Seems So... The Bamboozle

 

"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back."

Carl Sagan

Crackpot Fear-mongering False Prophet Lectures Us On How To Not To Be Fearful

 

It's ironic to hear this from one of Armstrongism's top fearmongering false prophets. The self-proclaimed illegitimate prophet, the Great Bwana' Bob Mzungu Thiel, posted today about 10 steps to overcome fear.

Who needs 10 steps to let go of fear? When it comes to Armstrongism, it’s simple: stop listening to con artists like Bob Thiel, and—poof!—fear vanishes!

Thiel’s post is a massive, run-on paragraph with no spacing or formatting. This kind of lazy writing is exactly why nobody bothers reading his nonsense.

Ten Plus Steps to Rid Yourself of Fear
Billions of people are afraid for many reasons, including COVID-19. Are any fears good? Are there mindless fears and phobias? Can autosuggestion be deceptive? Can you deal with mental torment? What are some causes of bad dreams (nightmares)? Does Satan try to exploit fears through his lies? Can the weak become strong? Were Christ’s disciples ever fearful? Are there biblical ways to deal with fear? What about spiritual fear and the ‘fear of God’? The late evangelists Dr. Herman Hoeh had an article published in 1955 titled ‘How to Conquer Your Fears?’ What are eight steps from the Apostle Peter? What did Jesus teach about worry? Are most Christians Philadelphian? What did Jesus teach about fear? What is the ultimate biblical fate for cowards? Here is a list of ten steps to help rid yourself of fear: 1. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Changing your mental focus will help you push out fear. 2. Develop faith. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). 3. Add virtue to your faith in the power of God. You cannot hide your sins from God (cf. Psalm 90:8). 4. Add to virtue knowledge. Study the word of God, study CCOG literature, pay attention to sermons (ContinuingCOG YouTube sermon channel) and sermonettes (BibleNewsProphecy YouTube sermonette channel). 5. Add self-control to knowledge. Resist Satan and his hopes that you will walk by sight instead of faith. 6. Add patience to self-control. You may have to go through many tests and trials to build patience, but as you get through the tests and trials you should have the faith to recognize that God got you through them and that you do not need to fear. 7. Add godliness to patience. 8. Add to patience, brotherly kindness. “Let Philadelphia continue” (Hebrews 13:1). 9. Add to brotherly kindness, love. 10. Be courageous. “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). This is how YOU can conquer your fears and worries! Ask God for help to carry out His ten-fold plan to attain real peace of mind. Then there is also prayer and fasting. Yes, through God’s help you can rid yourself of fear. This sermon by Dr. Thiel covers these topics and more.

The Churches of God, particularly Armstrongist groups led by figures like Bob Thiel and Gerald Flurry, have perfected the use of fear to control members and enforce their unbiblical, fabricated church governance. They manipulate human emotions to maintain power and obedience. Here’s how they do it:

1. Fear of Divine Punishment: Leaders like Thiel warn that disobedience leads to eternal torment in the "Lake of Fire." They claim only their group offers salvation, tying it to strict adherence to their rules.
2. Fear of Outsiders: Thiel portrays the outside world as evil, corrupt, and dangerous. This isolates members, fostering distrust of non-members, including family and friends, and making the cult their sole refuge.
3. Fear of Rejection: Armstrongist groups, including Thiel’s, cultivate dependency by threatening shunning or excommunication for defiance. Members fear losing their identity and face warnings of the "Lake of Fire" for rejecting the leader’s doctrines.
4. Fear of Doubt: Questioning Thiel’s teachings is framed as a moral failure or betrayal, something that deeply frustrates him. Members are conditioned to fear their own skepticism, stifling critical thinking to avoid guilt or punishment.
5. Fear of Apocalypse: Armstrongism thrives on doomsday predictions, asserting that only loyal followers will survive events like Armageddon or reach a "Place of Safety." Threats of missing the kingdom or facing eternal punishment create urgency, discouraging independent planning and justifying extreme loyalty.

These tactics form a psychological trap, where fear drowns out reason, ensuring members remain loyal and submissive.

So, if you really want to let go of religious-based fear, stop listening to Church of God ministers and fake church leaders who constantly seek to whip you into a fearful state of mind.

Break the chains that hold you down in fear. Seek freedom.

LCG Believes You Are Being Trained Today In Order To Teach The Old Testament To People In The Millennium

What is the point of the millennium when you have this kind of teaching? Why would they be teaching the world about the Old Testament when the old ways are done away with and the world is restored to wholeness? Isn't the focus on Christ at this point?

Is the Old Testament Obsolete? Many professing Christians have been told that the Old Testament is only for the Jews and Christians now have the New Testament. However, Jesus taught that we should live “by every word of God” (Luke 4:4), and the Apostle Paul wrote, “AllScripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Paul even told New Testament Christians in Corinth that Old Testament examples “were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:1–11). In other words, the Old Testament is also for us today! We need to prepare ourselves so that we can explain these inspired Scriptures to the world in the coming Millennial reign of Christ.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail