From Christian to Christian: Standing Strong

Christianity in the Worldwide Church of God was relatively simple and actually contained in three simple words: Obey Your Minister. Regardless of how many may challenge this supposition, there's really no other way around it. If your minister was your link between you and Christ, of damnation and salvation, of in the Church and Out of the Church, then this statement is truth. The critically thinking individual was not regarded competent enough to understand the mind of Christ like your pastor. Members of the Church were admonished about this time, after time, and after time again, sometimes severely. 

The concepts of Critical Thinking were intentionally not developed within the Church. Any questions you had? Ask the minister. Any doubts you have? Don't discuss it with anyone else - lest you sow division and discord within the Church. Ask a question to the minister like you are supposed to do when you disagree? Find yourself on the bad list - at the least an "unconverted" , to a "bad attitude", to a "rebellious spirit" - and on the shortlist to discipline, up to and including disfellowshipment. More often than not, thoughts, opinions, doubts, and questions by many were pushed way back to File 14 (Not 13 - that's garbage, but 14, the Storage Area!). If you dared share them with anyone in the Church, you ran the risk of a ratter outing you to The Minister - which is worse than if you told him yourself - nearly guaranteeing you being labeled as one "Sowing Division" and risking immediate disfellowshipment for speaking out against Church Doctrine. 

This is why many believers on this blog react so strongly to posts on this blog that foster critical thinking. In the Church, we were not encouraged to use our heads and think. We were not ourselves allowed to "prove all things". We weren't confronted with hard questions - those were for the ministers to handle. We did not converse deeply and with prolonged debate (or were not supposed to anyhow) with those who thought differently than we did - whether it was a Mainstream Christian, a Street Hoodlum, a Buddhist, a New Ager, or an atheist. 

Years ago, while in the Worldwide Experience, I would have reacted in the way most probably would have expected. I would have immediately blasted any contrary opinion as - well, lost. You know, shake the dirt off your feet and don't even give a contrary person (derisively labeled a "dissident") the time of day. The biggest and most important function in the Church to keep it together was the appearance and misnomer of what we called "unity", in a religion where reality shows us that we were never truly unified. We were master illusionists. 

These days, in this generation of knowledge, information, history, and science, it's not only good to understand the opinions of other people - it's imperative. The approach we had of "don't look at this, throw it in the trash" these days simply fosters an attitude of ignorance. To understand how another person thinks, we have to understand what they think! And this is exactly what many who are Christians are afraid of. That deep down, they may fall victim to convincing argument and fall into what they perceive as "strong delusion". 

Truth is, every part of every religion - whether it's Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Muslim, or Evangelical Christianity - and yes, even Armstrongism - has a certain level of truth within. This is why all religions have massive numbers - because something clicks with somebody as true, therefore, it all must be true. This isn't so - as nobody has the "lock" on all truth as long as humanity is involved. This is why, in every sect of every religion, you will find literally hundreds and thousands of diverse opinions about how this is so and how that is so. You can be as sincere as you wish - but you can also be "sincerely wrong" - and no one has gotten it completely right. Not Herbert Armstrong, not Charles Stanley, not anyone of mortal flesh. This is why a personal relationship with a personal God is the basis of true and authentic Christianity. 

It shouldn't be scary to acknowledge and to hear other opinions. Rather, we have been given a Counselor, and a Teacher - the Holy Spirit - to help us personally where we are. In prayer, as we connect with the Heavenly Dimension, we can understand - personally. And with Christ in us, and working through us, we can stand and grow in both character and in faith, in the assurance of things unseen, growing daily in the assurances of what we know to be true by Him who works in us, and through us. Without the personal Christ within us, we are only as blades of grass blown by the wind. The danger comes when, in our zeal, we, as Christians, try to convince others of what we know personally to those who try to convince us of what they know academically. We will lose every time with this approach. They will blast us and rip us to shreds using academia against personal experience. This is not the way to go. 

The only thing that Christians have for proof are their fruits. The problem is that with many people who claim to be Christians, the fruits just are not there. Instead, there are the "Judgers" who condemn them. There are the "Angries" who blast them with vitriol. There are the "Pious" - the "I'm better than you's because I know the truth". There are the "Righteous Ones" who look down on anyone who believes differently than they do. And the only thing Christians have going for them - EVIDENCE of Christ - is dust in the wind, and then what is there? Absolutely nothing. 

The evidence of Christ - the only thing that shows who we are - and what we are - are the fruits of the Spirit. Gentleness. Love. Mercy. Self Control. Patience. Kindness. Meekness. Joy. This evidence is the only thing that is needed, and the only answer. It is the mind and the emotion of God in action. And as it is said in the Love Chapter - and in a song we all knew or know - we can talk in megaphones, as sounding brass and banging cymbals - but if we do not show genuine love in our actions, conversations and discussions with people of all belief spectrums - than our beliefs and our faith is as useless as bronze age encyclopedias. Because all of the knowledge in the world, and all of the knowledge of our universe, and science, and realms, and realities, and angels, and demons, and animals - and even, as scripture says, height and depth and all things physical - cannot compare to the power of one act of love and kindness. This - love and kindness - is more powerful than all of the knowledge in all of the internet. 

At the end of the day, The only thing that matters is exactly what scripture says - faith expressing itself in love. (Galatians 5:6)  It's the most powerful force and witness in the Universe. Everything else withers, but love stands strong. This is why, and how, we can make it and show Christ in this age of incredible knowledge and understanding. Because there is an abundance of truth in today's knowledge. Yet, there is unbelievable power in love. And that is the narrow road to the narrow gate that is often missed, and few are those who find it.

submitted by SHT

COG Feast of Tabernacles: "...,if they cannot even gather together for a celebration of unity - in unity - how can they possibly believe they are truly foreshadowing what they claim they themselves will be leaders of? "

In just two short months, the Fall Festival Season for the Churches of God - dates may vary - begins once again. Members will be driving to their annual vacation destinations, meeting in lodges, motels, halls, and centers for another 8 days of what they believe is a foreshadowing of a future time called "the World Tomorrow" - a thousand years of peace and utopia under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ. 

Yet the reality is, if they cannot even gather together for a celebration of unity - in unity - how can they possibly believe they are truly foreshadowing what they claim they themselves will be leaders of? 

As one with many memories of the Worldwide Church of God in the Armstrong era - the appearance of unity was strong. At least - at the very least, we tried. We were one body, despite all of the internally squelched, under the radar controversies and disagreements. We all met together. And all of us - in one voice - twice a year - sang as one body in unison, led by Judd, transmitted by Satellite - worldwide. For many, it was an emotional, unifying, well-remembered event of solidarity and focus on one mission and one purpose. 

This is not the case at all within the scattered Churches of God, it goes without saying, today. There is not even an attempt at a full-COG gathering - nor is such a gathering possible with the current politics; and that is a shame-based on everything that this Festival Season is supposed to stand for. 

A convention signifying a foretaste of ruling and reigning in the World Tomorrow? The bunch of buffoons can't even get themselves together for a day, nonetheless an entire week! Do they really, honestly believe in their mission? Do they even believe what they claim to be doing? If they are attempting to show the World that they are the future world rulers of a utopian empire, if the world was even listening, they'd be a laughing stock to the world as they are to the few that observe their escapades even now! 

It's not as if we've not brought this up before. It's been mentioned for years in conversation among "dissident" sites about how they all just can't get along - not even for one convention once a year. In fact, in these days, their "Feast of Tabernacles" are, in comparison to what they used to be, barely a sputter of what once was a roaring, well-oiled engine. Why is this? Because of the corruption of leaders and their lust for power, control, tithes, and members, which is well displayed from the small to the great in the sphere of the Churches of God. 

I don't think it's a stretch to say Herbert Armstrong would be absolutely enraged and appalled by what has come of his organization from corner to corner. I don't think it's a stretch to say that many of us watching are also appalled by what has come of the Churches of God. Theology and opinions of such aside, the Churches of God are a dysfunctional organism, wallowing in the muck and mire of the cancer of selfish ambition and arrogant narcissism, starved of life and barely breathing. It's leaders - some of them descendants of the Mother Church, others pissing on each other to get to the top - are an embarrassment and a joke to what actual ministers are supposed to do, and hardly an example of a future ruler. Truthfully - I would not trust ONE of them - not even one - to rule over anything. Not one thing. And yet, every year, they get together with the same tired, torn, worn-out message about how they alone are somehow in training to be the rulers and world leaders of the One World Government of God, Jesus, Herbert Armstrong, and the Chaotic Mess of Ministers and Members the Church of God has become. 

I cannot even imagine what it would be like to watch the World Tomorrow Government in action. What would happen when Herbert Armstrong would look from his Ruling Chair under Christ and see what he sees? Six-Pack? All Thing Common Pack? Lackadaisical Weston? And can you even IMAGINE him looking at Thiel? I can just hear him bellowing out in rage about his arrogant, pompous, know-it-all attitude and the assumption of ordination under less than ethical circumstances. I wouldn't want to be in the same room... Actually, yes I would. With popcorn. 

Can you imagine them even trying to rule? Can you imagine what the results would be? How many do you actually think would be qualified to rule in the Kingdom of God as they see it? Can you count them on one hand? How many of you would want to be the peasants of the Kingdom? Can you count those on one hand? If the current state of the Churches of God is any indication, most would rather take a bus to the Lake of Fire then endure an eternity with the Squabbling Wanna-Be Rulers of Armstrongism, who can't even get together for a Feast of Tabernacles as one body sharing one common goal. 

This alone is enough evidence to prove to me how absolutely ridiculous it is to even begin to imagine any of them holding any high position in the Kingdom of God, because they've made an absolute mess and wreck of the Churches of God, and refuse to hold themselves to any accountability to their mass failings because of greed, arrogance, and power. Indeed, the truth is, in my opinion, the only kingdom they really are modeling themselves after is the kingdom of Satan; and they are acting like his demons.

Submitted by SHT

Jon Bisby of Church of God, Eternal now claims Herbert Armstrong was Christ

Apparently we were to stupid to realize this was Jesus 

preaching to us about the "two trees."

For some time now there has been a flurry of posts here on a previous entry about Jon Bisby.  Some of them are outlandish, at least I thought so.  Now, this confirms more of the craziness that Armstrongism causes to the mental capacities of many people.

Church of God, The Eternal's Jon Brisby Sinks To A New Vile Low 

COGE Jon Bisby: "[my] time is reserved only for those who believe in the teachings of COGE" 

The following is from Exit and Support:

Jon W. Brisby Says Herbert Armstrong Was Christ:

August 19, 2019

I was raised in WCG in the 70's and in later years was jumping between the splinters. I'm out of all of them now but I still get curious about what they're saying. I've heard these ministers say that HWA was Elijah, Ezekiel, and everything else but one of these guys has topped them all. In his new book titled A Peculiar Treasure by Jon W Brisby of Church of God, the Eternal [sold on Amazon] says that Armstrong was actually Jesus Christ that came in the flesh in the last days. I was not sure if you all were aware of this new book yet. I can't tell what page in the ebook but it's chapter 20, I believe, and I highlighted and snapshotted for you. --[name withheld]

NOTE from ESN: Following are the words from the Jon W. Brisby's book which  this person sent to us (bolding is ours):

"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (I John 4:2-3) [emphasis mine]."

"The Apostle John was not saying that the proof was in agreeing that Christ had come to this earth almost 2,000 years ago. The test is admitting that 'Christ is come in the flesh.' The term is definitely present tense in the Greek, not past tense. It is an admonition for the last-day church--upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Corinthians 10:11)--that we accept that Christ did manifest Himself by the divine inspiration of a chosen human servant in these last days, and that His revelation was true from the beginning of that work. All those now claiming we had to change doctrine forty years later to correct errors made by Mr. Armstrong are only admitting that they think it was a man's work all along, and not God's work after all. Whether they know it or not, they are actually saying that they do not believe Jesus Christ is come in this last time, having put His doctrine in the Church! And that is calling him a liar." [Excerpts from chapter 20 of A Peculiar Treasure by Jon W. Brisby]