LCG on the widow's mite and clergy abuse. WUT?

Living Church of God's Ken Frank has an entry up on LCG's "Living Education", that sad stepchild of the now-defunct Living Univerity. 

You remember Living University, don't you? It was that super amazing, mind-boggling institution of higher learning that was the best thing God had ever imagined on earth. They even brought back Michael Germano, the Chancellor of two previously failed universities to run it. Three's the charm, Bro!

Anyway, Frank's article is about "clergy abuse."  Seriously! 

LCG talking about clergy abuse, who would have ever imagined!  

Don't hold you breathe boys and girls, it's not about abusive LCG clergy, but those bad boy Pharisees. 

We all know that LCG clergy has NEVER been like those bad Pharisees! Have they?

David Guzik in his Enduring Word Commentary explained the widows’ poverty: “In that day, a Jewish teacher could not be paid for teaching – but he could receive gifts. Apparently, many scribes used flattery and manipulation to get big gifts from those who could least afford to give them – such as widows.” The scribes were highly respected in their society whether they deserved it or not. Jesus explained that at least some were less than honorable in their teachings that encouraged people to financially support them generously. Guzik continues: “The Jews of Jesus’ day taught that teachers were to be respected almost as God; they said that they deserved more honor and respect than any other people in life did. They taught that the greatest act someone could do is give money to a teacher. Of course, it was the teachers themselves who taught this!” 

Jesus commended this widow for giving more in proportion to the treasury than all the wealthier donors who gave of their abundance (literally, “superabundance”). According to the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, “These rich men do not seem to have been observing the injunctions both sacred and Talmudic to give secretly, Mat. 6:4; Mat. 6:18.” By contrast, Jesus warned in His Sermon on the Mount against a loud, public display of one’s generosity: “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6:2).” Jesus’ words “do not sound a trumpet before thee” are explained by The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary: “The expression is to be taken figuratively for blazoning it, Hence, our expression to ‘trumpet.'” These religious hypocrites did all they could to create an ostentatious display when they contributed to the treasury. 

No wonder Jesus denounced such hypocrites. Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible declared, “If there is any sin of special enormity, it is that of taking advantage of the circumstances of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, to wrong them out of the pittance on which they depend for the support of their families; and as God is the friend of the widow and the fatherless, it may be expected that such will be visited with heavy condemnation.” These sobering words warn every religious leader against uncaring fund-raising from impoverished donors, especially if the leader’s income depends on it.  We all will be wise to remember these words of the Psalms, “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation (Psalm 68:4-5).” 

No sirree! LCG would NEVER try and milk members down till they had nothing to give and still expect them to give. That would NEVER happen, would it? Three tithes, tithe of the tithe, building fund, special offerings, co-worker/member appeal letters, fast offerings, and "the final push". They would never abuse their own members into continually giving money, would they?

Which Church of God Would Jesus Choose?

When Jesus Christ returns to this earth many leaders in the Church of God seem to think he will be returning to their specific church.

Gerald Flurry has the new throne Jesus Christ will return to and sit upon in Oklahoma.  Dave Pack has the most superfantabulous church headquarters ever built in the entire history of civilization, THE place where Jesus Christ is coming to walk with Dave as they plan His 3rd coming.

What is a church member to do?  How will they know which church Jesus Christ approves of? Or, rather it should be asked, does he approve of any of them?

With the death of James Malm recently, the winnowing down on which is the true church keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Never fear though, we have a new animated video up to tell us WHICH Church of God Jesus Christ is most favorably impressed with.

I hate to post this so that he gains viewer clicks, but this is so incredibly STUPID and historically bad that it is beyond belief.  Bob Thiel plays himself in the animation.  Woah nellie, just take a listen!

Remember this is a man who claims to have a real Ph.D. from a real university where he had to defend his dissertation before a board of highly qualified men and women in the subject he supposedly has his doctorate in.  I have a feeling that when he thought he heard he would have to defend his dissertation he actually heard, "go to the dessert station." 

After listening to the above animation this man makes it quite clear he is NOT a speaker. This is the worst thing he has done.

It is no wonder Jesus has not returned if this is what he has to come back to!

BLM on the steps of the House of God

Herbert Armstrong is rolling in his grave right now.  Who would have ever imagined there would be Black Lives Matter events happening on the steps of his House to God?  One has to wonder what Armstrong's reaction would be to the current situation going on in the United States.  Of course, we know he would immediately blame Satan and then nonCOG members for not following the commands of his god. Because people are such degenerate sinners, God has to punish them.  We have let the gentiles take over. That's the well-worn mantra of the church leadership over the decades.

Anyway, the current owners of the auditorium, Harvest Rock Church, are calling for daily prayer meetings on the steps of the auditorium to address racism in our culture.

For eight days beginning on June 4, one for each minute of George Floyd ’s tragic death, Harvest Rock Church invited their diverse community and that of the city of Los Angeles to hold a one hour prayer at the steps of the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, California at 12 PM PST each day. “As a faith community commissioned with the call of reconciliation, let us lead in doing this with one another in order that we can pray and love our city better,” described Pastor Gwen Gibbons.

The prayer meetings called for peaceful universal unity through the body of Jesus Christ in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota who has become a symbol for racial injustice and police brutality. Members of the church’s community from diverse backgrounds have gathered daily on the steps of the church. Partakers opened up as they shared emotional stories of pain and suffering caused by racism and racial injustice. “Unity has been the foundation to every revival,” says Pastor Ché Ahn , senior pastor and founder of Harvest Rock Church. “We want to renounce racism, discrimination, and any form of prejudice,” the pastor added.

See the story here:

HARVEST ROCK CHURCH CALLS FOR DAILY PRAYER MEETINGS IN RESPONSE TO GLOBAL ANTI-RACISM MOVEMENT