Dennis Says: "Of All The Things I Lost to Religion...I Miss My Mind the Most"

Of All The Things I Lost to Religion...I Miss My Mind the Most

Reclaiming Your Power

We have all done it. We are all guilty of it. We have all turned against ourselves by allowing it.

One of the problems one faces in belonging to and being a member of an organized Christian Church is that, either consciously, or subconsciously , one places themselves under the authority of others. We say we do it willingly. We believe that there are special people groups and leaders under whose supervision we need to be. It is others who tell you how to think, what to do, how to act and what to believe based on some criteria that they got from those "over" them, or those who came "before" them. For some, this works. For many, it is a formula for physical, psychological and emotional disaster.

In the case of Christians, the Bible is used to proof text any particular perspective one wants to promote. Whether we can admit it or not, within the Bible are enough speeches, personalities and dramas, which if manipulated properly and with enough conviction and showmanship, are justifications for just about every human endeavor in the name of God, Jesus and the Church. Many have the near crippling inability to conduct their lives without knowing what God, Jesus or the Bible would have them do, according to others.

In a church setting it is presented in some form of from God to Jesus to the Church to the minister to the elders to the deacons to the laity.....to the women...to the children who get to lord it over their pets. I am reminded of the parent who watched in horror as their child filled a backyard hole with water and nearly drown the family cat with the ceremonial words "in the name of the Father, the Son... and in the hole you go." Funny, but not for the cat!

This fear based chain is kept in place with appeals to biblical authority, fear of consequences for disbelief or misbehavior based on select criteria. It is reinforced with guilt (I did a bad thing) for failure to meet the standards set and paid for with an appropriate amount of shame (I am a bad person). The control factors are kept fresh every week with sermons or studies and every day with admonitions to study to show oneself approved or "pray about it." The "it" can be your attitude which is not in sync with the system and your success with "it" is compliance and a good attitude. If you forget the criteria for success you can now go to a Church website and replay the sermons of those that control your mind and do your thinking for you. Throw in the idea that a human can have the unreachable goal of becoming perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect, which whether meaning real perfection or maturity, and you have formula for major guilt and shame and the control stays in place. I have never met any human being who is remotely mature or perfect like a god, and neither have you. Well ok, a few Buddhists. :)

In addition, others tell us that we are to grow in Grace (actually a nice concept few grow in) and Knowledge (a good thing but one which, in reality, the organization prays to God you don't grow in), and one can never get out of the box without grievous consequences. Usually what growing in grace and knowledge really means is growing in adherence and compliance graciously and knowing that what you are being told to think is the truth and you need look no further. Personal looking and personal conclusions based on that looking, is bad for the individual and best left up to others who are more in tune with the conclusions that need to be drawn for your own good.

When we come to realize how manipulated we have been on the topic of religion, we usually get angry at others for doing this to us and get depressed, which is the anger we are directing at ourselves "for being so stupid" that we will not express properly. I believe the reason depression is so prevalent for those who come out of a bad religious experience is that we are so programmed not to express our anger, doubts and simple "hell no, I don't believe that," that it has no other place to go but inward and provoke the depression. "Be angry and sin not" often means keep it to yourself and don't show it, unless of course you are higher up the authority chain.

Minister types seem to be in a perpetual state of anger of one form or another. Many of my clients tell me how tired they are of the minister being angry all the time in sermons and letting everyone have it. I say he is faking it and doing it because he is expected to by himself, his church and his concept of God. If ministers really spoke that way in public or in the workplace, they would be fired or at best labeled as wacko. I've sat through lots of biblically salted harangues. I once heard a curse put on someone publicly from the pulpit with a lot of anger. But that is the privilege of rank. Anger in organizations can only be expressed downward. Upward anger results in lynching of the laity.

One additional fact we need to keep in mind is that the the Bible itself is the source of every organizational and mission blueprint no matter how people use it to advance their perspectives. Most men and organizations aren't out to deliberately deceive others. They too are the victims of the system before them and keep it going with their own fears, shame, guilt and hope for reward and peace. Peace is really what the soul craves but we go looking for it by repeating such tried and proven unworkable perspectives.

We usually stop the blame game and pity party with the people who advance the ideas and not the source. Few blame the Bible itself as the source of more human misery, war, prejudice, racism, chaos, family division, sexual repression, male abuses, female victimization and the evils of exclucivism than Christians are capable of admitting. Most would never take the time to study the dark side of Christianity and it's rotten fruit.

When confronted with the stark facts of how the Bible has been used to control, shame, frighten and organize individuals, whether by early church father types, governments, churches or ministers, it is all to easy to say, "well they are not REAL Christians." Well, yes they were and yes they are, just ask them. They do these things because they are using the book as their guide. They appeal to the examples of God, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus, usually in that order. They are "living by the book" as they would say and the fruit is rotten, as we could say. They are doing what God would have them to do. Bible Atrocities They think that there is one continuum of truth that can never change, be clarified, reworked, or even dismissed and negated as ignorant. There is nothing new to know and keeping blinders in place is the same as being faithful. If God can say "I change not" and Jesus can be "the same yesterday, today and forever," that works for them and better work for us too, context not withstanding.

Where do we go wrong when we allow others ideas of how things are to control us? It's kinda like so many who take long trips to meet family holiday obligations. You don't want to go. It's expensive. It's tiring and we have other things we need to do. The kids want to play with their friends and we want to just do nothing with the time we have off. It's not that we don't love or appreciate, though sometimes we don't and the attitude we get home in is not the one we went with, but it is just too much effort. On top of that, we go because it is too much costly not to go. The tribe will be mad. Feelings will be hurt. Uncle Louie will be disappointed that John's wife wasn't there to leer at. And grandma won't have the chance to drive you nuts yelling at your kids to be quiet and stop having fun. Dad won't talk as usual and your sister will have that look that makes us all so pleased she came. But we did it... we gave away our power of choice and we did what we were expected to do for the benefit of others to to keep the illusion alive. Where do we go wrong?

We go wrong by giving up our own personal power. We go wrong by negating our own doubts. We go wrong by keeping that niggly question deeply stored in the back of our brains, never to be asked. We go wrong by saying we agree outwardly when we hate the idea or concept inwardly. We go wrong by letting things go and ideas we think are stupid pass. We go wrong by allowing some ancient text, idea or opinion pass as the only way to be. We go wrong by letting other humans with legitimate "authority" or only imagined to intimidate the reality and common sense out of us. We go wrong by letting others use the Bible to makes points that the Bible shouldn't make in this day and age. We go wrong by finding meaning in a scripture that the scripture never meant for us to take. ....take a breath....ok... We go wrong by letting doing what our heart is not in and repress where our heart is. We go wrong belonging to something outwardly that hurts us inwardly. We go wrong saying yes to sermons we should say no to. We go wrong by letting advice become a command. We go wrong by letting another human being think that whatever they come up with to do or say is fine with us.

In short, we give up our power of discernment and choice. I know that some get very angry when phrases like "take responsibility for your choice" is said. We don't like to hear that. I have hated it because it is costly and embarrassing. We come up with a dozen reasons we could not and that we HAD to give up our power. Realizing we did give our power to others is very very painful! "You weren't there" is usually a good lead in to why one had to comply. "I'd get disfellowshipped" or "I'd be demoted." "God would be mad at me." "I might end up in the Lake of Fire." "The Bible says..." We all understand how that worked. I participated in it. I preached it. I enforced it. I wish I had not. I am glad it was not personally for me as bad as it could have been had I not been willing many times to quietly ignore what I did not agree with and encourage others to do the same.

We wanted to do the right thing as perceived by others so we gave them our power. We even gave the Bible God our power by counting on everything from healing and good health to financial prosperity through generous giving. There were PLENTY of texts in the Bible to motivate us to do the right thing and believe it. Don't blame men for twisting the Bible out of context. That happens enough. IN context, the Bible can promote plenty of grief. It makes promises it doesn't keep and that is painful to admit. We still think that somehow we must still be at fault and that the Bible, or the Church or God, as defined by the Bible, can't be the misleading factor here. It has to be our fault.

Well it is not. Whatever power I gave, I gave by choice. I can only speak for myself. Fault is not the issue here. It just is. People give up their power every day. Wives give up their power to say "enough," to abusive husbands. Men give up their power to employers who abuse their time and capitalize on their fear. Members give up their power to Churches and Hierarchies that really don't care much what you do as long as you are there when needed to give the appearance of credibility and the physical support needed to keep it going. And on and on.

Every day, and in may ways, both in general living and, in this context, in religious affiliations, we have the power to keep or relinquish our power. Anger, depression and the inability to move along in life are directly related to the skill of holding onto our power when we simply don't agree or believe what the tribe, the government, the boss, the church or the minister say. Yes goes with no just like oceans go with sand. Every time I say yes when I mean no, every time I agree when I don't and every time I am sitting down on the outside while standing up on the inside, I am giving away my power. Sometimes it may be temporarily discrete to do this. But as a life habit and practice...No. For the times we did, forgive yourself and don't be the monkey on your own back. 


Giving up our power doesn't serve us in the long run and will impede our progress in life in the search for peace and truth. If we weren't looking for that in the first place, we probably would not have had this experience and I would probably not be writing anything about it.

Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com

Dennis On: "Final Curtain on the One Man Show?"

Final Curtain on the One Man Show?

 

 

There is a wonderful awakening going on today in the world of politics, at least in some places.  The One Man Show is in grave danger.  Egyptian, Syrians, Yemenese, Russians and with some luck, Americans are sending the clear message that many are on to them and the time for change has come.  Poor Vlad Putin, who probably thought he was President for Life is learning this may not be so.  His egocentric antics of the past year may be blowing up in his face as the average Russian wakes up and stands up to this charade.  Of course, it could be costly.

 

 

As a kid, I always wondered how one man could control millions.  Fear I guess.

 

 

Before the age of television and radio, a charismatic minister, one who by the power of his own personality, ego and even his mental quirkiness or illnesses, tended to influence a relatively few people overall. Since these inventions, times have changed of course. Now we can be bombarded with the ideas, opinions, inspirations, knowings and outright stupidity of the sincerely misguided. The problem is that they reach millions and are supported by people who buy into their ideas, but never meet the man, attend his church or know what might be going on behind the scenes of the organization he has created. Such men build Mega-Churches in their local communities and the sheer size of the congregation seems to be proof enough that the pastor must be right, must be really speaking for God and must be doing God's for sure, real, end time (again and still) work on earth. Surely something this big and with these many resources, which are mainly the tithes given to the man, who then decides just how to spend it with littler over site, has to be right and true.

 

 

For better or worse, the religious texts often give men more than they need to create a powerful, but false, and misguided belief system that then replicates itself and brings great ego pumping to the man who weaves the tale his way. They look into the Bible, both Old and New Testament, and what do they see? THEMSELVES! They see that, sure enough, just what Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel are alleged to have said, is what I, am say as well. These misguided and often dangerous pastor types, and the danger is to one's finances and freedom of thought, often anoint themselves with various titles such as Evangelist, Apostle, Prophet, Watchman (watch out for this one as it's not what they watch that is so dangerous, but how they interpret what they watch to the faithful), and worse sometimes. Elections might be fine in government, but not for church. It does seem that the more bold a man or organization is, the grander the titles and the more authoritarian with YOU designated as a mere follower, it becomes... and the more dangerous to your real spiritual self it is.

 

 

One of the more interesting facts in human mental health is that a man or woman who may be plagued with Narcissism, which is a person who thrives on the idea that life is all about them and has these traits...

 

 

"Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates accomplishments, talents, skills, contacts, and personality traits to the point of lying, demands to be recognised as superior without commensurate achievements);

 

Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion;

 

Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions);

Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (Narcissistic Supply);

Feels entitled. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her unreasonable expectations for special and favorable priority treatment;

 

Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends;

Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others;

 

Constantly envious of others and seeks to hurt or destroy the objects of his or her frustration. Suffers from persecutory (paranoid) delusions as he or she believes that they feel the same about him or her and are likely to act similarly;

 

Behaves arrogantly and haughtily. Feels superior, omnipotent, omniscient, invincible, immune, "above the law", and omnipresent (magical thinking). Rages when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted by people he or she considers inferior to him or her and unworthy. " (Malignant Self Love)

 

Ministers and CEO's with these traits, can rise to very high positions in the world of Religion, Government and Business, on the backs and at the expense of those who would not be inclined to think this way. They may be genetically predisposed to this way of being, but the world has paid a big price for allowing such people to include us in their exploits. Since they rarely if ever seek professional help and to suggest they do can get you everything from fired, disfellowshipped or killed, others don't insist, to their peril. My experience is a Pastor with emotional or mental health issues often scoffs at and demonizes those that would go to professional mental health care counselors, or suggest it is a viable alternative to prayer, fasting and internal church counseling, by the minister of course. I often wonder mental health counselor types in Mega-Churches don't recognize the problems in Mr. Charisma, but overide it because a quirky or dangerous mental disorder can look so spiritual in a church context. The same actions of Isaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel in your school teacher, mayor or boss would not result in someone saying they are inspired by God.

 

 

So what are the problems with a one man, Mr. Prophet, Apostle, Watcher or potential half of the Two Witnesses of Revelation church or organization?

 

 

1. The minister, used to being believed in every area he cares and chooses to comment on is an impediment to good science. When a minister says.."We really have dinosaurs today, without any question. You just need the right weather conditions, as I see it, to get huge creatures. And in the ocean, of course, we have huge creatures.... this is where the plesiosauruses seem to be today, and perhaps also this fire breathing dragon is still down there -- very rare, but occasionally there." 

 

-- Rev. Walter Lang, quoted from American Atheists, "From the Mouths of Creationists", we gotta a problem with scientific truth here. Kids of course grow up with this lie well planted and have to unlearn it when they hit the real world of science, or they go into hibernation as an adult and believe lies.

 

 

I wonder if anyone with a genuine education in the congregation gets to question a man who thinks like this and wields influence in the name of God? People do, far too often have to check their brains at the door of their church when it comes to scientific truth.

 

 

2. The minister or Christian Zealot that goes unchallenged because he IS the Minister or Zealot, is a threat to a good education. They often bolster their own pronouncements by making fun of a formal education. They mock Plato, Socrates and others who are symbols to them of "human reasoning" as if there is reasoning is more than human. I realize they give the impression that God pours his mind on a regular basis into this minister, but this is an illusion.

 

 

"When you take into account what the so-called "educated" people don't know that's essential to know, and compare it with the vain "education" they do have, it becomes clear that they are quite dumb."

-- Robert T. Lee, Anti education Christian Leader.

 

These types tend to use the words "so-called" and put parenthesis around the words "education" a lot. They will soak their congregants in the biblical verses that mock human wisdom and ultimately, when cornered, come back with "well, the wisdom of man is foolishiness with God," and "God's thoughts, (which usually mean his thoughts at the moment you are questioning,) are higher than yours!" End of discussion.

 

 

3. Many charismatic and one man churches are a threat to your good health. They often stress that ill health is a function of the devil in your life or mind, when it really might be the fact that one believes that sugar, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine are the four food groups and spends a lot of money proving it. Anointing an obese person for bad knees is like painting a car with flat tires. It still won't move.

 

 

These spokesman for God emphacise that having hands laid on you is more important than a good check up or good treatment of maladies contracted in the course of living on the earth as a human or old age. Some teach that it's either God OR Doctors, but can't be both. Some mix it up but give false reasons in sermons for human illness and often cause a person to postpone getting genuine help and finding a solution to the problem. When these ministers contract an illness themselves, they tend to re-read the scriptures and hear the voice of God telling them that it's now ok to seek professional help and a good Doctor for themselves, and thus have to reveal this a new truth to the congregation who'd catch on if he didn't. When they need it, they tend to change over to "God has given us medical knowledge as a gift and we should recognize it...now and for me at least."

 

 

4. Charismatic and One Man Shows aren't accountable for their use of your generous tithes and offerings. As such, they are a grave threat to your finances. Such members often tell themselves after they send the money, "I just obey God and tithe, and what he does it it is none of my business. I trust God and his Church." That gives Mr. Charisma a free hand which is why we see Tel-Evangelists and Religious CEO's sporting hot cars, expensive watches and amazingly expensive homes in exclusive neighborhoods. Even the original scripture, "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven," was changed to "blessed are the poor, IN SPIRIT, ...." to give some very wealthy and materialistic ministers and churches some wiggle room throughout history. Somehow these men embarrass and anger us, but nothing is ever said or done that changes them and the giving goes on, along with the lifestyle abuses and offenses to common sense. Sheeple love Shenanigans I guess.

 

 

5. The One Man Show can define the world to the members as it serves him. He can spew out why the world is this or that way and just what exactly God is doing and thinking. He can motivate the masses with the imminent (again) return of Jesus. Everything is watched with baited breath and is just around the corner. The world can't go on for more than 3 or 5 or 10 or 15 more years, so give, give, give, give. Of course the numbers of years "just ahead" never change and often match the number of years the minister wants the show to go on for him, but no one notices or cares. Granted, it's a dangerous and discouraging world, but frankly it is the Christian, Jewish and Islamic religions that want their form of peace on earth to come that are pushing us towards the edge. As I have said before, they might nothing but a sanitation problem for their false efforts and beliefs about what God might be thinking.

 

 

6. The One Man Show can leave you high and dry when they DIE! Uh oh...now what? These men often act as if they simply can't die "before all be fulfilled," and rarely make provision for a change in leadership, if that is what the group wants. Why would you have to make provision for new leadership when you are the End Time Apostle or both of the Two Witnesses of Revelation? I once asked a group that was just smitten with the talent and "knowledge so called" (sorry couldn't resist) of their pastor in his Mega-Church. I asked if they had a plan B. I asked what they would do if he failed to live up to his own press or died and they simply insisted that would never happen. Uh huh...It's the people who work for such jerk that end up paying the price in having given their lives to a false vision and were lied to about the outcome. Of course, life is choices and we make our choices don't we? If your grand poopa minister does not have a way to be replaced, you need to make a way, for your own good and spiritual safety. If he refuses to entertain the idea, he's an idiot and you need to vote with your feet. (See Narcissism above.)

 

 

7. A One Man Show presupposes that you must see life, religion, God, the Bible, the world, your family, your thoughts, your finances and every other aspect of your personal freedom to be who you are, through his eyes. You really don't have a life. You have HIS life. You aren't a player in your own life. You are a player in HIS life. You can't see the world and receive knowledge as see fit. You have to receive knowledge and receive it from HIM and as HE sees it. In short, you have given up your mind and all you now are is an agreerer. You just agree with your ministers views, opinions and perspectives on who and what God is and when Jesus simply must come back for all of the big US, not them. If he says dinosaurs are less than 6000 years old and fossils are deceptions as is any book outside of the Bible, you just say, "yes sir." If you are really hooked by the one many show, you become a virus for him and spread it to others. If he says one man is God's political leader, but the other is Satan's, you just say "well ok," and vote as the minister says you should, for GOD. It's all bullshit, but many love bullshit and smear it on themselves every week in church as a Holy Excrement, I mean Sacrament.
(Hey, that was pretty good!)

 

 

8. And finally, the one man show is dangerous because men are men and women are women and when they fall from grace, they tend to take everyone with them in one way or another. People are people and get into all sorts of wants, needs, desires, lusts and experiences. Religion and the need to be good, godly, perfect, righteous and sinless, well at least not "big" ones, forces people wear masks.

 

 

No man is above being normal, but the demands of religious obedience is abnormal in a real world. The congregation can "sin" until the cows come home and often, but they expect the pastor to be their sacrifice for sin by his living an unreasonable life full of unreasonable expectations and unresolved personal needs. The reason so many ministers "fall from grace," is because few can meet the expectations of religion and the few that think they can, can't but won't admit it. Many are pushed from grace by ego. When the one man show is caught in sexual, financial or philosophical "sin", it gets very messy. Better to be one of many equals than the grand-better-never-be-human Poopa. The congregation will tear you to pieces for failing to do well what they don't wish to do at all.

 

 

Don't be overly impressed by the religious who know everything and demand you pay, obey, pray and stay just because they say so. Question religious authority and those that demand your righteousness at the expense of your sanity. The person demanding your devotion or obedience is just a human being as well with all the foibles that go along with that. If you belong to a church with a one man show, ask the powers that be what "Plan B" is for the church should the leader fall on his face. Often they don't have one because they don't believe he can. Believe it...we all can and do.

 

Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com

 

Spread Some Cheer: Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Toy Drive

About the Toy Drive 

Lash LaRue Toy Drive 

The Toy Drive for Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is back! Since 2003, Omaha rockabilly musician Larry Dunn has organized a toy drive for the children of the Porcupine District of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. According to the 2000 census, Pine Ridge’s Lakota Sioux community is one of the most poverty stricken communities in the United States. The children of the reservation are desperately in need of some sunshine and cheer, especially during a time of cold, harsh winds and immense desolation like winters on the reservation can be. The majority of gifts for the children are collected at benefit concerts put on by Omaha-area musicians. The show dates, times and venues for this year’s shows are listed below. Audience members can either bring in an unwrapped gift or donate $10 at the door. 

Every dime raised goes toward buying additional gifts and stockings. We cover all administrative fees, the cost of transporting the toys to the reservation and any additional travel expenses. David Swallow, Jr., a Lakota spiritual leader and Medicine Man from the Porcupine District and He Ska Tokala Warrior Society, organizes gift distribution in the middle of December. It is usually hardest to get gifts for the teenagers. This year we would love to see all of the kids walk away with at least two presents and a stocking. Any input you or your organizations and sponsors can give toward getting gift donations for these kids who really need a helping hand would be an amazing favor that we at the toy drive would appreciate for the rest of our lives. And so will the children of Pine Ridge. 

Countless friends and sponsors (see the links page) assist in reaching our goal of making the holidays a little happier for those who deserve it most: needy children. If you are interested in helping please contact us as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you! Thanks for all of your help. From our families to yours, we hope your holidays are bright, warm and safe.

Deck The Halls

Maybe we should all get together and do one of these at Six-Pack Flurry's Feast site.

Imagine doing, "Blest and Happy Is the Man" with three hundred of your closest non COGers!

We could get Big Beak to accompany us along with Six Pack's Young Ambassadors.

Biblical Inerrancy

Did you know that the belief in inerrancy of the Bible is an American invention within the last 200 years?

People Are Not Impressed By Meredith's Fasting Plea

Some comments from Apostle Malm's acolytes.  It's pretty bad when even diehard believers find it troubling that Meredith has declared a fast for his own healing.

Some I have talked to in LCG said that they will NOT be fasting this weekend.  They said that Meredith won't fast for regular members when they are ill, so why should they fast for the bigwigs when they are ill.  They are no more important than the regular folk.

One thing should be noted about LCG’s fast: it deeply troubles me that R. Meredith seems to use repeated enforced fasts not as a spiritual tool for his people, but more a political tool to his own benefit. He always uses terms like “leading ministers” or “leading elders” which explains to anyone that he Meredith is the “leading leading” minister. This latest fast is mainly for the health woes of LCG leadership. Boy when the Supreme Leader and/or his Lieutenants don’t feel well, the whole world should care! It’s odd that bizarre sicknesses keep striking LCG leaders more so than any other group I know.

So now members of the ekklesia of God, one of the most controversial (and the truth to tell one of the most detested)leaders in Church of God history has asked for your prayers for himself and others suffering from health problems and for his corporate business, LCG Inc.

I don’t know much about LCG, but if Rod M is very old and it is time for him to die (it will happen to us all), then perhaps we should pray that he will be able to finish off his last days, allowing God to work with him and helping him to give up his leadership of LCG.
Does he need to just accept that it is time for his life to end? I

A very large percentage of members of the COGs are dying either of disease or old age. Maybe it is just time to go and be in their place of safety (the grave) before the tribulation. If people are fasting perhaps it should not be for healing but that the members concerned straighten out their lives and repent of sin while we can. God is giving these people time to get their spiritual lives in order.

We can’t twist God’s arm into giving someone more time to do the things they want to do before they die.

What we should be concerned about is getting rid of the idolatry of putting ministers and the organisations on a pedestal as this letter from LCG is doing again. The death of a leading minister is no more important in God’s sight than the death of any other church member.

Rod Meredith over the years has consistently linked fasting with asking something of God, because there was a lack of faith, sicknesses and not as many healings as he wanted from God, yet his current letter indicates things are worse, not better. So, what “good” has been accomplished by those past fasts (usually on the Sabbath too)?

Rod Meredith (RM) wants those of his group to be: “…asking for His special mercy at this time and for the supernatural healing…”

But, as RM not read what God said about fasting and people lifting up their voices to Him to get something?
“Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” Isaiah 58:4

I thought more about RM’s letter…where he wrote: “…let us all cry out to God for more of His Spirit, more of His power…” Isn’t that making one’s voice to be heard on high? Also, is God a respecter of persons? Why would God give more of His Spirit, and more of His power, to some sealed Firstfruits and NOT to other sealed Firstfruits of God’s Church? Does God have “favorites?”

I feel the leadership have used fasting to beat us over the head and convince us that any problems in the church organisation are our fault, not theirs.

Emergency Fast Declared For Rod Meredith

Living Church of God has been struck with numerous health issues regarding it's leaders and HQ employees.

Therefore, lo and behold, Jesus spoke to Rod Meredith in a private conversation the other day, and told him to declare a church wide fast so that God would intervene in the health situations of Rod and Ames.

I guess Jesus was too weak of a pansy to do anything about it so he told Rod to go above him (Jesus) to get some action on the situation

Meredith writes:

From the Presiding Evangelist

(Special letter and announcement to be read in all congregations)

Dear brethren and ministers around the world,

Greetings to all of you and love from all of us here in Charlotte! We are very grateful for the love and loyalty shown by virtually all of you and for the wonderful blessings showered upon us during the recent festival season. As some of you may have heard, we were blessed to have more than 9,000 people attending the Feast of Tabernacles this autumn! That is a new record—for which we are thankful! Most of all, of course, God is concerned with the spiritual strength of our brethren and we certainly do want to emphasize that which is more important. However, we are grateful that God is adding to our numbers in the Church, and that we are continuing to have wonderful responses to the telecast nearly every week and that the impact of this Work around the world is certainly growing—especially as prophetic events speed up.

However, my immediate purpose in writing all of you at this time is to explain the reason for the upcoming Church FAST on the Sabbath of December 17. There were many instances in biblical times when God’s servants called for a fast. Remember how—as the “Day of the Lord approaches”—God’s true ministers were exhorted: “Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as destruction from the Almighty” (Joel 1:14-15).

When Daniel sorrowed over the “desolations of Jerusalem,” and the need for God’s intervention, what did he do? “Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, ‘O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments’” (Daniel 9:3-4). And when the soon-to-be Apostle Paul was struck down and blinded to humble him and to “awaken” him, notice what he did: “Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (Acts 9:8-9).

Dear brethren, as you know from our previous announcements, we have had an entire series of extremely serious illnesses among God’s people in recent months—including a number of our leading people directly involved in the Work. We all know that the radiant faith of people like Peter and Paul is very seldom found among God’s people today. We remember Jesus’s statement: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

After meditating and praying about these things and conferring with our leading ministers here in Charlotte, I have been led by Jesus Christ to call for a Church-wide fast on the Sabbath of December 17—beginning, of course, the previous evening at sunset. I urge all of you faithful members, in Jesus’ name, to join with us in this day of fasting and prayer and in earnestly seeking God and asking for His special mercy at this time and for the supernatural healing of His people through the “stripes” of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:24). 

Dear brethren, as the end of this age approaches, let us all cry out to God for more of His Spirit, more of His power through divine healings and the “gifts of the Spirit.” I will not expound on this more here as a special taped sermon should arrive in time to explain all of this even more thoroughly. But I wanted to get this message to all of our people—ahead of time—so that you may be preparing yourselves—both physically and spiritually—for the upcoming fast. May God continue to guide and bless every one of you as you walk with Him.

With Christian love,

Roderick C. Meredith

** Please Announce: Mr. Meredith has requested that the special Must Play DVD titled, “Faith for Healing,” that he recorded about the Church-wide Fast, which has been called for the Sabbath of December 17, is to be played in services on December 10 (next Sabbath).

Apostle Malm has included the following in his announcement:

After his recent trip to Europe the health of Rod Meredith is in decline, his brother in law and designated successor is also elderly and in poor health.  In addition there are other health issues among the LCG leadership including one minister’s wife suffering from a brain tumour; and two workers at HQ and an elder’s wife struggling with cancer.

These issues have prompted instructions to play a message recorded by Rod on ”FAITH FOR HEALING” Dec 10th, and a day of fasting concerning health issues on 17 Dec.