Bob Thiel's African Feast Con Game: Instead of 5,000 Try 500

This is from a source that seeks to remain anonymous and knows a lot about Bob Thiel's Feast sites and member attendance in Africa.

I couldn't help but report on Bob Thiels Continuing Church of God in my travels to visit Church of God Congregations in Africa, especially Malawi. I expected to see vast numbers of CCOG there but was utterly astonished to see nothing on the ground, especially in Migow and surrounding areas. 

I've seen reports on Thiel's website claiming 4-5 thousand in Malawi, this is simply not true. 

I've questioned locals and they all report the same thing, they only have seen this year at Migowi maybe 100 or so people who showed up at Radson Molowzoa's Church during this Feast and I think left only after a day or two.

I also visited my local congregation in Zomba, and I heard a very disturbing story about Pastor Radson Molowza who was traveling slowly around Zomba with a big cow in tow, promising villagers all the food they want if they come to the Feast of CCOG. 

I don't know what kind of game Bob Thiel is playing in Africa, but it is sadly all a lie. 

I've been in Africa now going on 25 years, and I know how the Africans scam the Churches of God. You really have to be on the ground here to know what is going on. 

The only really good reports I heard about in Malawi concerning the CCOG is a man by, I think, the name of Sosten whom the people say mainly good things about him and that he cares for them, unlike Radson. Many people have told me Sosten started years ago but was disfellowshipped because of adultery and money skimming. I am not surprised by that, as it takes a real converted African man to be loyal to his wife. 

I checked out Bob Thiel's sermon on Church Government and Corruption, where he does mention a Minister in Malawi before Radson, who was let go for adultery and money skimming, so I believe this is true. 

During this Holy Day Season, I've been surprised at this Church of God group called Hope of Israel, everywhere I go, people are praising them and saying how good they are, and it's been reported that their Feast site in Mulange and Zomba had daily numbers of around 2000 persons. Reports in Mozambique, where I'll be traveling tomorrow, attendance was around 400 plus. To do that with current food prices and transportation costs, they must know what they're doing. 

Anyway, I think the local media was involved in attending their Feast sites and was impressed with the thousands that attended. Sadly CCOG doesn't have thousands in Malawi as Thiel states a few hundred in Sostens church of God. Also confusing to me and other persons here is that Thiel claims Radson is in charge of Malawi and also maybe Sosten. People here are confused about what is going on. 

In our Church of God here in Africa, though small compared to other Churches of God, I and other people outside come here periodically to make sure proper records are kept, especially tithing records, church property, and reports coming in on our ministers. Thiel should do his own private investigations, but what happens if he finds out he was conned big time in Africa, will he bury it or come clean!!!! Only time will tell. 

Tucker Carlson Attacked by Sleep Paralysis

“I had a direct experience with it,” said Carlson.

“In the milieu of journalism?” asked Heers.
“No, in my bed at night,” replied Carlson. “And I got attacked while I was asleep with my wife and four dogs and mauled, physically mauled.”

Carlson said that although he isn’t particularly religious, he “knew it was spiritual immediately,” and decided to call his assistant who is “like, the only Evangelical Christian I know” to discuss his experience. 

“And she said, ‘Oh, yeah. No, no, that happens. Yeah. People are attacked in their bed by demons,’” Carlson recounted.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/tucker-carlson-goes-into-great-detail-about-being-physically-mauled-by-a-demon/ar-AA1tijTr?ocid=BingNewsSerp

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Never invoke the supernatural when a natural explanation will do.

"Sleep, an essential aspect of our lives, offers a sanctuary for rest and rejuvenation. However, for some, this serene state can transform into a terrifying experience known as sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is also known as REM sleep atonia. It is a phenomenon that has plagued and intrigued humans for centuries. It is often described as a temporary inability to move or speak upon awakening or falling asleep. 

In this article, we will delve into the world of sleep paralysis, exploring its causes, manifestations, and potential remedies. This article attempts to unravel the enigma behind this perplexing phenomenon."

https://healthlineage.com/sleep-paralysis-a-journey-into-the-realm-of-the-mind/

The Science behind Sleep Paralysis

REM sleep atonia occurs during the transition between wakefulness and sleep when the body undergoes distinct sleep stages. The two primary sleep stages involved are rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. REM sleep is characterized by vivid dreams and muscle atonia, a natural paralysis that inhibits physical movement. This temporary paralysis ensures that dream-related movements do not translate into physical actions, preventing potential injury.

Postdormital (after-sleep) paralysis occurs when this normal muscle atonia extends beyond the REM sleep stage This temporarily immobilizing the individual even after waking up. REM sleep atonia is an occurrence is often accompanied by hallucinations, which can be intensely vivid and frightening. While the precise mechanisms behind REM sleep atonia remain a subject of ongoing research, various contributing factors have been identified.

https://healthlineage.com/sleep-paralysis-a-journey-into-the-realm-of-the-mind/

Sleep Paralysis historically is the source for stories about the Incubus and Succubus tales 

https://atlasmythica.com/succubus-incubus-demons/

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I have experienced sleep paralysis once and once was enough. I was "awake" but absolutely could not move. Right next to my left ear was something breathing heavy and threateningly evil just out of sight. I tried to turn my head to see it but to no avail. Within a minute or so I was able to move my arm and push off the wall which began to wake me up in earnest. The event was over. 

The explanation is simply that sometimes we awaken before the chemistry that holds us still during even the most active and dramatic of dreams has dissipated. This occurs during dreams to protect us from the actual action of the dream. That's pretty cool. But when we awaken before the time, it's not cool at all. The "evil presence" is a phenomenon of the experience. It feels exactly like a "demon" is involved. Exactly!

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The Real Story Behind Those Sleep Paralysis Demons

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleep-paralysis-demon

You may experience sleep paralysis if you wake during the dream phase of sleep. You may be more likely to see hallucinations during the rapid eye movement cycle.

You wake up in the middle of the night and there it is: a menacing presence that you can first feel and then see when you open your eyes. Scared like the dickens, you try to scream and bolt — but you can’t. It’s like you’re paralyzed or being held down by the evil presence.

What in the world is happening? Three words: sleep paralysis demons

What is this “demon” that leaves you trapped in your body, unable to move or scream? It depends who you ask.

For some it’s a faceless, shapeless presence trying to suffocate them. Others describe it as a creepy old hag with claws. Some see an alien and experience what they believe is a full alien abduction. And for others, the demons look like a dead relative.

Are the Demons Real?

The short is answer… sort of.

The paralysis is real. It’s called sleep paralysis. The phenomenon of ~seeing~ something demon-like while experiencing sleep paralysis is also real. It’s called a hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucination. 

As for the demon itself, it’s not real. We promise.

However, there might be a shred of truth to the belly-up component of the Brazilian fable. It turns out, you’re more likely to experience sleep paralysis 

While sleep paralysis demons are definitely creepy, the explanation behind them is actually kind of boring.

Sleep paralysis happens when you wake up during the dream phase of sleep. During this period, your brain turns off signals to the rest of your body to keep it from moving or acting out your dreams.

If you suddenly wake up while still in this phase, you’re fully conscious but unable to move.

Sleep paralysis

It’s estimated that anywhere from 1.7 percent to 40 percentTrusted Source of people experience sleep paralysis, but not everyone gets the demon experience. That’s because not everyone experiences sleep paralysis alongside hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations.

Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations

Vivid dream-like experiences, referred to as hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations, can seem real and are often frightening. They may be mistaken for nightmares, and they can occur while you’re falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic).

During these hallucinations, you may see scary people or creatures near you or even lying in your bed. And they’re often accompanied by sleep paralysis.

These hallucinations can happen if you’re partially conscious during the rapid eye movement (REM) cycle of sleep. In that state, you’re looking at the real world but also dreaming — the prefect recipe for seeing things that aren’t really there.

You might also see a distortion of something that really is there. For instance, the pile of clothes on your chair could turn into a person sitting there watching you sleep, or the light from your alarm clock could morph into a red-eyed monster.

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A little homework will exorcise the demon

 

Greco-Roman Crackpot Prophet Feast Update: Some Of His African Members Were Held For Ransom And He Shames Canadian Members

 

It is another bright sunny day in California, where the greatest Church of God to ever exist in the history of humanity has its astounding headquarters. No Church of God has ever done as mighty of work as the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god" has been doing. Of course, none of this could be possible without the all-knowing self-appointed prophet who believes he was preselected by God to come in the 21st century to turn the hearts of the children back to their fathers, as the greatest work to ever exist, publishes hudnreds and hudnreds of the booklets in multiple languages.

The Great Bwana Bob Mzungu Thiel starts off by mentioning his Galveston feast site with 34 followers in attendance.

Greetings from the Five Cities Region of California.

We are back from the Feast of Tabernacles which, in the US, was held in Galveston, Texas.

As it turns out, we met in what is called the “Training Room” for services at Moody Gardens. Of course, all Christians are being trained in this life and especially also at the Feast of Tabernacles.

Where would the COG be without "coincidences" popping up all around them to prove that they are the true church? 

However, things did not go well in the Congo with his followers there:

Congo Update

Last week, I mentioned that there were troubles at the festival site in the Congo.

Dear Pastor Dr Bob ,

Greetings .

We’re now in Rwanda and we’re safe all here in Rwanda.

Dear Pastor , when we arrived at Congo , we started the Feast of tabernacles properly, but on the seventh day Satan fought us again. The bad things that happened to us in Congo surprised us all because before we went there, Rwanika informed the leaders of a place where there was a house of prayer. Even when we were on the Feast , these leaders came to visit us. But then we were surprised to see 4 other leaders in the car they told us to go to the office to lock us up, others leaders went to take our sisters and ones is my wife where they were staying, they put us in the car but then they left brother Aaron Joel from Uganda and the rest of us took us to the government office and told us that an unknown person called them and told them that we have mistakes so they burned all our documents except for Aaron from Uganda.

When we arrived there at their office , they check our documents and Church documents after seeing that they are complete , they start to accusing us for fabricated crimes that Rwanika and his assistant in the Church called Mapendo that informed some leaders and left others them and that we are also many foreigners and every foreigner don’t have a document of to go to the mission in the Congo so we should all be imprisoned. Immediately they locked our documents and Church documents in the office they ordered us to leave at the temple and some for us to go to Rwanika home where you are imprisoned, then who called Mapendo was locked up in the local government prison then Rwanika and I were taken to the main office where the police were to pay the money they asked us . when we finished paying the money, they started threatening us and asking us about politics between the countries and about our races and trying to burn and check our telephones and saying that we have many crimes . Immediately they arrested Rwanika so that time I was the only one who was not arrested. Then they told me to go to get other money for the second payment. When I had seen all that and all the money had been spent, and it was evening that’s when I asked them to go to searching network and to get more money. For that I appreciate Pastor Evans who sent the money required quickly. However, when I had already paid the money again they only opened Rwanika {to let him out} and the another one stayed in the prison until morning  and they refused to give us our documents and Church documents. What we found out is that there is someone unknown did a cruel thing to us. We don’t know if is XXXXXX because we know that XXXXXX is with that group he joined they go to government in another territory to register their Church but in the name of Continuing Church of God and they had sent to me the picture of that group and XXXXXX is in that picture. For that I told Rwanika and brother Mapendo to go to that territory to ask and stopped about that.

So , for that all because the Congo is the country of corruption and injustice , we all decided that we will not go to Congo again like many people because Congo is bad country and we decided that while it not be possible to meet in Rwanda we will stay home or if it will possible next we will go to Kenya in the Feast of the Lord.

Attached there is a picture we took after from prison.

Thanks,

Moise. 

Sadly part of this looks like a smear campaign against Sasha's group that he started before he died. Bwana Bob has trained his African leaders well in smearing Sasha's church. 

The Great Bwana then ends his letter to his faithful by shaming his Canadian members because they did not attend one of his sites and instead chose to watch services by Skype.

Start saving your money boys and girls! The Great Bwana Bob EXPECTS you to attend in person. After all, he needs your money!

While we had thousands attend at our couple of dozen Feast of Tabernacles’ sites around the world this month, not all who should have attended, did attend.

There were some that mainly watched Skype services. Nadjia Fontaine, who hosted such a place in Canada, sent the following email comments to me:

The Feast went well for the faithful who attended/participated. Being able to use Skype to bring scattered brethren together was a joy.  But having been at Feast sites, it was not the same.  While the Holy Spirit that joins us is not hindered by time and space, our physical ability to sense and channel it can be hindered by distance.  The physical proximity of gathering for the Feast, and for eight days or more in succession and sometimes for extended periods on those days (sometimes all day), I believe amplifies and strengthens our connectedness and ability to tap into the Holy Spirit.  Sort of like exercising our spiritual antennae.  God knew what He was doing commanding us to gather for the weekly and annual sabbaths.

Whether or not you attended in 2024, you should plan and resolve to attend in 2025 if at all possible. The Apostle Paul wrote:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

21 I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing (Acts 18:21).

Will YOU try to insure that BY ALL MEANS you will keep the coming Feast of Tabernacles next year as we see the day approaching?

It is good for you to do so.

The Feast of Tabernacles begins at sunset on October 6th and runs through (including the Last Great Day) sunset October 14th in 2025.

Plan to attend! You should not wait until next Fall to plan to do so.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel

Pastor and Overseer

Aljazeera Documentary on The Worldwide Church of God: Apocalypse Maybe

 With Dr James Tabor 

"You get the right person in charge of an insane script, the script becomes believable"

Why it is right, and even necessary to talk about our experience in the Doomsday Cult of our youth

The End of Fear - video

With Dr. James Tabor

The End of Fear

A look at the fear of growing up in a doomsday cult and believing that, any day now, the world may end.

In part two of our Apocalypse Maybe series, End of Fear, people raised with a belief in an impending apocalypse look back on their upbringing, and find some parallels in today’s increasingly unstable world.

Acclaimed author and professor Jerald Walker shares the story told in his 2016 autobiography, The World in Flames: A Black Boyhood in a White Supremacist Doomsday Cult, while writer and PR professional Fleur Brown connects past fears with the current day.

RCG's Bradford Schleifer - God Says FAKE IT!

Just when you think the spiritual degeneracy of the Restored Church of God cannot sink any lower, 

it does.

The Major Problems with Armstrongism

The Major Problems with Armstrongism 

(which this blog and others have identified)

The following teachings of Herbert Armstrong have been thoroughly refuted here and elsewhere:

1. The nature of God. His teachings about the Trinity, and more particularly those that were related to the Holy Spirit.

2. The nature of the human potential. His teaching that man would one day be equal to God.

3. The biblical origins of the English-speaking nations of the earth. His teaching that the people of the United States and Britain are the descendants of the birthright tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Manasseh).

4. That the return of Jesus Christ to this earth is imminent. He repeatedly engaged in date setting and misleading people about the signs of the times.

5. That Christians are obligated to observe the commandments of Torah (including the weekly Sabbath, Holy Days, tithing, and clean and unclean animals as food.

6. That the symbolism of the Holy Days reflected Armstrong's understanding of God's plan. More particularly, his understanding of the meaning of Atonement, Trumpets, and Tabernacles.

7. The nature, purpose, and fate of the angels. Especially, as it related to Satan and his demons.

8. The nature of the ekklesia. His teachings about government within the Church, the composition of the Church, disfellowshipping, and that traditional Christians were deceived members of a false church, a pseudo-ekklesia.

9. The influence of paganism on Christianity. More particularly, his teachings regarding Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Saint's Days, etc., and his rejection of the cross as a Christian symbol.

10. The interpretation of prophecy. More particularly, his headline theology and insinuating modern nations, institutions, and leaders into biblical prophecies.

11. The nature of the Gospel. More particularly, his de-emphasis on the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth and what all of that meant for humanity.

12. The nature of the Kingdom of God. He ignored the anti-authoritarian message of Christ and dismissed the fundamental change that was being wrought in the nature of humanity. Instead, he emphasized a literal government which would forcibly impose its will on everyone.

13. The nature and purpose of human sexuality. More particularly, his teachings about dating, marriage, homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, child rearing, appropriate clothing, makeup, and what constituted sexual lust.

14. The nature and role of faith and works in the life of a Christian. His understanding of love, mercy, forgiveness, repentance, faith in Christ, and physical works was twisted and inconsistent with what is revealed in Scripture.

15. The way that Scripture was used and interpreted. Mr. Armstrong's insistence on literalism and proof-texting; and his rejection of all textual criticism, along with the way he ignored context, doomed his interpretations of Scripture to failure.

Lonnie Hendrik/Miller Jones

Musings...Medicine, Theology, Politics: It's all the same

 

This speech from "Patch Adams" has always resonated with me on so many levels applying to so many personal experiences and perspectives.  

"You were never one of them" is an evaluation I have heard all my personal life in being a WCG pastor. "You say the things I am only thinking" is also a quiet moment with another pastor at lunch. I believe that is true and why this speech resonates so much with me personally. 

Getting caught up with WCG, or any Cult of Personality or group beliefs not your own, though you felt they were supposed to be and riding through all the storms that others bring your way can make one feel they failed for not conforming and for not going along to get along. 

Not going along to get along has been one of my own personal life lessons. It's why I can say I now see myself as having been a salesman for the Armstrongs, in the past, and not a well-trained theologian and pastor. I let myself see the Bible through the eyes of others believing it was wrong to see it through my own. Those days are long over. 

But it is not so When you are "not one of them", you are free and, to you, and there be few that find that kind of freedom. And while the price, indeed, is high, for saying what others are only thinking, I find being authentic a much better road to travel.

Besides, life is too short to be someone else.