The Corruption of an Unconventional Mind

The Corruption of an Unconventional Mind

By

Lonnie C. Hendrix

As one of the many folks who accepted Herbert Armstrong’s theology in part or in toto, I have given a great deal of thought to the subject of what made me vulnerable/susceptible to his teachings. After all, most of the people who heard his message did not accept/adopt it as their own. Why? Because they were too smart? Maybe, but my sense is that there was something more profound at work.

It seems to me that Mr. Armstrong’s message had a particular appeal to those who were not satisfied with traditional religious teachings and explanations about Scripture. It appears to me that the folks who were already searching for something more spiritually and intellectually satisfying than the dribble which they had been spoon fed all of their lives were more susceptible to being seduced by his message. In short, Armstrong’s target audience was in large part made up of those folks who had what we might justly characterize as an unconventional mind (those not conforming to what is generally believed or accepted as truth).

Herbert Armstrong focused on some of the blatant inconsistencies between what Traditional Christianity was teaching and what these folks were reading in Scripture. He also pointed out the hypocrisy inherent in some of the teachings and behaviors exhibited by mainstream folks. Likewise, he skillfully ridiculed the illogical nature of some of their most important/cherished beliefs and teachings. In further contrast to his fellow theologians, he appeared to base his own teachings on an uncanny familiarity with human experience and history. Finally, he seemed to have answers to the deeply philosophical questions that had been haunting humanity for millennia.

At least, that’s how it seemed as long as one read all of his material, accepted it as the revelation of the Holy Spirit and didn’t dig too deep after doing so. Mr. Armstrong had taken the time to think about these issues and study them in a little more depth than the average Joe (which isn’t saying much, since even unconventional minds tend to be intellectually lazy). At any rate, he had readied/prepared himself for when those poor unsuspecting minds opened their eyes and ears to his message. In other words, he was primed for them; and they were ready to be seduced.

In this way, Herbert Armstrong was able to kidnap minds that might well have otherwise been on their way to bigger and better things. Once they were in his grasp, he erected all kinds of internal and external obstacles to further study or questioning. He assured them that they had found what they had been looking for, and any further searching was a useless and dangerous waste of time. In fact, if they continued to search, he assured them that they would lose what they had obtained and stumble into the Lake of Fire!

And just to make sure that they didn’t turn back, he attacked the very thing that had brought them into his fold in the first place:  their intellectual curiosity. Mr. Armstrong assured his followers that they were the “weak and foolish” things of the world. He told them that they had been sheep - blindly and mindlessly following the satanic teachings of Traditional Christianity, which really wasn’t Christian at all. Thus, doubting their own unconventional disposition, they became imprisoned within the bizarre kingdom of Herbert’s ideas. Fortunately, some of us were able to recover (or never completely surrendered/abandoned) that disposition and have been able to emerge from that dark prison of close-mindedness and begin to grow again in grace and knowledge.

Looking back on my own experiences in the kingdom of Armstrong, I can see how dangerous it is for someone to ever completely shut the door to his/her mind. According to the Bible, Satan is already lurking within the recesses of that place. Hence, a door that is shut and locked provides no exit for him, and no entrance for God or further enlightenment. The real truth is never threatened by further investigation or consideration, and a truly unconventional mind is never satisfied with the answers that the rest of the crowd so willingly gobbles up.

Christian Platt: The A**hole Christian Survival Guide

Christian Platt is one of my favorite Christian authors.  He is unlike the evangelical writers that write the syrupy twaddle found in WalMart and most Christian books stores. Nor is he anything like the self-righteous legalistic miscreants that head up Church of God splinter groups.  He is a breathe of fresh air in the stagnant and/or backward thinking evangelical atmosphere that permeates this country today. He also feels that Christians should laugh at themselves for many of the stupid things we do and say.

He is writing a new book called  The Asshole Christian Survival Guide.  The title of his book will immediately tick off the uber-legalists and the self righteous in the Churches of God.......because......we all know that there could not possibly be any assholes in Church of God ministerial positions!  Gerald Flurry's not one!  Bob Thiel's not one!  Rod Meredith's not one! Vic Kubik can't possibly be one and most assuredly Dave Pack could NEVER be one! So where does that leave James Malm?

Platt writes:

Are You Ready for the A**hole Apocalypse?

You’ve encountered those Christians who are so self-assured about their faith it’s like fingers on a chalkboard. You’ve met the type that is only satisfied if you think, act and believe just like they do. You know the Christians that want to start a conversation with an awkward question like “have you accepted Jesus into your heart?” or left a tract as a tip, or gave crosses to kids at Halloween or…you get the idea.

One of the best sermons I ever heard started with the sentence, “I’m a Christian because I’m an asshole.” This got me thinking: maybe we do need an example like Jesus to follow because we can ALL be real assholes from time to time. But what I’ve noticed is that too many Christians believe that, once they’ve accepted Jesus, they’re all fixed and are no longer assholes.

And there’s the real irony: Thinking that having Jesus in your heart keeps you from ever being an asshole again makes you an even bigger asshole. So it’s time we talked about it.

 Elsewhere he writes:

Why an Asshole Christian Survival Guide

So if we Christians are supposed to reflect God and Jesus to the world, why are so many of us such jerks?

Sometimes we Christians take everything so seriously it's a real drag. So this book is done very much with tongue in cheek, but also with the intent of getting at some real truth. And I think sometimes the best way to start healing and mending fences between us and the rest of the world is to be able to laugh at ourselves.

So the book is less about fixing us all, but teaching us how to better get along together by helping us come to terms with our inner asshole. Making peace with it, maybe even laughing about it sometimes, but still doing our best not to be too much of an asshole might actually make the world a little bit better place to live.

Where did the Idea Come From?

One of the most inspiring, honest sermons was from my friend who started out by saying, "I'm a Christian because I'm an asshole." At that moment, a little light went on inside me. It's not that I need Jesus because of original sin or to save me from burning in hell. He's not a stamp on my celestial passport. 

But I can be a real asshole. And once I have the humility to admit it, I might actually have something to learn from it. One of the biggest paradoxes, though, is when people mistakenly think that becoming a Christian makes them no longer be an asshole; in fact, Christians who think they're somehow "fixed" are some of the biggest a-holes of all.

The Ultimate Indictment

ht: FT @ Facebook: Herbert W Armstroke

Eric King: Thanks to the intervention of extraterrestrial's and God he was able to influence Obama into making a decision on Syrian refugees.

Forget about all of the empty prayers and petitions belched out by Flurry, Pack, Meredith and Thiel!  God no longer hears their prayers.  God apparently is listening however to one loyal follower from the Church of God who has combined Armstrongite myths with extraterrestrial teachings.  King and crew have been praying since August and finally God heard their prayers!  Woo Hoo!  Apparently it is good to have extraterrestrials and God on your side.

Some SOCT refugee prayers are being answered!

The Science Of Christian Thought posted September 3rd 2015 on its website the following:

“Since August 2015 all SOCT students including  myself have been praying for the immigrants and refugees worldwide. As of today [September 3rd 2015] I am asking all of us to pray at one o’clock PM around the world, no matter what time zone you are in, say a special and powerful prayer that the world wakes up and begins to help our fellow Human Beings. This will amount to powerful group prayers..” CLICK TO SEE ORIGINAL POST

And today we have action taken confirmed by the United States regarding this very important issue:

Obama Increases Number of Syrian Refugees for US Resettlement to 10000

More Construction On Pasadena Campus

This panorama shot is of the new condo complex being constructed
on the site of the old Fine Arts Hall.

The building in the background is where the Science Hall, parking lot and Mediterranean Garden fountains were behind Terrace Villa.

Ambassador Hall is currently being marketed as a private home for $9.5 million.

Philadelphia Church of God Helps Destroy Another Family!

Another story has popped up today by a person who left the Philadelphia Church of God cult and now is shunned by her family and friends.  The evil of Gerald Flurry, his cult ministers and ultimately Armstrongism itself,  continue to march on as present members who know the abuse is wrong stand by and do NOTHING!

My wife Kelly has spent her life helping people. From age 20-21, she moved to Amman, Jordan to volunteer, working at two schools helping children with physical  and mental disabilities , as well as outreach work throughout the Middle East.  She also later spent three weeks volunteering at a UN refugee camp in Somalia to help those wounded in the civil war, has been all over world touring and helping people.  She has been active in causes to stop child and human trafficking, and efforts to promote human and civil rights, both in her community and around the world.  She has worked tirelessly to help others, but now she cannot move forward with her life without receiving help from others.

Kelly is thirty-seven years old and disabled, but it wasn’t always that way.  Kelly was active in sports since the age of 5, and was even granted a scholarship to play college volleyball, but that dream was cut short before playing her first game as her health started taking a turn for the worse.  Now, life isn’t so easy.  She suffers from a neurological disease called Dystonia  (related to Parkinson’s), as well as DVT's (blood clots ), pulmonary embolisms  and other chronic serious pulmonary issues  keeping her reliant on oxygen, Antiphosphilipid Antibody Syndrome, digestive issues (she's lost 35 lbs in the past 6 weeks alone), neck and back issues, and chronically severe compression mega-migraines.  Medical staff has had to resuscitate her back to life three times in the past few years due to physical health problems combined with hospital mistakes.

Additionally, due to her parents joining a high-demand, abusive fundamentalist group at age 5, which Kelly tried to leave quietly at age 30, she has been shunned by her family and friends in the group. This has been very hard on her emotionally, and has led down a road where she also has been diagnosed and is being treated for  Complex PTSD, major depression disorder, and panic/anxiety disorder.   

#HelpSaveKelly - Mayo Clinic Trip

Philadelphia Church of God: More Evil from the Cult Compound of Gerald Flurry

It seems like almost every day now stories are popping up on various Internet sites about the horrendous spiritual, mental and physical abuse that is going on in the Philadelphia Church of God personalty cult.  Of all the hundreds of groups that make up Armstrongism now, this has to be the most vile and degenerate one out there.

With its evil ungodly doctrines and regulations to its equally degenerate leadership and ministry, the PCG is wrecking havoc in countless lives.

Below is the story of a man who recently left the cult and what the PCG did to rip his marriage apart.

When I left Philadelphia Church Of God (an extremely controlling cult that practice shunning of those members who decide to leave) my wife decided to divorce me.  She told me she counseled about it with the ministers, "every step of the way."  (Why is that not a comfort to me?  Google Mike's Enlightenment page and read there, or just google Philadelphia Church Of God and read some of the stories of people who left also the story from Fox News. ( I had a personal friend who committed suicide because of his experience.)    I did not want a divorce but I have no choice in Arizona.  Now I have to either sell my home or pay her $55000 for her half.  The problem is that I started building my home using a pre 1978 mobile home as the core and then refurbished it and added on to it more than doubling its' size.  This was to be our retirement home so we didn't intend to sell.  Now that I am forced to sell or to get an equity loan to pay my wife for her half, I find there is no financing available because of the age of that mobile I started with. This also means the sale price will be low. In my 70th year I have just a small social security check each month.  It is a frightening prospect to have to start over at this age. If you can identify with the treatment I am getting from a very nasty cult then perhaps you could spare a dollar or two.  I don't know if this will work but I have tried everything else.  Please help. Also please share this story. Thank you very much.  P.S. I still care about my wife and I've told her that we can both live in our home and enjoy our retirement but she absolutely refuses.  I know she is being manipulated.  They don't care about her well being either. Save My Home

New Bobby Fischer Movie Includes His Involvement With The Worldwide Church of God

A new movie about a moment in the life of Bobby Fischer is set to release around the country next Wednesday.  The producers of the film were in contact with The Painful Truth for information about Fischer's time spent being wrapped in Armstrongism. 

The WCG/Ambassador Foundation used Fischer as a publicity tool and took hundreds of thousands of dollars of his money over a ten year time period.  Many attribute his decline into madness to have been initiated by the church and is aberrant teachings.


The Los Angeles Times had an article up today about the movie:

Tobey Maguire moves through chess king Bobby Fischer's checkered life in 'Pawn Sacrifice'

The movie, which opens Wednesday in Los Angeles in limited release, works as a psychological thriller that begins in Fischer's troubled childhood, then shifts to a sports drama with all the tension building toward Fischer's match with Spassky. Schreiber, speaking beautiful Russian, plays against Maguire's wild-eyed intensity with elegance and humanity.
Together, they illustrate how both men were imprisoned by chess; Fischer by his own mind and Spassky by the Soviet regime.

Documentary footage is interspersed with the chess-playing dialogue-free scenes as Zwick aimed to shift between Fischer's private hell and the media circus he lived. The effect is "a fragmented portrait that wasn't dissimilar to what his life might have been," said Zwick.

Fischer joined the apocalyptic cult Worldwide Church of God for a time, then ended up in Pasadena, consumed by paranoia and living under a pseudonym. In 1992, he replayed Spassky in war-torn Yugoslavia. But the match violated U.N. sanctions and the U.S. issued an arrest warrant for Fischer. The chess champ lived the rest of his life in exile, occasionally coming out of seclusion to issue venomous attacks, particularly aimed at Jews.

Self-Appointed Church of God Prophet Warns COG Members They Will Go Through Tribulation If They Watch Football This Fall

It's that time of year again as God's most highly favored, doubly blessed, self-appointed prophet/apostle/chief overseer is back proclaiming his perceived evils of football.  The NFL and collegiate games have all started which is raised the hackles of the self-appointed prophet.

Bob Thiel considers his words so prophetic that he has quotes scripture to warn those that find him foolish:

Later today, the National Football League (NFL) is scheduled to begin its official season for this violent sport. Many do not wish to seriously consider that American 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)

Delusional Bob was not appointed by God.  He was not doubly blessed by God to be set apart to be a new splinter group leader.  Gaylyn Bonjour never even entertained the thought of such a thing happening when Theil asked for a blessing before going in to counsel with Meredith.  Thus, there is no concern to be had for anyone who disregards anything Theil says.  Quoting Isaiah as a threat does not mean God is going to back up that threat.

While there is an ongoing debate on the physical repercussions of tackle football, Thiel sets himself up as the FINAL authority on the matter. 

For some reason, he feels that his group is the true Philadelphian era and is filled with Philadelphia Christians.  For those that still believe the "era's" teachings, it is recognized by most that this would be considered the Laodicean era of the church.

He writes:

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 many who are not) realize that something about this sport is physically harmful and should not be encouraged.

Those who claim that encouraging American tackle football is fine are NOT Philadelphian Christians.  American tackle football causes real damage.  Damage that should not be encouraged.

These are some of the "proof's" Theil has for his nonsense:

Jesus taught not to intentionally hurt others, as it taught:

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

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it (Ephesians 5:29, NKJV)

Also, notice what John the Baptist taught soldiers:

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. (Luke 3:14, KJV)

Thiel cannot get past the cheerleaders either:

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.

Thiel also feels that the "gospel" prohibits football.  I can assure you that no writer of scripture ever entertained the thought of American football when writing out those verses.

Additionally, twice the New Testament refers to the good news message as “the gospel of peace”:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (Ephesians 6:14-15)

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 has done?

Then like any good Armstrongite has to do, Theil has to bring Herbert into the picture:

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. Herbert W. Armstrong categorized American football as evil.

For someone who supposedly characterized football as "evil." Herbert watched football as well as basketball on Friday nights and Saturdays.

Thiel continues:

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.

Thiel's final warning is that you WILL go through the tribulation of you watch football this coming season.

 Be warned!  Your salvation is at stake!

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).

You can read his pile of malarkey here: NFL 2015: Should Christians Watch?

The Modern Fundamentalist's Song

The Modern Fundamentalist's Song

Modern Fundamentalist:

   I am the very model of a Christian fundamentalist

   And by a strange coincidence a solid occidentalist.

   I cherry-pick the Bible for the verses close or distantly

   Amenable to straight white males, however inconsistently,

   Unless those verses might apply a little inconveniently

   In which case I interpret them a good deal more than leniently.

   We want to do just what we please however strange or horrible

   And still regard ourselves as wholly moral and adorable.

Congregation:

   We want to do just what we please however strange or horrible

   And still regard ourselves as wholly moral and adorable.

   And still regard ourselves as wholly moral and adorable.

MF:

   I call myself a Christian but it's really Paulist cultery

   Since Christ himself has said that my divorces were adultery.

   But I from man to man enjoy convexness and concavity

   And call whatever others do immoral and depravity.

Cong:

   But we from man to man enjoy convexness and concavity

   And call whatever others do immoral and depravity.

MF:

   I do not want to hear about the quantum or molecular

   Or how the Founding Fathers made our institutions secular

   I say the nation's Christian under Biblical authorities

   Rejecting what the Constitution says about majorities.

   The workings of the government may worry and perplex you all

   I say we're equal under God -- unless you're homosexual --

   Or black or brown or female or some kind of evolutionist

   For all attempts at reasoning are really persecutionist.

Cong:

   Or black or brown or female or some kind of evolutionist

    For all attempts at reasoning are really persecutionist.

MF:

   My freedom of religion trumps your Constitutionality

   Because the Constitution says it does with firm legality.

   I claim my rights from God or man, whichever's more commodious

   For what I want to do however evil, vile, or odious.

Cong:

   I claim my rights from God or man, whichever's more commodious

   For what I want to do however evil, vile, or odious.

MF:

   When I can issue licenses or not because I feel like it

   The public's just my piggy and the public can just squeal like it.

   I'll happily apply whichever law is most agreeable

   To what I want to do since what I want is unforseeable:

   The conscience of the person must control the way they view their job

   And not demands that public servants ought to serve and do their job.

   The Constitution's man-made law and God is not endorsing it;

   The SCOTUS made their law, and now good luck to them enforcing it.

Cong:

   The Constitution's man-made law and God is not endorsing it;

   The SCOTUS made their law, and now good luck to them enforcing it.

MF:

   There's nothing in my creed that advocates for love officially

   Except some quotes that God and Jesus handed down judicially --

   I don't see why I must obey the acts of which God sent a list

   And yet I am the model of a Christian fundamentalist.

Cong:

   We don't see why we must obey the acts of which God sent a list

   And yet we are the models of a Christian fundamentalist.

                                                        -- Marcus Bales

Philadelphia Church of "god", Gerald Flurry and Cal Culpepper Destroying Yet Another Marraige

Gerald Flurry's despotic reign continues to wreck more havoc as another marriage is being destroyed by Flurry's evil teachings. This sick cult takes great pride in splitting up marriages and families. 

From Exit and Support

August 31, 2015

I am grateful for your but devastated about my situation regarding my husband and PCOG. He believes this is the true church and remains dedicated to tithing, keeping the feasts, etc.

It is causing great turmoil in our marriage, and due to this group, PCOG, is disintegrating. It's like my husband is proud of this and claims Jesus says leave father, mother, wife, etc. This group has twisted, corrupt, ministers and the members are fear and guilt stricken. No religious group should have so much power and destructive capabilities.

How can you not assemble with your loved ones or attend a friend's funeral because they are "not of God's character" and that it is against their teachings? Honor thy father and thy mother? Really? And judgment? That's all PCOG does. I can't imagine that Cal Culpepper will teaching after Christ comes. Far from it!

I have a lot of pain from what has happened to my husband. He is fearful and has stopped living. I love him and pray that we will make it. However if we don't, it will be the PCOG's influence--100%. For years I have respected my husband's interest in PCOG (he is not yet baptized); but I have now been challenging the PCOG's behavior. More so, the ministers who control the organization. It's a shame that the PCOG website looks so "normal."

Please pray for me and my husband. --[name withheld]

Dueling Feast of Tabernacles Sites

The latest issue of the Journal (issue 176) has up the listing of all the hundreds of Church of God Feast of Tabernacles sites around the world.

The sad thing about this list is the numerous sites of separate Churches of God that are really close to each other.  Certain groups publicly forbid their members from attending or associating with the other groups close by.  Some have even been in the same complexes and refused to speak to each other.

In California we have several really close to each other in the Central Coast area. This listing does not include GCI's Monrovia location which adds to the mix.  The most pathetic mixture is in Missouri.

California

Carlsbad:
Rock Valley Christian Church,(951) 600-9555, http://rockvalleychristianchurch.org/content/tabernacle_welcome.php.

Indian Wells: LCG,https://fot2015.lcg.org.

King’s Beach: ICG, intercontinentalcog.org/tabernacleshome.php, (903) 561-7070.

Oceanside: UCG, http://feast.ucg.org.

Oxnard: The Father’s Call, http://thefatherscall.org/feast-plans.

Pismo Beach: Church of the Eternal God, eternalgod.org/feasts.

Solvang-Buellton: COGWA, http://feast.cogwa.org.

Ventura: Guardian Ministries, David Antion, P.O. Box 50734, Pasadena,Calif.91115, daveantion.com.

Florida

Destin : Church of God Big Sandy, churchofgodbigsandy.com, (800) 946-5545, P.O.Box 690, Big Sandy, Texas 75755.

Fort Walton Beach :
CGI,
Life Resource Ministries,
Common Ground Ministries,
Church of God Cincinnati,
Common Faith Network, commonfaithnetwork.com.

Lantana: The Christian Church of God, fla-ccog.com.

Melrose: Multiple study groups, Sept.28-Oct 6, http:// fallfeast.com.

Navarre: LCG, https://fot2015. lcg.org.

Palm Harbor: LCG, https://fot2015. lcg.org.

Panama City Beach: UCG, http://feast. ucg.org.

Panama City Beach: ICG, intercontinentalcog.org/tabernacleshome.php, (903) 561-7070.

St. Petersburg: Church of God Miami and CGI, http://godsbhurch.org/Feast.htm.
St. Petersburg/ Clearwater : CGI,http://cgi.org/feast-oftabernacles, Aleida Fontao, info@GodsChurch.org, (305) 752-5275.  

Missouri

Branson: UCG,http://feast.ucg.org.

Branson: CGWA,http://feast.cogwa.org.

Branson: International Congregation of Yahweh, feastgoer.org/metamorph_spring/branson15.html.

Branson : Providence of God Outreach Network, providenceofgodoutreachnetwork.org/2015-fotupdates.html.

Branson : Eternal Church of God, eternalcog.org/holydays/ecgholydays.html#tabernacles. Greenville: Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry, Sept.28-Oct.6,http://yrm.org/fot2015.

Kimberling/Branson: ICG, intercontinentalcog.org/tabernacleshome.php, (903) 561-7070.

Lake of the Ozarks: LCG, https://fot2015.lcg.org.

Lake of the Ozarks: Season of Our Joy, sooj.org/index.html.

West Plains: Congregation of Yahweh,Sept.30Oct.6, yahschosen.org/tabernacles.html.

We spent decades in the Worldwide Church of God mocking the hundreds and hundreds of various church denominations of the world.  Now that bitter vehemence has come back to bite the Church of God in their holy self-righteous posteriors. The Churches of God are divided into hundreds and hundreds of factions and personality groups that despise each other.  If these sad people cannot get along in the present world why would ANYONE want to be a part of their "kingdom's to come?

With the exception of Philadelphia Church of God and Restored Church of God that required registration and name tags to attend, most COG members ignore their leaders admonitions and visit other groups to see friends.

The Profound Ignorance of UCG Leaders

A comment was left on Gavin Rumney's OTAGOSH blog in relation to an article in UCG's Good News magazine on Iran and its nuclear deal.

Gavin writes in The problem with The Good News magazine:

There is really no way to successfully negotiate with such people. Whatever they agree to is merely to buy time to prepare for the needed world conflagration.

UCG Iran "expert" Robinson

Where's the balance here? This is a petulant piece by a man with - please correct me if I'm wrong - zero expertise in this subject, and who has one suspects been spending far too much time on the sofa with Fox News and WND.

What's the allure of this kind of rant? Why won't the GN provide some sort of sane overview of the situation - which is what it would claim to be doing but clearly is not. Why are they incapable of even hinting at an optimistic assessment of the Iran deal... even if only to provide some much needed balance.

It just doesn't fit the narrative.

The narrative, based on a profound ignorance of what the Bible is (and isn't) has the world going into an irrecoverable tail spin. Things might look bad right now but they're going to get worse. And there's nothing you can do about it but belly-ache and moan. This constitutes "warning the world", which (don't laugh!) constitutes preaching the gospel.

Almost all of the various splinter groups seem to get giddy at the thought of world wars, famine, disease and human suffering.  It has to happen because Herbert told them that it would.  Almost none of these men have any education outside of Church of God institutions or circles of insular thought processes.

Almost all of the men in UCG leadership positions are men who apostatized from their mother church in an act of rebellion in order to keep their salaries in tact.

One reader on Gavin's blog, whom no one ever agrees with, had this accurate comment about UCG:

UCG is a political organisation, which was started by a pack of hirelings, to fleece the gullible out of tithes and offerings! In civilian life, these men couldn't get proper jobs, to maintain the lifestyle they were accustomed to in WCG. So they started their own chuch, and now paid 6 figure salaries for talking and writing nonsense! They should all be in prison!

Church of God leaders and various ministers have set themselves up as authorities on all kinds of world news and events.  From the Philadelphia Church of God to the Restored Church of God, poorly educated men rely on Fox News and WorldNetDaily for their news, though only as long as the news fits the COG perspective and can be used to prop up pet fantasies (prophecies).

You Know You Grew Up In The Church of God...

God's Most Favorite End-time Work Moves To New Offices

God's most favorite Church of God in this end-times has moved into new offices on the Central coast of California.  Being doubly blessed has brought multiple thousands to gather at Theil's feet, thus the need for new offices.

Bob Thiel has announced this his global work has expanded so much over the last few years that bigger and better offices are required.  Dave Pack and Gerald Flurry look like first graders running lemonade stands compared to this theological giant and his global work!


Notice that he is using money from his homeopathy work to pay for this building and his justification for it all.  Apparently having a church composed of 96% African members does not bring in much income, thus he is mingling his work money with church business.  Don't worry though.  Thiel claims he is just like apostle Paul and has forfeited his RIGHT to an income from his church.  I love how all of these self impotant COG leaders always talk about themselves in the third person.

Because of the need for more storage space, the main office for the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) has been relocated to Grover Beach, California.

It was the most cost-effective building we could find.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that CCOG is NOT paying for the building space, Dr. Thiel’s business is–he also draws no salary from the Continuing Church of God.  While he does believe that he is biblically entitled to be compensated (beyond being reimbursement for expenses, etc.), he, like the Apostle Paul, have forfeited taking a regular salary from the (Continuing) Church of God for the current time–nor did he ever taken a salary from CCOG, or LCG or GCG for that matter over the past nearly two decades).  He makes his family’s income another way–owning a business that he works at part-time (the Apostle Paul made tents, apparently part-time, to support himself at times per Acts 18:3, while he also proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom).  He does not take a salary as there are other needs in the work that he has placed as a higher priority during this “present distress” (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:26).  For those who wonder, perhaps it should be mentioned that all the tithes and offerings collected thus far by the Continuing Church of God have been used to proclaim Christ’s gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14) and other end time aspects of the work (Revelation 3:7-13), teaching those things He commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), preparing for the short work (Romans 9:28), supporting the poor, widows and orphans (Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 5:3; James 1:27) mainly in Africa and Asia, and only relatively minor amounts have been spent for administrative aspects of the church (1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Corinthians 9:6-14)–government-related legal costs probably being the single biggest administrative expense (and those are fairly minor).

Being doubly blessed, regardless of how deceitful the process was, has reworked Thiel's brain into imagining all kinds of theological wonders.  Thiel considers himself to be the final authority on end-time prophecy, the Mayan's and homeopathy.  No human that has ever walked this earth is as intelligent or theologically sound as he is.

That greatness has brought forth the need for a new office that is conveniently located between Ace Hardware and a foot massage parlor.  I guess after he builds his own shelving from Ace Hardware he can go get his feet massaged, as all good prophets do.

Living Church of God: Can You Trust It To Use Morgan's Scholarship Money Wisely?

Living Church of God has announced that the flights and funeral expenses for the Montgomery family have all been paid. 

Living Church of God is still continuing to ask for money to go into the fund.  They claim that this money will be used to help send youth to the various summer camps AND for providing IMPORTANT services to the church youth.  That comment is drawing a lot of negative responses.

Just what criteria will the LCG use to determine what is an IMPORTANT service for the youth.  This opens the door to wide spread abuse.  This is nothing new to Rod Meredith and crew, considering what Meredith has done in the past with church monies.  In the 1970's he was caught using 3rd tithe to remodel his home.  While widows and orphans around the church struggled, the privileged elite in Pasadena found convenient ways to manipulate the church coffers for their own purposes.

One person with connections to LCG recently said:

Donations should be payable to Living Church of God and they are totally trustworthy so I'm sure they will only use the money for camp scholarships, right?

Living Church of God and trustworthy in the same sentence...oh my.