Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Why the Book of Revelation is Heresy






Van Robison's recommended this article on the book of Revelation.  I could not get it to format correctly here, so check it out here:  Why The Book Of Revelation Is Heresy

The answer is that almost everything in John Patmos' hallucination opposes the Gospel Jesus' words, ways, and teachings. All one must do is pay attention to what John Patmos wrote. That will be done, with some detail, later in this critique. But first, some general background information is needed.

The Greek literary styles of John Patmos and John Apostle were examined in very early Christianity to prove these are two different writers. Eighteen hundred years ago, Dionysius (Bishop of the Patriarchy of Alexandria) stated that "Revelation" was not written by the same person who wrote John's Gospel and Letters. (Eusebius' History of the Church, 7.25) His opinion came from his comparing their two writing styles and found John Patmos to be entirely different from John Apostle and any other New Testament writer.

We do not need to be Greek scholars to look at the text of the Gospel and letters of Apostle John to notice John Patmos contradicts John Apostle at every turn. Those examples are examined in this report. But now we should remember that "Revelation" was doubted in Eastern Christianity and not generally accepted into the New Testament until AD 508. Some ancient Christian branches still do not include it in their Bibles. Therefore discussion and criticism of "Revelation" is not a new and is not a disrespectful activity.


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Living Church of God's 'Brotherly Love'


LCG's Doug Winnail posted a typical COG doublespeak post the other day:

Real Philadelphia Christians:  The book of Revelation describes Philadelphia Christians as having a strong desire to carry out the mission that Jesus Christ gave to His Church.  According to the Scriptures, that mission involved preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to this world and especially to the Israelite nations (Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 10:1-7), warning the world about the difficult times that will arise at the end of the age (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) and preparing a people to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming government of God (Luke 1:17).  However, as the name “Philadelphia” means “brotherly love,” true Philadelphians will also strive to follow Jesus’ admonition to “love one another” (John 15:17).  They understand that showing unselfish, outgoing concern for others (versus sitting in judgment of others) is one of the distinguishing marks of a real Philadelphia Christian (John 13:34-35).  The capacity to show real love to others is also one of the most important fruits that indicate that we have and are using God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-25).  Let’s all look for ways to show “brotherly love” to others.  Douglas S. Winnail

Isn't it wonderful to know that LCG and Rod Meredith are the epitome of "brotherly love!"  Rod Meredith is well known on how the "love" gushes forth from his godly persona.

We got to see that love in action when he stood on the stage in Tuscon Arizona and blatantly lied about Leona McNair in front of 800+ ministers and wives.

We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when he tried to force long time ministers out of the Auditorium during the receivership, then stood on the stage and lied again when he accused them of undermining the church.

Various ministers have felt the wrath of Rod's "brotherly love" when he would start screaming at them and then kick them out of the church because the would not put up with his power hungry rantings.

Even Herbert Armstrong called Meredith on the carpet for his unchristian "brotherly love" towards ministers and members in his March 14, 1980 letter.

We got to see Rod's "brotherly love" in action as he was letting the WCG defend him court against the lawsuit Leona McNair brought against him, all the while planning on exiting the church afterwards and start up a new splinter group.

We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when Global Church of God decided to kick him out.  He then  jumped ship starting a new splinter group (LCG) all the while leaving the debt he accrued with the GCG folk.  Many GCG people had given hundreds of thousands of dollars to start Rod in his new church when Global formed which he left high and dry when he started LCG.

We got to see Meredith's "brotherly love" in action when he caused Raymond and Eve McNair  to grovel on their knees "with trembling lips" begging Rod's forgiveness.

We got to see Rod's "brotherly love" in action when Terry Ratzman went on a killing spree in an LCG church service killing and wounding LCG members, all because of the weird hate filled rantings of Rod Meredith that Ratzman had been subjected to in sermons.

We have seen Meredith's "brotherly love" spelled out in print towards gay people in the church who had to sit through endless spitting and blathering in class and in this article from the 1961 Plain Truth.


Rod's ministry and life is one of gracelessness, vengeance and power hungry control.   Yes, we have all seen Rod's brotherly love in action and it has left us all wanting. No one wants or needs the kind of 'brotherly love' that Rod Meredith or LCG has to offer.  Rod's graceless, legalistic cult has nothing to offer a hurting world.

Dr. Bob Concerned That Potential Suicides in 2012 Will Result In Lower Income For LCG


Chiropractor/naturopath/COG apologist/author, and all around important person is worried that the chance of increased suicides in 2012 because of idiot false prophets will cause a drop in LCG income and the prohibition of LCG preaching it's warning to the world. (One can only hope.....!) 

French Worried About 2012 Suicides: A Prelude to Interference of the Work?

 The Mayan 2012 flood prophecy will be proven false.  But 2012 will affect the world in ways that most who have discussed it publicly have not mentioned.

 While I have many concerns about the ramifications of the December 21, 2012 prediction (including an increase in prophetic scoffers, see 2 Peter 3:3-9, when the world does not end then), a relatively new one (for me) is that if there are massive suicides or other disturbances, this may result in governments calling for restrictions on making “end of the world” predictions.  This is especially feasible as in Malawi someone was arrested this year for pushing Harold Camping’s May 21, 2011 rapture date (see Arrest in Malawi and Stroke for Harold Camping).

This type of government action may restrict the ability of the Living Church of God to get its warning message out just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.  Yet, for a short while it appears that we will get a lot of notice, and do the “short work”.  The late LCG evangelist John Ogwyn wrote:
God states clearly: “He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness” (Romans 9:28). Who will He use to do it? According to Daniel 11:32 it is “the people who know their God [that] shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
… Today, the Living Church of God continues to do the Work of God, proclaiming the true Gospel to a world spiraling toward destruction.  (Ogwyn J. God’s Church Through the Ages.  LCG booklet, p. 58)
We in the Church of God have tended to believe that something would stop our organized ability to proclaim biblical truths including prophetic ones:
I have personally believed that when people like I explain who the final King of the North is and that he (who many will believe is an ally of the USA and UK) will actually invade and destroy the USA and UK, that I and others in the Living Church of God may be accused of treason, hate speech, or some technical violation of some rule in order to prevent our right to proclaim the truth.

With US FCC “net neutrality” rules (which they were approved to start to use in late 2010), Malawi’s arrest, and the French government’s public concerns, we are getting close to that time when governments will be too offended by the truth and some will take steps to stop it from being proclaimed.

The organized work may be stopped by government officials (like on the internet, television, etc.) and persecutions began because people of the holy covenant are warning the world of the results of their sins (which they will not want pointed out) and teaching that the King of the North is fulfilling these prophecies in Daniel 11. The faithful may be saying things that are not “politically correct” to the point that one or more governments will take action.

And if there are problems caused by the failed 2012 prophecies, governments (including the USA one) will feel more justified to taking steps to prevent small groups (like the Living Church of God) preaching the truth about the gospel of the kingdom and the end of the world as we know it.  The French statements may be a step that will lead to that.


Does all this mean I will miss the Olympics?  :-)