Former men's dorm Olcott on Green Street
Remains of Television Studio
Exposing the underbelly of Armstrongism in all of its wacky glory! Nothing you read here is made up. What you read here is the up to date face of Herbert W Armstrong's legacy. It's the gritty and dirty behind the scenes look at Armstrongism as you have never seen it before! With all the new crazy self-appointed Chief Overseers, Apostles, Prophets, Pharisees, legalists, and outright liars leading various Churches of God today, it is important to hold these agents of deception accountable.
Be pacifists: Most religions, however, that profess Christ chose to allow warfare and other activities that do not show love to one’s neighbor...Love, not war, is what life is supposed to be all aboutIts really ironic that the non-ordained prophet starts off with this. Most COG groups do NOT show love towards their neighbors. Most never get involved in their communities, care for the homeless, work with prostitutes or take care of the sick. Almost all COG's are inward focused instead of outward. The standard thinking in Armstrongism has always been, "God is going to come and fix all of this in the millennium, so why should we."
Expect to be persecuted: The non-ordained prophet quotes from John 5 to justify the belief that his little cult will be persecuted.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause. (John 15:16-25)
There are no REAL Christans outside of the Continuing Church of God: The non-ordained prophet writes:
Throughout history, there have been true Christians, just as Jesus prophesied (Matthew 16:16; Revelation 2 & 3).
Real Christians lived differently than most who professed Christ and they were often persecuted for it. He then goes on to quote the Sermon on the Mount claiming this is what his group will be emulating.When they do so this will happen:
This affects them at work, at school, and home and all the time. They are not only Christians when they attend church services. They try not to live as hypocrites. Nor do they view pornography, engage in fornication or homosexuality, or live a life of hate.Many of the top evangelists in the COG view porn. I has seen it in their homes when they were in Pasadena. The COG has always been a hotbed of fornication. The colleges were and a lot of the youth were doing it (and still do.) Gay people have always been apart of the COG, always heave been and always will be. They are in LCG and even PCG and RCG, though one wonders why. As for hate, the COG's seem to hold a monopoly on it.
Real Christians pray 30 minutes each day: Real Christians pray and the Bible teaches this (Matthew 6:5-7). In modern times it has been suggested that Christians should strive to pray at least thirty minutes per day.
Real Christians "fast."Fasting was never a requirement of the early Christians.
Real Christians read the Bible (those who could read) and the more honorable ones daily
Real Christians tithe.Well of course they do! How else would the non-ordained prophet sustain his lifestyle? Tithing is something else that is not a requirement for Christians
There is no "law" telling a Christan what they can and cannot eat.
Real Christians avoid eating biblically unclean meats
Real Christians are not dishonest at work or school. They do not lie or cheat. They do not go along with sin in organizations.
Real Christians do not read horoscopes, practice witchcraft, or see fortune tellers
Real Christians do not have idols in their homes, wear “lucky charms,” etc.In other words, if you have a cross on your wall or wear one you are nothing more than a piece of pagan filth. God forbid if you have a rabbits foot or a four-leaf clover!
Real Christians do not have “filthy communications” come out of their mouths
Christians are to properly teach and bring up their childrenThe COG sadly has a legacy and a reputation of child abuse. Beating kids senseless, child molestation and other abuses were daily occurrences. The abuse of children in the COG was a direct result of the GTA and his child rearing booklet. Meredith added to the problem with his strict authoritarian punishments.
Real Christian women dress modestlyI guess it is time to get out the measuring sticks once again! Three inches below the knee women! Three inches!
Another laughable requirement considering the high number of COG members who have tattoo's (including women!)
Real Christians do not get tattoos
Christian women should not have short masculine hair styles
Christian men should not have long feminine hairstyles
Christan men do not shave their heads bald Since pagan priests tended to totally shave their heads, this does not seem to be a proper regular practice for Christian men (Leviticus 19:27; 21:5).
Christians do not get drunk or participate in improper revelriesAnother laughable requirement considering how many alcoholics are in Armstrongism. Feast sites are known around the world for their excessive alcohol consumption. Bars and restaurants stock up on alcohol before COG's come to town. What kind of legacy is that?
So, Christians are subject to be talked about badly for doing what is right. The Apostle Peter also wrote:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. (1 Peter 4:12-14)Thus, negative consequences from the world for being a Christian is expected.
Real Christians do not observe religious pagan holidays or birthdaysHalf of the so called "true" festivals that Armstrongism keep are carry overs from pagans in the time of the Israelites. They were reworked for the use of the Israelites in their worship of God. That's a fact that has been established throughout history.
Once God’s Church entered this prophetic day, the year of the Eternal, on Pentecost of 2012, Pentecost of 2013 seemed so far away. Our hearts had been set on the return of Christ to occur on May 27, 2012, but that did not happen. Then God quickly and mercifully revealed that His Son would not return until the following Pentecost of May 19, 2013.
On Pentecost we learned why Christ had not yet returned, as we had entered a prophetic day in which God’s judgment would be executed. It would not be executed throughout that day, but within that day.
Time will soon reveal if God will now bring such judgment upon the world within this time period of Passover to Pentecost or if there is more to be learned that has not yet been given for us to see. If we do not yet have a completely clear picture of the timing of these end-time events, then we will humble ourselves before God and seek to learn what we do not know. God’s people can see no more than what God gives to be seen, and God has given us much!
The spotlight shone brightly on Bricket Wood recently as production got underway on a feature film starring Downton Abbey’s Ed Speleers and Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen.
Plastic, which has been described as a cross between Catch Me if You Can and The Italian Job, wrapped filming last month. Based on various true stories, the picture follows a gang of friends who manage to infiltrate one of the biggest credit card companies in the world and pull off “one of the biggest and most audacious diamond heists ever committed in British history”.
Producing the movie took its team and actors all over the world, with filming hotspots including Miami, Brunei and Manchester. But it was Bricket Wood which became the backbone of making the film and offered an ample canvas for a whole host of integral scenes for the fraud-based film.
Film crews set up camp in Hanstead Park – the site of the old HSBC training centre – which proved a fruitful location for production, with woods, an office block and a university-style building readily available. This is not the first time Bricket Wood has been on the silver screen; a scene in A Clockwork Orange is said to have been filmed in woodland near the village.