The Fearful Churches of God in Big Sandy

There was a comment recently on Facebook about the Big Sandy area of Texas that was at one time filled with thousands of church members and college students.  With the implosion of the Worldwide Church of God, those numbers have declined dramatically.  There are however still a remnant few who live in the area and attend various Church of God's.

The comment mentioned how with the relatively small population of Big Sandy, it has 10 churches in the the area.  Several of them are Church of Gods of various flavors.  There is one big difference between these Churches of God and those harlot daughters of Babylon that are filled with so-called Christians.  The harlot daughters keep their churches open and gates unlocked while the Churches of God in the area have padlocks on their gates to keep everyone out.

Armstrongism has always been dominated by fear.  That is why deacons and strong men were stationed by the entrances of all the COG's.  They were to keep out the unwashed masses of the daughters of the great whore. God forbid if any of these heathens ever wanted to come and attend a service without first readying Mystery of the Ages or some other poorly researched booklet.

Rebellious Women Who Refuse to Wear Head Coverings in Church are Failing a TEST Commandment!

For several years now the Chief Pharisee of the Churches of God has required the few women who attend his cult services to wear head coverings.  Every once in a while a rebellious woman comes along and dares to question God's most important man this side of Dave Pack.

One acolyte writes:

James, Regarding “veils & head coverings” that you are convinced that women should wear, when attending Church Services. In fact, as I understand, you even require that women cover their heads with a hat or otherwise, if they wish to attend your Feast site. It is widely believed by the women I’ve discussed this issue with & our husbands, that a women’s hair is her covering. Several have commented that they would not attend with your group, because of this requirement. With all due respect to you, I ask that you consider lifting this requirement, as folks would appreciate being able to meet with others of like mind. I mean no disrespect to you, as you are doing a wonderful Work & I believe you are a very Godly man. Please DO NOT take this as a put-down, in any way. Thank you for your consideration.

God's unemployed professional moocher answers back with this. As usual it is the policy of the god he claims to follow instead of has poor biblical interpretations.  Apparently still stung by his wife divorcing him, he has to lash out at all women to force them into submission.

It is God’s word that requires this, not me. I have no authority to do as you request. If the hair is the covering, why must the head be shaved for not wearing the hair? That is the ridiculous reasoning of HWA which people have been brainwashed with. This is one of those TEST commandments and some are stumbling at it. If some would reject such a small thing to follow Christ; it is the same as Naaman rejecting bathing in Jordan to cure his leprosy. As Jesus said: “Faithful in little, faithful in much.”

It's amazing how the god of Armstrongism is eternally pissed at everyone and everything.  The uneducated wannabe biblical scholars in the Churches of God have created a god that matches the domineering patriarchal attitudes of its leaders.  Their anger permeates their sermons, booklets, and web postings.  Malm sets himself up as the most unhappy man that the Church of God has ever had as a member.  When law trumps grace, joy and happiness cannot be found.

See an earier blog entry on this subject:  James Malm: God Is Not Limited By Head Coverings for Women...HOWEVER... It Is A Test To See If You Really Care

Its a FACT! Jesus is Coming in 2021!!!!! BRETHREN, THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL!

The Chief Pharisee of the Churches of God has been posting a lot of useless drivel lately on various topics on how he interprets the Bible to fit HIS legalistic desires. On October 20, 2015 James Malm made the following statement:

Now subtracting 42 months (1260 days) shows that this final beast emperor will occupy Jerusalem, beginning at the end of 2017.

Given the historical difficulties of the Greek struggles it is possible that this date might be in error by a year or two, but one thing is certain; IT IS VERY CLOSE INDEED!

These are indications of the nearness of the times; they are not dates certain until proved by the appearance of ALL of the Biblical signs.

At the present time the British people have been promised a referendum on continued EU membership before the end of 2017 with French and German elections scheduled for Sep / Oct 2017.

Britain is highly likely to leave the EU, but exactly how long that process takes is unclear; and certain other countries are likely to follow, creating a crisis in the EU and opening the way for the setting up of the miracle working deceiver in the Vatican in late 2017, who will immediately call for and bring about the rise of a New Europe; the seventh revival of the Scarlet Beast of the Holy Roman Empire.

This man of sin will then go to the Holy Place [Temple Mount] 75 days after being set up in the Vatican and the great tribulation of Mat 24:15 will begin.

Along with this is the coming defeat of radical Islam and a move towards a Mideast peace deal 1 Thess 5:3.

These events are right in line with a date of late 2017 for the start of the tribulation; followed by the coming of Messiah 42 months later; in 2021 AD!

Brethren, the writing is on the wall!

Hat-tip to Connie for sending this.  I read most of that blog entry by the Chief Pharisee when he published it, but it was filled with the same useless drivel that I never made it to the end.  Its another missive filled with death, damnation and gloom.  Three topics that seem to occupy the minds of the legalistic Armstrongites regardless of which splinter sect they are in.  These guys all seem to take great delight in wishing their god to wipe humanity off the face of the earth...except of course their little remnant of the frozen chosen. 

The lake of fire would be a welcome reprieve if one had to dwell in the kingdoms of most of these guys.

Lets Go Spend Christmas With The United Church of God!

Its time to register for the annual United Church of God Christmas party weekend!  Sign up now for four fun days of activities at The Great Wolf Lodge which will be decked out in all it's Christmas glory!  From Santa to reindeer to sparkling snow flakes, Christmas never looked so grand or festive!

Of course we all know that United Church of God members put on their blinders and walk through the complex and NEVER look at the heathen filthy Christmas decorations!  Their ears never hear the constant stream of Christmas carols playing throughout the complex and none of them ever sing along silently in their minds.  Never!  None of them ever eat any of the holiday treats the hotel sells either.  Its just bland boring kosher food every day.  No rainbow sprinkles  can be seen anywhere in the UCG corner!

The best part about the weekend for the kids is that when they go back to school in January they can share with their friends that they spent Christmas week at the Great Wolf Lodge and the other kids will know immediately what a Christmas wonderland it is.  At least the youth of UCG can feel good about the weekend.

UCG Feast Attendance Declines As COGWA's Rises

The United Church of God is not in their happy place right now with news out that the Church of God a Worldwide Association had more members attend the Feast this year than UCG.  Several years ago when COGWA split off of UCG they took a substantial number of ministers and members with them.  UCG tried to shrug it off because they had visions of grandeur running through their heads.  They assumed than since all the dead weight was gone their god was going to start doing great things in the UCG.  Sadly though, UCG has been in a state of decline ever since.  Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal appearance campaigns, bankrolling moronic blue sock puppet videos, and shoving their doctrinal beliefs into the neither regions of their web site has not helped them.

UCG had a feast attendance of 7,275 in the US.  Foreign sites are still to report in.  COGWA had 9,300 in attendance, a 2% increase in attendees.   Living Church of God had 10,400 attendees.  The only two COG's out there that had less people than UCG was Dave Pack's Restored Church of God and Gerald Flurry's Philadelphia Church of God.

UCG seems to be The Little Engine That Couldn't.

Gerald Flurry's Health Is Declining Just Like His Church Membership Rolls

A frail looking Gerald Flurry made his appearance at the Philadelphia Church of God's Feast of Tabernacles this year.  His rapidly declining health is starting to be a concern with the echelon of the PCG.

Like his predecessor Herbert Armstrong, Flurry had to be assisted on and off the stage by Grant Turgeon.  Many who witnessed Turgeon assisting Flurry had shivers go up their spines.  Grant is the son of Wayne Turgeon has turned out to be one of the more abusive ministers of the church.  Wayne is feared by many and seems to take great delight in that. Grant has turned into a parrot and mouths the same garbage that his father does and is now treating members the same way. PCG members are also afraid to see what position Wayne will assume once Flurry dies.  Ranked an "evangelist" in the PCG, his rapid rise up through the ranks of the PCG happened because he married Gerald Flurry's daughter.  Countless stories of his abusive polices have been detailed on this blog and on Exit and Support.

It has been reported that even though Flurry was in a weakened state, his message was the same malarkey that he has been spouting for the last  20 some years.  Eternal death, famines, plagues and nuclear destruction are soon to be meted out on the heathens in the Untied States, Great Britain and  Australia. Flurry is like Meredith and Pack who seem to go into orgasmic delight at death and destruction scenarios.  Nothing could elapse them more.

Attendance at PCG's Feast this year was also down dramatically.  One behind-the-scenes source said it was "...a shadow of what it was in the heyday of the PCG."  They mentioned the Greenville SC Feast site: 

I remember attending the Feast back in the early 2000s when we had over 1300 people attending at Greenville SC and Sandusky OH.  Flurry would proudly shout and boast at the Feast  that the PCG would eventually have 10,000 members. Now the members attending at the Feast are around 700-800 people.

Because of the horrific abuse, suicides and deaths that have plagued the PCG over the last decade members are leaving in droves.

Many are asking the following:

The question is WHO gets to crown himself the Next Apostle and prophet of the PCG once Flurry passes on? His son Steven or Wayne Turgeon? Is the public display of Grant Turgeon helping the failing Flurry a sign of Who is next in line?

The Intense Persecution of the Churches of God

Every time a Church of God leader screams  "persecution" remember this...

United Church of God: It's Pathetic Feast of Tabernacles Attendance Figures

United Church of God touts its self as the true restored Church of God that holds fast to the truth of Herbert Armstrong.  It does that while still living in the pre-1986 modus operandi of their former mother the Worldwide Church of God. As hard as they try, they cannot seem to make their brand of Armstrongism relevant to the world around them.  Twenty some years on, even with countless personal appearance campaigns, the UCG is not able to draw people in, let alone keep their present members engaged.

Just take a look at their Feast attendance figures for 2015. 7,700 total people in attendance!    This total is the equivalent of ONE medium sized WCG Feast site from the past.  Large sites like St. Pete/Tampa would have 15,000+ during the WCG glory days!  Jekyll Island would have 7-8,000+ when the WCG put it on...now UCG can only get 479 to attend!  It would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic!

2015 Feast of Tabernacles Attendance
United States Sites:
Bend/Redmond	684
Bigfork	152
Branson	528
Cincinnati	370
Galveston	456
Jekyll Island	479
Lahaina	311
Ocean City	362
Oceanside	554
Panama City Beach	1234
Phoenix	188
Sevierville	781
Steamboat Springs	313
Wisconsin Dells	744
United States Satellite Sites:
Big Sandy	51
Tampa	37
Tucson	31
Canadian Sites:
Canmore	180
Gros Morne	42
Kelowna	163
Midland	125
Total, U.S. & Canada Combined	7,785

Living Church of God: Rod Meredith Forces The New "Bob League" To Sell His House In Service To LCG

From an LCG source:

Rod Meredith's new henchman and Bob League's replacement, Michael Desimone has been forced to put his gorgeous Charlotte home on the market. Mike had a decent job and his family lived comfortably in a large home with acres of wooded property in a great Charlotte neighborhood. That is until Rod Meredith manipulated him into quitting his job to prove his loyalty to the Church of Rod.
 
Unfortunately,  the idealistic Desimone will now be expected to blindly obey Master Meredith's every command. His most recent order to sell his stunning 5 bedroom, 6 bathroom home was blindly obeyed as expected.
 
Rod and Lil' Jimmy don't want someone below them to have a nicer house after all. It just doesn't look right for a subordinate to be living higher on the hog than number 3 and 4 in all the universe. Ego and vanity. Vanity and ego.
 
Just like that episode of Star Trek where John-Luc Picard turns into a robot-human part of the Borg,  Mike Desimone has now become assimilated. Resistance was futile.
 
He was once a relatively nice guy, although fairly daft. Now, after several months of training for his new position assisting the tyrannical Rod McNair in policing the Charlotte LCG congregation, he has already begun to become less human.
 
What else could be expected? Can you imagine being trained by Rod McNair? The poor man hasn't got a prayer. I'm sure he has already been baptized into "the ends justify the means" club of which McNair is the chairman. He's already comfortable telling long-time church members that are twice his age that they can't study the Bible without a minister present.
 
The silver lining might be that he will now be able to keep his friends out of trouble. Everyone knows that favoritism rules at LCG and the close friends and family of ministers get the get-out-of-jail-free cards.
 
He was most certainly ordained and given the position that he is in because he is a "yes man".  Like a soldier, he is perfectly okay executing orders without questioning whether what he's being asked to do is right or wrong.
 
Mike once said that "if Mr. Meredith says it, it's the same as if it were written in the Bible". That type of obedience to Rod is how you get places in LCG!
 
Many of us feel a little sorry for Mike. He worked hard to make something of his career despite the lack of quick wit. He had a big heart and puppy eyes, truly believing that serving the "one true church" would sure up his position as a pillar in the kingdom. I'm sure he will hide is sadness and despair and march forward like all good soldiers do even after the truth becomes known to him. The truth that it is all a charade. The truth that LCG headquarters is filled with boasters, liars, back-biters and bullies. It's always a little heart breaking for new hires at LCG headquarters at first but then he will tell himself that it's a test of obedience or make some other excuse in his mind to prevent the truth and doubt from seeping into his perfectly brainwashed obedient mind. It's so much easier to make excuses and go with the flow than to stand up against the rampant bad behavior and risk the utter destruction of everything you THOUGHT was real.
 
Poor Mikey.
 

Will Dave Pack Soon Be Getting His Wish When Two COG Leaders Die?

It has been reported on several sites, including Facebook, that Gerald Flurry had to be helped to the stage desk when he spoke at the Feast this year.

Exit and Support has this letter:

October 7, 2015
Gerald Flurry is getting frail. He spoke at the Feast Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio, but instead of being able to stand behind the podium and speak, he had to sit behind a desk on stage. Wayne Turgeon’s son [Grant Turgeon] had to assist him in getting about, too. --Ohio

The info posted on Facebook said that  he had to be propped up at times so he could speak.

With Flurry's rapidly declining health and Rod Meredith's recent stroke, two of the larger Church of God's will soon be rudderless at the upcoming deaths of their leaders.

Dave Pack is hoping to capitalize upon these deaths and draw their respective church memberships over to his organization.  Pack knows the deep discontent that members of both of these churches have for the sons who are being groomed to take over.  If he works this discontent to his advantage he will not need to worry about his god striking them all dead, old age will do it for him resulting in major upheavals.

For three miserable years now Pack has been boasting that his god was going to strike down three Church of God leaders and bring their entire churches over into the Restored Church of God.  For three humiliating years now, Dave's god has failed him.  No leader has been struck down.  No members have defected over to Dave's group, and the money stream he was anticipating has never materialized.

Living Church of God Nepotism and Jim Meredith

Lil'Jimmy Meredith's Humble Tar Paper Shack

In December of 2012, Exit and Support published a letter from a Living Church of God member detailing the things they witnessed happening in the Living Church of God.

One of the things mentioned in the letter was this:

Then there is the nepotism! Many of Meredith's family members and friends are employees at LCG headquarters or are evangelists and pastors. The pastor of the congregation I went to is the father of Sue Meredith, Jim Meredith's wife, son of Roderick Meredith. I knew that Jim had a successful business in construction in California before the housing crisis but that went south with the housing downfall. So now Jim Meredith is a pastor and his wife are both working at headquarters. A member of the congregation quit a good job because of having to work on a Saturday once a month. The pastor's wife told her that everyone has to make sacrifices, including her son-in-law Jim. He choose to leave a very profitable business in California to work at LCG headquarters! What hypocrisy! Dad bailed his son out.

Then in august of 2013, Living Armstrongism, published the same excerpt and a reader responded with this:

Hello. This statement about Jim Meredith is absolutely true. I have first hand knowledge of the details of this situation as well. I was a member of LCG from 2007 until 2011. I personally knew pastor Martin Fannin and his wife Jane. My family and I were members of one of his congregations. Jane personally told my wife and I of Jim's struggling business in 2009 and 2010 because I also had a struggling construction business. Jane told us her daughter Sue had to find part time work to get by. In 2010 Jim was engaged in ministerial training and then we were told he would be relocating to Charlotte, NC sometime in the future. In the spring of 2011 the LCG weekly update stated that Jim Meredith would be coming to Charlotte, NC as Rod Meredith's personal assistant and a festival coordinator. I am certain that this appointment was not ordained by God, but by the desire of the head of LCG to help his son and family overcome a serious financial situation. The personal assistant/festival coordinator position was never posted as an opening within the churches official job site poster. I understand that a father wants to help a son that is in need, but to create a position for someone who's lucrative business is failing due to time and chance just seems wrong. The tithes and offerings being sent in to support this type of hypocrisy is astounding. I thank God that he opened my eyes to these wolves in sheep's clothing.

It has always been well known in Charlotte that Rod Meredith takes care of his family first. This has provided a perfect spot for Lil'Jimmy to travel on the tithe-payers dime to exotic locations for "feast" business and to have all expenses paid.

Charlotte employees are getting tired of Lil"jimmy's behavior and wasteful spending.  Perhaps he had better start constructing that escape chute out of his office window like he wanted to do for Rod.  The day may be coming when he needs to escape the wrath of the Charlotte employees!

HT to a reader for this information...

What Did Herbert Armstrong Really Think About Rod Meredith?

From a reader:

Rod Meredith In Hawaii

For years many have sat in services at the Living Church of God listening to Rod Meredith tell the same stories over, and over and over again. We all know them well. Not the least of which is the story about how he was unfairly "exiled to Hawaii". He used to drone on and on about being exiled to Hawaii as the rest of us sat there daydreaming that someone would exile US to Hawaii.  I mean seriously, how do you bitch and complain, literally for decades, about being sent to Hawaii WITH PAY.
 
Many in LCG, like myself, have been trained not to ask too many questions and brainwashed to accept anything Dr. Meredith says as truth so we just listened to the story year after year without thinking about it.
 
Lately, RCM has really been emphasizing how "no other man living at this time worked as closely with Herbert W. Armstrong" as he. He goes on to say that he "ate with him (HWA), drank with him, traveled with him and spent literally THOUSANDS of hours with him". Meredith wears it like a badge of honor. It appears to give him credence with LCG members. RCM even used his relationship with HWA to promote LCG in this year's "Behind the Work" video which was played at the Feast worldwide.
 
I began to wonder what preceded Meredith's exile to Hawaii if he and HWA  were such chummy pals which led me to discover the excerpts below from a letter Herbert W. Armstrong wrote to Rod Meredith.
 
I wish I could say that in the decades which have followed, Mr. Meredith had changed; that he no longer kept the letter of the law while neglecting the spirit of the law; that he was no longer the harsh task master. But I can't because he is still  ALL of these things and more. I am one of many in Charlotte who have been shocked and amazed at Mr. Meredith's character (or lack thereof) in recent months. Nothing has changed. Mr. Meredith is still that mean bully who is always self promoting and always in competition to have MORE numbers and prove that he is doing the work MORE effectively than anyone else on earth. Meredith is still competitive, covetous of power and status, and self-righteous. Unfortunately, he does not embody the fruits of the Spirit but rather the works of the flesh. In the past year it has become glaringly obvious to me and many others that LCG IS NOT THE CHURCH OF GOD.
 
I feel obligated to share my new-found knowledge with as many of my LCG friends as possible in the coming days.
 
LETTER FROM HWA TO RCM:
Rod, WHY have so many who have worked [with you] said that you rub the fur the wrong way? You are DOCTRINALLY correct, But in II Corinthians Paul says we are not to live by the strict letter of the Law, but by the SPIRIT or obvious INTENT — the basic PRINCIPLE of it (II Cor. 3:6). You are a model of doctrinal correctness according to the LETTER — the strictness of the letter — but you do overlook the SPIRIT from the heart. You won the mile in a state high-school meet, You had know[n,] as Satan injects into us all from childhood, the spirit of competition. You b[e]came a COMPETITOR. In conversion you learned and accepted the strictness of the letter of God's Commandments. You wrote a good booklet on the Ten Commandments. But now I hold the mirror up for you to see in yourself what SO MANY who know you wIll see in you — the SPIRIT of COMPETITION is still there!
You are not going to like this, Rod. Members of your family will resent it. But I am the chosen apostle of Jesus Christ and in His name, I have to say these things to you, for I want to have you with us IN GOD'S KINGDOM — and there will be no contentions — no spirit of competition there! No one is going to be there who strives for himself to take over the CHIEF SEAT!
Jesus Christ through me elevated you to the chief seat (which you had come to me suggesting over the ministry of God's Church in what we then called CAD, you were a harsh task-master over the ministers. You, yourself, find it difficult and perhaps impossible to TAKE what you dished out. Dozens of ministers would testify to that. You rubbed the fur the wrong way! That has been your life-style!

Rod, in frankest candor, JESUS CHRIST will NEVER put any one at the head of His Work on earth who is competitive, covetous of power and status, and self-righteous. In brutal frankness, you lack the charisma to lead God's work You do not attract-as I said before, you REP[EL-] people. You are a harsh taskmaster over those under you. THAT IS YOUR RECORD!

So far, four months or more of your leave of absence has profited you NOTHING! Rod, in a candor, HAVE YOU EVER REALY REPENTED? To repent means much more than being sorry, or remorseful. It means a CHANGE OF HEART — a CHANGE OF ATTITUDE — a CHANGE FROM "GET" TO "GIVE." From competition, vanity, coveting power and position, to harmonious co-operation. BELIEVE ME, there is PEACE, and HARMONY at Pasadena now. Our men there do not want it disturbed. I have held up the mirror with BRUTAL frankness-in LOVE not only for you but also for GOD'S WORK! The Work is getting along wonderfully well now-without you. It can go on growing and pleasing Jesus Chris[t] an[d] prospering under His blessing WITHOUT YOU. I have written you are not coming back until I am CONVINCED BY THE FRUITS of a real REPENTANCE, and CHANGE OF ATTITUDE. I hope at last I have MADE IT PLAIN.

In deep LOVE as a father to a son,

In Jesus' name.

 

 

 

The Wonderful World Tomnmorrow: What It Won't Be Like!

"I am convinced that most members of WCG offshoot groups are utterly clueless about what Armstrong actually taught about race relations. His record in this area has been totally white-washed since his death by those who still promote his legacy. The story needs to be told."  Pam Dewey

Pam Dewey has had an excellent web site, the Field Guide to the Wild World of Religion, for many years now and has also published a book on the wacky world of religion.

She recently sent me the following:

I am the webauthor of the Field Guide to the Wild World of Religion. The website has extensive research and commentary on religious groups and leaders which use abusive and/or deceptive methods to attract and keep followers. I have had over a million visitors since it was put up on the web in 2001.

As a former member of the Worldwide Church of God (1968-1978) and the Church of God, International (1978-1988...my husband was a pastor of a CGI group for seven years) I have a particular interest in providing documentation and commentary on the Armstrong movement. The Field Guide has an extensive section on the Radio/Worldwide Church of God and its offshoots.

I also have a blog called "Meet MythAmerica" which contains research, documentation, and commentary on aspects of American history which have been commonly glossed over.

I share all the above to lead up to calling attention to the latest series of blog entries on the Meet MythAmerica blog, titled "The Wonderful World Tomorrow--What It WON'T Be Like." Those familiar with the WCG will recognize the title as a take-off on one of Herbert Armstrong's most requested booklets back in his heyday. The 11-part series documents in particular the sordid story of Armstrong's astoundingly racist approach during the era of the American Civil Rights Movement.

I am convinced that most members of WCG offshoot groups are utterly clueless about what Armstrong actually taught about race relations. His record in this area has been totally white-washed since his death by those who still promote his legacy. The story needs to be told. I hope this documentation will be shared far and wide.

The series begins at the following link:  The Wonderful World Tomorrow What It Won't Be Like

Learning the Craft of Storytelling from an Apocalyptic Cult

Glynn Washington talks about what its like growing up in the Worldwide Church of God and what its beliefs did to the emotional growth of its youth.


Learning the Craft of Storytelling from an Apocalyptic Cult

Glynn has national award winning radio show on PBS.

There is also a response from WCG/Grace Communion to the show.