Counter Counter Argument -- "How can Ahnsahnghong be the Christ?"

By special request from a World Mission Society Church of God member, I will be addressing several key points and counterarguments that the WMSCOG uses to respond to objections.

We can call this the counter-counter-argument series.

Let's start with the argument:
Many people, upon hearing the teaching that Ahnsahnghong is the "Second Coming Christ" say something like, "How can this be? He is just a Korean man! It's hard to believe!"

Now let's consider the WMSCOG's counter-argument (with quotes from The True WMSCOG, though the ideas appear on many websites) and responses to each part:

It's just like 2000 years ago...

"Today, 2 billion people in the world easily believe that a 33 year old Jewish carpenter... is the Christ.... When Jesus appeared 2,000 years ago, the people at that time did not see the glory of God, but instead they saw a 'mere man'."

Yes, it is true that when Jesus walked the earth, many people did not believe in Him as the Christ (Messiah), but now we (Christians) believe in Him. Many do not believe in Ahnsahnghong as the "Second Coming Christ," but that has no bearing on whether he actually is or not.

There are numerous people in the world who have claimed to be the Christ. They could say the same thing, "It's like 2000 years ago! People did not believe Jesus then, just like they don't believe me today!" That doesn't mean anything.

But let's look beyond that because their point is that is was possible for people (like the disciples) to know that Jesus was the Christ. They could know because of the Old Testament prophecies and Jesus's teachings.

Apply the same standard...

"Now, the reason I believe that Christ Ahnsahnghong is the second coming Christ, is based on the standards by which the disciples were able to recognize Jesus at His first coming.
1. Christ Ahnsahnghong fulfilled the prophecies of the second coming
2. Christ Ahnsahnghong taught the words of eternal life"

1. The Prophecies
This is a circular argument because the "prophecies" that the WMSCOG use are verses that they themselves interpret in such a way to fit Ahnsahnghong. You will not find these "prophecies" from other established and well-regarded Bible scholars.

I've written extensively about these "prophecies," but please let me know if you think there's one I've missed or need to give more attention. You can find these posts on my index page. In short, the "prophecies" do not work.

2. The Teachings
Ahnsahnghong's teachings are flawed, which shows that he is not God. I've written multiple articles about different problems in WMSCOG doctrine (see the index), not to mention this list of mistakes.

But when the WMSCOG says Ahnsahnghong "taught the words of eternal life," they really mean that he "restored the Passover." This is also incorrect because a) the Passover did not "disappear from the world" or need to be restored, and b) it's not the act of eating a bit of bread and drinking a bit of wine that saves us.

I'll be examining more of the WMSCOG's counterarguments in the near future. If there is one in particular you'd like me to address, please say so!

Unanswered Questions for WMSCOG Members

As another year comes to a close and I reflect back, I recall a World Mission Society Church of God member who asked me to make a list of questions I thought the WMSCOG had "failed to answer or ran away from."

Unfortunately, I have not yet heard back from this person, and these questions remain.

Are there any members who would like to respond? I really would like to know how the WMSCOG explains these issues. Are there any acceptable answers? If so, please share as it will only help people understand the WMSCOG better.

Here are five of my "unanswered questions"...

1. The WMSCOG teaches that everyone who takes the Passover with them will be protected from disasters/plagues and will not die (source and example). Ahnsahnghong taught that only a literal 144,000 will go to heaven alive (see chapter 6 in The Mystery of God and the Spring of the Water of Life). There are more than 2 million WMSCOG members who have taken the Passover and are supposedly protected from death. What will happen to all the people who will not die (because they took the Passover), but also will not go to heaven alive (because they are not part of the 144,000)?

2. Why does the WMSCOG sometimes keep the 7th month feasts in the 8th month? Click here for a detailed chart. Please do not answer that it is because of leap years. That is not a valid reason. In the sacred calendar, when leap months are required, they are added at the end of the year to keep the integrity of the 7th month feasts. There must be a different answer.

3. In their teaching about the Antichrist, the WMSCOG makes statements about 10 kingdoms that came out of the Roman Empire, 3 of which were destroyed by the Papacy. They also claim the Ostrogoths were destroyed in AD 538. Why does this not match up with the historical record? Click here for details.

4. In Rev. 5 and 6, the "Lamb" opens the scroll with the seven seals. The WMSCOG teaches that this is Ahnsahnghong revealing the Bible. In order to fully open the scroll, all seven seals must be opened. I've heard the WMSCOG explain that the 6th seal was World War II. What were the historical fulfillments of the other six seals? Click here for more info.

5. Regarding Joseph's dream in Gen. 37 involving the sun and the moon and the stars, the WMSCOG teaches that the sun represents "Father God" and the moon represents "Mother God" (source). In the dream, the sun and the moon are bowing to Joseph. Who does Joseph represent, and why are "Father and Mother" bowing to him?

Christmas Resources for a Balanced View

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy to all the people.  Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'" -- Luke 2:10-14

To a Christian, Christmas is not about presents (though generosity is good) and trees with ornaments and lights (though they are pretty).

It's not about Santa and his reindeer and elves (though it can be a fun game for some).

It's not about snow (though it would be beautiful, it never snows at my house).

It's really not even about being with family (some do not have any) or the date of December 25 (we can't even be sure when exactly Jesus was born).

Why?  It's a time to remember the birth of Jesus Christ.  Without His birth, there would have been no crucifixion, no resurrection, no triumph over sin and death, no salvation for us.

Those other things can be nice, but you can celebrate the birth of Jesus without any of them.  All you really need is a heart that remembers the great wonder of God, being born as a baby so He could pay the price for our sins because He loves us so much.

The World Mission Society Church of God is not the only anti-Christmas group.  When we are confronted by those who wish to condemn Christmas for being pagan, a product of Satan, and a holiday that has no place in a Christian's life, there are three paths we might take:

1.  Believe it all, and become scared that we have fallen for Satan's trap, and abandon Christmas altogether.
2.  Ignore it all, and staunchly maintain the Christmas traditions we've always followed, though are unable to say why.
or
3.  Do some balanced research, become educated, and view Christmas from a new perspective.

Since my sister has been with the WMSCOG, and anti-Christmas for 8 Christmases now, I have been doing my research.  I still believe in celebrating Christmas, but now I do it from a new and more balanced perspective.

If you also have been put in the position to be researching Christmas, you've probably already been inundated with anti-Christmas arguments.  Here are some resources you might like that will help you with a balanced view:

The Catholic Encyclopedia on Christmas (very balanced)
Christmas Reconsidered
A Critique of Hislop's The Two Babylons (a common source of arguments for the pagan connection)
Message from the author of Babylon Mystery Religion (another source for pagan arguments)
Silly Reasons to Abandon Christmas
Origins of Christmas Traditions
The Star of Bethlehem Documentary (youtube video)

My previous posts about Christmas:
Christmas Thoughts
Christmas -- Repsonding to WMSCOG Comments

By the way, did you know God said this in the Bible?
"The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir, and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet." -- Isaiah 60:13

During the physically dark time around the winter solstice, these verses show very meaningful symbolism that would point people to the true God.  Consider:
"because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." -- Luke 1:78-79
and
"the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned." -- Matthew 4:16 (Jesus fulfilling what was said in Isaiah 9:2)

May you have a blessed and meaningful season.

8th Month Error Again at the WMSCOG

I've mentioned previously (here and here) about the World Mission Society Church of God's mistake in their own calendar keeping with regards to the fall feasts.  And yes, it happened again this year--2013.

The WMSCOG kept Passover on March 25, 2013 (source).  Therefore, using new moon data from NASA...

The new moon of March 11 started the 1st month.
The new moon of April 10 started the 2nd month.
The new moon of May 9 started the 3rd month.
The new moon of June 8 started the 4th month.
The new moon of July 8 started the 5th month.
The new moon of August 6 started the 6th month.
The new moon of September 5 started the 7th month.

We would have expected the WMSCOG to keep the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles in September, the 7th month, in accordance with Leviticus 23.

However, the WMSCOG kept these fall feasts in October (source), the 8th month, even though the WMSCOG's article calls it the 7th month.

The new moon of October 4 started the 8th month.
The Feast of Trumpets was kept on Oct. 5.
The Day of Atonement was kept on Oct. 14.
The Feast of Tabernacles was kept Oct. 19-26.

Why would the WMSCOG say they were celebrating in the 7th month, when really it was the 8th month?  This was not the first time--they've made this mistake in 2005, 2008, and 2010 as well.  (See the detailed chart here.)

I have asked members about this problem before, and the only answer they could give was that those years were leap years.  They must have forgotten that the "sacred calendar" handles leap years by adding a month at the end of the year (the 12th month is doubled), which makes no impact on the 7th month.

In fact, the Bible does mention a feast kept in the 8th month, and not in a good way...

1 Kings 12:31-33
31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. 32 He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. 33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.

I am hoping for a response from WMSCOG members...  Do you have any explanation for this?  Does this raise a red flag of warning for you?

Conversation with Cyrus, a WMSCOG member

In my previous post regarding clues that the World Mission Society Church of God is false, one of those commenting was "Cyrus."  Cyrus is currently a member of the WMSCOG and is willing to engage in conversation to clarify some points.  Thank you, Cyrus!

Our conversation will take place right here, through the comment section of this post.  I hope it will serve as a good source of information for the rest of our readers here.  However, I respectfully request that the comments on this post be limited to just Cyrus.  For anyone else who wishes to comment about this conversation, please visit the forum (examiningthewmscog.com/forum), or send me an email.  Thank you!

First, some ground rules, Cyrus, for you and me:

• Each comment should be made in two parts, a response to the previous point and the raising of a question.
• Response -- We should respond to the question that was last put forth, keeping in mind the purpose of explaining and encouraging understanding and not simply fighting.  Also, please avoid using phrases such as "You don't understand because you are not one of God's chosen" (more examples here).  We can also respond to the previous response, as long as it doesn't include an additional question that needs an answer.
• Question -- We should ask a question, either to further pursue the issue, or raise a different point.  For the ease of following the conversation, please limit the question to one point.  Do not ask a question related to your response and ask a new question as well.
• If we think the other's response is incomplete, inadequate, or needs to be clarified, first we should answer their question (give our response), then our question should concern the previous response.  In other words, don't avoid their question in order to focus on their response.  In this way, we should never be talking about more than two topics at once.
• Timeliness is nice, but life is busy.  A delay in answering should not be taken negatively or cause concern, unless there has been silence for more than two weeks.

I hope that is all clear.  Thank you, again, and now let's get started.  You posed the first question...

---

"Let us make man in our image... Male and female He created them" Genesis 1:26-27. "the Spirit and the bride say come... Take the free gift of the water of life." Revelation 22. The bride of christ is His bride. Guests are invited to the wedding supper, not the bride. We are the guests. Right?

My response:
The first part of what you wrote (Gen. 1:26-27) is about the word Elohim.  I have written about that here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.  I'm going to focus on your question about Revelation 22.  I understand your question to be, "We are the guests at the wedding supper.  Therefore, doesn't someone else have to be the bride of Christ?"

I have heard the WMSCOG say that the Church cannot be both the bride and the guests at the wedding.  But please consider this...

God is called the father of the Israelites, but God is also called the husband of Israel.  But how can the Israelites be both the children and the wife of God?  It doesn't make sense, does it?

It does when you consider that individually, the people were counted as God's children.  But corporately, together as the nation, they were considered as God's bride

In the same way, individually, we are each invited to become part of the Church, the body of believers.  But corporately, together as the Church body, we are the bride of Christ.

God uses descriptive language to help us understand our relationship with Him.

I hope you are able to understand that this is a valid, alternate interpretation of the same verses.

My question for you:
The WMSCOG teaches that there are two distinct Gods.  How do you reconcile that with verses such as these which declare there is only one God?  (Note that all of these quotes use the singular word for God.)
"For I am God, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:22 and 46:9)
"Is there a God besides me?  Indeed, there is no other rock; I know not one." (Isaiah 44:8)
"Before Me there was no God formed; nor shall there be after Me." (Isaiah 43:10)
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God," (1 Timothy 1:17)

Ok, your turn.  Please remember the two parts, response and question.

Proof that the World Mission Society Church of God is False

I wrote previously asking World Mission Society Church of God members to share objective proof that their faith is true.  So far, no one has had any objective proof to offer.

Today, I'm turning the idea around to disproof.  What objective information do we have that proves the WMSCOG to be false?

I want to emphasize the word objective.  We're looking for provable facts here, not feelings, opinions and matters of interpretation.  (Click here for an example of why we can't just go by feelings.)

I love analogies.  It really helps me to understand something if I can see how it relates to or corresponds with something else.  Here's an analogy for you...

A popular movie these days at my house is Disney's "Tangled," the story of Rapunzel.  What I really find interesting as I watch it is the relationship between Rapunzel and Mother Gothel.  It follows so closely with the BITE model of destructive mind control.  As viewers, we can see how Mother Gothel manipulates Rapunzel in the relationship, but Rapunzel just sees it as love and care from her 'mother.'

In reality, Mother Gothel is not her mother at all and is using her for selfish means.  There's one moment, closer to the end of the movie, when Rapunzel finally realizes the truth.  One clue leads to everything unraveling.  What is that one clue?  Rapunzel and the lost princess share the same birthday.  Rapunzel combines that clue with everything else she saw when she escaped isolation (the symbol of the kingdom, the picture of the little princess), and the truth is revealed!

Now back to the WMSCOG.  If none of the other common reasons convince you, then please follow these clues, provable facts, to show you where the so-called 'truth' of the WMSCOG starts unraveling.  Thankfully there are many clues to find, not just one, and I'll list some for you here.

These are all matters of fact and logic and cannot be debated.  (1+1 = 2; can you debate that it doesn't?)  Well, if you'd like to try to debate these facts, go ahead, and I look forward to hearing from you about it.

The WMSCOG teaches that God lies

What do you call a 'God' who acts contrary to the nature of God?  A false god.  (Click here for more information.)

Isaac -- The WMSCOG teaches that Abraham's son Isaac was God in the flesh.  However, Isaac lied (Genesis 26).  God does NOT lie (Titus 1:2).

Ahnsahnghong's own book -- In the book "Problems with New Jerusalem, the Bride, and Women's Veils," Ahnsahnghong said that there was NO 'Mother God' and and specifically argued against the same verses the WMSCOG used today to try to prove there is.  The WMSCOG's position is that Ahnsahnghong wrote the book to prevent his followers from believing in the wrong woman as 'Mother God,' and then withdrew the book so he could reveal the right woman.  There are only two conclusions I can draw from this, neither of which is good for the WMSCOG.  Either:

Ahnsahnghong told the truth in his book, and there is no 'Mother God' (which disproves the WMSCOG) or...
Ahnsahnghong lied in his book, which proves he cannot be God (which also disproves the WMSCOG).

The WMSCOG uses false historical facts

I have been told that these are not actually false facts, but simplifications to avoid lengthy discussions of complicated history.  I understand the need to simplify, but even simplifications can (and should) be accurate.  Build doctrine on false simplifications, and you end up with false doctrine.

The 10 Kingdoms -- As part of the Pope-is-Antichrist doctrine, the WMSCOG teaches that the Roman Empire broke up into 10 countries, 3 of which were destroyed by the Catholic Church by 538.  The supposed 10 kingdoms are not accurate, 5 (not 3) were destroyed, and the kingdoms' religious faith was not a consistent factor.  (Click here and here for more information.)

The year 538 -- Again as part of the Pope-is-Antichrist doctrine, the WMSCOG teaches that the last of the three kingdoms to fall was the Ostrogoths, destroyed in AD 538, which began the prophesied 1260 years of the 'Dark Ages.'  However, the Ostrogoths were destroyed must later than 538, and there is no significance of the year 538 in Papal history either.  (Click here and here for more information.)

The WMSCOG has kept the Feasts incorrectly 
(even according to their own regulations!)

This is an obvious clue for me!  If you are uncertain or confused about it, please click on the link provided for more details.

The Feasts of the seventh month -- According to the WMSCOG, keeping the Feasts of God properly is absolutely essential to your salvation.  The Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles must take place on the specified days in the seventh month of the 'sacred calendar.'

But if you examine what has actually been done at the WMSCOG, you'll find that in 2005, 2008, and 2010, the seventh month Feasts were kept in the eighth month.  (Click here for the detailed chart.)  The only word I can think of to describe that is incompetence, and that is definitely not a word to describe God (or a church that claims to be lead by a God-in-the-flesh).

If you are a WMSCOG member, I pray that you will follow these clues to find true freedom in the real Jesus Christ.

Christmas -- Responding to WMSCOG comments

I'm back again, still trying to catch up with the many comments posted recently by World Mission Society Church of God members.  Just a reminder, if you would like to have a conversation, you are welcome to email me directly (knowhispeace@gmail.com) or join the forum here.

I have not changed or removed anything in these comments.

On July 31 at 10:40 pm, Anonymous posted on "Mother God -- Responding to WMSCOG comments" in response to my comment --

Genny wrote: Hi again. I assume you are the same person who wrote to ask if I celebrate Christmas and Easter. I think I did not make myself clear. I said nothing about December 25 because that date itself has minimal significance to me. I know full well (as should all Christians) that we do not know the exact date of Jesus' birth.

Anonymous wrote: Genny, so you acknowledged that Dec 25 is not the birthday of Jesus Christ then, and you are making yourself clear that this date has a minimal significance to you, meaning there is still a remaining significance to you so as to say.  

Yes, there is still a remaining significance to me.  If you were going to choose a time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the time of the winter solstice would be meaningful.  The nights get longer and longer, and just when you might lose hope that darkness will win, the season turns.  Daytime begins to lengthen again.  The light triumphs, if you will.

Jesus is the light of the world, and He has triumphed over darkness -- John 8:12 and 12:46; Matthew 4:16.

This was not from a WMSCOG member, but it fits right in with this topic...

On August 6 at 10:47 am, James posted on "Mother God -- Responding to WMSCOG comments" --

The sad thing in all of this is that there is absolutely NO evidence, historically speaking, that December 25 was a pagan holiday before it was a Christian one. This is a bit of sloppy scholarship and old wives tales conflated over the generations.

At most, the Romans had two sun cults. The original, dating back to the centuries before Christ, Sol Indiges, had a feast on December 11 - NOT December 25. The other sun cult was the cult of Sol Invictus, which was actually the importation of Syrian Mythraism into Roman society by the Emperor Aurelian in the late third century AD. December 25 has never been specifically identified as a holiday for Sol Invictus, and the earliest records of a late December celebration of Sol Invictus are no older than the fourth century AD (mid 300's).

So, there's no evidence that there was a holiday for the sun in late December until long after Christ.

What we do have in some evidence, however, is that some Christian groups were celebrating the Nativity in the early to mid-200's. What we also have is the simple reality that December 25 was calculated by the early church by adding 9 months to March 25 - the Annunciation. And March 25 is calculated from Luke's statement in the first chapter of his Gospel that Gabriel came to Mary in "the sixth month" - which in the calendar he most likely observed introduced by Alexander the Great, translates to late March to early April by our Gregorian calendar.

None of this is to say that December 25 is exactly right. It could be off by days, weeks, or months. What's important is that there is no evidence from antiquity that the early church derived its holidays from the pagan calendar.  

Thanks, James.  That was really interesting.  Here is another comment about Christmas...

On July 31 at 10:48 pm, Anonymous posted on "Mother God -- Responding to WMSCOG comments" --

Genny wrote: I happily remember the birth of Jesus all year long. Yes, I sing Christmas hymns with my children even in the summer. I especially celebrate Jesus' birth in December because that's when the world puts a focus on it, and it's especially nice to celebrate in unison.

Anonymous wrote: On this, you clearly remember the birth of Jesus by singing Christmas songs and you believe that celebrating the birth of Jesus with everybody in the whole world because this is the day when the whole world puts their focus on it and it is very nice to celebrate in unison with them. Although you do not know what day is the birthday of Jesus, you simply mean that you can celebrate the birthday of Jesus any day of the year as you want to. So ,do you also mean you can celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ many times a year as you want too? 

 and (a few minutes later at 10:52 pm) --

Genny wrote: As for the day, though, if you are talking about specific gatherings such as with my family or church, I can honestly say that I celebrate at least 5 or 6 different days. You see, it is the reason for the celebration, not the date of Dec. 25, that is important to me.

Anonymous wrote: So, you acknowledged that you celebrate the birthday of Jesus even 5 or 6x in different days because it is not the date that is important to you but the reason for the celebration. You also know very well that you follow your own thoughts in doing this! 

You believe that it is wrong to celebrate Jesus birth on a date that is not His actual birthday, and that we shouldn't just choose any date.  You also believe it is wrong of me to celebrate Jesus birth on many different days.  Do I understand your objections correctly?

Reflect on this... do you have children?  When do you celebrate their birthdays?  How about the rest of the people in your family?  How about your own birthday?  Do you ever celebrate on a day that is not the actual birthday?

Among my family and friends, we often have birthday celebrations that do not fall on the actual birthday of the person being honored.  This year, my son celebrated his birthday on three different days -- once with friends, and twice with two different parts of the family.  Are you saying that is wrong?  If I can't celebrate my child's birthday with family and friends on his actual birthday, am I prohibited from choosing a different day for us to celebrate in unison?  Would you like to give me a verse from the Bible that forbids my doing this?

I happily remember my children's birthdays all year round too, because I am so thankful to have them a part of my life.  I will gladly tell them stories about their births any time they ask, without making them wait until their actual birthday.  When I hear a particular song or see a particular picture or just have a passing thought about their births, I will praise God once again for the blessings He gave me.  I won't put the thoughts aside simply because it's "not the right day."  It is the same when I think about the birth of Jesus.  You would say this is wrong?

On July 31 at 11:42 pm, Anonymous posted on "Mother God -- Responding to WMSCOG comments" --

Genny, Is this too much for you answer? I understand how you feel! But I will listen to what you say and make a beneficial decision out of it. When you are ready to post all of my comments!! 

No, it's not too much for me to answer.  I'm just limited on time, and working through all the comments as I am able.  If you would put a name on your comments, it would make it easier to know which are yours, and which are from someone else.  You don't have to leave an email address with your name, and I don't mind if you choose a pseudonym.

I hope you'll be back.  There are still many more comments to go.

Accusations -- Responding to WMSCOG comments

I have received quite a few comments from World Mission Society Church of God member(s) in the last few days.  Rather than trying to address them all in the comment section, I'm going to post them here.  I'd also like to remind everyone about the forum where you can discuss WMCSOG topics.

I'll copy the comments exactly as they were written, without adding, removing, or editing anything.  However, they will not necessarily be in the order received...

On July 29 at 6:39 pm, Anonymous posted on "The name of Jesus" --

Genny, you are not posting all comments on your blog!!! These means that you are a false prophet who testifies falsehood. You do not want your evil schemes to be exposed so people will believe your lies!!! 

No, I do not post all comments on my blog.  You might be surprised at the magnitude of rudeness (to put it nicely), that occasionally comes through (both from pro- and anti-WMSCOG commentors).  I also won't post any comments that reveal personally identifying information.  Also, some comments are picked up by the spam filter.

Another thing to think about, I have a full life outside of this blog, my own family and job and activities, so sometimes I am delayed at approving comments and responding to them.  Please be patient with me.

Now, if you are serious that my "not posting all comments" is evidence that I'm a "false prophet" and that I don't want my "evil schemes to be exposed," then what would you say about all of the WMSCOG sites and member blogs that do not post all comments?

On July 29 at 5:54 pm, Anonymous posted on "The name of Jesus" --

The secrets of the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven has been given to God's children but not to people who are not God's children that is why Ahnsahnghong's books are not available to the general public. 

That's not a very useful quote to argue with.  Anyone could say, "I am God's child and you are not.  That's why you don't understand the truth I'm telling you."  You need something more substantial than that.

If Ahnsahnghong's books truly held the truth, and the WMSCOG truly preached the truth, why wouldn't they want the truth available to everyone? 

Think about other organizations that restrict their publications in the way the WMSCOG does.  What kinds of organizations are they?  Why do they have those restrictions?  (If you can't answer those questions for yourself, let me know.)

On July 29 at 6:44 pm, Anonymous posted on "The name of Jesus," in response to Carlos' comment --

Carlos, this website did not open your eyes but it closed your eyes to the truth! Genny does not follow the teachings of the bible absolutely and she encourage people to worship God in their own ways. That is absolutely WRONG. It is because Salvation belongs to God. And His statutes we need to keep. You are being deceived!!!  

We can each call the other "deceived!" but the word means little if it's not backed up by evidence.  Please check out my three summary pages (Key Verses, Internal Evidence, and Mistakes).  Also, if you haven't read the Start Here page, please do.

When you say that I "encourage people to worship God in their own ways," what do you mean by that?  What I think of when I hear that is that people should worship according to the personality that God gave them, and what is meaningful to them, in a way that pleases God.  For example, someone who loves nature probably worships God better when they are camping or on a hike and should not think that a building is the only suitable place to worship God.

On July 29 at 6:24 pm, Anonymous posted on "The name of Jesus," in response to Daniyyel's comment --

Danniyel, your sister is the one who is so sorry for you because your poor soul is dying. You believe that she is in a cult but in reality, you are the one who is in a cult. Let me explain this. The Jews captured apostle Paul and beheaded him because Paul was charged of heresy leading the Nazarene sect(cult). In the eyes of the general public who claim to believe in God persecuted the true believers: Paul, Peter, Stephen, the disciples. People like you also believe in God right? But you are the one persecuting the true believers in God, you even call them being in a cult! Someone who is in a cult does not follow the teachings of the bible. Let me ask you this. Do you celebrate Christmas? Are you a Sunday worshipper? If you are, then you are not following the teachings of the bible because the bible does not teach people to worship God on Sundays and also, nowhere in the bible Dec 25 is the birthday of Christ. You are being deceived by satan's schemes. 

And, on July 29 at 6:11 pm, Anonymous posted on "The name of Jesus" --

What is heresy? How do we know that a church is heretical? In the bible, heresy is a practice that does not follow the doctrine of the bible. Then which church is heretical? Sunday keeping churches or Saturday keeping churches? In the bible, God commanded people to keep the Sabbath day holy, which is Saturday. There is a Sabbath in accordance with the law of Moses and there is a Sabbath in accordance with the law of Christ. Since Christ gave us examples to follow even after his baptism, He kept the Sabbath day as his custom which is on Saturday. He said he is the Lord of the Sabbath. Obviously, Sunday is not the day Jesus gave, as an example to follow. Then, which church does not follow the example of Jesus Christ? Sunday keepers or Saturday keepers? The Sunday keeping churches are obviously heretical because they do not follow the examples of Christ and his disciples. Who introduced Sunday worship then? If it did not come from God, then it must come from the enemy of God which is the devil who uses all religious leaders, priests ,pastors, government officials, etc in his evil schemes to lead the whole world astray. 

It is true that when you have two people with opposing stands, each will say that they themselves have the truth and that the other is the one who is wrong.  That is why it's so important for both to set aside any preconceived notions, distinguish fact from opinion, and look at the issue from a rational standpoint.

No one likes to be told they are in a cult.  It could be true, or it could be a misunderstanding.  Since it is a word used by professionals to describe the World Mission Society Church of God, it is worth investigating.  (As a side note, one of the organizations I have a good opinion of is also on the list of cults at the Freedom of Mind resource center.  Is it true or a misunderstanding or what?  If I were considering joining, it would be worth investigating.)

Let me ask you this.  Do you celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, New Year on January 1, Independence Day (July 4), Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.  Where does the Bible teach you to celebrate those days?

The Bible does have something to say about Sunday.  Here is a place you can go for resources about Sunday and the Sabbath. 

Sunday meetings were introduced by the apostles, who remembered Jesus' resurrection every time a Sunday came around.  If you don't like that, then perhaps you should tell God that He should have picked a different day for the Resurrection so the apostles wouldn't have use the "Day of the Sun."  Maybe He should have worked it all out for a Monday?  Oh, no, then you would probably accuse Christians of "Moon worship" for meeting on Mondays...

That's all I have time for right now.  It's been a very busy summer for me, but I have lots to write about and more comments to address, so I hope to get back here again soon.

Easter -- The WMSCOG's misunderstandings

It's Easter.  A blessed Resurrection Day to you all!

The World Mission Society Church of God's general pastor Kim Joo-Cheol has shared this about the WMSCOG's view of Christian Easter celebrations:

Most Christians celebrate Easter by eating boiled eggs on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. Actually, however, it originated from the pagan custom of serving Easter (Ashtoreth)—the pagan goddess who was associated with the spring sun. Easter is fundamentally different from the Resurrection Day Jesus established. (source)

The WMSCOG has some serious misunderstandings regarding Easter (Resurrection Day).

First, eating boiled eggs on Resurrection Day has nothing to do with serving a pagan goddess.  It has to do with Lent.  Traditionally, during the time of Lent, the people would fast, and among the foods they would not eat were eggs.  What do you do when your chickens keep producing eggs but you are not allowed to eat them?  Do you let them go to waste?  No, you boil them, and keep them until you may eat them again.  [see comments for correction] When is the fasting of Lent over, and when do you get to eat the eggs?  Resurrection Day.  That's how you get lots of eggs on Easter.  Here's more about Lent.

Second, the "first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox" also has nothing to do with serving a pagan goddess.  It has to do with the date of Easter in relation to Passover.  As the early church became disconnected from Judaism, they needed to be able to mark the date of the Resurrection (which happened on the Sunday after Passover) without having to rely on the Jewish priests for the date of Passover every year.

Passover is set for the 14th day of the 1st month of the Hebrew calendar.  Months on the Hebrew calendar begin with the new moon and are 28 or 29 days long, depending on the lunar cycle.  The full moon occurs half way through the month (on the 14th).  The spring equinox is in the first month.  That's how the date is set for the first Sunday after the full moon after the spring equinox.  (That's the simple way to explain it.  If you want to know all the complexities, study the computus.)

While I'm on the subject, I'd like to address a few other accusations against Christians concerning paganism.

Accusation: Crosses were used in ancient pagan worship.  Christians who set up crosses in their churches are following after these pagan practices. (more here)
Truth: Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross.  If you are upset about that, take up your objection with God and tell Him Jesus should have died some other way.

Accusation: Sunday was used by pagans to worship the Sun-god.  Christians who go to church on Sunday are really taking part in pagan Sun-god worship.
Truth: Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday.  If you are upset about that, take up your objection with God and tell Him that Jesus should have picked another day to rise from the dead.

Accusation: Pagans worshiped the Sun-god, and the sun rises in the east.  Christians who hold sunrise services facing to the east on Easter Sunday morning, are really worshiping the Sun-god.
Truth: The women discovered the empty tomb at sunrise on Sunday morning.  If you are upset about that, take up your objection with God and tell Him that the empty tomb should have been discovered at some other time of day.  You can also tell Him that He should make the sun rise from some other direction on Resurrection Day morning.

Think it's silly to approach God with these objections?  Of course it is.  Likewise, it is silly to accuse Christians of paganism simply because you see some surface similarities.

I think you'll like these two articles by Ralph Woodrow:
Christmas, Easter, and the Cross
Did Sunday Worship Come from Paganism?

You might remember that Ralph Woodrow wrote the book Babylon Mystery Religion which taught that many Christian practices originated from paganism.  Then he realized the research was flawed and he was wrong.  He pulled the book from publication and wrote The Babylon Connection? to correct his errors and set the record straight.  Read more about it here.

I pray you have a blessed celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus and that all our loved ones who are involved in the WMSCOG will soon see the truth and return wholeheartedly to fellowship with their families.  I also pray that the pastors and leaders of the WMSCOG will be strong enough and noble enough and humble enough to speak out about the errors and seek the truth.  And finally, I pray that Zahng Gil-Jah and Kim Joo-Cheol themselves will seek forgiveness from the true God and turn from the path they have chosen.

Second Coming Christ and Traditions-- Responding to WMSCOG comments

I'm continuing to answer comments sent in recently from World Mission Society Church of God members.  This one focused on Ahnsahnghong as the second coming Christ and also touched on church traditions.

(I have not removed any words from the original comment, but I have fixed spelling errors to help anyone needing to use the online translator.)

January 17, 2012, 7:07 AM, Anonymous said...

I think that anyone can argue just about anything if they really wanted too. but when you think about all the traditions that most churches keep are never based on the bible. 

Thank you, Anonymous, for taking the time to write.  I appreciate hearing your perspective.

Do you have the tradition of celebrating your birthday with a cake and birthday candles and presents and a party?  What purpose does such a celebration serve?  Does it matter to you where that tradition came from?

Different traditions serve different purposes, of course.  The purpose of the traditions that churches keep is to help people connect with and understand God.

A friend of mine told me about a mission trip she took.  One of the 'traditions' (as you might call it) of the Christians in that area was that the Bible must not touch the ground.  They treated their Bibles such that they considered it disrespectful for it to be laid on the floor.

I can't think of a verse in the Bible that commanded that, can you?  So this tradition is not based on the Bible.  But does the tradition have value?  Yes, of course.

Purim and Hanukkah are celebrations that were not commanded by God.  The people chose to honor God and the memory of something He did by establishing these traditions.  Is that wrong?  No.  Even Jesus kept Hanukkah (John 10:22).

How can these churches keep Christmas and Sunday worship which is a fact in history that it was made to worship the sun God. 

Christmas and Sunday worship were made to honor Jesus, not the sun god.  I'll go into more detail in a future post.

When you read the bible Christ said he would come back a 2nd time and by him the one who restores all the truth we can recognize him as God but people have a fixed idea that God would never come in the flesh. But God is our Father, think about all you would do to save your children if you knew they were heading for danger. 

Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus will need to return to "restore truth"?  The WMSCOG gives the impression that Jesus failed at His first attempt because it didn't last.  Was Jesus a failure?  Of course not.

I know of two verses the WMSCOG uses to try to prove that the truth needs to be "restored."
Luke 18:8 ...when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?
The WMSCOG says this means that there will be no faith on the earth, but that's not what it says.  It says, "Will He find faith?"  They assume the answer to be no, that there will be no faith at all.

This is like the mom who leaves her children for a little while and says, "When I come back will I find you doing your chores?"  She does not expect a 'no' answer.  She expects a 'yes,' even if it's only some of the children.

The other verse is Hebrews 9:28 ...To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Christ's second coming will not be to "restore truth" by bring salvation from sin again.  The word for "salvation" here has to do with deliverance, survival, and safety.  It is also used in Luke 1:71, Acts 27:34, and Philippians 1:19.  So you see it is a different sense of salvation.

Jesus came 2000 years ago and at that time everybody knew God as Jehovah but the reason he came was to establish the new covenant by keeping Passover with bread and wine instead of lamb sacrifice as in old testament. 

The reason Jesus came was to satisfy our debt for our sin by becoming the perfect sacrifice, the Passover Lamb so that death (eternal, spiritual death) would pass over us.  The Passover and Jesus' fulfillment of it is filled with wonderful symbolism.  This is a good book about it.

Did you know that Jesus didn't keep Passover "with bread and wine instead of lamb."  The Jews had bread and wine with their Passover lamb as part of the Seder meal.  The disciples prepared the Passover (Mark 14:16) and they ate the meal (Luke 22:20, notice "after supper").

God suffered in [un]imaginable pain and promised us life thru the passover. After his death at his first coming this Passover was abolished. Passover is the way to eternal life because we can have God's flesh and blood just as we have our physical parents' DNA proving we a children of God. Then how could we have eternal life if the way was blocked. 

First, there have been people keeping the Passover throughout history.  It never "completely disappeared from the world" as the WMSCOG claims.

Second, if the way to eternal life was truly blocked, then "the gates of Hades" prevailed against the Church, which would deny Jesus' words in Matthew 16:18.

God said he had to come a second time just as in his first coming. Jesus was a very common name and he was persecuted by his people and eventually sacrificed by his people. it is the same now Christ ahn sahng hong came and restored the truth and it's not that people world mission society just follow a random person just because. Just as his first coming the disciples recognized him because he fulfilled prophecy as messiah. it is the same now and sooner or later this truth will come to light. 

Jesus will return in the same manner He left, not in the same way He came (Acts 1:11).

Was Ahnsahnghong "sacrificed by his people"?  I remember being told that he died of a brain aneurysm.

And please don't use the it's-the-same-now-as-2000-years-ago argument.  Anyone can claim to be the second coming of Christ and use that argument saying, "You don't believe me, and you are persecuting me.  It was the same with Jesus."

Maybe David Koresh was the second coming Christ?  (Yes, I'm being sarcastic here.)  After all, he had a common name, was persecuted, and even killed.  And I'm sure he would have told you that he fulfilled prophecy too.

And the reason we are so persistent when we preach is because we want people to be saved and we have an eager mind and heart just as our parents did coming here. 

I understand that persistence.  When you sincerely believe something, it comes out in the way you live.  If you sincerely believe in Ahnsahnghong, then I would expect you to preach about him.  And I do believe that you sincerely want the best for people.

That's why I'm here too.  I sincerely care for you and my sister and all the others in the WMSCOG, and that's why I'm so persistent in trying to show you that "Father Ahnsahnghong" and "Mother Jerusalem" do not deserve your devotion and worship.

Easter Thoughts

He is risen!
... He is risen indeed!

While I've spent the last week taking care of my family and visiting with extended family, many thoughts have been running through my head.  Even though Easter is finished now, I'd like to share these thoughts with you.

Some people (like the WMSCOG) will say that Christians must not celebrate "Easter" because it is based on a pagan custom.  Even the name "Easter" is pagan, they say.  I have a couple things to say in response to that.

*  First, Christians are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, not worshipping an ancient pagan god (or goddess).  Yes, "Resurrection Day" would be a much better name, but in our language today, that is what "Easter" means.  As far as I can find through research, only English and German use a form of the word "Easter" for Resurrection Day.  Most other languages use a form of the word "Passover" for the same holiday.

*  "Easter" was the name of the month that contained the Passover and Resurrection Day holidays.  And that month was apparently named after a goddess, Eostra.  There is only one source for this information, and that's from the 8th century.  You can read about it here.  Many of our months of the year and days of the week (at least in English) are based on mythology.  Does using those names means we are secretly worshipping pagan gods?  If I go to a weekly Bible study on Fridays, am I inadvertently worshipping the goddess of love Freyja (Venus)?  If you go to church on Tuesday nights (like the WMSCOG), are you actually worshipping the god of war Teiwaz (Mars)?  No, of course not.  Likewise, just because the day we remember the Resurrection is sometimes called Easter, that doesn't mean we are worshipping the goddess Eostra (or Ishtar, or Ashtoreth).

*  Meanings of words change as a language develops.  Words that formerly meant one thing now mean another.  Must we rigidly hold on to the old meaning, when the new meaning is clear and prevalent?  Would you insist on saying your friend looks "gay" meaning "merry and lively," when our current society would interpret it as "homosexual"?  No, you'd have a serious misunderstanding, even though the alternate meanings of "gay" are recent enough to still be in the dictionary.  Look up "Easter" in the dictionary--the only meanings listed are about the remembrance of the Resurrection.  That is the meaning of the word now, despite where it may have come from.

*  About the Easter bunny, you can read more about the Easter bunny here.  I consider the Easter bunny similar to Santa Claus--a distraction from the true meaning and purpose of the holiday.  Here's a funny video to make that point: Easter Linebacker.  (It's less than 3 minutes long.  Hope you like it!)

It's interesting to note...  The WMSCOG's keeps the Day of Firstfruits (celebrating the Resurrection) on the same day as the mainstream Christian churches celebrate Easter.  They don't call it Easter, but they celebrate the Resurrection on the same day, and have since 2003 (records are available on their website, watv.org).

In other words, the WMSCOG does celebrate Easter.  They call it by a different name, but it's the same day and the same purpose, the remembrance of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Matthew 28:6-7

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead...."

Communion

In talking with a WMSCOG member about the Passover and Communion, an interesting comment came up that I was reminded of today...

Even though the WMSCOG members take the bread and the cup of the Lord's Supper at Passover, they distinguish it from Communion in this way...  Communion is done at any time, and even many times, during the year.  But the Passover is done only once, on the appointed day and time.

They made a big deal about how Communion is not in the Bible (so they say), and not only that, the word "communion" is not even in the Bible (so they say).

Yes it is!  The word "communion" IS in the Bible, but you have to look carefully.  It's translated "participation" in the NIV, and "sharing" in the NASB, but read it here in the New King James Version:

1 Corinthians 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

The Greek word there is "Koinonia" which means "fellowship, association, communion, joint participation, the share which one has in anything."  And that word is used 19 times in the New Testament.

Happy New Year

First of all, I pray you all have a happy and blessed 2011!

I called my sister.  She knew by caller ID who was calling.  When she answered the phone, the very first thing she said (even before hello) was, "Happy New Year, [genny]!"

Have you noticed that, although a WMSCOG member will not say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Easter," they are very quick to wish you a "Happy New Year" for January 1st?

But look closer into January 1st as New Years Day, and you'll notice they are inconsistent with their teachings.  The same reasons they will not celebrate Christmas or Easter should also prevent them from acknowledging January 1st as New Years Day.

It is not in the Bible.
January 1st is not the the first day of the Biblical calendar.  The Biblical new year begins with the month that contains the Passover.
Ex. 12:2  This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.
Lev. 23:5  The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.
Any other date celebrated as a "New Years Day" can be considered "unbiblical," including dates like Chinese New Year or Korean New Year.

The source of our calendar is...
A Catholic Pope (Gregory XIII).  Our Gregorian calendar was a reform of the Julian calendar, which was established by Julius Caesar.  The Julian calendar was a reform of previous Roman calendars.  January first appeared in the Roman calendar of Numa.  The month of "January" has nothing to do with the Bible.  It's a tradition of men.

It commemorates a pagan god.
January was named after the Roman god Janus, the god of doorways and beginnings.

I'm not against celebrating January 1st.  It's significant to the society we live in.  Even though it's really just another day, there is something intriguing about watching the calendar dates change... kind of like watching the car's odometer roll to 100,000.  (I remember seeing that happen on our old truck, and it had the dial type of odometer, not one of those new electronic ones.  Pretty fun to watch!)

But a WMSCOG member celebrating and wishing you a Happy New Year?  No, that would contradict their own teachings.

Christmas Thoughts

I'm taking a little break in my study of "Mother" to think about Christmas.
As I'm sure you know, the WMSCOG disagrees vehemently with the mainstream churches on the celebration of Christmas.  I just wanted to share some of my own thoughts on the subject.

• There is a fantastic video called "The Star of Bethlehem."  If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it.  It's the kind of thing that makes you sit back in awe.  Really, very interesting!
• The celebration of Christmas is NOT a requirement for salvation.  The WMSCOG says we are following rules made by men, but no, it is NOT a rule that must be followed.  We celebrate Christmas because we love the story of Jesus' birth and wish remember it, joined together in one accord.
• Of course we do not know the actual date of Jesus' birth, but there is nothing unusual in celebrating a birthday on a different day.  In the UK, there is an official day set aside to celebrate the Queen's (or King's) birthday, and if it happens to be on the monarch's actual birthday, it's just a coincidence.  How many times are you (or your children) invited to birthday parties held on a different day than the actual birthday?  Does it make the celebration any less special?  Should we avoid celebrating unless we can do it on the actual birthday?  No, of course not.
• Isn't it interesting that in our society (in the United States), there are religious groups (not just the WMSCOG) who do not celebrate Christmas because of its secular or materialistic or non-Christian aspects.  At the same time, there are atheists and other non-Christians who will not celebrate Christmas because of its distinctly Christian themes?
• Christmas is widely known as the celebration of the birth of Jesus, despite all its secular (Santa Claus) and materialistic (gift giving) trappings.  We must admit that with all the focus on Jesus' birth, it is a fantastic witnessing upportunity.  When so many people are willing to come to church for Christmas, who may avoid church all the rest of the year (except maybe Easter), refusing to acknowledge Christmas is also refusing a chance to explain the the wonderful story to people who may not want to listen any other time.  Let's tell it with joy and excitement, not with condemnation that they shouldn't be celebrating Christmas Day.  That's what I think.

But here's the main thing I'd like to write about -- what about Christmas's relationship to pagan festivals?
You've probably heard about origins of the Dec. 25th celebration of Christmas and its various traditions like the Christmas tree.  For one thing, Wikipedia indicates that it may not all be as pagan as the WMSCOG claims.  Check out their articles on Christmas and Sol Invictus and the Christmas Tree.  But what if it does have its beginnings in paganism?

Paul said, "Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Cor. 9:19-23)

And when Paul was in Athens, he said, "People of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious.  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.  So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you." (Acts 17:22b-23)

Paul used the people's own cultures to teach them about God, even if it was a pagan culture.  Isn't it entirely likely that Paul and the other early Christian may have used the festivals in place at the time, showed the people truth about God using what they were already familiar with, and redirected them toward the one true God?

Why should Satan have permanent control over certain days?  Can they not be redeemed for the Lord?  I say, yes they can!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Feast of Trumpets

The WMSCOG Feast of Trumpets has just passed, being celebrated on Oct. 8.

I'm wondering if anyone can enlighten me yet on why it was kept at the beginning of the eighth month instead of the seventh month as specified in Leviticus 23:24.

I wrote previously about this mistake in their calendar here, but just to sum up...

The WMSCOG prides itself in keeping the "sacred calendar," and we can see in the Bible that months are kept from new moon to new moon (Isaiah 66:23).

The WMSCOG celebrated Passover this year on March 29, which makes the new moon of Mar. 15 as the beginning of the first month on their calendar.  I'll put up the list of new moons again for you...
Mar. 15 -- 1st new moon starts the 1st month
Apr. 14 -- 2nd month starts
May 13 -- 3rd month starts
June 12 -- 4th month starts
Jully 11 -- 5th month starts
Aug. 9 -- 6th month starts
Sept. 8 -- 7th month starts
Oct. 7 -- 8th month starts

I'm not going to argue about a day (Oct. 7 vs. Oct. 8), but we are definitely in the 8th month.  I don't see any way the WMSCOG can reconcile this with Lev. 23:24, especially since the records show that some years they keep the date in the seventh month, and other years in the eighth month--it's not consistent one way or the other.

I'd be very happy to get some help with this.  Does anyone have anything to say?

What Happened with the Latest Approach

I'm wondering if anyone tried approaching their loved one about the calendar issue.

Here's the reason this calendar problem is important--They claim that Ahnsahnghong "restored the Passover."  Other groups keep the Passover, but not correctly because their calendar is wrong, they say.  If the World Mission Society Church of God can't even keep their own calendar correctly by their own rules, then this argument falls apart.

This is probably the perfect time to bring it up with your loved one since the problem is happening right now in September and October.  In a loving but questioning--not accusing!--way.  If you wanted to, but didn't know how to go about it, this is a summary of how I apporached the subject....

"I heard on the news recently that it was the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.  I was curious about what that was, so I went and looked it up.  I found out that Rosh Hashanah is another name for the Feast of Trumpets, and then I remembered that you're not celebrating the Feast of Trumpets until next month, and I thought--well isn't that strange, to be a whole month different?  I was so confused about that, that I had to look up the new moons to figure out what might be going on.  Of course you would know that the Feast of Trumpets is supposed to be kept on the 1st day of the 7th month.  But we've already had the 7th new moon of the year since the 1st one for Passover.  What do you think is going wrong here?....."

If you've tried it, would you please share?  Did it spark anything?  Or perhaps you've actually been able to get an answer about it.

I've told you all what happened when I asked my sister about it, and how she called me back somewhat confused that she couldn't make the months work out.  Well, my sister has called again about it, and now I must write about it to help me feel better.  I am a bit discouraged, but I still am trusting that God is working behind the scenes in ways I cannot see.  I'm sorry, this might be a long post....

I can tell that she had asked at church about this issue, because she did not speak about it in her normal way of speaking to me.  I don't know how else to describe it except that even though the conversation did not get heated, she was using the "cult language and tone" that's been absent in our conversations lately when we don't talk about the church.  I can only speculate that she had been criticized for even asking such a question.

In  nutshell, this is how the answer-that's-not-an-answer was delivered:
With accusation--"Why did you ask about this?  Why do you want to know?"
With avoidance--"I know the answer, but let's just keep our relationship as sisters.  I don't want to get into this."  (I'm not going to tell you the answer.)
Changing the subject--"We believe in different things.  You go to church on Sunday.  Sunday worship was established by ..... "

What I tried to explain to her:
I'm interested in the things that are important to you.  I noticed that the Jewish holiday was coming up and I know that you celebrate the Feasts.  I didn't want to bother you when you were going to be busy with your Feast days.  I know the Feasts are important to you, and I noticed this thing that was wrong, and I'm concerned about you.  If this one thing is wrong, what elses might be wrong.  If you knew that my husband was asking me to do something wrong, wouldn't you be concerned about me?

I thought it best at the time to not push her into telling the "answer" (I suspect there is no real answer anyway--there's no way around it--it's already the 7th month).  But I hope that this at least lodges in the back of her mind as a seed of doubt.
If any of you know the answer the WMSCOG gives for this, I'd really like to hear it!

Big Calendar Mistake!

Leviticus 23:23-25

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’”

This is the Feast of Trumpets, which Rabbinic Jews today celebrate as Rosh Hashanah, and which also marks the New Year for their civil calendar. (Karaite Jews call the same holiday Yom Teruah.)

The Lord declares that it is to be held on the first day of the seventh month. The Feast of Trumpets is the first of three Holy Days/Feasts in the seventh month. The others are the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.

When I asked my sister if she was going to be busy with a Feast this week (knowing that Jews were beginning their Rosh Hashanah celebrations the evening of Sept. 8), she was surprised and said no, and wasn't even sure what Rosh Hashanah was. She said that the next Feast she will celebrate will be the Feast of Trumpets on Oct. 8. Since Rosh Hashanah is actually the day for the Feast of Trumpets, I wondered--why a whole month different?! (Especially since she celebrated Passover on the same day as the Hebrew calendar this year.)

In examining this particular problem with the World Mission Society Church of God, I’m not going to compare the Rabbinic and Karaite calendars (which the WMSCOG sometimes deviates from) to try to prove one “right”. I’m only going to compare the WMSCOG calendar with itself and the Bible.

What follows may seem like an insignificant point to some people, but it really shows how the WMSCOG cannot even keep straight their own rules and doctrine.

We know that the Hebrew calendar is luni-solar, which means that the months follow the lunar cycle, with a leap month added every so often to keep the holy days in their proper seasons. Each month starts with the new moon.
(By the way, because of the time difference around the globe, the new moon may occur up to one day off of GMT if you consider that the WMSCOG may go by new moons in Korea (which it does NOT seem to do consistently anyhow). But these problems are far greater than one day….)

Let’s look at this year 2010—
Passover is in the first month (Lev. 23:5)
The WMSCOG kept Passover on March 29.
So the new moon of March 15 marks the first month.
The new moon of April 14 begins the second month.
The new moon of May 13 begins the third month.
The new moon of June 12 begins the fourth month.
The new moon of July 11 begins the fifth month.
The new moon of August 9 begins the sixth month.
The new moon of September 8 begins the seventh month.
The new moon of October 7 begins the eighth month.

The WMSCOG has their Feast of Trumpets scheduled for Oct. 8, 2010.
They are always sticklers for keeping the Feasts at their correct date and time.
Why are they keeping this year’s Feast of Trumpets/Day of Atonement/Feast of Tabernacles in the eighth month instead of the seventh month?

I think their excuse will be something about that these dates are supposed to be in the autumn season, and Sept. 8 is not officially fall yet. But that doesn’t matter. Fall will have officially started before this series of Feasts is finished. And the Bible says that these dates must be in the seventh month.

A similar thing happened in 2005 and 2008:
For 2005, the WMSCOG held Passover on Mar. 24.
So the new moon of Mar. 10 started their first month.
It was followed by the new moons of Apr. 8 (second month), May 8 (third month), June 6 (fourth month), July 6 (fifth month), Aug. 4 (sixth month), Sept. 3 (seventh month), and Oct. 3 (eighth month).
The WMSCOG held their Feast of Trumpets on Oct. 3. (They called this the seventh month on their news report, but it is actually the eighth month counting from when they kept Passover.)

For 2008, the WMSCOG held Passover on Mar. 21.
So the new moon of Mar. 7 started their first month.
It was followed by the new moons of Apr. 5 (second month), May 5 (third month), June 3 (fourth month), July 2 (fifth month), Aug. 1 (sixth month), Aug. 30 (seventh month), and Sept. 29 (eighth month).
The WMSCOG held their Feast of Trumpets on Sept. 30. (They called this the seventh month too on their news report, but it is actually the eighth month counting from when they kept Passover.)

It's just another thing that makes it SO CLEAR to me that Mother Jerusalem is NOT God! She can’t even arrange her own church’s calendar to follow her own teachings.

If you want to see this for yourself, you can look at the South Korea church news reports on the main church website for previous Feast dates here: http://english.watv.org/news/list.asp?menu=I
And here’s a list of new moon dates: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phase2001est.html

If you'd like to see this information in a chart form, click here.

The Holy Third Day?

While I'm on the subject of days...
When I visited the World Mission Society Church of God with my sister on their Tuesday evening service, I heard the pastor refer to "this Holy Third Day."  So I started asking, What makes Tuesday a holy day?

The answer from my sister at the time was, "I'm not sure, but haven't you wondered why every church has a midweek service?  There must be a reason for it."  (Most churches do have a midweek service, usually Wednesday, but I always thought it was because we didn't want to wait all the way to the weekly service to get our "spiritual tanks" filled.)

Later her answer was that it had something to do with cleansing and purifying water.  Another person said it was somewhere in Numbers, and another gave me the kind of cryptic, roundabout answer, which unfortunately is all to common in my experience:  "If you came to the CoG and studied Clean and Unclean maybe you would know…..hmmm theres a thought…."

Turns out that Holy Tuesday is based on a faulty interpretation of Numbers 19:12.

If you search for "third day" in the Bible, you'll see there are 39 verses about the “third day,” and they are overwhelmingly about the third day in the passage of time, such as when they are traveling for three days and on the third day they arrive. Rarely it is the third day of the month, as in Ezra 6:15. Never does it specifically, refer to the third day of the week (Tuesday).

Then there is Numbers 19:12 which says, “He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean.”

If you read the context of the chapter, you’ll see that the “third day” and “seventh day” here refers to the passage of time, NOT Tuesday and Saturday. Verse 11 says, “He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.” In order to become clean again, he must purify himself on the third and seventh days of his seven days of uncleanness. If it meant Tuesday and Saturday, what would he do if he touched the dead body on Friday?

The same logic that would make Numbers 19:12 mean Tuesday and Saturday would also say that Jesus rose from the grave on a Tuesday. Did Jesus rise from the grave on a Tuesday? No, it was the first day of the week, Sunday. There are several verses in which Jesus says He will rise on “the third day”. It is not Tuesday. It is the third day from the crucifixion.

The World Mission Society Church of God has a history of taking verses out of context, thereby distorting their meaning.  If you study with them, be sure to read many verses around the one they show you, even the whole chapter or book.  That way you'll get a clearer picture of what the Biblical writer meant.