a fanatic christian shooting ..'End Time' Prophecy

[coolpharess]

Terry Ratzmann, the man who police say killed seven people and then himself during a church service, was a member of the Living Church of God, a denomination that focuses on "end-time" prophecies.


Reuters
Slideshow: Man Kills 7, Shoots Self at Wis. Hotel "today"




The church's estimated 6,300 members in 40 countries place a strong emphasis on using world news to "prove" that these are end times, to be followed by Christ's second coming.


This year, the group's leader, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith, wrote that events prophesied in the Bible are "beginning to occur with increasing frequency."


"We are not talking about decades in the future. We are talking about Bible prophesies that will intensify within the next five to 15 years of your life," he wrote in the church's magazine, Tomorrow's World.


He advised members to gather emergency food supplies and follow government instructions on how to prepare for an emergency. He also warned about a coming "financial emergency" and cited an article from the San Francisco Chronicle about the financial fallout as baby boomers retire.


The Charlotte, N.C.-based Living Church of God grew out of a schism in the Worldwide Church of God, formed in 1933 as the Radio Church of God by Herbert W. Armstrong. Armstrong, an Oregon advertising man, preached that Anglo-Americans were Jews, descendants of the lost "ten tribes of Israel."


The Worldwide Church of God changed their doctrine after Armstrong's death in 1986, but more than half the membership withdrew and formed splinter groups.


Meredith and Raymond McNair led one of the numerous groups that broke away, forming what was then called the "Global Church of God" in 1992 to perpetuate Armstrong's original teachings.


Armstrong's followers worshipped Saturday mornings, as Ratzmann did, and often rented facilities rather than erecting its own buildings. Adherents believe in faith healing and strict opposition to divorce, among other things. Members are told to shun worldly involvements, including politics, military service or participation in juries.


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Sources:


Encyclopedia of American Religions, 7th edition.

[Theja]

The Worldwide Church of God was founded by Herbert Armstrong. It is considered a cult for its claims and other doctrinal positions.

After the death of its founder, a huge chunk of the people within the church confessed their errors and joined the Evangelical mainstream.

But a group decided to remain true to the doctrines held by Herbert Armstrong. Believing themself to be the true Israel, they conduct worship service on Sabbath, and put a lot of emphasis on prophecies. It is unfortunate that one of their own turned on them by killing certain members while worshipping inside a building.

When people are unstable and facing pressures, Satan uses them to strike. I guess this is one of those -- I understand the guy was on the verge of losing his job. In times like these, people ask, "where was God, and why didn't He prevent this?"

[_DigitaLVampirE_]

This is a fine example of what happens when such Christian
groups interpret the Injeel according to their own selfish ways.

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
2 Peter 1:19-21

[coolpharess]

i like this one dv
thank you! indeed many people pretend having that holly spirit message but they are just liars and hypocrits..
i hope people look for other business rather than using faith ..

[_DigitaLVampirE_]

Every human is capable of sin. Nobody escapes the gridlock.
There will be hypocrites everywhere, in every religion and in every person.
Believer or non-Believer.

[Andalousi]

This person clearly didn't have faith.

Question then should be what do these small groups or cults whatever you want to call them provide to their followers?

[Theja]

His house (faith) was built on the wrong foundation to begin with. And it crashed (Matthew 7:24-29).