Living Church of God: Black LCG Member Asks "...why are we as a people looked down upon as we are, and even in the church, why are we persecuted more than any other people in this world”

The stories continue to flow out of the Living Church of God daily on the abusive techniques the LCG is using against its members.

When will Rod Meredith, Richard Ames, Doug Winnail and others stand up and say we are sorry, we have been wrong and we want to correct our mistakes?  None of us here can ever imagine this happening.  Rod Meredith and crew instead are digging their heals in and blaming this site and others for the discontent of their members.  We have not caused the current crisis in the LCG. The members are coming to this blog and others because the LCG hierarchy will NOT listen to them without labeling them as heretics and kicking them out for bad attitudes.

Interestingly enough, the following letter was posted on James Malm's blog today.  It is about the racist polices of the Living Church of God towards African-American members.  Meredith continues to enforce the racist polices that he learned under Herbert Armstrong.  Those racist ideas came directly as a result of the abominable teaching of British-Israelism and its white superiority.

The Living Church of God cruelty kicked out several African-American LCG members over this very issue.  They brought forth their objections to it and out the door they went. 

The letter on Malm's blog states:

I attended lcg church for aproximately eight years. I am a black man who attended sabbath services faithfully. I would always follow along through the scriptures with whom ever the speaker would be, and in doing so, I would only study what had been taught by way of lituriture that he would refer you to. Mr. Roderick Meredith would sometimes start fist pounding saying things like: “check up on me, check out what we say in the pages of your own bible”; or things like “brethren, we must warn our peoples”. Sometimes shouting and fist pounding. And we (blacks) heard this so much that we started talking among ourselves saying; “now wait a minute! Where are we in the scriptures? Surely whites are not the only ones in the bible! But thats all they’d stress”. So after so much talking over time, I started praying and asking our Lord; “why are we as a people looked down upon as we are, and even in the church, why are we persecuted more than any other people in this world”? Once, a time while taveling home from a feast site; I had two passengers riding who were of Phillipian desent. Somehow the races became the topic of conversation, I was blown away when the back seat passenger said: “you see Kennie, you people are from Ham, and this is why you all are under the curse!” I was almost angry enough to pull off the highway and put her out of my vehicle, but Jesus would not have done so. But this is what was and is still taught at lcg, that white people are the true Israelite people; as HWA has stated that his grandmother is on the lineage of King David; the throne of David even now sits in Wales! I was wow’d when I heard all this jiberish from Doug Winnail. But, when I heard him at our congregation speak about marriage, I just really was done. To say things like, people should stay with their own kind is not God like. I fill that he was sent there just to relay that message to blacks, to stay with your own.

So I then refused to invite my eldest son and his family to the church because his wife is white. But after alot of talking and praying about these things, I started to search the scriptures for myself, and low and behold, the Lord directed me to places in the bible that I had never been before! Scriptures that Mr Meredith, Doug Winnail, Richard Ames, and a host other ministers constantly danced around or quickly skimmed over picking and choosing always in certain areas of the Bible to get their point across, but never, never, not even once out of eight long years did they even remotely touch on certain scriptures.

He then goes on to write about his own interpretation of how the 12 tribes were formed by skin color.  He falls into the same trap that Meredith is in.  If the kingdom truly is what Scripture says it is, then this is what it will be like:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him Acts 10:34-35

That also applies to race.  Caucasians are not superior to blacks, Caucasians are not superior to Latino's, Asians, Indians or anyone else.  Its irrelevant as to what a persons skin color is.  If the kingdom is about finally being at rest with God, then what significance does skin color have to do with it?  For Meredith, Armstrong, Craig White and others it is important that whites occupy all leadership  positions in the kingdom.  According to them every single "hero" in the Bible, every prophet, every apostle, and every true convert were white.

Living Church of God's Suppression Of Critical Thinking

From a reader here:

Darryl I read your full original letter, and I think you are exactly correct in your assessment and how you are responding now.

As for "2 to 3 years left", I heard Roderick Meredith himself speak with no less dogmatism and certainty of "maybe 4 to 8 years left" in the early 1970s(!).

As for the suppression of critical thinking that you describe at "Living University", you are absolutely right that any real university teaches weighing of evidence and reading multiple sides of informed discussions of issues. Where is Dr. Germano in all this? I knew Dr. Germano long ago as a sound and intelligent critical thinker, and now he is mixed up with this? Finally, let me tell you, Roderick Meredith is one not-very-admirable person to look up to as a religious leader. Never mind that he seems not to have developed a single original thought or idea in his entire life's history of preaching. If his message was a good one that would be forgivable. I personally heard him, along with several thousand others, on the opening night of the Feast of Tabernacles 1969 in Mount Pocono, say how if he were president he could end the war in Vietnam in one-half hour. He repeated it a couple of times, sort of smiling and relishing the point. Although he did not directly say so, it sounded like he was talking about simply nuking North Vietnam off the map, thus ending the war in one-half hour. Meredith never apologized, clarified, or retracted that statement, which is utterly horrifying--making serious statements of intent about genocide, about mass annihilation. To the contrary Meredith seemed proud of it, as if showing what a man he was that he could give the word to exterminate hundreds of thousands of people just like that. And all this on the opening night of a religious festival. Of course Meredith then was also not thinking an original thought--he was channeling, albeit in extreme form, the climate and the culture of the one doing his thinking for him, HWA (Meredith was at that time #3 in the WCG, superintendent of the US ministry under HWA and GTA).

These are violent, violent, people in their hearts--as the heart thinks, the mouth speaks--even if they are externally law-abiding and restrict their malevolence to ideas and speech and manipulation of human minds.

They preach British-Israelism which is other language for thinking white people have divine entitlement to the world's best natural resources and to take and keep such by military conquest and force--simple imperial ideology with dehumanizing of any native peoples who happen to be in the way.

If Meredith showed signs of self-reflection, growth, remorse--genuine repentance--over these past blatant advocacies and relishing of thoughts of mass murder, that would be one thing. But that is not the case from anything that I have seen reported. You did well to think analytically and run, not walk, out of there to the productive and meaningful life you have possible ahead now. I sincerely hope you can talk with your girlfriend and work through this with her, and that she can recognize again the good soul that you are as you have shown by your growth in this experience. God bless you. (p.s. you might find reading books by Frank Schaeffer of interest and helpful.) gld

Why Does The LCG Wash Members Sins In Public But Lash Out When It's Own Sins Are Exposed?

From an LCG reader:

It is so sad...Meredith just loves to wash other peoples sins in public. So how does it feel Meredith? Remember what you did to Tod Crockett? How about the Robinsons? Or even better how about Mr. Bryce? How about Josh and Tom and Ray and Ro and Theo and Lani Shall I go on? There are many many others. YOU lied about Mr. Bryce and everything that happened when you fired him. YOU lied about all of them.

Living Church of God Claims "A Pastor Must Be Self-Controlled—Not Quick To Get Angry "

Here is an excerpt from the 377 page LCG Pastor's manual amalgamated by Rod McNair.  This is from the "Pastoral Ethics" section:

A Pastor Must Be Self-Controlled—Not Quick To Get Angry 

“…A bishop then must be… not violent…but gentle, not quarrelsome…” (1 Timothy 3:2-3) 
Pastors sometimes have to deal with frustrating and exasperating situations.  A Pastor must have the character—and LOVE for others—to control his own spirit, even in the midst of difficult situations, and even with people who are irrational or belligerent.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he said: 
2 Timothy 2:24-26 “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
 
When a problem arises, imagine that you are arriving at the scene of a fire.  The fire is the problem you are facing.  Imagine that you have two buckets in your hands—one is filled with water, and the other is filled with gasoline.  Which one you use upon arriving at the scene has a lot to do with the outcome of the situation.  Can you defuse the situation by using a calm but firm hand?  Or do you react with anger in kind, further exacerbating an already bad situation? 

A Pastor must exhibit emotional control to successfully function in his capacity.  He must be able to bear insult without retaliation.  Jesus set that example.  He did not lash out or take revenge on those who ridiculed Him.  As Peter wrote: 

1 Peter 2:21-25  “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth’;  who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 

This does not mean that a Pastor must not defend the members or the office of the ministry or must not occasionally act with decisive action.  But he must keep his own personal feelings out of it, as much as possible, with God’s help.  He must not fall into a “siege mentality” where he begins to see everyone as either for him or against him.  He must strive to minimize controversy and polarization wherever possible.  He must deal squarely and decisively on the facts, based on sound biblical principles, with all due patience and long-suffering and without personal antagonism or anger. 

This takes careful self-examination of motives and intentions.  It takes deep reflection to examine one’s own personal motives—and the humility to admit to oneself when one is acting on pride  Proverbs 16:32 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”  Proverbs 14:29 “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.”   Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” pg 1-4, 1-5

Every single thing that is highlighted above is exactly what the LCG is NOT doing at this present moment.  Rod Meredith and others have lashed out in anger at the Scarborough's and other members that see major issues breaking the church apart. They retaliate by publicly embarrassing and maligning church members characters and motives on a regular basis.

Rod Meredith and other LCG leaders have always used "personal feelings" when lashing out at certain people.  Meredith is well know for carrying long held grudges against others.

The LCG and most other COG's have always employed the "siege mentality" when issues arise.  The wagons are circled and disfellowshipments and markings fly like bullets.  Its like they massacre as swiftly and as many as possible right off the bat so that the members cower in fear.  Just look at the Church of God history from the time Herbert Armstrong started the church to this very day.  From the time Armstrong stabbed the Church of God 7th Day in the back and apostatized, to this very day where we have 700 some splinter groups that are constantly circling the wagons to preserve their life styles and personal interpretations.

"...with all due patience and long-suffering and without personal antagonism or anger."  What a glorious fantasy!  Will we ever see that day happen in the Church of God movement?

Living University Student Tells How He Was Mistreated By LCG Ministers

From the Exit and Support site.

I always had this gut feeling, this unnerving inkling somewhere way in the back of my mind all throughout the entire time I had been a part of Living Church of God that something wasn't right. Of course I learned quickly to dismiss it as a thought from Satan, encouraged to pray harder and fast more and "draw closer to God" to resist the devil. That in itself doesn't prove anything, but I had studied gut feelings as a part of my University certificate (prior to LCG) and it is absolutely true that gut feelings are more than just vague paranoia or imagined fear.

"Your sub-conscious which operates ten times faster than your conscious mind has picked up on signals of danger that your conscious mind has not yet processed."1

"Controlling my information was something I experienced first hand being at Living University, and beforehand. One particularly memorable moment was when I found a book in the LU library titled The Armstrong Empire.(A Look at the Worldwide Church of God) by Joseph Hopkins.4 It was later removed upon realising what it was about when I brought it to two of the ministers to check out and read. I could have just taken it, but it was a simple experiment. Along with my being instructed not to read Exit Support Network™, Cult Awareness and Information Centre, or similar ones, because it was either "dissident material" or just plain "doctrines of demons" or "it will drag you away from the truth." This is not exclusive to the LCG, it is a common practise among Bible-based cult groups who insist they are the "one true church." However, when you are being subjected to it you don't realise that is what's happening. You are told to pray more, fast more, draw closer to God and made to feel incredibly guilty and like you're not measuring up.

It began to concern me when I was told to do just that. Don't read anything that contradicts or challenges the group theology. If you want to prove anything you have to refer to the group literature/authority because everyone else is "blinded." It is a ridiculous mentality to have but when you are indoctrinated in it you genuinely believe what you are told, and I did. But it didn't stop those gut feelings of "something is not right."

I began to become more and more concerned with the way I was being treated and the way in which my girlfriend [in LCG] was expected to act and react and interact. I was told to ignore her completely, told not to talk to her, to avoid sitting next to her. We both thought we were doing the right thing but it doesn't change how miserable I made her feel. It doesn't change that people in the future will still be subjected to such abuse quite frankly under the guise of a minister telling you "God" wills it and that He is testing you. I am sorry for the way I let people manipulate me into treating her that way. I was always told "wrong time," it's "not God's will." In reality the idea was that I needed to be indoctrinated properly, to dedicate my life to the group (through baptism) then be "a useful tool in God's hands" so that they would have assurance I would pledge total allegiance, lifelong loyalty and service to their group and place it before anything else. Although, of course, that's not what is said. You're told it's "the one true God" you're worshipping. My girlfriend became a threat to my potential "to be used", because if I came to Living University, fell in love with her, left and got married (even if we remained in the group) what an awful waste that would be of a perfectly good potential minister. We're always told there's a shortage of young men."