Church of God News

The above photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reflect what the front page of all newspapers in the world (if any still existed) were supposed to look like this morning, per Yisrayl Hawkins–instead while there were floods in the USA Midwest, nuclear destruction did not occur

COGwriter

While it came as no surprise to me (nor to nearly all of you), the predictions of a nuclear attack occurring yesterday were false.

ABC News had reported that “The House of Yahweh recently gave ABC reporter Brian Ross access to their west Texas compound. Yahweh leader Yisrayl Hawkins says a nuclear holocaust will come June 12th and only members of his group will be saved…Hawkins has predicted a doomsday twice before.” http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8443405″

It is sad that people like Ronald Weinland and Yisrayl Hawkins have decided to fulfill that prophesy personally.  These self-appointed prophets have rejected proper church governance and appointed themselves to positions that God did not select them for (for more information on church governance, please see the article Herbert W. Armstrong and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government).

The following comment from 2 Peter comes to mind:

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities (2 Peter 2:10, KJV).

The Bible clearly teaches the laying on of hands (Hebrews 6:1-2;Acts 8:18) as well as the order of church governance (1 Corinthians 12:28).

The Bible also lays out a lot of specific events that needs to occur before the Great Tribulation can occur (e.g. Matthew 24:4-20)–many of which have not yet happened. It is not that nuclear devices cannot now be detonated, but until certain events occur, they cannot destroy nearly all the world (per Yisrayl Hawkins) or one-third of the USA (per Ronald Weinland) in 2008.

People need to spend more time checking the “predictions” of these self-appointed “prophets” with what the Bible itself states.

Those that do will not be deceived by people such as Yisrayl Hawkins or Ronald Weinland.

Speaking of Ronald Weinland, his church website put the following under “Upcoming Trips” yesterday:

NO trips planned at this time.

And that is a good thing since Ronald Weinland stated that he would stop preaching after June 8, 2008 if there was not massive destruction within the USA by then. Since there was not, obviously he should stick to his word.

Several articles of prophetic interest may include:

Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG.
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 ofthe United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–and Ronald Weinland and Yisraly Hawkins are two of them–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.

COGwriter

Back in 1969 Anton Lavey wrote The Satanic Bible.

On page 96 on the 1976 version, it mentions birthdays:

THE highest of all holidays in the Satanic religion is the date of one’s own birth. This is in direct contradiction to the holy of holy days of other religions, which deify a particular god who has been created in an anthropomorphic form of their own image, thereby showing that the ego is not really buried.

The Satanist feels: “Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself.” Every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one. So, the Satanist celebrates his own birthday as the most important holiday of the year. After all, aren’t you happier about the fact that you were born than you are about the birth of someone you have never even met? Or for that matter, aside from religious holidays, why pay higher tribute to the birthday of a president or to a date in history than we do to the day we were brought into this greatest of all worlds?

Despite the fact that some of us may not have been wanted, or at least were not particularly planned, we’re glad, even if no one else is, that we’re here! You should give yourself a pat on the back, buy yourself whatever you want, treat yourself like the king (or god) that you are, and generally celebrate your birthday with as much pomp and ceremony as possible.

After one’s own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht and Halloween (or All Hallows’ Eve).

(Lavey A, Gilmore P. The Satanic Bible. Avon, September 1, 1976, p. 96–note it is on page 53 of an online version I found also).

It is interesting that birthdays are considered the most important holiday to these Satan worshipers (the founding of their “church”, called Walpurgisnacht, and Halloween are the other ones of importance to them).

Of course, early Christians did not celebrate birthdays nor did the early Jews. Nor have real Christians ever celebrated Halloween.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? This article provides some historical and biblical insight on this question.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

Which Book Do You Think Christians Should Rely On?

VS.
Ronald Weinland Says His Books and His Interpretations of the Bible Are What He Wants Potential Supporters to Study. The COGwriter Site Instead Urges Those Interested in Him and End-Time Prophecies to Spend More Time Checking His Writings with the Bible.

COGwriter

Believe or not, I received the following email earlier this morning:

My response was:

If by Pentecost I’m just going to make this real clear to everyone. If by Pentecost it is not powerfully and abundantly clear that there has been a great deal of destruction that will clearly encompass a third of all plant life in the US and at least the clear results of this mingled with blood the death of very much animal life and the beginning of large numbers of human life then I will stop preaching. Just so all the critics and everyone out there will understand. I am true to my word in these things. OK? And for all the critics if by the end of July and for most likely around Pentecost if nothing has clearly caused great destruction and death I will make it very clear that I was a false prophet. I will do exactly what I said I would do on all of those interviews that I have held; to do less, aah well, would be quite insane. (Weinland R. Three More Weeks–quote from near the 1 hour 28 minute point from the CGPFK website version. Sermon given March 29, 2008).

The truth is that the first event that Ronald Weinland said was supposed to happen was the deaths of a variety of COG leaders (please see Ronald Weinland Again Calls for Death)–and none of those have died. The fact that Ronald Weinland now desperately seems to point to other events (the economy, weather problems in Asia, etc.) shows that he was always a false prophet.

I was never worried that somehow God would strike me with a deadly disease as Ronald Weinland indicated 6 or 7 weeks ago (Ronald Weinland Again Calls for Death).

Why?

Because here is what the Bible teaches about self-appointed false prophets:

…when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:22).

What Ronald Weinland has been predicting for years simply has not come to pass.

Those who wish to see a recent photo of me may wish to go to the link Outside of the Office of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

I feel sorry for Ronald Weinland and those who follow him. Hopefully now more of them will wake up.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG.
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 ofthe United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–and Ronald Weinland is one of them–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.

The 220 kg Gold brick displayed in Chinkuashi Gold Museum, Taiwan

COGwriter

The following news item was of interest:

Iran’s switch good news for gold bulls?

Telegraph, UK – June 10, 2008

Good news for long-suffering gold bugs. Iran is switching a chunk of its $80bn reserves into bullion.

Mohsen Talaie, the deputy foreign minister in charge of economic affairs, said Tehran was pulling its money out of euro instruments (presumably Bunds, BTps, EIB bonds, etc) to avoid sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme.

“Upon the decision of the government’s task force a segment of Iran’s foreign exchange assets will be converted into real assets such as gold and stocks,” he told Iran’s Etemad-e Melli newspaper.

Europe is planning to freeze the assets of Iran’s biggest bank Melli. A draft communique for the EU-US summit on Thursday confirms that Europe is ready to join the crack down on Ahmadinejad.

It all goes to prove the gold bug axiom that nations – like people – will invariably turn to bullion as the ultimate store of value when all is threatened.

Iran’s demarche did not seem to help gold prices today. It slid $9.5 to $883 an ounce, off almost $150 since the giddy heights of February, despite the surge in oil prices. But then the gold angle to this news has not been given any prominence. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/business/ambrosevanspritchard/june2008/goldbulls.htm

The price of gold dropped after that announcement even further (www.goldsilverlive.com), but will likely rise again.

The truth is that while the US dollar will eventually be worthless and the Euro will have problems, the European currency will ultimately be fairly strong. But Iran has other interests.

Some Americans who have sensed that the US dollar will really tank have been buying gold. And while some of that may be a good thing, the Bible warns:

Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days (James 5:3).

Additionally, perhaps I should remind everyone that Americans who bought gold and kept it in the USA were forced to sell it back to the USA government in the 1930s. And no matter what the gold dealers say, I believe that in a major crisis the USA government will attempt to seize all the movable assets that it will be able to get its hands on, and this includes gold and gold coins.

On the other hand, I believe that one of the reasons that the King of the North will take over the King of the South is to acquire the “gold of Egypt” (Egypt had a major gold find a year or so ago that is expected to greatly strengthen its economy). I believe that part of the reasons that the King of the North will want the gold is precisely because the US dollar will have tanked and that this acquisition of gold will help show the world that the currency of the final European Beast power is not in the same boat as the US dollar was–as it may then have some type of gold connection/backing.

Notice the following from the Book of Daniel:

40 At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt (Daniel 11:40-43).

And while that scripture does support the idea that gold will be valuable towards the beginning of the great tribulation (while Revelation 18:12 shows that it will be valuable throughout most of the great tribulation), the following verse shows that sometime towards the end of that (during the Day of the Lord), gold (and silver) will be less than worthless:

They will throw their silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the LORD;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity (Ezekiel 7:19).

I suspect this may be because I once heard (and I no longer have the source) that gold and silver may store nuclear radiation better than many other substances, hence after nuclear attacks they may be so unsafe to hold that people will get rid of them. Plus even if that is or is not the case, food will be a such a premium that so-called precious metals will not be precious enough to exchange for something to eat.

There are problems, but it is not gold or silver that will ultimately deliver humans. :

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul (Proverbs 16:16-17).

We need to understand that we should be striving for the kingdom of God:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26…

32 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:19-26,32-34).

It is not gold or riches, but Jesus who can save us from the wrath to come:

…wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Several articles of related interest may include:

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.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
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”?
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 of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?

COGwriter

For the past couple of days there have been claims that the oldest known church has been found.

Here is one of the more balanced news reports (bolding mine):

Ancient cave found under church

Associated Press – June 9, 2008

AMMAN, Jordan – Archaeologists in Jordan said Monday they have discovered a cave underneath one of the world’s oldest churches that may have once been an even more ancient site of Christian worship.

Archaeologist Abdel-Qader Hussein, head of the Rihab Center for Archaeological Studies, says the cave was unearthed in the northern Jordanian city of Rihab after three months of excavation and shows evidence of early Christian rituals.

The cave lies under St. Georgeous church, built in 230 A.D., making it one of the oldest churches in the world, along with one unearthed in the Jordanian southern port of Aqaba in 1998 and another in Israel discovered in 2005.

Hussein said there was evidence that the underground cave was used as a church by 70 disciples of Jesus in the first century after Christ’s death, which would make it the oldest Christian site of worship in the world.

He described a circular worship area with stone seats separated from a living area that had a long tunnel leading to a source of water. He said the early Christians hid there from persecution.

A mosaic inscription on the floor of the later church of St. Georgeous above refers to “the 70 beloved by God and the divine” who founded the worship there.

Thomas Parker, a historian at the University of North Carolina-Raleigh, who led the discovery of the church in Aqaba, said that while he hadn’t seen the Rihab site, any such claim should be taken with a degree of caution.

“An extraordinary claim like this requires extraordinary evidence,” he said. “We need to see the artifacts and dating evidence to suggest such an occupation in the 1st century A.D.”

Parker asked how archeologists could be certain whether the “cave was actually a center of Christian worship.”

The archeologist also noted that mosaics are difficult to date unless there is a precise date in the text of the mosaic inscriptions themselves and typical mosaic inscriptions with Christian themes are from the 5th to 6th century.

“It’s quite possible that there was a cave with earlier occupation which was later converted to Christian use. But to make the jump that this was actually used by Christians fleeing Jerusalem in the 1st century A.D. seems like a stretch to me,” Parker said.

Archimandrite Nektarious, Bishop Deputy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Amman hailed the discovery, calling it an “important milestone for Christians all around the world and right here at home.”

“It confirms that Christians in this region are not strangers,” he said. “They are real citizens who have always had roots in this region from those days until the present.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25061134/

The fact is that while true Christians may have once had a building, they most certainly DID NOT have icon-like drawings.

The Orthodox are desperate to find any proof that their practices associated with icons started before the 1st or 2nd centuries, and even with this “find” they still have no proof.

The early church did not have the rituals or icons found in all Orthodox churches today.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view?  Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches?  Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!

Lower Wisconsin Dells Intersection between Downtown & “The Strip”

COGwriter

Last night, the Wisconsin Dells was in the news.  My son Brian and I watched as one house (apparently built on sand, in violation of Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 7:26-27) fell into a river.  And the house next to it, according to a photo I saw later this morning, also fell.

The following article also covered it:

Lake Delton – It was Tom and Tina Pekar’s dream home – set on a little bay notched in the northeast corner of Lake Delton, just a couple of hundred yards from the Wisconsin River…

On Monday, the house was a wreck, ripped from its site and tipped at a crazy angle where rain-swollen Lake Delton burst open, washing away three homes, shearing another in two and turning the once-sparkling body of water into a vast mud flat…

On Sunday, man-made Lake Delton covered 267 acres and held more than 600 million gallons of water.

On Monday, it was all but drained within two hours after the shore gave way…The breach created a ferocious current as the water tumbled into the Wisconsin River 40 feet below…

Among the larger properties affected is Wilderness on the Lake, a shoreline complex of 108 upscale resort condo units featuring lake views.

“The property’s still fine,” spokeswoman Heidi Fendos said, “but Lake Delton’s not there.”

Wilderness on the Lake is a relatively small part of the larger Wilderness Territory resort, the great majority of which sits apart from Lake Delton.

That’s true for the Dells tourism sector generally. By far the largest part of Dells attractions, which line Highway 12 and downtown Wisconsin Dells, are unaffected. The same can be said for the area’s many water parks and the natural rock formations along the Wisconsin River that first drew tourists to the Dells.

But for those on Lake Delton, it’s another story.

“It’s going to be a devastating impact on all the resorts (on) Lake Delton,” said Diehl, who has long been a leader in the state tourism industry…

Rain weakened sand

Although sandstone – the stone that forms the famed dells of the Wisconsin River – rings most of Lake Delton, it is absent at the spot where the shore gave way, Diehl said.

Instead, he said, the soil there is “100% sand” from the lake to the river a couple of hundred yards to the northeast. The heavy rains of the weekend turned the sand into a soggy mass that finally gave way about 10 a.m. Monday. http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=760060

So while for years, people thought that their sand foundations were safe, in a time of crisis, they learned that they are were not.

The Wisconsin Dells was a popular Feast of Tabernacles’ site for the old Worldwide Church of God.  It is also scheduled to be one of the Feast sites this Fall for the Living Church of God (for a listing of 2008 Feast of Tabernacles’ sites, please see the article LCG 2008 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information).

During this time of uncertainty, it is still true that having a true foundation, and not a one some traditions of men act like is safe, is what true Christians insist on.

Is your faith built upon the Rock (Christ) or traditions of men?

Those interested more in that subject may wish to study more about the History of Early Christianity:

The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? Many think that the foundation of their faith is the Bible, but amazingly have practices that are simply traditions of men.

“We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)

COGwriter

I recently received an email promoting a seminar this week for employers by an attorney named R. Brent Barlow. The email stated:

Employers must know:

1. Religious accommodation does not work the same as other types of workplace accommodation

2. The employee does not have to prove “flawless adherence” to the beliefs and creeds of the particular belief system.

3. Employees can prove personally held “religious beliefs” even if their group or sect does not adhere to them

4. A religious belief does not have to involve God or any “higher being”

5. The interactive process is not required as in the disability realm — but is encouraged.

6. Religious accommodation may not be negotiable

7. Employers are not required to violate Collective Bargaining Agreements in order to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs

8. Concerns over employee morale or having to overtime to cover an accommodated employee’s missed work will generally NOT be sufficient to establish an “undue burden” under Title VII

9. Documenting requests for religious accommodation are essential to a Company’s process

10. The EEOC has created a special guide concerning accommodating Islam and other Middle Eastern faiths.

With the recent issues with members in LCG and UCG facing religious discrimination, it is important for American workers to realize that while employers must make some “reasonable” accommodations, the courts have tended to rule that not they do not have to accommodate all the Holy Days that we in LCG for example, observe.

Also, for reasons that I have never fully understood, it is often union employees who get the worst treatment, as instead of being on the side of the religious employee, it seems to me that much of the time the union is fighting against religious accommodations.

Other countries have other rules, but basically it is getting more difficult for people in the USA who have non-mainstream faiths (other than Islam) to receive protection from the courts.

The two areas that the unions tend to have the biggest problems with is the Sabbath and the Holy Days. The fact that they are in the Bible and have been observed for thousands of years seems not to make a difference with the courts or the unions.

We in the true Church, however, should follow the examples of Jesus and Apostles and observe those days, and remember that the Bible records that Peter told representatives of the legal system of his day, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.

COGwriter

For years I have been warning people about RCG’s David Pack.

Although in 2001, his church taught that he was not an apostle, in a sermon he gave in 2005 David Pack claimed:

If the highest office in RCG is not an apostle…then I was not sent by Christ. (Pack D. 21st Century Apostle, Sermon part 2, 2005).

On November 3rd of 2007, in a move of either desperation or delusion, he essentially ordered his followers to liquidate their assets and send them all to him so that he could build buildings and increase his internet effectiveness (see also David Pack of the Restored Church of God Declares: “Go get those assets and get them here”).

Here is some of what David Pack said then:

“Go get those assets and get them here”

“Don’t sit on vast resources that we can use now”

“We are not a splinter”

“I do not covet your silver or gold…the gold and silver is God’s and He will get it someway”

“We do not have the funds…plans…bookstores…We need to redesign our website…We need many hundreds of thousands of dollars to arrive at God’s headquarters soon…the timing is now”

“This is different…ask Him for the faith to liquidate certain assets and give it to the work”

“I’ll say it again, we are talking about liquidating existing assets…it all belongs to God and the brethren”

“We have a lot of plans so big going on in this office it would cause just this room to to rock and gyrate if you knew what was going on. We just need a lot of money and we need it post haste…I would give more if I had it”

“Get it now when it requires faith…when you are dead you don’t need it…if you named us in your wills, it can take us months or years to get it”

“The wives in the faith will say give everything you can…We don’t have the luxury of waiting years…today, leaving everything in your will simply doesn’t work”

“Now you just have a second mortgage…and frankly we flee before most of it ever becomes due”

“…some may think that they want to tap their 401k–maybe you want to let us know that…why would you want to tell us? We are starting to prepare a budget now, the needs are now…it would be nice to know now”

“Think big…Pull big triggers”

“There is only two positions you can take regarding all that I have mentioned, only two, there is no middle ground. You’re either going to yield, to submit and to follow, the clarion call that the time is now or you’re not. And postponing a decision is deciding not to do it…It’s saying I’m going to wait until it gets closer because it is not there yet…Don’t say that I’m going to wait until it gets closer, when I can see…The decision is that my treasure stays on earth or I goes to heaven. Period. I will not lay up for times to come or I will. And this is the real test of Laodicea…either hold on to your assets…or give it…God is in this decision, no question. Testing the church’s faith”

“We live in the most materialistic age in the history of the world. People trust in physical things. They trust in bank accounts…If you have excess and don’t need it, those verses mean you…That’s the Laodicean attitude…Put your money where your mouth is…Empty your assets”

“There is only one place He works…Where the…work is…that’s where God is working…one elder commented here at headquarters, if people can’t be motivated by a clarion call to finish the work such as this, why will those same people somehow believe the internal signal given to the church of the 1335? Why would they believe it?”

“We will all fast on November 17th…I have to…ask you for a very special financial sacrifice for God’s work”

“The purposes of the fast…a. To fast for God’s intervention…b.Fast for personal faith and courage to follow what I am asking you to do…c. Fast for personal strength…d…Fast for faith and courage in others with more than you to give…Go get a big chunk out of your house…their assets, IRAs, and pension funds…e. Ask God to move specific properties…that they have told us they want to sell. Pray that these properties move…that is part of what this fast is about”

I have warned people for years that David Pack is not an apostle, not the leader of the faithful portion of the COG, etc. It sounds to me like he is excessively trusting in money to do the work. While money is needed to do the work, I feel that this was excessive and irresponsible for David Pack to call for people to liquidate their assets at this time. It also seems like covetousness to require what biblically, he is not entitled to.

Does not David Pack fulfill the following?

…there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies… By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber (2 Peter 2:1,3).

Are not RCG followers being exploited with deceptive words?

At least partially because of the asset liquidations, in early 2008, RCG reported:

Giant projects are underway! These two articles announce new developments in the Work, including a small school or college, building a state-of-the-art television studio (underway) to produce high-definition videocasts, many books soon available in bookstores, further plans for a stunning Headquarters building to provide for an ever-growing staff, major advancements of our websites, an absolutely incredible explosion of regular and special income—and so much more!…

2007 Income: The Restored Church of God’s 2007 income grew by over 77% above 2006, far exceeding our projection of just under 40%!

What RCG failed to report is that the rate of increase is unsustainable unless they greatly increase membership as RCG has been systematically using up the tangible assets of its membership. RCG is in a sense doing what the USA has done–obtained high “prosperity” through debt acquisition–and this is not biblically desirable (please see Deuteronomy 28:44) nor is it ultimately sustainable (see Habakkuk 2:7). Going into debt is not the way of the Bible.

As I have not been in Ohio (his location) for some time, I have no idea how the building projects are really coming along, but I did consult Quantcast related to RCG’s projection of “major advancements of our websites”.

Notice the following chart:

As the chart shows RCG’s internet reach has been steadily dropping. The previous Quantcast chart showed that a peak of interest occurred about 2-3 weeks after David Pack demanded assets and as the above chart shows, a steady reduction in impact occurred since.

And while this may change, it certainly suggests that RCG is not having the type of internet impact in 2008 that it seemed to indicate that it would.

Perhaps I should mention that RCG used to show its internet results with a so-called “Download counter”, but it removed the counter a few days after I reported (see https://www.cogwriter.com/9gnews.htm) that it proved that RCG was having less internet impact in 2008 than in 2007.

The recent Quantcast statistics also confirm the same trend.

While I believe that David Pack has certain talents, I have considered David Pack to be a false leader for years and a false apostle since I first heard himself declare himself to be an apostle.

An article of related interest (which includes more quotes from the 11/03/07 sermon) would be:

Why Not the Restored Church of God? This group, led by David Pack, claims to be the most faithful. The information in this article suggests otherwise.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–and sadly, David Pack is one of them–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.

Dr. Douglas Winnail, January 2008

COGwriter

Today is Pentecost.

Here is what LCG’s Douglas Winnail wrote about it in his latest weekly update:

God’s Incredible Plan: Many professing Christians assume that God’s purpose is simply to get people to believe in Jesus so they can go to heaven. However, the Scriptures reveal something very different! Isaiah refers to the plan of God (Isaiah 46:9-10). The Apostle Paul mentions that we are called to be part of God’s great plan, “being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel [purpose] of His will” (Ephesians 1:3-11). Paul also explains in Ephesians 3 that this “eternal purpose” is a mystery to the world. However, God has revealed His purpose in the Holy Days. This coming Sunday we will observe the Feast of Pentecost, which pictures the outpouring of God’s Spirit—a gift God gives to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). We must never forget that it is God’s Spirit that has enabled His Church to understand the incredible plan of God (see Acts 1:4,8; John 14:15-17; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2). Let’s rejoice, be thankful and nourish that Spirit—as we obey God and observe the day of Pentecost—so we can continue to be led by Him to do His Work.

Jesus had prophesied sending the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11), and this came to pass on Pentecost c. 31 AD (Acts 2:1-4). We in the Living Church of God are observing this Holy Day today.

In addition to Pentecost marking the beginning of the New Testament Church and the coming of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Michael Germano, president of Living University, reported:

…scholars speculate that the flight of the last remaining members of the church at Jerusalem on the Feast of Pentecost in CE 69, may have been recorded by Flavius Josephus:

The Catholic Encyclopedia reports,

When Titus took Jerusalem (April-September, A.D. 70) he ordered his soldiers to destroy the city)…Meanwhile the Christian community had fled to Pella in Paraea, east of the Jordan (southeast of Jenin), before the beginning of the siege.

It is sad that people like Ronald Weinland and Yisrayl Hawkins have decided to fulfill that prophesy personally.

Now I mentioned that there have been storms. Notice the following news item:

But as I have mentioned before, Jesus Himself predicted this type of thing and only referred to them as “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8)–and those sorrows were BEFORE the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21)–not the Great Tribulation itself. And while floods in Indiana, earthquakes in China, tornadoes in the MidWest, droughts in the West (including Australia), and cyclones in places like Myanmar are difficult trials–they of themselves simply do not show that the Great Tribulation is here.

Notice what Jesus said would happen immediately before the Great Tribulation:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-21).

These events simply have not yet happened–the abomination was not set up–people have not fled Judea, etc. The Great Tribulation will not begin this week, next month, or even this calendar year.

I prefer to rely on the prophecies from Jesus as opposed to those “self-appointed prophets” that Jesus warned against.

There still are too many biblically required events that have not yet occurred for the Great Tribulation to start in 2008–I do not believe that it is possible for it to start before 2012, and more likely one-four years after that.

Flag of the Arab League

COGwriter

PCG’s Gerald Flurry has repeatedly taught that Iran is the future King of the South:

The king of the south, or Iran, is going to “push at him”—that is, the king of the north (the European Union)… The king of the south is about state-sponsored terrorism. That is how Iran became king! Daniel 11:40-43 is an end-time prophecy. It is about a nation that is always pushy in its foreign policy. It pushes until it starts a war. Having such power means that it must be a large oil-producing country. This king is close to Jerusalem, Egypt, Ethiopia and Libya. Who else could it be in this end time but Iran? Iran is extremely radical and the king over radical Islam” (Flurry, G. The King of the South. PCG Booklet).

But Iran is not south of Jerusalem.

In his weekly report last night, ICG’s Mark Armstrong wrote: