Gerald Weston: LCG Members Incapable Of Discerning Proper Television Habits and Other Issues

Are Living Church of God members ever able to do anything right?  Even after baptism they still cannot do what is right in Gerald Weston's sight.  For 80 years now the church has been preaching down to its members. The god of Armstrongism is a hard one to please and because of that member's salvation is always at risk.  That god is just itching to cast them into the lake of fire for every imaginable indiscretion.  This is unless you are children of the Meredith, McNair and other upper echelon families.  They get a free pass on everything. Members, not so much so.

To savor the things of God requires studying God’s word from a humble and deeply respectful heart (Isaiah 66:2). Our nature, even after baptism, must continue to convert to a new way of thinking (1 Corinthians 2:9–11). When the prophet Jeremiah tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” he is speaking to all of us (Jeremiah 17:9). When God tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death,” we need to take notice (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). As we saw earlier, even though were being directly taught by Jesus Christ for three-and-a-half years, the Apostles could still be deceived. So where does that leave us? We must learn to savor the things of God, not the things of man.

We are confronted every day with an array of decisions. Whether to watch television and if so, what programs to allow into our minds (Psalm 101:3), and also, what is an appropriate amount of entertainment when balanced against Bible Study, prayer, physical exercise, genuine interaction with family, and more. How much time should we spend on social media, and what is appropriate communication and interaction with others? Frankly, some of the things that come to our attention do not reflect the mind of God.

We will not tell you everything you need to do, but you had better do what we tell you to do!

There has always been a desire on the part of members and ministers alike to have every question spelled out as “right” or “wrong,” “okay” or “not okay.” Consider this however: God is not creating robots. He is creating children who think as He thinks. He gives us basic principles. Some are spelled out, as in the Ten Commandments. Statutes and judgments also help us to understand His mind on an array of issues, but He also wants us to learn to think as He thinks in an ever-changing array of circumstances. This requires not a never-ending list, but a mind that discerns—that savors—the way He would choose.

Laodiceans seem to have a problem with compromising. In other words, they are not very discerning when it comes to the nuances requiring righteous judgment. They do not savor the things of God. This is a challenge to all of us. Can we look past a list of do’s and don’ts to discern the mind of God in matters that are not always clear and spelled out? Can we willingly apply His standards, without always having to be told what to do? Our lives may depend on it!

Gerald Weston: Cracks Down on LCG Members Celebrating Birthdays

Gerald Weston cracks down on birthday parties for LCG members.  God forbid if LCG members have a few minutes of joy!

One subject that never seems to go away is that of birthdays. Some in the Church want nothing to do with them, while others engage in festive parties. It is evident from the scriptures that people knew how many years they lived. We know how long Methuselah lived, as well as Abraham, Jacob, and the kings of Israel and Judah. Obviously they were keeping track. However, not once do we read of a birthday party for any of God’s servants. The only places where birthdays appear in the Bible are in relation to heathen rulers. Pharaoh’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of his chief baker (Genesis 40:20–22). Herod’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:6–12; Mark 6:21–28). Although birthday parties today seldom end in death or dismemberment (we would hope!), these unflattering examples are the only indisputable birthday celebrations recorded in the Bible.

The Encyclopedia Britannica records the following: “As late as 245 Origen … repudiates as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Christ ‘as if he were a king Pharaoh’” (11th ed., article “Christmas”). While Origen was certainly not a true Christian, his comment reveals the attitude of the early Church toward celebrating Christ’s birthday and gives us a clue as to how original Christianity felt about birthdays in general.

Yet, some members begin celebrating the birthdays of their children from their first year onward. No child at that age has any idea what is going on, but by the time she is 16 she understands that it is “her day” and she expects a party and presents. Is this a lesson we want to teach? Are we able to understand the difference between marking or recognizing the day of one’s birth and celebrating it in a party atmosphere? Are we able to make wise judgments, based on the word of God? Do we follow the customs of this world, as sheep going to the slaughter? Or can we savor the things of God?

Is Weston going to stop Lil'Jimmy and the rest of the Meredith kids from celebrating birthdays?  They've done it for years.  LCG members have been doing birthdays for decades

Gerald Weston: LCG Women Should Wear Pants Suits Like Condoleezza Rice

Proper dress for LCG women

Not ok for LCG women, even if it is a pantsuit!

Oh, the wisdom of Rod Meredith and Gerald Weston!  Where, oh where, would we be without them?  Apparently, women in LCG are too stupid to know what kinds of pantsuits are ok for church, how to dress modestly, and not to wear clothing that emphasizes their cleavage.

Clothes considered stylish by this world are often lacking in modesty. They are often overly revealing of the female body: very short shorts, skirts that are overly tight and short, low-cut dresses that emphasize cleavage, and so on. Double entendre slogans on sweatshirts and T-shirts, also, are suggestive and inappropriate. When a woman is constantly trying to stretch her skirt to cover more of her thighs when sitting down, maybe this should tell her something.

Part of the problem with dress is the ever-changing culture. Some things considered immodest in past generations are considered very old-fashioned today. There is also the issue of occasion. A tennis skirt may be modest on the court, but not for an algebra class. Swimsuits would not be appropriate for Sabbath services.

Then there is the question that comes up from time to time regarding whether women can wear pants for Sabbath services. Dr. Roderick C. Meredith made it clear a number of years ago that a nice pantsuit may be appropriate. This may especially be true for individuals who have leg problems or who live in very cold climates. But, here is the problem: All that some heard when he explained this was that “pants are okay,” but that is not what he said. He spoke of nice pantsuits and gave the example of Condoleezza Rice (former Secretary of State under President George Bush) who often wore pantsuits in the conduct of government business. He was not talking about sweat pants, jeans, or casual pants.