The Gridiron is the Devil’s Playground

 

“The Gridiron is the Devil’s Playground”

Brothers and sisters, I come before you today with a heavy heart and a clear conscience: watching American football is a SIN. Yes, I said it! Do not be deceived by the helmets, the cheerleaders, and the nacho cheese fountain—this is Satan’s circus, and the clowns are wearing shoulder pads.

Consider the evidence:

The game is played on a field 100 yards long—and what else is 100? The number of sheep the shepherd had before that one wandered off! Coincidence? I think not.

They call it the red zone. Well, friends, who else loves red? The Devil himself.

And don’t even get me started on the halftime show—that’s not entertainment, that’s basically a pagan ritual with better lighting.

And what of the fans? Whole congregations leaving Sunday service early to worship at the altar of ESPN. They wave their foam fingers high in the air—modern-day golden calves made of polyurethane.

Brothers and sisters, when Jesus said, “Turn the other cheek,” He did NOT mean “face mask penalty.”

So next Sunday, instead of gathering around the big screen, gather around your Bible. 

Instead of a touchdown, seek a kneel down. Instead of chips and dip, try bread and living water. Because the only true Super Bowl worth attending is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Amen and pass the celery sticks.

Tonto

Crackpot Prophet: Podcasts and Radio Interviews - His End Times Con Game

 

From a reader:

Bobby says podcasts and radio interviews are a free open door for him to preach his way to heaven. But the truth is, his members, mostly women, are out there begging interviewers to interview Bobby. Many times slipping the interviewer $300.+ as a bribe. 

 

Revealed by Australian, Canadian, USA, and South Pacific women. 

 

Our great Bwana Bob, the only true Church of God leader doing an actual Philadelphian "work"—at least in his own eyes, though no one anywhere else cares about it—has long bragged about how he has various women searching long and hard to find gullible interviewers on religious stations.

The con game his women pull is that when they contact these stations and podcasters, they pawn Bwana Bob off as a legitimate Christian who is supposedly well-versed in theology and end-times malarkey. The people buy the con and bring him on as a legitimate Christian theologian, not knowing he is from a splinter of a splinter of a splinter of a verified legalistic cult that has been anathema to the larger Christian community for decades.

These podcasters and radio interviewers have no idea that he gets his theology and eschatology from Herbert Armstrong, Herman Hoeh, Dibar Apartian, Rod Meredith, the Mayans, and other dubious sources. He also uses Catholic mystics and traditions to bolster his stances while at the same time badmouthing them. With no real theological degree from a well-grounded seminary with legitimate professors, he passes off to his gullible interviewers that he took classes at Fuller, from a diploma mill in India, and other places, as if this is where he has his degree from. His PhD degree has to do with holistic medicine and not theology, as he tries to pass off to the unsuspecting public.

These podcasters and radio personalities have no idea that Bwana Bob calls them fake Christians or so-called Christians. If they really knew that, how many would have him on?

Bwana Bob can't afford to buy Steubin crystal for his hosts as Herbert Armstrong used to buy his way into world leaders' offices, so lining the pockets of the podcasters and radio stations with money bribes is the next best thing. Armstrongism at its finest!

Bwana Bob practices deception in everything that he does, and he wonders why no one in the Church of God movement has joined him in his amazing ministry. LCG members know better than anyone else what a fraud he is. That is why LCG leadership and the ministry refused to kowtow to his demands. It is no wonder Rod Meredith kicked him to the curb as fast as he did with that public rebuke.

Crackpot Prophet Warns: Anyone Who Watches American Football WILL Go Through The Tribulation!

Want to read something really stupid?

We're not just talking typical Bob Thiel-stupid, because we see that every day. Heck, we see that every minute of every hour of every day. In fact, for something to be stupid enough to stand out, it must be ASTRONOMICALLY stupid.

The latest from Bwana Bob fits the bill. 

You will go through the tribulation because you watch football games!

He starts off with his usual schtick: 

The National Football League (NFL) season is upon us as the 2025 NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday, September 4th. 

 

This violent and destructive activity is among the most popular ‘sports’ in the United States of America. 

 

Should Christians support this? 

 

It is a historical fact that early Christians would not have watched sports like it. 

 

What kind of sport is NFL football? 

 

A violent and damaging one. One that will hurt people this season.

Then it rapidly goes downhill:

Many non-Philadelphian Christians do not wish to seriously consider that American tackle football is harmful, despite the facts, and would prefer that I not post about it. 

 

The Bible suggests otherwise:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;

Lift up your voice like a trumpet;

Tell My people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

The "sin" Bwana Bob should be concerned about is his constant lies and myths surrounding his cult and the deviant spiritual deception he has used against his African followers.

The Great Bwana continues:

The reality is that American tackle football is evil–the players get harmed. This really is not debatable as it is an established fact.

Clearly with any who have eyes to see, the fruits of this ‘sport’ are evil. 

 

Over the years, I have seemingly stood alone among Church of God leaders in the 21st century warning against American tackle football. I first spoke against it at the old Spokesman’s Club in the Worldwide Church of God last century. And, when I brought the subject up in the Living Church of God, it made many uncomfortable enough to take steps leading to my departure from that group. 

 

There is no doubt that American tackle football is dangerous to health. While some in the world consider watching it to be an ‘ethical uncertainty,’ true Philadelphia Christians (as well as many who are not) realize that something about this sport is physically harmful and should not be encouraged.

He claims it is a SIN to watch American football:

Let me state that there is a human tendency to try to justify sin. Many think if something feels right to them, it must be. According to the Bible, that is a wrong attitude:

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

10 I, the Lord, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

And then there are those cheerleaders! What's the poor guy going to do?

From the violence on the field, to the under-clothed cheerleaders, to some of the half-time antics, there is a lot wrong with American football. 

 

Jesus taught not to intentionally hurt others:

39… ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39, NKJV)

If the Great Bwana had his way, all of the cheerleaders would dress like this:

He then adds this:

Is not taking a stand against encouraging sports violence consistent with the gospel of peace and love? Or should ministers tell people that violent sports like American tackle football are not “inherently evil” as at least one minister from LCG has done?

While “love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:9), what do sports like American football and boxing do? Should Bible believers encourage this? 

 

Unlike stories of violence in books or movies, American football involves actual violence and often physical injury–including brain damaging ones that are often not obvious for years. 

 

The Bible forbids harming others or encouraging sin. Early professors of Christ would not watch violent games, as they felt that watching was encouraging and participating in sin. 

 

While we do not seem to have many direct references from those in the Church of God, we do have some written records of those who were at least somewhat familiar with the teachings of Jesus and the practices of the earliest Christians. 

 

Now, here is something from Theophilus of Antioch (who likely was part of the Church of God) perhaps written about 180 A.D.:

Consider, therefore, whether those who teach such things can possibly live indifferently, and be commingled in unlawful intercourse, or, most impious of all, eat human flesh, especially when we are forbidden so much as to witness shows of gladiators, lest we become partakers and abettors of murders. But neither may we see the other spectacles, lest our eyes and ears be defiled, participating in the utterances there sung. (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book III, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition) 

 

So, true Christians did not believe that they were to watch the violent sports so popular in the second century.

The Holy Trinity is ready for game day!

Then, the Great Bwana gets down to the fun stuff! All of you sinful Laodiceans who do NOT heed his words are doomed to go through the tribulation because you watched football!

I do not watch American football. I consider that it is evil (also, no Christian can really defend how professional football cheerleading females are often publicly dressed and displayed). Others want to falsely act like there is nothing wrong with watching it.

Some may not wish to hear about any of the evils of violent sports, and instead prefer smooth things, but hopefully I have tried to follow the Apostle Paul who declared:

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27) 

 

The bodies and blood of those who engage in violent sports is important. It does not show Philadelphia love. 

 

Regarding American football, do you believe that Jesus or the Apostle Paul would endorse it? This is something that Christians, and those that claim to be, should think and pray about. 

 

Those Laodicean Christians who are fans of American tackle football are NOT Philadelphians and will be subject to violence themselves as they will have to go through the Great Tribulation if they do not repent (Revelation 3:14-22). 

 

Encouraging violence in sports does not show brotherly/Philadelphian love. 

 

Philadelphian Christians do not watch American tackle football–whether the USA or Canadian version of it.

 

 

 

 

 

Never Before Understood by the Churches of God: The Book of Revelation

The author of Revelation was doing in his turbulent times what we do in ours. Trying to match up this or that political and/or religious leader with the times and creating a prophecy to tell the story of what is happening and what ultimately "will happen". With the outcome, of course, going to the good guys and in this case, the Jews and Jewish Christians during the sweep of Vespasian through the Levant and ultimately on to destroy Jerusalem in 70 CE. Did't quite work out that way. 

Only the passage of time shows what actually will happen, and in this the case of the Book of Revelation, did happen. Contrary to "I have read the end of the book, and WE WIN!" I have read the end of the Book....and they lost.

Every age tries to figure out where it stands with its craziness and "end times" it seems. Seems we don't want to die and would prefer to "be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye"!

I don't personally believe that anyone can "pre-dict" the future. But trying has become big biz. Some have the need to see themselves as prophets. They don't tend to do it well. Their prophecies tend to fail due to unforeseen circumstances. I believe we all or most all here can recall the days when Franz Joseph Strauss, as potential "Beast" visited AC and made it on to the cover of the PT. Alas...

Arch of Titus in Rome celebrating his victory over Jerusalem in 70 CE

Revelation is "a Failed prophecy" in the sense that the Romans won the day with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Messiah, neither Jewish nor Jewish Christian returned at the end of three and a half years. Within that time from 70 to 73 when Masada fell, the Romans put an end to any hope of Messianic deliverance. 

Nero has often been thought to be "the Beast" and this may be possibly true in the minds of many in the day. "NERO" in Hebrew does spell out as 666. Some translations give 616 as the number of the Beast which translates into the more generic "Anti-Christ" evidently. Either way, it points towards the Caesars of 68 through 72 CE in the two years either side of the destruction of Jerusalem.  Nero died in June of '68.  

Rev 17:9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.

 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

In this prophetic scenario,  the first 5 meaning, Julius Caesar (d. 44 BC), Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero is the 6th and the one that "now is". Galba, who followed after Nero's suicide in '68, lasted just one year into '69 and is the 7th.   The "Beast" who once was and now, or not yet, is the 8th and part of the succession of the 7.  This can be seen as Vespasian who became Emperor in '71 declared so by his troops as his Son Titus destroyed Jerusalem during his return trip to Rome at Galba's assassination.  Testy times those!  

To give the times a fuller context, the complete 7 and beyond after the destruction of Jerusalem are 

FIVE ARE FALLEN

1.Julius Caesar (d. 44 BC)

2.Augustus

3.Tiberius

4.Caligula

5. Claudius

ONE IS

6.  Nero

YET TO COME FOR A SHORT SPACE

7. Galba

(Otho, Vitellius,)

(Vespasian was proclaimed Emperor in December of '69. Otho and Vitellius contested Vespasian's claim to the throne but didn't last but a few months each. The author of Revelation did not consider them players.  Vespasian is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition" Vespasian is to be the last ruler of Rome, the man of sin, the antichrist who will be destroyed by the Jewish Christ, but it didn't work out that way. )

The 8th that was and is not, yet is...

8. Vespasian

9.Titus

10.Domitian (d. 96 AD).

The Foreign Kings who supported Rome in the Armies against Jerusalem

12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 

And the Romans won. In this way the Prophecy of the Book of Revelation failed to deliver. 

14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

It's all fascinating of course. While agnostic at best in my views, I have always been and always will be fascinated with how we try to explain our world and the drama and trauma of political and religious intrigues and the Biblical view of how it all will work out even as it doesn't as we all might have hoped. 

Vespasian builds the Colosseum in Rome in '72 and finishes it during the rule of his son, Titus. 

(That passing of torches in both politics and religion from Father to Son has always been a perk of the position)

(Note: Not a few who understand the context of Revelation, written just before the Fall of Jerusalem to encourage Jewish Christians to hang in there until Rome is defeated in 3 1/2 years and the Messiah comes. It failed. Rome won the war, from 69 to 73 CE with the final destruction of Masada. 

In the church letters of Revelation, a basically Jewish book, especially the letter to the Ephesians, Paul "those who claim they are apostles and are not" which the Ephesians rejected, was the false prophet they hated. Vespasian was the Beast. 

Revelation throws both of them into the Lake of Fire.)