Reading Mark Armstrong's Update (March 30, 2018)

Mark Armstrong, leader of the Intercontinental Church of God, son of Garner Ted Armstrong, grandson of HWA, has produced another weekly update (March 30, 2018). Let's see what he has to say this time.

He mentions that they observed Passover. Passover originates from Judaism but HWA and his various imitators reinterpreted it to promote Armstrongism.

We hope all of you were able to observe the Lord's Supper (traditionally called the Passover service) as we did here in Tyler last evening.  It was a pleasant surprise to have such a large turnout, in fact several familiar faces we didn't expect, and several more we were meeting for the first time.  It was conducted by Stan Roberts and Tony Brazil, and everyone seemed very pleased with the way in which it was handled and the tone of the message.

One would think that the leader of the Intercontinental Church of God would have many things to say about organizing and managing the organization. Nevertheless his weekly updates are usually harsh screeds condemning people he does not like, usually persons aligned with the political left. He then complains of seeing a Catholic cardinal talking about the Sabbath.

Obviously, the use of unleavened bread, a symbol of humility which characterizes what we know of Jesus' message and His example was a major theme.  It certainly stood in contrast to a video shown to some of us earlier in the day by one of our visiting ministers.  It was one of a Catholic cardinal either preaching or giving a speech in his “holy” robes and ridiculously tall miter (pointy hat).  He said, “The Bible says remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  But the first day of the week was chosen as the day of worship by the holy Catholic church, and the whole Christian world worships on Sunday.”  That's a paraphrase, but close.

He then uses Catholics worshiping on Sunday to condemn any Protestant church which happens to worship on Sunday as being incorrect.

The arrogance!  He actually boasted that “the holy Catholic church” had seen fit to change, in essence overrule, what God put in place as a fact of Creation.  It was a stunning display of blasphemy, made all the more despicable by the pompous tone in which it was delivered.  It's a crying shame that Protestants can't see how they've been snookered by the arrogant Catholic priesthood into all manner of pagan idolatry, because, “It's fun for the children.”  And that's exactly the excuse most will give for why they indulge in the symbols of rabbits, eggs and the sunrise service this weekend.

He then muses that Sunday might be a good time to go golfing.

Come to think of it, this Sunday morning might be a great time to hit the golf course, knowing that most of the genuinely fine gentlemen who clog the flow of play with foursomes will be doing their family and churchly duties to do with Easter activities. 

He then complaining that everything is falling apart and it is the fault of "godless socialism." He also indulges in some disgusting Islamophobic rhetoric alleging that it is a tenet of the Islamic religion for young Muslim men to rape, rob and murder elderly women. He claims this has occurred in France, a land far away from his predominantly American followers. It is astounding how one could believe such an absurd accusation. He cites no specific example.

We live in a time of strife, not only in America but all over the Western world.  The tenets of godless socialism represent all that is good, caring and empathetic to the mainstream media, to the churches, the educational institutions and most entertainment.  To claim there are any absolutes to do with right and wrong, let alone the actual Laws of God makes you some kind of throwback who yearns for the 1950's or some such.  We've seen the effects of that ideology in Europe, and many infamous examples in the United States.  A report from last week alone shows numerous knife attacks by “refugees” in Germany over a period of just a few days.  There are heinous examples in France, of elderly women raped, robbed and murdered by young Muslim men carrying out their religious obligations.  It's happening in Australia as well, where no one has the ability to defend their own safety at home, particularly elderly women, and they are easy prey for angry, marauding youths who have no conscience at all. 

Islamophobia is a terrible problem and it is shameful that so many within the COGs indulge in such dangerous and harmful rhetoric.

He then accuses those he does not like of being capricious regarding how people should talk about immigrant communities.

We've just seen the wife of the Pulse night club murderer acquitted of aiding and abetting her husband in that mass killing, even though she drove him to the scene and dropped him off.  Apparently, her low IQ and lack of understanding made her unaware her involvement.  But call the immigrant communities low IQ and see how that goes over.  It must have been a very fine line to have acquitted this woman of aiding and abetting mass murder, while not insulting so many others that fit her description.  A fine line indeed.

He does not want gun control reform so he implies that the problem is lax law enforcement by the FBI. He even possibly indulge in some sort of 9/11 trutherism.

We also learned that the father of the killer was a long-term informant for the FBI.  He was, and maybe still is an “asset” to Federal law enforcement.  Had the killer not carried out his gruesome act, he might well have also been recruited by the premier law enforcement agency on earth.  They keep reminding us of what a great, hardworking, institution of integrity we have looking out for our safety.  But the instances of costly failures keep piling up.  The ignored warnings about the Boston bombers, the missed clues regarding the murderous San Bernardino killers, the explicit warnings about the kid who killed seventeen students in Parkland, Florida.  What about the Las Vegas massacre?  It remains an unsolved mystery to this day.  And who would dare to re-visit the events that led up to 9-11-2001?

He then insists that the ongoing investigation into the Trump-Russia scandal is just a plot by dissatisfied intelligence officials leaking information to the press.

The upper echelon has been busy, however.  We've only been allowed a fraction of official confirmation for much that informed observers have known for ages.  These dedicated career professionals are directly responsible for the wild goose chase intended to prevent the election of the current president, and get him charged, impeached and thrown out of office after the fact.  Several of the “top intelligence officials” were responsible for a year and a half of breathless leaks and hotly debated falsehoods.  But the proof of that is “classified.”  Only a select few, with the required clearances have been able to see the evidence of the corruption that has led to mass deception.

He grouses that even if the news anchors learn that they are wrong about his preferred president they will not listen to him.

Nearly all the news anchors have yet to figure out what most of us already know.  If by some series of miracles, they ever have their faces rubbed in reality, they'll come up with some kind of spun explanation to save their own careers if not those of the high officials who've visited fraudulent fake news upon the whole world for what seems an eternity.

He wonders why people do not share his point of view.

We keep thinking, surely the truth will eventually come to light.  Surely everyone will realize how they've been played, deceived, and jerked around by high officials, a compliant media, large corporations and social media institutions. 

He then seems to answer this thought by saying that "deceptions have won out."

But maybe not.  Think of how immersed this world is in religious deception, even at a time when all the applicable information is right there in the pocket or purse of nearly every individual.  Yet the deceptions have won out.  Who would dare question the institutions to which they've been devoted since early childhood?  Even in the face of mind-bending scandals among the high priests and Cardinals of the Catholic church, who dares cast doubt on their pious sincerity?  Nobody in the mainstream, that's who.  It would be a career-ending ploy for anyone of notoriety, and they know it. 

He claims that mainstream people will keep going along with these deceptions "with no sign that the masses will get a clue."

It's much more prudent to go on pretending.  Pretending that the Catholic church has the authority to change what God ordained; pretending that the news isn't false; pretending that we should suspend logic where the emotions of deceived children are involved.  That's exactly where we are, with no sign that the masses will get a clue.  Apparently, the Pope, with his garbled, unintelligible communistic pronouncements has unimaginable authority, and will proceed with his new definitions of good and evil, right and wrong, his mission of diversity and inclusion until… Until the Second Coming.  That's how long we'll have to wait.  There will be plenty of pompous posturing of the type the Bible describes, and you can't help wondering if this is the guy who will do all that.  

Mark

He mentions their festivals which are vaguely based on the Jewish Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread but are reinterpreted to promote Armstrongite teachings.

P. S.  Our group and visitors are meeting for dinner this evening for the Night to be Remembered, and then convening tomorrow for the First Day of Unleavened Bread.  Yes, we know most Christians have never heard of either, but that's okay, we're doing it anyway.  The children don't seem to mind.

And so yet another strange screed by Mark Armstrong ends.