Pack Goes After UCG Members

Just saw this from Mr. Gavin Rumney, Scavenger Stalks UCG.

Dave Pack has sent an open letter to UCG ministers and members encouraging them to join his group.

To any UCG member considering leaving UCG over what has happened (or any other reason) here's some free advice.

Be very weary of this. Many seem to be highly agitated over what happened. Pack is taking advantage of this turmoil to convince more people to become members and pay tithes to him. And that includes the third tithe.

By all reports it is more dictatorial than UCG. While UCG operates by committee Pack is firmly committed to one man dictatorship. There is even less avenues of dissent in his than in UCG.

Once this group even tried to ban blogging, except for business reasons. Thankfully they backpedled on this due to widespread revulsion. But that is the sort of group you will have to deal with if you join.

Pack presents himself as perfectly following HWA's WCG. This is not true.

He has added his own distinctive doctrines, such as teaching that he is an Apostle.

He even teaches that he is the Angel (Messenger) of Laodicea, as HWA was the Angel of Philadelphia, thus unconsciously imitating Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Watchtower Cult (Jehovah's Witnesses) who was also claimed to hold that title as it is written on his tombstone which declares Russell to be "The Laodicean Messenger".

Pack contradicts HWA's WCG concerning the King of the South. It is a clear fact that HWA's WCG taught that there is to be a future King of the South. This has been taught since 1963 at least, as LCG apologist Bob Theil shows here. Also see this 1979 Plain Truth article by Keith Stump which also states this. Pack his contradicted HWA on this matter by insisting that the King of the South was fulfilled with Ethiopia under Haile Selassie and that there will be no future fulfillment. He does not teach HWA's doctrine on this matter.

Furthermore he has a reputation as a particularly demanding minister. As early as 1985 Dave Pack was noted as a particularly demanding minister. Even then he had provoked some congregation members to write a twelve page letter insisting that he was conducting a 'reign of terror'.

His overbearing attitude has not changed through time. Observe what is said about him from a former colleague of his based on experiences dating 1993-5:

"Dave Pack has been a wolf in shepherd's clothing and should not be any kind of minister or servant among the people of God....I base this conclusion on direct personal experience and the testimony of dozens of witnesses....

"to those he opposes, he seems to have an unending ability to recall minute details of years-old conversations and twist them into the greatest of sins. Many witnesses claim that he simply made up lies about them and spread them to others in a most believable fashion. Several people have specifically said that they did exactly what Dave Pack asked-unjust as they thought it was-only to be disfellowshipped for it later....

"Soon, complaints of Dave Pack's abuse began to make their way into the GCG office. He disfellowshipped far more members than any other GCG minister. Dave Pack asked me (head of the computer department) for names and addresses of people outside of his own area of responsibility. After I refused to give him any special treatment, he began telling Rod Meredith that he needed another computer manager who would get the ministerial reports out on time. (None of the other ministers complained about receiving late reports-Mr. Meredith assured us that he knew that it was one of our lower priorities and that he was not taking Pack's threats seriously)....

"When I left the Global Church of God and started Servants' News in 1995, I probably heard as many abuse complaints about Dave Pack as I heard about all other ministers put together. They are recorded as hundreds of pages of call logs, letters, e-mails, etc."

And then there was the time in 2007 he demanded RCG members to hand over assets worth tens of thousands of dollars in a widely condemned and vicious exploitation of his followers.

Let the UCG members beware.

Be wary of Dave Pack.

Many UCG members are going through a hard time. Be careful. Don't act rashly and just take his offer. Don't rush yourselves into a decision you might regret.

RCG Press Release on Hutaree Militia

RCG's been paying attention. On April 4 RCG released a press release disavowing any connection with the Hutaree militia.

"Regrettably, some have fostered the impression that The Real Truth is affiliated with a dangerous militia group, or advocates violence. Even a cursory sampling of Real Truth articles or a perusal of RCG’s website demonstrate that this is a gross mischaracterization of The Restored Church of God and The Real Truth."

I never did that. I never imagined that there was such a connection. It is clear that Hutaree did not seriously follow COG doctrines, a point I made in both previous Hutaree articles. For instance most COGs, including RCG, are strict pacifists, a practice of theirs which stems from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Hutaree also linked to other Christian websites which are unrelated to Armstrongism, as I stated earlier, further showing how unrelated Hutaree is from RCG or other COGs.

There is one paragraph from this press release that I would like to bring up:

"RCG is neither a “Fundamentalist” nor “Evangelical” church. The Restored Church of God is non-proselytizing [Nonsense. It does proselytize.] and non-denominational [It is part of a religious movement that originates with Herbert W. Armstrong, whose distinctive and heretical teachings are often called Armstrongism.], and not affiliated with any other group. We do not actively solicit funding [Members are required to pay three tithes], and our materials are offered free of charge in the public interest."

Pack, Nostradamus and HWA

Here's Pack on Nostradamus. Did God Send Nostradamus?

In this article Pack identifies Nostradamus as a false prophet because of his failed predictions.

"It is widely acknowledged that many of Nostradamus' prophecies failed. One author outlined five:

"(1) Venice would have great power and influence by 1792. False.

"(2) The Catholic clergy would fall in 1609. False.

"(3) Persecution would arise against the Catholic Church in 1792. False.

"(4) Astrologers would be persecuted in 1607. False.

"(5) And China would subdue the northern part of the world by 1700. False....

"These events clearly did not happen. Based on number and seize of failures, Nostradamus is a particularly poor prophet. Among false prophets he falls into extra false."

I cannot argue with that. That seems to be a perfectly reasonable conclusion.

But what about Herbert W. Armstrong?

HWA preached from 1953 onwards that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972 and that Christ will return in 1975.

Predictions based on this false prophecy are clearly evident in many writings produced by the Radio/Worldwide Church of God in the 1950s and 1960s.

HWA predicted that Christ would return in 1936. (See page 3.)

HWA predicted that Mussolini was the Beast who would fight Christ at His coming.

HWA predicted that Hitler was the Beast.

These facts are deceitfully hidden by HWA who never mentions these things in his Autobiography. He remembers to tell us such obscure things as the fact that he first heard of Pearl Harbor while on his first flight on a airplane, yet deceitfully refuses to make any mention of the fact that he taught these fear inducing false prophecies in that book.

HWA predicted that Christ would return by 2005 in his last book, Mystery of the Ages, the book which so many in the COGs so highly regard. (Those words were removed in PCG's version. See page 3 onwards.)

HWA predicted that Marxist Leninist Communism would sweep through Asia, take over India, outlast the USA and only come to an end a few years after Christ's return.

"But Communism, prophecy indicates, will continue to make gains in the East-Probably in Indo-china, Malaya [wrong], Japan [wrong], India [wrong]. For more than ears [sic] I have been telling the radio audiences that Communism will engulf and control the manpower of the yellow races by the time of the swift-approaching crisis of world upheaval." (HWA, 1975 in Prophecy, section 'Germans Pioneered Nuclear Development'.)

HWA predicted that the 200 million strong army would be Communists.

"The sixth of these punishing plagues will be a military invasion of Europe by the Communist forces from Russia and the Orient. By that time, the Red Armies of Russia, China and allies will number TWO HUNDRED MILLION!" (HWA, 1975 in Prophecy, section 'The Terrible DAY OF THE LORD'.)

HWA made many other predictions which simply did not happen.

It is quite safe to say, "Based on number and seize of failures, [HWA] is a particularly poor prophet. Among false prophets he falls into extra false."

These false prophecies prove according to Dave Pack's own standard that HWA is a false prophet.

RCG Disparage "British Israelism"--Why?

Recently I read an article from Dave Pack's RCG about racism, Jeffrey R. Ambrose's article Racism--Is There a Solution? It contains a fascinating section on British Israelism which is designed to cause RCG members to be incurious about other forms of British Israelism, and effectively hide the fact that HWA stole this idea from them and taught it in a way he liked.

Richard Brothers (1757-1824), John Wilson (1799-1870), Edward Hine (1825-1891) and J. H. Allen (1847-1930) all taught this long before HWA. Original British Israelism, although completly inaccurate, was not noticeably racist, unlike other forms of it which have arisen in recent times. It was this gentler British Israelism which HWA adopted and fostered upon his followers.

Let us now see what Jeffrey R. Ambrose's article Racism--Is There a Solution?, has to say about "British Israelism":

“British Israelism”

British Israelism is a corruption of the biblical truth regarding the modern descendants of the “Lost Ten Tribes” of Israel. So-called British Israelists often equate the now-antiquated British Empire with the kingdom of God. This is at odds with Scripture, which clearly states that Jesus Christ will establish this kingdom (government) at His Return, still in the future. (See II Timothy 4:1.)

The truth is HWA stole what Ambrose calls "the biblical truth regarding the modern descendants of the “Lost Ten Tribes” of Israel" from British Israelism. The COGs' understanding of this doctrine is based on HWA's spin of this doctrine.

It is true that the Jewish inhabitants of the modern state of Israel on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, as well as the Jewish Diaspora around the world, do not represent all of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel. They are primarily descended from Judah, one of the 12 tribes.

Ed Koch, the Jewish mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989, was quoted in U.S. News and World Report as saying, “The 10 Lost Tribes of Israel we [Jews] believe ended up in Ireland.” In fact, the British Isles are among a number of places to which these tribes migrated.

Europeans are not descended from Israelites. It is not true regardless of whatever Koch is alleged to have said. I am also disappointed to see that this quote of Koch's is not properly referenced. Where precisely did he say this?

But many British Israelists exclude the Jews altogether, portraying them as scheming impostors. They also apply the “master race” idea to Anglo-Saxons—conveniently, since most of them are of this background. In its worst forms, it closely resembles neo-Nazi white supremacist thinking.

British Israelism is a particularly dangerous and repugnant form of racism because it claims to be justified by the Bible. This causes some people to accept its validity without close scrutiny and pushes others to recoil from the Bible under the false assumption that the idea is found within its pages.

Here the article discredits British Israelism by linking it with its virulently racist manifestations. That will cause RCG followers to be incurious in regards to this movement. Then they will never discover how similar old pre-HWA British Israelism (J. H. Allen, etc.) is to what is taught by RCG. Ambrose is referring to various truly vile racist ideologies, such as so called 'Christian Identity', which also use the idea of British Israelism, but he simply labels it all as British Israelism. This helps to hide the truth about the origins of British Israelism. HWA did not get it by just studying the Bible.

Those racist ideologies, by the way, are very dangerous and scary. Although when most people hear it most of us, quite rightly, think it is crazy, but some people still fall for it as may be seen in the link provided here.

John Tuit's The Truth Shall Make You Free Online

John Tuit's book, The Truth Shall Make You Free is online.

Here's the first chapter. http://www.keithhunt.com/Hwaexp1.html.

There are 27 chapters here.

It runs for literally over 200 pages.

For those of you who might not know Tuit was a former member of WCG who brought the suit against WCG which resulted in its forced receivership by the State of California. WCG only managed to get itself out of the receivership by convincing the State of California to pass a law that made it impossible for the State to do this to a church. Contrary to what HWA said WCG was not proved innocent.

I have not read yet so I do not necessarily agree with everything he says here, or the website hosting it. The book seems to enter into some conspiracy theories, something that happens all too often in the (ex-)COGs.

But it's definitely worth checking out.

Pack, Nostradamus and HWA

Here's Pack on Nostradamus. Did God Send Nostradamus?

In this article Pack identifies Nostradamus as a false prophet because of his failed predictions.

"It is widely acknowledged that many of Nostradamus' prophecies failed. One author outlined five:

"(1) Venice would have great power and influence by 1792. False.

"(2) The Catholic clergy would fall in 1609. False.

"(3) Persecution would arise against the Catholic Church in 1792. False.

"(4) Astrologers would be persecuted in 1607. False.

"(5) And China would subdue the northern part of the world by 1700. False....

"These events clearly did not happen. Based on number and seize of failures, Nostradamus is a particularly poor prophet. Among false prophets he falls into extra false."

But what about Herbert W. Armstrong's false prophecies?

HWA preached from 1953 onwards that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972 and Christ will return in 1975.

Predictions based on this false prophecy are clearly evident in many writings produced by the Radio/Worldwide Church of God in the 1950s and 1960s.

HWA predicted that Christ would return in 1936. (See page 3.)

HWA predicted that Mussolini was the Beast who would fight Christ at His coming.

HWA predicted that Hitler was the Beast.

These facts are deceitfully hidden by HWA who never mentions these things in his Autobiography. He remembers to tell us such obscure things as the fact that he first heard of Pearl Harbor while on his first flight, yet deceitfully refuses to make any mention of the fact that he taught fear inducing false prophecies in that book.

HWA predicted that Christ would return by 2005 in his last book, Mystery of the Ages, the book which so many in the COGs so highly regard. (Those words were removed in PCG's version. See page 3 onwards.)

HWA predicted that Marxist Leninist Communism would sweep through Asia, take over India, outlast the USA and only come to an end a few years after Christ's return.

"But Communism, prophecy indicates, will continue to make gains in the East-Probably in Indo-china, Malaya [wrong], Japan [wrong], India [wrong]. For more than ears [sic] I have been telling the radio audiences that Communism will engulf and control the manpower of the yellow races by the time of the swift-approaching crisis of world upheaval." (HWA, 1975 in Prophecy, section 'Germans Pioneered Nuclear Development'.)

HWA predicted that the 200 million strong army would be Communists.

"The sixth of these punishing plagues will be a military invasion of Europe by the Communist forces from Russia and the Orient. By that time, the Red Armies of Russia, China and allies will number TWO HUNDRED MILLION!" (HWA, 1975 in Prophecy, section 'The Terrible DAY OF THE LORD'.)

HWA made many other predictions which simply did not happen.

It is quite say Based on number and seize of failures, [HWA] is a particularly poor prophet. Among false prophets he falls into extra false.

These false prophecies prove according to Dave Pack's own standard that Herbert W. Armstrong is a false prophet.

LCG and That Spanking Report

I am sorry to report this but LCG has also promoted this story.

Study: Spanked Children May Grow Up to Be Happier, More Successful – Children's Health – FOXNews.com.

This LCG Youth article cites this Fox News report.

It concerns the same scientific study which PCG cited earlier from another report by a pro-life website.

I must say LCG is more honest in their presentation of this report than PCG was. As QuesterUK commented, PCG neglected to mention some of the caveats towards spanking which were made in the post PCG cited. LCG includes some of those qualifications here. Such as this:

"But children who continued to be spanked into adolescence showed clear behavioral problems."

If only such things were shown on the headline.

Now I am not dogmatic on this issue. I am sure that there is a time and a place for physical punishment. However such things should not be encouraged by the leadership, lest overzealous parents get too used to solving problems in that harsh manner.

Terrible Persecution in Iraq

The BBC has released a radio report on the persecution of religious minorities in Iraq, such as indigenous Christians and Yedizis.

Iraq's Forgotten Conflict.

During the war in Iraq religious minorities have suffered grievously. About half the Christians in Iraq have been forced to flee their homeland. Many to neighboring Syria.

Other minorities such as the Yedizis have also enduring terrible suffering.

HWA and 'Armistice'

Here's Herbert W. Armstrong. What is wrong with this sentence?

"It had taken Germany 21 years from the armistice bringing the end of the first round of world war -- an "armistice" is a RECESS -- to be ready to start the second round, World War II. The armistice had COME OF AGE -- 21 years!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, 'The 19-Year Time Cycles —What HAPPENED January 7th. What My Commission IS!,' Tomorrow's World, February 1972, p. 31, column 3, paragraph 2.)

Can't see it? Don't be embarrassed. I didn't see it for a long time either.

The truth is the armistice ended on...

June 28, 1919.

Why?

That's when they had the Paris Peace Conference. They made the Treaty of Versailles in that conference.

The armistice was indeed a recess. Until the leaders, the diplomats, everyone else, were able to come together and produce a Peace Treaty.

Which they did with the Treaty of Versailles.

The purpose of the armistice was complete.

That was when the armistice ended.

Not 1939.

To say that the time between World War I and World War II (1918-1939) was the time of the armistice is a lie. The armistice actually only lasted November 11, 1918-June 28, 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

By the way, the personal in question is HWA's attempt to explain away the 1972 disappointment. From 1953 onwards HWA taught that a) the second 19 year time cycle for the church ended, b) therefore the church would be unable to preach at that time, c) the church would go to the place of safety on earth, which was widely speculated to be Petra, Jordan, and d) the Great Tribulation would begin with the European Beast Power destroying Britain and America.

That is what he predicted would happen in 1972.

To explain this colossal failed prediction away HWA. But it can't change the fact that he was wrong. It proves he was a false prophet. God could not have been working with that man. We do not need to listen to him in order to follow God.

Random COG Videos

Ambassador College Chorale - Graduation 1989

Ambassador College Revisited - 0707
A former Ambassador College student revisits what used to be WCG Headquarters.

Pasadena, CA Drive - 8 October, 2009
A man drives past the place.

Dave Pack and Ronald Weinland

Some readers interested in the Insane Lying False Prophet Ronald Weinland may be interested to know that he appears in RCG's Authorized Biography of David C. Pack. Weinland is not mentioned by name but his identity is clearly revealed.

Their encounter is described in Chapter 46:

The Toledo UCG Pastor

This would not be the only organization about which Mr. Pack considered himself being “schooled.” With many relatives in the United Church of God, as well as many former friends there, reports from that organization were equally grim. One was particularly instructive.

“In early 1997, the United Church of God pastor in Toledo, Ohio, broke away from that organization and formed his own. The man was relatively young in the ministry, dating back to about 1987 or so.

“He had become disenchanted with United. Soon after he left, some of the people who left with him shortly after came with Global. They kept contact with certain friends and, after a time, he wanted to meet with me, and invited me to his area to speak.

“I drove to Toledo, thinking there was some possibility he wanted to come with Global, or was at least exploring the idea. It became apparent that this was not on his mind, but not right away. Neither was it on the minds of any of the people with him. This was actually good because I did not any longer know how to represent Global in such matters. He was at that point no better or worse off had he been with United or gone with Global.

“We met for dinner on one other occasion. I also stayed with him at his house. He seemed like a nice person, just very confused about what he had experienced in both the WCG and UCG. He was disillusioned with all forms of church government, including what Mr. Armstrong taught.

“Eventually it became apparent that he was not going to do anything other than his own thing. I watched—up close and personal—as this tragically inexperienced and unsound man literally melted down. Today, he believes that he is one of the Two Witnesses, and if this is not bad enough, he has appointed his wife to be the other.

“Of course, the man is simply a false prophet. He would be one of a number that the apostasy would produce. Watching these men sort of ‘pop up’ here and there, as well as watching the kind of people who went with them was its own extraordinary coursework for me. I would later see this coursework as being even more valuable.”

More on Hutaree and the COGs

The 'Christian' militia Hutaree, which stands accused of plotting to commit terrorism, had placed a link to Dave Pack's Restored Church of God's Real Truth magazine. That already been discussed here.

Well, there's more.

Hutaree's website also includes a page called Beast Watch. This page features as its background numerous pictures of C. Winston Taylor's illustration of the Beast of Revelation 13, which will be familiar to readers as the illustration on the cover of Herbert W. Armstrong's 1960 booklet, Who or What is the Prophetic Beast?

It contains links to some webpages written by members of Hutaree.

There's a page entitled No Pre-trib Rapture. This is similar standard COG doctrine which says there will be no rapture to heaven before the Great Tribulation. The COGs instead teach that the Philadelphia era of God's Church will be taken to a place of safety on earth (widely speculated to be Petra, Jordan.)

It's also of note that some racist 'Christian Identity' groups deny the doctrine of the rapture instead saying that believers must endure Armageddon on earth. This contributes to some Identity practitioners' adoption of a survivalist mentality.

This Hutaree Beast Watch also contains a long paper entitled '10 Horns of the European Super State, Mr. Europe and 7 years of peace in Israel'. This paper stated that the European Beast Power will have ten members. This is similar to COG doctrine that which states that the European Beast Power will be composed of ten 'horns'.

Seven years of peace in Israel is not an idea often stated in COG teachings. They focus more on the war rather than the peace before the Great Tribulation.

Again I do not blame the COGs for Hutaree's alleged plots. It is clear that Hutaree members' flirtation with COG teachings was rather superficial. For instance most COGs are radically pacifist. Hutaree did not adopt that.

The COGs teach and practice many unusual (and sadly some heretical) doctrines. Yet Hutaree still linked to other, non-COG websites. So they did not adopt the COGs' exclusivist attitude which denounce non-COG Christians as not true Christians.

So it is clear that Hutaree's adoption of COG ideas and doctrines were quite superficial. Obviously they were fascinated with COGs' prophetic teachings.

Sad Developments in UCG

J has just released a heartbreaking post concerning alledged attempts by the UCG leadership to suppress open discussion of the recent transfer of power.

If what if stated is true then I must say this:

A lot of the residual respect I had for UCG is now gone.

PCG Should Listen to This Plain Truth

PCG, which seems to have such a cavalier attitude towards the corporal punishment of children, should take this Plain Truth article to heart concerning excessive corporal punishment of children:

"We live in a culture that cherishes such maxims as "spare the rod and spoil the child." But such taken-forgranted sanctions of corporal punishment can easily lead to tragic consequences. Violence in the home today rivals that found on a battlefield or the scene of a riot." (Carol Ritter, 'Hitting Close to Home,' Plain Truth, August, 1978, p. 10, PDF p. 12.)

"though corporal punishment may be necessary under certain circumstances, there are often more effective ways of settling parent-child disputes and training children to behave. If these
alternative methods were habitually exhausted before corporal punishment was turned to as a last resort, there would probably be very little need for "the board." Authority in, the home should mean loving teaching and guidance, tempered with wisdom, kindness, and a willingness to sacrifice one's comfort and convenience for the sake of those young individuals one took the responsibility of bringing into the world, rather than authoritarian giving of orders followed by stern punishment for the slightest infraction." (Emphasis mine, p. 11, PDF p. 13.)

"In Germany, for example, "a national poll conducted by the Bielefelder Emnid Institute in Bonn showed that 72 percent of Germans interviewed felt obedience and respect for order to be the most important principles for child rearing. This emphasis on strict obedience to authority is considered by some to be the reason for Germany's having the highest rate of child abuse in Europe" (George M. Anderson, "Child Abuse," America, May 28, 1977, p. 481).

"Knowledgeable child rearing experts suggest that many if not most family conflicts can be solved through effective communication rather than authoritarian intervention." (p. 11, PDF p. 13.)

Are PCG parents fulfilling these ideals? Are the PCG ministers teaching these ideas? Are they?

PCG Music and the Importance of Music for a Culture

I didn't realize PCG had a music section. I wonder how long that's been up.

Philadelphia Singers song archive.

I'm not sure why there's a red flag in the 2002 album. Unfortunately it reminds me of the Cultural Revolution. I'm sure that's just an accident.

Music unites people together in a common bond.

I learned that lesson awhile ago when I ended up reading about racists as documented by the Anti-Defamation League. I read about hate music.

I read about how important it is to their culture. ""White power" music is the focal point for many racist skinheads seeking a common culture." (From above link.)

While reading about this I learned how important music is to our culture. Some hate groups even try to use their music to lure young people into their perverted way of viewing the world.

"As the inheritor of Resistance Records’ legacy of hatred, Pierce is seeking to position the National Alliance for the future. He believes hate music – with its racist, anti-Semitic and anti-government messages – can be used simply and effectively to attract troubled youths." (Source.)

Reading about this sad, twisted, slanderous culture made me very thankful that so much of our culture teaches messages which contradicts the doctrines of white supremacy.

This also made me appreciate how important music is in any cultural milieu. Including that of the Armstrongite COGs. Music unites people.

'Go Back To Africa': An Example of Racism in WCG

I was intrigued reading the first few lines of this post from Mr. Felix Taylor:

"You were told that critizing the government of South Africa during the apartheid years (the P.W.Botha years especially) was ”cursing Israel”.

"When at age 13 learning geography class about South Africa’s apatheid system, a man at church said to you, “Segregation is not wrong.” The strange thing that it was a black man who said that to you."

Criticizing South Africa’s apartheid is judged to be cursing Israel? I can believe that of WCG.

Having an African-American say 'segregation is good'? Yes I can see that happening in WCG.

The April 1957 Plain Truth, contained an article by Herman Hoeh discussing race relations between whites and African Americans.

He stated that segregation was good, discrimination was bad.

Segregation (races keeping themselves separate from each other) was taught to be the natural way of humanity.

Discrimination, he said, was caused because the races are already associating with each other too much. And this is back in the 1950s mind you.

Hoeh also stated that the ideal way to solve ‘the race question’ would be to send the African-Americans back to Africa.

“The whole problem would have been solved if the Negroes had been restored to their rightful inheritance in Africa….The Negro should have been returned to his rightful inheritance in Africa, just as Egypt should have returned the enslaved Israelites to Palestine.” (p. 23.)

That is so racist and ignorant of the situation of African Americans. Many of them have no idea where they’re from, they can’t communicate with the people who speak different languages over there, so this is not a good answer.

By the way that ‘answer’ has also been proposed by racists and neo-Nazis.

"[Nick Griffith] thinks American blacks should have been resettled in Africa “because the two peoples living side by side would cause problems forever”." (Nick Griffith, leader of the infamous far right British National Party, interview with The Times, October 22, 2008.)

"I would simply revoke [African Americans'] citizenship and then offer them the alternatives of either returning to Africa with our generous help and assistance in establishing a modern industrial nation, or being relocated on reservations like the Indians were when they became a problem to the survival of the white people." (George Lincoln Rockwell, leader of the American Nazi Party, interview with Alex Haley, Playboy, April, 1966.)

So this idea is actually racist, I am sorry to say.

Radio Church of God Bible Announced (1959)

The June 1959 Plain Truth announced that the Radio Church of God was producing its own Bible translation.

The article by Herman Hoeh may be seen on pp. 13-20.

He ended the article stating that "It will probably take no less than two years to for us to have completed such a translation of the New Testament, from the original Greek, ready for our vast audience. Yes, this is Big News!" (p. 20).

Obviously this project was never completed. Wish we knew why.

Richard Ames' Co-Worker Letter

Richard Ames has just released his first Co-Worker Letter. Here are some excerpts with some of my own thoughts added in commenting on what he says.

Jesus Christ actively continues to lead His Church.

That does not apply to LCG in reality.

We need to humble ourselves and look to Him for the resources and spiritual power to fulfill the mission He gave His Church: to preach the gospel of the Kingdom in all the world; to warn our Western nations (the lost ten tribes of Israel)

They are not descended from Israelites. It is a historically inaccurate doctrine originating in England from the likes of Richard Brothers, John Wilson and Edward Hine.

to repent before the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22);

HWA spread many false prophecies that caused fear in many people. 1975, 2005, etc. Ames is simply continuing that shameful tradition.

and to feed the flock spiritually (John 21:15-19).

A lot of their food is the errors of Armstrongism.

That is one reason Dr. Meredith, with the advice and support of the Council of Elders, proclaimed a Church-wide fast for the Sabbath of March 6.

That was reported here earlier.

Since that time just over six weeks ago, the living Christ has opened exciting media doors for preaching the gospel (see Colossians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

To further spread HWA's heretical errors.

Dr. Meredith will announce those new developments later on. Frankly, one challenge is the high cost of broadcasting on the larger television networks; we sometimes must make the painful decision to wait until more resources become available.

From the tithes (plural) of the eternally deceived flock. And their 'offerings.'

We thank our brethren and co-workers for their faithful support in making possible the effective broadcasting and publishing of the true Gospel.

They are faithful because they are told that if they are not zealous, if they don't do more than the bare minimum they are going to undergo the Great Tribulation. Furthermore they are repeatedly told by Meredith to give more money to LCG.

Please continue to pray that God will add more co-workers, donors and laborers to accomplish His Work (Matthew 9:37-38)...

God has called His ministry and people to be “watchmen.” We must warn our peoples of their sins and of the consequences that will follow unless they repent. God told the prophet Ezekiel, “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me” (Ezekiel 33:7). God commissioned the prophet Isaiah, “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). Tomorrow’s World and the Living Church of God are striving to powerfully warn millions that they may be spared from the Great Tribulation soon to come (Matthew 24:21-22)...

This is an idea which HWA stole for his own purposes. This Watchman ideal may have come from the Rutherford era Jehovah's Witnesses who taught similar things around the time of HWA's early religious days. The Ezekiel Watchman could also be descended from the Third Angel's Message, a doctrine which was the focus of a lot of attention within the COG Seventh Day, what HWA called Sardis. (See 'The Third Angel’s Message' section in last link above.)

Although God promised Noah that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:11), He will use “natural disasters” to wake our peoples and nations to the signs of the times in which we are living. The United States Geological Survey includes in its list of “significant earthquakes” the 7.2 magnitude April 4 temblor in Baja California, Mexico, and the 4.4 magnitude March 16 earthquake in Los Angeles, California...

At least 17 earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater have struck our globe in the first four months of 2010! Scientists are calling the 8.8 magnitude quake that struck Chile on February 27 one of the seven or eight most powerful temblors ever recorded! The January 12 quake in Haiti, though “merely” a 7.0, was one of the five or six deadliest in recorded history, causing more than 230,000 deaths and several hundred thousand serious injuries.

There are reasons why a 7.0 earthquake did so much damage in Haiti. There was a lot of substandard buildings, Haiti had not experienced such an earthquake in about 200 years, etc. The false prophets of Armstrongism have no right to judge these disasters to be a sign of the end.

From Chile to China, from Haiti to Japan, earthquakes have reminded us of our fragile existence on planet Earth. Even the central U.S.—far from the Pacific “Ring of Fire”—has been startled by unusual earthquake activity in the first months of 2010, with a 4.0 in Oklahoma on January 15 and a 3.8 in Illinois on February 10. It has been nearly 200 years since the New Madrid Fault buckled in December 1811 and January 1812. Is the American Midwest ready for the next big temblor?

Brethren, God’s way is the way of give. As Jesus told His disciples, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

LCG does not do this. They instead lure recruits because of their 'free' writings thereby creating a sense of bond with the receiver. Eventually the potential recruit is persuaded to tithe to the organization and that is how LCG's operations are kept running.

In the version of this letter being sent to co-workers, we are offering them a free subscription to The Living Church News, so they may more deeply come to understand the Way of life Jesus Christ taught.

Personally I find that publication boring. This was true even when I was still a believer in LCG. I would read LCN but find it boring. It mainly focuses on giving mainly spiritual advice, but, as is often the case with COG publications after awhile you will notice that it will start to repeat itself. Also it generally restricts itself to only telling happy news about LCG. Consequently it is very boring and stale. It only tells us what the LCG leadership wants us to know.

Please join with me in praying that many will accept our offer, and that God may call them into a closer relationship with Him and His Church. I pray that all of you members are regularly reading the LCN, so you can stay abreast of Dr. Meredith’s latest guidance and insights, and can learn from the many helpful and inspiring articles. No, the LCN is not a substitute for your Bible study—which you should maintain faithfully, along with your prayer, meditation and occasional fasting.

High demand groups such as LCG often require members to spend a lot of time meditating on the group's teachings in order for the member to be more entrenched in the group.

But it should be a valuable tool to complement and enrich your study of God’s word and His Way.

Thank you all for your continuing support in preaching the true gospel of the soon-coming Kingdom of God! May God bless you as you follow the Way of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The false gospel of Armstrongism is not true.

Meredith Defining Who Is An Armstrongite

Now when I use the word Armstrongite or any related words I am referring to someone who follows the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong or a practice that stems from a group. Any thing that relates to COGdom.

Now I remember watching a sermon by Meredith entitled 'Are You An Armstrongist?' or something like that. I watched around 2001. I cannot find it on their website.

In this sermon Meredith stated that LCG members are not Armstrongites, they are followers of God, not HWA. (A position I would disagree with. God did not work with HWA, as is proven with his many false prophecies and his immorality.)

Meredith also gave his own definition of an Armstrongite: one who follows HWA and does not 'grow into truth'.

Similar to the Jehovah's Witness doctrine of 'New Light' HWA taught that when God reveals new revelation it must be accepted and followed. If this is not done then one is no longer a true Christian. He has failed to 'grow into truth'.

This idea is quite succinctly explained by Hoeh in 1959 in this way:

"Here is the KEY that proves which individuals are in God's Church. It is composed ONLY of those who are GROWING INTO TRUTH as God reveals it. The moment anyone ceases to GROW, but wants to retain only what he had five or ten years ago, [that person is no longer a true Christian from that point]." (Herman Hoeh, A True History of the True Church, section 'Church Grows in Truth', 1959.)

What this doctrine led to in practice was to justify any of the (few) changes that were made under HWA and used to scare anyone who disagreed with any changes. (Personally I think a few of Meredith's changes are quite good, but the focus here is on how Meredith uses these ideas to maintain his legitimacy among LCG members. LCG is still a dictatorial cult.)

Meredith's definition of who is an Armstrongite plays on this idea of 'growing into truth'. It also invalidates those who wish to go back to something which Meredith has changed.

This assertion of Meredith's reflects the fact that some changes to Armstrongite doctrine has occurred under Meredith and this inevitably has caused some trouble for Meredith. COGs which cruelly forbid makeup, such as PCG, RCG and Bryce Clark's Enduring COG, use this matter of difference to attack Meredith's legitimacy. Meredith's definition of who is an Armstrongite invalidates those who wish to go back to a position which Meredith has changed. This definition of who is an Armstrongite is loaded in order to reconfirm Meredith's position as leader of LCG.

(By the way, every single COG has made changes to its teachings compared with HWA's WCG. That includes PCG, which has added many new doctrines which glorify their leader, UCG, RCG, which has rejected HWA's WCG teaching of a future Muslim King of the South, and every other COG.)

People Will NOT Go To Jail If They Don't Buy Health Insurence

There is a rumor out there that if people don't buy mandatory health insurance in the USA under the new reforms they will go to jail.

This charge is not true.

This fact is clearly and simply explained in this article from Time.

My Very Own Bible Story

Recently I saw copies of Volume 3 and 4 of Basil Wolverton's Bible Story for sale second hand. So now I have my very own copies of this work. Don't worry, I will not be showing them to children.

UCG's Change of Leadership

Just read that UCG is currently undergoing a transition of leadership as reported on UCG minister Mike Bennett's blog.

Hat tip to J.

Update: The link's gone now but Purple Hymnal has thankfully preserved the text here.

Morocco Re-Orphans 33 Orphans

I was at church recently and there I heard about some very sad developments going on in Morocco.

On March 8 a Christian orphanage was closed down for alledgedly proselytizing the orphans.

I regard this as a very sad story to hear of children being ripped away from care givers who are willing to provide care for them.

Here's the story as reported by the Bible League of Canada:

The most recent incident took place this past Tuesday, March 8. The government ordered the Village of Hope orphanage in Ain Leuh be closed and that the 20 foreigners who ran it must leave the county within three days. The organization’s website reports that they were told “the abandoned children in the care of VoH have been proselytised by us, that we are trying to make them Christian. This is despite the fact that we have always been open about our faith to the authorities, and for 10 years they have allowed VoH to take in and foster children abandoned by this society, children who would otherwise be killed or placed in state run ‘mega’ orphanages.” The government stated that they “exploited some families' poverty and targeted their minor children …. they carried out proselytizing activities aimed at children under the age of 10.” They added that “the investigation resulted in the seizure of materials used in proselytizing.”

The children taken in by Village of Hope were primarily from illegitimate relationships with most of the mothers involved in prostitution or “out of wedlock” activities. According to Village of Hope, before the orphanage opened its doors many such children were killed before or after they were born by their desperate mothers.

The foreigners working at the orphanage leave behind 33 children, some of whom have been at the orphanage since it opened a decade ago. The adults were considered by the children to be their parents. According to Chris Broadbent, Human Resources Manager for the orphanage, "Watching the children be told by their [foster] parents that they had to leave, that they would maybe never see them again, is the most painful thing I have ever witnessed... This is a shame and a disgrace …"

From Voice of the Martyrs:

Moroccan police accused Christian aid workers from the United States, Korea, Netherlands and England of “violating Morocco’s anti-proselytism laws.” “On March 8, police visited the orphanage Village of Hope, which has been operating with the government’s approval for the past ten years,” Smyrna Ministries International said. “They scoured the grounds looking for Bibles, interrogated children and staff members and announced that the parents had seven hours to pack and say goodbye to their adopted children. All fifteen of the foster parents, the only parents these children have ever known, were deported before nightfall, leaving the 33 children with the police.”

From Assist News.

Trumpet and Time?

I was just looking at the tab icon for PCG's Trumpet website and I just noticed that it looks very similar to the tab icon for Time.com.

Great Quote About Dave Pack

Dave Pack has been a wolf in shepherd’s clothing and should not be any kind of minister or servant among the people of God. The only apology I will make for that statement is for not having clearly stated it sooner in the pages of Servants’ News. I base this conclusion on direct personal experience and the testimony of dozens of witnesses. Dave Pack is a brilliant man, a powerful speaker and a commanding personality. He has the ability to stir people into thinking they are special to God and that they are being used in a powerful way when they work for Mr. Pack. For those who work “on his side”, he is able to see everything they do in the best possible light, and to have unending mercy to overlook their sins and errors. But to those he opposes, he seems to have an unending ability to recall minute details of years-old conversations and twist them into the greatest of sins. Many witnesses claim that he simply made up lies about them and spread them to others in a most believable fashion. Several people have specifically said that they did exactly what Dave Pack asked—unjust as they thought it was—only to be disfellowshipped for it later (Edwards, Norman. Continuing the Work of WCG. Servant's News. Jan/Feb 2000).

As quoted by LCG apologist Bob Theil here.

Pack on Meredith in Global COG (Chapter 43)

Yes, I know Pack is trying to discredit Meredith and LCG so that he and his group will gain your money but let's continue.

Pack devotes a lot of negative vitriol towards Meredith in Chapter 43 of his Authorized Biography.

This chapter has a really interesting section entitled "Are You a Millionaire?"

Here Pack states that Meredith asked Pack if he was a millionaire very shortly after Pack's father's death and consequent inheritance of his health food business.

Pack then says:

"...And there would be many a time [Meredith] would try to get me to give more to the church.

“On one other occasion, when I offered to pay for a meal—with five others at the table in a restaurant—he responded by literally calling out across the table in an irritated tone, ‘What we really want is for you to give a lot of money to the church, not pay for dinners.’ He was loud. This episode was some time in early 1996. When the others left the table, well aware that he had crossed way over the line, he rushed around the table to soothe the moment. But in the eyes of those present, the damage to him was done.”

Ouch! What an unflattering thing to say about Meredith.

Later Pack continues this polemic in his section "Go Off Salary?"

“I did consider for a time going off salary to help the Work, but I was never able. I was constantly reminded that this was practically my duty. Yet, in 25 years, I had never had a savings account. Now I had a very little money, and I was being pressured to no end to give most of it to headquarters. [Emphasis mine.]

If only prospective members of LCG knew this. That is your future should you choose to join LCG.

Now I know Pack is just trying to gain converts and their money (tithes) but alas this seems to be all too true concerning Meredith. I say this because of what I have seen Meredith writing to his co-workers recently, as may be seen here and here.

There's also a section describing how GCG found itself filled with conspiracy theorists who were later excluded by Meredith. Pack portrays GCG as being too accommodating to those who deviate from the truth. He does this because he wants your money (tithes).

In 'Another Hint About San Diego' the following is written:

I was shocked at the thought that I would come to San Diego for the position that the leader had described. He made it very clear that he wanted me to essentially run the entire Work under him, as a kind of Chief Operations Officer. He was most specific, and believed that my business experience, however thin I thought it was within my overall family, would be something that headquarters did not have. He would tell me every time he talked to me that he needed an ‘idea man’ around him. But I saw that so many men were stifled under him—so how much more would be any ‘idea man?’

In "Overspending Leads to Borrowing" Pack relates another story in order to portray Meredith as an incompetent leader who keeps begging for money and has no loyalty to those who work so hard to keep his organization running (He does this so you will pay your tithes to Pack's organization. But we're not going to let that happen, are we?).

Global’s leader had no business experience, and both he and those under him wildly overspent beyond revenue received. This brought them to the summer of 1996. When the United Church formed and Global did not continue growing as had been projected, an extreme financial crisis developed. GCG reached an impasse. It needed big money fast or risked folding. Its leader decided to borrow from the brethren and ministry as much money as possible for what was hoped to be a short period.

Pack then relates that Meredith approached Pack and convinced him to loan GCG $57,000 from Pack's newly inherited business' emergency reserve. Pack agreed to do so but insisted on having a promissory note promising to repay after the Fall Holy Days. However after Pack transferred these funds the promissory note only came before the Feast of Tabernacles and the money was repaid late. Naturally Pack is not very impressed.

More next post.

Pack on Meredith in Global COG

[Update: One more quote has been added at the end of this post.]

Recently I've been reading some of Dave Pack's Authorized Biography, specifically concerning the time he was with Meredith's first splinter group, the Global Church of God (1993-9). Having been a devoted reader of LCG's materials I was fascinated to see what Pack had to say about Meredith.

Now I must make it clear. I do not trust Dave Pack. It must always be borne in mind that he runs a (cultic) 'church' that requires members to pay three tithes. (The second is required for observance of the Holy Days, especially the Feast of Tabernacles.) He is competing with literally hundreds of rival Armstrongite groups. Most of them are quite small, but all of which are descended from HWA's WCG, and so challenge Pack's legitimacy as leader of his sect.

Hence one would expect him to devote a lot of time to delegitimizing the rival groups, especially UCG and his former associations, GCG and LCG. And that is exactly what we find here.

Here we shall focus on Pack's portrayal of Meredith.

Admittedly this is sort of like quoting a post-Stalin Soviet theoretician to prove the falsity of Maoism, or like quoting Mormons to prove that Jehovah's Witnesses are heretics. But RCG happens to be one of the more prominent Armstrongite groups out there so it would be good to see what RCG members are being told about their rival, Meredith, and what Pack has to say about my former cultmeister.

Since Pack does lead a group competing with Meredith's group it is not surprising that Meredith is relentlessly portrayed in a negative light.

In this post we shall focus on Meredith and Pack's relations while they were part of the Global Church of God, the group Meredith formed in 1992 after he left WCG.

Here we go:

From Chapter 39:

Mr. Pack had continued to speak with Global’s leader (its presiding evangelist [Roderick Meredith]) by phone. He wanted to be sure he was a different man from the one of decades past. During these conversations, the man showed a much more contrite and humble attitude than had previously been seen. This was reflected by his ardent assertion that he had not sought to start his own organization. He said the idea had been forced upon him only after he was fired. In fact, he told Mr. Pack he had no intentions of starting his own group until deciding to do this after he was fired. (This will be evidenced later as having been untrue.)...

In the next anecdote Meredith is portrayed as a ungrateful man who undeservedly belittles Pack.

[This is Pack himself speaking.]“There was a very early surprise, however, in all of this. Instead of a thank-you for buying the car from my (borrowed) funds, the Global leader was disappointed that I had only brought an initial group of 38 people with me. It was absolutely stunning. I was not bringing enough human ‘booty’ right out of the gate to suit him.

Chapter 40:

[This is Pack speaking personally.]“Yet there was always the little jab that would come from the leader at the wrong time. I would get home from a trip where I had met with many and started several groups, increasing the size and income of GCG, and the presiding evangelist would be waiting to pounce because I had ‘spent too much money.’ In time I learned not to turn in some of my expenses. The ingratitude was too much to bear after the effort, so I just ate certain costs in order not to have to hear it.”

Later in this chapter Pack expresses disagreement with Meredith's understanding of the Gospel and whether Jesus is a part of it. He insists that GCG under Meredith was deviating from 'the truth'.

Chapter 42:

Meanwhile, the presiding evangelist [Meredith] continued to single out Mr. Pack behind the scenes because of his perception that there was an inordinate focus on the “younger minister.” This, coupled with the growing doctrinal and governmental issues not being resolved, left Mr. Pack increasingly uncertain.

More in the next post.

Yes, But What About PCG's Makeup Ban?

Just found this on PCG's Trumpet website:

Keep up your personal health and appearance. Good health, grooming and hygiene is of utmost importance in marriage. It shows that you respect and have concern for your mate. Dress to please your spouse as well as yourself. (Protect Your Family, The Philadelphia Trumpet, September, 2009.)

This advice would be a lot easier for women to fulfill, if women were allowed to wear makeup.

Introducing Redfox's Corner

I just got this comment from Mr. Felix Taylor.

"By the way I have a current affairs blog of my own called The Independent Thinker at:http://ftloveblog70.wordpress.com/. Looking forward to seeing your own current affairs blog. I wish you much success."

He's right. I need to start a current affairs blog.

Well here it is. Redfox's Corner.

Some of my current affairs posts will be in there from now on.

There's not much there at the moment but I'm sure that will change.

On the Broken System of Private Health Insurance

Saw this ABC News segment. It details how Anthem Blue Cross raised premiums by 40% and at the same time the CEO of their owner company, Wellpoint, just got a 50% pay rise to $13 million.

Also here's an excellent TV news segment concerning the broken system of health care in America which the Democratic Party is trying to change but the Republican Party seems determined to protect.

Have you heard that the British public health system is awful?

This segment exposes how a conservative group, Conservatives for Patients' Rights, deceptively used British patients to demonize the British health care system who are actually perfectly happy with the British health system. They were duped, according to this report.

It also exposes how private providers of health insurance make so much money.

"a majority of personal bankruptcies in this country are caused by medical costs. And a majority of those people who are going bankrupt because of their medical costs actually have health insurance." (1:58.)

Clearly the present system is not working. Something is very wrong.

This segment also explores alternative arrangements. The present system is not inevitable. Other countries do things quite differently. And better too.

"Most industrialized countries have single payer or national health care and they spend less, and they have better health outcomes than we do, with our big experiment hoping the private sector will provide." (4:20.)

It also exposes how health insurance companies have been making so much money while so many are left uninsured.

"By the closing years of the George W. Bush administration the number of uninsurured Americans was approaching 50 million. And the CEOs of the ten largest health insurance companies were taking home an average compensation of 11.9 million dollars each every year." (4:43.)

How Does President Obama Do It?

That's it.

I'm starting another blog called Redfox's Corner. Any post I put out which I feel doesn't quite fit here will go there.

Here's a post which shows us how much work President Obama has been doing for the United States.

The Memory Hole Returns

I just read there's a book coming by Marc Thiessen, Courting Disaster, which states that there were no terrorist attacks under Bush after 9/11.

That is nonsense.

Washington Sniper, Anthrax attacks.

How can they say things like this? How can they be so selective with the facts.

On the Impact of Health Care Reform Upon the GOP

Here's a hilarious segment from The Colbert Report discussing the impact of Health Care Reform upon the Republican Party with David Frum.

Among the things discussed is that this reform is actually heavily influenced by Republican ideas. Which only makes their scarily united opposition to helping unfortunate people get vital health insurance even harder to understand than before.

Although maybe it's all just a tactic to regain power.

Why We Must Remember What Happened To Us

Continuing on the previous post on the importance of remembering what happened to us under Armstrongism, here's a (non-COG related) article some may find intriguing which shows why it is so important to remember even that which seems to be very well known.

It's a column from The Times, No, Fritz, We Won't Stop Mentioning the War by Mr. Dominic Lawson. (Note: The Times will be payer only from June 1 thanks to Rupert Murdoch. So you might want to copy this.)

What I find fascinating about this column is that it shows how events that occurred so long ago still have such an effect upon us.

It tells of one wealthy German philanthropist, Alfred Toepfer, who was perfectly respectable, until someone noted that he used to collaborate with the Nazis, being a sponsoring member of the SS, and about attempts today to convict a man suspected of participating in SS massacres in the Netherlands, and the sale at auction of a 1931 letter by Hitler sent to a British journalist.

This article, I feel, shows clearly how absurd and ridiculous it is for some Armstrongites to insist that we should just 'get over it' concerning the abuses we suffered because of these Armstrongite cults.

Sometimes we imagine that the past can be viewed as being radically separate from the past. I don't view it like that. The present is but the continuation of the past.

Because our pasts continues to effect us in such a way as that, that is why I have done what I did and made this humble blog.

Protecting the Truth of What Happened to Us

Thanks, Stan, for your supportive comments and for defending the truth about what happened to us.

Stan Gardner, author of the Ambassador Reports blog, made some comments in defense of the truth of the controlling behavior we were subjected to.

Here Stan is responding to some sort of (ex-)COG Armstrongite who insists that the church was not as controlling as has been portrayed by former followers. Specifically this person insisted he never had to be interviewed by a minister before entering their congregation. He did not state what COG organization he was in. Even if he did not undergo an ministerial interviewing before joining the congregation, he has absolutely no right to pretend that these thing did not happen.

Such denials by Armstrongites show us why it is so important to tell our stories and to remember what happened to us.

Here are those comments from Stan:

I don't know what COG church you attend, but a ministerial visit and specific approval by the minister is almost always a general requirement required for COG attendance. Questions of a personal nature are asked during this initial visit(s) and must be answered to the satisfaction of the COG minister for attendance at any time thereafter.

You wrote, "I never visited with a minister before attending service and it is not required.", but did not identify the splinter.

Roderick Meredith, as director of the field ministry, was responsible for much of the Gestapo-like visit policy of the COG and with reports in triplicate to Pasadena.

Stan Gardner
AmbassadorReports.blogspot.com

This is the second one:

Also in the link Redfox provided:

Before that we didn't even know where the church was because it was kept very secret. (The church was only a "front" for what actually was a multi-million dollar organization.) I learned later that they wanted to make sure no one walked in unannounced that hadn't read enough of their literature to make a decision to want to become a member. Furthermore, no unscreened stranger could locate the address in the phone book, because it wasn't there. All visitors came through a minister first.

The first service we attended was in the basement of a Masonic lodge with no windows and hard floors with metal folding chairs. (I found out years later that their services were usually held in unusual places: Masonic lodges, theaters, rotary clubs, roller skating rinks, school cafeterias, auditoriums, etc..."

It's a solid fact in the sixties and seventies you could not locate the local RCG/WCG churches in the phone book, and walk-in without prior ministerial approval. Anywhere in the world. This was not by accident, but by design. Does that fit an organization that is open to the general public to attend?

Stan Gardner

The past is important to us. We must preserve the memory. It must not be forgotten.

And it will not be forgotten.

LCG and A Woman Rides the Beast

My early fascination with LCG's Tomorrow's World magazine was intense. So much so that when they recommended a book I would read it. Furthermore I was so indoctrinated with their worldview that whenever I saw something that contradicted LCG's tenets I made a conscious effort not to believe such contrarian statements.

One book their recommendation caused me to read was A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt (1994). It was casually mentioned in this early 2001 article, Who is the Harlot of Revelation 17?

Dave Hunt also teach that the Roman Catholic Church is the Harlot of Revelation 17. This idea has been around for a very long time. It's quite possibly older than the Reformation. I think even some of the Waldenses believed in that.

One thing I really must commend about Hunt's book is that it exposed the Roman Catholic Church's unthinkable policy of hiding their pedophile priests. The edition I read was an updated version that had to have been made around 2000. I was always very impressed with that.

I really wish the news media would do the same for the Jehovah's Witnesses since that organization is known to be engaging in the same activities.

I also noted that many times his account of doctrines was different. For instance HWA taught that in the end time there would be a military leader who would lead the European Beast Power. And a religious false prophet. He meant the final Pope but HWA often used obscure language describing this figure in recruitment materials in order not to alienate Catholic hearers.

On the other hand Dave Hunt portrayed only one figure who served the function of both the Beast and the False Prophet. However he did believe that the Harlot of Revelation 17 is the Roman Catholic Church and was convinced that therefore they would play a role in the future end time scenario.

Looking back I must remark how by this time I consciously rejected whatever Hunt taught that was contrary to LCG's tenets. For instance Hunt teaches the doctrine of the trinity. Because LCG taught against the Trinity and told me it was not true I consciously reminded myself that was in error. Today I do believe in the Trinity.

It is LCG's teaching that the Roman Catholic Church is trying to get her daughter churches (Protestants) to return to Mother Rome. Ecumenism is viewed as having a prophesied conclusion. It will be manipulated into becoming a Catholic plot to gain control over Protestants. LCG believes that will be the prophesied conclusion of this business.

In the article mentioned above Meredith wrote,

Frankly, you will be disappointed to see how many supposedly dedicated Protestant and evangelical leaders will be maneuvered into giving up much of what they have always believed when real PRESSURE is put upon them.

These words really struck fear into my heart. I would see all these Protestant ministers 'knowing' that they will buckle and submit to the Great Harlot. But this assumption of confidence is based upon the pronouncements of the false prophet Herbert W. Armstrong. Although this particular part of the Armstrongite prophetic scenario is taken from some strands of Protestantism, LCG relies on HWA, and he is a false prophet. God could not have worked with HWA.

I remember in one sermon Meredith breathlessly quoted the introduction of the book discussing a joint statement made between the Roman Catholic Church and Lutherans which Hunt portrayed as being effectively an end of the Catholic-Lutheran split over a doctrine which was at the center of the Protestants' departure from Papal Rome. Naturally Meredith took advantage of Hunt's teaching and presented this statement as evidence that the Roman Catholic Church is trying to unite with the rest of Christendom in order to take them over.

So by just a simple mention of a book was enough for me to go read it all. This is a testament to how hungry I was to understand their false teachings.