count them all. And I’ve seen bad ones and good ones, and men who progress, and don’t, and good ministers’ wives and bad ministers’ wives. I’ve seen monsters like this guy who just butchered his wife, and left an orphan…and all the while he was doing it, was standing behind a pulpit like I am now. No more converted than the very devil who was in him. I mean, I’ve seen at all! I’ve seen things you can’t imagine.

It took a long time, over half a century, but I know how to shepherd. I’m trained to do it, and we have a lot of good shepherds among us, some in this room, and others around the world. If you’re blessed to have a minister near you, no matter how inexperienced he is, back him up, help him. You know, the big guys sold out, but he’s there, because he didn’t, and his wife the same. Many of them don’t even have wives. Their wives left them, or they never have been married.