UCG's Scott Ashley's War On Christmas

Here is an excerpt of a post from an exCOG member and her take on Christmas.  This is from her blog:  It's a Mis-fit.  Her post is in response to UCG's Scott Ashley and his  asinine 10 points on why he doesn't keep Christmas.

Which brings me to the opposite end of the war on Christmas spectrum. As I mentioned in my last entry, I didn’t grow up keeping Christmas, so seeing the following article this afternoon brought up the memories of hearing these reasons to avoid the season at all cost. I get point #1 on that list. The commercialism of Christmas is ridiculous, but there are billions of Christmas celebrants who don’t go batshit insane over commercialism. Its mostly a USA phenomenon. So that point really doesn’t fly.

The second point tries to hammer home the fact that Christmas wasn’t mentioned in the Bible. Well neither was Thanksgiving, Mother’s day, or Memorial day, all three US holidays. Then they try to make the date of Jesus’ birth an issue. It’s common knowledge that no one knows the date, that’s not the point of honoring the event of his birth. One of their proofs, as if we can call the absolute ridiculousness of it proof, was that shepherds would not have had flocks in the field in December. 
There’s this assumption that Judean winters are hellish and too cold for any livestock with heavy wool coats to survive. I just looked up the weather for Tel Aviv. As I am typing this, its 3am there. The temperature is a frigid 54 degrees. Its actually colder in SC.

For those of you who are quite certain that Christmas is the epitome of evil, that those who celebrate the holiday with all its pagan debauchery and frivolous frolicing, and that God is going to make sure that we are punished for our wicked ways,  I wish you a happy and joyous Thursday. Let me also assure you that you have nothing to fear from a celebration season, nor are your neighbors, your family members doing so a danger from God whatsoever.

For all of us, whichever you fit on the Christmas spectrum, as well as those of you celebrating the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Eid, Kwanzaa, and any celebration I missed, I wish you Happy Holidays and/or a restful rest of the week

Feast of Tabernacles 2015: Head Coverings Required for Women While Men Don't Have to Wear Ties

Are you ready to attend the most perfect Feast of Tabernacles ever?  Are you ready to stop wearing your tie and for ladies to cover their hair?  Can you imagine bringing into a hotel your own food cooked in a hotel room because you don't want to make the hotel cook for you - even though they are already working to set your room up and clean up after you?

If so, then get ready to attend the Feast of Tabernacles with the Church of God's greatest Pharisee James Malm and a few of his acolytes.  Women are expected to cover their heads when entering the meeting room they are gathering in.  Since neckties are not mentioned in the Bible the lucky men don't have to wear ties if they don't want to .

Can you imagine what a week of hell this will be for any kids in attendance!

2015 Feast of Tabernacles 
We have booked meeting space at the Medford Oregon Convention Center, from evening Sep 29 through the evening of Oct 7, for the 2015 Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of The Eighth Day.   

I would strongly advise attendees to arrive a day before to avoid any travel complications, and to have ample time to make preparations for the High Day. 

The Convention Centre has a swimming pool and work out room, and offers a breakfast included.  New this year, a Denny’s is also in the building.  There are also numerous good restaurants in Medford. 

The Centre is only about 150 feet from a large grocery store, similar to Wal-Mart which itself is only a few blocks away.  Rooms in the Centre are no smoking and have cable TV and small fridge’s. 

The meeting space is set up classroom style with tables and they will permit us to bring in food and drink for our Sabbath and High Days communal potluck meals.

Youths 17 and under stay free with parent. 
 
Our Feast will be very heavy on the spiritual. (Translated: the LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  No Jesus and grace but TONS of LAW!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies will be expected to cover their glorious hair during services as per the biblical command.  1 Cor 11: Covering the Hair in Prayer  There is NOTHING in the Bible about wearing ties; so that will be optional.

Church of God Splinter Groups are the GRINCH that Stole Christmas

Overlords of the WCG splinter groups are the GRINCH that stole Christmas from children.  These self-appointed GRINCH type church controllers, have no concept of the damage they are doing to the innocent minds of countless children, who are victimized by foolish man-made religion (in the name
of God/Jesus Christ).

The names of every WCG splinter group church should be made public (along with their photos) on national television, in major news papers of the world and in every significant source of public information, so that the public can see the GRINCH in person.

WCG splinter group overlords have NO CONCERN for church members, but they do have concern for "WHATS IN YOUR WALLET?"  Indeed the motivation to take control over the minds and
thinking of church goers, has to do with $cash, and not because the salvation of the members is a concern.

Every WCG splinter group overlord makes the pretense that they represent God/Jesus Christ, which is as fraudulent as a four legged chicken.  Christmas is NOT the issue, as if by having a Christmas tree, church members will forfeit eternal life.  The real issue is FEAR-MONGERING to keep the naive and gullible members in the fold, so that the $cash flows to the pastors and overlords, and not for Christmas gifts.

God does not send down a lightening bolt from heaven upon people who have Christmas trees in their homes, and gifts for their children under the trees.  It is the WCG splinter group overlords who send out electric bolts of fear to their members, to instill compliance to their religious nonsense.


Van Robison

Eric King Says New UFO Movie: Hangar 52 "We Are Not Alone" Is Based Upon His Teachings

Eric King believes his teachings about UFO's is a major part of the above movie.  If this clip is any indication of the quality of the final movie then it proves that King is as silly as the bad acting.

Eric writes:

Hanger 52 ~ New UFO movie based alot on Eric’s “SOCT” teachings!

Posted on October 2, 2014 by cogsr

SOCT Extraterrestrial Theological Knowledge

one of his acolytes says:

COGSRdude says:

November 21, 2014 at 12:39 am

all other COG groups have there heads spinin

Yep, they are "spinin" at the asinine stupidity that they just watched. The idiocy that Armstrongites attach value to is just amazing.  They cannot pay any attention to the Jesus dude, but slobber all over UFO, Illuminati, trialteralists, and ever other conspiracy theory out there. 

A Merry Christmas to All!

 A Merry Christmas to one and all!

The Absurd and Fanciful Excuses the Churches of God Come Up With To Not Keep Christmas

Redfox has great patience to sit and read through the drivel that the Philadelphia Church of God prints as if it were well researched and educated theology.  Ive never been lucky to get past the first two pages. This time he has highlighted the fraudulent booklet printed by the PCG: The Truth About Christmas.

He writes:

It is important to understand that the reasons presented by HWA for abandoning Christmas are wrong and often quite badly misinformed. Both booklets, for instance, insist that Christmas is a continuation of the Babylonian religion deifying Nimrod and Semiramis. It is never admitted in either booklet that this idea comes from Alexander Hislop's book, The Two Babylons, which was made in the 1850s. It was an anti-Catholic polemic designed to vilify the Catholic Church and the Papacy. That book has been proven to be nonsense.

As Bereans Did has done great work in documenting just how absurd and fanciful many of the justifications for shunning Christmas are. Here is some of what As Bereans Did has said on this matter.

Over the years, As Bereans Did has done some great research on Christmas. Like "The Plain Truth About December 25th" which makes the case about why the December 25th date likely did not originate in paganism after all. "Jeremiah 10 and Christmas Trees" which makes the case on why Jeremiah was referring to idol worship, not Christmas trees. "On Nimrod and Christmas Trees" part 1, part 2 and part 3, which make the case on how the origin of Christmas Trees has been distorted. "Nimrod's Birthday Was January 6?" which makes the case that the claims on Nimrod's birthday are faulty. And "Quotes Before Christmas" which makes the case that most of the claims the COGs make about Christmas' pagan origins are based on questionable research. And we haven't even found the time to explain how winter was a great time of year for sheep to be in the fields of Bethlehem (see point 5 of the linked article). 

So there is no good reason for a Christian to shun Christmas. In fact this teaching in effect served mainly to socially isolate HWA's followers from mainstream society in order to make them socially dependent upon the group of HWA's followers. The abusive way this teaching has been used to isolate followers from family and friends is just one of many persuasive reasons why the COG groups are often identified as cults.

HWA's Christmas ban was also a way to get more money from his followers who no longer spent money on Christmas, as HWA obliquely reveals himself in his booklet.

But I can say by years of experience, as I believe most pastors and ministers can say, that when the month of December rolls around, nearly all professing Christians forget to give gifts to Christ and His cause [HWA's group, Radio Church of God renamed in 1968 as Worldwide Church of God] almost altogether. December often is the most difficult month to keep Christ's work [HWA's cult] from dying. People are too busy trading gifts back and forth among themselves to think of Him and His Work [HWA's cult], it seems. Then, in January and even into February it seems they have to catch up from what they spent for Christmas, so they seldom get back to normal in supporting Christ and His Work [HWA's cult] before March. (HWA, p. 19.)

That is the real reason HWA banned Christmas. Herbert Armstrong wanted more money.

You can read and follow Red's blog here:  No Good Reason to Ban Christmas for Christians: Reading PCG's Plagiarized Denunciation of Christmas

UCG - 19 Years of Repeatedly Saying: "...this has been the most spiritually productive series of meetings that I have yet experienced."

The United Church of God recently finished another Council of Elder's meeting.  This has been going on for 19 years now and every single year they say the exact same thing.  "This was the most productive and spiritually energizing meeting ever!"  "We are more unified than ever as a church"  "The ministry is more unified and excited than ever in preaching the kingdom of God"....on and on the platitudes go.  YET, for 19 years the UCG has been a church filled with turmoil and division. Bitterness and resentfulness has always been roiling around in the background when all the positive platitudes are announced.

Robin Webber writes:

The Council of Elders of the United Church of God met in Milford, Ohio, from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11. We started on Sunday with a retreat at a nearby facility where we could collectively appeal to God for His direction. When we approach God on our knees and surrender our good ideas to His perfection, things happen!Our four days of formal meetings followed. It’s always exciting to share a “good report” (Philippians 4:8).I am now in my seventh consecutive year on the Council, and I believe that this has been the most spiritually productive series of meetings that I have yet experienced.

All the elders sat around the table talking bout the spiritual struggles they all endure in their walk as ministers.  They had this to say:

We concluded: We all—every Council and administration figure, pastor and member—need to seek an even deeper and exhaustive desire to center our thoughts, actions and underlying motivations in light of this “lamp unto our feet” (Psalm:119:105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.) and this decisive instrument designed to discern our thoughts (Hebrews:4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)—the Bible!

The deeper desire they have to center their thoughts is more law and more Old testament rules and regulations.  Law always trumps grace in the Church of God.  Why should I ever expect otherwise?

Webber then brings his version of Jesus into the mix:

Beyond our personal needs as individual Christians, we also affirmed our God-given responsibility to not only “tend” (John:21:16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.), but also to “feed the flock” (John:21:15-17[15]So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.[16]He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.[17]He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.). That is, to feed the flock directly and correctly from the living Word of God. It’s the Council’s resolve to go even deeper in establishing the Church’s mooring and understanding on the Word of God. Just like the deer described in Psalms, panting for the water brooks, we too must pant for the Word of God (Psalm:42:1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.).

It can be guaranteed that when the UCG Council says it will go "deeper" in understanding God's Word it will be about the law.  The things that they feel are required for one to make it to Petra.  Grace and justification will get short shifted to law keeping.

Recent attendee surveys speak to the brethren’s desire to go deeper into God’s Word and have our ministry draw out the rich meanings underneath the surface in God’s Holy Word—be it doctrine, Christian living or prophecy. And to that end, based on multiple comments from the recent surveys, we are moving forward as soon as personnel and resources allow to engaging our membership once again with the Bible Commentary (also called the Bible Reading Program).

Its a shame that the members of the UCG or any Church of God for that matter, does not feel empowered to do their own study of the Scriptures.  They always have to rely upon the theologically bankrupt ministers making personal decisions on what to believe and to do.  99% of the men in the UCG have never studied the Bible without an HWA booklet or UCG article in hand tell them what to believe.  Whey never have dealt with biblical criticism, metaphors, or real church history.  They mock and frown upon anyone that studies in a seminary were truly educated men and women have more research and understanding under their belts than any COG leader will EVER have!

Webber then announced that the UCG is dropping the name of the Good News magazine for a new name.  It has been a bone of contention in many of the COG's because several of the personality cults are using the same name for their own use.  Every single one of them stole it from WCG without asking because they thought it brought warm fuzzy memories of HWA into the nix.  Have a name he chose made them feel their magazine was more legitimate in the church members eyes.  They problem that has arisen over the almost three decades after HWA's death is that no one remembers who he was or CARES!  Not matter how hard they plug the guy's name or hang pictures on their walls, people no longer respond to his name.

I’m also pleased to bring exciting news regarding our major publication The Good News.The Council and the administration have discussed for nearly a two-year period how to: 1) simplify the pathway for people to access our various media outlets, 2) while at the same time magnifying the ongoing impact of what we can share in their spiritual journey. The Council members (11 were present) unanimously decided to approve the administration’s proposal to change the name of The Good News to Beyond Today, which coincides with the title of our television program.

Why? Currently, no one can have full rights to the “Good News” name—which multiple organizations use every day. There are multiple Good News magazines used by a variety of organizations. It’s in the public domain. But we do have the trademark (service mark for non-profits) to Beyond Today. The subtitle is projected to read: “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” which defines our writing and engages the audience in the wide framework of our calling to be followers of Jesus Christ today, while looking towards the ultimate hope of God’s Kingdom.

Given the massive failure the UCG suffered with its latest media campaign using the Beyond Today program, I wonder what is going through their minds thinking that with a new name change it will increase readership?   No one in the "world" cares to be lectured about paganism, being burdened down with numerous laws and regulations all the while Jesus is ignored  Empty platitudes about a "soon coming kingdom" do nothing to help alleviate pain and suffering in the hear and now.  Blabbering on and on about HWA and Old Testament rules does nothing to promote peace and unconditional love and grace.

Like everything else in the COG these "new"ideas will not bring in new members or increase their funds.  UCG is doomed to rot away into oblivion just like all the other COG's currently are.  For 19 years now they have been saying the same phrase.  For 19 years NOTHING has changed.