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Sunday 21 September 2008

A Career Move for Dropouts?

Here's the latest missive from Rod Meredith. It's a kind of "wanted ad" for manly young recruits to rally to the Imperious Leader and his gerontocracy. Not a bad idea, but how many young guys out there - at least the sort of non-intellectual, submissive jocks with acceptably deep voices - would be even slightly interested?

With the need being great, isn't it time to ordain Bob Thiel?

Dear Fellow Servants of Christ,

I want to thank all of you and all of the brethren who prayed for my wife! We have received dozens of cards, notes, emails and phone calls to encourage her and let her know you were praying for her. So thank you, very much, for your kindness and your concern. I, personally, appreciate it very much.

Sheryl is growing steadily stronger, although it is a slow process this time - slower than it was five and one half years ago. So it will take a number of weeks for her to regain her full strength. And we will appreciate your continued prayers and concern - as we should pray for all the brethren who are ill or have serious physical problems. God will surely honor us if we fervently pray for one another.

On another note, I would like to ask all of you to intensify your efforts to reach out in every way you can to leading men - including young men - and try to "coach" and strengthen those who have the capacity to serve in leadership positions in the Church. We certainly need more leaders - and certainly more ministers - as the Work grows.

Even now, as some of you know, a few men from other fellowships are beginning to come with us - some not yet announced - and this will be a big help. But, as these things become better known, additional scores and perhaps even hundreds of members from other Church of God fellowships may begin to join with us as they see where the Work of God is really being accomplished! As the prophetic events truly cascade forward in their intensity, it will focus people's minds on reality. They will then have to see where Christ is working most powerfully.

So we must do everything we can to prepare more leaders - and more ministers - to serve in Christ's Work and help us "feed the flock" in every way we can. Remember the Apostle Paul's admonition to Timothy: "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:1-2).

Remember, fellows, none of us were "perfect" - and still are not - when we were first placed in the ministry. Many of us were very young - as I myself was only 22 years old! Let us not "despise the youth" (1 Tim. 4:12) of some of our young men and wait until they are 40 or 50 years old before thinking they are "old enough" to serve in the Work. As world events rush forward, as others of our separated brethren come with us, as additional thousands of brand new people come along, we will need these young men - and certainly older men - to help us in the ministry and in the leadership of the Church of God.

Therefore, I urge you to earnestly "seek out" those men who seem truly converted, "conquered by God," as Mr. Armstrong used to say - and who have really good biblical knowledge, good personalities and leadership capacity. Work with them. Pray for them. Strengthen them and bring them along in every way you can as this will certainly help us build a foundation for great growth in the future.

Thank you for all of your help and your loyalty to the Church of which Christ is the living Head! Thank you for your work and sacrifice. Let us all keep forging ahead with all the strength that God gives us and truly prepare the way for Christ's coming Kingdom in a way that honors Him and honors our Father in heaven.

Roderick C. Meredith

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gavin
I sicerely hope that you will join and pray with LCG about not just this but that our Lord will come soon. This is no time to be on the doubting side. Even Jay Leno made a statement about this is being no time take God out of the public life. I think he was responding to some group pressuring to remove in God we trust off our money. Even he can see the state we are in while you guys are on the side line.Wake up. New Zealand is the same state. By the way I used to think NZ was a moral nation till I saw some reports coming outa there about their women being the most promisquous)sp? and other craziness.I had no idea you were so bad.

Anonymous said...

There's nothing new about Rod Meredith calling for young lower-level leadership. He's been doing that for the last five years or so.

Libro

(But it is nice that Sheryl is recovering...)

Anonymous said...

If Rod ordains Bob, he will open an irreversible floodgate. Bob is a problem for Rod because he is probably the most effective recruiter of defectors of other churches. All of Bob's writings are geared toward ex-WCG members. His great commission appears to be, "Go ye therefore into all the church." I would bet that most new LCG members come from other COGs and do so because of what they read in Bob's blog. If Rod legitimizes Bob, he will marginalize himself. I don't see this happening.

Anonymous said...

Phil 1:15-18 Paul says that even though the motives are not always pure, the fact that the gospel is being preached is a joy to him. There are many minor disagreements between the various groups, but they should all take Paul's attitude.

Anonymous said...

Rod will never be able to recruit quality ministers for LCG. Too many people have figured out that he is a habitual liar, and that God does not work through men who habitually and deliberately violate the Ten Commandments.

Rod's pattern for recruiting new leaders is predictable. He flatters a prospective new minister, makes all sorts of great promises to him, then once the new minister is on the payroll Rod breaks the promises one by one, until he has "broken" the minister and made him a compliant hireling. Ask any of the many ministers who have left Meredith over the years. Rod "leads" by telling lies and pitting people against each other. Rod can only convince the most ambitious and ungodly that his inspiration comes from God.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like Gavin, Dennis Diehl and Byker Bob would fill the bill just fine.

Submit your resume' now!

Lussneheide

Anonymous said...

How can you possibly fix something like LCG, and put it back on a fast growth track?

You'd need to get rid of false and extrabiblical theories, like British Israelism. You'd also need to put more emphasis on the saving power of Jesus Christ, rather than considering that to be a function of, or method of escaping the horrors of the end time.

In other words, you'd need to place everything back on a pure level, a level in which people come to repentance by other methods than being backed into a corner via prophecy and deprivation. How pure are peoples' hearts when they do something out of duress, simply to save themselves?

Again, to foster purity of motives and the heart, you'd need to elliminate elitism, and authoritarianism. Ideally, members should be able to study their own Bibles, and even the materials from other denominations in some cases, and to draw their own conclusions, rather than having everything rammed down their throats under pain of disfellowshipment for disobedience.
These folks talk a lot about the Holy Spirit. Now they need to learn to trust the Holy Spirit, to work in the minds of individual Christians. Current ACOG methods do not produce transformation of the heart, they produce robotism. Domo arrogato, Mr. Robotto.

We all know LCG and the other splinters will never change. Their methods are the psychological equivalent of Mohammed's concept of conversion to Islam through jihad. They have strong memories of Herbert W. Armstrong making such methods work and producing 30% growth per year. They make a serious mistake when they fail to realize that such growth had more to do with the personality of HWA than truth, God, or anything of a spiritual nature. Nobody in any of the splinters has an HWA level personality, the only ingredient which made WCG charlatanism work. Remove the head of a personality cult, and of course the organization will collapse, and you then have your proof that it was all, in the words of Gamaliel, the work of men.

BB

Anonymous said...

One could get the impression that Worldwide defectors are flooding into LCG as the Huguenots moved to Great Britain.

But what God gives is not enough...Rod wants MORE.

He believes in tithing,so therefore can expect only to receive a tenth of the promising young leaders who will lick his bootstraps.

And besides,it is God who chooses leaders...Rod talks about encouraging those who seem to be leaders...perhaps he should learn a lesson or two from the anointing of David; that God doesn't choose as man would.But Rod will choose by the sight of his eyes,of course,and employ proven boot lickers to serve as his minions and do his bidding.

Besides,for this final gunlap,to employ a Herbalisim,we have other worthies as well: United,Philadelphia,
Packatollah,Weinland...they surely are just as deserving of more resources for their efforts in this end time.

Of course,Rod's plea for more members and leaders is an oblique way of asking for more tithes and offerings.

Yesterday,for five minutes I viewed Larry Ames on TV just to keep my disgust fresh.I also watched Hour of Power (Robert Schuler),Mortlock of the City Impact Church),and the weekend before,Charles Stanley and before that BISHOP Tamaki of Destiny.

These all have a place, as well, in promoting the gospel.

Perhaps I should console myself in the writings of my forebears..Petrus Kenicius,Primate of Sweden,Johannes Rudbeckius,Bishop of Västerås and Royal Chaplain and his 3 sons who were bishops and Anders Hilleström,another Lutheran bishop...I am sure their writings will be just as enlightening as those of Rod Meredith.

Cheers,

Jorgheinz

Anonymous said...

"Even Jay Leno made a statement..."

Wow..now this is credible proof of time is short.

"This is no time to be on the doubting side."

It's hard to switch back once you get the doubts. It's like saying "You must relax." The must makes me not relax. It's like saying "You shall love with ALL your mind, body and soul." It's hard to know if you're being sincere if you are commanded to and you have to do it sincerly with all you have. Maybe it's me, but maybe sincerity just isn't commandable. Is there a better time to doubt than now?

"this is being no time take God out of the public life"

Has God made some public appearances I am unaware of or missed? Is there a better time to do this too?

"to remove in God we trust off our money"

Yeah, if we ever do that, we've had it financially as a nation and down the drain goes the birthright and inheritance.

"By the way I used to think NZ was a moral nation."

Yes, it's pretty much an all moral or all immoral nation thing. NZ had some sinners infest the place and it was all down hill after that. Theocracy would have stamped that out first sign.

"till I saw some reports coming outa there about their women being the most promisquous)sp? and other craziness."

After that report the applications for work and citizenship in NZ went up dramatically. Probably a Chamber of Commerce ploy.

"I had no idea you were so bad."

Then this would be considered "New Truth"

"Wake up. New Zealand.."

America Listen? Well that din't work out so good either.

I think a search for lower life level leadership, no wait, lower level leadership..sorry, will be very successful in any COG.

No, I really know where Old Zealand is. :) I am one.

Anonymous said...

How would Rod! recognize the men who have the truth wisdom?

Anonymous said...

This appeal for younger ministers by RCM is a smokescreen to make it appear there is a surge of growth in LCG when the opposite is true. LCG is struggling to keep members and ministers. It's also a way to keep younger men attending in hopes they will be ordained, i.e. bribing them with a tantalizing office. Meanwhile, experienced elders continue to leave out the back door into other groups. But, hey, younger guys make better yes men and lap dogs.

Corky said...

I sure am glad that it's the end time. (unlike the end time of the NT 2,000 years ago). And unlike the end time of the 1940s or of 1972. Wow, I get so tired of waiting . . . I want the damn world to end TODAY!

Ole Gamaliel wasn't so wise when he said that if the thing wasn't of God that it wouldn't last. Just look at how long Islam has lasted . . . and if that isn't enough, look how long Buddhism has lasted!

But, you know what folks? Once someone believes that serpents could talk, Adam didn't have to learn to talk, a woman was made from a rib, Adam named all the animals in the world, a tree that gives people knowledge of good and evil, a tree that gives immortality, gods, angels, demons etc. Well, they'll believe just about any old stupid crap, just so long as it isn't science.

Especially the scientific theory of evolutionary biology . . . oh no, any stupid thing but that!

I am totally ashamed that I ever believed in a spirit world . . . it is so ridiculous that any adult should be ashamed that they cannot stand on their on two feet without the crutch of religion.

Rod wants some recruits? Too damn bad - he won't be getting any. He will only be getting parrots, a** kissers and other con-men wanting his job.

Religious con-men come and religious con-men go but the meme goes on forever. If you believe that a man rose from the grave after three days you are either stupid or "The Day of the Dead" is your favorite sci-fi movie.

Anonymous said...

What I have suspected for some time is that Rod and the rest have sort of a rotating list of topics, that they move from one to another to, in no particular order. Many churches and advertising agencies have these. It’s sort of a theme codex. You draw a card from the top of the deck that reads “Youth Leaders” and do your rant on that and then place the card at the bottom of the deck. This is the reason behind so many items seeming to pop out of nowhere. In real churches, it’s themes based on seasons. (There is a whole industry wound up in this. Often it is possible to go from one protestant church to another and hear them all weirdly talking about the same thing. A lack of originality, inspiration and just plain old original effort is sadly not restricted to the COGS.) The promises of more good news to come seems to belie that idea, but I can’t help but think that Rod really doesn’t have any new news.

I am very much enjoying your run down of NZ political parties.

Sorry to hear that your land is now perverted and is not heeding the urgent words of the LCG. You obviously don’t know a good gunlap when you are on one.

Mark Lax

Anonymous said...

As an ex- member whoops I forgot only the Board are members. As an ex fleeced sheep of Living I remember one individual ask for her mother to be put on the prayer list and the minister (if that is what you want to call him) refused and said only members of the church are allowed on this list. Once again, RCM talks the talk but never walks the walk until that particular trial hits him personally and then all of a sudden it ok now. Out in the public he says one thing and then practices another in his own church and yes, I did say that correctly it is RCM’s Church.

Anonymous said...

Corky,

Lately, there has been a series on Islam and Christianity on TBN. Did you know that Jesus is called Isa in the Koran, and is regarded as a prophet? His virgin birth is described. The Muslims also respect the Old Testament.

It's just that they consider Mohammed to be the last prophet sent to mankind, and because of this, he receives preeminence.

Unfortunately, every time I bring up some of the positives from other religions, some draw the wrong conclusions, and assume that I have converted to Catholicism, or have become a Jew, or Evangelical. I am not converting to Islam, and there are many things which I consider to be very weird about that religion, such as their clothing style, the terroristic fringe of their religion, and their daily foot washing and prayer rituals. Nevertheless, there are some positives, and Islamics do have some similarities to Christians. I believe them to be a mixture of truth and error, and to the extent to which they seek God, the Gamaliel principle may apply to some of them, also.

Terrorists are quite a different thing altogether. And, God help us if our Western nations are ever placed under Sharia law!

BB

Baashabob said...

Libro 66 informed us:
"There's nothing new about Rod Meredith calling for young lower-level leadership."

From my observations over the years all the leadership is at a very low level indeed.

Anonymous said...

"And, God help us if our Western nations are ever placed under Sharia law!"


Or Torah. While the likelihood of that happening is slim to none, the thought is just as frightening as Sharia. Or hell, even a Christian theocracy gives me the creeps.



Paul Ray

Anonymous said...

Years ago an Air Force chaplain and Rabbi who had served for many years in Istanbul told me that in his experience the spirit of God was alive and well in Christianity, Judaism and even in Islam. One might not hear that from every Rabbi, but his constant immersion in those three communities had left him with no other explanation for the decency and goodness he found in people of all three faiths.

Perhaps Meredith's way of life is even a cut above those. If so, then may vast numbers flock to his side as the more excellent teachings he purveys become known to more and more sincere seekers of truth and its commensurate excellence and lovingkindness of lifestyle.

        AMERICAN KABUKI said...

anonymous said....
...By the way I used to think NZ was a moral nation till I saw some reports coming out a [sic] there about their women being the most promisquous and other craziness. I had no idea you were so bad.


Boy neither did I!

This is really a stealth attempt at increasing Kiwi Tourism isn't it? I thought so!

PS: Our evangelicals often forget how Puritanical America is compared to the rest of the world.

Anonymous said...

"Meanwhile, experienced elders continue to leave out the back door into other groups"

I for one will wait until Rod dies and then make my move. I shall be supreme leader. I will own the church.

Anonymous said...

“Did you know that Jesus is called Isa in the Koran, and is regarded as a prophet? His virgin birth is described. The Muslims also respect the Old Testament.”

Sadly, this is all eyewash on several levels. Don’t feel bad though; the deception is deliberate. Islam is one of several religions which claimed to be “successors” to Christianity and other faiths. Many of these glommed Christ as a teacher or even as God as a preamble, only to go onto say that their own guru was now advancing the mantle. (Shades of Herb and before him Magnus and before him so many others.) The claim to respect is based on the term used, describing Jews and Christians as “people of the Book.” This is looked at several ways. In its best light, it means that at least what these people believe in is actually written down. This puts them a leg up compared to other faiths at the time which Islam was competing with, which were more or less just made up or based on a purely oral tradition. (One and the same, as far as the Islamic mind was concerned: If you don’t write it down, it does not matter.) In that case, the faith of the Jews and Christians is considered an advancement, towards which the Islam is the ultimate goal. In the original parlance, however, the term “people of the book” was a slam. To be brief, it derides the faith of Jews and Christians as being based only on what it written, whereas Islam, with its separate manifestos and comprehensive system of worship is the direct, mainline way to submit to God directly. If anything, the one improvement Islam has over Christianity is that it has a built in emphasis on naming its competitors and refuting them.

Mark Lax

Anonymous said...

"Did you know that Jesus is called Isa in the Koran, and is regarded as a prophet? His virgin birth is described."

I knew that. I also knew that Muslims regard the christological figure as docetic.

Extremist Muslims and extremist Christians (think White Supremacists/Christian Identity) have more similarities than differences; militant terrorism, oppression of women, thought-reform techniques on the young, idolatry of war, etcetera, etcetera.

The reason they share these similarities is precisely because Christianity and Islam are branches (along with Judaism) from the same tree, known as "Abrahamic religion".

And yet, they've all been blowing each other up for going on three thousand years now. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

How does a church board exalt itself so high that it alone qualifies for membership in the church they serve? One might remember the kings of Israel who were required by Biblical law to make copies of the Torah for themselves, and immerse themselves in them lest their hearts be exalted above their brethren.

The point was and is that even the king was at best a member of Jacob's family. His job description made him a chief servant of the whole family, and he was not to imagine himself above his fellows. He was required by God to diligently keep himself from self-exaltation.

Some presumptions of church leaders mentioned here are loathsome and soundly condemned in the Scriptures they claim to represent. Fortunately, church brethren can read. Would God that they can believe what they read and act accordingly.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Christianity is also a mixture of truth and error.

Perhaps some of their tenets are de rigueur reading from Woop Woop, and are more appropriately done in the dunny.

When I watch TV from the USA, I am quite amazed at how nutty all the preachers on the major "Christian" networks are, not to mention how big of a business it is!

Anonymous said...

"...but his constant immersion in those three communities had left him with no other explanation for the decency and goodness he found in people of all three faiths."


No other explanation? How about the ability of humans to be good apart from a supernatural deity? I guess that concept was too far out there for Herr Rabbi to grasp.


Paul Ray

Anonymous said...

Paul Ray, you ask a huge question. "How about the ability of humans to be good apart from a supernatural deity? I guess that concept was too far out there for Herr Rabbi to grasp."

I don't question the ability of humans to be good apart from a supernatural deity, but I do question the willingness. I remember the Buckminster Fuller seminars in Los Angeles years ago in which he showed the practicality of cooperation over competition. But it seems that someone always gets greedy and is intimidating enough to hold sway.

Your argument is at the heart of the theoretical conflict between Socialism and Capitalism. One might look at the failure of the godless Soviet world to produce Nobel prizes, that is, in comparison with peoples who revere Judeo-Christian principles.

Where there is no fear (awe) of God, there is presumably less confidence for inspired invention. What is to prevent theft of ideas in a world governed only by police and dictators?

I'm convinced that apart from the awe of God, particularly in a world where society is saturated with both good and bad inclinations, the ability of people to consistently do good is not enough to keep us all on that path. Here is a quote from George Washington's farewell address to make the argument for a God-fearing society far better than I can:

"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Anonymous said...

"I remember the Buckminster Fuller seminars in Los Angeles years ago in which he showed the practicality of cooperation over competition. But it seems that someone always gets greedy and is intimidating enough to hold sway."

And most of them are ministurds. So where's your supernatural entity now huh?

If you've got a title, and you're at the top of a tithing food chain (otherwise known as "religion") you can't be trusted. The math is simple.

"One might look at the failure of the godless Soviet world to produce Nobel prizes, that is, in comparison with peoples who revere Judeo-Christian principles.

Oh, that's right, let's compare, shall we?

- Gawd's government on earth is a top-down theocracy, and the apawstle with the most tithes wins.

- The lowly member's sole contribution to the communal good, rigidly-enforced is "Pray, pay, and obey, all that I say."

- If you're not "converted" or "gawdly" enough (read: following all of the rules to the very last letter), you're sure to be reported by your fellow party members -- I'm sorry, I mean your "brethren" to party leaders -- I'm sorry I mean "the ministry".

- All the wealth flows in one direction while the starving masses huddle for crumbs.

- Church literature is the only "approved" literature.

- Mein Kampf was the operations manual used.

Yep the church is completely different from communism! Not at all alike! /sarcasm

"I wonder if Christianity is also a mixture of truth and error."

Maybe. Except you have to squint hard and read between the lines (or read your own interpretation in) to find any "truth" that isn't toxic. Said "truth" that becomes toxic, as soon as you try to apply your own personal insights to others as the One True Way of Thought-Reform.

Anonymous said...

Paul Ray wrote:
"How about the ability of humans to be good apart from a supernatural deity?"

This is another one of the perennial questions philosophers have asked for many centuries.

For some serious discussion of this, please read THE END OF FAITH by Sam Harris, or even his very brief book LETTER TO A CHRISTIAN NATION.

There are some excellent arguments leveled by “the other side” of this discussion, which COGer’s and other fundamentalists would be wise to have a working knowledge of. Whether they'd be in agreement with such arguments or not, at least be familiar with what the other side is saying.

This would be just basic logic and fairness in action.

Anonymous said...

Purple Hymnal –

I didn't say anything about church governments and did not have churches in mind. I was speaking primarily of America's need for a God revering, politically informed electorate, without which the Constitution was neither expected nor intended to function.

Is it not the role of churches and other houses of worship to provide Godly moral and ethical standards? Our founding fathers believed this and spoke and wrote of it often, e.g. Washington’s Farewell address.

Why do you think churches and Godly governments are top down tithing funnels? Biblical tithing had no central governance. Landed Israelites gave every tenth animal and a tenth of their fungible produce to the Levites of their personal choice, presumably those in cities close to farms. It was not trickled down or overseen from a central government clearing house. For this reason it did not pay for Levites to get uppity with local gentry.

Only Catholics have a Pope. The government of Armstrong’s WCG was an anomaly in the Protestant world. (It claimed it wasn’t Protestant, but it used a Protestant Bible, Protestant services format, Protestant performance music, a 2 in 1 variation on the 3 in 1 God and, early on, protested vigorously against Roman Catholicism. It was its own kind of Protestant [non-]denomination.)

Mormons might be top-down, and Hasidic Jewish denominations are too, but most churches, including Catholic churches, are not money trees for stuffing priests’ and ministers’ pockets. Many Catholic clerics take vows of poverty. I recently bought a truck from a Protestant pastor who supports himself with another job and refuses donations from his congregation. With the money from the truck he sent his daughter to Indonesia for missionary training.

My point is that serving God isn’t a lucrative, fat cat scam. It is a matter of answering a spiritual call felt so intensely that the person feeling the call cannot move in any other direction. Church ministries are full of people like this.

Take cover; it could even happen to you.

Anonymous said...

"Landed Israelites gave every tenth animal and a tenth of their fungible produce."

So explain to me, anon, the exact vagaries of how our present-day Christian Crusaders get from that, to "the prosperity gospel".

"Why do you think churches and Godly governments are top down tithing funnels?"

Because that is the only thing "godly governments" (of which there is no such thing) are, ever have been, and ever will be.

"Only Catholics have a Pope."

I dunno, Herbie did a pretty good job of acting like one.

"(It claimed it wasn’t Protestant, but it used a Protestant Bible, Protestant services format, Protestant performance music, a 2 in 1 variation on the 3 in 1 God and, early on, protested vigorously against Roman Catholicism. It was its own kind of Protestant [non-]denomination.)

Disagree with that. It was closer to what styles itself as "Messianic Judaism" these days. It may have used the KJV, but the services format was nothing even close to protestant.

Which evangelical/protestant church is it that preaches fire and brimstone for four hours, and thinks the crackers and grape juice are cannibalism again? Oh that's right. There are none! (Not Protestant ones at any rate.)

Don't even get me started on the "used Protestant music" fallacy. You have seen the blog, haven't you?

"....most churches, including Catholic churches, are not money trees for stuffing priests’ and ministers’ pockets."

I'm sorry, have you actually been inside a church lately? Why should the sheeple give money at all, to an invisible Sky Daddy that doesn't exist, so they can stare at a $30M chandelier while they're screamed at about eternal damnation?

"Many Catholic clerics take vows of poverty."

Don't forget those vows of "chastity" they're supposed to take, as well.

And spare me the apologetic for the RCC, Jared or Darren (or whoever you are): They have their own cultic groups too, so they're not exempt from the same problems that plague all religion IMO.

"It is a matter of answering a spiritual call felt so intensely that the person feeling the call cannot move in any other direction. Church ministries are full of people like this."

I dunno which "Church ministry" you're shilling for in particular here anon, but I have yet to see any minister who was ordained, titled, or simply felt/acted entitled, to act in the manner you describe above.

I can understand what you're saying about the intensity of the "call" however; better men than most ministurds are have succumbed to the temptation of filthy lucre, since time immemorial, and will continue to do so, as long as they have willing tithe slaves.

Oh but that's right, the sheeple are "giving to gawd".

"Take cover; it could even happen to you."

LOL well my fundy-preachin' atheist days are almost over, I would say. I am still an atheist, but I have given up preaching atheism.

Just about the only thing I'll "preach" against these days is blatant Armstrongism that is masquerading as evangelicism or protestantism, or any kind of One True Religion black-or-white thinking.

Anonymous said...

Yer funny. Cheers.

Anonymous said...

"Yer funny. Cheers."

Better to laugh instead of tearing one's hair out yes? ;-)