Tonight You Must Blow Your Shofar! It's New Mooner Time!

Apostle Malm is directing all of his true followers to blow a shofar tonight in honor of the new moon and the start of the sixth month.

The Apostle claims the new moon is as important as Passover:

The New Moon day is not a Holy Day; it IS an Appointed Time, like Passover and Wave Offering.  The New Moon is to be observed with the blowing of trumpets and special sacrifices.

I bet you did not know that you are still required under the New Covenant to do sacrifices!  But just what kind of sacrifices does the Apostle expect you to do?  In typical COG proof-texting fashion and "here a little, there a little", the Apostle says you are to sacrifice by doing bible study.

Since the physical sacrifice was only a physical reminder of the spiritual sacrifice of the Lamb of God, we do a special study of the Scriptures in place of the sacrifices [which cannot be offered because there is no Tabernacle or temple at Jerusalem:

Somehow opening an  onion skin book on a dining room table does not equate to slaughtering oxen, sheep and doves over an altar so that the blood flows off it onto the ground.

Armstrongism has always had to find the easy way out of doing all kinds of things.  Many things in Leviticus are supposedly required, while many things right next to the required things are not required.  Just  one more reason why Armstrongism has no credibility!

Happy Birthday

One year ago this month this little blog started.  Close to 140,000 people will have checked it out by the end of this month.  I guess maybe I should say this is the One Year Anniversary, since "we in the true Church of God do not celebrate birthdays." Thanks Chiro/Naturo Bob for setting me straight!

People from 36 different countries have dropped by.

We have even had a quit a few hit from Muslim countries. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia and Malaysia seem interested in things here.

Most though, were from British Israelite nations who were looking for ways to escape the coming tribulation.  Oops, wrong blog......

There was a huge spike in readership when the UCG gave birth to a new splinter cult around the first of the year.

Dennis has garnered several thousand readers to his postings.  His ability to cut to the core and make you stop and think encourages many and disturbs others.

Apostle Malm has send many readers here to find out about closet Buddhist Herman Hoeh. And Chiro/Naturopath Thiel continues to provide loads of fodder worthy of ridicule.

I am willing to post your story, if you have one to share about life in Armstrongism.

A big THANKS to everyone!

Prophet Thiel is NOT Happy....Again!

It doesn't take much to get Prophet Thiel stirred up anymore.  Everything seems to point to some end time disaster or scenario.  It's doomsday and Armageddon all the time!  Prophecy, prophecy, prophecy.  Death, destruction, famine, wars, are all eagerly anticipated for some short time in the future.

Prophet Thiel wants you to know he is disturbed! Prophet Thiel is particularly disturbed by Benjamin Grant Mitchell's book, "The Last Great Day".  He take great umbrage with the Melbourne Weekly describing the old Worldwide Church of God as a "doomsday cult."

WHEN Benjamin Grant Mitchell decided to write a novel based on his life, he had plenty of material to work with. The former Neighbours actor, singer-songwriter and new father was born into an American doomsday cult. To top it off, his father was one of the ministers. Mitchell, who now lives in Warrandyte, started penning his story three years ago and next week will unveil the debut novel, The Last Great Day, at the Melbourne Writers Festival.

The 42-year-old, who played Neighbours character Cameron Hudson in the 1990s, spent his early childhood moving around Australia, then settled at the Worldwide Church of God headquarters in Los Angeles.

The Prophet says:

There are a lot of misunderstandings about the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

But it was not a “doomsday cult.”

Those of us who were part of the old WCG and in the current Living Church of God (LCG) are not like the Jim Jones’ followers–we do not plan on drinking poisoned flavor-aid to end our lives.  Although some are expected to die in persecutions, LCG church members mainly hope to live until the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom, and hope to proclaim the truths of the Bible to the world as a witness until the end (Matthew 24:14).

Armstrongism has always been about the end times.  It's focus has always been on end time prophecy.  Just take a look at HWA's sermons and articles from the 1930's and 40's.  They were filled with one end time doomsday scenario after another.  Hitler, Germany, Japan, China, Italy and little green martians were all eagerly waiting for the right moment to bomb and destroy much of the America.  Those who would be left alive would be rounded up in concentration camps  and then be transported to Europe where they would be slaves for European Catholics.


Then moving on into the 60's and 70's you will find the church switching doomsday gear from Germany to environmental doomsday scenarios. Floods, famines, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornado's, etc. were all talked about with gleeful anticipation.  The more death and destruction predicted, the more special church members were to be called apart from it all.


Now with a black man as president, the COG's are back into their doomsday modes once again.  The US allowed a gentile to rule over them. There is the corrupt government filled with rotten politicians on both sides of the aisle. There are horrific stories about tornado's, hurricanes and earthquakes.  There is the rise of Germany as a financial giant and as a uniter in Europe.  There is China rising up as a world power. There is the weakening dollar and a failed economy.  All purported to be signs of the Armageddon (doomsday) ahead of us.


Prophet Thiel claims the church was never a doomsday cult.  Yet, when you look at the definition of the word "doomsday" in a Thesaurus, you will see that the Melbourne Weekly was 100% correct in it's descriiption of the WCG/COG/LCG:

Main Entry:	Day of Judgment
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of God's judgment of the human race
Synonyms:	Doomsday , Judgment Day, Last Day, Last Judgment, day of reckoning, the Judgment

Main Entry:	day of reckoning
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of God's judgment of the human race
Synonyms:	Day of Judgment, Doomsday , Judgment Day, Last Judgment, crack of doom, day of doom, doom, end of the world, trumpet of doom

Main Entry:	Judgment Day
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	day of reckoning
Synonyms:	Day of Judgment, Last Day, Last Judgment, court of conscience, crack of doom, doomsday , end of the world, the Judgment, tribunal of penance

Prophet Thiel goes on to write:

As far as preaching prophecies in the Bible that show that the Anglo-descended nations will be chastised if they do not repent, yes the old WCG and current LCG taught that (see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel and Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).  But urging repentance is not a sign of being a doomsday cult.  It is a sign of trying to follow what Jesus said to do.  Notice, the following, that Jesus taught:

Armstrongism and LCG may pretend to preaching about following a "Jesus' but, their actions prove other wise.  It's all about death and destruction in a few short years to come.  Armstrongites needs to see death and destruction rain down around them. They need  to see the world spanked in order for them all to see that what the COG preached was true.  Without these chastised people bowing down before them they would not  be seen as real world leaders and teachers in the world tomorrow.  They need to have their lives legitimized for being followers of Armstrongism.

Prophet Thiel fails to realize that preaching a false teaching of British Israelism is not a warning message to the world.  The world does not care what Rod Meredith or LCG's preaches.  It has no message that is any meaning to the world at large, so people are not interested in it. When it's preaching is filled with so many leis and false teachings it is a good thing that no one cares!

Prophet Thiel concludes:

People should read and study the Bible.  Promoting misunderstandings about the Church of God is not good.

What about the hundreds of documented FAILED prophecies that HWA, Meredith, Flurry, Waterhouse, et all have uttered over the last seven decades?  Talk about promoting misunderstanding!  Meredith has lied to the church when he claimed to never have committee a major sin since baptism.  He has lied so many times about prophecy.  His false teaching lead to the mental breakdown of a church member who then murdered several LCG members. His heavy handed and ruthless treatment of ministers and members when he was Director of Church Administration is a black mark upon the church. Lives were literally destroyed by this man!  His obscene obsession with sex, particularity gay sex has made him out to be rather creepy dude!

Prophet Thiel and the LCG promote so many thigns as "truth" that they cause much misunderstanding about the Bible and Christianity  that it is NOT good! There is NO GOOD in the Living Church of God!

"Yeah....just why do I do that?"

"Yeah....just why do I do that?"

"I appreciate "Banned By HWA", but I must say that some of the articles, especially this one and Diehl's "religion"(not to say I don't enjoy reading some of Diehl's repeated philosophy), get a touch long-winded....

Yes, Dennis writes interesting articles, but he seems to repeat himself over and over again. No matter what the subject is, he goes back to the astrology aspect, or Paul being a fake. "

I agree...

The last Festival sermon I was able to give was before about 8000 in Myrtle Beach in the late 90's.  Those were the days when the ministers were assigned sermon topics to prevent us straying too far afield I suppose.  Somehow I was always able to take the assigned topic and twist it into what I felt i wanted and need to say anyway.  I don't do assigned sermons anymore than I "to be played in all the churches" my local congregations to death with boredom from Pasadena.  

Anyway, the topic of my last Festival sermon was "The Politics of the New Testament" and was basically showing that all the key players in the NT, Peter, James, John and Paul were not all speaking the same thing and had issues with each other expressed in fascinating ways in the text if one knew how to read it and what to look for.  Much if not most of what I repeat here was in that sermon.  My point, and not seeing the dark clouds of church disintegration on the horizon yet, was merely endeavoring to show the church that as today so it was then.  Leaders differ and have been arguing over the meaning of Jesus since before the body cooled.  Paul and the Gentile view he taught won and James and the Jewish Church evaporated into history.  

WCG was a Jewish Christian Church that never knew how to view Paul accurately.  Both concepts are in the texts. 

I got a standing ovation for the sermon and that was a no no back then if you remember.  It was a real high to see such response as I later learned that a few things i said pushed the buttons of those over me and would be used against me to terminate me.  I know now I wanted out but didn't have the guts to walk away. I had to be pushed. I was not going to be a hand waving, Jesus smooching freak for them and they knew it.  My Epistle of Paul teacher who was the main speaker that year was enthralled and took me out to dinner after the sermon to talk more about it.  I have shared most of that sermon save for the Astro-theological origins of the core Jesus story here on this site. 

And while I know I have already said this before, my exit interview, which I did not realize was one until a few weeks later left me a bit stunned when I was told, sitting in Barnes and Noble, "Dennis, we know you know a lot about Jesus, but we don't think you know Jesus."  In my mind that meant, "We know you know enough to make people think and question the status quo but we don't think you are going to be a team player and tell people they need to soak themselves in Jesus."    I grew up soaking in Jesus which is why WCG caught my attention when they seemed to focus not on the squishy Jesus but what he said and taught.  Anyone can see, if they wish, that Jesus and Paul did not have the same message.  

So I ask myself, just why do I repeat myself on these topics?  I agree totally with the opening observation about the repetative nature of my postings.  Why do I do that?  Here is my best answer. 

I crave open and honest discussion with intelligent folk on these topics.  I keep thinking that someone will engage me on these observations about Paul and such but as you know, it is rare.  The "as above, so below" aspect of the story of all godmen and sun gods as the 12 month journey through the signs of the zodiac just captivated me and it just seems true to me.  

There was no one more religiously curious than me as a kid. I got yelled at by ministers for too many questions and pitched out of catechism classes a time or two for 'well why does it say this here and then this over here?"   I haven't changed much. 

I'll keep this short.  I think the implications of what theologians call, "The Problem of Paul," are just short of stunning, as are some of the other larger issues that I have finally taken a good look at and drawn big conclusions about Christian literalism and Evangelical Fundamentalism.  They are more harmful than helpful and they hurt more than help people in the long run. 

I have always studied origins.  It mattered not whether it was human origins or the origin of scripture and religions that really expect great sacrifice from their followers.  I want to know where things REALLY come from and their REAL origins.  It's just how I think.  I don't want to believe what is not true and do not wish to practice that which is not necessary especially if it causes people personal pain thinking they have to do the right thing.  I hate unfairness and I have always defended the underdog. It's just how I am.  I certainly don't and never wanted to tell others what they had to do or be or think or practice if it was not necessary.  When I taught it, I believed it. When I didn't believe it, I stopped teaching it and fell back to the "what the hell do i do now," point of view.  Transitions are messy and it took time for me to realize the implications of my own study in religion while I was teaching religion. 

Ok, ok,...I really mean this to be short.  The bottom line is that I don't mean to repeat myself but I know I am looking to engage in discussion on these fascinating topics.  I don't even care if I am not agreed with but it's not enough to just say, "Diehl is an idiot."   Tell me you're view on the problem of this or that.  Actually most don't have a view and have never thought of it as a problem so I do understand.  I realize I am probably expecting something from this site that the site is really not designed for.  

As most of you know, the whole experience introduced me to various forms of depression and personal anxiety on any number of issues, but that seems to have been part of the price of moving on.  I'm doing the best I can for who I am and my nature and temperament.  I know myself very well now more than ever.  Kinda creepy...ha.  

I miss teaching and tackling topics that others only think about.  I have been told all my life by members and ministers,  "Dennis, you say things I am only thinking,"  "You are ahead of your time," and "That was fascinating..."    My debate with Art Mokarrow last year was very stimulating to me and a real opportunity to speak up to my old WCG and COG types. Art invited the fox into the hen house and I had a ball.  My WCG minister buddies in the audience wanted more after the debate and were very much in agreement with me on many points they had always thought personally about.  

My last comment to several was, "Do you agree with a lot of this?...oh yes, And you teach it now?....oh no.  But you still get your paycheck?   .....oh....yeah...."  We parted with that kind of knowing half smile only ministers know the meaning of....

Dennis C. Diehl

DenniscDiehl@aol.com

Finding God In All Natural Disasters

Matthew Paul Turner has a great entry on his blog yesterday about Christians who find God behind hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, etc. Jesus Needs New PR: How To Find God in Natural Disasters!  Check out his blog for the entire post.

Here are the points for any TRUE Christian to use when laying blame:

Now, for those of you who are atheists or Episcopalians and already discounting the whole “God’s wakeup call” theory as hogwash, you might consider the fact that this small earthquake happened during the same week that Hurricane Irene is expected to make landfall and get all Sodom-and-Gomorrahish on you and on the same exact day that Barbra Streisand’s new record released nationwide. Call me crazy, but three natural disasters in one week doesn’t just happen for no reason.

1) Think Biblical: In order to fully grasp how God might show up in the details of this week’s disasters, you must first embrace biblical thinking. How do we Christians do this? By imagining that we’re Moses or Elijah or heck, even Jesus. Since Moses found God in a burning bush and Elijah called to God to bring fire down from Heaven, and Jesus calmed raging stormy seas with the flip of his hand, it should come as no surprise how easy it is for us to visualize God using a cold front or the jet stream to maneuver his ways into our ways. This probably also explain why you’re born-again aunt always updates her Facebook status to “Watching the power of God” during thunderstorms. Once you’re in character, consider the fact that you now believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and thus, it only makes sense that he would occasionally use the heavens and the earth to encourage us to do good things or perhaps Republican things once in a while.
2) Think Spiritual: While many Christians claim to see God in all of life’s nooks and crannies—you know, they claim to smell him in a rose or taste him while eating a plum. I suggest you start smaller by looking for God in the really big events, ie, after Irene blows through, walk around and look for oddly placed crosses. If a cross from a local church ends up destroying your rhododendron plant, that could be a sign. Or if you find a couple of 2X4s in the shape of a cross atop a pile of rubble, that’s definitely sign. God loves using 2X4s. You might consider taking a picture of that and send it into your local news station. And who knows? Maybe Irene will bless you with a backyard etching of the face of Jesus or Mary or a face loosely based on the face of Jesus or Mary. We never know how God will speak to us, so we tend to keep an open mind.
3) Look for God’s Message: Since we read hundreds of accounts in the Bible of people believing that God spoke or acted or showcased his talent via nature’s more uglier moments, anytime God sends or allows or doesn’t stop natural disasters from showing up at our doorsteps, we expect a message! In most cases, there’s always some sort of message attached, literal or otherwise. It’s like getting a bouquet of flowers or an envelope dusted with anthrax, it doesn’t just happen. There’s almost always a fully spiritual explanation. So look for God’s message. I think experiencing an earthquake is like getting a text message from God when my phone is on vibrate. But it’s important to remember that the earthquake isn’t the actual message, it’s just a signal to let us know that you’ve received a new message. It’s essential that we check our messages. Have you checked Tuesday’s message from God?
4) Share the Message: God’s messages are meant to be shared! So, once you discover what God’s trying to say to you through Tuesday’s earthquake or this weekend’s hurricane, make sure you tell people about it. Now, depending on whose theological persuasion you listen to, God’s message might need to be interpreted (which is “Christian” for deciphered) because sometimes God’s messages come to us more heavily coded than the Book of Ezekiel. Still, a message exists. So find it. Decipher it. And then Tweet it!
5) Believe in God’s Mercy: Now listen, it’s absolutely imperative that you believe that God is merciful, no matter what the devastation or how FEMA responds. God. Is. Merciful! (Repeat that two times.) With that in mind, if you don’t figure out the message the first time, know that God won’t leave you uninformed. God always keeps attaching the message again and again to whatever natural disaster happens to slip through his hands and onto your part of the world. So don’t worry! Keep your mind focused on God’s mercy. A pastor I knew in college always said: God’s mercies are new every morning and occasionally they get measured on the Richter Scale. He was a Calvinist.
6) Self reflect: No natural disaster is complete without self reflection. It’s never easy for me to believe that I might be partially to blame for God sending natural disasters. It might be an easier stretch for you to believe that. But whether difficult or easy, it’s a necessary evil. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask: Are you the Jonah of this week’s story? Are YOU the reason God is pissed off and sending everybody from Atlanta to Detroit a text message? Only you can answer that question, of course. But as you’re clearing your deck of loose items or shopping for toilet paper and bottled water at Wal-mart, it’s something you might spend time thinking about. Perhaps if you are this weekend’s “Jonah,” you could confess or move to another state and possibly spare your friends and neighbors the wrath of Irene.