Ron was able to spiritualize the failure of the first timeline, he’s been able to spiritualize and redirect the lack of a Great Tribulation (ie the 4th Thunder = the 1st Trumpet). If the IRS convinces the US Attorney to bring charges, he’ll find a way to somehow spiritualize that and integrate it into a 3rd timeline if he goes to jail. If he manages to beat the rap, or even if the IRS decides it would not be able to make a case, he would spiritualize that too — God protected the Witness OR he said something that protected himself. As far as the lack of power, he’s managed to delay expectations for that until the 5th Trumpet. He just has to delay expectations for the 5th Trumpet.

Somehow he’ll manage to continue to control the church whatever the IRS does.

I see what your are saying. That by giving 2012 as the end, he (Ron) is kind of putting a time limit on his cash cow.
And no doubt, he IS sticking his neck out there by prophesying 2012 as the end.

Mike (DDTFA) says:
“(1) the IRS puts him away for awhile, then she can run the church and keep it together for him while he’s gone at his direction via prison visits”

So do you think there’s a good chance the IRS will bring charges, and that he will have to do some time?

This is why I ask: Because if he truly believes that he and Laura (as the two witnesses) are going to end up dead in Jerusalem in 2012, he must not think that he is going to spend too long in jail. He has to be out in time to make it to Jerusalem.

Plus, he’s going to need some time to be calling down those plagues, “as often as he will”, as well as breathing some fire on his enemies, unless he thinks he can do that from his jail cell.

And I don’t say that to be funny (although it IS funny); I find it fascinating to try and determine (through logical deduction) what might be going on in his head, and how he is looking at the next couple of years.

Regarding #2, he just turned 60 on May 30. Don’t know if he participated in the Social Security system or exempted himself on religious basis. Another consideration is that he had a heart attack 4 years ago. I think he ordained Laura as prophetess and put her over the church as a contingency for two possibilities:
(1) the IRS puts him away for awhile, then she can run the church and keep it together for him while he’s gone at his direction via prison visits, or
(2) he has another, final heart attack then she can live into her golden years as the head of a church.

And yeah, either way, he needs to have a church. He quotes HWA as saying that whoever controls the money controls the church.

Not long ago, when I was in church, if someone told me about the things that Ron Weinland is doing, and that it looks like he’s in it for the power, $$$$, and lifestyle, I would have said “Oh no, that can’t be true, not one of God’s chosen ministers”.

And we know that he’s a “true minister, chosen by God, because he was approved by Mr. Armstrong, and this is God’s true church, etc., etc.”.

Boy oh boy, the veil (or the wool) that can be pulled over our eyes.

Even now , I wonder where to draw the line, between how much he truly believes in what he’s telling people, and how much he is knowingly “fleecing the flock” in order to support his lifestyle and future income/retirement.

Maybe it’s a little of both. After looking at it, a couple of things that seem to ring true (to me anyway).

1. It wouldn’t make sense to think that he totally believes his “prophecies” about 2012, and the trumpets, and all of that, because he knows he’s been wrong before. Having to revise “time lines” and all of that. And so it’s logical to assume that even he doesn’t buy into it totally. So why not have a contingency plan?

2. He’s 60 yrs old, give or take, and judging by how long people live these days, he’ll probably be around when he’s 70.
Just trying to get into his thinking. How’s he going to support himself and Laura, at their age, and with his unique kind of “resume”?

Well, the church has worked out quite well so far, all these years. Seize control of the church?

Darn rights he’s gonna seize control of the church!

And this assessment may not be right on. But I bet it’s not that far off.

I can see it now, “ughh, God has revealed to me that I didn’t have the right understanding about 2012, but He is now revealing to me, and correcting me, about what’s really going to happen”.

And I realize it’s what a lot of you already know. So much of this is still new to me.

Drinking is the only vice allowed in the church, one that its members quite often exercise in great excess. (It ain’t called “the Feast of Booze” for nothin’, y’know.)