And the show continues!
A former follower of Not Almost-arrested and Not Bitter Bob Theil sent me Thiel's list of "proofs" he is a martyr because this blog, Ambassador Watch, The Painful Truth and other blogs and websites have been picking on him.
It is actually quit funny reading his list while realizing that REAL prophets, apostles, church leaders, etc., could care less what people thought about them, nor have they ever found the need to publish detailed lists defending themselves from vicious attacks by perceived persecutors.
Here is the detailed list of "profs" that Improperly Named But Actually True Almost-arrested Not Bitter Bob Thiel writes about himself:
- I am not now, nor have I ever been, a chiropractor.
- I did not attend, nor graduate from, the old Ambassador College.
- As far as being repeatedly called 'almost arrested Thiel' by a
critic online who seemingly wants to imply I was some type of criminal,
it is true I faced possible arrest for keeping the Day of Atonement when
I was still part of the US military. I was told by the military leaders
that I had no legal ground to stand on, and I knew would be arrested
after I failed to show up at on the Day of Atonement. However, after I
prayed, got an answer to prayer, and gave that answer (cf. Luke
21:14-15; Nehemiah 2:1-6) the military backed down, and I was not
arrested, but was able to properly keep the Day of Atonement that year
(1979). I also left the military with an honorable discharge when my
enlistment ended 6 months later (I was not part of the COG when I
initially enlisted).
- My Ph.D. degree is real and the Union Institute and University is
not a diploma mill. (FWIW, former UCG, and now COGWA minister, Dr. Ralph
Levy attended Union Institute & University when I did and that is
also where he got his doctorate.)
- My M.S. degree is real and I really did attend, and graduate from, the University of Southern California.
- The fact that I have pursued other education beyond my M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees should not be considered a negative as some of my critics
imply. As I already had an accredited doctorate, an international school
that would allow me to study aspects of church history was later chosen
for cost, convenience, and the fact that I would not be forced to
accept doctrines I disagreed with, but instead could rebut them was a
logical choice, irrespective of what others may think of it. The fact
that a foreign school I studied theology from changed its name (and some
people online have tended to make a big deal about this), does not
change the fact that I wrote a 589 page, single-spaced, doctoral
dissertation with 1302 end-note references plus hundreds and hundreds of
scriptures for my Th.D. which may or may not have 'accreditation.' The
work done there and in my doctoral dissertation helped restore much
that many have lost related to the true history of the Church of God.
Information from that work is included in the booklet.
Perhaps I should mention that when I was in the Living Church of God,
after reviewing my degree, I was told I would be given the title of
'Adjunct Professor for Theology' at Living University--shortly before I
left that church.
- I have never knowingly posted incorrect information about anyone
in any of my articles, etc. And I do correct factual errors that are
properly brought to my attention. Those who claim I am a liar and do not
fix factual errors are bearing false witness as I have always corrected
factual errors and do so after such errors are learned.
- Most of my articles are documented with references to news
articles, books, and the Bible. Yet, for some reason, many critics seem
to overlook the facts when they make a variety of odd (and sometimes
false) statements about me and/or my writings.
- The overall cost of production, distribution, and promotion of
theological books that I have written exceeds the revenues and royalties
that they generate, hence I have no overall net profit from the sale of
theological books--so no, I am not making a living off of them.
- I have made no false prophecies about Karl-Theodor Guttenberg nor
anyone else. Actually, seven-nine of my speculative predictions about
Baron Guttenberg have been confirmed (Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North?) and world events have confirmed at least thirty-three predictions in my book about 2012 (see End of Mayan Calendar 2012--Might 2012 Mean Something?).
- I have never personally claimed to be an apostle.
- In order to try to separate aspects of my life from my COGwriter
site, as well as to minimize certain potential criticisms, I do not list
every possible piece of information about myself, my education, or my
job. I suspect that if I did, I would also receive additional false
criticism that I do COGwriter/CCOG to make money for a business I own,
etc. I believe that there is enough factual information here and at COGwriter.com and CCOG.org that those interested in the truth should be able to recognize it.
- I took no salary from the Living Church of God
despite the articles and work I did for it for over a decade (and
turned down two offers from its then presiding evangelist to pay me). I
am not, no ever have been, a 'hireling' like some liars have posted. A
'hireling' is a minister who is in the ministry for a paycheck, and I
have never taken a paycheck from the Global, Living, or Continuing Church of God.
- I still take no salary from the Continuing Church of God nor does my wife. Nor was the Continuing Church of God began as some type of personal revenue generator like several have falsely indicated on the internet.
- I am not a religious 'profit.' Critics who falsely call me a 'profit' to imply that I run CCOG and/or am working on the final phase of the work
as some type of a personal fund raiser are extremely wrong. Doing the
work I have done associated with COGwriter/LCG/CCOG these past two
decades has cost my business and family more money than they would
believe. This fact alone should get any who see this false accusation to
realize that I am serious about doing the work that I believe God wants
done.
- Despite insults and other names, I am not bitter, but am
disappointed that certain COG leaders I worked with for years broke
their words and espouse improper doctrines. It seems mainly to be bitter
people who falsely ascribe that 'bitter' word to me. And yes, I do
regularly, "pray for those who spitefully use ... and persecute"
(Matthew 5:44) me.
- Although mainly because of lighting, the late Herbert W. Armstrong
did wear makeup when being filmed, I do not. Nor have I ever had a
spray-on tan like some critics have alleged online. The fact that I have
worked in the hot sun doing church videos/research in some parts of the
world, and have gotten tanned sometimes through the process, is not a
negative.
- As a Church of God leader I have never 'destroyed peoples lives'
nor attempted to profit from their tithes & offerings as some who
libel/slander me on the internet have asserted without proof. I have
repeatedly worked to keep marriages and families intact.
- Hands were laid upon me as I was privately anointed with oil and
prayed over to receive a 'double-portion of God's Spirit' on December
15, 2011. Since King David ended up getting anointed in private and in
public, I, too, was also publicly anointed--that was on February 9, 2017
by Evangelist Evans Ochieng (formerly of GCG) and Overseer/Pastor
Samuel Ofosu Gyeabour (formerly of CG7). I am not a self-anointed nor
false prophet, but do meet the New Testament criteria (see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God). Sadly, most people have their own prejudices and will not believe what the Bible teaches on that subject (see, for example, Bob Thiel addresses some false statements from ‘accusers of the brethren’).
The Apostle Paul warned to not to "despise prophecies" (1 Thessalonians
5:20) and explained that there would be prophets in the church
(Ephesians 4:11), yet people do not accept the criteria he was inspired
to lay out (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14:29-32).
- Despite the FACT that God says He speaks to prophets through
dreams per Numbers 12:6, some scoff and make fun of how God has said He
reveals Himself to prophets. I did have two dreams that were confirmed,
and others had dreams related to the CCOG that were also confirmed (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).
Not almost-arrested, but really almost arrested, but not bitter Bob also writes:
Notice something that Jesus said:
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all
kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they
persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
And many have reviled me and said all kinds of evil against me falsely (to see some false accusations and responses, check out the article Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch.).
