IRS Criminal Investigation of Ronald Weinland -- No Question

The story of the IRS criminal investigation of False Prophet Ronald Weinland was broken on this blog on August 1 of last year. The news was picked up by a number of other bloggers, including Bob Thiel whose CoGwriter blog is the most highly trafficked COG-related blog. Bob is an apologist for Rod Meredith and the Living CoG and has a Doctorate in alternative medicine. Bob made a few careless statements in his piece that deserve correction.

In my August post, I stated: "Ronald Weinland is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Internal Revenue Service. They are looking into his taxes beginning with tax year 2004 and including all of the years since. An investigation by the IRS CID should not be confused with a more common taxpayer audit."

After reading my post, Bob stated in his responding post: "Of course, just being audited by the IRS, including the criminal portion may or may not be significant as (from what I read in other sources) the IRS is deciding to use their criminal arm more and more even when it is uncalled for–especially for Americans who tend to go overseas somewhat frequently–which Ronald Weinland does (and that of itself is not criminal nor should it be discouraged)."

Let's review: I stated that a criminal investigation should not be confused with a more common taxpayer audit. Bob then promptly confused a criminal investigation with a more common taxpayer audit. The IRS does not conduct audits of a taxpayer at the same time as a criminal investigation. Per IRS policy, with a ongoing criminal investigation there is no ongoing IRS audit of Ronald Weinland. (IRM 1.2.13.1.11(7)) In my August 1 post I quoted statistics: "In 2007 the IRS Criminal Investigation Division started only 4211 investigations". With only 4211 investigations the IRS simply can't go after everyone who travels internationally, even those who travel many times each year as Weinland does.

Personally, I think that Ron's travels (3 trips to Europe, 2 trips to Australia, and 2 trips to Jerusalem with a side trip to Egypt in 2008) while technically not illegal should be discouraged, as they're financed on the backs of his tithe-and-offering slaves.

Bob finished his post with the following "But even if he has no real problem with the I.R.S. (and presuming he will be cleared, he would not) ...." As a criminal target Weinland enjoys a presumption of innocence should he go to trial, but he does not enjoy a presumption of being cleared. Personally, I'm not going to presume that Weinland will be cleared. First of all, one of the statistics I quoted in my article (which Bob could have read if he'd so chosen) was that 2155 were convicted as compared to 4211 investigations started. Based on those statistics, Weinland has over a 50% chance of being convicted. Second, the IRS does not investigate to clear someone. IRS CI will stop an investigation if they feel they can't develop enough evidence to obtain a criminal conviction -- and the IRS has a substantial burden of proof in a criminal trial. But the IRS will not publish even the fact that they've terminated an investigation unless the subject of the investigation requests and authorizes it in writing. While there's slightly less than an even chance that Weinland will not be convicted, there's only a very, very slim chance that Ronnie will be "cleared".

I get the feeling that Bob thinks that someone who served as one of Herbie's "Misters" could not possibly be a criminal (despite being a false prophet). Bob put a question mark on the title of his post (IRS Criminal Investigation of Ronald Weinland?) implying he was skeptical that there was a criminal investigation at all, despite access to court documents clearing proving that there was one. A few months later when it was suggested that another Armstrongite False Prophet (Gerald Flurry) was being investigated by the FBI, Bob took great exception. This even though Weinland and Flurry compete with Bob's own favorite false prophet, Rod Meredith. And even though Ron has called for Rod's death.

I've asked Doctor Bob on more than one occasion to provide his sources that the "IRS criminal arm" (IRS CI division) targets international travelers for criminal investigations so I could read them for myself. So far they hasn't been produced -- just vague references to some newsletter he might have read. I rather doubt that any such evidence exists, at least not from any reputable source. I expect that Doctor Bob's thielogical positions are as equally well researched as his position on IRS criminal investigations.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that international travelers are more likely to be targeted for criminal investigations. But that does not prove a cause-effect relationship, that is it does not prove that the IRS targeted them because they travel internationally. International travelers would tend to have more income, meaning they'd have more income tax to evade, meaning they would be of greater interest to the IRS. While not everyone who has a Swiss bank account is a tax cheat, tax cheats are more likely to have Swiss bank accounts to which they'd travel to hide their assets. The IRS is not going to target someone simply for traveling overseas. They're not going to waste their limited resources unless they feel they have a good chance of being able to meet their burden of proof in a criminal trial. As a reminder, the mere existence of the criminal tax investigation does not in and of itself prove that Weinland has broken the law.

There are a lot of misconceptions about what IRS criminal investigations are, not just on the part of Doctor Bob. I have done some actual research on the topic (not just reading some random newsletter) and plan a post in the future to share what I've learned. I imagine that Doctor Bob will have a response to my post as well. That is unless Weinland's long-delayed curse of quick death from the inside stops me and/or Doctor Bob who has also made himself subject to the death curse with his own criticisms of this false prophet.

Sheriff Ron Coming Next Month

False Prophet Ronald Weinland was in Springfield Massachusetts yesterday. His elders Mitch Williams and John Giannotta were on hand to deliver the prayers. His elder J Noble Snowdeal didn't make it this time as his wife Vicki is battling cancer. Hopefully she will recover from that and then recover from following Ron.

It's interesting that Snowdeal was promoted to elder, given his recent involvement in worldly politics as an elector for Ralph Nader. Nader???!!! I guess Joseph never got the message that God is a Republican, but even so Godly people don't vote.

Weinland took note of the story that's circulated the pro- and anti-CoG blogosphere about WCG's name change to GCI. He was approving of the change and thought getting God out of their name was long overdue. Of course during Armstrong's reign it was not the same unitarian God that Weinland worships anyway. Seems that Satan can broadcast into people's minds and cause them to commit the unpardonable sin. Time to break out the tin-foil hats.

I was surprised to hear about the second passover, observed 30 days after the regular passover. This is a second chance for those who missed the regular passover. I asked if this was a new doctrine and was told that WCG observed it but didn't make a big thing about it. Possibly mentioned in a brief statement when I was required to attend, but I was zoned out exercising my defense mechanisms in ignoring all the other nonsense.

Ron didn't pound on the 4th thunder this week. I was surprised that he didn't take the swine flu outbreak as a chance to pound on the 5th thunder.

He's invented a new word: "remaint" as in "food and remaint". This came while he was reading from Deuteronomy 10:18 which reads: "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment." A little dyslexia with the vowels there, Ron.

Because of their need to vacate the hall for another group, his time was limited. He ended the sermon a few minutes early so that he could make an announcement. It seems that someone is committing adultery, and Ron knows who it is. If it doesn't end in a month, Sheriff Ron will show up and disfellowship the offenders, who as a result will not survive the Great Tribulation.

I would tell them not to worry. After all, it's over 4 months now since Ron cursed me to die quickly from the inside, and obviously that didn't happen.

Enough!!

The discussion in the comment sections for the last couple of posts has degenerated . This is largely due to one Weinland follower who has posted a number of insults. When asked to back up his claims for the divinity of Ron's revelations, he responds with yet another insult. It's taking on the tone of a squabble in the back seat of a a car with a 6-year-old. "Did Not!" "Did Too!"

I don't believe that most of Weinland's followers are like that. In any case this one follower is giving the other followers a bad name. Particularly since he posts as "Anonymous" making it difficult for a visitor to this blog to understand that all of these negative posts are coming from just one individual.

I've taken a largely hands-off policy towards comments, but I see that I need to change that a bit and tighten up my comment policy. Two rules:

(1) No ad-hominem attacks against me or other commenters. The insults don't personally bother me after considering the source, but it effects the tone here. Mocking and/or criticizing the False Witness, the False Witnessess, or their mouthpieces is an exception to this, but a few facts should accompany the mocking and criticism.

(2) No anonymous commenting. While the form may allow it, I will clean up after. And if I liked your comment I will hate it when I delete it. You're not required to register although that is encouraged. Choose the Name/URL option and fill in a nickname that you'll consistently use when posting here. URL is absolutely not required.

If you're a Weinland follower there's no objection to you posting here. But provide a more substantive argument than of the sort "I believe Ron because of the 50 truths". Without preaching, substantiate that. And if someone has another argument, respond to the argument rather than insulting the other person. And if you have objections to my content, don't call it "slander and lies". (And look up the definition of the word "slander".) If you think something I've said is wrong, provide some facts rather than simply saying that I lie and distort. I actually have corrected an error in the past from a comment.

Who Can Say?

A comment was left by a follower of Ronald Weinland in reply to my last post:

Who in this world knows what is exactly the real truth of God? No one in this world understands who God really is, but everyone assumes the worst of RW because no one wants to admit to themselves, WHAT IF RW IS SAYING THE TRUTH? WHAT IF HE TRULY IS GOD'S FINAL WITNESS? Who out of everyone can say for a fact that RW is a false prophet? Because he claims to be God's witness doesn't mean he's not human and is without making a few humanly errors. Not one human being is perfect and that includes God's witness.

I'd like to address a few points here:

"Who in this world knows what is exactly the real truth of God?" That is a question which troubles many and which allows them to be deceived and exploited by those who claim to have the answer, such as a false prophet who claims to speak for God. And each of them has a different answer.

"Because he claims to be God's witness doesn't mean he's not human and is without making a few humanly errors. Not one human being is perfect and that includes God's witness." Let me state that Weinland's faults do not make him a false prophet. The IRS criminal investigation does not make him a false prophet. Even if he is convicted of tax fraud and sent to jail would not make him a false prophet. (The fact that he could be put in prison would show that he is not an End-Time witness capable of defending himself against those who would do him harm). Ron's $381,000 home on the golf course does not make him a false prophet. His hypocrisy in urging his follows to show Total Resolve after sailing off on a luxury Mediterranean cruise does not make him a false prophet. These do not define him as a false prophet, although they define him otherwise.

Where in the Bible is there a prophet whose prophecies failed to materialize, but whose revised prophecies did? The closest example in the Bible is that of Jonah. When his prophecies failed, but only when the people of Nineveh repented, Jonah did not come up with a new prophecy. Rather, he went off and sulked. And Jonah was a reluctant prophet in the first place, not the false reluctance of Ron Weinland who quickly became accustomed to his role as "a prophet of the God of Abraham".

Has the US heeded the words of Ron Weinland and repented? What about the thunders that were supposed to come and humble us? Even now, nearly 3 months after you fasted for two days straight and prayed for death?

"Who out of everyone can say for a fact that RW is a false prophet?" Let me answer that, quoting someone whose authority on the matter you should respect, who answered the following questions:

“Well, what if Ron Weinland and what he says doesn’t come to pass in April? What if these things don’t happen in 2008?"

The authority's answer: "There’s really a simple answer -- he’s a false prophet." And who is this authority? None other than Ronald Weinland himself, in his sermon "Stay the Course", December 29, 2007. Listen for yourself at 1 hour and 2 minutes into the MP3 file on the church website. (download link).

Right after that, Weinland continued on saying:
I get tons of email every day from people saying ‘We’ll, I guess in 2009 you’re going to be saying this or saying that, or trying to explain to people..” No, I’m done. Just to be real candid with you, so people know and people understand, ……, again that’s the only answer. There is only one answer. …. The world is not like that. You know people who are doing what is not right and they claim certain things or say certain things about what is given to them, and it doesn’t come to pass -- then they have to madly change everything and do something else. Or say ‘God showed me this, and I just didn’t understand this, or God has revealed this to me now, and blah blah blah blah. ’ Because when it comes down to it, it’s about the paycheck. It’s about what are they going to do from here on out.

So in addition to Weinland's other faults we can add "Liar" -- even the prophecies which he can control do not come true. Let's not ignore the fact that I'm replying to you, even now 122 days after Weinland laid a curse on me to die speedily from the inside.

Fear Ron

False Prophet Ronald Weinland was in Erie yesterday. Ron was assigned there as a minister by WCG in the 1987 to 1994 timeframe. He commented that few from that area are in his church. He sometimes talks about the trials he experienced there, and was even transferred from his normal Feast site in '92 or '93 to Hawaii because of them. Could there be some substance to the allegations of his financial dealings while in Erie?

Weinland indicated he likely would accept an invitation to speak for 20 minutes at a forum of a now not-so-eclectic group of speakers. He thinks that he will get something more out of this. But I imagine that he thought the same when he was interviewed by Australian TV in January of 2008. In that program, he was portrayed as a deluded idiot and the closest thing to a promotion of his book was a passing mention of its title without any details on how to get a copy.

Planning is underway for an organized half Feast of Tabernacles, this despite not knowing the timing of the 2nd trumpet. Despite that uncertainty, there will be fewer locations this year which will require people to travel further. For example, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Louisville are to meet at the same feast site near Bowling Green where they did in 2007.

Ron threw out a few gems during this sermon. Turns out that "golly" and "gee-whiz" are worse than the F-bomb. He seemed to create a doctrine of inheritance, implying that COG-PKG members were there because of a faithful ancestor. He's promoting yet another YouTube video that someone has put up. Herbie's flip-flopping on the make-up doctrine was all about Government and whether people would respond to it, turning left and turning right. He also said the thunders are in the Bible, and that he did not invent them. Hmm -- even the one that's of your own choosing, the deaths of competing GOGlet ministers? Is Rod Meredith mentioned in the Bible? I imagine that "Doctor Bob" Thiel would be interested in that.

A number of COG-PKG members are losing jobs and having a difficult time of it. It's too bad that they didn't hang on to their assets instead of giving their money to the false prophet, as the dollar is still worth more than toilet paper. That money is needed by them (and Wayne Matthews who's looking for a job) since great favor won't be given by the beast power until after the 5th trumpet is blown. And since the Insane Liar doesn't know when the 2nd trumpet will blow, it could be quite some time -- long after the June 21st deadline given on the last page of his book for the demise of the United States as an independent nation.

The mockers played a role in his sermon. The numerous web sites critical of the false prophet were likened to "the ten" who contradicted Joshua and Caleb, who ended up being the only ones to see the promised land. Maybe Ron and Laura are analogous to Joshua and Caleb in addition to being the Two End-Time Witnesses.

The main point of Ron's sermon was directed at the thousands of people who listen in to his sermons on the Internet but are not members. He can't understand why they reject what God has placed before them, the chance to live into a new age. It blows his mind that they would not buy with their tithes what God is selling. His current set up sheep must have given up all their fleece and he needs a fresh set of yet unshorn.

Friday was the first anniversary of the first time Ron and Laura began their jobs. Yesterday is the 28th anniversary of Weinland's ordination and the beginning of his reign of terror over the deluded. And today is the anniversary of the first time that Ron pronounced a death curse on me. And it's also 17 weeks and one day since the second time that he pronounced a death curse on me, to die speedily.

Don't Drink the Flavor Aid -- One Year Later

It was one year ago yesterday that I started "Don't Drink the Flavor Aid". I had been following the buzz about a false prophet on Ironwolf's multi-part series on his blog. I joined Robert's live chat during Weinland's sermon on March 29th of last year and heard his "If By Pentecost" declaration. At the time I doubted that he would follow through with his promise and on Pentecost, June 8, was not disappointed.

After my introduction post, the next post I wrote was to debunk his Second Thunder, earthquakes, with actual data. I followed up with posts that debunked his Fifth Thunder and that mocked Ron, making me eligible for a slow death from the inside according the curse that Weinland declared on April 19th.

Early in May, I was sobered by Weinland's statements that people had given him tens of thousands of dollars so that he could spend hundred's of thousands of dollars on his ridiculous Internet advertising. I stated that it was time for Ron to give it up. He paid no attention.

On June 8th, Weinland defined himself as an Insane Liar by giving the sermon that day. But only two weeks later, on June 21, he announced the failure of his first timeline and that he would have a new 50th truth to announce at the Feast of Trumpets on Sept 30. He gave enough clues that I was able to figure out his 50th truth and new timeline before the sun set on his partial revelation and announced what it was with a blog post. This quickly circulated the Internet. Weinland decided that he needed to adjust the timeline for the revelation of his timeline. The following Saturday he said that "some out there" had figured it out, because after all it wasn't rocket science, and went ahead and announced his new "truth". Ron, it wasn't "some" who figured it out, it was me. But he didn't reveal the 50th "truth" earlier than Trumpets because of my spoiler -- rather he quickly figured out he would lose his flock if he didn't pull the wool back over their eyes.

In July, I published photos of the front and rear of Weinland's $381,000 mansion. Ron's home apparently entered into the email exchange that exiting member Mike Allen had with Weinland in January. Ron made a comment about "the stupid thing of the house that's out there on the Internet. $381,000. Whoop-de-doo." and stated he could have been criticized for spending less and could also have spent more. My purpose in publishing the photos was not to show where he lived (I did not publish his address) but rather how he lived. I don't think his extravagant lifestyle matters to most of his followers, but to one it has and to a few others it might.

In August, I broke the story of the IRS criminal investigation of Ronald Weinland. This story was picked up by other bloggers including Ambassador Watch and also by "Doctor Bob" Thiel who got it quite wrong in his blog post on the subject despite the facts I laid out in my blog post. This revelation was proven worthwhile as Weinland described someone using it as a reason to escape his grasp.

After that, web traffic slowed until the end of September with the restart of Weinland's second timeline on September 30th, the Feast of Trumpets. This was also the start of the timelines for other false prophets but with some variations from Ron's. In September I was also able to obtain a picture of both the Spokesman Witness and the Silent Witness which has since been displayed in the right-hand column of this blog.

October was taken up with the Feast of Tabernacles which included Weinland's admission to having a Swiss bank account as he globe trotted down-under.

In November, the Seventh Seal was reopened on the 14th just before the elders conference at the Murfreesboro (Nashville) Embassy Suites.

In December the False Prophet restarted his job on the 14th as the Spokesman Witness, ordaining Laura as a Prophetess and placing her just below him over the remainder of the church. The following Saturday, the 20th, he reimposed the death curse on me and other mockers to die from the inside, except this time speedily. The following Saturday, the 27th, he responded to my pointing out that "2008 God's Final Witness" stated that the US would not be an independent nation within 6 months of December 21. Weinland's response for the benefit of the deluded was that the book had changed because the timeline changed, even though back in July he had stated that nothing in the book had changed in spite of the timeline change.

January saw the inauguration of Barack Obama and the failure of another of Weinland's prophecies. The short post pointing this out received the most comments of any on this blog.

In February I was able to post the exchange between Weinland and now ex-member Mike Allen. He and another member, who were both mentioned by Weinland in sermons, left when they saw his backpedaling and the failures of his prophecies.

In March, Weinland started to take a break from prophecies. I did a bit of digging and found out a bit about how Weinland demonstrated his Total Resolve.

This past year has been an eye-opening experience for me. I've gotten more of an insight into the mind of a cult member. I've interacted with current followers, former followers, near followers, and some associated with Ron before he pushed himself as a prophet. To those I've helped in any way, that's why I do this. For those who let me know, thank you, and I hope for each one of you there are several who did not contact me But any of you whom I helped in any way took the critical first important step on your own -- you started questioning. To you and to those who are still following Ron (not God), I say "Question. Question always"

Thinking Differently

False Prophet Ronald Weinland is taking a break from delivering false prophecies during this season of foot-washing and eating matzo bread to let his evangelists deliver the DoUB sermons. Johnny Harrell is to deliver the sermon on the last DoUB next week.

Evangelist Wayne Matthews delivered the first and second sermons. Matthews was formerly in the United Church of God. However, I do not believe he was a UCG minister and was perhaps at most a deacon. His first sermon for COG-PKG was delivered in July of 2007 and the following winter Ron ordained him as evangelist.

Wayne threw his pitcher down by quitting his job over a year ago, prior to the beginning of the first failed timeline, to work on content for the church website and to help manage all the recruits attracted by Ron's Google ad campaign. Matthews mentioned being described as brainwashed during his exit interview. But it seems that Ron is not paying him for his efforts and resolve. Wayne has asked his former employer for a reference because he has to get another job due to the late start of the Great Tribulation.

At about 51 minutes into the MP3 file for the April 9th sermon on the church website, he spoke about the change in thinking required to think differently.

I wanted to refer to something that has meaning to me personally, and I’ve had to reflect on it. So -- once we had declared a particular timeline earlier in 2008. And then in late June, God in his mercy revealed to us the true timeline of the return of Jesus Christ. That had an impact on me as well. Because we, individually, had to accept error in our thinking. We had preconceived ideas, of which we still have in many other topics we’re not aware of yet. But that was one thing that we had to go through.

Now I did come to see in time that I also, like everybody else, had to challenge my own thinking. How could this be? What was I really thinking? As God revealed the truth to me through the 50th truth, I came to understand that the problem was me, that I had preconceived ideas ,and that I did not like being wrong. It was a painful experience to go through. It went through a process and I saw it reasonably quickly what was wrong. But it took time to continue to mature -- and that’s still a lifelong process.

I then started to see that unless God in his mercy had revealed to me and to the church the 50th truth, there was a strong possibility that in my pride that I may not have been around. Because God had to keep me in the truth and provide his spirit to keep me in the truth. And at that very point of time, it was difficult thinking to accept it and believe what God was giving to the church. In other words: if we had in any way doubted the 50th truth, we just were simply declaring to God that we didn’t believe him -- we did not believe that this was his true church. Which is a shameful thing. Which is simply pride within us. It was our own pride, we don’t like admitting that we were wrong and that God is right.

Well as time went on, I began to realize that: yes, it is true that a lot of the church may not have continued. Those that were called, may not have continued if God in his Mercy had not shown us the 50th truth.

Well to me it is no different than now when we entered the tribulation. If we hadn’t have gone through the experience of the revelation of the 50th truth, and to have gone through those experiences, those thought processes -- how could we have ever have handled the process we are in now in relation to the tribulation? Because of preconceived ideas of the Great Tribulation, and what we had conceived in our minds. We are in tribulation. And if we hadn’t have gone through the 50th truth, I would be thinking myself. Well I was very thankful, I’m thankful that I’ve went through the experience of the revelation of the 50th truth. And all of the inward thinking, the battles and the challenges that I had faced. So that now that I’ve entered this time of Great Tribulation, with a maturity, with an understanding. And it is a wonderful blessing that I acknowledge that I was wrong.

This is an example of the self delusion necessary to continue following an Insane Lying False Prophet. For another example, refer to "When Prophecy Fails".

In today's sermon on lying, he makes some ironic statements:

Lying is the outcome of people being right in their own eyes, and then stubbornly holding to their own viewpoint, regardless of the evidence to the contrary. ... when you get into a state of lying, one lie leads to having to tell another. [about 2 1/2 minutes into the MP3 file]

.. If they reject that Ron and Laura Weinland are the two end-time witnesses, the prophets of God. If they reject these things, YOU are living a lie, and rejecting the truth, thereby rejecting God, by rejecting the truth. .... you will surely die during the next 3 years. [speaking to the members of other Armstrongite splinters about 1 hour and 16 minutes in the MP3 file]

I think that, should Weinland's IRS problem result in an extended vacation in Club Fed, Wayne could hold COG-PKG together using the direction relayed to him by Prophetess Laura from her visits to the Spokesman Witness at his vacation resort. He's demonstrated his ability to speak, and also his willingness to distort his thinking and "think differently". But Ron, if this happens, then this time you probably should pay him a salary.

Making You Happier

The following is a copy of an email I've sent to Ron Weinland:
Ron:

In your sermon yesterday, you referred yet again to a blog posting that gives North Carolina as the place where you grew up and 1950 as your year of birth. We both know that information to be incorrect. You went on to say:
"I would be happier if they got just a few things right once in awhile. They can‘t even get the most basic things right. Where I was born. Where I grew up. They put me in a different part of the United States. At least get that right. Get something right. They don‘t get any of it right. They don‘t care. "

Personally, I care about accuracy. The blog you reference is not my blog. Don't lump me in with "they". "They" is plural, and it's the one other blog that has the incorrect information.

I have a biographical timeline on you presented on a web page that's usually in the first page of Google search results for your name. I cared enough to make an effort to obtain and put up accurate information. For example, when I was looking for your date of ordination it was suggested to me that it had to be upon your graduation from AC. I did not accept that. Later on I found out that your ordination was almost 6 years after graduation. As far as your birth place, it's been reported to me that you were born in Colorado. Since I have no independent verification of that, I haven't published it. Could you confirm Colorado as your birth place? With multiple sources, I do have your birth date as May 30, 1949. So I did get something right, which should make you happy. You did not contradict the $381,000 price I gave for your home. Hey, I got something else right -- you should be ecstatic by now. (By the way, you can tell Laura to relax. I'm not hanging out in your neighborhood watching your house.)

Please look over the biographical information I've published and and provide the correct information if any of it is inaccurate. Perhaps you could supply a few more details, such as the dates you were promoted to preaching elder and then to pastor. And the dates WCG transferred you to Cincinnati and then to Erie. I have you down as growing up in western Kansas near Colby -- would it be more accurate to say Russell Springs? Do you have an exact date in 1997 when you were made a prophet?

I'd also like to confirm that, while you're doing business as the Church of God - PKG and actually filed papers to incorporate under that name, in reality your church's legal identity is the Church of God Inc, EIN 341799827.

I rather suspect that, while you won't admit it, you're really tickled to have web sites critical of you -- that gives you status just like your spiritual idol Herbert who also has web sites critical of him. I also suspect that despite what you said in your sermon, you'd really be happier if I have incorrect information. Then you could focus on the incorrect details rather than the really important issues. Issues such as the demonstrated failure of your prophecies. (If you want to talk about the 4th thunder, then you also need to talk about the other six thunders, starting with the first phase of the 5th thunder, all of which were to be sounding loudly by now, and even more so since the 2-day fast.)

It seems that time is of the essence for your response to allow me to update the biographical timeline. Fifteen weeks have already elapsed since you cursed me with a speedy death from the inside, so how much more time could I have to make updates? That is unless you really don't care whether I have the correct information.

Your caring critic,
Mike
Don't Drink the Flavor Aid

Lifton on Cults

Thanks to Aggie on I Survived Armstrong for finding this video of Robert Lifton giving a lecture. Lifton wrote "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism" in which he outlines Eight Criteria for Thought Reform.

I'm putting this up so those who are interested in False Prophet Ronald Weinland but don't read ISA have the opportunity to view this.

I've only had a chance to listen to a few minutes, and right now am headed out for the evening. (Despite Weinland's claims, I do indeed have a life.) So far Lifton is talking about Apocalyptic Violence in which cultists precipitate violence to bring about the end. I don't see Weinland as pursuing that path, but some of the characteristics Lifton mentioned do apply to the cult of Weinland and his followers.

Please give the video a watch and leave a comment with your thoughts.

Later: I've had a chance to watch the video. A couple of take-away quotes:
A guru tends to think he has discovered an ultimate human truth and must convey it to the world. A guru can be both convinced of his truth and also a con man at the same time. One doesn't eliminate the other. (About 18:25 into the video)

During the Q&A session he was asked how this could be:
The individual mind can contain opposites. That's what's so confusing. .... They can coexist in the same mind. And perhaps particularly in gurus because their claim to absolute virtue is so strong it can sustain in them very powerful patterns that I call charisma and at the same time their megalomania and paranoia can be bound up with all those destructive and murderous elements. They can coexist even though they're opposite in tendency. (About 55:15 into the video.)

Aggie asks if Weinland is drinking his own Flavor-Aid or just handing it out. According to Lifton, it could be both.

Pitchers and Taxes

False Prophet Ronald Weinland's conducted a campaign in the fall and winter of 2007 to persuade his followers to throw down their pitchers by giving him their life savings. In his "What Has Changed? part 2" sermon of Nov 3, 2007, he convinced them that they didn't have to worry about taxes on their 401k distributions if they waited until January with this statement from the sermon:
Someone asked me this last week here, “If I withdraw a certain amount right now, I’m going to be penalized, by taxes and so forth.” But see when January or February [2008] come around you’re not going to be penalized. (snorts) The following year [2009] you don’t have to worry about it too much, do you?

That would be the case if what he'd stated on the last page of his book "2008 God's Final Witness" had actually come true:
By the fall of 2008, the United States will have collapsed as a world power, or it will have begun its collapse and no longer exist as an independent nation within six months after that time.

Or if his prophesies on radio interviews and sermons that the US would be so far down the tubes that we would not inaugurate a new president in January. But in December of 2008 Ron said that everything was delayed by at least 8 months. Guess what? While Ron has changed his timeline, the IRS has not and it is going to be collecting 2008 taxes after all, with filing due in a couple of weeks on April 15.

So to the COG-PKG members who threw down their pitchers, I advise you to consider well before deciding not to file your 2008 taxes. Failing to file is a criminal violation and you could end up with the enjoyment of being a target of a criminal investigation just like your favorite false prophet.

If you don't have the money to pay what you owe, you'll have to pay interest until you do. Not having the funds to settle up should not be a consideration for deciding not to file. It's better to file and avoid penalties and possible criminal charges on top of the interest. I would point out that any extraordinary contribution you've made should be considered a pre-payment of your first tithe. So you could take 10% of your income and apply it to your tax bill without sinning. After all, didn't Jesus say to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's? Even Ron has taught that.

Also, see this AP article on what to do if you owe more than you can pay right now.


If you don't have your financial records together well enough to fill out your 1040 and associated forms, you can get an automatic 6-month filing extension with Form 4868 if submitted prior to April 15. I imagine that Ron's lawyers have advised him to request a filing extension -- if not they're opening themselves up for malpractice.