Church of God News

I posted the following a couple of days ago, but lost it due to a problem with Word Press (which is why the TW Christmas item and LU item are combined as I do not know how to fix them), so here is basically a repost of the great Chinese news:

China to implement fully religious freedom: President

Xinhua – Dec 19, 2007

Beijing (Xinhua) – Chinese President Hu Jintao Wednesday said the ruling Communist party would fully implement its policy of free religious belief and affairs in line with the law of the land, adding that the party recognizes religion as a constant factor in Chinese society.

‘We shall fully carry out the party’s policy of free religious belief and manage the relevant affairs in line with the law,’ Hu, also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), told the members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

China’s management on religion would be based on human understanding, he said, adding mutual respect is a must.

‘The party and the government shall reach out to religious believers in difficulties and help them through their problems,’ he said.

Hu also stressed the training and promotion of religious professionals, saying the CPC would help and support religious groups improve self governance, voice the opinions of followers, and protect their legal rights and interests.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/161509.html

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Comments by COGwriter

As reported less than two weeks ago, it looks that there is to be a Chinese Factory to Be World’s Leading Bible Producer.

I have been praying for the Chinese for some time and am glad to see that they intend to allow additional religious freedom. Hopefully, this will also translate into loosening up of the internet restrictions there (Google in China specifically blocks access to many websites based upon either official input or certain words or phrases).

My major concern is that the announcement seems to suggest a state management of religious freedom (what happened during the Smyrna era of the Church of God led to a combined Church-State persecutions of the true faith), but it does sound like more religious freedom will be allowed in the Peoples Republic of China. 

Historically, there have been Sabbath-keepers in China and others who simply did not accept the mainstream “brands” that pass for Christianity (please see the articles China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China and The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers ).

The Bible states that the whole world will be involved in worship, hence this will also include the Chinese–and though many will be deceived at the end, the Bible shows that the Chinese will see through this religious deception before the Europeans will (details are in the article China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 3: China in Prophecy).

Interestingly, notice what a Chinese character meaning righteous is made of:

Righteous(ness)	= Sheep	+ Hand	+ Lance

The New Testament account of Abel refers to:

…the blood of righteous Abel (Matthew 23:35).

And the Bible refers to Christ as the lamb of God who was slain by the hand of a man who forced a sword of some type into Him. Hence, even some Chinese symbolism has some ties to the Bible (please see the article China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters ).

Hopefully, many in China will pray, study their Bibles, and study the History of Early Christianity so that they will be able to practice what the Bible calls “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and not be subject to the religious deception that will come further upon the world.

  TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

WCG sent out an email stating:

Speaking of Life, with Dr. Joseph Tkach: “The Meaning of Christmas” — The Christian celebration on December 25th is about Jesus, not about whether he was actually born on that day.
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Comments by COGwriter

Of course, since pretty much everyone who has investigated the matter knows that it is close to impossible for Jesus to have been born on December 25th, J. Tkach has decided to try to suggest that Jesus is the subject of Christmas.

And those who have looked into the history and adoption of Christmas celbrations realize that that is also not true.  As reported earlier on this news page, this time period was adopted because pagans claiming to be Christian could not resist participating in parties for pagan gods that were held then (please see news item WCG and Christmas: “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”?).

Christmas shifts emphasis from the true God to pagan substitutes.  For example, notice something that the Apostle Paul was inspired to write:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Yet, Christmas teaches children that throughout the year that they need to sit before the judgment of Santa Claus–a pagan substitute for Christ. 

Wreaths were used as pagan symbols during the Saturnalia and still are somehow supposed to now indicate honoring the God of the Bible.

Notice a little bit from The Catholic Encyclopedia:

The Gospels. Concerning the date of Christ’s birth the Gospels give no help; upon their data contradictory arguments are based. The census would have been impossible in winter: a whole population could not then be put in motion…

Natalis Invicti. The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. For the history of the solar cult, its position in the Roman Empire, and syncretism with Mithraism, see Cumont’s epoch-making “Textes et Monuments” etc., I, ii, 4, 6, p. 355…The earliest rapprochement of the births of Christ and the sun is in Cypr., “De pasch. Comp.”, xix, “O quam præclare providentia ut illo die quo natus est Sol . . . nasceretur Christus.” – “O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born . . . Christ should be born.”…

Cards and presents. Pagan customs centering round the January calends gravitated to Christmas…

The yule log. The calend fires were a scandal even to Rome, and St. Boniface obtained from Pope Zachary their abolition (Martindale C. Christmas, 1908).

Of course Christmas trees and many other symbols associated with modern Christmas celebrations are also of pagan (pre-Christian) origins. Here is some of what Wikipedia mentions:

With likely origins in European pre-Christian cultures, the Christmas tree has gained an extensive history and become a common sight during the winter season in various countries. Patron trees (for example, the Irminsul, Thor’s Oak and the figurative Yggdrasil) held special significance for the ancient Germanic tribes, appearing throughout historic accounts as sacred symbols and objects. According to Adam of Bremen, in Scandinavia the Germanic pagan kings sacrificed nine males (the number nine is a significant number in Norse mythology) of each species at the sacred groves every ninth year…

Other notable traditions in relation to Christmas have also been derived from Germanic pagan practices, including the Yule log, Christmas ham, Yule Goat, stuffing stockings[4], elements of Santa Claus and his nocturnal ride through the sky, and surviving elements of Pre-Christian Alpine traditions (Christmas Trees. Wikipedia. viewed 12/21/07).

Essentially, pagans who professed Christ wanted to keep their pagan symbols and celebrations and that is what happened to make Christmas.

Christmas celebrations do not emphasize Christ.  They emphasize pagan substitutes and is that really something the the God of the Bible would want?

An article of related interest would be What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?

The current issue of LCG’s Tomorrows World magazine has the following in an article by its Rod McNair titled “Christmas: Harmful for Children?:

Saturnalia’s Dark Echoes

Author Hugo Slim reminds us that Christmas “is perhaps the best example of the early Church Christianizing the traditional non-Christian festivals of a season—in this case the festivals of returning light surrounding the winter solstice” (A Feast of Festivals, pp. 36–37). The Romans celebrated the solstice season as the “Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture” (Fillmore, p. 10).
This connection to the Saturnalia reveals an even darker side to Christmas traditions, and shows plainly why Christmas is not a child-friendly holiday! The Encyclopaedia Britannica explains that at the feast of Saturnalia, “all classes exchanged gifts, the commonest being wax tapers and clay dolls. These dolls were especially given to children…” (article: “Saturnalia,” 11th edition). What was the purpose of those gifts? “Varro thought these dolls represented original sacrifices of human beings to the infernal god. There was, as we have seen, a tradition that human sacrifices were once offered to Saturn, and the Greeks and Romans gave the name of Cronus and Saturn to a cruel Phoenician Baal, to whom, e.g. children were sacrificed at Carthage” (ibid.).

Child Sacrifice and Cannibalism?

Saturnalia—the festival Christmas absorbed—even carries echoes of ancient child sacrifice! It sounds horrific that dolls were given as gifts as symbols or proxies of children burnt to pagan gods. Yet this practice echoes the modern tradition of hanging cherubs or human figures on Christmas trees! The ancient Greeks placed small masks called oscilla on branches, where they could twirl freely in the wind. Encyclopaedia Britannica explains that oscilla were small figures, most commonly masks or faces, that were hung up “as offerings to various deities.… The custom of hanging these oscilla represents an older practice of expiating human sacrifice” (ibid.).
Not only did ancient Saturn-worship and fire-worship involve child sacrifice, it also included cannibalism. Author John Garnier noted: “Cannibalism appears to have been initiated by Cronus, i.e. Saturn… For we are told by Sanchoniathon that Cronus was the originator of human sacrifices… Saturn is represented as devouring his own children.” (The Worship of the Dead, pp. 34–35).
When “Christian” missionaries turned a blind eye to the symbols of ancient pagan festivals observed by their converts, they absorbed into their own worship and practice a number of ancient rites that echoed child sacrifice and cannibalism. Symbols of these abominable practices are still extant today as grim reminders of the “dark side of Christmas!”
When the ancient Israelites entered Palestine, they encountered a people who worshiped the god Moloch, the precursor of Saturn and Kronos…Though God forbade His people from following the Canaanites’ example, they slid into this morbid practice: “They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan” (Psalm 106:37–38).
Would God want you to observe traditions that contain trappings of child-sacrifice and fire-worship? Would God want you to teach your children beliefs that obscure the real God and instead focus on myths and fables? Would He want you to participate in traditions that are blatantly materialistic?

http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine51&item=1193929572
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Comments by COGwriter

In the fourth century the Catholic historian Eusebius reported that humans., including children, were sacrificed annually for Saturn:

For what can be a greater proof of madness, than to offer human sacrifice, to pollute every city, and even their own houses, with kindred blood? Do not the Greeks themselves attest this, and is not all history filled with records of the same impiety? The Phœnicians devoted their best beloved and only children as an annual sacrifice to Saturn. The Rhodians, on the sixth day of the month Metageitnion, offered human victims to the same god…At Heliopolis three victims were daily offered to Juno, for whom king Amoses, impressed with the atrocity of the practice, commanded the substitution of an equal number of waxen figures. In Chios, and again in Tenedos, a man was slain and offered up to Omadian Bacchus. At Sparta they immolated human beings to Mars. In Crete they did likewise, offering human sacrifices to Saturn…

Diodorus, the epitomizer of libraries, affirms that two hundred of the noblest youths were sacrificed to Saturn by the Libyan people, and that three hundred more were voluntarily offered by their own parents (Eusebius. Oration in Praise of Constantine Pronounced on the thirtieth anniversary of his reign. Chapter 13, Verses 7,8).

Notice that Eusebius is actually condemning not only Saturn sacrifices, but the use of substitution with human made figures.

Essentially the Christmas-New Year’s season run for most of December until January 1st.  Modern observances basically coincide with the dates of the old Saturnalia, Mithra, and New Year’s celebrations. 

Of course, many do know that the reason that December 25th was chosen was because that was the birthday of Mithra, the sun-god.  Here is a carving of Mithra:

This radiating from the head ultimately ended up in painting, etc. of Greco-Roman saints.  And this is part of why people started to equate the “Son of God” with the “God of the Sun” (even though the words for son/sun in Greek and Latin do not sound the same like they do in English).

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them?

Is January 1st a Date for Christians Celebrate? Historical and biblical answers to this question about the world’s New Year’s day.

Sunday and Christianity Was Sunday observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians? How clearly endorsed Sunday?

COGwriter 

Yesterday I made a “tongue in cheek” comment that UCG should consider sending its potential ministers to Living University.

Based upon an email and other comments I have seen, perhaps I should give actual concrete reasons:

1. UCG posted that it was running low on Ambassador College graduates as future potential ministers.  Since instructors at Living University include Richard Ames, Michael Germano, Douglas Winnail, and Roderick C. Meredith (all of whom were instructors at the old Ambassador College), Living University is the best alternative possible to the old Ambassador College.
2. UCG complained that its own ABC program was not meeting its needs, hence that program, according to its own Jim Franks, does not seem to be a viable source for its ministerial needs.
3. I agree with LCG doctrines and believe that UCG’s potential ministers should be better acquainted with them as perhaps God will move some of them to support LCG.
4. Even though we in LCG have doctrinal and priority differences with UCG, Living University has an admission policy that would allow UCG members and leaders to enroll.
5. UCG’s Jim Franks said that something should be done as soon as possible.  Living University already exists and anything UCG has in mind will take time to implement.

The URL for Living University is www.livinguniv.com

Perhaps I should once again state that there will be no merger between UCG and LCG (see also post titled LCG to Meet With UCG: There Will Be No Merger).  The leaders of the Living Church of God have told me that they do not see any possibility of merging due to major differences in government and approaches to preaching the gospel

FWIW, the leadership of UCG knows that I am opposed now, and would still be opposed in the future, to any such merger.  Though I personally believe that UCG would be happy to swallow up any legitimate COG group including, but not limited to, LCG, a merger absolutely is not in the works as far as LCG is concerned. 

Here is what was in the September 30, 2006 edition of The Journal when merger rumors came up last year:

No merger in sight
ARROYO GRANDE, Calif.— Some Church of God observers are speculating about a possible merger of the UCG and LCG in view of news reports about the recent meeting between leaders of the two ministries. (See the news item immediately preceding this one.) However, Robert Thiel, an LCG member who operates a popular Church of God Web site (cogwriter.com), reports that Roderick Meredith, the Living Church of God’s presiding evangelist, stated to him that the LCG is not interested in any kind of merger with the UCG. “He stated UCG and LCG have different works, differing governments, and differing focuses,” Dr. Thiel reported.

My stated opinion has always been that I believe that if UCG members and leaders will look into their Bibles and compare what LCG and UCG teach that those of a Philadelphian spirit will be ultimately be led to LCG. 

Here is what I posted on 10/28/06 (for more see 1024.htm news page):

The differences between LCG and UCG will always prevent a merger such as the type that took place between the old CGCF and UCG (see the old article Beware, Doctrinal Compromise is in the Air!). While I believe that UCG has some members that are Philadelphian, I do not consider that UCG is carrying on the Philadelphia work as LCG does. I continue to pray that any Philadelphians who are scattered, will be gathered together with us before it is too late (please see the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

My view has remained the same

Four articles of possibly related interest may include:

There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church.
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
Beware, Doctrinal Compromise is in the Air! Discusses some doctrines that CGCF may have had to change in order to merge with United.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now LCG.

Yesterday, UCG posted information from its 12/11/07 Council of Elders’ Meeting which included the following:

The income for the first four months of this fiscal year (July 1 to Nov. 2) was almost exactly flat, when compared with the same period last fiscal year.

The income for the five weeks ending this past Friday (Nov. 3 to Dec. 7) is a different picture. For that period, the total income is up by 16.57 percent (and Category One income, which encompasses almost three quarters of the total budget) was up by 17.14 percent. Of course, we all understand that five weeks does not a long-term trend make, but neither does four months.

The effect of this very good recent period has been to increase the total fiscal year-to-date income, through Dec. 7, to a positive 2.45 percent growth rate.

For the last 365 days, ending Dec. 7, the total income is a positive 4.56 percent growth. For the two 365-day periods ending Dec. 7, the total income is a positive 6.98 percent per year growth rate.

Mr. Kilough mentioned that it’s hard to explain the ups and downs of income…

Ambassador Bible Center: We are preparing to begin the ninth year of ABC. We have now accepted 34 students for 2008. We still have a few applications to review, and we are expecting a class of 40 or so this coming year. Classes begin on Jan. 7, 2008…

U.S. Church attendance according to file December 2006: 15,145
U.S. Church attendance according to file Nov. 30, 2007: 15,485
U.S. baptisms 2005 through December: 171
U.S. baptisms 2006 through December: 181
U.S. baptisms 2007 through November: 173
…

This year’s Feast saw the number attending in the United States drop below last year, but the total for all sites was up slightly. We know from registration that 35 percent more U.S. and Canadian members traveled outside their countries for the Feast this year. This was the largest number for any one year in several years. If the additional U.S. members had remained in the United States (that is, if the same number had transferred in 2007 as in 2006), we would have roughly the same number this year as last year.

Total Feast of Tabernacles (all sites) attendance 2004 = 19,765
Total Feast of Tabernacles (all sites) attendance 2005 = 19,765
Total Feast of Tabernacles (all sites) attendance 2006 = 20,436
Total Feast of Tabernacles (all sites) attendance 2007 = 20,476
…
Without an aggressive training program, the United Church of God will be unable to fulfill its goal of having pastors for all congregations within the next five years. If we do nothing, within 10 years it is quite possible that the United Church of God will be unrecognizable, having lost as many as 46 pastors to retirement or health problems…

At the beginning of the United Church of God, he said that we had a desire to provide each congregation with a full-time pastor. We didn’t want to have just video groups. In the first few years of United, we had 125 pastors. We now have 90 covering the same territory. We have hired 17 men from the leadership workshops over the past several years…

Most pastors today in the Church have a biblical education that is 30 to 40 years old, and they need updated training. A new pastor today needs training…

Mr. Franks asked, “How do we replace ministers in next three years? Eighteen men will be 70 or above. In 10 years, there will be 46 who will be at retirement age. How and where will we train the ministers? How can we do more? How do we upgrade our ABC program? Where are the ABC graduates? What are we trying to accomplish for seven months with these people who come to ABC? Our goal is to give them knowledge, and that can be done in a number of ways, so why do we bring them here?”
…

Mr. Franks then pointed out that we are in a very good position to begin these changes. For instance, financial reserves were only $37,000 10 years ago; now, they are $7.2 million. He said that last year our income of $23.5 million was the best ever. He said that even with the subprime loan problems, and other issues such as the periodic drops in the stock market, the income of the Church has not been adversely affected in the last 10 years. “We have no long-term debt.” He said the plans are now to hire three men per year for the next four years. Then we need to hire six men every year for next six years. And that is just to remain even.

He said that the need for training is now. The elders are aging. The pool of AC graduates is drying up. We need an aggressive program for training. We need to change ABC from a commuter school. We will need to replace almost 50 percent of our current pastors in next 10 years—assuming age 70 for retirement. He closed with the point that now is our window of opportunity.
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Comments by COGwriter

UCG is the largest COG with origins in the old Worldwide Church of God.  I would like it to clearly announce its total attendance worldwide and not just for the Feast of Tabernacles.  However it may have this time as it seems that an error in reporting occurred.

How so?

Well on December 8, 2006 UCG reported:

• U.S. church attendance (from monthly church reports) in September 2006 was 11,687—up from 11,235 reported in September 2005.

Since UCG did not have a huge increase in US attendance in the last three months of 2006, then I presume it probably made an error in its 12/11/07 report. 

Related to other matters in the report, while I knew that UCG had an aging ministry, I was unaware that its ABC education program was not successful in training enough ministers for them.

It appears that UCG would like to spend some of its reserves on a new school concept and perhaps that would take place at the new Texas property that it is purchasing (see news item United Church of God Buys Texas Property).

Of course, Living University currently exists and if UCG really wants training and classes like the old Ambassador College, it could enroll its potential ministers there.  The Spring 2008 semester is open for registration (see news item LU Announces Theology Classes for Spring 2008).

 Living University’s Spring 2008 theology classes were in LCG’s latest update.  Here is what was announced:

It appears that we will have more than 150 students in Living University classes this Spring. 

Living University 

Registration for Living University’s 2008 Spring Semester is now underway.  Five courses are available. They are:  

PE 236 Camp Leadership

THL 136 Acts and the Writings of Paul

THL 250 Introduction to Biblical Doctrines

THL 326 Christian Leadership

THL 472 Archaeology and the Biblical World 

Next August, Dr. Meredith plans to teach a two-semester course sequence on the Epistles of Paul. These courses will focus on the Apostle Paul’s life and letters. The lectures will be a verse-by-verse exposition of Paul’s writings and of the rich doctrinal lessons they contain. If you plan to enroll in an Epistles class next August, be sure you take THL 136 Acts and the Writings of Paul class during the Spring semester. THL 136 is the foundational and prerequisite class for the Epistles of Paul. 
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Comments by COGwriter

Dr. Meredith taught the Epistles of Paul classes at the old Ambassador College for decades and is undoubtedly the most experienced COG teacher of this subject in the world.

The website for Living University is www.livinguniv.com

The above poster was produced by the Europeans over a decade ago. It may be of interest to note that the above inverted stars are pentagrams, a satanic symbol. The poster tower was based upon a painting of the Tower of Babel by a European, called Pieter Brueghel the Elder, in 1563 .  

In his December 13, 2007 newsletter, CBCG’s Fred Coulter wrote the following:

The King of the North and the King of the South: With each new crisis—be it monetary, war or crime related, or a natural disaster—we wonder, “When will the end come? How much time do we have left?” We need to realize that there are many things which must yet appear on the “prophecy stage,” so to speak, before the final events of the end times can unfold and the Great Tribulation can begin. One thing is certain, the Tribulation cannot begin by Passover 2008…

Perhaps the two most important end time events to watch for are the rise of the “King of the North” and the rise of the “King of the South”—because the Great Tribulation cannot begin until they first come on the scene. God inspired the prophet Daniel to write: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape” (Dan. 11:40-42).

These prophecies clearly tell us that at the time of the end there will be a “King of the North” and a “King of the South” on the geopolitical “prophetic stage.” They are not yet on the horizon. However, there are numerous visible indications that the way for the “King of the North” is almost complete. We must also watch for a succession in leadership before the final “King of the North” comes to power.

With the continuing development of the European Union, we can readily see that the political power base has already been established for the “King of the North.” As this development progresses, we will ultimately see the United Kingdom fully absorbed into the Union through the ratification of an EU constitution. Several years ago, the EU failed to get a new European constitution approved by the voters of the 12 key member nations. Since then, however, the EU has completed a treaty which contains nearly the same wording as the previously rejected constitution.

Unlike the previous treaty, the new constitution requires the approval of only the parliaments of the twelve nations. A majority vote by the people is irrelevant.

Another important feature of this new treaty is that once it has been ratified by the various governments, it becomes the binding law of the land for each country—over and above their national laws and constitutions. This means that since the UK’s parliament has approved the treaty and signed it into law, the UK will be absorbed into the EU. Officially, this transfer is scheduled to take place in January 2009. Watch for her sovereignty as an independent nation to begin to be eroded away until the UK and all the countries of Europe are completely subject to the dictates of the EU!…

The Coming Union of Islamic Nations: This same pattern is being used to set up other “regional unions” of nations in the world. It is a little-known fact that the seven-member “Gulf Cooperation Counsel” (GCC) was initially established in 1981 by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In 1991, after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the GCC invited the U.S. to send their armed forces to liberate Kuwait. They also requested that the U.S. not go into Iraq to fully conquer the country. Thus, the second Iraq war followed in 2003.

In addition to the GCC, the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (GAFTA) was ratified in 1997 and implemented in 1998 by the following 17 Islamic nations: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Notice that the original seven GCC nations are included. When GAFTA becomes more fully developed, it will undoubtedly include all Islamic nations in the Middle East and North Africa. Perhaps it will eventually include Pakistan and Afghanistan as cooperating Islamic nations.

This union will, in turn, become the foundational power base for the “King of the South.” Now we can understand why the second Gulf war in Iraq is being fought. With Saddam Hussein having been eliminated as a threat to the GCC nations—and with success in the Iraq war—the way will be open for Islamic nations to form a prosperous “Pan-Arab Union” through GAFTA. With key components in place, we can now see how the political and territorial foundation for the “King of the South” will come together.

“Vientiane, Laos: China and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to make substantial progress in advancing Free Trade Areas(FTAs) at their summit to be held here…[and] a three-way meeting between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea [which probably laid the groundwork for greater cooperation between the three, as well as for a separate future FTA between them]…. Wen will witness the signing of all agreements.”

More Regional Unions of Nations: In addition to the development of the “regional unions” of nations for the “King of the North” and the “King of the South,” other regional alliances are being developed through trade agreements and treaties.
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Comments by COGwriter 

CBCG is correct that the end will not start by Passover in 2008.  For that matter, the the Great Tribulation will not begin in 2008 nor 2009 (please see news post Great Tribulation Will Not Begin in 2008).

Those interested in additional information on the kings of the North, South, and East may wish to read the following articles:

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?
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”?
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 Bible and the Arab World In 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?
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 3: China in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese?

R.C. Meredith at the Feast in Fiji in 1989 

The January 2008 edition of PCG’s Philadalphia Trumpet contains the following in an article by Stephen Flurry that states:

…January 1989. As a freshman at Ambassador College, Pasadena, I had given some thought to possibly transferring to the Big Sandy campus for my sophomore year. I knew how my dad felt about the idea. Although he would have supported my decision either way, he had always wanted me to stay at the headquarters campus. Since that is where most of the top ministers in the church were assigned, he felt I could learn more in Pasadena.

During one particular phone conversation about Big Sandy, however, I was surprised to hear him encourage me to apply for the transfer. “Dr. Meredith is over Big Sandy,” he told me. “I think he’s more conservative than some of the ministers in Pasadena.” He was careful not to say much more than that.

I didn’t give much thought to his comment at the time. I was just excited that he was happy for me to apply for the transfer…

On Sunday night, October 1, I called my dad to chat about college and church subjects. During our conversation, he told me that his assistant, John Amos, had heard headquarters intended to remove Dr. Meredith from his position as head of the school in Big Sandy. My dad went on to say that he wondered if I should continue on at ac after my sophomore year. That comment shook me more than the Meredith rumor.

Four days later, Mr. Tkach, via telephone hook-up, announced that Dr. Meredith was being “transferred” to Pasadena to “write articles.” He was replaced by Dick Thompson. Gary Antion would move in from Pasadena to replace Mr. Thompson as dean of students.

The whole announcement was upsetting.
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Comments by COGwriter

Stephen Flurry wrote a book (Raising the Ruins) that has been running in serial form in PCG’s magazine explaining from his perspective what happened to the Worldwide Church of God after Herbert W. Armstrong died and how his father put together the group he named the Philadelphia Church of God.

It is nice that the Flurrys recognized that Dr. Roderick C. Meredith (of the Living Church of God) was one of the more faithful and conservative leaders in the old Worldwide Church of God. 

At the ACD blog, Brian Knowles posted:

42 percent of Brits still pray! One out of six of those pray every day, while one in four pray at least once a week. When you consider that Britain’s population is more than 60 million — that means there are at least 25 million people in the UK who pray.

Of those who prayed, some 57 percent said that praying changed what happened in their life and 32 percent said they’d actually seen the results of prayer in their lives. Even among those who were not affiliated with any religion, one in eight prayed “sometimes.”

According to the report on Breitbart.com (November 10, 2007), “The proportion of people who prayed varied throughout the country, with London coming up as the ‘prayer capital of the UK’ with nearly three-quarters (73%) saying they prayed.” Yorkshire (from whence my family hails) and Humberside reported the lowest number of prayers – 24 percent.

The survey also revealed that the younger Brits are, the less likely they are to pray. Some 16-27 percent of 16-24-year olds prayed, while 61 percent of those over 75 prayed. Old age, experience, and one’s presence in the “departure lounge” of life has a tendency to sober one up. Ecclesiastes 12:1 comes to mind: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come…” 
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Comments by COGwriter

Prayer is important.  Prayer rates in the USA, while probably higher than those in the United Kingdom are probably lower than they once were.

(I perhaps should add here that although he is the source of a major amount of posts at the ACD blog, Brian Knowles has stated that this does not mean he supports ACD’s views. ACD is a unitarian group that seems to promote not accepting parts of the New Testament.  And so although it seems to think that it is part of the Churches of God, I am not convinced. An article of possibly related interest may be Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church?)

The Late Herbert W. Armstrong in Sri Lanka

A few moments ago, I received ICG’s latest update.  In it, Mark Armstrong states:
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News came to me this week that is sickening. That is, that one of those claiming to have inherited “the authority of Herbert W. Armstrong” has told his congregation that they should liquidate any holdings and send in their money.

How many abuses will be committed in the name of my deceased Grandfather?  And how long will some poor abused people remain in a state of deception, or worse, mind control? 

I realize that there is a lot of legitimate respect among the churches of God for Herbert W. Armstrong.  But honestly!  He was not a deity, and no one should be blindly obeying any men, ministers, or otherwise, who falsely claim his authority.  Yes, it’s a touchy subject, and I realize that our reach is limited and that hundreds or thousands of people are going to be bilked out their family’s financial security because they don’t have access to any source of truth on the subject.  And that’s a crime.

My Dad spent the last thirty some odd years of his life trying to warn against following abusive, demanding, bogus religious leaders.  But its still going on.  Do people think God will reward them, or at least hold them guiltless if they accept the bizarre demands and edicts of a religious authoritarian?  Garner Ted Armstrong was against it!  I’m sure neither my Grandfather nor my Dad ever expected the family name would be used by brazen unknown individuals to issue edicts and make abusive demands over people’s personal lives. 

No, I can’t sum it all up here.  But under the circumstances, my mind is working overtime wondering how to discharge a responsibility to warn the unsuspecting “members” of the dangers they face from the abusers of the Armstrong name.  I’m not asking anyone to leave one organization and join another. But I’m miserable knowing that my Granddad’s legacy, and my family name are being used to impoverish people.  What’s next?  Coolaid!?! 

Some of you may or may not even be interested in this subject.  Unfortunately,  I have to go on the record, and this is only the beginning.  But it’s way past time people have access to the knowledge they need to see through the misuse of Herbert W. Armstrong’s name.  Unfortunately, it’s reached a stage that can’t be ignored.
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Comments by COGwriter 

Mark Armstrong’s comments, by and large, seem reasonable in the light of what has been happening.  I was pleased that he sent them out.

Mark Armstrong’s comments are essentially referring to David Pack and he seems to have learned some of what I posted at the News of the Global Church of God page (with some information available in the news item David Pack of the Restored Church of God Declares: “Go get those assets and get them here”).

(Others, like PCG’s Gerald Flurry, also seem to abuse authority in HWA’s name–and I believe he is one that Mark Armstrong also intended to directed his comments towards.)

Two articles of additional information may include:

Why Not the Restored Church of God? This group, led by David Pack, claims to be the most faithful. The information in this article suggests otherwise.

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 how he is and should be viewed today.