Old Home Week at the PCG Compound

Prophet Flurry over at the Trumpet web site (www.thetrumpet.com) makes a plea in the current editorial for all of God's sons to return to Him. Flurry urges all ex-members to recall the glory days under Herbert Armstrong, the Elijah, and become like Elisha. The inference is that Flurry and to some extent the PCG is Elisha the Prophet crying, "my father, my father." If only the ex-members would return to their senses and to God they would come home to the Philadelphia Church of God. The eternal lives of these people hang in the balance.

Maybe I'm just getting too old and cranky. Perhaps I am truly lost and headed for eternal destruction. If it saves me from being ruled by Gerald Flurry, I think I will enjoy the peace and quiet of non-existence. There are many coggers I would rather not listen to for eternity along with the other zealots and religous tyrants of the past and present.

Many people are hung up on the idea of eternal life. It seems to be a top-seller among humans seeking devoted followers. We exist in a finite universe, and do not have the capacity of mind to contemplate eternity, but we want it anyhow. Most people don't want to die, myself included. That seems like a natural way of thinking for beings that know they are going to die. My guess is that bees don't spend a lot of time in churches praying.

A question one might ask is why do we think this way? Some say that god placed the human spirit in us. This is a black box in the human brain that you can't see on an MRI, but was invented by religious types as a matter of faith. It gives us our consciousness and the ability to ponder God. We can't detect it by our senses, but we know it's there because...why else would we act like this? Sound reasoning at its best. Oh yes, and this "spirit", well it can transcend the boundaries between the physical universe and the dimension beyond time (where god lives). Pretty slick.

I pose an alternate. Our genes combined with our environment make us act/react in the ways we do. No demon influences, no angelic hosts, no invisible spirits pushing and pulling at us. We are physical and act on physical changes in our bodies. That means thinking by electro-chemical changes in the brain.

Eternity--makes a nice bumper sticker, and fills the collection plate.

New Year's Predictions

The New Year has been rung in, many are working on their resolutions. Some at the PCG are considering revolutions instead.

"This year could bring major changes to the Middle East. The most dramatic will likely involve the Jews losing East Jerusalem—an event to watch for as Israeli elections approach in March."

The above quote is taken from www.thetrumpet.com. As always the language is unclear. Every veiled prediction is qualified with words such as likely and could. Hardly language fitting for a prophet.

The staff here at the Lake has been sweating over our predictions for the New Year. It hasn't been easy, we do not put ourselves in the prophet or apostle class. Any predictions we make have only a bare chance probability of coming true.

Top 10 Predictions for 2006

1)Conflict in the Middle East will continue, including Iraq, and the Israel/Palestinian conflict.

2)Religious people all over the world will pray that God will wipe out their foes and restore true government and true religion to the earth. These people will continue to live isolated, non-charitible lives. Some will kill themselves in an attempt to please God. Men, not God will administer the required teachings.

3)Disease will continue in the world, killing millions this coming year. AIDS, malaria, influenza, TB and other diseases will top the list.

4)Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other natural weather patterns will occur.

5)Herbert W. Armstrong is dead for 20 years waiting for the resurrection.

6)The retirement fund of those left holding the bag at ex-WCG will continue to grow.

7)Dave Pack will buy several new suits and continue to brag about being God's man with The Plan. He will unleash several tirades against the opponents of God's Work.

8)For some people God's Plan will be vividly clear.

9)For some people God will continue to be a mystery.

and finally,

10)Gerald Flurry, in an attempt to trump Dave Pack will elevate himself to the status of a god, taking on the new name Dagon of the Philistine Church of God.

Have a happy and prosperous 2006.