The Problem With Failed Prophecies In The Armstrong Churches of God

It is unbelievable that the United Church of God would say that they have a more "sure" word of prophecy than any other Church of God group. 

For over 70 years, in the zealous mindset of the Churches of God, when it comes to prophecy, they have been trying to fit their predictions into reality like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. They have never even come close to even beginning to have a handle on any kind of accurate prophecy in any of their major predictive theories. Not even once. 

Which is honestly saying a lot, because their entire theological foundation hinges only on their predictions of prophecy being correct. Their claim to fame is that they, and only they, have the keys to the Kingdom of God, and that through their understanding of their identity as "spiritual Israelites", then suddenly everything was supposed to have fallen into place. This is the very thing that all ex-members, living or dead, of the Church banked their lives on - that the Church had a mystery long solved, evidenced by their correct interpretations of prophetic understanding. 

From their claim that a large part of the Bible is nothing but prophecy, to their literal interpretations of Revelation to the claim of theological duality in prophecy - their claims were the biggest part of their legacy that made the "glory years" what they were. It were these predictions that filled arenas and auditoriums with those who believed what they interpreted prophecy to mean. Who can forget their colorful images of Daniel, of Beasts - of Revelation images with the voice of Art Gilmore over brass instruments echoing their prophetic interpretations? The biggest gamble of any Church of God member's lives was the gamble that the Church knew what they were talking about. The only problem? Enough time has passed that any logically thinking person can know with full certainly that every thing they ever said about prophecy has turned out to be absolutely, categorically, and blatantly false. Their prophetic interpretations cannot be defended, and any belief in their prophetic interpretations today can only be attributed to an acceptance of lies and an inability to renounce what must be renounced, if truth is the yardstick one measures by. 

Chronological timeframes have been wrong. Predictions about people have been wrong. Predictions about world events have been wrong. Predictions about world leaders have been wrong. Every one - but that has not stopped certain zealots who believe they alone have the correct interpretation of prophecy from trying. Whether it's Bob, Dave, Ron, James, Gerald, Gerald, or Tom, Dick and Harry - without fail, their timelines end up being fantasies based on delusions of correctness. Truthfully, a five year old who claims to understand how algebra and calculus works can be trusted more than a Church of God minister who claims to know how prophecy and the Bible works. Plus, a five year old can be trusted more than any Church of God minister can. At least a five year old has the intelligence to be corrected when told he's wrong and listen to people who know more than he does. 

If their entire construct of their entire religion - and we're talking about Armstrongism - is wrong, then how can one put any credit in anything that they talk about? Partly because of one simple comparison that every one of them makes - them vs. what they see "in the world". What the Armstrong Apologist sees in the world of Corporate Christianity to them is far worse then the failures of Armstrongism. They see what they view as idolatrous worship of false images, pagan holidays and symbols, sun worship, belief in lies such as Santa and the Easter Bunny, embracing of Jeremiah-like Christmas trees, and the rejection of Old Testament commandments they feel are in force. This is what they use to justify that they are "more correct" than "the world", even though in reality they are just as wrong, just in a different tangent. What they do not admit they are doing, however, is measuring everything in the mind of physical legalism, not in the mind of spiritual atonement and reconciliation with God in a pure heart in mind - which they think is impossible spiritually as they judge them physically based on what they think is unacceptable in the eyes of God. 

Regardless of your opinion about the physical aspects of more mainstream Christianity, or however disgusted you are with some of the traditions and observances of the same, it does not change the fact that the Churches of God have been sharply condemning of others while dismissive of their own heretical problems. There can be no sugar coating it - lies, deceptions, delusions, and failed prophecies have been as big a problem with the Churches of God as they ever could be. And no amount of shifting blame to the problems of Mainstream Corporate Christianity as they see them will ever make that statement untrue. Untold harm and psychological damage has been the result of the lies and failures of the Churches of God's prediction addiction from people of all ages - from children to senior citizens, and all those who have ever listened to the lies of Herbert Armstrong and every splinter leader, from Dave to Bob to James, who in their self-righteous arrogance dares think they speak for God when the record is clear they only speak from their own minds, without one shred of credibility or reason to believe they could be right. Ronald Weinland himself has cemented the reality of what happens when one banks on Armstrong predictions for the record of Armstrongism for generations to come. 

There is one thing about prophecy that we can know for sure is true in the Churches of God when it comes to the "sure word". That the only sure word of "prophecy" in the Churches of God is "False".

submitted by SHT

Gerald Flurry: I am Eliakim, the father to the House of Judah

Things continue to not look well in the Oklahoma empire of Gerald Flurry. The deluded man now has taken a new name on himself, in addition to the other self appointed names he thinks he represents.

Flurry recently made a  trip to Jerusalem in his new boondoggle of a jet.  The money trap is soaking the Philadelphia Church of God dry, but even so, Flurry decided to fly to Jerusalem, just because he thought he needed to.  He now believes he is the father to the nation of Judah and doors were going to open up to him. He still believes he is going to be just like Herbert Armstrong and be given audiences with world leaders and kings.  Unable to buy his way in to see these leaders, he has to spend his time trying to find another archaeological dig to get involved with.  This will please Lil'Stevie as he won't have to go back to Oklahoma for several more years now.

Church of God News reports:

Gerald Flurry has admitted that his recent trip to Jerusalem was a waste of money. 

In his member/co-worker letter, dated 11th March 2019, he writes: 

“Perhaps God gave us this miracle with the aircraft to encourage us to expect even greater intervention in the days that would follow. 

It was not precisely clear to me what God expected us to do on this visit. Brad McDonald and Brent Nagtegaal had prepared a visit with Dr. Eilat Mazar and a tour of the City of David archaeology site. 

Nevertheless, I felt God wanted us to step out and make the trip. Isaiah 22:21 says Eliakim is a father to the house of Judah. I fill that spiritual office, an office by which God gives authority to open and close doors according to His will (verse 22). I felt I needed to do more, which is why I decided to go there myself. Again, we must back our faith with works.”

Perhaps he hoped that there might be an open door to sponsor another archaeological project with Eilat Mazar, but as he admits, the purpose in going there was not clear to him.

Guess which Church of God has the "sure word of prophecy?"

Leave it to our buddies at United Church of God to boast about how superfantabulous they are. There is no greater "work"on the face of the earth today.  They are so magnificant that they have "the SURE word of prophecy!" James Malm and Bob Thiel will be suffering major butthurt after being humiliated like this by  UCG'!

Don Ward writes:

In one sense you could say that we have a more complete testimony as to the plan and purpose of God than did many of the disciples. We have the sure word of prophecy and the history of the faithfulness of God and Christ through the ages. 

So what has God revealed to them that has any relevance for humankind? Their education comes from a man who spent 6 months in a public library instead of working to feed his family.  The theological education of Church of God ministers has been stunted for decades due to that minuscule freshman one semester traipsing into theology.  They have never graduated beyond anything Herbert Armstrong taught them nor from the abysmal list of failed prophecies that HWA and others uttered.

Apparently, many UCG members are not happy that UCG is still a tiny little sect doing a tiny little work, while all the time demanding more and more money from them.  Never fear though, this tiny little band of good old boys is doing the most important work ever to touch the earth.  The entire world trembles at thier feet (as does James Malm and Bob Thiel.)

We must not let the things that God has revealed to us slip. At times we tend to focus on how small and insignificant we are on the world scene. But we must not forget that God has committed to us the mission of the ages. We are involved in the most important work on the face of the earth. Remember the words of Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).

So just WHO is the Elijah that came and turned the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers?  There are at least 6 current Elijah's in the COG today.

Herbert Armstrong destroyed his own family relationships.  Both of his daughters rejected the church.  He blackballed GTA and never spoke to him again.  His grandchidlren wanted nothing to do with him.

Every splinter cult leader of the COG out there today has wrecked families and marriages with their perverse teachings.  The COG landscape is littered with the corpses of dead members due to suicide, deaths from lack of medical attention, and killings, all due to the perverted teachings of the church and the ministers.  One almost gets the impression that God has smote the church with a curse!

We have been enlisted in the work of preparing a people for the return of Christ. Our calling at this particular juncture of history is so very important. There have been many faithful men and women called to serve in advancing the plan and purpose of God. We are a link in that chain of faithful men and women who have labored in fulfilling God’s great plan and purpose. So we must not be weary in well doing. We must not forget what we have been called to. We must not forget that God and Christ are counting on us. Who knows whether you have been called to the Kingdom for such a time as this.

Just how can UCG be preparing a people for the return of Christ when they don't talk about anything he accomplished, but spend 98% of the time expounding on the law.  Grace, justification, sanctification, and mercy are unheard of in UCG and COG sermons.  The law trumps Jesus every single time.

God and Christ are going to have a long time to wait if they are waiting for UCG to ever accomplish anything. This is the church that has a blue sock puppet that's more popular than its current church leadership. Jesus must be really impressed!