False Prophet Ronald Weinland

Over the past several years, False Prophet Ronald Weinland has conducted a number of interviews on single-market talk shows to promote his books.  He had an interview a few weeks ago, but refuses to post an audio of it claiming that it’s boring. (Ron, I don’t mind — listening to your sermon last Saturday was the epitome of boring).  He also was interviewed on Toronto radio as part of promoting his appearance at Moses Znaimer’s ideaCity last June, but no audio of this is available either.

The last interview audio of Weinland available on the Internet was conducted over a year ago, on March 6, 2009 on WLW’s Mike McConnell radio program.  It is available as an 18 MB MP3 download from the WLW website.

At about 4 minutes into the interview, we have this exchange:

Mike: What happened December 14th? (of 2008)
Ron: December 14th was when the first trumpet of the last 7 trumpets was blown.  There are 7 trumpets that are going to be blown, the second one is when nukular devices will go off in this country.  And even back then, just before April I told you in that particular interview that we would have a period of about 45 to 90 days.  That also has changed.  That has been extended to possibly up to a year.  It’s going to depend upon how people respond this year. …. We have a period of time in this country, we are going down the tubes.

Then about 14 minutes later at the end of the interview, Ron started backpedaling when Mike set out to confirm this — which is fast even for Ron.

Mike: When’s the next event that I can look for that might fall into line with your belief system here?
Ron: Well, it’ll be nukular weapons going off here in major cities in the United States.
Mike: Within a year.
Ron: I’m not going to give you a time frame.
Mike: You said God might give us as much as a year.
Ron:  That’s right.  He might give you as much as a year.  He might give you a little bit more.  It depends on your response.

Mike McConnell did respond to Ron, and we must all thank him because due to his response, God gave us a little bit more than a year, so far.  And I suspect he’ll give us even more.

So Sunday was the expiration of yet another prophecy.  And last month was the refailure of yet another.  In his book, Weinland prophesied the downfall of the US no later than June 21 of last year (6 months after the fall season of 2008).  Later Weinland stated that the 8-month delay of his 1335-day timeline from Feb 2 until Sept 30, 2008 changed everything.  Eight months after June 21, 2009, actually 241 days later, was Feb 17, just a few weeks ago.

Are there any readers who live in the Cincinnati area who could call in and suggest to Mike that he have Weinland back on to talk about his prophecies? (WLW contact page).  Maybe Mike could discuss some of Ron’s extra-curricular activities and  new titles with him.

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.

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.

Spokesman Witness, Apostle, Elijah-to-come and False Prophet Ronald Weinland has promised yet new revelation in his sermon this weekend, both in last weekend’s sermon and this week’s blog posting:

Beginning this Sabbath, the Church will take another big step forward in doing that commission given to it in this end-time. ……  This Sabbath God is beginning the process of restoring things that have been removed from mankind since the days of Adam and Eve.

My speculation is that it will be a change in Laura’s status.  If so, will Ron tell Laura to stop cackling at his lame jokes, citing the following scriptures?

1 Corinthians 14:34  Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
1 Corinthians 14:35  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

1 Timothy 2:11  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1 Timothy 2:12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

I rather doubt it.  He’s more likely to elevate her status.  But she already is ordained as prophetess and placed just below him over the church, so what more can he do?  Apostless? Elijah-to-comess? Maybe she won’t be the Silent Witness anymore?  Ron could have her do the next radio interview, which would amplify the 6th Thunder of the 6th Seal — now that would get some media attention as I don’t think there’s ever been a woman who claimed to be one of the end-time witnesses.

What has been removed from mankind since the days of Adam and Eve?  Will Laura be giving Ron an apple she got from a snake? Will Ron be recreating Eden by setting up a nudist commune for his members?

Inquiring minds want to know.  But we’ll all have to tune in at 2:30 Eastern Time to find out.

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.