The Prophet of Arroyo Grande responds

Bob Thiel is a regular visitor here on Otagosh. After reading Burn, Baby! Burn!  a few days ago, Bob seems to have decided that I'm pushing an unfounded rumour that the United Church of God is abandoning BI. Bob immediately leapt into action, calling UCG's Aaron Dean who denied any such intent. But then he would, wouldn't he.

My first question is what the heck Aaron Dean is doing taking inquisitorial calls from Prophet Bob of all people.

My second question is how Bob managed to put Otagosh in the center of his little storm in a teacup. There has been discussion on this matter in various places on the web, but the discussion first arose here only a few days ago with these observations from a regular commenter (on UCG Slides).

I tried the newly designed UCG website. It's a difficult labyrinth to get to the "Booklets", and when you do, the US & Britain one is at the bottom!! a crisis dilemma for them!! Look for it to disappear altogether this year.

Not my words, you'll note. Shortly after this comment was submitted.

Congratulations to those who have been hammering against British Israelism recently. It's really paying off now as the morons in charge of UCG are just about to give up on it. When they do, we can ridicule them for dropping a major plank of Armstrongism. Either way they lose big time. 

Again, not my words. In fact, I felt this was an uncharitable approach, and this was the thrust of the second piece, Burn, Baby! Burn! If anything, it was intended to strike a conciliatory tone. My own thoughts on the matter were reasonably clear.

Will the United Church of God walk away from BI? The best that can be expected is probably a continuing de-emphasis. And hey, that's progress, even though there's an awful lot more change needed yet.

Which is hardly cause for Bob to have a hernia over in his own little mini-me cult corner. But I guess this matter will settle itself as we see how much Beyond Today pushes BI over the course of this year.

Bob, being Bob, then launches on one of his lengthy screeds to prove just how much sweetness and light there is in BI. Racist? Oh my goodness, gracious no. Then he tackles the second issue I raised about anti-intellectualism - with a lengthy quote from Herbert W. Armstrong among other things, a strategy which seems a little self-defeating. Finally, he opines on accountability by reassuring us that God's "government leaders are accountable to Him."

My question is, exactly how is Bob accountable to God? How does that work? Do they have regular conference calls?

To be fair, I did mention Bob as one of "the one-man-band warlords" of COGdom, which may have been a tad indelicate, so perhaps an eruption was to be expected. The word count on Bob's response breaks 6,120. The Otagosh piece he's responding to was under 450. Maybe he pays himself by the word.

I'd give you a link to Bob's opus, but as he never links here I guess I'll return the compliment.

Which only leaves one further question. Who on earth is this "Gaving" character?