Just in time for the presidential election, that "award-winning researcher, biblical scholar and one of the world's foremost authorities on end time prophecies," Dr. Bob Thiel, has launched a new book entitled Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States.This book explains about how, by virtue of his background and policies, Barack Obama is fulfilling, and will continue to help fulfill, various prophecies that will lead to the destruction of the United States.Yes, I know most readers have no idea who Bob is, despite being an award-winning researcher, biblical scholar and a foremost authority - obviously you've all been out of the scholarly loop. Bob is superbly qualified to write about this kinda stuff, what with being a published naturopath, and holding a mail-order ThD from Kochi, India. He is best known for his apologetics on behalf of the Roderick C. Meredith sect, the Living Church of God, which produces the Tomorrow's World TV program and magazine.
[T]hough not ordained as a deacon or elder, hands have twice been properly laid upon me for the Holy Spirit (once upon baptism & on 12/15/11 for a "double-portion" of the Holy Spirit) and I try to do what it seems God wants (1 Timothy 4:14-16). On 12/16/2011, evangelist Richard Ames publicly prayed that I would continue to do the work of God as I had been doing (internet, writing and advising LCG leadership, radio, etc.), which also received "Amen" concurrence from evangelists Roderick C. Meredith and Douglas Winnail. Richard Ames later on 12/16/11 called my writings, including my upcoming church history and prophecy book, an "additional witness."What greater recommendation couldst thou want!? Eat your heart out Bart Ehrman! But wait, there's more! This essential tome is currently available free on Kindle, but only if you act now. After today (Saturday, US time) you'll have to shell out a few bucks.
To be honest, I thought I could ignore Bob once I ditched the old Ambassador Watch blog, but this is just too bizarre to overlook.
(Thanks to Douglas Becker, who pointed out the availability of Dr. Bob's newest
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ReplyDeleteWell, if he has a DOUBLE PORTION of the Holy Spirit, who can doubt? Certainly not I - I'm told by my good friend Tom that I don't even have a single portion. Weeping and gnashing of teeth in the outer darkness is all I have to look forward to, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteNo worries - I'm not complaining - I'm told on good authority that this is all completely fair and just.
Why are they always on about the destruction of the United States? They must "hate us for our freedom" (GW Bush). Why is it never about the destruction of Israel or Iceland?
ReplyDeleteBecause Israel is SUPPOSED to be destroyed, according to prophecy. It's the dirty little secret of the premillennialist pact with zionism. The end-timers support the state of Israel, so that it can be destroyed in Armageddon.
DeleteSave the Jews so God can have the privilege of smashing them!
A love-hate relationship...
DeleteIf Obama is fulfilling prophecy, shouldn't the raving right be obligated to vote for him? Similarly, any politician paving the way for the Antichrist, the mark of the Beast, and Armageddon (stifled laughing) should receive the full support of Christians unless they intend to resist God's plan.
ReplyDeleteOh what a tangled web we weave…
I never knew Dr. Thiel received a "double-up" of the Spirit last December. Don't recall him mentioning it at the time. So why didn't the top LCG leaders go ahead and ordain him?
ReplyDeleteI checked a concordance, and found only one person in the Bible requested a double portion of the Spirit - Elisha (II Kings 2). So why didn't anyone in the New Testament request such a thing? Perhaps because being "filled with the Spirit" on Pentecost (Acts 2) was enough?
[The following comments come from Tom, slightly edited. Unfortunately Blogger doesn't allow direct edits. A couple of original statements were a bit "direct" for my tastes... even though they might well be fair comment. Tom's perceptions, when it comes to LCG, are credible given his past association with that group. Gavin.]
ReplyDelete*****
The skeptic said...
>Well, if he has a DOUBLE PORTION of the Holy Spirit, who can doubt? Certainly not I - I'm told by my good friend Tom that I don't even have a single portion.<
I never said anything of the kind! But now that you mentioned it, to date, there is no evidence of the Holy Spirit of Truth in anything you have written. But there may be hope for the future!
Anyway, while browsing some of the COG sites I saw Bob's book being promoted by himself. The moment he mentioned that Richard Ames, Doug Winnail and Dr Meredith approved his writings, I immediately switched off and recoiled in horror!
After the break up WCG in 1995, Richards Ames remained for 18 months with WCG as the pastor of the Glendora, California congregation, preaching that Christ is divided and God is author of confusion. After Dr Meredith, who is his brother-in-law, promised him a job with LCG, he resigned from WCG and joined LCG on an undisclosed salary. His acceptance in LCG, among other things, was a key reason for me leaving.
As a former board member of LCG, and host of two congregations in England and one in Wales until October 2000, I met with both Doug Winnail and Dr. Meredith. Doug Winnail is a consummate politician, who knows how to play the system. He has ordained his son, Scott, and moved him to Charlotte to help train the ministry. Scott is a pleasant young man, but he doesn't have the experience or wisdom to even give a sermon, [let alone] train the ministry!
And all that one needs to say about Dr. Meredith is that he has appointed himself as Mr Armstrong's natural successor, even though the bible says, "He that commends himself is NOT approved, but whom the Lord commends"(2 Corinthians 10:18).
So if Bob and his writings have the "blessing" of these three hirelings, it is the kiss of death for or Bob!
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Considering their doctrines and beliefs, President Obama is such an easy target for Armstrongists. You have to wonder what they might be saying if a staunch conservative African American such as Alan Keyes had become president, though. I remember this same cast of characters trashing Tom Bradley when he became mayor of Los Angeles, and even calling his election disgraceful.
ReplyDeleteThe really strange part of this all is that the ACOGs have always preached that secular authority is God-ordained, and as such, to be respected. But, that belief is always subject to their British Israel filters. Frankly, they should be subjected to a very special Bible study, one in which the minority origins and mixed marriages of so many Biblical patriarchs is chronicled. Even that probably wouldn't faze them!
BB
In response to my little joke about Tom saying I don't have the Holy Spirit, Tom replied "I never said anything of the kind". Come on Tom, let's not be cute. You said words that mean exactly that. You said in a previous post that you think less than 1% of WCG members actually were converted. Therefore 99% were and are unconverted and by definition do not have the Holy Spirit. That would include me.
ReplyDeleteActually, Tom has it right. I don't have the Holy Spirit. Neither does Tom. Neither does Bob Thiel. Nor anyone else Why do I say this? Because the Holy Spirit is a figment of (some) people's imaginations. Nothing more my friends.
Well, Skeptic, we have to remember, classic old school WCG was an institution where ad hominem attack was openly utilized, and, thus legitimized from the pulpit. It's an obstacle to serious debate that a lot of current and former members still carry around with them.
DeleteBB
Bob, I don't believe Tom was trying to attack or insult anybody. He has appraised the situation and concluded that 99%+ of us were never really converted. That is his honest opinion.
DeleteOf course, Tom himself is among the <1% who ARE truly converted and will rule over us as kings and priests!
One doesn't quite know whether to laugh or cry. I'd pray for Tom, but I found out that doesn't work. Bollocks! What's an ex-WCGer to do?
Skeptic said...
ReplyDelete>Of course, Tom himself is among the <1% who ARE truly converted and will rule over us as kings and priests!<
I hope that I am among the 1%. But as the Chosen Vessel observed: "I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"(Philippians 3:13-14).
God children will not be ruling over anyone who is not in God's kingdom! If, sadly, you are hurled into the lake of fire, you will be tormented by demons. That will be horrific!
If I recall correctly, did I not read out of I Timothy 3 in relationship to Roderick Meredith and asked you why you did not obey the Scripture "from such turn away"? It was the daylight basement of the Lutheran Church where United had its Sabbath services.
DeleteI'm still waiting for an answer.
That's it in a nutshell isn't it: obey God and receive great rewards, disobey and incur terrible punishment. It rather sounds like a parent talking to a two-year-old. Perhaps this approach had some success when used by ancient priests on an illiterate, ignorant population. Today, however, most people can see through it.
DeleteDemons? Are you now trying to scare me with mythical beings? I no more fear demons than I fear dragons or aliens.
Well, and yes, Herbert Armstrong talked to us all like we were two-year-olds and not as full partners in some Converted Christian Association as full partners in the pursuit of salvation who could study and read the Bible (whether it is true or not) for themselves, thank you very much... but then, you would expect that from a sociopath Mafia Don, wouldn't you?
DeleteThe Skeptic, you must not live in the United States. Many of us here fear aliens with good reason -- not the extraterrestrial kind, but you know, from Canada and Mexico!
But some things we can embrace: "From such turn away" is good advice no matter who you are.
Douglas, I do live in the U.S.A. But I don't fear aliens. Aliens clean our offices after we go home at the end of the day. Aliens mow my lawn. Aliens installed my patio several years ago, and replaced my roof. Generally what happens is, you call an American company, an American comes to your house, assesses the situation, provides you with an estimate and negotiates a deal with you. Then, when it comes time to do the work, the American guy shows up that morning with 8 aliens. He starts them off, then drives away. They work hard and do a really good job. He sends you the bill.
DeleteMy grandparents immigrated to the U.S.A. from Germany. They were aliens at first, of course. All they were looking for was a better life for their families. The same goes for most of the current group of aliens. I have no problem with that.
In fact, if you look at the demographics, there are only way two ways this country is going to be able to deal with its aging baby boomers: (1) drastically cut their social security payments and medicare coverage or (2) keep bringing in aliens to (a) do the necessary work and (b) pay the payroll taxes. I favor door number two.
As for illegal Mexican aliens, I think the fault lies with Mexico and the Spaniard ruling class there. Mexico is a country rich in resources so that everyone living there could be prosperous. If it were done right, no one there would want to come to the United States? Why would they? To get a worse deal? The reality is that the poor people there are subjugated and badly mistreated by privilege and power. It could be a lot better.
DeleteI live in an area where the illegal aliens come and mow the lawns and when people return, they find their gas tanks have been drained. The Russian Mafia is a real threat, but no one talks about them. An owner of a restaurant here told me that she had to move her son to go to school elsewhere because teen Russian Mafia were threatening his life.
My son-in-law was a Mexican coyotee, bringing illegals across the border in order to get forged documents to pursue getting a citizenship after marrying our daughter. He is a complete psychopath who has lied from the beginning: He said he was never married before, but his divorce decree was final just a week before he married our daughter. And now he doesn't let our daughter have any money at all (she has to live on welfare) because he's putting all the money from his job so he can bring his mother from Mexico. Afterward, he has made it clear that he will leave our daughter and take the children back to Mexico with him, where he can start another family.
My daughter worked for a Taco chain where everyone but her was an illegal alien working there and they didn't much speak English. Immigration could have emptied the place of employees, but they're too busy with other priorities. You must admit though, the Tacos are CHEAP!
So on the balance, it's hard to say whether we should fear the drug cartel illegal aliens or not, when you have such positive experience in exploiting them instead of the other way around.
Doug, I'm sorry you're going through that. I didn't mean to make light of the problems involved with large waves of low-income immigrants. It's clear there are two sides to the story.
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