It seems the once cosy relationship between Ron Dart's CEM and the Tyler Church of God has ended in a messy separation, and resignations have been flying. There's a lengthy article on these developments by Dixon Cartwright.
Art Mokarow wanted to start "something new and different," so he called it the Association for Biblical Research. Hmm... octogenarian Art is definitely old enough to recall that Ernie Martin established something called the Foundation for Biblical Research back in the 70s. Al Carrozzo, another ghost from the past still remembered for blowing the whistle on Garner Ted's shenanigans, is also involved in ABR. Sadly, there seems to be no website.
Back to Ron Dart who, with all that free time he has now there are no sermons to prepare for the TCOG, has teamed up with the indomitable Pam Dewey to write a book (or more properly a booklet given that it runs to under 50 pages) called Doctrinal Self Defense. Here's the blurb:The ancient Athenians of Paul's day gave their time to nothing more than hearing some new thing. They had nothing on the modern crowds waiting in line at grocery checkouts. The supermarket tabloids are sold by the millions because so many love to read some new thing. And the more astounding that new thing, the more appealing it is, whether it's the latest juicy gossip about a celebrity scandal, or the latest wild speculation on UFOs. Unfortunately, much of the world of religion still constantly thrives on some new thing too. There is an endless stream of wannabee gurus peddling Astounding New Truth (ANT) about prophecy, or obscure doctrinal topics, or hidden codes in the Bible, or lost keys to getting your prayers answered. What is really astounding is how easily so many of them can gather a following through their literature, recordings, websites, and broadcasts no matter how outlandish or unsubstantiated their claims. If your home or church congregation has been infested with ANTs, you may wonder what you can do to defend yourself and your loved ones. That is what this book is about.
ANTs... clever. Published by the POD firm Wasteland Press, you can pick up a copy for only $8 from Amazon.
Gary Arvidson - yet one more name from the dim, dark, distant past - rambles on about prophetic countdowns and the seventy weeks prophecy. "This sequel to [a previous Journal essay] points to possible significance for the year 2007 based on what came to pass in that year. It is a starting point for what is happening in 2008. So it now appears reasonable that 2007 could have been a pivotal year." Whoa, with sharp logic like that someone's gotta introduce this guy to Ronnie Weinland!
But wait, there's more! Alan Knight is back with an article on - are you ready for this? - shamanism. Actually Alan, those recovery stories told about dead youngsters being brought back to life by Elijah (1Kings 17) and Elisha (2 Kings 4) just reek of shamanism according to many scholars... but of course that's a long way from the point of Alan's rant on the wicked Babylonian influences that have subverted mainline Christianity.
Sprightly Don Billingsley, faithful flock-meister to the COG-FF, age 82, has overcome his recent grief sufficiently to tie the knot once more less than a year after the death of his first wife Madeline. The new Mrs Billingsley is 71.
Dennis Diehl contributes a letter to the editor about Willie Dankenbring's newly minted apostleship, and provides a column on long, lonely train whistles: perhaps the highlight of the issue.
Finally, there are details of the Barrett survey, which should be going online within the next day or so. The web address is www.quest.thenewbelievers.com. Put this one on your to-do list! You'll need to punch in a password. "Entry to the questionnaire is password-protected to prevent false entries by people outside the [COGs]. The password is six letters followed by four numbers: the town where HWA first began his radio ministry, and the year this occurred."
There are brief mentions of Raymond McNair's death and Rod Meredith's stroke.
With all that to digest, I haven't dared to peel back the pages of the Connections ad section yet... there's such a thing as too much excitement in one day ;-)
As always, Dixon kindly provides free access to the front and back pages in PDF form.
34 comments:
I would suggest for Ron & Pam(since they must have forgotten the ANT bed that they now find themselves in)to make a hefty bowl of popcorn and spend some time viewing the Steven Hassan video entitled "The Strategic Interaction Approach."
Who knows it may even remind them that cult jargon such as the acronyms that the COGs continue to identify with, is still there in the "fiery" Dart system, and Pam is in need of "a strong hand from somewhere" to bring her out of the system.(ie, George?=)
I find it amusing your "amazing new truths" bible book link brought up Amazon sponsored ads: for pest exterminators!!!
Then again, how apropos for the COGs.
The Journal certainly always conveys an impression as to the geriatric nature of the Armstrong movement, doesn't it? It almost resembles a newsletter geared to WWII vets.
Now you even have "youngsters" studying it as a phenomenon for their doctoral theses!
BB
Boys and girls, moms and dads, enjoy a little "Feast Fun" during one of those boring sermons! For all the family to enjoy, HWA Video has put together a little gift for you! Try to put the puzzle together and learn the Plain Truth about top on down government!
Yeah, the Journal:
July 31, 2008 - Time-sensitive
material - Please rush!
I'd be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner, by the time that one arrived, LOL!
Please pass the Cranberry sauce...
b²
"There is an endless stream of wannabee gurus peddling Astounding New Truth (ANT) about prophecy, or obscure doctrinal topics, or hidden codes in the Bible, or lost keys to getting your prayers answered."
Yeah, including Sabbath-keeping and tithing!
Paul Ray
So let me get this straight.....Ron and Pam have written an ANT booklet about how to deal with ANTs. That's hilarious!
How about IGNORE it and move on? No need for a "how to" book....! Then again, I suppose writing this stuff keeps these two busy and off the streets, plus it's cheap therapy for working out their own COG baggage.
forego the book.
check out the real Ant's structure.
Here is a bit of ANT,
that Pam & Rom have surely missed.
Here it is for those who thrive on Astounding new truth!
this ANT is ancient.
Does Pam teach tithing?
If she does...WOW...
simply, wow.
No, I don't think she does. I was also under the impression that she didn't think Sabbath observance was neccessary for salvation. Now Ron, on the other hand, has stayed true to the ANT's that he learned at the feet of HWA (cause he certainly didn't learn it from reading the Bible).
Paul Ray
So why is Dewey involved in Dart's splinter??? I was under the impression her and the hubby had their own......
Paul Ray ...
I was also under the impression that she didn't think Sabbath observance was neccessary (sic) for salvation. Now Ron, on the other hand, has stayed true to the ANT's that he learned at the feet of HWA (cause he certainly didn't learn it from reading the Bible) (sick, sick, sick).
Paul Ray
Paul Ray,
You certainly did not learn your own Sabbath-rejecting ideas from reading the Bible! You seem to think that you can angrily spout off any nonsense you feel like in the hope that you can fool some simple folks into rejecting God's ways.
Check out Genesis 2:2-3 where the Creator of everything rested on the seventh day and blessed it and made it holy.
Check out Exodus 20:8-11 where God Himself, in one of His Ten Commandments, told the Israelites to rest on the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath day.
Check out Mark 2:27-28 where Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for (not against) man (not just the Jews).
Check out Luke 4:16-17 where it says that Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day "as was His custom."
Check out Isaiah 66:22-24 where it talks about a time in the future when all mankind will come and bow down to the LORD from one Sabbath to another. (Verse 24 mentions where guys like Paul Ray will end up if they do not smarten up.)
Now, loathsome rebel Paul, would you care to try to show me FROM THE BIBLE where the idea of rejecting God's laws, customs, and ways in order to observe the traditions of men (such as Sunday-keeping) came from?
Also, if you won't smarten up, why don't you just resign yourself to the idea of burning alone and being "loathsome to all mankind" by yourself. Why do you try to take others with you?
Mr. Annon.
Your "Check outs.." are all fine and contained in either the OT which is obviously pro-sabbath or the Gospels, which are also pro-sabbath.
However, and this is the problem with Jewish vs. Pauline Gentile Christianity, we don't find many "check outs.." in Paul's writings, either genuine or psuedo.
The Apostle Paul and his writings have always caused the COG's fits.
Paul was a hellenized half Jew half gentile wanna be who tanked all things Jewish in his Gospel so the Gentiles would find his message appealing.
His Jesus was Cosmic and only found in the visions of his head. He never met the Gospel Jesus, never quoted him, never told a story about him and never appealed to Jesus teachings when it would have been to his advantage to do so.
Paul's gospel truly was his own, did not reflect the teachings of the Jewish James, Peter and John, for whom he had litte use (Gal 1-2) Paul braggs how little if anything they added to his comsmic Jesus knowledge. Not much of a team player.
Seems to keep coming up but I'll say it again. Paul was probably the false teacher in Revelation that the Ephesian Church, Jewish Christians, found wanting and not a true Apostle. He was one who said he was a Jew but was not. The Beast in Revelation is Vespasian and the Roman Occupiers of Jerusalem.
We all know the COG spin on "difficult scriptures" and Paul, but Paul was no friend to Jewish Christians. He made fun of them and insulted them at every turn. He faked obedience when he had to to save face or his life, but he was lying about not changing the customs and such. He was. In Acts he says he will adhere to the Acts 15 guidelines and in I Cor. he mocks them and tells the Gentiles to forget it.
If you cut Paul out of the NT, then yes, you have a sabbath keeping Christian subset of Judaism which Jesus would recognize and would function in. The Gospel Jesus and the Cosmic Christ of Paul were two worlds apart as is the Gospel Jesus and The Jesus of Revelation.
Aside from prooftexing your way through the tulips, understanding who and what Paul was in relation to the Church under James in Jerusalem and that it is Paul who is the founder of today's Gentile Christianity, is a must to understand the whole pic.
Don't ever think you can ever wed James, who is edited out of the NT and Paul, who is it's champion in one coherent cooperative Church.
Apples and oranges....
Ok now Paul...calm down....be gentle :)
...the "calm down Paul" was Paul Ray, not the Apostle Paul. I can see it coming... :)
Dennis said...
Mr. Annon.
... However, and this is the problem with Jewish vs. Pauline Gentile Christianity, we don't find many "check outs.." in Paul's writings, either genuine or psuedo (sic).
The Apostle Paul and his writings have always caused the COG's fits (sicker).
... Ok now Paul [Ray] (sickest)...calm down... [don't fly into one of those satanic fits that you stubborn rebels so often do] :)
Dennis,
Why jump into the Valley of Gehenna with all the ripped Glad garbage bags, old tomato soup cans, and rebels? Don't be so quick to try to join Paul Ray in being "loathsome to all mankind."
Correction: It is, in fact, God and His inspired writings that have always caused Satan's false churches fits.
Check out II Peter 3:14-18 where the Apostle Peter said that Paul's letters, "contain some things that are hard to understand, which IGNORANT and UNSTABLE people DISTORT, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the ERROR of LAWLESS men and fall from your secure position."
I am sure that God could have inspired the Bible to be clearer. I think it was deliberately set up so that those who want to sin [break God's laws] can delude themselves with clever-sounding arguments based on verses that they do not understand.
Check out Paul's own word's in Romans 6:1-2 where he said, "Shall we go on sinning [breaking God's laws] so that grace may increase? BY NO MEANS!"
Check out Paul's own word's in Romans 6:15 where he said, "Shall we sin [break God's laws] because we are not under the law but under grace? BY NO MEANS!"
Check out Paul's own words in I Corinthians 7:19 where he said, "Keeping God's commands is what counts."
Check out Paul's own words in Galatians 2:17 where he said, "...does that mean that Christ promotes sin [breaking God's laws]? ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
I suppose this could all be hard to understand for those who want it to be.
As for all those churches that distort Paul's teachings, "as they do the other Scriptures," check out Paul's own words in II Corinthians 11:13-15 where he said that, "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve [the valley full of ripped Glad garbage bags, old tomato soup cans, rebels like P.R., etc.]"
Check out Paul's own words in Galatians 2:1-10 where he said that he went up to Jerusalem "for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain" (verse 2). The leaders in Jerusalem "added nothing to [Paul's] message" (verse 6). "On the contrary they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews" (verse 7). Wow! Such harmony and team work. Each taking the SAME gospel to their own assigned audience.
Much, much more could be said. But now, Dennis, without lying too much, tell us what silly books you have been reading that try to make Paul out to be a sinner opposed to God's laws and the other Apostles?
"I was under the impression her and the hubby had their own......"
Not so. Pam and George, from what I knew, aren't in the business.
I think Pam is a good influence in the COG community. I just hope her theology keeps progressing straight into mainstream Christianity.
Paul Ray
"You seem to think that you can angrily spout off any nonsense..."
Why do you think I was angry? Nothing in my post came across that way. Unless you continue to couple criticism with anger and bitterness. You definately learned that from HWA.
"you feel like in the hope that you can fool some simple folks into rejecting God's ways..."
I have no such hope. I can't un-fool such "simple folks" because it isn't a matter of fooling- but a matter of getting people to take a critical, objective look at the Bible. The fooling part came when these "simple folks" refected critical, objective thinking and accepted a twisted theology based on prooftexts and faulty assumptions cobbled together by HWA.
Why do you call these people, "simple folk?" Are you in the ministry or a teaching position?
Thanks for the (sic) and (Sick). I got a kick out of that.
Paul Ray, aka, The Apostate Paul
"Now, loathsome rebel Paul, would you care to try to show me FROM THE BIBLE where the idea of rejecting God's laws, customs, and ways in order to observe the traditions of men (such as Sunday-keeping) came from?"
Ever heard of Galatians? Romans? Of course you have. You know, those pesky "difficult scriptures" and all.
Paul Ray, Loathsome and Loving It
Hey Anonymous 1:13, your fierce and nasty comments to Paul Ray made me think of something: why not change your religion from fundamentalist Christianity to fundamentalist Islam - they could use a few more ignorant, hot-headed, uneducated morons like you to further their ideology! After all, al Qaeda has lost a lot of their top leadership, perhaps you might find an opening for your unthinking religious vitriol!
"Much, much more could be said. But now, Dennis, without lying too much, tell us what silly books you have been reading that try to make Paul out to be a sinner opposed to God's laws and the other Apostles?
I would dare you to read the Jewish scholar take on how Paul uses their book against the Jews and misquotes and misrepresents everything from Pharisees to what the scriptures he quotes actually are talking about. In depth and not for the faint of heart.
Anti Semitism and the New Testament by Lillian Freudman
Also,
The Religion of the Occident by Larson would pin your ears back. Well not yours, but an open minded thinker.
If you wish a more to the point read, try Paul the Mythmaker by Hyamm Maccoby.
Then get back to me AFTER you have digested them. Should take a few months.
"Not so. Pam and George, from what I knew, aren't in the business."
ISTR mention of them "gathering" a group just outside one of the larger FOT sites, some years back (might have been a LCG fest). Siphoning off suckers, it smelled like to me.
"I think Pam is a good influence in the COG community. I just hope her theology keeps progressing straight into mainstream Christianity."
As long as she progresses straight out of it as well, I'm inclined to agree with you. I used to quote her "What do you think you really know about hell?" site everywhere, but then it seemed to have disappeared.
Still, I'm sorry she's hooked in with Dart's splinter. Like Hulme's, it's one of the ones where the members protest just a bit too much, just how innocuous they are --- all the while remaining more secretive than, say, the Illuminati......
And hey, Anon, if you really want your head to spin, try reading some Robert Price: He claims Paul/Saul was Simon Magus!
Now that's some twisted myth, yo.
Dear Sabbatard,
I will willingly accept a fiery death in the Valley of Glad rather than bow at the feet of your psychotic, genocidal god.
It is my sincerest wish that you adhere to the Law as much as possible, especially those parts which require you to stay apart from the World. Please, do us a favor. Keep out of our gene pool.
With Christian Love,
Paul Ray
Dear Sabbatard,
I will also challenge thee, on the name of Herbert W Armstrong, to take Bill's Quiz. I doubt you will, being a Sabbatard with no free will and deathly afraid of consructive criticism, but just in case:
http://shadowsofwcg.blogspot.com/2008/09/reading-comprehension-test.html#links
With Double Helpings of Christian Love,
Paul Ray
Paul,
Dennis,
Leotardo,
Scarlet Hymnal,
Other Potential Landfill Material,
Just trying to keep you defective types out of the dumps--the garbage dumps, that is, with the ripped Glad garbage bags, old tomato soup cans, rebels, etc. I thought maybe you could be recycled instead. Maybe not?
Why do you think I was angry? Nothing in my post came across that way.
NONSENSE! It all comes across that way all the time. Your type is always angry.
Ever heard of Galatians? Romans?
OF COURSE! Quoted from them above, and from Corinthians. Could also quote more from them, and from other NT books. Have you ever understood them?
Islam - they could use a few more ignorant, hot-headed, uneducated morons ... to further their ideology!
STOP! They have enough of those already. Don't any of you hotheaded, uneducated morons join them.
Then get back to me AFTER you have digested them.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! That BS cannot be digested. No sensible person could stomach it.
And hey, Anon, if you really want your head to spin, try reading some Robert Price: He claims Paul/Saul was Simon Magus!
REALLY!? Well, shame on him for telling such fibs. This is what happens when someone's parents don't teach him not to lie.
I have seen some of the MANY BOOKS that have flooded the world and that claim to prove this or that about God and the Bible. They invariably prove to be quite the bitter disappointment. Not as bitter as some of the blog posters here, but bitter enough. Endless, different, contradictory nonsense and ignorance gets passed off as proof of something or other. But all it really proves is that the devil really has deceived the whole world.
It is not surprising at all that you can find many biblically illiterate writers who use "prooftexts" from NT books that they do not understand (like Romans, Galatians, and all the rest) to try to make it say something different than what the Bible has always said.
*sigh*
Regarding all those silly books,
Some of the books mentioned here remind me of when I was a young teenager walking through a large department store. I once saw on a rack a couple paperback books about UFOs and other strange, unexplained mysteries. On the spines of both was written the classification: "nonfiction." In my youthful naivety, I thought that there must be something to the books. I thought that surely the author would not be allowed to have them classed as "nonfiction" unless they were true.
Well, I know better now. But that does not mean that I cannot appreciate the many uses for such silly books. They can be used to steady old tables that have one leg too short. They can be used for door stops. Best of all, they can be burned in wood stoves to provide heat in the winter during an energy crisis.
Dear Sabbatardian:
"NONSENSE! It all comes across that way all the time. Your type is always angry."
I'm not the one screaming IN ALL CAPS!
"Ever heard of Galatians? Romans?
OF COURSE! Quoted from them above, and from Corinthians. Could also quote more from them, and from other NT books. Have you ever understood them?"
Yes, I understand them quite well. It took me a long time, but I finally understood them. You see, it took all that time to unclog my mind, to unlearn, all the erroneous "explanations" that I had been taught by GTA and Ron Dart and to a lesser extent, HWA. I finally understood those two books when I read and took them at face value. That's all it took.
I would wager that those two books are a hard read for you. They use to disturb me; too many "difficult" scriptures.
Paul Ray
I'm not the one screaming IN ALL CAPS! [Emphasis by Paul Ray]
Paul Ray
Yes you are. Try not to get so angry all the time.
I have come to the conclusion that either our latest "anonymous" is very, very misguided ---
OR, they are instead participating in the most side-splitting, hands-down funniest satire of a current CoG member that has ever graced teh Intarwebs.
Keep up the good work anon! Read Animal Farm lately? ;-D
Anonymous 2:19, your words of "wisdom" above are an ample demonstration as to WHY you desperately need to read more widely than you obviously have in the past.
You simply are incapable of articulating any kind of thoughtful, intelligible response worth seriously reading. Arbitrary and emotional ASSERTION is your stock and trade, as it has always been for fundamentalist-type religions, since they have rejected plain common sense and empirical fact-based evidence in exchange for thier version of “divine revelation.”
And you are one of the “best” examples of such a mindset in action, as is plain for all who read your worthless comments above.
Leonardo said...
Blah, blah, blah....
Leonardo,
Right back at you--with corrections--you typer of unsubstantiated trivia.
Your words of "wisdom" above are an ample demonstration as to WHY you desperately need to read more widely than you obviously have in the past.
You simply are incapable of articulating any kind of thoughtful, intelligible response worth seriously reading. Arbitrary and emotional ASSERTION is your stock [in] trade, as it has always been for [funny mentalist atheists], since they have rejected plain common sense and empirical fact-based evidence in exchange for their version of [freedom to indulge in depravity].
And you are [just] one of [many] examples of such a mindset in action, as is plain for all who read your worthless comments above.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand yet another example of a "Christian" who does not hold to their "first and only commandment" in the mythological godman they claim lived and died a long time ago in Jerusalem.
"By their fruits shall you know them."
Is it me, or has something gone off?
Anonymous 12:49, your response above was so cogent and well-argued that I'm simply left speechless - and so will not "answer a fool according to his folly!"
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