BREAKING: Gerald Weston Letter "Marking" Sheldon Monson

 

This truly has to be one of the most pathetic and appalling "marking" letters I have ever seen. The excuses Weston makes in it are childish, petty, and spiteful.

Weston claims that the leading men of the LCG and those on the church council are men of integrity who stood up against "rank apostasy" years ago and rightfully started 2 separate splinter churches. The thing about this is that these men are just like the men of United Church of God who while they were still employed by the Worldwide Church of God plotted and schemed in the background to start a new church in order to keep their income coming in, or waited quietly in WCG till Global and/or Living was established and THEN made the jump, ensuring their money was waiting for them.

Weston comes across like the pope bellowing in a fit of anger that he was challenged.

From an LCG source:

Weston marked Monson for giving that sermon on YouTube last week. So freakin predictable!

See below.

From: Living Church  

Subject: Member Letter - August 19 2020

Reply-To: Living Church of God <media@lcg.org>

August 19, 2020

Dear Brethren,

God tells us that He hates the sowing of discord (Proverbs 6:14, 16-19). We are instructed in Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” As most of you already know, Mr. Sheldon Monson has chosen to leave the Living Church of God ministry, walking contrary to the wisdom of the Council of Elders, which did their best in a loving manner to help him see he was on the wrong path.

The Council is made up of members who put their lives on the line—many times, literally. Some of them work and travel in some of the most dangerous parts of the earth, and they press on in faith, putting their health and lives at risk, to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom and serve the Body of Christ. The Council is filled with men who stood up in the face of rank apostasy when the Worldwide Church of God began to abandon the Sabbath and Holy Days; return to Sunday, Christmas, Easter, and Halloween; introduce old Catholic and Protestant ideas of the immortal soul, heaven as the reward of the saved, and an ever-burning hell; reject Christ’s commission to preach the true Gospel to the world; and so much more. There is no comparison to then and now. Does anyone seriously think men such as Mr. Richard Ames, Dr. Douglas Winnail, Messrs. Mario Hernandez, Rand Millich, Lambert Greer, Dan Hall, Rick Stafford, Peter Nathan, Rob Tyler, Dr. Jeffrey Fall, and many other long-time ministers, who stood up against the apostasy, would take the Church in that direction? 

We do not deny that there are sometimes controversial issues, even about what measures Christ expects us to take during the Sabbath and Holy Days in showing love to our most vulnerable members in the light of this coronavirus (and even if for only a limited time of “present distress”). However, God gives clear instructions on how controversial issues are to be settled in the Church (Acts 15; Ephesians 4:11-16; Deuteronomy 17:8-13). And many scriptures warn us against self-will (Titus 1:7; Proverbs 3:5; 18:1-2; Judges 21:25).

There were other men, even during summer camp, who warned Mr. Monson that he was going down the wrong path. But, when he realized that not one of the Council members agreed with him, he chose to leave our ministry of the Living Church of God. Recent events indicate he has made the further decision to start his own work, effectively causing division within some families and congregations. We must therefore inform you that Mr. Sheldon Monson is, by his actions, causing division, and according to scripture, we are to take note of such individuals and avoid contact with them.

Sincerely, in Christ’s service,

Gerald E. Weston

Thoughts for the Day

On Existence and God

 “Go to heaven for the climate and hell for the company.”

― Benjamin Franklin Wade

“Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time!

But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!”

― George Carlin

"If anybody wants to believe they're descendants of a primate, they are welcome to do it"

-Mike Hucabee

“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”

― Christopher Hitchens, The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

“I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day.”

― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt

“There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point… The truly adult view, by contrast, is that our life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it.”

― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

To say anything negative about Stephen Hawking is like bulling a blind man. He has an unfair advantage, and that gives him a free pass on some of his absurd ideas"

-Kirk Cameron

“Doubt as sin. — Christianity has done its utmost to close the circle and declared even doubt to be sin. One is supposed to be cast into belief without reason, by a miracle, and from then on to swim in it as in the brightest and least ambiguous of elements: even a glance towards land, even the thought that one perhaps exists for something else as well as swimming, even the slightest impulse of our amphibious nature — is sin! And notice that all this means that the foundation of belief and all reflection on its origin is likewise excluded as sinful. What is wanted are blindness and intoxication and an eternal song over the waves in which reason has drowned.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche, Daybreak: Thoughts on the Prejudices of Morality

“We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good.”

― Carl Sagan

It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. 

– Carl Sagan

"If I came from a monkey, how come there are still monkeys around today"

-- Every ignorant person on Earth

Dave Pack on how to entertain the minister when he drops by for a visit

 

Dave Pack, in his never-ending quest to control every aspect of his follower's lives, has laid out the rules for when a minister comes to visit. Lock the pets up, silence the children, and DO NOT give him any sugar-laden dessert!

Be sure to show proper respect. Remember I Timothy 5:17: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” And III John 8, “We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.” In so doing, you actually serve the Church while the minister serves you!

You do not need to prepare an elaborate meal, or go to great effort to make something special. In many instances, your minister will have already eaten. It is fine to offer water, milk, coffee, tea or juice to drink and some type of snack. Healthful cookies, a piece of pie or cake are fine, but be sure they are wholesome—not laden with sugar. (Many of God’s people do not follow His principles of healthy living and it shows!) It is critical that a minister watches and takes care of his health. Traveling many miles and eating the wrong food can sabotage this. Do your part to help keep him—and yourself—healthy.

Do not be offended if he declines the refreshments offered; it may be that he has had his fill for the day.

If you have animals or pets, it is a good idea to put them in their cage or in another room of the house. This is not to say the ministry does not like dogs or cats—most do. But a pet nipping at or jumping on the minister or his wife is not good. This can be distracting, and since the minister will be wearing dress slacks, a tie and jacket, this could possibly soil or damage his clothes. 

Also, ensure your children are well-behaved, polite and respectful. Young boys and girls should be able to sit or play quietly. Children of any age should not become a distraction or disrupt conversation.

Of course, you will want to dress for the occasion when receiving a minister. This is not the time for a T-shirt and jeans. While you do not need to put on your Sabbath clothes, and women are not required to wear dresses, you should receive him wearing nice apparel. Dressy casual is your best choice.

Think of it this way. When receiving one of Christ’s ministers, you are also receiving Jesus Christ and God the Father: “He that receives you receives Me, and he that receives Me receives Him that sent Me” (Matt. 10:40). While this does not mean you should “make a big fuss” over a minister, it does mean you should cordially and warmly welcome him. As always, remember to be balanced.

There is NO minister in the Restored Church of God that is representative of Christ and God the Father and therefore members do NOT need to worry that they are 'receiving" Christ and God. This is the stupidity that is used by COG leaders to instill fear and control over members.