"The only thing the church does is train the future princes and princesses."

Anonymous in a comment said to me: 

"The only thing the church does is train the future princes and princesses."

I think I probably read that about ten times - each time, letting it sink in the Armstrong opinion (or at the very least, this commentator) of what the Church's role is in this world. It's something I've heard before, but not as succinctly stated as this very blunt admission of what Armstrong supporters believe the role of the Church is. 

I mean, it makes sense to the Armstrong Apologist. The teaching has always been that the Church is just a form of a college - to train future princes and princesses and that everyone else in the world will get their chance letter. The Church then has been reduced to a very elite academy for the extremely few who "get it". 

Apparently, this, in this world, in this generation, in this time, is the only purpose of the Church. Sure, it makes sense to them. After all, the Gospel, to them, had been suppressed for over  1900 years until Herbert came on the scene. Everyone else simply is not a concern because they'll be worked with later, so it's perfectly acceptable to ignore them now, and not worry about any of them now. They could never get it anyway, so why even try? The Church, after all, is only for those IN the Church, not those outside of the Church. 

After all, everyone else in this world simply doesn't matter, because the Church isn't for them at all. Apparently, the Church is just a physical organization in a world ruled by Satan of just an infinitesimal amount of true Christians whose only purpose in this world is to be trained to someday help them all.... later. Never now. Because they're all cut off. 

Yes, the Church, according to Armstrongism, is simply an Academy - a boot camp to the Millennium. Well, this would explain why the expectations are so low and the meat is so skimpy. You can only go through the same textbooks so many times over and over again year after year after year. It's the only college that you never really graduate from, just rehashing classes and seminars and more classes year after year after year, being promised a "graduation" in just three to five years but always being held back and never really getting the diploma, while you keep paying tuition over and over again year after year after year. 

After all, this is the only reason the Church exists, right? 

submitted by SHT

Dave Pack: What Will Happen If You Leave The Church

PCG: Lil' Stevie to the rescue!

Gerald Flurry's declining health due to heart problems and other health issues is causing Flurry to being Lil"Stevie, the heir apparent and top "evangelist" of the Philadelphia Church of God, home from his escapades in England.  Lil "Stevie hightailed it to England once they bought Edstone House in order to start another mini-me college dedicated to Herb Armstrong.

Wayne Turgeon, one of the more despised men in PCG is heading off to monitor the campus in England while Lil'Stevie performs his duties. Students should be prepared for the heavy arm of legalism to come pounding down on them before too long.

After the recent epic failure of Flurry traveling  Israel where even he did not know why he was there, and the drop in income that PCG is suffering under, Lil'Steveie will be assuming the public face of the personal appearance campaigns.

With the boondoggle personal jet and the millions being dumped on coconuts in Armstrong Auditorium, PCG is struggle to stay afoot.  Lil Stevie is being looked at to inspire members to give more and to lead the public into joining as co-workers or to become members where their tithe money will quickly be sucked out of them.

It remains to be seen which direction the Philadelphia Church of God will go when Gerald dies.