Where Did All The Demons Go?

WHERE DID ALL THE DEMONS GO?

About forty-five years ago in my area, most kids were still walking to school and it was no different for me.   But then again, in another way, things were quite a bit different for me.  One morning, while on my way to school, I was troubled by a thought that most likely not bothering the vast majority of my fourth grade classmates… “What would I do if I were suddenly confronted by a demon before I got to school?”

Would I remember what to say?  If I could remember what to say (“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to depart!”), would I have the courage to say it?  And, if I had the courage to say it, would my delivery be convincing enough for the demon to comply with my command? 

Yes, on that morning, I was probably unlike anyone else in my elementary school.

We had joined WCG in the late 60s and it seemed like every minister had at least two or three stories about casting out demons back then.  Even elders seemed to have such stories. Those stories were really interesting but they were also pretty troubling for young kids like us.  We didn’t want to be confronted by any demons… No way!  And that was what was bothering me that morning every time I approached a tree, “What if one jumped out from behind that tree and threatened me, would I be able to protect myself?”

Years later, I have occasionally wondered, what happened to all of those stories about demons?  Although there were many stories told during the late 60s and early 70’s, the numbers declined in the 80s and declined even further in the 90s.  Now it is hard to recall any such stories over the last decade or so. 

Did they stop bothering people in the various COG’s?  Or, maybe was it that the number of incidents had been exaggerated, imagined or fabricated in the first place?  Perhaps a little like Big Foot sightings during the 70s?  It seems we hear of fewer of those sightings now too. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Anonymous

"We don't need to worry about the physical things of the church"

This mind numbing quote by a Philadelphia Church of God member exhibits why spiritual abusers like Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry and Rod Meredith have free reign to abuse their members.  The membership have been blinded to reality.

From a PCG member:

We could or cannot know or understand the truth without God revealing it through Mr. Herbert W Armstrong and Mr. Gerald Flurry. That is the government of God. We have to follow them. We don’t have to focus about the physical things that are happening in the church(we don’t have to focus about people’s sins in the church but to pray for them to stop it) but we focus on the spiritual things God is given to us in the church through Mr. Gerald Flurry. It is only the PCG that is administering God government on this earth. And God is using only PCG to do His work on this earth.

Hall of Administration Being Demolished In Pasadena

 double click to enlarge all pictures

Demolition has begun on the Hall of Administration at the former headquarters of the Worldwide Church of God and Ambassador College.  The entire entire building has been gutted with its walls, ceilings and floors stripped away.

Many see this as one more indignity they have to witness and also consider it blasphemous, while others see this building as the seat of power that sanctioned their abuse, whether it be mental, spiritual or sexual.  

World rulers and queens walked its marble floors.  Priceless treasures filled its lobby from around the world. 

It was the site of the sit-in during the receivership where children were encourage to sit with their backs against the glass so as to intimidate the police.  

It housed the revolving offices of department heads, ministers and evangelists as long as they remained in good standing.  

It was filled with file cabinets filled with data on the church members, tithing records, notes from counseling sessions and derogatory comments by ministers or faculty.  It was the site of the Man Power Project that made horrendous libelous accusations at Ambassador College students due to race, perceived sexuality, women's issues, and more.

A private elevator whisked the apostle/prophet/ from his private parking garage to his fourth floor mahogany paneled office filled with antique European paintings, exquisite silver and gold pieces

It was the site of countless rebellions, rampant sexual liaisons, and eventually ended up being nothing more than studio set for made-for-TV movies due to its decades old furnishings from the 60/70's.

Forty years after it was constructed it is being ripped down.  The seat of power in the church is gone and will never again amount to anything again.  Its a fitting epitaph of the dying Churches of God.

Countless splinter group leaders and wannabe prophets all lay the blame for this at the feet of Joseph Tkach Sr.  The problem lies in the fact that this belief is totally erroneous because no matter who would have been appointed there would have been major divisions.

At the time of HWA's death Ellis LaRavia thought he was the rightful heir.  Members did not like LaRavia.  Meredith thought the same thing because he thought that since he was trained at HWA's feet he would be the logical choice.  Apartian was not a leader so he was out of the running.  Richard Ames always pandered to whomever was in charge and could never take a stand, so he would have been driven out of office rather quickly. Headquarters members despised Meredith, so it was with a sigh of relief when he did not get it.  David Hulme was not a sound choice.  Gerald Flurry was considered a nutcase and was not even in the running.  Dave Pack wasn't considered even though he brags that HWA personally trained him, which he did not.  None off the present day leaders of United Church of God ever made it to the final round because HWA knew what power hungry ineffective men they were.

Whether it was Tkach or any other COG leader out there to this date, the church was destined to collapse.  When Jesus is cast aside and the law is given power over grace it is guaranteed to fail, just like  every single COG group is doing to this date.