False Prophet Ronald Weinland

False Prophet Ronald Weinland stated that he has cut back on advertising. Quantcast and Alexa, two websites that track Internet traffic to websites, agree with that statement.

This graph of traffic to the-end.com goes back nearly 3 years.  Right after the Feast of Tabernacles in 2007, Ron began spending increasing amounts of money on Google advertising, resulting in a significant increase of traffic early in 2008 based on various apocalyptic key words.  The advertising budget was cut after the failure of the first timeline and the announcement of the 50th truth.  Keyword advertising on Google and Yahoo rebegan with the second timeline in October of 2008.

This graph of web traffic to the-end.com from Alexa goes back only two years and is consistent with a bit more detail.  The sharp drop-off in traffic early in 2009 coincides with the 2-day fast at the end of January last year during which PKG members were to pray for an increase in the Thunders to humble people.   It also shows the traffic dropped of dramatically just before the Feast of Tabernacles last year and then picked up again right after.  Ron stated that he was going to leverage the apocalyptic movie “2012″ that was released back in November, and traffic did increase about that time but has tapered off.

This graph from Google Trends shows the search for the keyword “2012″.  Searches increased just prior to the release of the movie but have tapered off since, similar to the drop-off in traffic to the-end.com.  It appears that this keyword has been removed from their ad program as searches on “2012″ no longer serve up a sponsored link.

The reduced traffic to the-end.com will result in fewer people willing to ignore the lack of evidence and join Ron’s church.  It seems that Ron was able to handle most of the baptisms as he traveled around the country, so I’m not sure what his current flock of elders do.  Questions to an elder are likely to be referred to the FAQ page on the church website, and failing that to Ron himself.  After the first rush of excitement of the 59 new ordainees and their trip to Cincinnati next month, how are they going to handle the lack of opportunity to practice their new eldering skills?

Ron is dangling the carrot that hordes of people will be drawn to his church when the great tribulation finally hits.  But he was claiming as far back as 2004 that disasters would make advertising unnecessary. And they’re still waiting.

Today marks the end of the second 19-year time cycle since the end of Herbert Armstrong’s two prophetic 19-year time cycles.  January 7, 1934 was the first of Herbie’s radio broadcasts.  January 7, 1953 was his first broadcast in Europe at the end of HWA’s first 19-year time cycle.  The end of the second 19-year time cycle, January 7, 1972, was to mark the beginning of the 3 1/2 year Great Tribulation leading to the return of Jesus Christ on Trumpets of 1975.  Each of these January 7′s was Tevet 20 on the Jewish calendar, but this year Tevet 20 is today, January 6, 38 years later on the Jewish holy calendar.  While the sun, moon, and earth are supposedly on a perfect 19-year time cycle, Wikipedia explains that while that’s pretty close there’s actually a two-hour difference.

When the Great Tribulation did not manifest in 1972 and the Worldwide Church of God did not flee to Petra, Herbert Armstrong back-pedaled in a “personal” in his “Tomorrow’s World” publication, claiming that he was not a prophet.  The evidence contradicts this as indicated on this website with over 200 prophecies by Armstrong and his minions.  The book “Matches in the Gas Tank” also says differently. As described in that book, Herbert Armstrong spoke on the Feast of Trumpets 1967, and opened with:

Herbert W. Armstrong walked to the podium and stood before the mike. He was middle-aged, prosperously rotund, and clothed in a fine wool suit. His full gray hair was combed straight back; his cold stare pierced rimless glasses. His bearing was regal; he radiated authority. His voice exuded charisma: a beautiful baritone with the timbre of a finely-tuned instrument. Each word was delivered with absolute conviction because, as he told us, God had given him extraordinary intelligence and speaking ability so he could serve as His emissary on earth.

“Eight years from today, Jesus Christ will return,” Mr. Armstrong thundered, holding his Bible in the air.

Jesus Christ did not return 8 years later, on Trumpets of 1975.  Despite his claim that he was not a prophet, Herbert Armstrong continued to issue prophecies that turned out to be false. Herbert Armstrong claimed to be God’s apostle speaking in his name, and issued prophecies. To claim that Herbie was not a prophet is just so much jailhouse lawyering. Try this one on the judge: stick up a 7-11 and when you get caught, base your defense on “I didn’t claim to be an armed robber”.

This is year 5770 on the Jewish calendar.  Herbie and his wannabee imitators use the Jewish calendar to set the days on which to observe the Holy days.  Weinland emphasizes this in his 20th “Truth”. Yet despite their claims that God allotted 6000 years for mankind to figure it out on our own, False Prophet Ronald Weinland claims that Jesus Christ’s return is imminent despite 230 years remaining according to the Jewish calendar.  Pentecost of 2012 will be pretty much the same as Trumpets of 1975.  Ron has a lot of revisions left to accomplish.

Being the beginning of a new year, it’s time to look back at the past year and also look forward.

A year ago, I made a few predictions such as that the inauguration of Barack Obama would come off despite Weinland’s prophecy that it wouldn’t happen. As I predicted, the pope still hasn’t done anything beast-like and has given no indication that he’s even heard of our Spokesman Witness, much less that he’s irritated by him.

The end of January saw the unprecedented 2-day fast in which members were to pray for death to humble people from an increase in the thunders.  Since this didn’t happen, Weinland twisted their prayers as justification for the Tribulation not being great (or even minor for that matter).  As I expected, Weinland has hammered on the 4th Thunder, the economy, even turning it into the 1st Trumpet with green currency being grass.  I guess countries with different colored currency will skip the 1st Trumpet.

February gave the opportunity to show Weinland’s member control tactics in an email exchange with an exiting member.  It seems that any problems you have with Ron and his false prophecies are due to some sin in your life.

In March, after the second trumpet did not strike within the first 90 days of the 2nd Great Tribulation, “Citizen X”, who was the only pro-Weinland blogger (albeit claiming neutrality), declared Weinland to be a false prophet. Weinland also made another radio interview with Cincinnati radio station WLW, his first in about 10 months, and stated that “nukular” explosions would occur within a year.

In June, Ron gave a presentation at ideaCity and fled after being exposed to Rick Miller’s comedy routine.  The formidable prophet was still so rattled 3 days later that he got the day for the event mixed up in his sermon.  But never fear, Jeremy knows how to edit sermons and does.  And on the 21st of June yet another prophecy in “2008 – God’s Final Witness” failed as the US is still an independent nation.

In July, Kirrily worked through some of her anger at being exploited by Weinland.  Also in July, recordings surfaced revealing Weinland’s tactics as he seized control of The Church of God, Inc. from its lay board as I transitioned from Blogspot to this WordPress blog.

In August, Weinland came out against Facebook and stated he was not an apostle.

In September, he missed his live appearance for the Feast of Trumpets, which was also the 40th sabbath of judgment of the Great Tribulation.

In October, Weinland redefined Time in his Last Great Day sermon with the help of alternate definitions in Strong’s Concordance, selecting the one that suited him.

November was an eventful month, as he declared himself to be an apostle despite his denial of such less than 3 months earlier.  Audra was ordered in federal court to give testimony to the IRS to support their criminal investigation of Ronald Weinland.  He also defrocked one of his elders for being on Facebook.

This past month has also been eventful, as Weinland demoted his spiritual idol Herbert Armstrong to only a “type” of an Elijah, claiming himself to be the final Elijah-to-come to restore all things.  And also announcing the ordination of women within PKG besides Laura.

We can put paid to yet another failed prophecy, as put out during his Google Adwords campaign earlier last year.  America is still an independent nation despite Ron’s extension of our economic woes.

Now for the predictions.  I predict that Weinland will keep most of his members as he marches them in close-order drill to the right and to the left.  I don’t think that there will be a strong reaction to his ordination of women since that was practiced in WCG, although only to the rank of deaconess which did not include the right to perform baptisms.  A lot will depend on whether Ann, Myrtle, or Chris throw their senior elder weight around too much.  I wonder if Wayne’s tendency to sheriff will rub off on Chris.

His future waves of ordination will take in most of the sealed, particularly those healthy and employed who generate more income.  He will then move to the younger unsealed members who have been with him for awhile and attended the 2006 Feast of Tabernacles.  There will be few if any ordained among the members who joined as a result of the Google Ad campaign which began in earnest in late 2007.   Ron promises to dangle yet more carrots in front of his members.  Probably will include the assumption of yet more titles with the proof based solely on his declaration.  Any new changes in doctrine will be designed to intensify his hold on his followers.

I predict that over the coming year there will be bad weather events, earthquakes, an armed skirmish here and there, and a few ups and downs of the economy.  One of the Fated Five of the Fifth Thunder may die (after all they’re in their 60s and 70s and 3 of the 5 have buried their first wives), and if it happens that will be shown as evidence of Weinland’s prophethood even if Meredith and Ames are not the first to die.  The 6th thunder will die off since the movie 2012 has been released for awhile now and when we get into the new year there will be less inclination for “end of the world” predictions.  Ron may get a radio interview or two in some local market but his ideaCity audience will not be repeated.

I also predict that IRS Criminal Investigation will refer the case against Ronald Weinland to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution later in the year.  They’ve been on the case for 18 months now, which is longer than the average of 14 months for an investigation, so it would seem they still feel that they have a good chance of making a case in court.   There is also a statute of limitations deadline for the first tax year for which they’re investigating him, and time has to be allowed for the review process and obtaining an indictment.  The statute of limitations is 6 years from the required filing date of April 15, 2005 for tax year 2004, or April 15, 2011.  However, the statute of limitations starts at a later date if he filed later, and is extended whenever he is out of the country.  As a reminder, a DoJ referral would not mean that Ronald Weinland is guilty of criminal tax evasion as that can only be determined in a court of law.

I hope that neither the IRS or the DOJ gives Weinland a taxpayer conference before deciding to proceed toward prosecution.  I think it likely that if Weinland feels the law closing in on him, he will make another overseas trip, one much, much longer than usual.  Or use his many members to hide him away from the beast power now recognized to be manifested in the criminal justice system.

I further predict that Weinland’s curse that I die speedily from the inside will be delayed long enough to see if my predictions come true or not.

To “Weinland Observer”, I hope that my reading of your absence from my blog is correct, that your parents have engaged with you and shown to you that this prophet is false, and that you’re back to doing the normal teen things.  Life, particularly at your age, is hard enough without a religious exploiter involved screwing things up even more.

To Kirrily, I know this last year has been a crazy one for you.  I hope that this coming year will settle out and be your best ever.

To all of my readers, thank you for following my blog.  And to those of my readers who are elders, and to “Observer” and other lay members of The Church of God – PKG, I hope you will have eyes to see and ears to hear and will stop drinking the Flavor Aid stirred up from Ron’s delusions.

A year ago this Monday, False Prophet Ronald Weinland started his job as Spokesman Witness for the second time and also restarted the Great Tribulation.  But he’s had to restart the Great Tribulation yet again and will do so again.

Four years ago tomorrow, Ronnie declared himself to be the Spokesman of the Two End-Time Witnesses.  And 15 years ago tomorrow, Joe Tkach Sr opened the First Seal in his December 17, 1994 sermon in Atlanta witnessed by Weinland’s backup man Johnny Harrell.

Joe Tkach reprised his Atlanta sermon a week later in his “Christmas Eve” sermon in Big Sandy.  Ambassador College alumni including relations of mine were in attendance for a reunion.

Here is a clip of the first part of Tkach’s “Christmas Eve” sermon.

Thanks to J of Shadows of WCG for finding this. He has links to both sides of the first audio tape of the sermon on his blog. (YouTube limits clips to 10 minutes each).

A video of the sermon was distributed to all the local congregations in the Worldwide Church of God in January of 1995. As a result of the changes introduced by this sermon, WCG imploded with Ronald Weinland leaving WCG as minister in March of 1995 and incorporating The United Church of God – Toledo, Inc. the following month.  And the rest — is history.

False Prophet Ronald Weinland spoke in Bloomington, Illinois today.  He drug along his elders Ralph Dowd and Ken Zitt from Cincinnati to say the prayers and help fill up the meeting room.  I wonder if he also brought along Chris and Audra as he did last week to Erie and if they again went out for hot wings after services, or if Bloomington even has such a place.

Ron is excited about awesome new revelations coming down the pike, to be delivered in about 3-4 weeks leading up to the end of the first half of his shortened time on February 6 for which a church-wide fast has been proclaimed.  Given that Ron’s new revelations involve numbers and novel interpretations of the Bible, he probably has two screens connected to his computer, with Excel on one screen to work out the number of days between different dates, and E-Sword with Strong’s Greek and Hebrew dictionaries on the other screen to select possible meanings of words which best suit him.

Ron again took a tour through history, talking about “duck and cover” drills school children were given in the ’50′s to prepare for “nukular” attacks. Stanley Rader was used in 1979 by God to defend WCG against California Attorney General Deukmejian, but no mention of the tithe and offering money that ended up in Stan’s pocket.   Ralph Dowd was ordained in September of 1986 when Ron was assigned in Cincinnati as associate pastor, Terry Wrozek was ordained as an elder in April of 1998 and Johnny Harrell during the Feast of Tabernacles held that year at Niagara Falls.

Ron repeated the mention of the trip to Europe in November 1999 and being hosted by Benjamin and Grace in their London apartment.  Also repeated his claim that 19 were in attendance in contradiction to his statement in December of 1999 that 12 were there including 3 children.  Maybe the 10 virgins were hiding in the next room making it a total of 19 adults.  Benjamin committed the unpardonable sin not only of being on Facebook but also trying to recruit other PKG members to be his Facebook “friends”.

Weinland also continued his tour through some old News Watch periodicals he published intermittently from 1998 through 2002.  Issues mentioned were:

• December, 1999 in which he prophesied that Y2K would be a non-Event, which was pretty safe at that point given the massive effort to update all the software.
• January, 2000 in which he rolled out the new name of the church in the banner and a new PO Box to which it seems his elders had not agreed.
• February-March, 2000 in which a 2nd new PO Box was obtained because of the split.
• Third Quarter of 2001 which was the start of a 4-parter proving that we’re in the end times.
• First Quarter of 2002, Ron still didn’t understand that 9/11 was the opening of the 6th seal when he wrote this.
• Third Quarter of 2002, This was the last issue of News Watch. Shortly after this, Ron opened the Swiss bank accounts. The following year he published his 4-color booklet “Time Has Run Out” and then went on to write his books.

Ron took News Watch off his website back in 2003, but threatens to put them back on.  However, you can download PDFs of these issues now using the links above.

Near the end of the sermon, Ron indicated that he is going to exercise his newly recognized office of Apostle by adding new doctrine.  A doctrine which he announced up front is not in the Bible, either — Old Testament or New Testament. PKG members will be expected to march in formation turning to the left or right as directed by Drill Instructor Ronald Weinland.   Being an Apostle, he is entitled to invent new doctrine just like the Apostles in the New Testament.  But then the Insane Liar invented his position as an Apostle in the first place, just as he invented his position as a Prophet of the God of Abraham.  He will no longer be bound by novel interpretations of scripture, he can just make it all up.  He expects that a few will leave the church.  I hope a lot of PKG members will leave, but I expect that most of his followers will continue chugging down the Flavor Aid to wash it all down.  Wonder if this will be better than his “no Facebook” doctrine.

Ron needs to use more smoke and mirrors to distract his followers from the lack of Great Tribulation.  December 14 (Monday) is one year from the first non-start of the Great Tribulation in the second timeline.  It’s now 12 weeks since the second non-start on the Feast of Trumpets.  Since I’ve made it now 51 weeks without suffering the speedy death Weinland cursed me with, I expect I’ll be around a few more weeks to hear what amazing new bull Ron has to share.  (I would have used a different word than “bull”, but listening to the false prophet is rubbing off on me )

At a couple of points during Insane Lying False Prophet Ronald Weinland’s sermon last Saturday, he took pot shots at some of the leaders of competing CoGs.  He dug up some old copies of his News Watch magazines from 1998 and 1999.  From the sermon:

[Reading from page 5 of the Jan '99 issue of News Watch]“The large organizations will no longer be functioning as they are today.  On the contrary, even now they are nearing their end.”

[Commenting extemporaneously] Now people can mock and make fun of that.  1999 – Hah, they’re nearing their end.  A lot truer today than it was then.  How near is near?  Ten years?  Eleven years?  Is that not near?  Amazing how human beings are sometimes, now haughty human beings are.  Some who like to poke fun at and make fun of some of what is said in one area of the thunders about certain leaders of the church.  It’s coming.  It’s coming.  In God’s time.  According to God’s will.

The “area of the thunders” Ron referred to is the first phase of the fifth thunder of the 6th seal.   During the first phase of the fifth thunder, Rod Meredith, Richard Ames (both of Living CoG), Gerald Flurry (Philadelphia CoG), David Pack (Restored Cog), and John Ritenbaugh (CGG) were to die early on.  This is all described on page 107-108 of 2008 – God’s Final Witness and offered as a test of himself as a prophet “How much more specific can one be to show that he is either of God, and indeed His prophet, or someone who has clearly stepped over the line to be dealt with by God in a speedy manner. Time will tell! And, you don’t have long to wait!”

As described in 2008 – God’s Final Witness “This phase of the Fifth Thunder is one of my own choosing, which God has granted me as part of His own will and purpose for the Church”.  Well, it’s over 3 years since the book was released in November of 2006, and over a year since the 6th seal ended for the second time, and we’re still waiting as none of these accursed CoG leaders are dead.  Not mocking or making fun of, just pointing out something for those who have eyes to see.  God didn’t grant Insane Lying False Prophet Ronald Weinland anything.

Ron wasn’t done.  He took additional pot shots at John Ritenbaugh for counting Pentecost a week differently a few years.  And then he went on to mention a “minister from Missouri”.

Ron started his globe trotting with a trip to Europe in November of 1999 using Steve Dalrymple’s air miles.   Ron mentioned that during that trip he used Benjamin and Grace’s home in greater London to conduct a Bible study which was attended by a number* of people including Phillip Burman who is still one of Ron’s elders.  The group in the UK now is fewer than 50, most of whom joined in 2007 and 2008 after Ron started promoting his book, so I doubt that very many of those attending Ron’s Bible study went with PKG.  Any friendships that Benjamin and Grace had with others in that small group are now ended by edict of Sheriff Ron.  * (According to Saturday’s sermon, 19 people were at the meeting in London in 1999.  According to the sermon of Dec 5, 1999 there were 12 people including 3 children.)

Ron continued on in last week’s sermon:

“It was at this time [1999] that we invited that minister from Missouri to be there during Thanksgiving while we were away.  And while we were away, the mice did play.  Because they started hatching up division while we were gone, while we were in Europe.  And they began to spread things around a bit here and there.  And they began to talk amongst themselves.  About what I was doing and I was their minister and I should be there and I shouldn’t be anyplace else and I shouldn’t go anyplace else, because he’s our minister.  And basically he should do what we tell him to do.  Little did he know what God was

While Ron was in Europe, he missed two sermons.  On November 20, 1999 Al Buchanan delivered a sermon titled “Children of the Light” to “the Church of God” in Toledo.  Al Buchanan was the minister of the Belleville CoG (a suburb of St. Louis in Illinois).  By all accounts, Al is not an empire builder.  In fact a few weeks after this last Feast of Tabernacles he stepped down, stating that he felt his little CoGlet was encouraging division within Armstrongism.  This just points up Ron’s paranoia.  Ron, just because you’re plotting doesn’t mean that everyone else is.

On the other hand, it was just over two months after Ron’s first European trip as a prophet that he seized control of the Church of God Inc from its lay board during January and February of 2000. Ron the cat swallowed the church whole and spit out the mice.

During Ron’s sermon this past week, he quoted from various issues of News Watch.  Here’s one potshot against CoGs that he didn’t quote.  From the June-July 1999 issue on page 3 (336kB PDF Download):

Today some believe they are to give a warning witness to Israel.  What a puny effort we see.  If and when God gives a witness to Israel, more than He already has, you will know it.  Israel has already received the height of a warning witness given through the Philadelphia period of time, and they rejected it.  That is a witness against them!

The next witness will be obvious. It will be when God needs no Church to help sponsor nor support it.  There will be such miraculous events accomplished at that time that much free publicity will be given. The work of that witness will consist of such newsworthy events that it will be widely reported in this world.  There will be no need for an organization to sponsor such efforts.

That future witness to Israel will be one that reminds them of the earlier witness they refused during the Philadelphia era.  It will tell them why they are then suffering once the physical tribulation has begun.  It will also be a message to the whole world of what is soon to follow – the Kingdom of God on earth with the soon coming of Jesus Christ as King of kings.  That job has been set aside for two to accomplish by the power of God.  No church organization is going to do it, and no individual is going to be able to set himself up as God’s apostle to do it. It is for the two who are yet to be sent by God.

Ron sure doesn’t skimp on his irony pills.  Ron, here you have it.  It’s all your fault that the Great Tribulation hasn’t started.  You don’t need the COG-PKG.  Turn it over to Johnny and strike out on your own exercising your awesome Witness powers.  When you and Laura are on your way out of town to call down plagues on world capitols, Y’ALL can stop off to breathe fire on that nasty IRS special agent who keeps serving Audra with summonses.

In fulfillment of his self-appointed Matthew 24:14 commission (And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.), Herbert Armstrong traveled to Beijing not once but twice to meet with Chinese leaders.  I found a recording on the Internet of his speech from his first visit to China, 30 years ago this week.

The 26-minute recording (MP3 download) includes an introduction by Stan Rader, a welcome by a Chinese official, and translations between Chinese and English.  After all that is taken out, HWA’s speech is less than 10 minutes.  Did Herbie fulfill his commission by preaching about Jesus?  He talked a lot about societal ills and the dangers of nuclear weapons, but the closest he got to talking about the return of Christ was in his conclusion of his talk:

Some time ago the editor of a weekly news magazine in the United States said in an editorial that now our number one problem is that of survival of the human race.  And he said it would seem now that the only hope that we have in the world would be the sudden intervention of a strong unseen hand from some place.  Now I have the pleasure to announce to you tonight, not to try to convince you but to announce to you, that what some of the leading scientists say is our only hope [a single one-world government] is going to happen, and that unseen hand is going to appear and we are going to have world peace in our time.

All of the troubles in this world have come from living the wrong way.  Having the wrong attitude toward ourselves, toward others, toward one another.  And we’re going to come to the time of world peace.  We’re going to have a utopia on earth.  People will laugh when I say the word “utopia”.  Why should it be impossible?  Why should we not have it?  All we have to do is live the way we ought to, and all of us are going to be doing that and in our time in this generation.

Well I’m not here to convince anybody of anything.  I’m merely here to make an announcement.  And to tell you that that is coming.  And peace and happiness and joy is coming.  We’re going to learn the way to live.  We’re going to begin to live that way. And it is coming in our time.  That is the world’s only hope and that’s what I’m proclaiming around the world.  Thank you very, very much. [Polite applause after the translation.]

Now 30 years after he made these statements and 24 years after his death, we can add these statements to the “Herbert Armstrong was a false prophet” column. But Herbie made no mention of Christ, just a vague notion of “strong unseen hand from some place”.  And this is backed up by a statement in Mystery of the Ages on page 28:

As I write I recently returned from my second four-day visit in Beijing (Peking),…  I did not try to tell them who and what God is, but I did tell two large and important audiences of leaders what God is very soon going to do.

And for that Herbie probably spent for aviation fuel for his jet, bribes, etc several times what my father has paid in tithes during a half-century of being an Armstrongite.  But wait, there’s even more.  According to Ron Weinland, Herbie ate pork  and another source indicates it was at one of those events. “This was the rationale Herbert Armstrong reportedly used when he went to China and ate pork with the Chinese leaders.” Speaking in a sermon from 2002, Weinland said (MP3 download, 19 minutes into file)

… what is the balance?  Talked about Mr. Armstrong — eating pork.  Once.  Before a king.  …. Brother, there has not been a man closer to God in the last 100 years than Mr. Armstrong was.  And who of us, any of us, has the audacity and the gall to judge and condemn that man?

I do. I condemn Armstrong.   HWA invented a religion with elements and even literature plagiarized from others.  He siphoned off tithe money from his followers with some forced to borrow money to make it through their third tithe year.  He exposed several generations to the fear of his false prophecies. And when it came time to stand up for his doctrine against unclean foods and to explicitly fulfill his “commission” to preach the gospel, he fell down on both counts, eating pork in Peking and being vague on the gospel.

I recall a minister giving a feast sermon in the 60′s about how it was OK to eat pork to avoid offending a host, and then being required give a sermon correcting himself (David Antion IIRC).  Hypocritical Herb.

And Ron follows in his spiritual idol’s footsteps with his own version of hypocrisy.  Fortunately Weinland’s following is smaller, yet still too large.