Living Church of God: Sex! Gay Sex! Pride! High Living! Unconcern for the Poor! Just another day in LCG...

Dang, it!  Don't you just love it when Living Church of God talks about itself in such a way as it is below!  It sounds like a perfect description of the Headquarters staff in Charlotte.  According to LCG members, Charlotte is a cesspool of prideful and arrogant men lording themselves over the members.  How can we forget the "high living" stories that have appeared here about Lil'Jimmy and others spending hundreds of thousands of dollars remodeling their offices and living the high life, at church expense, at Feast sites?  When has LCG every had concern for the poor?  With Rod McNair claiming the elderly are demon possessed and telling church members not to work in jobs that care for the elderly, just where do we see concern for the poor? The COG has an abysmal track record of helping the poor in their communities, let alone their won church members!

Come out of her perverted ways LCG members!  Come out and be free!

Sobering Signs of the Times: Jesus said we are to watch world events as we get closer to the end of the age (Matthew 24:42–44). It is sobering to see the parallels between significant events mentioned in the Scriptures and the times in which we are living. In Genesis 6 we see that God sent a flood to end a civilization that was permeated with violence and wickedness. In Genesis 18 and 19, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sinful depravity—pride, arrogance, open homosexuality, high living, and unconcern for the poor (Genesis 19:1–11; Ezekiel 16:49–50). The citizens of these cities, including Lot and his family, had forgotten why God had destroyed almost the entire human race only 400 years before. Yet, in spite of being surrounded by moral depravity, Lot and his family were reluctant to leave their city. As we see the same moral depravity and horrendous violence spreading throughout the world, we need to remember these Old Testament examples were recorded for our admonition as we approach the end of the age (1 Corinthians 10:1–13). We also need to remember the Apostle Paul’s admonition to “come out” of this world and its perverted ways (2 Corinthians 6:17–18), because God’s judgment on our modern Satan-influenced world is coming—just as it did on the ancient world. We all need to wake up and recognize the real significance of what is happening around us and earnestly pray, “Thy Kingdom come.”

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

14 people describe what it is like to grow up in cults..including WCG

They put me in a room for three days without food. They wanted me to confess my sins. I didn't know what to say, so I just came out with every doubt about the group I’d ever had. I made strange noises because I thought that’s what they wanted, but I was worrying, "What happens if they’re the wrong noises?"

People Who Grew Up In Cults Describe What Their Childhoods Were Like  

The media covers and occasionally sensationalizes cults, but few news outlets know much about the children who grow up in cults. Not every cult member experiences the horror and raids depicted on TV. Of course, there are challenges, and each day can bring a multitude of concerns that other children don't typically face. And people who were once in cults share their experiences more often than one might imagine.

Many of their stories refer to the disorientating nature of their childhood - many survivors reportedly had to deal with violence, nonsensical teachings, and debilitating rules. Each cult seems to have had their own ways of destroying a young person's spirit, but each group also appears to have wanted the same result: a brainwashed follower without autonomy. 

Click the above link and you will see a Worldwide Church of God story in the article.

Third Tithe: The Church of God Con Game

The demand in the Churches of God over tithing has created huge nightmares for members and a steady stream of income for the leaders in charge.  Most of these men have never worked an honest day of sweat-producing,  callous forming work in their lives, so having someone else support them is always the best choice.  Can you imagine Gerald Flurry, Gerald Weston, Bob Thiel, James Malm and others ever seen sweating?  Apostles NEVER sweat!

The church has always hit back at those that claim it demands three tithes from its members and is always quick to point out that a second tithe is for the members themselves to travel to various sites for annual fall celebrations.  But this quick to remind members that the church demands that members tithe upon that money and then expects them to give any remaining money leftover to the church.

And then there is the most misused and fraudulent tithe the church demanded, third tithe, money that was supposed to go to the fatherless, widows and needy. If you combined all 400 some of the COG's still in existence, you would be hard pressed to count on two hands how many orphans the church has ever helped in 80 some years!  It is only slightly better for the widows.  The church was very reluctant to help widows in the church and when they did the women had to go through lots of hoops and major ass-kissing in order to get a mere pittance.  Stories of how widows in the church were never helped by the church have been circulating on Facebook and elsewhere over the past few months.  The cold-hearted callousness of ministers and church leaders in making up excuses as to why they would not help are appalling to read.

When I say 3rd tithe was misused, it is not an accident.  Ambassador Reports and others have long reported stories about how ministers and church leaders dipped into 3rd tithe to remodel their homes and for other expenses.  When I came to Pasadena it was widely known that Rod Meredith had dipped into the 3rd tithe fund when he wanted his home on Waverly Drive remodeled.

In “Twisted Teachings on Tithing” AR wrote:  “The purpose of the third tithe fund is to help the fatherless, the widows, and the needy—at least that's what members have been told.  It's sad to say, but the third tithe fund [in 1976] would be many millions of dollars larger than it presently is if the Armstrongs hadn't secretly authorized using its funds to buy jet fuel, to furnish and redecorate high-ranking ministers' homes, and to pay ministers' salaries.  Somehow using this third tithe ‘poor fund’ for these things—when there's not enough money to help the needy church widows—seems like a ‘Robin Hood in reverse’—robbing the poor to give to the rich (AR #2, p. 17).  

Holly Ruiz, who was married for 18 years to Enrique Ruiz, director of the Mexico City office of the Worldwide Church of God, told Mary Jones the following about third tithe in “Southern Exposure”: “RUIZ:  I remember one time when Enrique wanted to buy $1,000 worth of dining room furniture, he asked Garner Ted for the money.  Well, Ted told him to simply take it out of Third Tithe funds. [Editor: WCG members were led to believe that the Third Tithe Fund was used solely to help widows, orphans, & the poor.]“JONES:  Was the whole house furnished with Third Tithe funds?“RUIZ:  I believe so.”  (AR #2, p. 32)

In “Fleecing the Flock” John Trechak wrote that he had a large stack of approved and signed Ambassador College purchase orders (PO’s) from one of AR’s sources showing money spent totally from third tithe (AR #2, p. 61).  Here are a few samples:

Date	P. O. #	Recipient	Description	Amount
1969	20904	D. Apartian	Furniture, carpets	$22,000
1/29/69	18634	Ron Dart	Appliances, drapery	$5,000
1/29/69	20123	Ron Dart	All furnishings	$40,000

The article further reported that on two occasions in 1974 a tape recorder caught Garner Ted Armstrong actually admitting to fellow ministers that third tithe funds were being used for purposes other than the sustenance of the widows and orphans of the church.  Notice his words:  "...it is true that massive segments of third tithe as it built up in the balances of this work were used both for ministerial homes and for ministerial salaries."  (Garner Ted Armstrong, ministerial conference, Jan. 3, 1974.)  "But you know it [third tithe] is still being used for your salaries.  It's still being used for church homes." (Garner Ted Armstrong, ministerial conference, May 7, 1974.)  (See AR #2, p. 61.)

Third tithe funds were used for the jets, but who authorized it?  According to one Ted Armstrong statement, it was Albert J. Portune.  According to Albert J. Portune, it was Herbert W. Armstrong.  In February 1974 evangelist David Antion commented on this at a meeting in Richmond, Virginia:  “About that time Al [Portune] had a conscience problem and he just went to Mr. [Herbert] Armstrong and said, ‘Do we have to use third tithe?  That doesn't look good.  It's bad.  It's not right to use the third tithe fund to fly jets and pay for all that fuel.'" (See “Fleecing the Flock,” AR #2, p. 61.)  

Yet when reading this, certain church members still claim the church is the most ethical church ever to exist on earth since the original 1st century Christians came into existence.  They stumble all over themselves trying to claim the actions of the  men in charge were not that bad and that they were practicing "1st century Christianity." 

There were lots of members who caught on to the abuse of 3rd tithe and started giving it directly to widows and needy they knew that were in need.

The Church of God has always revolved around money and devised countless ways to bilk members out of hard-earned money:

1st tithe
2nd tithe
3rd tithe
Tithe of the tithe
Excess 2nd tithe
Holy day offerings
Special offerings from member letters
Special offerings from co-worker letters
Building fund

First fruit offerings
(I am sure there are others I have forgotten)

It is no wonder modern-day crooks in the COG, like Thiel, Malm, Pack, Flurry, Weinland, Weston, Kubik, Franks and others, still, demand of their followers that they tithe. Their little man-made organizations would dissolve. Plus, they fail to let their followers that tithing is NOT a new covenant demand. But since when has ever following the new covenant ever been a high priority!

As the bigger Churches of God continue to be bloated by more and more people on payroll, less and less money is going into proclaiming their "gospel witness" to the world.  There is, after all, one priority on the mind of all of the top COG leaders, and it is this:

The true god of the Churches of God

The Kitchen clan has the above video on their web site.  It sounds like Herman Hoeh, running off at the mouth, as usual.  He makes the statement, which was said way before the current explosion of splinter groups, that the reason groups imitated the Worldwide Church of God and what it taught was because it "sells".  It brings in money.  Notice the focus is entirely on money.
 Not Jesus, but money.

Every single one of the 400+ splinter groups would not be in existence today unless they were still trying to sell Herbert Armstrong's teachings.  Even the apostates like Weinland, Pack and Thiel cannot stop talking about Herbert Armstrong.  From the larger personality cults to the insignificant little groups ensconced in Utah and Arizona, they all still trying to sell HWA in 2019.  Their business model is failing because they are still living in the 1960-1980s.

It is still about the money even in 2019.  It is about ensuring a steady income for the ministers and for retirement programs for the upper elite. That is why every one of the larger splinter groups started, to ensure they still got paid.  It was never about any gospel message, the Kingdom of God or even Jesus.

It was about money.

The true god of the Churches of God.

The winds of change demolish former WCG Feast Site

The winds of change just demolished a former Worldwide Church of God Feast Site... Literally.

Many Church of God Members who used to attend the Dayton Ohio Festival Site will remember the Hara Arena, recently closed due to economic hardship. The Hara Arena took a direct hit by an EF-3+ Tornado. The roof was shorn off, and entire conference centers adjacent to the main Arena were completely torn apart. 

The EF-3 tornado blasted a damage path across Trotwood towards Wagner Ford and Siebenthaler Avenue, continuing southeastwards towards the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum, a popular tourism location for Worldwide Church of God members. No word as of yet on damages at the Air Force Base. 

Several other buildings familiar to Church of God Dayton Feastgoers were also demolished. The Rite-Aid Pharmacy adjacent to the former Best Western has been demolished, being exposed to looters in the economically deprived city of Dayton. 

Since the Worldwide Church of God left Dayton Ohio as a convention site, Dayton has suffered extreme economic downfall and blight. As one of the most impoverished Ohio cities, recently suffering from an extensive opioid crisis, the last thing Dayton needed was a major tornado to rip through the city. Dayton residents vowed, however, to recover, stating that they "would come back".

For Worldwide Church of God members familiar with the Hara Arena, for good and for bad, the only thing likely to remain at the corner of Shiloh Springs and Basore Road are memories.

Submitted by SHT