Dad of the Year!

UCG Afraid of Muslim Persecution In Europe?

An acolyte of James Malm had a comment today about UCG's plan on not distributing the Jan-February Good News in the UK and possibly Europe because much of the magazine is focused on Islam.

James – Regarding not distributing the Jan-Feb Good News in England & Australia.
I suggest you find a more reliable “bird”. Much of the magazine deals with the history of Islam. It was felt it could stir government action against the church. It had nothing to do with finances.

Apostle Malm then goes on with these absurd predictions:

The “bird” said the mag was not being distributed. The opinion on finances was mine; now that I read this nonsense, I can see why they would not want it presented to people who know better and could easily refute this ignorance.

It was a very big mistake to publish this error as there are very many who will see through it; an dtheir prophetic conclusions about Islam are profoundly WRONG.

Radical islam is in the prosecc of being destrpoyed and the mainstream Islam will ally itself wioth Catholicism viewing the coming Pope as a man of peace and ultimate moral athiruity, with the all religions are paths to the same god concept.

Non Egyptian Islam will NOT fall out with and go against Europe; it will be ALLIED WITH Europe against the King of the South [The US. Britain and Judah as well as Egypt].

UCG's Good News: Islam vs. the West

Prophet Thiel: The Authority on Everything

Prophet Thiel of the improperly named "Living Church of God" has been quit disturbed lately by the names of various COG's and Christian magazines.

The other day he slammed Christianity Today with this little barb:

Valentine’s Day is observed by many in February. As in prior years, in addition to seeing store displays and tv & print ads, I noticed that the falsely labeled Christianity Today (CT) is again compromising from biblical principles in order to attempt economic gain as it is promoting some jewelry purchases on its “Valentine’s Day” page.

Today his is taking potshots at Gerald Flurry's cult:

Joel Hilliker of the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (cf. Revelation 3:9) wrote the following (Lessons From the Bloodbath in Syria.  February 8, 2012. From the Trumpet.com):

Prophet Thiel's hypocrisy is beyond measure.  Look at all the baggage associated with the formation of LCG and how they all jumped ship taking Global Church of God's money with them.  Look at the people who connived behind the scenes to form both of these two groups and then stabbed their friends in the back as they left and formed new groups. Prophet Thiel needs to admit that there is NOTHING "Living" about LCG.
Improperly named Living Church of God has a lot to answer for.

COGWA Rakes in the Dollars

Its been a "good" year for the Church of God a Worldwide Association.  In little over a year they have $1.3 million dollars in reserves now.  Of course this is burning a hole in their pockets so that are getting an official office space at "The Office Campus at Allen."  I am sure this is a great dig at UCG when so many predicted the COGWA splinter would fail quickly.

I am happy to announce the location of our new headquarters office in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We will be leasing an office suite consisting of 5,590 square feet of space on the first floor of the building located at 1301 Central Expressway South, Allen, Texas. Allen is a suburb of Dallas and is located just a few miles north of the city along the Central Expressway (also U.S. Highway 75). The name of the building complex is “The Office Campus at Allen,” and it is in a beautiful setting with easy access to the freeway…

While the location decision was left to the administration, I wanted to make sure everyone agreed with the final selection. Joel Meeker, Leon Walker, Larry Salyer, David Baker, Fort Worth pastor Britton Taylor and I were involved in this review. Jason Lovelady and Clyde Kilough were not present for this final review, but both had seen the properties on a previous trip. Dallas pastor Doug Horchak was out of the country but had also seen the properties at an earlier time. At the end of the day, all present agreed that the Allen property was superior to the others and offered everything we desired at an affordable price (below our budget)…

I have heard that Lil'Joel is quite excited about having some new space:

Van Robison On "The Real Purpose of Churches"

The Real Purpose of Churches

There is no "pastor" who identifies himself or herself with that label, who does not seek personal followers.  Some "pastors" are very successful at gathering a great crowd of people at their feet.  We live in the age of the mega-church and there are many of them.  Herbert W. Armstrong was among those who amassed a considerable number of human sheep.  The front put forth to the world and the public is always the same, which is to "preach the Gospel" to the world.  Without personal followers no "pastor" (unless independently wealthy), could ever build a church building, a "Christian" school, a "Christian" college or fund ministerial homes, luxuries, jet airplanes, trips around the world, glossy magazines and so forth.

Although always hotly denied the real basis for churchianity is money.  Most likely the world of churches will never disappear from life on earth.  Most all parents will forever teach their children to believe as they do in
regard to religious beliefs and so the many belief systems perpetuate endlessly.  The Mormon Church has staggering wealth, as does the Roman Catholic Church.  The Worldwide Church of God during the life time of Herbert W. Armstrong, although nothing to sneeze at in terms of their bank vault, paled into insignificance compared to the Mormon and Catholic churches and even the Jehovah Witnesses.  The Southern Baptist Conference and other groups are also vast religious empires.  In fact the combined wealth of all the churches together is nothing short of countless billions in assets and revenues.  Was God/Jesus Christ ever really just a business enterprise?  Apparently those who founded churchianity think so, as do those who perpetuate this vast money making industry.

Why do men and women aspire to wanting to be "ordained?"  In my opinion it is because of human vanity.  People love to be thought of as being "important", "special", "above others" and "gifted" more than "common" people. I have a friend I have known for many years, who was "ordained" and although he has no following or church, he refers to himself as "Reverend _____."  He has learned that by using the term "reverend", he often receives favors from other people, who deem him as "special."  It is sheer vanity and fraud on his part, and in my opinion borders on blasphemy.  My sister-in-law and my brother-in-law use to attend a very large Baptist Church in a major city and when the older "Senior Pastor", retired, they imported another preacher from clear across the country.  The new "pastor" was so vain and haughty that our in-laws, took an exit.  The man was intolerable.  Young people often run off to "Bible College" thinking they want to "serve" others, and what it really turns out to be is that they become self-serving, at the expense of the tithe payers.

Many churches now have "Youth Pastors", "Children's Pastors", "Music or Worship Pastors" and every type of "pastor" coming and going that are supposed to serve the "needs" of others.  When my two daughters were teenagers, long ago they were bossed around by the youth pastor of the church we attended, and I had a few choice words with this man, that my children were not his property and that he was not their parent.  When the "Christian" school my daughters attended, gave the students so much home work that they had to stay up until midnight or later with "homework", I knew then that we were being robbed of our own family time and so we pulled our daughters out and home schooled them.  Many churches think they are God to those who attend and to their children.

I can't really say that everything about church life is totally bad and that is because human beings are social creatures and they are able to have good times, in spite of the control and financial drain upon their pocket books.  I can remember we use to have volleyball teams at Ambassador College and as employees we had great fun playing that sport.  We attended concerts, had beach outings, campouts and did some fun things.  We had some good friends and many good times at Shakey's Pizza, which included a crowd of our people, guzzling mugs of beer.  We all learned from those experiences.  Some of us simply could not endure the authoritarian hierarchy, the "God-status" of the self-appointed "pastor-kings" or their endless rants and so took an out, never to return.

I still know people that I went to church with many years ago, who still dutifully attend church services every weekend, pay their tithes and seem to be clueless.  Some of us just don't understand how these people think.  Every pastor of every church will defend himself and his church tenaciously.  I have no doubt that many pastors are very sincere and zealous about their beliefs, but sincerity and zeal does not necessarily spell "truth."  People can be sincerely wrong.  For many church goers, those of us who use to attend and now do not, seem to have "spiritual leprosy."  Not all church goers have the same attitude, because some will be friendly and ask no questions, while others treat you as if you have a contagious disease.  I have even found that atheists are generally thinkers, where the clueless sheeplike church attenders are not.  I have read a great deal from atheists and believe there are many legitimate issues.  Some atheists are friendly and likeable and some are hostile and drive people away.  I have no problem having friendship with people who present themselves with a humble attitude, no matter what they believe. I have a friend who grew up in India, although lives in Canada and he is Caucasian and he leans toward Buddhism.  We have some things in common aside from religious beliefs.

Churches will always deny that they exist as business enterprises for the purpose of money, but men have always loved control and power over their fellow human beings, and like all human governments, churches are tools of control and free money.    Churches treat their members as if they are nursing infants and must be bottle fed for life.  Those who sit in pews are insulted as if they are mere spiritual children and must be taught what to think and what to do and what to believe, because without their human "Pastor-God", they cannot function.

Is there an optional way to live and learn without being dominated by men and women who stand in pulpits and think they have a "right" to your pocketbook?


Van Robison