Church of God News

جامعة الدول العربية
Jāmaʻat ad-Duwwal al-ʻArabiyya Arab League Flag

COGwriter

An Arab League official met with the Pope:

Arab League Official Visits Pontiff

New Agreement Reached With Holy See

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 24, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The secretary-general of the League of Arab States visited Benedict XVI today after signing a new agreement with the Holy See.

Amre Moussa signed Thursday a Memorandum of Understanding with the Holy See on behalf of the League.

A Vatican announcement shortly thereafter described the document as further consolidating “the existing ties of collaboration between the Holy See and the League of Arab States, especially at a political and cultural level, in favor of peace, security and stability, both regionally and internationally. Furthermore, it proposes instruments for consultation between the two sides, with particular emphasis on initiatives of interreligious dialogue.”

Regarding Moussa’s visit today with the Pontiff and with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states, the Vatican reported that the discussions highlighted the “importance of [this] agreement, which seeks to favor an ever greater collaboration between the two parties in favor of peace and justice in the world.”

As well, the Vatican confirmed, there was an “interchange of ideas on the international situation, in particular in the Middle East, and on the need to find a just solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and to the other conflicts that grieve the region.”…

“I believe that the Arab League very much appreciates the declarations of the Holy Father,” Archbishop Fitzgerald added. And, he affirmed, “it also takes into account the situation of Christians in the Arab nations for the furthering of peace and development in the region.” http://www.zenit.org/article-25704?l=english

The Vatican has several reasons to meet with the Arab League.

1. The Vatican does not want Catholics in Muslim nations to be persecuted.
2. The Vatican wants Palestinian Catholics in Jerusalem to remain there (so much so that it has been taking up a special offering on “Good Friday” that past couple of years to provide those Palestinians to do so).
3. The Vatican wants more influence in the Middle East and especially Jerusalem.

And there is another reason that I am not sure that the Vatican is fully aware of.

The Bible shows a time when Arabs make major deals with with Europeans (Psalm 83; Daniel 9:27) which will ultimately result in the destruction of Israel as well as the United States and its Anglo-allies.  Increased cooperation between the Vatican and the Arab League would seem to help set the stage for these deals.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.

COGwriter

There is a possibility that swine flu will be a real problem:

Deadly Swine Flu Outbreak Linked to U.S.

NBC Dallas-Fort Worth – April 24, 2009

A strain of pig flu found in eight people in California and Texas is linked to the deadly bird flu that has killed as many as 61 people and sickened more than one thousand in Mexico. http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/us_world/NATL-Deadly-Flu-Outbreak-Linked-to-US-.html

CDC says too late to contain U.S. flu outbreak

Reuters – April 24, 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it was too late to contain the swine flu outbreak in the United States. CDC acting director Dr. Richard Besser told reporters in a telephone briefing it was likely too late to try to contain the outbreak, by vaccinating, treating or isolating people. “There are things that we see that suggest that containment is not very likely,” he said. He said the U.S. cases and Mexican cases are likely the same virus. “So far the genetic elements that we have looked at are the same.” But Besser said it was unclear why the virus was causing so many deaths in deaths in Mexico and such mild disease in the United States.  http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/24443479.htm

The Bible warns of pestilences in these end times (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11).  It is possible that swine flu might be one of them.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?

COGwriter

The military of Sri Lanka, the primarily Buddhist tear-drop shaped nation off the tip of India, reportedly has killed thousands in the past three months:

U.N.: 6,500 civilians dead in Sri Lanka fighting

India demands immediate cease-fire as offensive targeting rebels rages on

AP Fri., April 24, 2009

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Two top Indian officials headed Friday to Sri Lanka to demand an immediate cease-fire in the bloody civil war as a private U.N. document reported that nearly 6,500 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed in the last three months of fighting.

Concern for the safety of the civilians trapped in the war zone has increased in recent weeks as the government pushed ahead with its offensive to crush the Tamil Tiger rebels and end the nation’s quarter-century civil war.

On Monday, the military broke through rebel fortifications on the edge of a previously declared “no fire” zone along the northeastern coast, sparking an exodus of more than 100,000 civilians. The rebels said at least 1,000 civilians were killed in that battle and the Red Cross said hundreds had been killed or wounded…

‘All killing must stop’
“We are very unhappy at the continued killing in Sri Lanka. All killing must stop. There must be an immediate cessation of all hostilities,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishu Prakash said in a statement Thursday.

International rights groups have accused the government of shelling densely populated civilian areas in the war zone and accused the rebels of holding the civilians hostage for use as human shields against the government offensive. Both sides deny the accusations.

At least 6,432 civilians were killed in the intense fighting over the past three months and 13,946 wounded, according to a private U.N. document circulated among diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka in recent days. The casualties were reported as “verified data” in the document, which was given to The Associated Press by a foreign diplomat Friday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30381065/

Buddhists, like original Christians, are supposed to not kill other human beings:

Buddhism teaches that whether we have global peace or global war is up to us at every moment. The situation is not hopeless and out of our hands. If we don’t do anything, who will? Peace or war is our decision. The fundamental goal of Buddhism is peace…The doctrine of karma teaches that force and violence, even to the level of killing, never solves anything… The most fundamental moral precept in Buddhist teaching is respect for life and the prohibition against taking life… Unlike almost all other religions, Buddhism teaches that there are no exceptions to this prohibition and no expedient arguments are admitted.>Epstein R. BUDDHIST IDEAS FOR ATTAINING WORLD PEACE. Lectures for the Global Peace Studies Program, November 7 & 9, 1988 http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/BUDDHIST%20IDEAS%20FOR%20ATTAINING%20WORLD%20PEACE.htm viewed

And while I noticed that there were a lot of statues of Buddha in Sri Lanka when I visited it, obviously some of the Buddhists there have a differing view of killing than what was reported about it.

The problem in Sri Lanka between the basically Hindu Tamils and the Buddhist Sinhalese have been going on for decades.

Based upon my understanding of Bible prophecy, it is likely that they will stop (at least temporarily) killing each other by the time when Daniel 11:44 gets fulfilled.  It would be nice if it stopped much sooner (as it could stop now).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage and discusses some of the witness to them.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

COGwriter

Even though he has distanced himself from many of the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, Ronald Weinland of CGPFK has posted the following:

VIDEO OF H.W.A.

April 17, 2009

Recently I posted a link to a video that was put together in a good manner, and I am going to post another link (www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tf839C93hE) of a video sent to me that I also consider to be well done. When I recommend these videos, I have no idea who has put them together, but when good effort has gone into such work and it has turned out well, I will pass it along to you.

The link itself contains a variety of quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong. Although Ronald Weinland claims to not know who put it together, it is titled God’s Final Witness (a term that Ronald Weinland often uses, especially as his book is titled 2008: God’s Final Witness) and his voice is part of the video.

Actually, in the the last two or so minutes CGPFK‘s Ronald Weinland, after quoting 2 Thessalonians 2, makes such inaccurate statements as:

It was Mr. Tkach who was that man of sin.

Ronald Weinland was referring to Joseph Tkach Sr. who died in 1995 (who was shown and discussed).  Let us look at the scripture that Ron Weinland bases his comments on:

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

It is actually the misunderstanding of verse 4 above, that the narration did not discuss today, that is the reason that CGPFK claims that it has prophetic validity.  CGPFK essentially teaches Joseph Tkach fulfilled Daniel 11:31 (which has not had its final fulfillment) and that is why CGPFK’s prophetic claims that the Great Tribulation has began can have validity.  But Joseph Tkach was NOT the man of sin, nor did he fulfill Daniel 11:31.

Notice the order given in 2 Thessalonians is FIRST there is a falling away, THEN afterwards the man of sin is revealed. And while a major falling away from the truth did occur, it was after J. Tkach revealed doctrines of lawlessness, not before.

Also notice the next scriptures in 2 Thessalonians that Ronald Weinland failed to quote:

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:5-10).

Joseph Tkach simply did not have any special powers such as those required for the man of sin.  So like Gerald Flurry of PCG, Ronald Weinland of CGPFK has made the error of ignoring scripture to support the inaccurate doctrine that Joseph Tkach was the man of sin.

While I do not necessarily accept any particular scholar’s interpretation of scripture, Scofield’s order seems consistent with what the passages in 2 Thessalonians suggest to me at least:

Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition)

Chapter 2…

2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

for that day

The order of events is:

(1) The working of the mystery of lawlessness under divine restraint which had already begun in the apostle’s time 2 Thessalonians 2:7

(2) the apostasy of the professing church 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Luke 18:8; 2 Timothy 3:1-8.

(3) the removal of that which restrains the mystery of lawlessness 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7…

(4) the manifestation of the lawless one 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10; Daniel 7:8; 9:27; Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:2-10

(5) the coming of Christ in glory and the destruction of the lawless one 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:11-21

The man of sin is coming and probably lives in Europe right now.  And those who chose not to believe that, will themselves ultimately be deceived.

For more on please consider reading the following:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains who he was and how he should be viewed today.
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 (first April 17th, then June 2008, now December 14, 2008). Why is he a false prophet? He also has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the Church of God.
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”? What is ahead for Europe?
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Internet Users By Country

COGwriter

For a while I have been warning my oldest son Michael (who is a Mac-user) that Apple computers would be facing computer virus attacks.  And while he has not yet been affected, this seems to now be a problem:

Experts: Malicious program targets Macs

By John D. Sutter

(CNN) — Mac computers are known for their near-immunity to malicious computer programs that plague PCs.

But that may be changing somewhat, according to computer security researchers. It seems that as sleek Mac computers become more popular, they’re also more sought-after targets for the authors of harmful programs.

“The bad guys generally go toward the biggest target, what will get them the biggest bang for their buck,” said Kevin Haley, a director of security response at Symantec.

Until recently, the big target always was Microsoft Windows, and Apple computers were protected by “relative obscurity,” he said.

But blogs are buzzing this week about what two Symantec researchers have called the first harmful computer program to strike specifically at Mac.

This Trojan horse program, dubbed the “iBotnet,” has infected only a few thousand Mac machines, but it represents a step in the evolution of malicious computer software, Haley said.

The iBotnet is a sign that harmful programs are moving toward Mac, said Paul Henry, a forensics and security analyst at Lumension Security in Arizona.

“We all knew it was going to happen,” he said. “It was just a matter of time, and, personally, I think we’re going to see a lot more of it.”…

Mac users at large, however, should not be alarmed by the incident, experts said. The program infects only computers whose users downloaded pirated versions of the Mac software iWork.

The harmful software is a Trojan horse, meaning it tries to sneak into the computer with some sort of permission from the user. Computer worms travel differently. They wiggle their way into computers and replicate without the owner’s approval or knowledge.

The Mac program is called a botnet because infected computers become part of a network that is controlled by the program’s author…

In a statement, Apple said it is working to prevent security problems.

“Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users,” the statement says.  http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/22/first.mac.botnet/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

The Apostle Paul, while not familiar with computers, was inspired to write:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:1-4).

Now even Mac-users also live in perilous computer times.  I believe that more attacks toward Macs will continue and some will be quite serious.

COGwriter

In the movie “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed”, Ben Stein interviewed various scientists who explained that many academic institutions are so unscientific that they will hurt the careers of serious scientists who write papers demonstrating that that the “theory of evolution” (it is actually a model/proposed explanation, not a true theory), as commonly understood, cannot be correct.

In his latest commentary, LCG’s Dr. Jeffrey Fall calls evolution the new “opium of the people”:

The opium of the people

By Jeffrey Fall | Thursday, April 23, 2009

The atheistic philosopher Karl Marx, an evolutionist and a contemporary of Charles Darwin, once called religion the “opium of the people.”  In our day, however, Darwin’s theories and their successors have become the “opium of the people”—dulling the mindset of the educated and uneducated alike.

Even without any semblance of genuine evidence, countless millions have made a “religion” out of their blind faith that life originated from lifeless chemicals and that all living beings today are descended from primitive life forms which emerged from the primordial ooze billions of years ago.  Even Charles Darwin himself expressed surprise at how readily people adopted his theories: “I was a young man with unformed ideas. I threw out queries, suggestions, wondering all the time about everything and to my astonishment the ideas took like wildfire. People made a religion out of them.”

What did Darwin mean when he stated that “people made a religion” out of his theories? Simply put: the idea that life spontaneously evolved from non-life is a belief requiring a firm faith in something that has no proof.

“Spontaneous generation” describes a theory of the origin of life—the living springing out of the nonliving. Scientists long ago abandoned the simple-minded assumption that maggots spontaneously generated out of meat left in open-air meat markets. As soon as it was discovered that flies were laying their eggs in the meat, “spontaneous generation” was laughed to scorn. The false religion of evolution, though, still makes the claim that, at some point in history, spontaneous generation must have occurred. Way back in past eons of time—somehow, somewhere—the first living organism spontaneously generated from nonliving matter.

Nobel Prize winner Dr. George Wald, from Harvard University, stated the following: “One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet, here we are as a result, I believe, of spontaneous generation.”

Talk about blind faith with absolutely no proof! This was an admission that spontaneous generation is impossible. But this very educated Nobel Prize winner still believed!

And Dr. Fall is correct.  It rarely fails to astound me how the slightly educated can insist that evolution is scientifically accurate and why they want people to mindlessly accept such a preposterous explanation of the origins of life.

The fact is that evolution is a false religion that many cling to so that they do not bother to look into the truth about why they are on this planet nor what their life really is supposed to be about.

For some additional information of possibly related interest, please review the following:

Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge.
Where Did God Come From? Any ideas? And how has God been able to exist? Who is God?
How is God Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient? Here is a biblical article by Wallace Smith which answers what many really wonder about it.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
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.

Unofficial Earth Day Flag

COGwriter

Today has been designated as “Earth Day”.  COGaIC posted the following yesterday about it:

Earth Day Report:
Green With Compassion

Barring natural disasters or other forces beyond our control, when human relationships are good, life is good. And while we may have all kinds of important relationships, perhaps the most important for ensuring that life is good—or even that it’s possible at all—is the crucial interaction that occurs between humanity and the planet we inhabit.

The above article mainly had to do with interpersonal relationships and did not really discuss Earth Day per se, despite the headline (although it is clear that human behavior affects the planet).

There are several scriptures that would seem to be  appropriate for “Earth Day”.  Here is one to look at:

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it (Genesis 2:15).

The concept of tending and keeping a garden suggests proper environmental stewardship.

Notice, however, the following:

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).

Thus, God is not pleased when humans abuse the environment.

And the time for God’s judgment is coming.  Probably next decade.  The time to turn to God is now, for whosoever will respond to God’s calling.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
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. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradaumus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?

COGwriter

In his latest ad in The Journal, TPM’s William Dankenbring wrote the following:

Obama’s Legacy
As our nations tumble off the economic cliff and fall to destruction, prophesied in the Word of God, Barack Hussein Obama has become the President of America. Could he become the long anticipated “Antichrist”?

The Antichrist will be a governing “beast” or ravenous dictator spoken of in Revelation, chapter 13. As we study that chapter, we find that even though the Antichrist is a beast he has the number of a man, and his number is 666. Thus, numbers are important indicators of the Antichrist and of antichrist activity.

It is interesting that Obama claims Hawaii as his birthplace, although he has never proved that. Using his claim, however, we find some very interesting numbers. We know that Satan told Almighty God in Job 1:7 that he had come from walking to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. To and fro would indicate latitude, and up and down would indicate longitude.

The latitude of the claimed birthplace of Obama in Hawaii is 21.6. Those three digits that make up 21.6 are significant because the number 216 is the number 6 cubed, or 6 × 6 × 6 = 216. Obama was born on August 4, 1961, which is the 216th day of the year, another 666. We also know that Obama’s office in Chicago, Illinois, had an interesting zip code: 60606.

In the ancient Babylonian numbering system of letters having numerical equivalents increasing by six for each letter, we find that the words “A messiah Barack” equal 666. We also know from Revelation, chapters 7 and 14, that the number 144,000 represents the people of Almighty God. It is the Antichrist that tries to divide them. If we divide the number 144,000 by 666, we find an amazing quotient of 216.216216. If we divide 144,000 by 216, we get the number 666.666666.

Obama is also connected with Kenya, which is no doubt his real place of birth. The word Kenya is actually a feminine word pronounced “Keenya,” and it refers in feminine usage to the “cradle of mankind” in the native Kikuyu language. The literal meaning of the word Kenya is “the abode of the gods.” Even Obama’s political roots in Illinois are significant because the word Illinois is an Algonquin word which means ‘Tribe of superior men,’ or, in other words, the master race.

Now, most of the above is utter foolishness in my opinion. W. Dankenbring has a history of playing around with numbers and proposing positions based upon his imaginations of what he feels the numbers mean.  He has been repeatedly shown to be in error from many forecasts that he made this way (please see Teachings of Triumph Prophetic Ministries).

And while W. Dankenbring has previously suggested that Barack Obama may become “the King of the World” (see TPM: Obama – King of the World?), the fact is (as I have long wrote, please see Barack Obama is Not the Antichrist and Eight More Reasons Why Barak Obama is NOT the Antichrist), Barack Obama is not and cannot be the final Antichrist.

However, without national repentance, the U.S.A. is doomed for destruction.  And because of the timing of his election, President Obama will apparently (and mainly inadvertently) continue the trend towards that destruction.  And while I do applaud President Obama’s announcements yesterday about trying to eliminate torture by the U.S.A. government, I do not applaud his abortion positions and do not believe that he will lead the U.S.A. to national repentance.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Teachings of Triumph Prophetic Ministries William Dankenbring’s ministry–incorrectly speculates on various dates and holds to some odd doctrines.
SDA/LCG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Living Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Barack Obama Carries Hindu Monkey God Although there are some strange and false stories about Barack Obama, this one seems to be true.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?

COGwriter

In what seems to be a public news release, PCG reported the following:

Pastor General visits Big Sandy, acquires sculpture

April 13, 2009

BIG SANDY, TX – Pastor General Gerald Flurry arrived here on the former campus of Ambassador College Wednesday, April 8, at 2:40 p.m. to personally inspect the condition of the bronze sculpture that has dominated its entryway for over 40 years.

“Swans in Flight,” a bronze-and-steel sculpture depicting the five stages of a swan taking flight, was unveiled in 1968 by Herbert W. Armstrong and English sculptor David Wynne in a ceremony attended by members of the Worldwide Church of God and the local press. The artist personally oversaw the installation of the five bronze swans in a 120-foot-long reflecting pool…

Referring to Amos 9:11, Mr. Flurry said, “We have a responsibility to raise the ruins. We are going to show the world the best of the human spirit, combined with God’s Holy Spirit.” He added, “God has given us these gifts to raise up the ruins and He’s even giving us some of the treasures He gave to Mr. Armstrong. This swan sculpture is going to bring life to our campus in a special way.”

Source: http://www.pcog.org/article.php?articleid=82

PCG has for a long time, focused (in my opinion) on mainly how to physically appear to be like the old WCG.

Please notice the following:

Emperor Constantine I, appointed his mother Helen as Augusta, and gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury in order to locate the relics of Judeo-Christian tradition. (Helena of Constantinople. Wikipedia, viewed 04/20/09)

It was mainly because of Constantine and Helena that the Greco-Roman churches adopted idols and icons for their churches.  The Bible itself warns that even using genuine relics can be a problem (2 Kings 18:4).

And while I do not believe that those in PCG will worship the sculpture, I do believe that they will feel that its ownership proves (to many of them at least) that PCG is the correct church.

While I have nothing against a swan sculpture, this announcement from PCG really did remind me of Emperor Constantine’s mother’s quest for relics and pictures in the fourth century.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include the following:

Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (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.
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?

Beijing After Rain                  Beijing on a Normal Sunny Day

COGwriter

China is starting to wonder about the USA enough that it may invest start doing some serious investing in Europe:

China sovereign wealth fund may invest in Europe

AFP – April 20, 2009

China’s sovereign wealth fund is considering investments in Europe, the head of the 200-billion-dollar organisation was quoted as saying in the Financial Times on Monday. Lou Jiwei, chairman of the China Investment Corporation, said the fund might turn to the continent after initially shunning it because European officials had voiced concerns about its transparency and motives. “I have to thank these European officials,” Lou told a regional forum in south China over the weekend. “They saved me a lot of money. Now they come to me without conditions and I am beginning to consider making investments in Europe again.”

During a trip to Beijing in February last year, Peter Mandelson, then the European Union trade commissioner, called for a global code of conduct for sovereign wealth funds.

While the China Investment Corporation has not been a major player in Europe since its establishment in 2007, it has made several high-profile and costly investment decisions in the United States.

Among them was a five billion dollar investment in Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley in December 2007 which saw the fund rack up almost four billion dollars in unrealised losses as the bank was hit by the credit crisis, earlier state media reports said.

The fund was set up to help China find more lucrative ways to place its massive foreign exchange reserves, which now stand at 1.95 trillion dollars and are parked mainly in low-yield instruments such as US Treasury bonds.

However, the fund has so far not lived up to expectations, partly because of its launch date, shortly before the global financial crisis, while at the same time raising suspicions abroad about China’s intentions.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.0925fb623751509033503a6aad28e748.301&show_article=1

The EUs position against gaining massive amounts of debt have had to have had an effect on the cautious Chinese.  And the fact that many suspect that the financial health of the USA is fragile, must also be a major factor.

Of course, as regular readers of the COGwriter page are aware, the Bible tells of a soon coming time when the Beast power in Europe will be the major economic leader of the world.  Events continue to show the fulfillment of these and other biblical prophecies.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
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”? What is ahead for Europe?
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? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. Here are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.