"Now Bobby...... You and your brothers, Dave, Ron and Gerald, as well as all your cousins, need to remember...."

Sheldon Monson Needs To Repent, Join the One True Philadelphia Church and Follow Proper Church Government

 

God's one true prophet is speaking out against Sheldon Monson starting a new Church of God. Apparently, like all other COG upstarts, he did not start his group with "Philadlephia reasons." Only the true doubly-anointed prophet of the one true God did such a thing. This makes Herbert Armstrong and Bob Thiel as the ONLY true "Philadelphian" leaders in Church of God history.

09/06/20 a.m Banned by HWA, an anti-COG site, posted the following related to Sheldon Munson and LCG::

During the live streaming of services, September 5th at 2:00pm EDT, for the "COG Broadcast YouTube Channel." Sheldon Monson officially announced the formation of the newest Church of God group to hit the world scene. After some time of discussion and because of their origin, they decided the best title for their new group should be "Church of God Assembly." This was quite predictable considering the hint dropping every week during Sheldon's personal services on YouTube. ... NDA

There was no website for Sheldon Munson's group when I just checked, but presumably there will be. This group does not seem to have formed for Philadelphian reasons, as neither it nor LCG properly accept what the Bible teaches on church government. However, perhaps one or both of them will change.

Did you know that Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith both referred to a ONE TRUE leader to come in the future and BOTH of them were referring to Bob Thiel? 

Here is that proof:

Laodicea Means "People Decide"

The Bible tells that there will be an overlapping succession of seven churches, often called Church eras. If the Philadelphia era was predominant until the time that Herbert W. Armstrong was alive, this would mean that the last of the seven churches, Laodicea, would be predominant now.

During this Laodicean time, there have been several approaches taken by groups that had their origins in the old WCG.

Many people decided to become independent. And many of those independents seem to feel that they are the most faithful to the teachings of the old WCG. Most have a few points they believe disqualifies others as they decide what is important. Herbert W. Armstrong, who many of them claim to be faithfully following, did not approve of the concept of "independent Christians" in that sense.

Some feel that the apostasy that occurred after the death of Herbert Armstrong was because of the type of governance he had in place. Some of those people have become independent or formed committee ran churches. Another type of governance that Herbert Armstrong condemned (Mystery of the Ages, Dodd & Mead, 1985, p. 247, quoted earlier above).

However, from the very beginning within the Church of God people left and would not listen to God's leaders. As the Apostle John wrote in 3 John 9-11 (which was quoted earlier in this article).

And if people thought that they were Christians when they ignored the Apostle John, how much more do many do so today?

The Apostle John penned the Book of Revelation. And in Revelation 3:14 he used the term "Laodikeus." This differs from how he normally started the letters to the other six churches (Revelation 2 & 3), because he used a plural term--he called them Laodiceans. This plurality, contrasted with the lack of it in the introductions to the other six churches, indicates that Laodicea is composed of divided groups.

Furthermore, according to Strong's Greek concordance, Laodicea is a combination of two words, laos which it defines as "people" and dike, which is defined by Strong's as "right," "judgment," "punish," and "vengeance." And also according to Strong's Greek concordance, Laodiceans is the plural of that.

Smith's Bible Dictionary defines Laodicea to mean "justice of the people". Might the term Laodiceans convey that the predominant characteristic of this Church is that peoples rule, peoples judge, or, in fact that the peoples change the Church's direction? 

I personally have long felt that the term Laodicea conveys a difference in governance and direction. Since the Philadelphians are admonished to "Hold fast what you have" (Revelation 3:11) and the Laodiceans say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (vs. 17) it would seem that most Laodiceans have rejected other biblical truths as well (even when they explain there positions on governance they seem to misunderstand the Bible).

Now what about some of those few "hierarchical" groups calling themselves some type of Church of God which claim to have a hierarchical form of governance? Well, in nearly all of these cases, it seems that the "leaders decided" to appoint themselves to positions that they were never ordained/appointed to (perhaps, I should add here that I am NOT a self-appointed church writer--for some information on that, please see Who is COGwriter?).

I bet you did not know that Bob Thiel is of a HIGHER AUTHORITY than the fake self-appointed COG prophets like Flurry and Pack, did you? 

For example, PCG's Gerald Flurry declared himself a prophet, RCG's David Pack declared himself an apostle, CGPFK's Ronald Weinland declared himself a prophet and one of the two witnesses, and there are some lessor known individuals who have done something similar--none of which, as far as I have been able to tell, had hands laid upon them for those roles. Not only will none of these people accept the authority of any who were anointed by others to a higher role than they have, they seem to have a variety of practices suggesting a harsher and non-biblically correct form of governance.  

And if there is a non-self anointed apostle or prophet in the genuine COG (which are levels above evangelists), all should follow him--and there is one who heads the Continuing Church of God.

The O N E  M A N at this time that Herbert Armstrong and Dr. Meredith referred to is Dr. Bob Thiel. God used Herbert W. Armstrong to establish the Philadelphian phase, an evangelist to lead the transitional phase, and a Bob Thiel to lead the  final phase of the work. Dr. Thiel is proclaiming Christ's Gospel of the Kingdom by radio, via YouTube "television," via internet articles, in person, and in print as he leads the Continuing Church of God.

It is time for all of you backsliding Laodicean COG members to get on your knees and repent from following all the liars presently leading Churches of God and turn to the One Holy Apostolic Doubly Blessed Church of God that was prophesied by Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith to arise in the end times.

Aren't we blessed to be living in such amazing prophetic times!!!!!!

Commercial Break: A Most Awful Presentation on "Let's Talk About the Bible"

"Let's Talk About The Bible"

...badly and in the most shallow of ways

Bob Thiel notes:

"In II Corinthians  3:14 -16  unconverted experts who claim to have knowledge tend to have a veil of blindness so there are just areas they just can't see.  Always learning and never able to come to knowledge of the truth...."

Dr Bob refers to but fails to actually quote...

2 Corinthians 3:12-16

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the LORD, the veil is taken away."

Before continuing, and just for fun, I'd like to point out how Paul and now Bob Thiel in his simplistic "Because the Bible say so" preaching, turned the story of Moses and the Veil on it's head, making it mean what it never meant. 

The actual story referred to is...

"As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD….the children of Israel…were afraid to come near him….He put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel all that had been commanded. Then the children of Israel would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD (Exodus 34)."

Paul says the veil, now a blindfold,  was so the Israelites could not see the end of the law coming. They were blindfolded by the veil.  To this day they remain ignorant of the meaning of their own scriptures. Jesus took away the veil of this ignorance. Even to this day, the veil is a blindfold to the Jews , to their eyes and now to their hearts. But it's all good. Jesus can take away the blindfold.

Of course, this is not what the ACTUAL story in Exodus says or means. It actually says the opposite. The people saw and understood the Law of God very well when Moses explained it to them.  Giving the Law as presented to him by God made his face shine! The veil had NOTHING to do with being a blindfold on Moses or the people.  Paul, as is his custom, is overreaching here for a way to weave his tale in the New Testament. 

The reality of the story...

Moses is given the Law on Mt Sinai by God. Coming down the mountain to deliver the Law to the Children of Israel he did not realize his face shone having been in God's presence and it frightened the people to see it so. Moses puts on a veil to cover the glory of God's brightness, in his own face,  when he is NOT SPEAKING with God. He would not wear the veil in God's presence. 

So here, God is giving Moses and Israel the Law and the veil is not worn when Moses is with God. A veil is worn to shield the people from the "afterglow", so to speak, as it frightens them, when Moses comes down the mountain after being with God. 

The giving of the Law of God to Moses causes Moses face to shine. It does not blind him to the law. It does not foreshadow the passing away of the Law in the New Testament. The glory of the Law being given by God shines through him.  

The veil is NOT a BLINDFOLD as Paul makes it out to be in the NT.  The veil is NOT a symbol of the glory of the law passing such that it is now a blindfold on the Jews. 

 Paul turns the meaning of the story on its head to fit his Gospel tale. Paul often does this and is the master of making the OT mean what it never meant. How he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, "above his fellows, concerning the law, blameless" etc is beyond most theologians. 

Bob, claims himself to be a Bible scholar in this presentation.  Most Church of God Apostles, Prophets and Pastors, would have claimed a similar training,  at least of some sort, if they wish to be considered credible. However,  you'd never know it from this presentation.  

Sheldon Monson, no doubt, would have to claim the same thing. After all, he is starting his own True Church. But Sheldon too is just another Bible reader needing a following after being rejected by Mom. 

Both these men are not Bible Scholars but just Bible readers and Biblical Hobbyists, wearing a blindfold to that reality.... to this day.

(Note:  I also am not a Bible Scholar. My WCG training did not qualify as actual Biblical studies. It did not actually prepare me or anyone I know for ministry. One simply got thrown into the Lion's Den of ministry and learned the hard way if they learned at all.   In WCG and now in all the splinters, Pastors are simply teaching what the leadership believes and expects to be taught. There is no discussion, no challenges to interpretation, and no wiggle room to see anything differently than taught and not be dis-membered. There is certainly no accountability or checks and balances on stupidity, egocentric beliefs, or cornball ideas.   "Come let us reason TOGETHER" is never how it worked. It can't in such a "because I say so" culture.)  

And now we return to your normally scheduled programming

New COG Birth Announcement. Gerald Weston's New Competition

 

We all knew this was coming when Sheldon Monson was kicked out of the Living Church of God and had a broadcast the following week.

Now, we have a new Church of God thanks to Sheldon who now wants your tithe money and offerings.

Welcome to Church of God Assembly, Gerald Weston's new nemesis.

Special News Delivery: During the live streaming of services, September 5th at 2:00pm EDT, for the "COG Broadcast YouTube Channel." Sheldon Monson officially announced the formation of the newest Church of God group to hit the world scene. After some time of discussion and because of their origin, they decided the best title for their new group should be "Church of God Assembly." This was quite predictable considering the hint dropping every week during Sheldon's personal services on YouTube. Or at least that's what it seemed like. Personally, In a way I'm kind of glad he formed his own group. In a way though, I can't make that more abundantly clear. Why am I sort of glad? Well.. because honestly I'd like to see LCG's reaction. A competitor has arisen in their mist. I wonder what their next action will be? Something typical.. probably.. sigh. I wonder if LCG's membership is dropping? I'm sure Sheldon can take away quite a few more. I mean he already has. Best regards, NDA

Gerald Weston: We Have Been Transformed To Think And Act Like Jesus (At least those of us in Charlotte have been)

 

I never realized that the purpose of Jesus being on earth was for him to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, be crucified for our sins, then resurrected so that he could come back and work with one little group (like, in Charlotte)! Who knew???????????????? This "Jesus" sure has to be one busy dude since he has to be in so many different COG headqurters working. How can he be in Charlotte when he is in Gover Beach? Or, Edmond, OK? Or, Wadsworth, OH? But then, COG leaders need to make their followers feel special in order for them to give more money. The more special and set apart you are with "hidden knowledge" the more special people will feel and think they need to support this so-called truth.

Weston also reminds his faithful few that their goal is to be rulers of cities and worlds. Everyone gets a new planet! Woo Hoo!

What are those “many things” that we are to rule over? The Parable of the Minas reveals that those who are called, chosen, and faithful during this life, are given the opportunity to rule over cities when Jesus comes back to straighten out the mess that we humans have gotten ourselves into (Luke 19:16-19). Yes, the message Jesus brought was a message about righteous government—something sorely missing today. 

 

That may surprise some of you who are newer, but that is what the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is all about (Mark 1:14-15). That is the message Jesus taught for three-and-a-half years prior to the time when He paid the penalty for our sins by shedding His blood and dying on our behalf (1 John 1:5-7). He was resurrected and now works in a small group of people through the power of His Spirit, transforming us to think and act as He thinks and acts (Romans 8:6-9; Galatians 2:20). This same Jesus will return in power and glory to rule over the earth (Zechariah 14:9), and at that time, He will resurrect His servants to rule with Him on the earth for one thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

Let me get this straight...LCG leaders, ministers, and some privileged members have been transformed into thinking and acting like Jesus acted? Lord have mercy! If that's the case then Jesus PLEASE save us from your followers! 

If Weston and LCG leadership are the "transformed life" we have to look forward to, then the licking flames of the lake of fire would be a better alternative.

This is the same message given to the prophet Daniel. Notice what is revealed regarding this Kingdom to come: “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (Daniel 7:27). The term saint has been greatly corrupted over the centuries and merely refers to faithful followers of God, not someone set up on a pedestal in the way many mistakenly believe. See 2 Corinthians 1:1 and Ephesians 1:1. Few Christians realize how far removed their denominational teachings are from original Christianity.

Few LCG members realize how far removed LCG is from the original Christianity.

This is precious knowledge you are being given. It is knowledge not generally understood in the professing Christian world. It may be knowledge that some of you who are newer have not yet fully realized, but our booklet Do You Believe the True Gospel? explains this truth in greater detail and will unlock the scriptures that have been right there in the Bible all this time, ever since they were first written millennia ago. They are not difficult to understand and if God is opening your mind, all you need to do is read and believe what the Bible clearly says.

No silly!  All you need to do is read OUR literature and THEN you will understand things. According to COG ministers, Christians down through the centuries have been too stupid or blinded to understand what Jesus taught. Only those in the COG know that truth. That bullshit meter in the Church of God is constantly peaked off the end of the chart when they say this!

Hundreds of millions of Christians through the centuries have understood what Jesus did and accomplished. Many of them have died for that, something none of the wimpy-ass COG leaders in the last 80 some years have ever had to do, regardless of how loud they screech PERSECUTION these days.

The Christian faith has always evolved with each generation as it applied those truths to their own lives and living circumstances. Thank goodness no one in 2020 is like those "original" Christians!  Our calling demands us NOT to be! 

Any COG minister that claims they are practicing original Christianity is a liar.

UCG: Look at us! We "socially distanced" but are still preaching the same old crap. Woo Hoo!

 

Screenshot of recent filming

The boys in Cincinnati want you to know that they are socially distancing during the live filming of their podcasts...though inquiring minds want to know - where are the masks?

They seem pleased at the topics of their recent episodes, though it looks like the same tired worn out crap that has been preached about for decades. It is almost 2021 and one would think they could come up with new material.

Yesterday we recorded three more Beyond Today television programs with a studio audience consisting of our Ambassador Bible College class. The programs were "Human Identity and the Family of God" by Darris McNeely, "Why Do Good People Suffer?" by Steve Myers and "Beware the Mark of the Beast" by Gary Petty.

Their "faith" is also being challenged by the COVID restrictions that limit the Feast of Tabernacles' locations, attendance, and procedures this year. All first-world problems for an elitist COG group. Especially, while they have members in Africa who may walk half or full-day journey's to be at a Feast location (like they have bragged about happening in the past). Yet, the boys whine about U.S. restrictions.

Never fear though, UCG's CORRECT version of prophecy has all of this under control. Bob Thiel, be damned, we have it right!

We live in an era of fear, anxiety and uncertainty. But we in the Church of God are blessed with understanding—especially prophetic understanding—that brings peace and calmness. We can withstand and overcome trials in part because we confidently know that whatever season of life we are in, we will come out of it, We will win.

You can read Kubik's entire missive here: Update from the President: September 3. 2020

Keep Reading Dr Thiel...

 In a recent posting on COGWRITER, "Are Women to Give Sermons?",  Bob Thiel says...

"Let me make a few points.

First, while Tina Engelbart is entitled to her opinion about what she thinks the Greek means, the reality is that there is no record of Christian women preaching in either the New Testament nor in early Christian writings. While it is possible that the apostate Simon Magus may have had a female preach, and maybe some of the other apostates did, people who understood koine Greek at the time apparently did not feel that the Apostle Paul was allowing women to preach.

Second, UCG is correct that women should not be preaching. This is confirmed by the following passage that is in the Bible (hence, even allowing for a different translation of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, this is not something only to be derived from the Talmud as Tina Engelbart indicates):

11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. (1 Timothy 2:11-12).

It is also a historically accurate position as the early COG did not have women preaching in services."

https://www.cogwriter.com/news/doctrine/are-women-to-give-sermons/

I would suggest that Dr Thiel keep reading to fully understand Paul's reasons for his opinions. And that this is just Paul's opinion.

Let me make a few points as well...

I Timothy 2:  

11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.... KEEP READING BOB 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

First of all, Paul says it is his rule. He does not permit it. It's his opinion and he has nothing from his hallucinatory Jesus to quote about the issue. Neither would he find anything in the Gospels which came long after his death. 

Secondly, His opinion is based on the mythic story of Adam and Eve as to how men were first created and then women, (from the rib no less) of the first man Adam. The story is not literally true. 

Paul makes Adam being created first a significant pecking order issue as to the differences between a man's authority and a woman's.   The story of Adam and Eve is simply that, a story. You cannot take a myth, no matter what the context,  to make up literally true rules.  

The purpose of the story was to establish the fault of women for just about everything since time began and debunking goddess worship in the nations around Israel. The story is to promote Patriarchy in the form of Priests, Temples and Animal sacrifices as the way of Israel. The way of Matriarchy, as in the pagan nations worshipping fertility. agricultural phenomenon and the goddess was not going to be the way of Israel. This is the mentality of the Bronze and Iron Age and not the Computer and Space Age. 

Thirdly, Paul makes the point that in his view and in the tale, Adam was not deceived. He was a total non-player, even in the story.  The story actually reminds us that Adam was right there with Eve, but this is conveniently overlooked by Paul to make his opinion on the matter more valid and credible.   

In reality, Adam evidently had a problem speaking up.  At best, Adam was not in charge of the situation in the least. At worst, he was deceived equally "and did eat." They are both "transgressors" in this and equally.  Paul downplays that reality so he can make his point and defend his position that woman are not to speak in church or sermonize. Paul had a personal problem with women in his life I suspect. 

Genesis 3:6 "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it."

Paul graciously lets women off the hook of being at fault for everything by allowing them to be "saved" by having babies. He did not evidently find it to be helpful or encouraging to quote the actual verse outlining this process of salvation by baby bearing.

Genesis 3:16 16To the woman he said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

How close women almost came to having painless and pleasurable childbirth! Thanks a lot Eve!

How convenient and ludicrous. In the story, Eve or no woman had yet given birth to another human, so it was evidently a convenient time to tell women that it would be painful and this is part of her punishment. I would like to suggest that had this story never been told, childbirth would probably still be painful but the reason would be simply because this kind of experience for a woman is painful.

It's kind of like the Jesuits showing up at an Indian village and announcing that if they did not turn over their land, they would make the Sun or the moon go dark. Knowing the timing of solar and lunar eclipses no doubt helped them along in this trickery. I would have loved to seen a knowledgeable tribe member tell them, "Ok, do it right now and we will, but if you fail, we'll burn you at the stake." "Yeah no...we gotta go"

Like Paul, Bob, that is merely your opinion, and have failed to tell the whole story.

So Women of the Church, If you would like to hear an hour and half of what Bob admits "might be a little controversial" and give the impression he's not quite sure himself about the topic, you will enjoy what your true "role" is.

Bob makes the poetic point that women "were not taken from the head of man to be over him nor from the feet to be trampled underfoot" as the nice quote goes, but from the rib as his equal, etc. The real reason women come from the rib of man is that men have lots of ribs and losing one is more because there are lots of them and won't be missed. Women weren't taken from fingers as one might need all ten along the way. Fingers are more significant than one of 24 ribs. So are men more than women.

When teaching anatomy in massage schools, I'd get to the anatomy of the rib cage and how breathing works and say "First of all we have 24 ribs...." Then I would wait. It was always a female student. Up goes the hand. "But men have one less right?" I'd say no but I understand where you get that from. They'd get upset because in church they were told the tale. My answer was that if I cut off your finger, your children would still have ten fingers at birth. And just counting modern-day man's ribs pretty much took care of the question. One said she was telling her dad what I said and I told her to have him call me if he'd like. (The "call me, let's reason together" is ever with me.) Dad must have chickened out. I admit I should not have said: "...and have him explain Santa to you too." It just slipped out.

"Enjoy..."