Yesterday, United Church of God (UCGia, or UCG for short) posted a couple of papers on Inside United: Realtime. One is about some allegations that some members in Chile are breaking the Sabbath. It is the first paper at the link given above.
Personally, I don’t know what I would do in their circumstances. A couple said they should simply close down the daycare center on the holy days in spite of government regulations and let the chips fall where they may. Um, perhaps. I have to think, though, that the fact that they make no money personally on those days, they themselves do not work on those days, that those actions speak to their desire to obey God’s Laws. Even in WCG, this would have been viewed as acceptable.
I would like to point out again that Laodicea means “the people judge”. Likewise, Jesus said to not worry about the little speck in your brother’s eye when a 2 x 4 is sticking out of your own. We can either judge each other harshly, or we can face the reality that not everything is always as it seems.
To those who want to publicly state what they know they would do, I know I have publicly stated what I would do in a given situation, and guess what? It’s only a matter of time before that is the exact decision I am faced with!
Some link this “Sabbath breaking” as an unethical attempt to change doctrine. I suppose that’s why they were posted at the same time. This second accusation is a bit more disturbing, as it is leveled right at the UCG leadership. In response, the second paper is “Are-some-Council-members-secretly-changing-doctrine.pdf (application/pdf Object)".
Basically, it boils down to: No, and we can’t even if we wanted to.
The fundamental beliefs of UCG were intentionally written into UCG’s constitution when it was established. It would 75% of the entire ministry of UCG to change a doctrine. Obviously, this would be no small feat. It certainly couldn’t be done in secret.
What does hurling unsubstantiated accusations at brethren and the leadership accomplish? Good question. Ever since the resignation of Clyde Kilough, I’ve been pondering this very question. I obviously have no objection to open questions, but so much has gone out that is way beyond open and honest questions.
I hope that this Day of Atonement we each ponder the state of the Church as a whole and what the cancer of judgmentalism has brought to it. It is one thing when rampant obvious sin has taken over, but to be unjust and accuse others when there is no wrongdoing is not acceptable in Our Father’s sight, either.
Swallowing rumors can happen even to those who should certainly know much better and are paid to do it. A recent newsworthy event happenned here in Canada when it comes to spreading false news.
For anyone familiar with this nation, hockey is god. It's one of the great games although I believe professional level exhibits a very wrong spiritual approach.
However the news was one of its' leading men Pat Burns had died. It made just about every major news outlet as a given fact.
Until someone in that industry contacted the family and was informed that although he was in serious health he was still alive.
For what it's worth, one of my most favorite Spokesmen Club speeches is "Get the Facts".
@Norbert: It used to be the ideal that news journalists would attempt to be unbiased and present the truth — the entire truth.
Times change.
I think the requirement for speed has overtaken the requirement for accuracy, at least in the minds of those running news organizations. Remember what happened at Michael Jackson's death? The news was broken by TMZ, basically a celeb gossip site. I think a few news organizations thought they got egg on their face because they took so long to confirm the story.
I'm not defending the news media's approach (like many things, it is more about the money than a contribution to society), but there are some things that I realize has to be a fine line in that industry.