"Knowledge Shall Be Increased"...Not if we can help it!

"Openness to Experience"

Forbidden Fruit in the Church of God

New International Version

Proverbs 25:2

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings."

Remember: Ignore-ance is not just what you don't know but also what you won't know.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/unique-everybody-else/201401/more-knowledge-less-belief-in-religion

More Knowledge, Less Belief in Religion?

Religious belief is associated with less knowledge as well as lower intelligence

A recent review of studies found that religious belief is inversely associated with intelligence.  That is, more intelligent people are generally less likely to be religious. The reasons for this are not fully understood, although some of the main theories were discussed in Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s article. Dr Chamorro-Premuzic also made the intriguing suggestion that the relationship between religiosity and intelligence might be mediated by the personality trait known as openness to experience. A related possibility is that greater knowledge about religion and the world in general might play some role in explaining why more intelligent people tend to be less religious.

To summarise briefly, a recent review of 63 studies showed that there is a moderate negative relationship between intelligence and religiosity (Zuckerman, Silberman, & Hall, 2013). The review found that religious beliefs, such as belief in God, are somewhat more strongly related to lower intelligence than religious behavior, such as church attendance. The authors estimated that the average difference in IQ points between believers and nonbelievers ranged from 6.2 for non-college samples to 7.8 for college samples. This difference is roughly half a standard deviation in size, so this represents a reasonably substantial effect rather than something trivial.

Studies like this are correlational in nature, so it is not possible to decide for sure what is causing the relationship. That is, we do not know whether intelligence causes people to be less religious, whether religion dampens a person’s intelligence, or whether there is some third variable underlying both. Dr Chamorro-Premuzic proposed that an underlying factor that might link intelligence and religiosity could be the personality trait openness to experience. This trait refers to the breadth and complexity of a person’s mental life. Openness to experience is positively correlated with general intelligence. Additionally, studies have found that non-religious people tend to be higher in openness to experience than the religious (Galen & Kloet, 2011), and that greater openness to experience is associated with more disbelief in God (Shenhav, Rand, & Greene, 2011). (I have written about this in a previous post here.)

Openness to experience, along with intelligence, is also associated with greater general knowledge of the world. This may be because people who are high in openness to experience are intellectually curious and therefore motivated to learn new things about the world. I think this is interesting because a Pew Forum survey on the religious knowledge of Americans found that atheists and agnostics[1] had substantially more knowledge of religion than Christians on average. (A summary of the survey results can be viewed here, while the full report is here. You can take the quiz yourself here.) In fact, atheists and agnostics scored higher on religious knowledge than any other group surveyed, including those who were “nothing in particular”[2], although Jews and Mormons also scored higher than the remaining groups interestingly enough. A breakdown of the results showed that Mormons had the most knowledge about Christianity, although atheists/agnostics and Jews knew more about Christianity than mainstream Christians on average. Atheists/agnostics, closely followed by Jews, had the most knowledge of world religions, such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Atheists/agnostics and Jews tend to be more educated than the other groups, and more education is associated with greater religious knowledge. However, even after taking education into account, atheists/agnostics and Jews still maintained their knowledge advantage over Christians generally. The Pew survey also included a short test of general knowledge for comparative purposes. Atheists and agnostics also scored higher on this test than any other group, although Jews were again a close second, Mormons did somewhat less well, and other Christians were even further behind. Additionally, those who did well on the test of religious knowledge also tended to score well on general knowledge too, suggesting that those who know a lot about religion tend to be more knowledgeable in general.

The Pew survey report did not offer an explanation of why atheists/agnostics showed greater religious knowledge than most religious people. A number of possible explanations come to mind. As noted previously, people who are not religious tend to be more intelligent than the religious, and there is a positive association between intelligence and knowledge. An additional consideration is that atheists/agnostics, being higher in openness to experience, may have more intern acquiring knowledge in general than the religious. This raises a question about the direction of causality. Does rejection of religion motivate people to gain more knowledge or does gaining knowledge lead to rejection of religion? Arguments can be made for each of these, although the actual answer might involve a combination of both, or even some third factor. 

Dave Silverman, president of the American Atheists, interpreted the results of the Pew survey to mean that the more someone learns about religion the more likely they are to reject it as mythology. This may well be true for some people, but the results of the survey suggest more nuanced possibilities. For example, the survey showed that higher religious commitment (referring to personal importance of religion and frequency of attendance of religious services) was associated with greater knowledge of the Bible but not of non-Christian religions. As noted earlier, Mormons actually showed the most knowledge of Christianity, but also were not particularly knowledgeable about world religions. This suggests that being knowledgeable about one’s own religion at least does not necessarily lead a person to reject it. On the other hand, the survey also found that people with greater religious commitment scored less well on the general knowledge questions than those who were less committed. It might be that people who are religiously committed mainly seek out information that confirms their existing views, and are less interested in information about alternative belief systems or about secular matters. Atheists/agnostics were more knowledgeable about world religions, so perhaps being aware of alternative belief systems might facilitate the realization that they are all basically arbitrary. On the other hand, atheists/agnostics also scored higher on general knowledge, so it might be that a person’s desire to gain knowledge about a wide range of subjects increases the likelihood of their becoming an unbeliever. Alternatively, it may be that people who have a particular thirst for knowledge find religious belief incompatible with their natural curiosity. Recently, Pope Francis actually stated that “the spirit of curiosity distances one from God.” Many atheists and agnostics may well agree.     

Furthermore, some scholars have argued that conservative and fundamentalist religious beliefs can discourage learning (Sherkat, 2010). The Pew survey found that respondents who believed that the Bible was the literal word of God tended to have less religious knowledge than those who endorsed a less literal interpretation, particularly those who said it was a collection of fables. Other studies have found that conservative Christians and fundamentalists tend to have poorer knowledge of science (Sherkat, 2011) and to have a poorer vocabulary (Sherkat, 2010) compared to other religious groups and the religiously unaffiliated. Sherkat (2010) has argued that conservative Christians actually shun information from external sources and scorn the search for knowledge as sinful in that it is equated with pridefulness and self-love. Additionally, they try to “purify” information sources they attend to, e.g. only viewing media sources that are loyal to Christian doctrine. Such close-minded attitudes may then prove a barrier to learning, resulting in less knowledge.

It could be that religious fundamentalism inhibits a person ability to acquire knowledge, or it may be that people who lack interest in expanding their worldview have a preference for narrow minded belief systems. Orthodox religious beliefs generally seem to discourage people from questioning core tenets which are supposed to be accepted on faith. However, it is possible that some religions are more supportive of learning than others. The studies in the review by Zuckerman et al. mainly looked at Christian denominations rather than other religions, such as Jewish. As noted earlier, Jews scored very highly not only on religious questions but on general knowledge as well. Jewish culture traditionally places a high value on intellectual activities, such as reading, that facilitate acquiring knowledge (Fejgin, 1995). Perhaps Jews generally do not share the Pope’s view that curiosity distances people from God?

As noted earlier, Mormons did somewhat less well on general knowledge than atheists/agnostics and Jews, but somewhat better than other Christians. Additionally, they were more knowledgeable about Christianity than other Christians. Unfortunately, I currently have no idea why this might be the case. Future research studies might examine whether there is something special about Mormons that would account for this.

Based on the foregoing I am inclined to think that one of the reasons that higher intelligence is associated with less religious belief might have something to do with the desire that intelligent people have to acquire knowledge. Intelligence tends to be associated with openness to experience, and one of the core features of openness to experience is intellectual curiosity. People with high levels of intellectual curiosity might access more information that helps them to question religious beliefs. Alternatively, such people might find religious beliefs unappealing insofar as they discourage intellectual activity. However, it should be noted that the relationship between intelligence and religiosity in non-Christian traditions has not yet been examined. Perhaps this relationship applies more to people from Christian rather than say Jewish backgrounds, because of the more intellectual nature of the Jewish religion.[3] Longitudinal studies, which follow up respondents over extended periods of time, would be needed to determine what role the desire for knowledge might play in shaping a person’s religious identity, and whether this mediates the relationship between intelligence and religious belief.

Finally, I know that this is a sensitive subject, and I want to point out that the statistical trends discussed in the studies cited should not be interpreted as absolute generalizations and that exceptions apply. Some religious people are highly intelligent, some unbelievers are the opposite, and the general findings may not apply to specific individuals. 

I was "Almost" Arrested and Jailed! Says God's Only True COG Leader and Future Witless Witness

God's most favorite man, after Dave Pack, of course, is Almost arrested Elijah, Elisha, Joshua, Amos, Habakkuk, doubly blessed and glorious prophet of Africa, Bob Thiel.  He is back once again highlighting the martyrdom status he believes he has faced in the past in order to validate himself as the one true apostolic Church of God leader on earth today.

Almost arrested Thiel copied and pasted an article from the COG7 on Keeping Your Job While Observing the Sabbath, and then had to add that he was "almost arrested" for keeping the Sabbath.  In his ongoing attempt to impress his gullible African members of his prophet status, he has to continually trot out his lame martyrdom status:

I personally was nearly jailed (while working for the government) and threatened with job loss throughout my earlier careers, because I kept the Sabbath. As it turned out I was not jailed nor fired, but there still is a risk for many.

It turns out the threatened nearly jailed prophet never had to suffer for his job as thousands have around the world.  He was never jailed...but could have been.   Coulda, shoulda, woulda...but it is could be a risk for others...What??????

The almost arrested and jailed One writes:

It takes faith to keep the Sabbath when your job or livelihood (Exodus 34:21) seem to be at risk. But the Bible teaches that we are to obey God rather than men (Acts 5;29).

It takes faith if you are a citizen of a country that is hostile towards Sabbath keepers.  It does not take faith for those in the United States and Canada to refuse to work on Saturday.  It does not take faith to deliberately provoke an employer, considering that the job market allows for all kinds of jobs in all kinds of industries that do not work on Saturdays.

Almost arrested and jailed Thiel needs to stop adding all of these idiotic titles to his name cut out the narcissistic crap he dishes out daily in order to make himself look saintly to his African sheeple.

The German's Are Coming! The German's Are Coming! Oh Noes!!!!!!!!!!

Where would the Church of God splinter personality cults be without their favorite bogeyman who is just itching to unleash untold misery upon the United States?  If it is not Satan and his minions, it is rampaging Chinese, Muslims, or those Germans.

It is surprising that the German invaders would be something that most COG's would be cautious in promoting.  Even though with the abject failure of Herbert Armstrong's prediction that Hitler was alive in South America where he was rallying his troops for an emanate invasion, Hitler died and Herbert died, and the myth still gets promoted as a tool to scare members into giving the fear-mongers more money.

The biggest proponent of this myth right now is Unordained Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Joshua, Habakkuk, false prophet and certified liar, Bob Thiel.   Today he is hyperventilating over a new video game out that has Germans invading the United States.  A stupid video game and the deluded false prophet go into to hysterics.

Will Germans ever control the streets of the USA? Well, a popular video game somewhat promotes this view:

Wolfenstein II creative director reveals more about a Nazified America

July 27, 2017

There’s a new preview out for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and it will give you the creeps. In fact, it will make you so angry that you’ll have no compunctions blasting the Nazis who have taken over America in this upcoming video game.

Just as it did with Wolfenstein: The New World Order in 2014, Machine Games is flexing its creativity in showing what America would look like if the Nazis had won World War II and went on to conquer the United States. You’ll see Americans kowtowing to the Nazi officers, and Klansmen roaming the streets freely. …

From that, apostate Thiel has this to say:

How would the USA really be like under German domination?

Well, although I have not actually played the related video games, from what I have read about them the reality will be worse than the games portray.

Why do I say that?

Because of what Jesus warned:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22) 

As usual, the epic lair has to proof-text and pick out scripture that supports he deluded reasoning.

When those pesky Germans show up it is going to be worse than the game could have imagined.  Apostate Thiel continues with his hyperventilating bit:

The Bible also warns that the time will come when ‘friends’ from Europe/Germany will be part of the destruction of the USA. Notice a couple of supporting prophecies related to that:

2… All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies. (Lamentations 1:2b)

Could Germany actually win militarily in a conflict with the USA?

Yes.

But, before getting into reasons why, regarding the first Wolfenstein game, notice the following about its plot:

Three years after the destruction of the Black Sun portal, the Nazis have deployed advanced technologies, enabling them to turn the tide against the Allies. (Wolfenstein: The New Order. Wikipedia, accessed 07/27/17)

This is not quite what will happen, but two of the parallels to prophecy are striking.

How so?

The deluded false prophet sees a great beast rising out of the sea to wreak havoc long with Baron Gutenberg and the Hadron Collider.

The ‘sea’ the Beast rises out of is the Mediterranean Sea (cf. Joshua 9:1; 23:4; Ezekiel 47:13-16); see also Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation and/or watch Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Notice that the military power of the Beast was something that the world will marvel, be astonished about.

Why?

Because no one really thought that the European Beast power had the military ability to do what it did.

The False Prophet of Africa ends with this:

A power like Germany speaks a language that most in the USA do not understand. Germany is a nation from afar of the USA. It is a nation that will be involved in the destruction of the USA.

The coming destruction and domination by Germany will be worse than the Wolfenstein video games indicate. 

It apparently will not be long till the Germans invade the Five Cities region of California and set up their HQ in the most glorious Church of God ever to exist.  The Germans will be so in awe of Thiel's prophetic utterances that they will preserve Thiel's HQ and run their invasion of the U.S. from there.

Fun days are ahead!

You are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other

A reader here sent this to me this morning.  It is a minister who realized that the church did not revolve around him, that members need not be giving him their money and more importantly, that they as members have all the gifts they need to truly be witnesses to the world.

One of the biggest sins of the Armstrongite Church of God movement is its continual demands for members to follow church government.  Members are too stupid to understand or the follow scripture without some one on high telling them what they should or should not be doing.

Government in the Church of God has always been used as a tool to keep the members in submission and in a place that was lower than the ministry and the top leaders.  Leadership from the top down meant that those at the bottom were always inferior to those at the top.  Those at the top always had some kind of a "god" speaking to them while those in the lower ranks were rarely ever visited by the "god's" of these men.

Government in the Church of God allowed abusers of all shapes and sizes to wield power over the people. Church leaders have been spiritually abusive and have literaly destoyed the spiritual lives of members.  Some church leaders have been sexually abusive as they molested, stalked,  and raped their members. Church leaders have demanded money from their members with unbiblical tithing demands, thus letting them build vast empires and corporate boondoggles that have left members in literal poverty,  while they as leaders live lives of excess.

If only the members truly understood that the power of the church truly resides in them and not in the leaders.  The power to love and care for neighbor rests solely in the hands of the members and not in the leaders.  The leaders truly do not care while the members however do...at least many of them do.  

It is the members who are the face of what grace filled Christianity is all about.  The bombastic self-appointed liars filling the ranks of the Church of God today are wicked shepherds who are destroying the lives of the members as you read this.  No matter how many self-appoint themselves to leadership positions, give themselves all kinds of biblicly sounding titles and names or continue to vomit out how zealous or law abiding they are, they are all wicked liars that deserve no respect or members money.

If members truly desire the kingdom to come then they would be out hitting the streets sharing that joy and letting others have a foretaste of what that kingdom has in store. Which is more important, sitting in a church service listening to a mind and butt numbing 2-hour sermon or serving a hot meal to a homeless person or giving a ride to a homebound senior to the doctor? Is it more important to be screamed at about zealously keeping the law or stooping down to clean the dirty feet or vomit off a homeless person?  Is it more important to listen to a church leader preach doom and gloom in a sermon or work at a suicide prevention hotline and possibly prevent another Terry Ratzman?

It is time members step up to the plate and practice that "first century Christianity" that so many claim to believe and follow.  It cannot be found in the rantings of false COG leaders but in the hands and feet of the members who show the world what grace filled love is.  God doesn't need your money to buy jet planes, another auditorium or for yet another "final push."  That is the god that the self-appointed COG leaders follow; a weak and impotent god who is incapable of doing anything without their help.

John 13:35The Message 34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

Dave Pack Claims He and HWA as "Elijah's" are both "Types of Christ"

The deluded mind of Dave Pack has no boundaries
and his followers sit there week after week
believing this utter bullshit.

Richard Armstrong and the Church of God Tradition of Beating Children into Submission

"You may be very familiar with God's laws, but if you don't obey them, you will go into the lake of fire for the knowledge that you do have. You may agree on every doctrine that is preached in the Bible, but if you don' t live by them you will be burned as so 'much refuse in hell'. Many of you have felt that perhaps it would be better to leave your children at home, but the Bible COMMANDS you to bring them into the services and it commands them to BE QUIET!"  Good News, May 1981

There have been long running conversations on various Facebook closed groups about how people were beaten as kids in the church. Corporal punishment was the expected ideal for all church members to practice on their children.  Far too many in various COG groups today deny it ever happened that way.  One LCG member said,

"If this is the church I'm familiar with, I have never heard of this training before. My parents didn't do this and I never saw this. The church did a lot of things wrong that's for sure. Teaching God's way wasn't. I'm glad I wasn't raised in "your" church!"

The problem was, this IS the exact same church that LCG is part of.  Her recent leader Rod Meredith actively preached corporal punishment for children and even claimed he spanked his wife when she disobeyed him.

In Cincinnati when Carn Catherwood was the minister, he told the congregation that he wanted to hear 20 swats on the bare skin of the children when they were spanked.  He also wanted to hear them cry while he preached his sermon.  This led the Spokesmen Club to sell paddles as a fundraiser.  These paddles were two feet long, an inch thick and had holes drilled in them for wind resistance.

While certainly, not all parents listened to this bullshit, far too many did. The stories of physical abuse are appalling.


Here is what Richard Armstrong railed at his Fresno congregation in 1958


Richard Armstrong letter to Fresno COG congregation:

Herbert Armstrong writes:

Every member of God's Church around the world should read every word of this letter. 

   The following letter was written by my son, Richard D. Armstrong, four and a half months before he died from an automobile accident.  

   He was then pastor of the Fresno, Calif., Church of God. Destruction resulting from lack of training and supervision of children had occurred at the hall where the church met. One more infraction would have put the church out of the hall.  

   Such a thing as this could happen at any church. It was promptly corrected at Fresno, but it should sound a loud and emphatic WARNING to the members of all other churches that such an incident is never allowed to be repeated elsewhere.  

   As I reread this letter, the realization comes forcibly upon my mind that many of our brethren — especially those newer in God's Church — may not fully realize the SERIOUSNESS of strict training and vigilant enforcement of the behavior of children at Church services.  

   Brethren, we need to be REAWAKENED!  

   We need to realize the extreme seriousness of this matter. GOD IS HOLDING EVERY ONE OF YOU PARENTS RESPONSIBLE!  

   My son Dick, as we called him, loved the brethren at Fresno. Previously he had been pastor of three churches, at Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Tex.  

   He had told us with feeling how, although he was younger in physical years than many members, they seemed like his own spiritual children — and he loved them as a parent loves a child.  

   At Fresno it was the same. Possibly Richard D. Armstrong was the most loved minister in the Church of God — because he, himself, felt such deep love and concern for Christ's flock, over which he was a shepherd.  

   I do not think my son really wrote this letter, except as God's instrument. The living CHRIST, I feel, actually authored it.  

   But it contains a dynamic SERMON on the responsibility of parents for the training and the behavior of their children at Church services. 

   As the brethren at Fresno were his spiritual children, and God held him RESPONSIBLE for their behavior in controlling their children, this letter is also an example of how to deal with children. My son patiently made the truth PLAIN to them — explained thoroughly. But he also TOOK ACTION! He took such action as to prevent a recurrence of the mischief.  

   I want every minister of Christ, in all the churches, to take the same action, that parents may FEAR to neglect the. discipline of their children, lest they be publicly and severely rebuked and held to account before all.  

   I want every member to read every word. 

---------------------------------------

March 12, 1958

   I received some very sad news just as I was leaving church last week. Mr. Kelly, the janitor who sets up the chairs for our meetings and through whom we rent the hall, came to me visibly shaken and very nervous, but he had a very great problem he had to tell me about. Mr. Kelly has always been most courteous and friendly to all of us.  

   He said that he hated to tell me, but our children had torn apart one of the toilets on the third floor where we hold our meetings. They had torn the float clear out of the toilet, taken all of the paper from several of the toilets and poked it into one and tried to flush this toilet and flooded it all over the floor.  

   He said that they had left it in a complete, total, disgraceful mess and that furthermore, several of our children had gone down to the second floor and gone into a meeting. The lodge members who own the building were complaining and asking Mr. Kelly to make sure that it didn't happen again, or we will be thrown out. We shall not be allowed to meet here any longer IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN!  

   The Church of God Almighty, the very Body of Jesus Christ, must not suffer such a humiliating thing because we are not obedient to God's commandments. We shall not allow such a condition to continue. I hope you can imagine how I felt after the joy of having the chorale and such a wonderful meeting, and then to have a blow such as this.  

   I hate to have to give an answer for the church, and I feel that I should go to those who are responsible — you, the parents. We don't know which child was responsible. But we do know that this type of incident happens when we have children left unrestrained to play about on their own before, during and after church.  

   God says in Hebrews 13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."  

   Brethren, I have to give an account to God when something like this happens and it is up to me to see to it that it doesn't happen again.  

   Go right on in your Bible and read through the first chapter of James. We are having our trials of faith that we should count all joy, because it works out patience and builds stronger character in us. We do have these problems. They must be solved, and they must be solved by the Scriptures — God's way.  

   In verse 13 of this first chapter of James, God says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." We are tempted of our own lusts, and even so is a child, and if there is no parental control any child, and every child, does get into mischief.  

   I want to make this clear. There is no child who is specifically at fault, but all the children without exception have been too noisy, have been left to run free to themselves at services, and this must cease. God says in Hebrews 12:14-15: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby MANY be defiled." It is up to us to settle this particular problem according to God's will and from the Scriptures, and not let any root of bitterness spring up in us.  

   Notice James 1:22: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." It is not taking you into the Kingdom of Heaven if you simply agree with everything that God's Church teaches concerning such doctrines as heaven and hell, the Holy Days, paying of tithes and training your children if you do not do these things. You have to live it.  

   You may be very familiar with God's laws, but if you don't obey them, you will go into the lake of fire for the knowledge that you do have. You may agree on every doctrine that is preached in the Bible, but if you don't live by them you will be burned as so 'much refuse in hell.  

   Many of you have felt that perhaps it would be better to leave your children at home, but the Bible COMMANDS you to bring them into the services and it commands them to BE QUIET! Let's read the Word of God.  

   In Exodus 20 are the Ten Commandments. Notice the commandment about the Sabbath. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it HOLY" (verse 8). God made it holy; we keep it that way. "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God" (verses 9-10). Now notice how you are to keep the Sabbath: "In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, NOR THY SON, NOR THY DAUGHTER, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates" (verse 10).  

   So as you are to keep the Sabbath holy and keep what God has made sacred time, so are your son and daughter, your children. The Sabbath is holy time, sacred to God, and as such our children should not be allowed to run loose like so many wild animals.  

   I think that most of you know, as I have said before, that at home I have a little dog. My brother gave him to me as a wedding present. I have to teach that dog. I have to teach him to sit still, and to stay still. I have to teach him there are certain pieces of furniture that he dare not touch or come near. I also have to teach him that though he smells food, every nerve in his body quivering, while my wife and I are eating at the table he cannot sit and beg, but must lie in the other room with the door open.  

   I don't have to pen him or cage him like a wild animal, because he is tame. He has been trained. If I can train my dog, you can train your children, and I mean this sincerely. Two hours a week is not too long for your children to sit STILL and listen to the services, and to stay still AFTER the services are over. It is the Sabbath day and it is holy, and your children are to keep it holy as well as you.  

The Ten Commandments include your children and the command to keep the seventh day holy. Your children must be IN CHURCH, and they must keep the Sabbath HOLY the same as you do. This is part of the Ten Commandments. 

children must be IN CHURCH, and they must keep the Sabbath HOLY the same as you do. This is a part of the Ten Commandments, and there is no use in kidding ourselves. You are just heading for the lake of fire if you don't obey this. Remember it is the parents who are held responsible.  

   Notice the next command: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (verse 12). It is a dual command. It is not only to the child, it is certainly understood that the parent must teach the child obedience to that command.  

   These are the commandments of God. Have you ever wondered why in Exodus 21: 15 Jesus Christ, the Logos, the Spokesman, says, "He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death"? And in verse 17, "He that curseth [the word here means "reviles," not curses, or as it should be even more correctly rendered, "sasses" ] his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death"?  

   I think most of you remember the example in II Kings 2:24, when Elisha looked back and cursed these children who were sassing him and God caused two she bears to come out and tear 42 of them in pieces, but have you ever stopped to realize why?  

   Because God was so kind that He was not going to let them go on and live building the wrong kind of character that would lead them to the lake of fire. God had them destroyed before it was too late so they could be resurrected in a better world, where if their parents had not taught them any better God would use His force to keep them in line and keep them from living a long life of disobedience that would finally imbed so deeply the wrong kind of character that they would have to be destroyed in hell fire, and would be totally unable to ever live by every Word of God and build good and honest character into themselves.  

   Your children are living under a different dispensation. You know and understand the laws of God in a way that they couldn't then, and you are held responsible and so are your children. I want you to notice that the same Christ who gave these laws said later, "Suffer little children to come unto me" (Luke 18: 16).  

   You have to shape and mold and develop the character of your children so they will learn to love God and hate evil. Turn to Leviticus 19:32. Starting in verse 30, God says: "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. Thou shalt RISE UP before the hoary head, and HONOUR the face of the old man, AND FEAR THY GOD: I am the Lord."  

   How many of our children are so quiet and obedient that when an elder comes into the room they will rise? How many of our children address their minister as "Mr." rather than by his first name? How many of them address you as "Father" and "Mother," and not just as "Pop" or "Mom," or by your first name? They should literally obey this command in Leviticus to rise before those who are elders and learn to show honor and respect them.  

   This is the Word of GOD! Are you willing to obey it? Are you LIVING by it?  

   Notice Deuteronomy 6:7. God gives us commandments and judgments, and one of them is that we teach DILIGENTLY all of these unto our children.  

You know... the laws of God... and you are held responsible and so are your children.... You have to shape... the character of your children so they will... love God and hate evil. 

Frankly, brethren, one of the major reasons that we are having these problems is the fact that you are not holding Bible studies in your own homes with your children. You are not fulfilling your responsibility, your duties toward them I to teach them to live by the Word of God. You should not try to wheedle and plead them into looking at it your way. You should COMMAND them. You are the AUTHORITY of God Almighty to your children. God has given you that authority. It is up to you to exercise it.  

   Notice Leviticus 20:9: "Everyone that curseth [the King James says curseth, but this should be rendered "sasses"] his father or his mother shall be surely put to death... his blood shall be upon him." Brethren, I have seen children stand and sass their parents right here in the hall where we meet. This should not be, but I can't correct it — only you can.  

   There is one thing that I can correct, and that is the situation of the children running loose and wild during church. Now I have asked one of the men of the Fresno church to get up and go out several times during the services and see if there are any children outside, and if they are running around playing on the stairs or in the toilets, he is going to bring them in and we will stop the services — interrupt them right there — and ask you, the parents, to give an account.  

   We are the Church of God. We bear the name of God Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth. We cannot destroy property that does not belong to us, but that God blessed us with. Again, let me say that this shall not happen again. I have given this man instructions to grab any child he sees misbehaving during church by the nap of the neck and haul him right in to me and I am going to ask you, the PARENT, what is wrong. I am also requiring henceforth that EVERY CHILD STAY INSIDE THE ROOM WHERE WE MEET UNTIL YOU THE PARENTS ARE READY TO LEAVE the building.  

   Now, I wish you to understand that this is done in love, but I am trying to live by every Word of God. I am trying to fulfill what God has said in Hebrews 13:17, watching for your souls as one who must give account to God Almighty, and I do not intend to have the Church of God suffer the humiliation of being thrown out of the place that God has given us to meet because we cannot keep our children in check: So henceforth, your children will stay inside the meeting room and KEEP QUIET. They shall not play. It is the Sabbath, sacred, holy time to God, and your children are commanded to keep it. 

Sincerely,  

In the name and by the authority of Jesus Christ,  

Richard D. Armstrong,
Pastor,
Church of God,
Fresno, Calif.

How A Bitcoin Hacker Helped Catch Killer UCG Minister

An ethical hacker breached the database of a phony darknet website offering hitman services and leaked the data. The information from the data dump helped the FBI in their investigation of a man who murdered his wife.

In November 2016, Stephen Carl Allwine, 47, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, killed his wife in “one of the most bizarre cases ever seen,” police officers reported. The husband tried to mask the murder as a suicide, including putting a 9 mm pistol next to Amy Allwine’s elbow. However, detectives arriving on the scene identified the case as murder and collected evidence — mostly electronic devices, such as computers — belonging to Mr. Allwine. Later on, in January, investigators arrested and charged Mr. Allwine with second-degree murder based on the forensic evaluation of the confiscated electronic equipment.

In May 2016, a hacker called “bRpsd” breached the database of a controversial hitman service offered on a darknet website. The service, “Besa Mafia,” offered a link between customers and hitmen, who could register on the site anonymously. The price for a murder ranged between $5,000 and $200,000, but clients seeking to avoid fatalities could also hire a contractor to beat up a victim for $500 or set somebody’s car on fire for $1,000.

The hacker uploaded the data dump to a public internet website. The leaked files contained user accounts, email addresses, personal messages between the Besa Mafia admin and its customers, “hit” orders and a folder named “victims,” providing additional information on the targets. 

Read the entire article here:

How a Bitcoin Whitehat Hacker Helped the FBI Catch a Murderer

Also, see:

Man Tried to Hire a Hitman on the Darknet to Kill His Wife but Got Scammed and Arrested Instead

Criminal Complaint

Oregon Man Charged For First-Degree Murder, Orders Assassination of His Wife in Dark Web

ht: Connie

Gerald Weston: God is NOT Mocked! The End Is Near!

Gerald Weston recently wrote another one of his heart warming co-worker letters.  It was filled with all kinds of loving, grace filled wonderful things about the creation around us and the beauty of human life.  NOT!

It was yet another fear laden blitzkrieg on how the United States economy is ready to collapse, and financial doom and gloom are ready to befall Americans.

Of course, Weston's Bible says this is so.  It has predicted it.  We have all seen how well Church of God leaders have used the Bible to make predictions and point to "fulfilled" prophecy, as they interpret it.  It is easy for prophecy addicts to sit in their basements pouring over countless tomes of prophecy and history as they make vainglorious attempts to pinpoint events in history to "prophecies" listed in the Bible.

Current events clearly demonstrate the accuracy of the Bible, but the complete fulfillment of this prophecy is yet in the future, and we simply do not know the exact time. What we do believe is that the time is near. A number of other prophecies must take place first, but we are rapidly getting there. Why will the world get into such desperate straits? 

The Bible stands out above humanly devised predictions and it tells us that unless our Western nations repent of gross immorality, disaster will follow. As it tells us in Leviticus 26:14–16, when we come to the place—and we are now there—that we despise God’s commandments, terror will be the result. The terrorism we see in living color on our television and computer screens was prophesied and is no accident! As in all of mankind’s ills, it is the direct result of rejecting our Creator! The handwriting is on the wall. 

If the bible stands out above all human predictions, then why do James Malm and Bob Thiel continue to spread their devious lies about prophecy?  Prediction addiction is the name of the game in the Church of God. Who can forget professional liar and prophecy addict, Gerald Waterhouse and his 3-4 hour sermons on prophecy?  For four hours this old windbag would spout incredibly absurd predictions and as of July 2017, not a single one of them has ever come to pass.

How much time remains for us to proclaim the true Gospel to this sick world and to warn the Israelite nations remains to be seen, but time appears to be short. For decades, we have warned of a rising Germany. Today, Germany stands out not only as the leader of Europe, but more and more as the most respected country in the world. And God tells us in His word that the modern-day Assyrians will be used to punish our rebellious peoples. Twice in the Twentieth Century we failed to learn our lesson. The next time it will be more painful. And lest anyone misunderstand, this is not “Germany bashing.” They will fulfill God’s will, for as it says in Isaiah 10:5–7, “Woe to Assyria [ancient Germany] the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations.” Oh yes, God will deal with Germany later, but first Germany must fulfill God’s will. 

Rod Meredith and Gerald Weston seem to be incapable of finding beauty in the world around them. Instead, the world is a big cesspool of filth which is kind of like LCG Charlotte HQ, I guess.  The big bogeyman Germany is set to arise and whip the United States into submission as it carts LCG members off to concentration camps.

Dear co-workers, we cannot know how long it will take for these events to completely materialize. What we know is that God is not mocked! We will reap what we sow! When the conditions are right, sudden calamity will descend upon the Israelite nations, for time and again God tells us through His prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah that it will happen suddenly. “Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant” (Isaiah 30:13). We see the bulge in the wall.

Persecution is ever at the door of the various Church of God's.  Where would the church be without a good scare factor story to scare members into giving more money?  After all, the entire purpose of the church is to raise money for that final push.  A final push that always seems to elude them.

Fellow co-workers, time is short! How short we cannot say, but I hope all of you can see that the world is getting more and more unstable as our populations become more and more corrupt and deranged in their thinking. God instructs us and gives this warning: “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Proverbs 24:11–12). 

Our Western nations are stumbling toward the slaughter. For that matter, so is the entire world. Jesus predicted that it would get so bad that, unless He steps in at the end of the age, no man would survive (Matthew 24:21–22). Few will heed the warning, but if we see what is happening, God expects us to sound the warning trumpet (Ezekiel 33:2–9). That is what we are doing at Tomorrow’s World. I believe you see the handwriting on the wall and that is why you became a co-worker with us.

Weston ends with this:

Your prayers are needed and will be appreciated as we have a big job to do to reach this world with a warning and a message of hope. 

A message of hope?  Tales of financial disaster, Invading Germans, corrupt government, disease, famine, war...all good sounds bites useful to a COG leaders advantage/

Only Real COG Prophet Claims The Only True End Time COG Is Rolling Forward, But Still Remains Bitter

"The final phase of the work is moving forward. 

More information is being put together, more people are being reached, 

and people are being reached in more languages."

God's only true end-time man is back tooting his blasphemous horn once again on how fabulous and earth shattering his "ministry" is.  No, I am not talking about superfantabulous Dave Pack.  The one I am talking about is the other self-appointed end time guru who claims the same thing.  This time, it is the other end time man, the one who is consistently bitter.  It is the one who has taken on the mantle of numerous Hebrew prophets, believes his nightmares are from his god and who while never ordained, claims he is doubly-blessed.

Will you support the final phase of the work? 

Satan and the Laodiceans simply do not wish to properly support God’s work. Of course, many Laodiceans do not know that they are in that condition, and for many reasons will not understand the final phase of the work or who is leading it.

We should all know by now that any time a COG leader feels he is being under-appreciated he blames everyone else, except himself.  Never will any of them accept the responsibility that their over inflated egos have defeated them.  It is not the members fault and never has been.

So what does one do when there are so many COG's out here that proclaim that they and they alone are the ones with the truth and doing an earth shattering work?  They just steam roll ahead and claim that they and they alone are the one true church, the usual round robin. The others are weak or have failed somehow in getting HWA's words out to the entire world.  All of them place more importance upon Internet count numbers instead of actual human lives that they have touched.  Having a person click on a web site or an article is irrelevant compared to the face to face interactions people are craving.

It is the highly dedicated in the real Church of God (COG) that will finish the human part of the final phase of the work before (Matthew 24:14-15) and during (Revelation 11:3-14) the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord. Presuming no significant organizational changes, for many reasons, the final phase of the work will be led by the Continuing Church of God...

So just what is this miraculous work doing that is so astounding that God through him?

This final phase of the work seemingly will consist of identifying what is happening in the world (specifically also in Europe, the Middle East, and the Anglo-descended nations), preaching what Jesus commissioned in Matthew 28:19-20 around the world, finishing the proclamation of Christ’s gospel of the kingdom as a witness along with persecution (Matthew 24:9-14), the rise and work of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:2-12; which will likely overlap a few days with Matthew 24:14), the likely assistance to the two witnesses by the scattered flock (Revelation 20:4; cf. Luke 9:2-6), the three angel’s messages (Revelation 14:8-11; plus other angelic interventions), and the witness of those persecuted and martyred for Jesus (cf. Revelation 17:6). And then Jesus will return and establish the Kingdom of God. 

So just who is Bob Thiel drawing into his church around the world?  Other than in Africa, very few.  Even those in Africa are either former COGers or have had a connection to some other Sabbatarian group.  He has not touched the lives of other Christians, Muslims, or non-Christians.  The impact has been minuscule.  And just why is that?  

It is the damn Catholics joining up with Protestants in an ecumenical movement that is deliberately forming to persecute Bob Theil and his church.  Just why would some beast power in Europe, the Catholic church, or some other group worry about isolated groups of Thielites in scattered regions of Africa?   Only in Thiel's mind do they do this.

Why is he claiming he is the only one to do this?  Because he claims to know all about Fatima and everything about the Catholic church that no one else on earth does.

It should be clear to those who truly understand the warnings in the Bible that the final phase of the work for God’s people will also specifically involve dealing with the ecumenical religion that will rise up (cf. Daniel 11:36-38; Revelation 13:4,8; 14:8-13; Matthew 24:14-15) with signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) fulfilling Satan’s plan, while enduring the Beast power who will take steps to eliminate the faithful (Revelation 13:7,13-17; 14:12-13; Daniel 7:21,25).

Having looked over a variety of Roman and Byzantine Catholic private prophecies, I would suggest that Satan’s planning has not always been completely in secret and that such private prophecies will be cited as “justification” for some of the coming persecutions...

Because Thiel will be fighting the above groups and Satan, he is expecting to be killed.  Yes, that broken record still is turning. 

Being killed as the result of persecution is seemingly also part of the final phase of the work that some of God’s people will endure:

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:12-13; cf. 6:11)

 Next, Thiel has to once again, complain how Rod Meredith devalued his opinion and refused to implement all suggestions he offered.

That bitterness is what Thiel uses to justify his start-up COG.

About a decade ago, the late evangelist R.C. Meredith and I were talking and he agreed with various points I was raising about the end time work. And back then, I was able to help lead him to essentially state that in the end it would not mainly be the message of the COG vs. the Protestants, but it would be the COG basically vs. the ecumenical religion that will rise up in the end that will likely (for a while) refer to itself as “Catholic.” In 2005, during the Feast of Tabernacles in Clearwater Beach, after a private lunch, we and our wives met at his hotel room and I also discussed various aspects of the final phase of the work with him–and I had other meetings, discussions, and emails related to that with the other Charlotte evangelists through December 14, 2012. Yet, even though he and others in his church agreed to take many steps related to the final phase of the work, few, if any, of the promised steps were taken by his group–this is a major part of why the Continuing Church of God needed to form. 

Interestingly, in December 2015, Dr. Meredith lamented the slow growth in his church. He said that 30% should be attained, but he hoped for at last 15% growth per year–something his church does not attain. Consider that the Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing COG since its formation in late 2012. On a compounded basis, it has exceeded the 30% growth in both membership and income since it formed in late 2012. Even exceeding the percentage the late Herbert W. Armstrong often pointed to as a proof of a blessing from God. While our growth rate will fluctuate, the Continuing Church of God is the only one of the ten largest COGs whose leaders had origins in the old Worldwide Church of God to do so. Currently, we have around 2,800 people with us.

Thiel claims that he and he alone will have the only forceful voice in the world that will hold the world accountable for their sins.  No other Church of God does that because they are too scared, especially those in the Living Church of God.

During the final phase of the work, the faithful in God’s Church will take a stand against the views of those who will support the compromised persecuting religious power (cf. Revelation 17:1-6). And though aspects of this have occurred throughout history, in the end it will be a major testing of their patience (cf. Daniel 11:28-35; Revelation 14:8-12). 

A bolder, yet truthful, willingness to “name names” and call out what is happening will need to happen than the official COG groups formed between 1986 and 2011 have done–and this would seem to have to be led by the Continuing Church of God. (I have emails from one or more LCG evangelists where they objected to doing parts of this themselves, as well as notes from a meeting where they told me, and one was Dr. Meredith, that they were afraid that I could become too bold and that they did not want to take bold proclamation steps that could trigger the persecution that they teach is biblically prophesied.)

The more Thiel brags about these meetings the more suspicious people are that words like this were ever exchanged.  A growing number of LCG members claim Thiel is a liar and is very deceptive in what he is claiming actually happened.  Since everyone knows Gaylyn Bonjour and ZERO INTENTION of raising Thiel up to a splinter group leader, people also suspect that Thiel is spinning his own version of these events in ways that never happened. 

Thiel also thinks that his outstanding work is going to draw in tens of thousands of new members, which is ludicrous.  We have seen how that has been an epic failure for Dave Pack, who is far more dynamic than Thiel can ever hope to be.

The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed more powerfully to the world as a witness and the end will come (Matthew 24:14). We in the CCOG are reaching people in over 220 countries and territories and expect to continue to lead the humanly-involved portion of that, and certain other aspects, of the final phase of the work. 

It is possible that this short work will temporarily swell the ranks of the Church of God (including some Philadelphians, but perhaps with many Laodiceans and many others not truly faithful—many may well fall away—though some of the first will be last and the last first, cf. Mark 10:31). Some will be faithful and bear fruit, while many others may leave (cf. Matthew 13:18 -23; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) once the persecuting tribulation that seems prophesied to occur prior to the Great Tribulation hits (cf. Matthew 24:9-10;21). Then the end will come.

Thiel believes that once he starts preaching a dynamic and forceful message he is going to enrage Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg so much so that he will employ the European Super Collider to attack Theil and the United States.  As if Guttenberg cares about an impotent little pissant located in the central California Coast. Also, why would Gutenberg care about 2,700 Africans scattered all over the continent and 100 or so gullible Americans who have decided to follow him?

Partially because the message of the COG, the people of the holy covenant will enrage the upcoming prince/king of the North (Daniel 11:28-30). One or more associated with the Continuing Church of Godwill

Media coverage would then be expected to cover more of the COG message and this may be associated with the “short work” of Romans 9:28. Since the true COG is so small, it is highly likely that it getting significant media coverage will help fulfill Matthew 24:14. Some of the Philadelphia remnant will be explaining that it is Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God and not the rise of a militaristic leader that the world needs. According to Daniel 11:32 it is “the people who know their God [that] shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Hundreds of millions, if not billions, will receive at least a partial witness.

All of that will likely trigger the King of the North to take actions that lead to the end–this includes the persecutions, pre- (Daniel 7:25a, 11:29-36) and post-tribulation (Daniel 7:25b).

The Church of God has several dynamic church leaders here in the Untied States, however, all of them are crazier than hell. Their egos and narcissism have made them into buffoonish clowns of the church.  Bob Thiel has now added himself to this cartoonish list.  Because Thiel set himself up into his leadership roll, he is doomed to failure.  God certainly is NOT on his side, never has been and will never be.

There is much more to the latest Thiel spiel located here:  The final phase of the work continues to move ahead

I Pray That those Who Have Left The Church Will Repent And Come Back To The Truth

A comment was made on another COG related group about COG members who have left the fold.  The naivety of this person is as shallow as the statement.  Did you know that if it were not for Herbert Armstrong, none of you nor the entire world would EVER know the truth or have been exposed to it? Even worse, you would have never been part of the church!  A church that is the most unified and glorious church ever in human history.  God apparently was incapable of keeping his church alive for 1,900 years till Herbert Armstrong arrived on the scene.  Anyone with half a wit knows that is utter nonsense.  Herbert Armstrong's legacy has not continued on with Dave pack, Gerald Weston, Gerald Flurry, Ron Weinland, Vic Kubik and most assuredly not by Bob Thiel and James Malm.

It is had to believe that in 2017 that some people still believe that salvation comes from knowing Herbert Armstrong and his words.

"I tell them, without God working through Mr. Armstrong, they would not even know the Truth or have been given an opportunity to be a part of the Church of God at this time. I pray they can see through the deception and come back to the foundation. May we all hold fast to these precious truths we have been given!"

When Clergy Prey

Bob Thiel Takes His Greatest Risk Ever! SHOCKING!!!

Check out this little ditty from God's most important end-time man who just stepped out and made a major change that was so earthshaking he had to write about it. And to think that his members in Africa read this as some kind of a miracle is appalling.  Seriously what COG leader would ever write such drivel as this?

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings again from Grover Beach, California.

We tried something different for the sermonette.

Normally, more theological sermonettes are uploaded to the Continuing COG YouTube channel.

This time, I decided to do the longest sermonette I have ever given (essentially this could be consider part of what has been called a “split-sermon–meaning two sermon topics} and upload it to the Bible News Prophecy channel.

Anyway, I believe I am taking an audience risk with this. The topic has to do with false conversion and it is my hope and prayer that some who are not part of us will take the scriptures to heart and repent and be converted–but some may take offense. We will see.

Because the sermonette is the longest I have given, I also decided that the sermon should be about the shortest one I have ever given (though it is not much shorter than usual).