It's somehow comforting to know that, deep in the heart of East Texas, the Church of God International is still plugging away long after founder Garner Ted Armstrong was booted out following a naked romp with a local masseuse.
Now a new initiative is getting the de-Armstronged CGI gospel out via YouTube. Here's a sample from the very personable Bill Watson.
Searching for the CGI offerings on YouTube is a daunting task however. Try typing in "Armour of God" (British spelling) and you get Jackie Chan movie clips. Try typing in "Church of God International" and you get the unrelated Filipino sect MCGI. Holy Identity Crisis, Batman!
CGI made its debut in 1978 with Garner Ted and Ron Dart at the helm and has spawned an impressive number of splinter groups in its own right. It's not quite as dead as the dinosaurs in Bill's video, but it's also doubtful a few YouTube flicks will do much to haul it off the endangered list either.
18 comments:
Battle of the vidclips! I'd say this sample of CGI's offerings is more watchable than Dave Pack's flicks.
I wouldn't count those randomly presented cuts from GTA that pop up every time you go to his home page.
It sounds like the CGI clip is countering guys like Dr Dino (Kent Hovind) who was selling Young Earth Creationism before he started doin' time.
Now if we can just move up from the Plain Truth about Dinosaurs to the Plain Truth about Adam and Eve, we'll be making progress
good folks at CGI.
the only problem is they are weak in some critical areas of doctrines.
much too liberal.
Armor of God is World Tomorrow Lite, at least the few minutes I could stomach of it while channel-surfing past my local religious programming station.
I agree it's more watchable, but that's not necessarily a good thing; that also means it's more insidious, more likely to draw unsuspecting sheeple in than, say, the Packatollah or Spanky prattling on about how "The end is nigh! Send it in!"
Armor of God and Beyond Today are virtually indistinguishable from one another, BTW, although I'm going on an admittedly small sample size for that opinin.
As those in power move to the left politically especially in Europe, then those in opposition, tend to move more to the right. I noticed this in South Africa, the opposition in the 1980s were liberal because those in power were right wing. Now in the 2000s, the opposition is right wing in South Africa, as the ruling elite are extremely left wing.
It happens on a religious scale as well, the churches of God will tend to be more right wing as the political landscape moves socialist. The world government will be a think tank of socialist new age hippie types, environmentalists, driven mostly by occult spirituality that will incorporate a "Christ" figure acceptable to all.
The CGI should be brave enough to proclaim Jesus Christ's gospel with it's hard hitting message of a soon coming tribulation. Even the Evangelical End Times ministry (www.endtime.com) does a much better job!
In Hebrew the word in Genesis for dinosaur is Tannin which is really "dragon"
A woman who was ahead of her time (like HWA), was Constance Cumbey who wrote, "The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow-The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism."
Back in the 1980s, she was writing about a New World Order, a global village, break down of nationalism, a one world united in government and religion.
At the same time, the book, The Aquarian Conspiracy by Marilyn Ferguson also came out detailing The Plan of the new agers to infiltrate every aspect of governmental and educational institutions.
A documentary of the Church of Satan, revealed they had infiltrated rock music from the 50s,60s, with the intention of undermining traditional values. They await a coming age, a "Luciferian" age.
"Through the General Assembly of the UN, under the influence of the Avatar of Synthesis and the Forces of Reconstruction it was hoped that the theory of unity could slowly be turned into practice, and that the word "United" could come to have a true significance and meaning. (The Reappearance of the Christ, p. 93)
The Aquarian Age Community (sponsored by the UN) write: "Through our attempts at world understanding, our demand for unity, and our intent to dynamically "force" the energy of the will-to-good into the world, we can significantly aid in the work of the UN. It is this focussed will-to-good which can and must evoke the Shamballa energy--the only energy that can overcome the opposing forces which would obstruct the spiritual progress of humanity. As it is manifested, the average man and woman responding unconsciously will then express the energy of goodwill. The particular genius of each nation within the United Nations can then be evoked for the enriching of the entire human family and human brotherhood can become a realized accomplishment." (www.aquaac.org/).
Make no mistake, the coming AGE is not a Catholic dominated one (though it will play some role), but a Luciferian hell on earth with the practice of the old craft! Do yourself a favour do your own research, prepare yourself for what is coming ahead!
Another anonymous said about CGI -
...they are weak in some critical areas of doctrines.
Would you like to elaborate on critical areas of doctrines? I know CGI is liberal with such divisive issues as birthdays and voting.
Anonymous said...
good folks at CGI....
....much too liberal.....
....can't have one them pinko communist liberals running around can we?
The fondness for totalitarian rule among xCGers is beyond me.
Gavin said:
"Now a new initiative is getting the de-Armstronged CGI gospel out via YouTube."
I'm not sure how you figure Bill or his message isn't armstrongism. He reminds me of the dime a dozen local elder from the 60's wcg.
This is much needed because there's not enough religious messages coming out of Texas.
Why did I think I was about to be hit upside the head with the GAP THEORY ?
"The world government will be a think tank of socialist new age hippie types, environmentalists, driven mostly by occult spirituality that will incorporate a "Christ" figure acceptable to all."
Robert, ya gotta stop reading that conspiracy theory crap.
Bill Watson tries too hard and makes big issues out of little ones. He's a GTA wannabe. I just don't understand why anyone would wannabe GTA.
"I just don't understand why anyone would wannabe GTA.
All the "concubines".
I've been around ex-WCGers and COGers for a long time. I actually know Bill and he seems like a nice guy. CGI is a lot more tolerant than other COG’s. I have heard them say that God is working through other churches as well (gasp!) and that members should talk about their faith and invite people to church! Some of my extended family came out of world wide. CGI is a completely different environment. They are more liberal in that they are not totalitarian.
"They are more liberal in that they are not totalitarian."
You got that right. They'll let just anybody be ministers: Even former members of WCG who didn't make the cut to be ministers of misery in the old-style gulag can now preach in CGI.
One of the CGI congregations has had a guest speaker from Seventh Day Adventist Church! That's WAY out there for COG!
Another anon said -
One of the CGI congregations has had a guest speaker from Seventh Day Adventist Church!
Mayber the SDAs were getting back for Sam Bacchiocchi letting Ron Dart substitute for him at one of his lectures!
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