In the Church of God Semanitics Is Everything

Herbert W Armstrong: Semanitics Is Everything

 

If we Google the term semantics, we learn that this word conveys “the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text.” And, while we all recognize the importance of being clear about the meaning and scope of what is being communicated, most of us have also experienced those obnoxious individuals who love to split hairs so that they can be right (and, more importantly, everyone else can be shown to be wrong). Unfortunately, in the religious realm, Herbert W Armstrong was one of those individuals who obsessed over semantics.

For Armstrong, most of Christianity had completely missed the proper meaning of what constituted the “gospel” or good news message which Christ taught to his disciples. Armstrong believed that the Christ-centric message of Traditional Christianity completely ignored or suppressed the message about a future and literal world government headed by Christ. And, as has been pointed out in this forum and other places, Armstrong both ignored the Great Commission of Matthew 28 and the clear indications in Paul’s epistles that his message was focused on Jesus Christ and his salvific work. It is unfortunate that Mr. Armstrong seemed incapable of allowing that a message about Christ could accommodate a message about his kingdom. For Armstrong, it was an either/or proposition – clarity demanded one explanation or the other (making one wrong and the other right).

It seemed to be incomprehensible to Mr. Armstrong that words can have multiple meanings. Indeed, his writings suggest that he rejected the notion that words, phrases, sentences or texts might be subject to different interpretations. Armstrong had discovered “THE TRUTH.” If there were other possible meanings/interpretations, they must be disregarded because God or the Holy Spirit had revealed to him the “TRUE” meaning/interpretation.

Armstrong believed that the fact that his organization incorporated the terminology “Church of God” as part of its name was a hallmark that his group was the “TRUE” Church which Jesus Christ had founded on that day of Pentecost so long ago. Never mind that the Greek word “ekklesia” suggests an assembly of people called together for the purpose of worship. Never mind that Scripture also attaches the term to Christ, the First Born and various places. Why not the “Assembly of God”? Why not the “Assembly of the First Born”? And, if the “ekklesia” was composed of everyone who had God’s Holy Spirit, would it really be accurate to suggest that any one human organization claiming to be the “Church of God” fully encompassed what that term really means?

For Herbert Armstrong, traditional understandings of terms like religion, Christian, paganism, grace and truth were said to be wrong. Indeed, in almost any area of Christian doctrine/dogma which we could name, Armstrong claimed that the traditional understanding was the diametric opposite of the truth.

However, Armstrong’s preoccupation with semantics was probably no where more apparent than in the realm of prophecy. It was how Armstrong defined terms like Israel, Babylon, Assyria, Zerubbabel, one crying out in the wilderness, place of safety and Great Whore which colored his unique interpretations of Biblical prophecy. For Herbert Armstrong, it wasn’t just the meaning of these terms either – it was the timing and chronology which he insisted were implied by those understandings. In short, Armstrong’s semantics demanded that the “end times” were upon us and insisted that his followers even more fully embrace his understandings of Biblical semantics.

There are a few scriptures that come to mind when dealing with the power of words, and how they can positively or negatively impact us. Here are a few of them: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Proverbs 18:21), “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18), “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble “ (Proverbs 21:23), “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3), “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36), “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12) and “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” (James 1:26) One has to wonder what Mr. Armstrong thought these verses meant.

Miller Jones/Lonnie Hendrix

Bob Thiel: Does he know more than Dr. Fauci and did he discover a cure for AIDS?

 

The other day. the official Church of God Wonder Boy and God's ONLY double blessed self-appointed prophet came out with a bunch of zingers that show just how deceitfully crafty he is in his claims.

Now before going further, let me state that 1) I have been trained in virology 2) the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease twice concluded that my work with herbal, glandular, and vitamin therapy had ‘significant scientific merit’ against the HIV coronavirus in the 1990s, 3) I do have a Ph.D. in a biological field, and 4) I have successfully treated people with a variety of viruses with natural interventions for about thirty years (this is not something that people like Dr. Fauci, who the AP has repeatedly promoted as an expert has done).

A retired Public Health Educator from Indiana sent me this today: 

I am addressing this as a Retired Health Educator who for years had to evaluate material to make judgments on the reliability of information before using it to teach others. I am making no judgments on the science here, just the way the information is presented that sends up warning signals. 

 

But first: Is our good Dr. Bob telling us that HIV is a coronavirus? Or does the Doctor/Prophet make a typo?

Secondly: 

 

1) “I have been trained in virology” is not the sort of statement a virologist would make. “I have been trained (or studied, etc) at NAME OF INSTITUTION or “with NAME of SCIENTIST is more likely. 

 

2) A trained virologist would not make a statement that NIAID had “twice concluded” anything without giving us a reference citation to where those conclusions appeared. 

 

3) “I do have a PhD in a biological field” are red flag, weasel words. What “biological field? Again, someone with a valid PhD who is writing about viruses would specify the field. 

 

4) “I have successfully treated...for about thirty years” — where are his citations to any of this from established medical journals, conference proceedings, ANYTHING peer-reviewed? The failure to provide any peer-reviewed information is disquieting.

This is the same kind of deceitful nonsense that Gavin Rumney called Bob out on years ago when Bob claimed to have a theology Ph.D. from a real university, which ended up being a diploma mill out of India. Thiel also claims that he went to Fuller seminary as proof of his super fantastical theological understanding. One class in one semester does not make one a theologian AND he has no degree from Fuller or even Ambassador College, which, most assuredly does not make him a genuine theologian. His so-called education in theology comes from the junk theology of Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith which consists of booklets and sermons that proof-text scripture to fit the desired topic being spoken of. 

Is there anything truthful about Bob?

 

Gerald Flurry Still Promoting His Failed Prophecy

Above is the screenshot of Gerald Flurry's January 1 prediction that Donald Trump would be reelected and that God was going to perform a miracle. It is now February 15 and the article is still up, apparently because Gerald did NOT make a false prophecy. His god is all-powerful and will still make this happen.

In his article he states:

The God of the Bible is absolutely trustworthy. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. When He issues a prophecy, you can stake your life on it coming to pass! 

 

I have lived my life by this truth for over four decades. And I have seen God deliver miracle after miracle. Never has God failed to do what He said He will. 

 

Back in November, I wrote an article titled “Why Donald Trump Will Remain America’s President.” This article is based on some prophecies in the Bible, and to this day I remain convicted that it is 100 percent reliable. All the evidence may look contrary, but that doesn’t shake my conviction. God will ultimately stop Joe Biden from being America’s next president. Read that article to see what God prophesied. Those prophecies are sure. Keep your eyes on events, and watch what God does!

All of the evidence has proven it to the contrary and yet Flurry is still convicted his words were and still are 100% reliable. Flurry is starting to sound as crazy as Bob Thiel! False prophets in the COG have a fertile ground to plant their batshit imaginations into. There is always some gullible fool that will believe them, though those numbers are rapidly diminishing as every day that passes their lies become more exposed.

Flurry continues:

In Amos 2:11-12, God condemns those who have a “prophesy not” spirit. Then in Amos 3:7-8 we read, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:7-8).

There are two opposing spirits here! One says “prophesy not.” The other says, “Who can but prophesy?” The Lion of the tribe of Judah—Jesus Christ—has roared! If you don’t fear God, then you will probably say, “Don’t prophesy.” But if you know God, and you listen to what He says, then you have an entirely different view. Who can but prophesy?

In the Bible prophets were usually men gifted by God to deliver a revelation to the church, but that ability to be a prophet carried tremendous responsibility: 

Deut. 13:1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 

 

Deut. 13:2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘ Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ 

 

Deut. 13:3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 

 

Deut. 13:4 “You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. 

 

Deut. 13:5 “But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.

The Bible says that true prophets of God have to be 100% correct in ALL their prophecies. Notice above that even if they are wrong just ONE time, they are to be put to death! that's a pretty heavy burden to carry for self-appointed COG prophets. They don't care however, their narcissism and mental imbalances cause them to believe they are set apart for an end-time witness. the sad track record of COG prophets is every time they are wrong, their god resorts to sending them a new revelation or understanding that they had been blind to before. That new revelation just keeps getting more outlandish by the day.

COG members have been conditioned over the decades to believe anything that COG leaders say, all because of the erroneous and absurd doctrine of church government. Look at all the times we were told that if a minister speaks it is as if God himself spoke it. To even dare question a minister was a sure ticket to the lake of fire. Because of that members failed to heed the very standards the scriptures told them about prophets it was easy for the current crop of buffoons to step forward and make their claims.

Plus, the biblical office of a prophet no longer exists anyway in the church since the canon of scripture has been completed. That reality is a common understanding in Christianity, particularly since Christ came and sealed the deal. the church does not need fools like Flurry, Pack, Thiel, Wieland, or any of the others if they are followers of Christ, as they claim.

Since COG leaders cannot look to anything Christ said and have to look backwards all the time, let's not forget what Jeremiah had to say about prophets. We quickly can see what frauds we have in the church today. 

Jer. 14:13 But, “Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”

Jer. 14:14 Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.

Jer. 14:15 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them — yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’ — by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end!

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith 

by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 

through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared...

1 Timothy 4:1-2

 

Restored Church of God: Edward Winkfield III

Edward Winkfield III

From an RCG source

Bradford Schleifer is not the only man holding apostle Dave's signet. Edward Winkfield has been successfully climbing the ranks of RCG Headquarters' leadership for over a decade. With so many having left, Ed's political savvy has allowed him to slip into influential roles. 

Word on the RCG street is that he is contributing to the darkness of RCG. He is also strengthening Dave's death-like grip on brethren's minds with messages enforcing Dave's way, not God's. 

History is revealing that the most political are the the ones staying and thriving in David C. Pack's cesspool cult.

It's time to share our collective experience of the key people surrounding and giving power to David C. Pack.

What would you say to somebody who has served Dave for over 10 years? Who has witnessed the resignation of scores of HQ employees and ministers? Who, when Dave Pack has become truly delusional and dangerous, has doubled down and held up the charade?

Share your feelings below. Perhaps we can help him... 

Why do crackpot COG prophets expect us to believe their every word?

The last few weeks have not been good for self-appointed COG prophets. One failure after another has smacked them across their smug faces. Never has the face of prophethood in the Church of God been such a horrible mess. From Jesus standing up Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry's reinstallation of Donald Trump to the US presidency, to Alton Billingsley who prophesied that Hillary Clinton would defeat Trump and be set up as the first woman to rule over the United States right before the Holy Roman Empire destroyed the nation and took people into slavery.

Despite all these failures, these stinking piles of steaming bullshit continue on and get even more fervent in their predictions. Unless of course, you are Bob Thiel and your prophetic radar is broken making you are the king of the could-be's and may-be's. They all demand that we respect their prophecies and not mock them. 

Gerald Flurry is particularly perturbed right now that people are not heeding him and his prophecies. In his latest Trumpet rag he has this up: Do You Believe All That the Prophets Have Spoken?.

What is a true Christian? One who follows Jesus Christ—as well as His true apostles, prophets and other leaders. 

What utter bullshit! A Christian is a follower of Christ and of no man. Self-appointed apostles, prophets, and COG leaders come and go and leave trails of destruction in their wake. When has the COG had a true prophet in its midst over the last many years? COG leaders always have to have Christ plus something added.

After Christ was crucified and resurrected, He walked among a group of Jews without being recognized. They talked about how Christ was a mighty prophet in word and deed. They searched His tomb but found it empty. This disappointed them because they had hoped Christ would redeem and save Israel at that time. They didn’t understand the timing of God’s plan—that they had only witnessed Christ’s firstcoming, not His Second Coming. 

 

Then Christ had something very important to tell them: “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25). Do you believe all that the prophets have spoken? All of it? To follow Christ, we must do this. He doesn’t want followers who relegate prophecy to mere history or who disregard the Old Testament. Christ rebuked these Jews severely!

I can state for a fact to follow Christ one does NOT have to believe any COG prophet or anything they speak. It is not a requirement for salvation. 

As Flurry continues on the bullshit gets deeper and deeper:

God wants to lead us. Magnificent glory is available to us—if we’re willing to do what the prophets say. Heed the prophets, because God sent them to teach us what we need to know to enter His Kingdom, which is also His Family. 

God has NOT sent Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Alton Billingsley, or Ron Weinland to us. They have absolutely NOTHING to teach us that is worthwhile or necessary for salvation and entrance into some phantasmagoric hell hole of a kingdom these guys want to set up according to their wishes.

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (verse 27). These Jews didn’t know the Bible passages about Christ’s first coming. Christ was telling them they had been lazy in their Bible study! 

COG members are lazy in their Bible Study of they actually believe these professional bullshitters.  No one in their right mind who has even a superficial understanding of the bible would EVER join up with these guys. 

Flurry goes on to speculate that Jesus always looked back at the prophets of the Old Testament because the New Testament did not exist yet. And we should do so today. We need to do that because today 90% of all prophecy is being fulfilled and we need to follow today's prophets.

“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1). In the last days! Ninety percent of all Bible prophecy is being fulfilled in this end time. “… At the end it shall speak …” (Habakkuk 2:3). Sometimes, prophecy is dual, meaning Bible history will repeat itself. We need to know prophecy!

Flurry believes that he and his church and his prophethood are prophecies in the Bible for the end times. Rising out of the ruins of the mother church and into the mess he has created.

God the Father is perfect. Jesus Christ is perfect. The Bible is Jesus Christ in print. Remember this when you study the Bible. Imperfect translators made some mistakes, but this doesn’t nullify the messages of any of the biblical books. 

 

“And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Acts 15:13-16). This is another example of the New Testament quoting the Old Testament. Here, Amos 9:11 is referenced. 

 

“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old” (Amos 9:11). God’s Church fell several decades ago. Someone had to raise it back up before Christ’s return. This is all about the throne of David. Where is that throne today? Christ will sit on it when He returns, so it has to be somewhere on Earth already! Study my free book The New Throne of David to learn more.

Imagine a god being so impotent and weak that it was unable to keep a church alive for its people and needed Flurry to come along and restore it. How pathetic is that god? And, what kind of a god needs a special rock to come back and sit upon when it supposedly is already King of all that is? It certainly does not need a rock in Edmond Oklahoma to come back to or a sad storefront in Grover Beach, CA, or a campus in Wadsworth, Ohio.

Flurry ends with this:

God wants us to live by every word of all these prophets. This will fill our lives with glory, wonder, majesty and royalty! God’s Word is about to flood the Earth (Isaiah 11:9), but we can soak it up right now!This world is suffering for not paying attention to the prophets of God. Soon, God will raise the ruins of the world just like He has in His Church. 

If you ignore the prophets of old you are sure to ignore the prophets of today in the church. Seriously? What crap! Besides, a follower of Jesus does NOT need a physical "church" to cling to for salvation.

We’re right at the edge of Christ’s Second Coming, when all will choose the right tree that Moses prophesied about. Christ will fill the Earth with wonders that will set our imaginations on fire!

No one needs either of the two trees of Moses or Herbert Armstrong's two trees for that matter. Christians know that Jesus made those trees obsolete and unnecessary. COG leaders and false prophets always have us looking backward at something outdated and unnecessary and establish all kinds of obstacles in our paths.