On Miracles and Miraculous Interventions

When something happens you just can't explain, and it is attributed to divine intervention, that is considered a miracle. 

When something happens you just can't explain, and it is attributed to a demon, that is considered a problem. 

When something happens you just can't explain, and you are an atheist, that is considered a scientific unknown. 

Miracles and interventions have been reported for eons and for generations. The story above is an example of what many consider could be an actual miracle. Skeptics would easily dismiss it, perhaps stating the cardinal shown was trained, or loose, or was raised with humans. The interpretation of what is or is not considered a miracle almost certainly varies from person to person. What one person knows in his heart is a miracle, another person could easily dismiss. Which leads me to believe miracles are usually deeply personal and proven personally. 

Then there are the reported miracles that you find in scripture - some of them seemingly impossible. From Elijah's chariot to Balaam's Donkey to Noah's ark, the stories of extremely public - and powerful - miraculous events are all over the Old Testament. Stories of the Exodus, the Plagues seem unbelievable, especially since no one in our generation has seen anything even remotely like the stories tell. 

Interestingly enough, the miracles in the New Testament are more personal. Water converted to wine. Fish and bread multiplied. Healings of the blind and the lame, and the epileptic, sanity restored to the insane, and of course, the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. And of course, the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the foundation of hope in all who profess the Christian Faith. 

Focusing on the story above, here we have what could be considered a legitimate miracle. Yet for those who adhere to Armstrongism, this was not supposed to happen, because the person who passed is supposed to have been placed in soul-sleep. A typical Armstrong follower would assume that a demon transformed itself into a cardinal with the intent to deceive. However, on the other side, if this was an actual miracle, it would confirm that what we thought was the case isn't how any of it works. Then again, if you show this to an atheist, you could think of 200 reasons why this is a naturally occurring event. (It liked her perfume?)

How is it that you view the story above? How do you view miracles and miraculous events? Have you ever experienced one? Do you believe miracles and miraculous events are actual occurrences or complete coincidence of random fortunate events? How do you believe? Have your beliefs changed in any way since or because of Armstrongism? 

Please provide your insight in the comments below if you feel so inclined.

submitted by SHT

Uncomfortable Religious Realities: Daring to Notice What Most Keep To Themselves

The most funny humor tends to be that which is unmentionable but  strikes us as true nonetheless

"I want you to know, when it comes to believing in God - I really tried. I really really tried. I tried to believe that there is a god who created each one of us in his own image and likeness, loves us very much and keeps a close eye on things. I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize...something is F--KED UP. Something is WRONG here. War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption and the Ice Capades. Something is definitely wrong. This is NOT good work. If this is the best god can do, I am NOT impressed. Results like these do not belong on the resume of a supreme being. This is the kind of shit you'd expect from an office temp with a bad attitude. And just between you and me, in any decently run universe, this guy would have been out on his all-powerful-ass a long time ago."

George Carlin

….But He loves You!

If the open observations of those who say what many only think about the way religion seems to actually work in real time or the beliefs that seem incoherent and insane, then I suppose, as believers, you'll just have to forgive them.

Or perhaps a more measured response to religion is in order.

Rod McNair: Put On Your Happy Face!

Is Living Church of God currently having an issue with unhappy and depressed people in its midst? How can anyone be unhappy when the law is crammed down your throat by this narcissistic man? How could anyone be unhappy when they are told their elderly parents and grandparents, who might be in a nursing home, are demon-possessed?  How can anyone working in a retirement/care facility be unhappy to be told that they are working around demons and that they need to quit their job? Seriously, why would that make anyone in LCG unhappy?

McNair writes:

God wants us to be happy. Jesus Christ emphasized that in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He wants us to inherit eternal life, but He also wants us to find joy in the process of getting there! When Jesus said this, He was echoing what He had inspired Solomon to write almost a thousand years earlier: “I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13).

If one truly is a follower of Jesus and understands what was accomplished, that person knows that the "process of getting there" has already been accomplished.  That is why the burden has been lifted and people can rest.

How can every man (and woman) "eat, drink and enjoy the good of one's labor" when 30-40% or more of one's fruit of that labor is required of the church to keep its leadership in their comfortable lifestyles? Its certainly not going to some massive gospel outreach to the world. Is it?

If we are chronically unhappy, we may need to meditate on and tap more deeply into what God is doing in our lives and submit ourselves to Him in every possible way. We must decide that we want to think differently. As former American President Abraham Lincoln famously said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Chronically unhappy people really need to seek proper help from trained and licensed therapists or a doctor for a potential chemical imbalance in their body and not sit around gazing at their navel for something magical to happen.  Going directly to a minister who has had ZERO training in proper counseling techniques may further exacerbate the problem.

A person can be richly blessed with all kinds of wonderful things and experiences in life and still be unhappy or depressed.  When one hears sermon after sermon on how they are never are measuring up to the high standards that the church claims its god has set, what happens to a person when they don't meet those standards?  Many of the expectations that LCG demands of their members are soul-destroying.

It is God’s desire for us to enjoy life. It is His will that we see life as a gift, an adventure, and a challenge we can brave with His help. With His help, we can optimistically choose to face life as an opportunity for learning and growth, even in the midst of troubles.

While this may sound wonderful and a point one strives for, it also sets up a false expectation for members.  They have to put on a "happy face" all the time when they are around other church members.  God forbid if anyone was ever depressed in front of others.  Setting those lofty standards, and I am not saying they are bad, sets the expectation that people are doing something wrong anytime they are not happy.

McNair then goes on to give an example of how to be happy...end consumerism.

Frankly, our whole modern economy is built to encourage us to consume. And our consumption—buying new items and discarding the old—keeps the economy going. So, in a very literal sense, we have come to the point where many leaders of industry, business, and government only see ordinary citizens as cogs in the wheel that keep the cycle of production and consumption going. Why else would we be widely encouraged by the “system” around us to spend rather than save?

If we are not careful, we can begin to view our lives largely in terms of being a consumer, because consumption is what we spend so much of our time and focus on! But life is so much more than just becoming an expert at comparing products and relishing a good purchase.

While this is all well and good, in the Church of God movement this concept carries a LOT of baggage attached to it.

How many sermons, member letters, emergency appeal letters, and magazine articles have we read about lowering our standard of living because the end times were here?  The church needed more money for that final Gospel push or, as it usually went down, Satan was attacking the church and income had dropped. Then, we find out later, church apostles and leaders were doubling down on the money they were spending to fund their lifestyles, remodel their homes, buy fine art, or remodel their offices at HQ?

Let’s make sure consumption does not become an obsession in our lives. Instead, let’s use the blessings that God has given us to serve Him and serve each other. Otherwise, our work will be nothing more than a futile “grasping after wind.”

How many have ever seen Rod McNair financially help others?  When has he ever served the regular members of the congregation?  Has he ever mowed a widows lawn? Taken the child of a single parent to school? Driven a demon-possessed elderly person to the doctor chiropractor? Don't count on it.  He is waited on, hand and foot, by subservient staff at HQ who do his every whim. After all, he needs all of those servants so he can have time to write his amazing sermons!

Life wasn’t created to be meaningless. We weren’t made to be unhappy. We weren’t made for the sum total of our life to be merely 70 years of consumption. God created us to relate to Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, and—at the end of physical life—to step into an eternal relationship with Him upon our resurrection and glorification.

Yes, this life is temporary. The flesh truly is vanity, meaning “here today and gone tomorrow.” But there is a big purpose for each day we draw breath. Let’s view every day as a gift to be cherished and valued. Let’s impart that mindset to our children, so they know how important they are to God. He loves them and wants them to be happy. And let’s make sure we are using this temporary life to prepare for our awesome, eternal future with God.

I can truthfully say that I have seen more vain men in leadership positions in "God's church" than I have ever seen in a  people out here in Satan's world. The Church of God was a breeding ground for vainglorious men who are narcissistic and caustic in their leadership roles.  They have weighed down the brethren with so many idiotic rules and regulations that members are bound to be unhappy and miserable. And they are!  Only until they leave these spiritual abusers will they ever find happiness.


See: All Is Vanity...Or Is It?