Robert Ardis On the Jews, GTA, HWA, and Petra

In all the weird things that have been said over the years by various splinter cult leaders of Armstrongism I have never heard the following comment before.  It is by Robert Ardis who runs Church of God's Faithful.  In his Midnight Cry rag he writes:

In Mr. Ted Armstrong’s message so long ago, he was
describing in his inimitable manner the plight of the European Jews in the
late 30’s and early 40’s as they were first subjected to Adolf Hitler’s and
Heinrich Himmler’s final solution.

Mr. Armstrong stated that if a forceful warning message and vivid mental
pictures could have been given them of the atrocities that lay directly
ahead for the Jewish people in the Warsaw ghetto and the death camps
of Dachau, Buchenwald, and Auschwitz et al—and if they had heeded
that warning—they could have escaped that most horrible time where
SIX MILLION Jews, men women, and children perished in the gas chambers
and ovens and other evil means of mass-murder by which they died!
Mr. Armstrong very passionately exclaimed; “they would have come and
‘kissed the feet’ of those who delivered the warning message”!

The message that is being delivered here is that if the Jews had heard the warning message from a true church leader i.e., GTA/HWA then they would not have went onto the death camps but instead would be kissing Herb's and Ted's feet for giving them such a warning.

The things that come out of Armstrongites continue to amaze me.

Of course this is coming from the same ministurd that is declaring that Petra is NOT the place of safety but is Mt Sinai (Mt Horeb) in Saudi Arabia.

Can you imagine a bunch of Armstrongites marching into Saudi Arabia with Bible in one hand and a copy of Mystery of the Ages in the other.  Can you imagine the reception they will receive!  Of course I probably forget that the Saudis would be so in awe of the Armstrongites that they would bow to them all as the true people of God.

Moses fled from Pharaoh into Midian (Ex 2:15). Forty years later, Moses and the slave Nation of Israel fled from Pharaoh (Ex. 14:5). God led them by a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day (Ex. 13:21-22). God brought them completely OUT of EGYPT on the last Day of Unleavened Bread. The huge multitude of Israelites, men, women, and children, their flocks and herds were miraculous brought to SAFETY by the Eternal God. They crossed the Red Sea at the Gulf of Aquaba---and entered the Land of Midian---Saudi Arabia of today!

Ardis goes on to write for all you disbelieving heretical Laodicians out here:

To date, the CGF has new knowledge that no other group embraces. This knowledge is often blatantly rejected.

Notice God’s stern warning to those who insist on discrediting or resisting God’s knowledge:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee… (Hos. 4:6).

These are strong uncompromising words from God the Father! If we reject any of His knowledge, we will not be ‘kept from the hour of temptation’. It’s as simple as that!

Once more we get to see the fear factor of of Armstrongism at work.  Scare the shit out of people to keep them in line.  Reject Ardi's bullshit and your salvation is at risk!

I reject the crap of Ardis and have absolutely NOTHING to fear from his weak, irrelevant, impotent little god.

Van Robison on "Biblical" Archaeology

"Biblical" Archaeology

I am not sure that it is humanly possible to not have bias.  Archaeology is a field in which there are obvious highly emotional and intense feelings about the past.  I know that at one time Ambassador College was involved in a Archaeology dig in the Middle East.  Ambassador College or perhaps the Worldwide Church of God spent a considerable amount of money to shovel dirt according to "The Painful Truth, Ambassador Report,  Ambassador College's Participation in Jerusalem Dig Ends."

I seriously doubt that "evidence" unearthed really validates much of the "Old" Testament as many proclaim.  Naturally there is a vested interest in archaeology and it not only applies to the Middle East, but other areas around the world as well.  Everyone with a vested interest is naturally going to "validate" their cherished beliefs through ancient writings, archaeology or by whatever means.  On the other hand there is always that other point of view, such as that of Thomas L. Thompson and his book "The Mythic Past: Biblical Archaeology and the Myth of Israel."  In "World Ages Archive.com",  Daniel Lazare (Harper's Magazine, March 2002) penned "False Testament: Archaeology Refutes the Bible's Claim to History."

Those who write articles or books and make claims such as Thomas L. Thompson and Daniel Lazare (and there are many more), are always ripped to shreds.  Voices on both sides of an issue have their reasons for
what they believe is "truth."  On the other side of the coin are people like William F. Albright who is supposedly an "expert" on Biblical archaeology.  William F. Albright is also taken to task by those who oppose his conclusions found in dirt and his methods by which he comes to his conclusions.  I have the personal sense that some people find "evidence" for "Old" (cobwebs and all) Testament validation in every shovel full of dirt they turn over.

It is said that FAKE "Biblical" relics have been produced and have found their way into museums around the world and of course at great $expense to the "history" museums.  So a court says the relics are "valid", but does that make them really valid?  What if the court also has a vested interest?  Then what?  Should we believe just because someone says something is "true?"  I think those of us who have learned the hard way that voices who say something is "true" according to what they say is "true", have learned from experience, that there is valid reason to doubt and to question and never assume something is "true" just because someone says it is.

When we read that "archaeology proves Old Testament history is true", does that then make it so?  In regard to the flood of Noah, there are voices that make the assertion that the worldwide flood is "true" and on the other hand there are voices, which to my thinking are much more believable, that say the worldwide flood never happened and the "ark" of Noah is pure myth.  In our modern world there are innumerable authors who write FICTION and their books are found in book stores the world over.  There are also movie producers who manufacture fictional moves such as "Star Wars" and so what makes ancient writers all authors of "true history" as opposed to fictional stories?

Are we really to believe that a young man with a sling and a stone, killed a giant called "Goliath", while all the highly trained military men cowered in fear?  Who would really believe that in the modern world, a non-military man could possibly come to the forefront of the military and be a champion?  It would not be possible.  Who would believe that because a man called Sampson had long hair, that was the source of his strength and when he was seduced by a woman who cut his hair, his supernatural strength vanished?  Of course the "Old" Testament is overrun with such stories, that are more like "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs" that we all know are fairy tales.  Why do millions believe these stories as if God was the author?  Is the reality that men have created God in their own fictional stories?

Some people never learn.  Even in the courts of "law" there have many who were innocent and yet suffered, because the courts said they were "guilty."  We all lean toward what we want to believe and we may or may not be right.  Yet still, it is better to question and never take for granted that something is true, just because someone or voices say something is true.  All ex-Worldwide Church of God people know beyond doubt that they were deceived and so from that experience. why should anyone believe that "archaeology proves the O.T. is true?"  Anyone with a vested interest will always make assertions that may have fatal flaws.  Personally I doubt that anyone knows where the tomb of Jesus was or is.  I doubt that anyone really knows the absolute truth about the many questions regarding the pyramids.  Tourism brings a great deal of $money into the pockets of those who promote "sacred" places.


Van Robison