Church of God News

COGwriter

In its weekly update yesterday, UCG included the following information:

Turning Your Life Around: Where to Start

In the face of spiraling national problems, what can you personally do to protect yourself from the present morally adverse atmosphere?

1. Make reading and studying the Bible an important priority...

2. If you’re not already doing so, set aside time to regularly communicate with God in daily prayer.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” we’re told (James 4:8). Ask God to help you better understand His Word and see how you can apply it in all aspects of your life.

The Bible can help us all to exercise our God-given senses to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14)…

3. Get your spiritual house in order...

4. Evaluate your priorities and how you use your time.
Ephesians 5:16 tells us we should be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Make the points listed above a high priority in your life.

Following that, your Internet, music, TV, movie and reading entertainment should be governed and guided by practical, down-to-earth advice from our Creator as found in the Bible.

The times are tense and Bible reading, prayer, etc. are reassuring in these turbulent days.  And that is a good place to start.

One aspect that UCG left out (other than doing the work), that relates to people in general, and parents/fathers in particular, is the following:

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,  that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth…carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do–to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him (Deuteronomy 11:18-22).

Several articles of related interest may include: 

What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know?
The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.
Read the Bible Christians should read the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Bible and Historical Resources on the Internet Electronic bibles, Two Babylons, early Christian literature, photos, and even links to old Herbert W. Armstrong materials.
A Short Article on Faith A subject that could fill many books.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.

COGwriter

In the March 2008 edition of CG7’s Bible Advocate, its former president Calvin Burrell reflects on some of its losses:

One year ago this month we lost lead writer and Northeast District Superintendent Richard Wiedenheft just months after the premature deaths of Lynn Taylor and Denis Burrell — energetic ministers all. I reacted with a “protest” on this page (June ’07). You responded with many encouragements and “me too’s” not a few (see “Mailbag,” September ’07, pp. 22-23).

On a recent Sabbath in San Antonio, Sister Emilia (Mrs. Jesus) Martinez told me it was two years to the day since her devoted minister-husband died. Other CoG7 losses have come in the past year. Have you noticed that the calendar is nearly as full of death dates as it is with birthdays? Over time the correspondence between the two will always be one-to-one. Only Christ’s return, the resurrection, and promised immortality, it seems, can change that.

How to feel at the anniversary of a death and heal from its wound? Those losses still bring pain, though joyful days return. Winter recedes in March, but not all ice thaws. Is it OK to carry a few more questions into springtime and call them doubts?

My experience is that trust re-contours itself during cold, hard times — that faith often encircles our doubts, then dissolves them in a way that assures they will not triumph at last. As distress slowly melts in summer’s approach, we’ll be better for this, not bitter.

All the COGs have lost ministers and members through death. And as Calvin Burrell says, over time, deaths in this age always equal births.

The Bible teaches that the time is coming when death and sorrow will be gone:

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).

While death is full of sorrow, Jesus admonished His followers to get past physical death and go forward with the work of God (Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:6). 

Calvin Burrell wrote, “we’ll be better for this, not bitter”–and that is what I always hope and pray for related to those in CG7 and others in the various Churches of God.

Of course, my concern about CG7 has always been directed towards its prophesied spiritual death as Revelation 3:1-3 warns apparently that church:

1 I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

And because of CG7’s approach to prophecy, unless if changes soon, I believe that it will not know the hour of the tribulation. 

However, even if it does not, individual members there can repent as Jesus admonished.

Three articles of related interest may include:

5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?  Do you realize that its approach to prophecy seems to fulfill Revelation 3:1-3?

The photo above is of an ancient carving of Euro who is supposed to be the southeast wind.  And the economic winds seem to be changing for the past few years.  

COGwriter

The following news item was of interest:

NEW YORK, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) — The U.S. dollar dipped to a record low against the euro on Tuesday, breaking the 1.50-dollar mark amid lacklustre U.S. economic data and sending investors to pump more money into commodities such as oil as a hedge against inflation.

    In New York trade, the European currency rose from the previous close of 1.4825 to close at 1.4967 dollars. In subsequent electronic trading, the euro reached 1.5047 dollars late Tuesday before falling back to 1.5017 dollars.

    The dollar also sank against a basket of other currencies, including the British pound, the Japanese yen and the Swiss franc.

    The dollar has lost considerable ground against the euro in the past year amid the U.S. housing slump and a credit crunch…

     Light, sweet crude for April delivery jumped 1.65 dollars to 100.88 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after hitting a new trading record of 101.15 dollars a barrel.

    Prices were also boosted on concerns about supply disruptions from unrest in Iraq, a major oil exporter, and warnings by Iran against further international sanctions.  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/27/content_7679604.htm

I read another news report that suggested that Iran was a factor in the current tumble of the dollar and was surprised that PCG did not have any news about that this morning (PCG is stuck on the incorrect idea that Iran is the future King of the South and often reports about Iran).

Another news item was :

Mirror, UK – Feb 27, 2008

A vast swathe of Britain was rocked early today by one of the biggest earthquakes to ever hit us.

The tremor struck just before 1am, shaking buildings from Consett, Co Durham to the south coast and from Wales to the Lincolnshire coast. Thousands of stunned families were woken as homes shuddered…

Experts from the British Geological Survey said the tremor measured 5.1 on the Richter scale – making it the second strongest land quake recorded in the UK.  http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/02/27/terror-as-second-biggest-ever-earthquake-hits-britain-89520-20333038/

So it appears that the USA is shaking quite a bit economically and Great Britain now physically.  However, these are only part of the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7-8) as the end is NOT yet.

Several events need to be lined up including there being a clear King of the North and a clear King of the South. 

Because certain events recorded in Daniel 9 and Daniel 11 have not yet occurred, it does not appear that the great tribulation will begin before 2012, and most likely not until a year or more after that.

An article of related interest may include End of Mayan Calendar 2012.

Dr. Meredith and I in his office last month 

COGwriter

In his 2/18/08 co-worker letter, Roderick C. Meredith of the Living Church of God wrote:

       The attention of much of the world is now focused on the Presidential election season here in the United States. In the most lengthy, drawn-out pre-election maneuverings, primaries and caucuses in American history, it appears that the next American President will be either a super-feminist woman, a comparatively young African-American man, or—by the time he would take office—a 72-year-old politician who spent years in wartime captivity…

        At the very beginning of His ministry, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). Near the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus stated in the Olivet Prophecy, “So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:31). The Good News of the coming Kingdom of God continued to be the focus of the true Gospel throughout the Apostolic Age. For we find at the very end of the book of Acts that the Apostle Paul was “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:31).

        So true Christians know that a very real new world-ruling government is coming soon! It will, indeed, be a “whole new world”—the prophesied “times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

           The Bible instructs us to pray regularly for this coming World Government, “Thy Kingdom come” (Matt. 6:9-10). The Apostle John tells us, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). God’s inspired Word also tells us that at the “last trump” Christ’s Government will be set up on this earth:  “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Rev. 11:15). 

        Frankly, the liberal ministers of our modern world have a very difficult time trying to “spiritualize away” the literally dozens of Bible verses which clearly describe a soon-coming World Government with Jesus Christ as King of kings and the true saints as kings and priests assisting Christ here on earth. 

        As we see wars and famines, earthquakes and upset weather conditions becoming worse, as we clearly recognize that mankind’s misguided attempts to rule itself apart from God continue to bring about broken homes and broken lives, war, anguish and death, we should truly cry out, “Thy Kingdom come!” And we should do everything in our power to help increasing millions of our fellow human beings learn about God’s true Plan and His Purpose for all our lives.

        That is what we at Tomorrow’s World are trying to do with all of our hearts. There is nothing more important than carrying the true Message of God to all the world! And each of us needs to do his or her part to be an “overcomer,” to obey our Creator and to genuinely walk with God and walk with Christ now and forever. That is why we were born!         May God help all of you to see His Plan, as world events move swiftly toward the prophesied end of this age. In this election year here in America, we see people all across the nation enthusiastically supporting and even cheering and yelling for their favorite candidate. Thousands of “political operatives”—including hundreds of starry-eyed young people—are giving generously of their time, their energy and their money to support their favorite candidates. They literally “pour themselves” into it. For by driving themselves to reach out to hundreds of others with enthusiasm and zeal, they hope to play a vital part in helping to elect—for a few short years—a fallible human leader over this nation. 

        But we—my dear friends and brethren—are called to similarly “pour ourselves” with total dedication into preparing the way for the King of kings who alone can bring about the kind of peace and justice and lasting happiness we all yearn for. Are we driving ourselves in doing all we can to prepare for the real world-ruling government which is about to be set up on this earth? Are we showing our Creator and our God that we truly believe what He says, and that we will go “all out” to yield ourselves to the task of helping get His Son’s message to a dying world while we have the opportunity? May God inspire all of us to zealously do our part in the vital Work of preparing the way for His soon-coming Kingdom!

We in the Living Church of God are dedicated to doing the work of God…Some articles of related interest may include:

There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Getting the Gospel Out is More than a Local Job Discusses Biblical rationale for doing an international, and not just a local, work.
How Much Did You Cost? Some have complained that the total costs spent to proclaim the gospel as a witness is too high since it does not (in their opinion) result in enough conversions. Is that how God sees it?
The Temple and the Work This article discusses the two temples of the Old Testament and gives insight as to their possible relevance to the situation which has impacted the Church during this past decade or so.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know?

On 2/23/08, the Pasadena Star News posted the following:

PASADENA – With a crucial part of the Ambassador West development in receivership after its owners defaulted on a $44 million loan, completion of one of the city’s largest, most prestigious housing projects has been thrown into doubt…

Councilman Steve Madison, whose district includes Ambassador West, said residents would have to be “a little bit patient” while a new builder is being sought at “a really bad time for real estate development.”

Neighbors have expressed concern to him, he said, but he has advised them to apply a “reality check” on the progress on the west campus.

“When I was elected nine years ago Ambassador Auditorium was on the chopping block,” he said. “And (Legacy Partners) were asking for 2,000 units” on the combined 46-acre east and west campus.

Worldwide Church of God, which put the 49-acre campus on the market in 1999, later sold it in three pieces: Maranatha School and Harvest Rock Church – owner of Ambassador Auditorium – moved on to the west campus in 2004; that same year Sares Regis bought the 12-acre east campus for a mixed retail and residential development, now underway.

Fred Zepeda, president of the West Pasadena Residents Association – which fiercely opposed both earlier plans for the property – said the neighborhood had been stunned by Ambassador West’s recent problems.

“We’re anxious to find out what’s going on,” Zepeda said. “I don’t think anyone knows what’s going to happen – everyone’s still staring at each other.”  

It is somewhat ironic that the developer is in receivership as the State improperly placed the old Worldwide Church of God into receivership in the late 1970s.  Another group (Legacy, not to be confused with Legacy Institute) trying to develop the properties also had other problems

COGwriter

There were two news articles of interest, both with some points to ponder.

Here is information from the first:

Economic Armageddon

A book warns 9/11 was a precursor to collapse of the world’s fiscal superpowers, famine, plague and WWIII

Toronto Sun – Feb 24, 2008

Warning: Today’s column is not for the faint of heart.

And before my critics say it, let me say it first: Leatherdale’s gone off the rails on a crazy train.

This is opinion, but my gut says feverish doomsayers may be right. This is the beginning of the end of our economic system. And if we do self-destruct, we only have ourselves and our blatant greed to blame.

Believers in a higher power call this Armageddonand the last war man will fight. One such guru, Ronald Weinland, in his book 2008: God’s Final Word, warns of the demise of the United States — where the first blow was struck with 9-11 and now a subprime mortgage bloodbath is shattering the pillars of capitalism with a tidal wave devastating economies around the globe.

Many, I’m sure, will label Weinland a religious whacko with his predictions of natural disasters that’ll make Hurricane Katrina look like a spring shower; severe weather patterns leading to famine and food shortages; plagues that will kill man, beast and bird; more terrorist attacks and the collapse of the world’s economic superpower. All of this, he predicts, leads to World War III and a deadly battle between the now powerful Europe’s economic union and China and its allies.

In the end, “Every economy will be decimated,” he writes. Even Canada’s.

And in just three and half years, 6 billion people will die. Yikes.

Warnings from others aren’t quite as dire...

Now, critics complain that as head of the world’s largest central bank Greenspan should have seen the subprime mortgage meltdown coming. He didn’t, and now millions face losing their homes, and perhaps life savings as banks teeter on bankruptcy.

In the U.K., for example, the British government was forced to step in and take over Northern Rock Bank, after the troubled mortgage lender revealed severe funding problems over its exposure to the U.S. subprime crisis. It wasn’t long before panicked depositors were lining up at branches in the first run on a bank in more than a decade. British taxpayers are now on the hook for $108 billion US in loans.

Rumours now swirl that two major U.S. banks are in big trouble and will fail within weeks. That’s after financial institutions were forced to take writedowns worth more than $150 billion US, while central bankers around the globe crank up the money-making machine to keep financial institutions afloat.

MIDAS TOUCH

Even billionaire Warren Buffett, known as the Sage of Omaha for his investing Midas touch, has been critical: “It’s sort of poetic justice, in that the people that brewed this toxic Kool-Aid found themselves drinking a lot of it in the end,” he said. http://torontosun.com/Money/2008/02/24/4872237-sun.html      

This is the first time that I have seen references to Ronald Weinland in the news for some time–but suspect there will be many more in the next two months (especially because of other comments and dates from him, more information is in the articles Ronald Weinland: Nuclear Attack May be Mid-April 2008 and Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God).

However, while the stages are being set for the real “Armageddon” it is not yet now (some additional details are also in the news item At Least Two Wrongly Claim Great Tribulation Will Begin in 2008). 

Actually the title of the next article, in my opinion, pretty much says it all:

Market meltdown: Apocalypse not now

The horror that stalked global stock exchanges as the week opened has been replaced by relief, but the threat to the world as we know it remains

Independent http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/market-meltdown-apocalypse-not-now-774524.html

The above article mentions issues in the US, India, and Europe as having various issues which can still cause financial collapse. 

Anyway, the end will come relatively soon, but it will not be in 2008.

More on certain steps that need to occur is included in the article Who is the King of the North?

Flag of the European Union

COGwriter

We in the Living Church of God teach that there will be a militaristic future leader of Europe that the Bible calls the King of the North or the Beast.

Because the European Union does not have what appears to be the biblically-required military strength it needs (Revelation 13:4) yet, I have been confident that contrary to the claims of false prophets such as Ronald Weinland, that the great tribulation cannot occur in 2008 (some additional details are also in the news item At Least Two Wrongly Claim Great Tribulation Will Begin in 2008).

However, this does not mean that the end is not near.  Only that a few more years are apparently still left.

Notice the following news item:

EUobserver – Feb 15, 2008

French president Nicolas Sarkozy is spearheading an initiative to create an elite defence force made up of the six EU biggest states – France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and Poland.French MP French MP Pierre Lellouche, a spokesman on defence for Mr Sarkozy recently presented the idea and conditions for countries to join the defence “hard core” group in the French daily Le Figaro.It is envisaged that the six countries would adopt common rules for reinforced co-operation…Moreover, the elite group would commit to carry out joint security anti-terrorism projects, as well as defence infrastructure programmes, such as missile defence or space and intelligence technology.According to the Brussels weekly European Voice, Paris aims to launch the initiative in 2009, after the new EU Lisbon treaty has been ratified in all member states, as it contains a provision for “permanent structured co-operation” which could establish a legal link for the core defence project to be set up. http://euobserver.com/9/25667

Notice that some of the European leaders are determined to increase military cooperation and abilities as soon as they possibly can.

Both biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies indicate that a military leader will rise up again in Europe, and that “the English” will be taken over.

And while some of the Roman Catholics seem to believe that this is a good thing, the Bible clearly warns against this.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.

COGwriter

The Philadelphia Church of God recently produced the March 2008 edition of its Philadelphia Trumpet magazine.  And it, like other editions has the listed circulation.  Here is what the listed circulation for the March (sometimes a combined March-April issue) has been for the past several years:

• 2004       344,530
• 2005       315,435
• 2006       326,702
• 2007       295,000
• 2008       294,000

The circulation trend could be most politely described as flat, and probably more accurately as in a mild decline.

While magazines were more of PCG’s focus earlier, it  appears to me at least that its building projects (here is one recent news item Philadelphia Church of God Announces “Armstrong Auditorium”) and probably the internet have become more of its focus.

FWIW, the Living Church of God is producing (as it has not mailed them out yet) 361,000 copies of the March 2008 issue of its Tomorrow’s World magazine.  The trend for LCG’s magazine is up as it has increased circulation in each of its ten years.

Two articles of related interest may include:

Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply trying to calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ or making buildings does not make one Philadelphian (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which claims to be faithful.

There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter 

Christianity.ca which describes itself as “A ministry of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada” posted an article from the Canadian branch of the Worldwide Church of God by Gary Moore titled What is a Real Christian? (Gary Moore is the national director of the Worldwide Church of God Canada.). 

The answer from Gary Moore was:

A Christian is any person who trusts in Jesus Christ (see Romans 10:9-13)…Placing our trust in Jesus Christ is what defines a Christian.

It is as simple – and as profound – as that!

The above article, however, was highly incomplete as the Bible teaches:

Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Romans 8:9).

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:6).

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).

Simply professing trust in Jesus is not what makes one a Christian.  It is deeper than that.  But that article by Gary Moore is also similar to something that J. Tkach recently wrote (see WCG’s J. Tkach and “Just As You Are”)–both are a bit hollow. 

These people once claimed to understand, but now seem to have been transformed from the truths Jesus and others taught in the Bible.

An article of possibly related interest may include Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants.

Postcard from 1912 Honoring “St. Patrick’s Day”

COGwriter 

Yesterday, there were several news stories about changing the time of the Catholic celebration of “St. Patrick’s Day” this year.

The following is from one such story from TheDay.com followed by one from the ledger.com both dated 2/22/08:

SOME PLANNING TO TAKE part in the annual Irish revelry that is St. Patrick’s Day are faced this year with a rare dilemma. For the first time since 1940, the day that honors Saint Patrick falls during Holy Week, the seven sacred days before Easter. Because of the overlap, Catholic churches are moving masses in honor of St. Patrick from the usual March 17, as dictated by the church’s liturgical rules.But in some places, such as Savannah, Ga., which draws more than half a million people for its St. Patrick’s Day festivities, Catholic leaders have gone further, asking that celebrations outside the church also be changed.

———————————————————-

Because Easter comes so early this year, St. Patrick’s Day actually falls during Holy Week — the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. Liturgical rules forbid celebrating Mass in honor of the saint, according to a story from the Associated Press. And because ol’ St. Paddy’s day has become such a roisterous affair, Catholic bishops in America are asking that St. Patrick’s Day parades be moved earlier to avoid distracting from the seriousness of the week. According to the AP, civic celebrations will take place on March 14 or 15 in Savannah, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

However, the above really should get people to think that perhaps this day should not be celebrated at all.  (Nor for that matter should Easter be celebrated as it was not observed by early Christians–and its date to was changed by Roman leaders.)

The Catholic Encyclopedia reports some additional, as well as disturbing, details about Patrick:

St. Patrick
Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland…Pope St. Celestine I, who rendered immortal service to the Church by the overthrow of the Pelagian and Nestorian heresies, and by the imperishable wreath of honour decreed to the Blessed Virgin in the General Council of Ephesus, crowned his pontificate by an act of the most far-reaching consequences for the spread of Christianity and civilization, when he entrusted St. Patrick with the mission of gathering the Irish race into the one fold…

“St. Patrick’s Breast-Plate”, is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. The following is a literal translation from the old Irish text:

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity…

St. Patrick proceeded through Gowran into Ossory; here he erected a church under the invocation of St. Martin, near the present city of Kilkenny, and enriched it with many precious relics which he had brought from Rome…

Many times in the day he armed himself with the sign of the Cross…

Far more ample, however, were the aspirations of the saint, and he resolved to persevere in fasting and prayer until the fullest measure of his petition was granted. Again and again the angel came to comfort him, announcing new concessions; but all these would not suffice. He would not relinquish his post on the mountain, or relax his penance, until all were granted. At length the message came that his prayers were heard:

many souls would be free from the pains of purgatory through his intercession…and…

greatest blessing of all, Patrick himself should be deputed to judge the whole Irish race on the last day.,

Such were the extraordinary favors which St. Patrick, with his wrestling with the Most High, his unceasing prayers, his unconquerable love of heavenly things, and his unremitting penetential deeds, obtained for the people whom he evangelized (Cardinal Moran, Patrick Francis. Transcribed by Mary Doorley. St. Patrick. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XI. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

We in the Living Church of God do not consider that Patrick was an apostle. We do not consider that people should wear crosses. We do not believe that Patrick has been chosen by God to judge the Irish race on judgment day.

As most Protestants do not believe that God has given the power to judge the Irish to Patrick, they too should not celebrate this Roman Catholic holiday.

An article of related interest would be Why The Church of God Does Not Wear Green on St. Patrick’s Day.