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.
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders
Dave has this to say about his time in the Rockford IL church area.
“A lot of brethren in the Rockford congregation lived along the big, wide Rock River, which ran through Rockford, and then southwest for at least 100 miles until it emptied into the Mississippi River. It was a long, beautiful drive, and I looked forward to every time I could do it.
“Early one morning I took off to visit, heading down Highway 2. There were stretches of road where on the right side was a steep embankment, and on the left side was a long, sharp drop-off down to the river’s edge, and a guardrail. The traffic would often back up in this area because it was a two-lane highway—and there were really no shoulders in this stretch of the road.
“A young man’s negligence and impatience almost got him killed. I pulled out to pass from behind a truck that was blocking my view, and realized immediately that I could not clear the truck and return to my lane in time. I had not seen a pick-up truck barreling toward me. I tried to slow back into the spot just vacated, but a Cadillac had filled in behind me.
“There was absolutely nothing I could do—I could not go left or right. No time remaining, the truck would now hit me head on—except nothing happened. As it reached me, both of us going about 60 mph, it simply passed right through my vehicle. One moment it was in front of my hood, the next it was in my rearview mirror.
“My life had been spared by divine intervention! I have never doubted what happened that day in 1974. I only wonder if anyone else involved was aware as I was of what had occurred.
“Coupled with other interventions to spare my life, I am living proof that God heals and delivers, sometimes even when it is partly to protect us from ourselves.”
"I can't help noticing how Dennis's new pic has him with his reading glasses on, plus all those books in the background. That's a common ploy used by the XCOG leaders including Herb, Flurry, Tkach and Dave. Golly, they must be very smart and knowledgeable having all those books in the background. I might do the same by having a pic of myself in a library, a real big library."
...too late
2015
The picture was taken in the Portland Public Library, where I also happen to live (Portland, not the library :) and where Herbert Armstrong did his "six months of intensive study" leading to the WCG. That was the original point. I found the most likely spot in the theology section where HWA may have sat in perhaps the same setting. I found "Mystery of the Ages" on the shelf behind me and held it upside down to make a point on it being more of a mystery than we thought. The glasses are untypically down and in the mode of "well now, what have we here" as I hold the book. I don't really wear my glasses like that nor have the attitude you falsely and ignorantly assign to it. I'll tell the Portland Library Librarian you thought all the books on the shelf were a nice intellectual touch. I tried hard to find a location in the library that had books where I could look exceptionally very smart and intellectual. Portland library is a really big one so come on down and you can have your picture taken in the children's section.
Shyster/ˈʃaɪstər/ is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, sometimes also politics or business.
...or religion
Just a reminder as to the intent of the story of Ananias and Sapphira . The story is not literally true. You can't kill brethren in church , haul them out to the dumpster and dispose of them and not expect some inquiry from the Romans who might not take kindly to murder in the Church of God, (The Holy Spirit did it. Uh huh) or from relatives who might wonder why their mom and dad, uncle and aunt, son or daughter , grandpa or grandma did not come home from church today.
And too...any other sin, doubt or denial about Jesus can be forgiven or overlooked, but this one on MONIES not given to the Apostles is a death wish. Imagine that!
While the intent of the story escapes the modern reader, the simple fact is that it would not have escaped the original audience. The story was written to warn the readers in Luke and Paul's community of believers about following Peter instead of Paul.
If you think Peter and Paul both spoke the same thing and loved each other, you haven't done your homework. Luke was making fun of the "Great Apostle Peter" with a tale for his readers about two church people who said they would do one thing...give all to the church, and did another...held back. Even as a kid I never understood this withholding of what was theirs to be a crime worthy of death. At any rate, the irony in the story that it is The Great Peter pronouncing judgment on these folk when everyone also knew that Peter said HE would do one thing...never leave Jesus, and did another...denied him.
In other words, don't follow Peter.
The idea of all things common was very short lived phenomenon in the early church who thought Jesus was going to return almost any minute. It was not a long term practice nor did they think it would be. I am sure many sincere people gave then and lost their shirts to the early Apostles as well as we all know Jesus did not return for them.
As time went on and on and Jesus did not return the apologetics were written into the cannon such as:
2 Peter 3:
Most scholars agree that 2 Peter is a forgery, or to be more kind, pseudopigraphical, , written long after Peter was gone but in his name. It was written to address the problem of Jesus not having returned and in classic form blamed the members or scoffers who noticed Jesus had not returned and their friends in the church were dying off. They are accused of being willingly ignorant and should have understood that a day with God is not the same as a day for man. Of course they were not told this fact until after Jesus had failed to return in a timely manner. This is a pure apologetic written by someone in the name of Peter later in church history when , true to form, the Church could not admit to being simply mistaken, so they had to rewrite the story which also blamed those who brought Jesus failure to return "soon" to their attention.
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(They want to disobey God so they scoff. Just like scientists want to believe in evolution so they can sin. Actually they were just noticing the obvious)
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
(Which was a perfectly legit question since Paul and the Apostles were very wrong their own preaching on the topic and it became obvious. )
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
(Whatever that means. They weren't really willingly ignorant. They just spoke up to the obvious.)
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
(You're just trying to scare us aren't you? Just admit you were mistaken and drop the fear tactics)
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
(Well, why did you not tell us that back when we were giving all things common because a day back then was a day. Now you tell us it's not really a day. Or did you just make this up now?)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(Brethren, you should be glad. God is giving us more time.)
In time the idea of "All things common" fell by the wayside and folk went back to living responsible lives in their faith but older and wiser in such matters. As more wealthy, educated and financially savy types came into the church, who would never give their wealth in such a way, the practice faded into history.
The same lesson will be learned by those in RCG who believe that Jesus is going to return "soon" and obey the foolish Shepherd Dave Pack in the practice of all things common.
Of all of the Churches of God out there in 2018 that lacks compassion, mercy and grace, it is the Philadelphia Church of God, led by Gerald Flurry and his band of Gestapo agents. From instructing parents to abandon their developmentally disadvantaged child at the mall so the state can take care of her in order for the parents have more money to send in, to its perverse no contact policy for members and exCOG members. Countless articles here been posted here on Banned, on the Painful Truth and the Exit and Support site, about the vile practices of Gerald and Stephen Flurry and many of his Gestapo agent leaders. David Vejil writes:
Are you a compassionate person? Compassion is a character trait we need to develop (1 Peter 3:8).
Our greatest example of compassion is Jesus Christ. Matthew describes Christ’s compassion in four separate accounts.
How, just how can PCG write such a thing when they blatantly ignore everything about Jesus. Their saviour has turned out to be Herbert Armstrong. HWA gets more air time and print time that Jesus ever has in the last 20+ years of PCG's existence. The qualities that Vejil writes below about Jesus is something that PCG has never accomplished and NEVER will!
In one of those accounts, Matthew records a time when Christ was followed by a large number of people into the desert. He “went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14). He continued doing so into the night. When the disciples advised Him to send the multitude away, Christ didn’t. Instead, He fed 5,000 through a miracle. Only after they were fed did He leave (verses 15-21).
It is amazing that He could have compassion on all those sick people even though He never once was sick. For humans, it is hard to have compassion on people in situations we have not experienced. Yet Christ has perfect compassion on us, even in the troubles we cause ourselves due to our sins.
PCG compassion for the sick is to bar them from proper medical care and abandoning their disabled child at the mall.
How can we have that same compassion in our lives and build it in our families? Remarkably, God actually designed us to be motivated to build compassion.
Vejil says that our hearts are wired for compassion. If that is true, then how are the hearts of the leadership of the PCG wired?
A 2013 University of Wisconsin study demonstrated that our bodies actually reward us for having compassion and acting on it. When we see someone suffering, our brain stimulates hormone glands to release chemicals that slow down our heart rate. These hormones prepare our bodies not to fight or flee, but to approach and soothe. When we act on these chemical changes, the body releases oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that encourages bonding.
Of course, even though our brains are hardwired for compassion, that doesn’t mean it is always natural to act on it. We can ignore these signals, just as we can sear our conscience (1 Timothy 4:2). Like all aspects of character, compassion must be cultivated with God’s power, through experience and practice.
That last sentence, while typical of COG thought, is not true. I know plenty of agnostic and atheist people who are the most compassionate people you will ever meet. They do more in one week helping others than most of PCG has ever done in its lifetime. Vejil continues:
This shows that compassionate thoughts lead to compassionate action. “It’s kind of like weight training,” Weng says. “Using this systematic approach, we found that people can actually build up their compassion ‘muscle’ and respond to others’ suffering with care and a desire to help.”
God encourages His people to meditate (e.g. Psalm 1:2; 143:5; 1 Timothy 4:15). In the time you spend meditating, devote a portion to thinking about the suffering of others. This will make it easier to remember them in your intercessory prayers and to be more earnest and fervent in those prayers. Intercessory prayers are a powerful tool we can apply to using the compassion we have for others.
Above you see how PCG really shows compassion to others. They just think about it and wish warm thoughts for others instead of doing anything. Thinking those warm thoughts build their "compassion" muscles.
Vejil next says that learning compassion starts with training the children to understand it:
It is also important to teach compassion to our children when the opportunity arises. Children will often cause harm to others through misbehavior. As parents, we can use these occasions to build compassion in our children by getting them to understand not only that what they did was wrong, but to think about what they did from the viewpoint of the person they harmed. If you do this consistently when opportunities arise, it will develop your children’s sensitivity to the suffering of others and a desire to remedy that suffering.
Tell that to the child who's parents told by a PCG minister to abandon their child at the mall so they could stop spending so much money on her. How can children in PCG learn compassion when they are not allowed to visit their grandparents or friends who are no longer PCG members. Tell that to children of families the church has split up. Some standard of compassion that is!
When we have trials, we can cultivate compassion by thinking about those we know who are suffering trials, and then using that to motivate us to encourage one another with cards or encouraging fellowship. This works even if the trials are not similar. Any serious trial will bring us to our knees to God and show how powerless we are. It is that heart-wrenching experience that many of us share. And while it is easy to think only about our own suffering, if we use God’s help to think about others, then we can use our trials to build and unify God’s Family.
These studies show what can be achieved on a human level, but with God’s Spirit, we can elevate our compassion to that of Jesus Christ!
So there you have it. Think warm fuzzy thoughts of others and you will just be like Jesus. Forget ever working in a homeless shelter or cleaning vomit and shit off of a drug addict. Or sitting down to dinner with a prostitute or a person suffering from AIDS. Nah, just think warm fuzzy thoughts. Never worry about putting real faith into action and bring a foretaste of the Kingdom you claim to be preaching boldly.
Since tomorrow is Pentecost in most Christian churches and in most Church of God's around the world, except for those in blasphemer James Malm's cult who will be keeping it on May 27, it also presents a predicament for Church of God members who find their lives having to deal with two sabbaths in a row. Two days without TV, or movies, or doing other fun things you might do on a regular Sunday. For some, including children it is two days of taxing boredom. First, being bored with sermons on Saturday by men who have recycled their sermons so many times they know them by heart, to now having to sit and listen to the same canned sermons on Pentecost.
Never fear though, God's ONLY end-time prophet and the only TRUE Church of God leader has the solution to all of that boredom:
So, you have two Sabbaths in a row and perhaps you wonder what you and/or your family should do?
Well, in addition to study, prayer, and church services, there are various quizzes and Bible games at the COGwriter website.
