Inspired by the anonymous movement, the Stoned Stephen Society is a nameless, faceless movement of individuals in the churches of God who love the brethren and hate oppression. Known and alone, you have no power in these churches. Lend your voice anonymously to expose what is unbiblical and cultish in the churches of God. It is time they listen to us and choose to reform or call it quits. We pay them. We surround them.
Thanos snapped and half of all life turned to dust in an instant. The chaos that would ensue is the closest thing that I can think of to describe deconstructing from a bible cult. There is a moment, a snap of a finger, when the scales fall from your eyes and you realize to your very core that you were duped. For some, I know it is debilitating. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically. I know some people actually never recover.
I remember weeping uncontrollably on and off for weeks. Sometimes screaming. The death of your god is a very real loss that you grieve. The process takes time. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. It took me two years.
I remember the denial phase. It was pre-snap. For me it was, "OK, this cult is wrong but that doesn't mean there is no god." It would be a few more months of studying Christian apologetics in an attempt to sure up my waning faith before the snap arrived. When the snap did arrive, I immediately began cycling violently between anger and depression. I never experienced a deeper sorrow in my life. I now know a "broken heart" is a real thing.
For the next few months, I became a devout anti-theist. This phase almost wrecked my marriage. Taking a very clinical, rational and scientific approach gave me all the validation I needed for my fiery indignation. My world was obliterated and so should everyone else's!
Thankfully, I came across the writings of an x-mega pastor, Jim Palmer, who put years of thought into helping others deconstruct from faith. His loving approach helped me to realize my anti-theist approach was unsustainable. I was simply taking the binary, black and white, (non)thinking I was programmed to operate from in the cult and applying it to my new "enlightened" position.
I finally came to accept the new reality I found myself in but also to accept everyone else's realities. Some people really are genuinely happy in cults. I know because I was happy. I also will always remember the brutal pain and despair that comes with the snap. I don't wish that kind of pain on anyone and I have no right to push someone into it. What I can do is simply be there for others that voluntarily enter into the process leading to their snap.
I now realize there is a near infinite spectrum of faith/reason combinations, unique to every single one of us. It's not about who is right or what is TRUTH. You can try and make it that but it will only be sustainable between your own two ears, if that even. No, truth is not what is most important. Compassion is. Empathy. Or call it Love.
I think, for awhile, I sought to give Jesus some sort of quarter in my life. I agree, he can be relevant even in the life of a Christian turned atheist. But for me, I can't pretend the protagonist in an epic hero novel deserves space over any other who is supposed to represent me in the story.
The second problem I have with Jesus is the accumulated mass of human suffering over two millenia in his name. I know it's not his fault (especially if he never existed on so many levels) but it still kills the product for me.
Today, I find myself far more excited and motivated by modern hero creations relevant to modern man. What would Jesus do if he could be brought to life in this age; given an apartment outside Columbus Ohio and given a job delivering packages for Amazon? I think he would drink Michelob Ultra at karaoke bars every Friday night. His friends would call him Brian. And at the end of Avengers:Endgame, he would lean in to whisper to his kids in the darkness of the theatre, "Iron man did it way better than I ever could."
Great art can reveal truths at a cellular level. These truths can be carried beautifully on the wings of a song. Songs. They play continuously in the backgrounds of our lives. I would argue, sometimes what we learned on the radio carried value similar to that learned in Kindergarten as the book claims. Heavy Metal drove the car through my teens, inspiring my deep dive into history. Then Grunge hit and I was smitten all over again.
But what sent me into the arms of a cult? Was it watching a cousin die a gruesome death from Leukemia? She was only 7. I was only 9 and I remember how the adults in the room kept telling me how brave I was to hold her hand as she vomited globs of blood into a bed pan. This process was put on repeat for months.
Was it the release of a movie? I can think of a handful of movies I saw due to no restrictions from HBO a child should have never watched. Like "The Day After" depicting the aftermath of a nuclear war. I remember shaking uncontrollably in bed every night for months believing this was my inevitable fate. Or "The Exorcist" which I was told made my dad physically ill at the drive inn while on a date with my mom. That kind of fear induced in a child made for some hallucinations of demons in my room.
Was it the earliest memories being huddled under the kitchen table with my baby brother screaming our hearts out in terror as my parents fought viciously? Or the memory of being in the middle of the street downtown with my mom pulling one arm and dad pulling the other that -I guess- was a kidnapping?
Was it the daily uncertainty of life growing up in the hood, never knowing what danger was lurking for children with no dads around to protect them? I can't explain it, but even as a child, you sense...no...you know, the whole society around you places no value in you. You could disappear in that current zeitgeist of "stranger danger" frenzy and the universe, hell, maybe even your mom, would not notice.
All of the above?
I became an avid student of history at a young age (because of Heavy Metal). If there's one thing I learned from history is that there is no solace to be found in the record of man. Life appeared violently cold and helpless, full of pain and misery for the masses and then you get to die. In examining religion, the disappointment was the same. Especially, Christianity. There was simply no logic in a supposed all powerful, all loving god, that utterly fails in defeating his enemy, but instead, allows his nemesis to influence the majority of his creation made in his image, into an eternal existence in a lake of fire.
But how would I overcome all this childhood trauma? Drugs and alcohol would not work for me. After dad bounced at age 5, mom went on a "trip" of her own to deal with her own trauma. My weekends were spent with the apartment full of strangers smoking weed and drinking cheap beer till dawn. They served as perfect role models of what I absolutely did not want to become.
I remember panic attacks all through middle school. Weeping in the lunchroom as the sounds of a million children screaming amplified in my head. Regular trips to the nursing station, not allowed to go home so just napping on a hard bench, sometimes till the final bell. I missed a lot of school and I was told if I missed a certain number, I would have to repeat the grade. I don't remember what that magic number was now but I did the math at the time and made sure I skipped school for the allowable limit.
There is probably no worse a time to be uprooted and moved far away than the summer between 8th and 9th grade. Starting high school as an outsider with strangers who all knew and grew up with each other is a certain fate of solitude for an already introvert with trauma. I suffered alone, making only a handful of friends and none of which are in my life today.
By 10th grade, my grades were swirling into the toilet. I quit. I just wanted to listen to metal and fuck around on a white Fender I bought with my first couple paychecks working as a busboy at a greasy spoon. After 2 weeks of in-school suspension for smoking in the boys room, my World History teacher took me aside and expressed his disappointment in me. He was a fantastic teacher and the only class I was doing well in. For the first time, I felt bad for letting someone else down. I don't know why he cared. I mean, why should he care about some sewer rat with long hair walking around in Iron Maiden shirts?
His wife was an English teacher at the same school. They both took a real shine to me. I took every class I could in my last 2 years with them. Two Advanced Placement classes with him and two College Prep classes with her along with a Creative Writing and a Poetry class. I managed to salvage my GPA to a respectable 3.2 by graduation and went on to college.
I went on to college right away (which was a big mistake) and after 2 years, I was burned out trying to maintain a GPA above 3.0 and working 55 hours a week to pay rent and feed not just me but my mom as well. PTSD started rearing it's ugly head again but this time bringing with it, a new friend...depression. I felt trapped, overwhelmed, doomed.
That is when cults come along to save the day. I dropped out of college to figure out what it was I wanted to do. It was then, my mom introduced me to literature she received for free after watching a program on TV. At first, I brushed it off. I had no need for god. He had done nothing for me and as far as I could tell, no one else through history.
Eventually, an article about hell caught my attention. It made sense. After learning this "plan of salvation" for the first time, I warmed up to the idea of a god that could save, not just me, but everyone. This god was a winner and had a reason (excuse) for everything messed up, including his own behavior. And the best part, I was chosen to know this and become god too. Hook. Line. and Sinker.
It is embarrassing, so many years later, to realize you were duped. It makes you feel really stupid. But I have learned since that cults are typical magnets for smart people too. I wasn't dumb, I was naive and seeking relief from childhood trauma. I wasn't self-destructive so I didn't turn to substances. Solace, for me, had to be found in something that appeared reasonable...logical. That is where the naive part came in. I was 19. Now, at 49, I can see how it all happened and I can forgive myself. It was an emotional decision that provided a pseudo-logical excuse to buy into it.
But I can honestly say this: Time in the cult eventually seemed to "cure" me of my PTSD, depression, anxiety and fear of relationships. This may have happened with or without the cult but I can honestly say my time in it (in those present moments) seemed good overall. I have a wonderful wife, amazing children, and fun and caring friends who are a joy to be around. This includes many of the ministers we've had over the decades. I have come to realize that, they too, are victims of a cult.
But I am not excusing the minister's role in it. Especially not Dave Pack who was my first Pastor the first 5 years in the cult. Pack is very slick. He was very likeable the first 2 years. Then cracks began to show. By the 4th and 5th year, I knew he was a "wolf in sheep's clothing" but I decided to wait on god to deal with him. I could inject a few examples over those 5 years showing how messed up Pack is but I don't feel comfortable doing that. In 1998, Global split. I asked where Pack was going. He said Global so I promptly joined Living and chalked that up to god dealing with my Pack problem.
After baptism, I didn't partake in a common ritual of burning, trashing or selling my "devil" music. I did, however, put most of it away and lost track of the CD's over the years. I did keep a few of my favorites around. When 9/11 hit, I practically shifted away from music overnight and became a conservative talk show junkie. This kept me unthinking into the new Millenium although the calls for Christ's return in 3-5 years were beginning to accumulate and did not go unnoticed. Mainly because I had decided to forgo returning to college since Jesus was returning and seeing my three tithes putting braces on minister's kids while mine went without.
Eight years of President Obama came and went and all the Tea Bagger claims that he would make America a Muslim/Communist nation never came to fruition. Not even close. Then "christian" America elected the biggest buffoon in U.S. history. I was beside myself and began a process of questioning everything.
I'm going to be cheesy here and say I had an epiphany. Sorry, but it's true. It was May 18th, 2017. My "spiritual father" of 24 years, Roderick C Meredith, died. I shed many tears throughout that day (or maybe it was the 19th--not sure which day I heard) but not one was for Rod. Maybe it was because he was a really old man like my grandfather and it was expected. He always seemed a likeable old man from a distance but not a pragmatic powerhouse you would expect Christ to use in ushering in his return. (Watching Gerald Weston take the helm was also strong evidence that this so-called "Work" was over and Jesus was not showing up anytime soon)
But on the same day, I learned Chris Cornell, the dynamic voice of Soundgarden and Audioslave, was dead. A very different kind of "spiritual father" and musical genius of 3 decades was gone. For me, his music touched my heart, soul and mind in a way that no preacher ever did. My heart was broken and tears flowed not just for him, but for the years I wasted in ignorance. That day served as a rebirth. That metal-head teen was born again...like Nebuchadnezzar regaining his senses after 7 years of grazing in a field of grass like a dumb sheep.
As I reflect back on years of music that have touched my soul, I realize great musicians, like great comedians and artists of all types, are often the world's harbingers of life's truths. There are many songs that have been written by musicians who grew up in religion, only to leave as adults and express the harm done to them because of religious ideologies.
One that clearly comes to mind is "The God That Failed" written by James Hetfield of Metallica. It was in response to him losing his mother to cancer. She relied on God's healing instead of seeking medical treatment which James believed would have saved her. Here are the lyrics:
THE GOD THAT FAILED
Pride you took, pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you kneel
Not the word, not the love
Not what you thought from above
It feeds, it grows
It clouds all that you will know
Deceit, deceive
Decide just what you believe
I see faith in your eyes
Never you hear the discouraging lies
I hear faith in your cries
Broken is the promise, betrayal
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail
Follow the god that failed
Find your peace, find you say
Find the smooth road on your way
Trust you gave a child to save
Left you cold and him in grave
Follow the god that failed
Broken is the promise
Betrayal, betrayal
James later wrote another song also thought to have been influenced by his mother's death called "Leper Messiah." This song was geared toward televangelists. I dedicate this song to all the people who have suffered financially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and even physically under the leadership of monsters like Herb Armstrong, Dave Pack and many others...too many to list.
LEPER MESSIAH
Spineless from the start
Sucked into the part
Circus comes to town
You play the lead clown
Please, please, spreading his disease
Living by his glory
Knees, knees, falling to your knees
Suffer for his glory
You will
Time for lust, time for lie
Time to kiss your life goodbye
Send me money, send me green, heaven you will meet
Make a contribution and you'll get a better seat
Bow to your leper messiah
Marvel at his tricks
Need your Sunday fix
Blind devotion came
Rotting your brain
Chain, chain, join the endless chain
Taken by his glamour
Fame, fame, infection is the game
Stinking drunk with power
We see, we see, we see
Witchery, weakening
Sees the sheep are gathering
Set the trap, hypnotize
Now you follow
Time for lust, time for lie
Time to kiss your life goodbye
Send me money, send me green, Heaven you will meet
Make a contribution and you'll get a better seat
Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie
Deconstructing from lies you believed for decades is absolutely devastating. I took a violent swing from being a hard-core Armstrongite to an Anti-theist for a short while. But once I muddled through the anger, sadness and depression, I came out the other side...okay. I had to unlearn the "us vs. them" poison of religion because I realized I simply began applying it to an Anti-theist stance, equally as belligerent as my Armstrongism. That doesn't mean I had to respect religion and its process of faith to determine what is true. What I had to come to grips with is the fact that we are all in different places in life experiencing different things with different songs playing in our backgrounds and it's okay. It's really nobody's business and I mean business. No one should be fleecing other people of their livelihoods in the name of a god.
Am I an atheist? I don't know. Some days, I will say, yes. Agnostic is more like it. I think there may be a Creator but I am convinced Yahweh/Jesus is not.
I think many human beings wrestle with the big questions of life and want to know the truth. "The Truth" always at the forefront of COG discussions, is elusive and not likely attainable. But I am okay with true things that come from many sources, many people. Musicians are masters at articulating these struggles of truth and putting them to sound waves that forever affect us. For myself, I don't know of a song that better reflects this human condition of searching for but not knowing answers to big questions better than "Like A Stone" by Chris Cornell. I will close with the lyrics but I strongly urge you to listen to the song because his voice is what truly breathes life into the words.
What songs play in the background of your musical?
Labeled, "Americas Stonehenge" by Georgia officials in order to draw tourism, instead, drew in the nutty imagination of Christian Nationalists ever quick to connect any and everything to Globalists, the Illuminati or insert what have you, that will inevitably lead to the rise of a Beast just before the return of Jesus. I know because I was one of them, exercising my internet sleuthing abilities-even going as far as visiting the site on my way to the Feast of Tabernacles one year.
Designed and paid for anonymously, the stones were put into place in 1980. Since then, the site has been vandalized many times but never to the point of bombing it successfully until now. At first glance, one could easily see why people would be concerned by the "suggestions" established on the stones to guide a new society, a sort of 10 commandments for a "great reset." After all, how could we possibly maintain the human population under 500 million when we are already 8 billion strong? Why, this could only mean one thing: the Beast of Revelation is planning on murdering over 7 billion people!
It is embarrassing when I think about how long I shut down my ability to reason when it came to my adherence to Armstrongism. It is little comfort that many cult experts assure us that people who get sucked into cults are not stupid. On the contrary, cults specifically set out to lure the wealthy, healthy and educated and often succeed in filling their ranks with the nicest, most successful people in society.
While Armstrong actually lured the "weakest and basest things" throughout the 40's, 50's and 60's by way of radio, appealing largely to uneducated, poor, marginalized and racist whites in the Appalachians, by the time of it's epic prophecy failure of 1975, the cult had reached it's peak. Scandals, followed by Herb's death, and an admission that his doctrines were wrong by a new administration, was the beginning of the end.
Now, attend any COG service and you will find 3rd and 4th generation cult members driving new cars, pursuing college degrees, holding successful careers, bragging on their investments and propping up their ministerial fathers, grandfathers and uncles paychecks all to maintain the pleasant social club they grew up in and adore. They seem oblivious to their own church history and probably sense that it is better that way in order to maintain the fantasy. This is particularly true of COGWA state side and they know it: the whitest, most affluent, AC alumni, country club COG that does everything in their power to stay under the radar and out of the crosshairs of Banned. (COGWA thanks God every night for Dave, Bob, Gerald and his other brother Gerald)
But you will find very very few new members in any of the COGs across the board; proof their stale, outdated concept of "the Work" is an old and forgotten cheap trick unable to withstand the modern tree of knowledge called the internet. If the flailing churches of God were honest, they would admit that their new work has become siding with Evangelical Christian Nationalists. You can see hints of it in all of their publications.
On a positive note, Millenials and Gen Z don't seem interested in checking out of society like their pre-internet, cold war, Boomer parents and grandparents that prayed for the death of billions of humans in their lifetime. Instead, they want a place at the table to change it. Gen X ministers wringing their hands in anticipation of taking the reigns of COG corporations, know the writing is on the wall and they will need to change with the times or look for real jobs.
While it could be a good thing to see the churches of God bridge out of Armstrongism, it is not at all if they choose to jump in bed with QAnon Trump Republicans and the American Jesus. It was bad enough when Armstrongism sat on it's hands and waited for a day that will never come BUT they are now on the precipice of deciding to link arms with religious terrorists hell-bent on enforcing (Modern American) Christianity down the throat of a Democracy that has no roots in Christianity. [Read, "The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American" by Andrew L. Seidel. Also read, "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted A Faith and Fractured a Nation" by Kristin Kobes Du Mez.]
Armstrong rests on two pillars and is still what upholds the splinters to this day: Annual Holy Days and British Israelism. The annual holy days are the very framework on which the seductive social structure rests upon, keeping the brainwashed locked in to a perpetual annual cycle. British Israelism (Racism) is what easily marries them to the Christian Nationalist movement. Take these pillars away and they no longer have any reason to exist.
That being said, I am personally confident that the young people in the churches of God will largely exit over time, not wanting to be part of any group or church that tells them that their non-white friends are inferior foreign invaders and their lgbtq friends are vile human waste. They are too connected and can see by their own experiences that the us-vs-them of religion in general is a toxic delusion.
It is my hope that all would find their way out of religion and into this grand age of reason depicted on the Georgia Guidestones. But if not, there is a Biblical Jesus socially acceptable to our times; one that focuses on the inherent value of all humans and are deserving of love. A Jesus that focuses people on serving the poor, the needy, the sick, the alien, the outcast.
As for the first suggestion on the Guidestones to maintain a population under 500 million, it must be understood that the stones were put in place for people to rebuild civilization after the United States and the Soviet Union blew everyone up in a nuclear holocaust. Yes, people were really expecting that to be a soon reality in 1979. The Guidestones are not signaling a New World Order to destroy 90% of earth's population. No, actually you will find that New World Order in the book of Revelation where Jesus kills billions of people and establishes a thousand years of peace. Just a side note, killing your enemies does usher in peace. Mao killed millions of Chinese and they have been enjoying peace ever since.
Christian Nationalism is the most dangerous ideology in America. Their willingness to participate in ushering in the book of Revelation was on display on January 6, 2021. I'm speaking to all you children and young adults in the churches of God (including my own children): Please, whatever you do, use the internet to learn the history of the cult you are in and use critical thinking as your guide. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions: Who was HWA? Was HWA really an apostle? Is the Bible inerrant? Why are there thousands of opposing interpretations? Does the Bible present a coherent, unified narrative or are the writers themselves competing for prospective members? Are Yahweh and Jesus gods? Does God exist? Trust your human reasoning. It's safer than the "holy spirit" running your churches.
A friend posted this image on Facebook in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade. There are many Christians celebrating this historic decision but there are many Christians and Jews who are not. This is largely due to the fact that there are two kinds of Christians in America: those that know the Bible and those that do not.
This may surprise many on the dim-witted maga side of the Christian aisle to learn that an anti-abortion stance is not championed in the Old or New Testament. Neither can a "principle" from Scripture be applied to show abortion is wrong. So how did it come to be such a political dog whistle among Christian Nationalist Evangelicals? (Well, that is a question for another article.)
What I'm interested in is how the Worldwide Church of God and it's cult daughters found themselves on the wrong side of this issue. When I say "wrong" what I mean is "against" Scripture. I may or may not find abortion as a practice, repugnant. Many religious and non-religious folks do. But what I find infuriating is when Christians make moral claims and insist that Yahweh/Jesus is on their side when in fact, they have no such backing from on high.
HWA spent so much of his air time and in writing, attacking all Christian churches for not blowing the dust off their Bibles and seeking the mind of God on all things. He convinced a generation of "weak and base" Americans raised on the radio that he and his believers in his message were smarter than the "scholars" and the educated (in this world) in all things from science, medicine and law to theology, doctrine, morality and ethics. For 18 and a half centuries, not a single person on earth had been given the right understanding of all things Bible until the blessed Herb took his first breath in 1893.
And the blessed Herb knew he would be proven right when the Christ returned in his lifetime to vindicate him. Yep, 1975. Mark your calendar. And then Herb died in 1986 and here we are in 2022 dealing with what surely the Churches of God are considering a significant setback in prophesy. How will Bob, Dave, brother Gerald, and his other brother Gerald prognosticate this one?
So why do the Churches of God oppose abortion? Is it clearly in the Bible? In the May, 1973 issue of The Plain Truth, HWA weighed in on the Roe v Wade ruling made just 4 months earlier in January. The title of the article is, "Abortions Now Legal But is Abortion Murder?" True to form, Herb spends the first third of the article running down science, technology, modern medicine, education and human reasoning. Then, he insists (his private interpretations of) the Bible is the only source of knowledge, understanding and truth. And he certainly doesn't let the "professing" Christian world off the hook:
"The one supreme and sure authority is the world's best seller- the same book so many religious denominations claim as the source of their beliefs. Yet, incredibly though it seems, most of their teachings and customs today are diametrically contrary to those of the book they profess to follow! They could find the true and right answers to questions, problems and evils if they would read it like it is. But they interpret away the one tenth of it they use, while ignoring utterly the other nine tenths."
OK. So, just read it like it is and don't ignore any parts. Got it. Herb is going to show plainly from the Bible, the mind of God pertaining to abortion. Except he doesn't.
Instead, Herb begins with a medical science explanation of conception, gestation and birth. He then goes to John 3 where Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he must be born again of spirit. A few other verses from Paul and abracadabra! Herb's "Biblical" proof is an imaginative analogy comparing human conception and gestation with spirit. I remember describing this analogy to a friend, explaining how the Holy Spirit is God's sperm implanted into the ovum of the human mind. My friend's incredulous response was, "We get f*cked by God!?"
Here is HWA's flawed syllogism from the article:
"The spirit-begotten Christian is now in the spiritual state comparable to the embryo-fetal physical state. We are now, already, the sons of our heavenly Father. Therefore, the unborn human is, from the moment of conception, the child- the son or daughter- of the parents!"
Herb then states his baseless claim (it's just an imaginative analogy) is from the Creator. And then, to follow his analogy given directly from the Creator ,bypassing the Bible, to it's conclusion, he insists that to purposely end the growing process of a potentially born human after conception is murder.
Hey, I give him an "A" for imagination but a definite "F" in exegesis.
So, what does the Bible say about life and what inferences can we draw from certain verses?
Genesis 2:7
It is clear from the very beginning that life began when Adam took his first breath. Life is shown to begin with the act of inhaling and exhaling. The Jews say that the very name of God is an expression of Him being the life-giver: Inhale (YAH) Exhale (WEH).
Exodus 21:22-25
This also makes it clear that someone guilty of causing a miscarriage is not guilty of murder. If the woman dies, it is a murder. If the fetus dies, there is a payment to be made. This certainly makes sense since even slaves and daughters are considered property. Losing a fetus would have been a loss of property and the determination on price was probably based on whether the fetus was male or female because as we all know, males were more "valuable" than females in Canaanite societies.
Numbers 5:11-31
If "abortion" is described in the Bible, it is here and what we find is Yahweh is very much a pro-abortionist. If a man suspects his wife is pregnant from another man, he can have her brought before a priest, completely humiliated in a ritual, whether she is innocent or not, and made to drink a magic potion that may chemically induce an abortion and is nothing short of an ancient version of the morning after pill.
This whole magic ritual with spells and potions is shocking in multiple ways. There are two ways this played out in reality. If it was magic, then nothing ever happened because "all magic is real and real magic is fake." But if it was a chemical concoction, then this certainly was a viable way to destroy a fetus. And we have no way of knowing it's success rate. The other thing is how this seems to be no different from the superstitious nonsense of the centuries of abuse of women by men making accusations of witchcraft in Europe and early America. The man can falsely accuse her and not be held accountable (so much for the 9th commandment) but she must still endure the humiliation of the ritual whether she is innocent or not.
Another aspect to consider is that Yahweh thought it was a fit punishment to kill the innocent fetus for the sin of adultery. If Christians were to be consistent with their God, it should be Christians that should be having many of the abortions today. Ironically, they are highest in the Bible belt but I doubt they are doing it to comply with their God. Christians are no more chaste than non-Christians and the stats show spirit cannot override the natural urge to "fornicate." Now, Christian girls are at greater risk of harm and death as abortion will not be stopped by hypocrites bellowing from lecterns, only hidden once again.
II Samuel 12:13-17
This example seems to take this issue to its absurd limits. Not only does Yahweh forgive David for murder and adultery, but then kills his innocent born (not unborn) son. And this, after fasting and pleading with God for a full week. Where is the sanctity of life for the innocent from God?
In light of these verses, it brings out the absurdity of Christians posting memes like the one above quoting from poetry in the Bible.
If you think all religious people in America are "pro-life" then you would be mistaken. It is just that the ignorant Nationalist Evangelical Christians have the biggest mouths and the smallest comprehension of Scripture. If you want to advocate for the unborn, there is nothing wrong with that. But trying to validate it with a theistic stamp of approval from on high is ignorant at best and dishonest at worst. Life is complicated. Attempting to navigate life with black and white thinking and prescribed by a cult is childish and dangerous to the well being of society. Ignoring all the science from medical to mental to social and embracing a Biblical claim that is not even there is absolute insanity!
The biggest problem with Armstrongism has been it's focus on spreading the gospel of a Christ returning in 3-7 years instead of extending grace, love and goodwill to all people. It is a death cult that checks out of life and waits unproductively for an afterlife they have no evidence even exists. It is the ultimate expression of turning inward in a collective narcissism so it should be no surprise that the Churches of God would jump on the anti-abortion bandwagon while simultaneously despising those who are breathing all around them.
This quote from a Pastor Dave Barnhart I saw on Facebook is a message perfectly suited for the Churches of God:
"The unborn are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don't resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don't ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don't need money, education or childcare; unlike aliens, they don't bring all that racial, cultural and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. It's almost as if, by being born, they have died to you. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus but actually dislike people who breathe. Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn."
He was only 19 but already a Methodist preacher for two years. He and his mother looked up at the New York night sky and witnessed the great meteor shower of 1833. Moved to prophesy, his mother stated, "Gilbert, the day of judgment is at hand." This was enough to convince him that he had just witnessed the fulfillment of Matthew 24:29 and Jesus was on His way.
"When October 22nd dawned in the Cranmer household, Gilbert was busy preparing to join his Adventist friends at a nearby schoolhouse to await the Advent. His wife, Betsy, had no intention of accompanying her husband. She sympathized with her family, the Heaths, and did not believe Miller's doctrine. When Cranmer was ready to leave the house, he prayed with her. She said, 'Gilbert, you will be back.' He left her with a heavy heart, feeling he probably would not see Betsy and their young daughter, Mary Ann, again.
He and his Adventist friends read Scripture, prayed, and sang hymns while they waited for the great event. Their spirits ran high throughout the afternoon and early evening, as they were sure they were on the verge of seeing the face of their Lord and Savior. But apprehensions grew as midnight approached and no Advent. After midnight, their hearts grew heavy as Jesus' appearance seemed less likely with every passing hour. By sunrise, their expectations turned into bitter disappointment. That is the reason October 22nd, 1844, is called the Great Disappointment.
As the early morning sun began to shine on October 23rd, Cranmer bid his Adventist colleagues farewell and started home with a heavy heart. On his way he was accosted by some non-Adventist neighbors who joked and shouted, 'I thought that you were going up last night.' When Cranmer arrived home, Betsy met him at the door with a smile and reminded him, 'I told you, you would be back.'
After October 22 most Millerite Adventists were harassed in one manner or another but in New England especially some were jailed and others incarcerated in asylums." --The Journey: A History of the Church of God (Seventh Day) by Robert Coulter, pg. 45
Qanon conspiracy theorists and Trump Savior optimists are beside themselves now that their prophecies of a January 20th coup has come and gone. I don't know about you but I got my fair share of links sent to me by folks I know who just a year ago I thought were rational beings. Christians sharing videos from wild eyed strangers around the country claiming their inside sources are guaranteeing a bloodbath of communists and the jailing of everyone that has been determined to be part of the swamp by Trump, Savior of the free world.
On Inauguration Day, there was supposed to be a black out. Trump would use the National Guard and the Navy and announce Martial Law through the Emergency Alert System. Make sure you have a CB radio and stock up on toilet paper (here we go again) and food. There would be mass arrests to cleanse our Christian nation of commie scum.
Many across their forums were calling the event "The Great Awakening." Some have resigned quickly to the reality that they have been duped, it was all just a cruel hoax. Still, others are holding on to continued narratives over the following days and weeks.
Intelligence has revealed that since the Capitol riots on January 6th, white supremacists raided Parler and other alternative social media platforms in hopes of recruiting the disenfranchised. One Neo-Nazi recruiter was advising other recruiters to not focus their message on WWII but instead on Democrats and injustice toward white Christians. While many people are angry at Twitter and Facebook for a 'cancel culture', Facebook has pointed out that they removed over 60,000 pages of shit just like this starting in November.
This was such a bizarre year. It makes me wonder if the Churches of God in particular with so many years of pent up yearning and waiting for the end of the age, just finally used Savior Trump as a release. For so many years, duped people have put their whole lives on hold and sent in their hard earned money to these serpents claiming to be doing God's Work.
It also makes me wonder why it is so much of humanity has sought Saviors down through time. I know there are any number of psychological and sociological explanations. Whatever the reasons, it seems to me that it only harms people and robs them of living a complete and fulfilling life now. And there are no shortage of thieves all to willing to take their money for the assurance that a Savior is surely coming in 'your lifetime.'
I see single people who never marry because they refuse to marry outside their tiny organizations. Smart young people deciding against higher education because they think, what's the use? Struggling families with multiple children who live paycheck to paycheck because after paying three tithes, there just isn't anything left to get their teeth fixed, let alone save or invest for retirement. What will they have to live on in their retirement years when they gave it to a ministry to send their kids to college and retire on?
Ryan Bell is a writer, speaker and ex-Seventh Day Adventist pastor of 19 years. While I don't necessarily agree with his atheist stance on life now, he does make some poignant observations about Christianity and the need of a Savior:
Popular Christian theology...renders this life less meaningful by anchoring all notions of value and purpose to a paradise somewhere in the future, in a place other than where we are right now. Ironically, my Christian upbringing taught me that ultimately this life doesn’t matter, which tends to make believers apathetic about suffering and think that things will only get worse before God suddenly solves everything on the last day.
Without dependency on a cosmic savior who is coming to rescue us, we are free to recognize that we are the ones we’re waiting for. If we don’t make the world a fair and habitable place, no one else is going to do it for us. Our lives matter because our choices affect others and our children’s future.
I don't think we need to embrace atheism to understand and embrace what it is he is saying. As I pointed out in my last post concerning Wally Smith's response to supporting causes in this world, the Churches of God have a "preach alone" dogma that excuses us from living life in the here and now. It stops us from being neighbors and helping others. That is not what Jesus taught. Matthew 25:31-46 should be the emphasis of any Christian worth his or her salt. The Churches of God are full of priests and Levites, literally stopping brethren from being samaritans. The Armstrong legacy creates an us vs them that dehumanizes humanity from the rest of us. This isn't natural or normal and eventually begins to create individual and group psychosis that pushes us further and further from reality.
As we sit on the sidelines, waiting and waiting and waiting as life passes us by, we get antsy. Something isn't right. We are waiting for a battle that never comes. So now we go looking for it. And maybe some of us find it in politics. And for the first time in a long time, we feel alive. And the next thing you know, you are a Church of God member at the Capitol on January 6th. And like Gilbert, your Great Awakening turns into a Great Disappointment.
I'm not even saying it's wrong to be involved in politics. What I am saying is that Armstrongism and possibly to a lesser degree, American style Christianity, poisons minds in a way that moves people to the unhinged fringe extremes.
This waiting on a Savior and being told that you just have to pay, pray, and stay. This feeds into delusions, distortions of reality. Convincing people to live life on pause seems to me to be one of the cruelest hoaxes in the world. New England arrested and even threw people in the asylums after the Great Disappointment! Maybe it's time we get the authorities attention on these cults so we can get the leaders like Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Gerald Flurry and the rest of them thrown in jail and into rubber rooms.
THINK! If Jesus is coming back, it will only be ONCE and probably not in your lifetime. These Adventist peddlers, whoring for money in the name of religion have been doing this for 180 years! Take your life back. Save yourself.
In the World Ahead (Weekly Update) this week, Gerald Weston concluded that, "As our world descends into greater chaos and confusion, let us spend our energies on drawing closer to our Creator, rather than getting caught up in the politics, conspiracies, and squabbles of this world."
Certainly good advice to their own. LCG has no doubt, read the criticisms online concerning their right leaning political views that often spill out in their sermons and in their writings. This week marks the 35th anniversary of HWA's death but he has definitely left his mark to lesser and greater extents in all of the splinters from his WCG. Most notably has been the enduring blind, unscientific, ahistorical and white supremacist belief that NW white Europeans are the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel.
The religious right in America right now are besides themselves because for the life of them, they cannot understand why they are being called racists and white supremacists. But when the left, center and those enlightened on the right explain that they are not individually racists perse but that they are failing to acknowledge the existence of white privilege and systemic racism which are both impersonal and institutional, this only seems to enrage them even more.
A pastor recently wrote an article making it's rounds on the internet. The title says it all: "Jesus is Not a Republican and Christianity is Not Nationalism." This is interesting because the Churches of God have traditionally paid lip service to the idea Christians are to be above politics. Not voting has always been their proof. Their kingdom is not of this world and their citizenship is in heaven, therefore, they do not serve in the military or on juries. This stance quite possibly could be considered a noble one if they actually lived up to them. But just like many don't pay full tithes, sneak out on election day to vote and have very strong political stances on many things, the churches of God are no different from the rest of their Christian counterparts in America they so disdain in another never spoken doctrine: whites are superior to blacks.
"White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity" was written by a Southern Baptist professor and founder and CEO of Public Religion Research Institute. Below is the description of the book from Amazon:
"Drawing on history, public opinion surveys, and personal experience, Robert P. Jones delivers a provocative examination of the unholy relationship between American Christianity and white supremacy, and issues an urgent call for white Christians to reckon with this legacy for the sake of themselves and the nation.
As the nation grapples with demographic changes and the legacy of racism in America, Christianity’s role as a cornerstone of white supremacy has been largely overlooked. But white Christians—from evangelicals in the South to mainline Protestants in the Midwest and Catholics in the Northeast—have not just been complacent or complicit; rather, as the dominant cultural power, they have constructed and sustained a project of protecting white supremacy and opposing black equality that has framed the entire American story.
With his family’s 1815 Bible in one hand and contemporary public opinion surveys by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) in the other, Robert P. Jones delivers a groundbreaking analysis of the repressed history of the symbiotic relationship between Christianity and white supremacy. White Too Long demonstrates how deeply racist attitudes have become embedded in the DNA of white Christian identity over time and calls for an honest reckoning with a complicated, painful, and even shameful past. Jones challenges white Christians to acknowledge that public apologies are not enough—accepting responsibility for the past requires work toward repair in the present.
White Too Long is not an appeal to altruism. Drawing on lessons gleaned from case studies of communities beginning to face these challenges, Jones argues that contemporary white Christians must confront these unsettling truths because this is the only way to salvage the integrity of their faith and their own identities. More broadly, it is no exaggeration to say that not just the future of white Christianity but the outcome of the American experiment is at stake."
You can watch an interview with the author below:
It doesn't take long at all to find material online that verifies a very racist HWA and church culture. The churches of God were no different than the rest of America's Christian churches who conveniently decided to stay on the sidelines as the Civil Rights Movement raged on. Christians are still largely absent in standing up for police reform and an overhaul of the justice system in America. They refuse to look at the historical proof on the racist roots of the war on drugs that began in America in the 1930's. American Christians have been more firmly entrenched than ever before in the Republican party ever since Carl Rove (the architect) solidified the Christian block to the party in the 2000 election.
The elevation of Trump by Christians as a Savior of America has backfired epically and has no doubt damaged the name of Jesus and Christianity for possibly decades to come. All this at a time when Christianity was already trending downward.
All this to say that Weston and the rest of the churches of God are in a unique position to salvage Christianity. They could capitalize on their anti-politics stance and pull the American church out of the Jaws of the Republican Party. They could. But they won't.
In the very same update where Weston says the church needs to stay away from the politics of the day, this anonymous piece on prophecy is at the end:
News and Prophecy—January 14, 2021
Unrest in U.S. Capital: Riots and demonstrations rocked a number of American cities in 2020, but the protest in Washington, DC, on January 6 was something different. On that day, protestors claiming to be supporters of President Donald Trump pushed their way into the U.S. Capitol Building, resulting in widespread damage and five deaths. Protestors apparently felt emboldened by comments made by the president in the weeks leading up to the Electoral College certification and his remarks at a rally immediately preceding the onslaught. Regardless of the president’s level of responsibility, which is the subject of ongoing debate, international opinion has come down hard on America and on Donald Trump. German Chancellor Angela Merkel commented, “A ground rule of democracy is that after elections there are winners and losers. Both have their role to play with decency and responsibility so that democracy itself remains the winner” (Deutsche Welle, January 7, 2021). Even British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, an ally of President Trump, leveled criticism at the president and his supporters (Politico, January 7, 2021). Mr. Johnson lamented, “All my life, America has stood for some very important things, an idea of freedom and an idea of democracy and… in so far as he encouraged people to storm the Capitol, and in so far as the president consistently has cast doubt on the outcome of a free and fair election, I believe that that was completely wrong.”
Although many are lamenting the “assault” on American democracy, the reality is that democracy, like all other forms of man’s government, is a humanly devised system. While many would argue it is the best form of government man has devised, democracies are inherently unstable. Long ago, in his famous work The Republic, the Greek philosopher Plato described a theoretical cycle of human governments, with democracies ending in chaos that invites the emergence of a tyrant who promises to restore order. However, the Bible reveals there is another government coming that will not be created by imperfect human beings. This government will be headed by a perfect ruler with perfect character—Jesus Christ—and will be built on a perfect set of laws (Isaiah 9:6–7; 11:1–10; 32:1). To learn more about the future of democracy, be sure to read our exciting article “Perfect Government Coming Soon!”
The bias is blatant in this "anonymous" update. Riots vs. protests. Claiming to be supporters of Trump leaves for the belief that real Trump supporters would not do such a thing...it must have been antifa in MAGA hats, carrying Christian signs and waving the Confederate flag.. The further comments allow for the reader to dismiss any notion that the President could be at fault for inciting the crowd. And notice that the real problem isn't the President or the rioters, excuse me, protesters, but just humanly devised government. People are just doing what people do in Satan's system. It's the Devil's fault. Am I splitting hairs? Possibly. But let's look at some of the comments from LCG during the summer protests, excuse me, riots:
"The Path to Justice: We are living in an age when lawlessness, rioting, and looting are viewed as legitimate ways to attain social justice for almost any cause (2 Timothy 3:1–5). From a human perspective, it is tempting to want to support a cause that “seems” right in our eyes (Proverbs 14:12) without fully understanding both sides of the issue (Proverbs 18:17). While it is noble to want to alleviate suffering and injustice, we need to remember that this is Satan’s world (2 Corinthians 4:4) that is permeated by his spirit of lies, envy, hatred, and violence (Ephesians 2:2; Galatians 5:19–21). The goal of modern social justice warriors is to improve the world by human efforts without the need for God or a Messiah (Isaiah 59:4–5, 14–15). However, our Creator is a God of truth and justice (Deuteronomy 32:4) who hears the cries of the poor and oppressed who look to Him and wait on Him (Job 5:8–9; Psalm 17:1–2). Christians who live by faith need to remember that Jesus Christ is coming back to establish judgment and justice on this earth (Isaiah 9:6–7), and He will need leaders who can rule with justice and mercy (Psalm 72:1–4) and point people away from the unfruitful ways of this world (Ezekiel 45:9). This is why we need to develop the mind of God (Philippians 2:5) and wait on God to change society. At that point, we will have the opportunity to show the world the true path to justice (Isaiah 26:7–9). Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail" [June 11th]
See, what happened on January 6th was different. It was legitimate (white) political protest. But what went on over the summer was (black) lawlessness, rioting and looting seeking justice they have no right to seek and church members will do well to not get sucked in by emotional pleas for justice. In his June 25th commentary, Winnail said,
"The Path to Peace: Many have been shocked by the recent eruption of riots and violence, anger and hatred all over the world—and many wonder what is happening in a world where many yearn for peace. However, the Apostle Paul warned, “in the last days perilous times will come,” as proud, self-centered people mistreat and attack one another (2 Timothy 3:1–5)."
Blacks erupted in riots fueled by violence, anger and hatred, This is prophecy of perilous times with proud and self-centered blacks in our streets mistreating and attacking one another. But Jan. 6th was different, brethren. That was law abiding white protesters airing their grievances lawfully as is provided by our Democracy, albeit a flawed form of governance. The overall message is consistent: don't get involved. But it fails to pass the smell test of objectivity devoid of taking political sides.
American Christianity continues to stay on the sidelines when it comes to social justice and reform. Christians are to wait on God. It will be interesting to see how that perspective holds up as Christians are increasingly the target of injustices. Will they wonder in horror as their neighbors and co-workers stay on the sidelines when they are being treated unfairly or being brutalized? I have a feeling they will have a come to Jesus moment about fighting for one's own rights.
In the July-August 2020 Living Church News, Wally Smith says in his article, "Christians and Causes"
"God's Spirit within us is stirred when we see unborn children exposed to the horrors of abortion, hatred unleashed against individuals due to the color of their skin, and leaders casting aside righteous judgment for naked, carnal politicking. Such causes tempt us to join them in an attempt to make this world at least a little better here and now. Should we? [his answer] ...too many of this world's causes and movements share two important characteristics: They are products of the devil's world, and they generally represent attempts to improve the devil's world using the devil's own tools."
How do you justify such a perverse way of looking at things so contrary to scripture? So the only job of the church is to preach at people but never lift a finger to actually help people. It's that HWA Martin Lutheresque perversion of Matthew 24:14 alone! Wally, how do you explain away Matthew 25:31-46? Tell me Wally, how do you escape being the priest or the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan? Wally, how do you get around all of the early church examples of easing pain and suffering in Satan's world? Did you know that in Rome, if you wanted to get rid of a child, not only was abortion legal but you could abandon a child up to 2 years of age at the village walls to be eaten by wild dogs? Guess what Wally, it was Christians that began the practice of scouring those walls every night for abandoned children. According to your vile logic, they should have been left to the dogs because there was PREACHING ALONE to be done!
[A little side note. Wally says in the article, "...as movements and organizations grow larger in the world, they often begin to transform into business ventures in ways that should leave us uncomfortable-a fact worth noting. The love of money is, indeed, the root of many evils." You don't say, Wally! You don't say!]
One of the primary problems with HWA gnostic dogma at it's core is pacifism. This is not a Biblical concept. The proof is in the simple logic. Both Old Testament Jewish thought and Greek Christian thought support and believe in the "right of exclusivity." For this to be possible and upheld, society must be organized. There must be law and order that upholds contractual agreements. If the Bible (god) gives man the right of exclusivity, then by reason, logic dictates that god must give man the right to defend his exclusivity rights. What good is a marriage contract that declares to society that said woman is my wife if any man can come along and take her to himself and I must stand passively by without a peep? There is no right of exclusivity without the right to fight for it.
So it is ungodly, unbiblical to stand idly by and watch injustice, unfairness, evil treatment of others because by doing so, you are throwing the right of exclusivity out the window and embracing chaos. When God says the poor are to be taken care of, that validates right of exclusivity. Ownership of lands, goods, animals, crops, goods and service contracts create wealth imbalances. This is inevitable and natural. When it does, God declares that the poor and the disadvantaged be cared for. How can a Christian partake in the right of exclusivity and enjoy the protections of civil society and turn their backs on those who lose, fail, get cheated or are outright dehumanized and systematically forced into an inferior position?
I look around at feast sites and I marvel at how many black folks I see. I want to ask each one how or why they would be sitting in a church in America that has never lifted a finger to ease the suffering and debasement and forced inferior status put upon them for hundreds of years? How do you sit in a church whose founder was a blatant racist and hid it behind the mask of British-Israelism? A church that has actually allowed "interracial" marriage of all kinds between whites and asians and hispanics and indians and native americans ... as long as it was NEVER a black man marrying a white woman? Of course, the unpardonable sin of black men with white women is not just a church of God doctrine. That is an American doctrine.
Dave Chappelle, a black American comedian, did an interview with Oprah Winfrey about 15 years ago. It was after Dave left his own show on Comedy Central in the middle of the season and retreated to South Africa to do some soul searching. Oprah asked him why he left because the rumors were that he was a drug addict, mentally ill and various other attacks that were simply not true. Hollywood was mad at Dave and sought to destroy him. The reason is because Dave Chappelle refused to put on a dress.
He was in the process of making a movie and the director had sent one of the writers to Dave's trailer to give him a scene change for the movie. It required Dave to put on a dress and get made up like a woman. He asked why they wanted to do that and they told him because it will be funny. Dave said no, he didn't want to do it. The scene was unnecessary. A few minutes later, the writer comes back and tries to get Dave to go along and Dave told him to tell the Director he won't do it. Dave started thinking about how all black comedians that made it into movies eventually dressed up like a woman. This really bothered Dave. When the Director came to Dave and insisted he do it, Dave refused and walked off the set and did not do the movie.
Hollywood is a weird place with strange rituals and control mechanisms. Not unlike churches, sometimes. I know what I have pointed out in the weekly update is probably too subtle for most white folks to perceive. But I know some black folks see it. And I only did it to highlight the much bigger reality. American Christianity has a lot to unpack. There is a lot to answer to and reform is necessary if Christianity will ever be a growing religion again. As it is now, I see no reason to support it if it continues to turn a blind eye. American Christianity removed Galatians 3:26-28 from their sight a long time ago. The churches of God are just using black folks as cover for their own self-image. Black brethren in the churches of God need to stop putting on the dress. White brethren who realize this need to hold the door and head out together.
Ever the master of double-speak, Weston begins his Trumpets sermon mocking human interest in disasters. He references how many disaster movies have been produced, including spoof versions like my favorite, Sharknado. BUT, then proceeds to show how Trumpets represents our own disaster movie in which we get off on annually and is the driving force behind the "work."
His first Biblical reference as an intro to the sermon was Amos 5:18
"Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness and not light."
The only real proof of conversion in the eyes of COG headquarters everywhere is tithes and offerings. If your Jeremiah 17:9 heart is not fully backing this "work" financially, well you can expect a gruesome death in just 3-7 years at the bloodthirsty hands of Germans.
Let not the irony be lost on anyone. The Hebrew word for "desire" in this verse means: to wish for, covet, lust after, crave, be greedy for.
It is the same word used in the 10th Commandment: Thou shalt not covet.
Emphasis on what makes one "Christian" in the Millerite movement for 180 years has been the expectation of Jesus return in your lifetime, often including set dates and urgent warnings of only having 3-7 years left to get it right. HWA turned this into a lucrative business, using the Day of the Lord as his primary message in whoring for so many "Christian" dollars. [Check out my post, "Whoring For Money"]
In the 9/17/2020 World Ahead (Weekly Update), Weston says,
"Mr. Richard Ames recorded a Tomorrow’s World telecast titled “What Happened to the Christianity of Christ?,” offering one of the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith’s strongest booklets, Restoring Original Christianity." [Check out my review of this booklet in the post titled, "Narcissists Ruin Everything"]
Anyone who has spent any time in any of the COG's should know what is meant by Air Quotes Christianity. It is the unreal Christianity out there. It is mainstream Christianity. It is the way we automatically and always discern ourselves from this world's Christianity, even when we speak amongst ourselves. We can't help it. It is Pavlovian.
To discern ourselves from Air Quotes Christianity, Meredith initially was calling LCG Christianity, "Apostolic" Christianity. But fearing this might confuse people into lumping us in with Apostolic churches, he changed the label to "Original Christianity."
COG Christianity can be summarized as a sect that puts emphasis on tithing, the observance of days, and prophecy peddling. It relies on external conformity to the detriment of internal awareness and critical thinking. It relies on the sacrifice of self to an imposed greater good to the detriment of personal responsibility to your most intimate and cherished blessing, the family. COG Christianity is a fascist nanny state that usurps the sovereignty of a man in his own household. COG Christianity lives and will die by this one verse, Matthew 24:14.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come."
Just what did happen to the Christianity of Christ, Dick?
LCG has been bragging for years about how they have the "more sure word of prophecy." I have no idea on what they are able to base this. The 2019 Behind the Work video made for the Feast of Tabernacles had this as the theme. These men are truly greedy for and coveting after global calamity. They spend all their time cherry-picking gloom and doom news headlines from the four corners of the earth. The Day of the Lord is their primary source of income. It is what they covet but not for the sake of mankind or that it would actually come but because it puts food on their tables, suits on their backs and braces on their children.
COGs love to cart out Amos 3:7 this time of year.
"Surely the Lord does nothing unless He reveals his secret to His servants the prophets."
The Millerite/SDA/COG movement came into existence rooted in the idea that they had a more sure word of prophecy. HWA staked his marketing on Matthew 24:14 and the support of his corporate nanny state as the surest way to escape the horrors of a Great Tribulation that is always 3-7 years away.
Weston goes on to complain about the echo chamber that is the internet and confirmation bias, the very things that butter his bread. He complains about brethren being on the internet and using platforms to communicate with one another (much love, Gary). He literally complains that brethren are getting caught up in "reasoning" with one another in the cloud.
BUT the cold hard truth everyone in COGs must face is that their God has revealed no secrets in 180 years. They must face the fact that their God has done nothing in 180 years. There has not been one single incident where anyone in the corporate COGs can cite as proof that they are true prophets and that they have a sure word of prophecy. No, not one.
This must lead any thinking person to come to grips with the fact that all COGs are just the same as all the other Air Quotes Christian churches out there. They all make up what can best be described as "Corporate" Christianity. They are all designed and used (to varying degrees) to control people and milk them of their livelihoods.
True Christianity cannot exist anywhere in any way other than in the sovereign consciousness of individuals.
"Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness and not light."
Organizations that peddle fear, using the Day of the Lord and using dollars to measure conversion are the very ones that need to heed this verse. There is going to be a very large number of individuals who are employed by and support corporate prophecy peddlers that will be surprised to find they have very little oil in their lamps when the time comes or find themselves unemployed in their Kingdom of God. Amos goes on to say in 5:21,
"I hate, I despise your feast days."
[I have taken Amos 5:18,21 out of context, just like the COGs do regularly, but my point is made.]
So what is required of all Christians? Is it to financially back Corporations that justify demanding tithes and offerings to support a fulfilling of Matthew 24:14? I will say this. Individuals, called by a God who has been silent for 180 years, may reveal secrets some day and be accredited to spreading the gospel at the end of the age. But just like Paul, they will do it on their own dime without any financial demands put upon others. There may be "a" Christian that will fulfill that calling. But as for "all" Christians who want to be in God's favor in that day of judgment, I recommend you fulfill what is so plainly given by Jesus Himself in Matthew 25:31-46.
Your daily walk with that God and how that God works through you in daily interactions with other human beings is what will determine who is a Christian and who is an Air Quotes Christian.
HWA (like many religious charlatans before and after him) duped a generation of well-meaning folks into breaking very fundamental verses required of all Christians to put their families first and instead, embraced a devastating lie to put Corporate Christianity first. Judeo-Christian wisdom cries out in both testaments.
"A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children" --Proverbs 13:22
"But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." --I Timothy 5:8
As for Weston and the rest of the COGs, the writing is on the internet wall. You can cite all the clicks, likes and views that you want from your laptop "work." We all can see there are no new faces walking into services. We see the inflated feast attendance numbers you announce. (Dude, I'm right here!) Your conversion rates are essentially zero. COG growth today is measured only in births. 180 years of history is calling you out. And thankfully, that history will be there for them to read right here in the cloud when they come of age. The movement is over. Men...Put YOUR families first! Putting your family first is putting God first.
