For those who are leaving, or are contemplating leaving, the WCG splinters, please take this piece of sincere advice:
There are most certainly people out there who would love to see you leave the group you are in. I'm one such person... so long as that move is right for you. However, there are people, a whole pack of them, who are going to encourage you to leave, befriend you, provide information to you that will be of much help to you, yet their goal is to remove you not just from your congregation but from Christ.
Please be more than aware that a transition is a vulnerable time for any person. Think of other transitions: a butterfly from its cocoon, a hatchling from its egg, a teenager into the wide world. Any of these can be a roaring success! Any of these can be an abysmal failure. Be keenly aware of the pitfalls of transition. Keep very close in mind that you are transitioning from the rigid structure of the WCG splinters into a more free and open world. Once those guidelines are gone, you are responsible for your self.
A deep and abiding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who calls you from your current affiliation into the free air of His New Covenant is key! Please work to never lose sight that what we have comes down to one thing: faith. Now, I know that your mind is like a sponge and you are ready to soak up all the information you can (that was all this time kept hidden from you) to arm yourself with knowledge and learn which way you are to go. If your curiosity gets the better of you, if you lose your sight of the Guide, if you forget why you left was to find the truth of Jesus Christ, I tell you now that you are ready prey for those who would lead you away from Jesus again.
They have clever arguments. They have ancient philosophies. They have read books you probably haven't heard of. They know a great deal about Herbert Armstrong and the inner workings of the WCG and its splinters. They were once like you and can relate very well. They will be kind and patient with you. You might feel leaderless and they may appear as a guide. But they were stolen away, right when the time to invest the deepest faith in Christ was at its most crucial. (If you don't believe me, test them in Christ, and their bitterness will prove itself.) I pray you do not follow after them. INSIST on Christ!!
19 comments:
Amen to that.
I left WCG and became a mainstream Christian. It took me probably a year or two more to leave Christianity. I will not tell anyone what to believe, but I will also counsel to go where it takes you, whereever it may be, and above all, be true to yourself.
Believing in something just for the sake of believing in it is no belief at all.
Congratulations for leaving.
Russell, thanks for the comment. I appreciate the support.
I'm certain you don't need me to counsel you on your decision to leave Christianity. Had enough of that, no doubt.
I know that it's not the choice for me, please pardon me if I recommend others against it as well, but there's no doubting it's a popular choice for those leaving Armstrongism. I prefer the wonderful love and hope of Christ over cold rationalism. But I've had my fill of judgment and condemnation. I have none for you. We can live in peace. :)
So much pain! So many wounds! Such a shame.
PH... ARE you one of these?
I suppose only you could answer that.
Eh? Am I one of what?
I agree with Russell's point, that believing in something just for the sake of believing is not right for me.
My only criteria for believers is that they do no harm to themselves or others. Unfortunately, it seems that organized institutional religion does to harm to others --- both those in charge (by giving them god-complexes), and those in the trenches (who accept that their leaders are gods).
JMO.
If the question is, did I go to Christianity after exiting Armstrongism, the answer is no. The family pretty much dropped all religion like a hot potato after we finally made the decision to quit.
I can't say I have been at all attracted to Christianity in the years intervening, either. I dabbled somewhat with Quakeristic ideas, but the hypocrisy evident within the religion itself just left me cold.
I never enlisted with any particular religious group, nor do I intend to! I've had my fill of church, thanks, not anymore.
If you're asking if I'm one of those people who befriend exiting Armstrongists just to pull them completely away from religion, I'm sorry you think so poorly of me. Or maybe I've made a poor impression.
As I have stated repeatedly, as long as you do no harm to yourself or others, in my opinion, you can believe in, belong to, and practice, whatever religion or philosophy or way of life that works for you.
The operative phrase there is "do no harm to yourself or others". And I hold myself to that standard as well.
You may think I am doing harm by encouraging freedom to explore all information, both religious and secular, but I hope you do not.
Does that clarify things?
While receiving booklets from LCG for years, I discovered RCG. I fell sway to their tithing doctrines & emailed them to say I wanted to commit to 10% but I would be sending half to RCG & LCG. What I received was "mud-slinging" articles about the LCG from the RCG (available on their web-site) and in addition to being "tested" &"interrogated" on my beliefs, I was told (regarding tithing) that I could not "serve two masters".
WHAT?
Long story short red flags went up & I did more research and stumbled upon many more "untruths" about their "doctrines" for example the Sabbath Test vs David C. Pack. I then decided to rid myself from both (all) the COG groups.
I now realize I am still going through "de-programing" but fortunately I have found a pastor teaching the truth in the scriptures & is clearing my head of their false-hoods.
Gratefully I didn't suffer financially by this. What I can afford to give will go to a worthy place.
Stay clear of these ministries for surely their power & influence has corrupted what may have be once good.
Wendy Parker
May you find all success in your "deprogramming," Wendy. It takes time.
Know that you have an entire community of friends out here who are going through it with you.
I praise God for your journey into the New Covenant in His Son!
I "escaped" from LCG a year ago by leaving my parents' abusive house, but I didn't really "leave" it until a few months ago. Though I was excommunicated soon after I left my parents, but still clung to many of the views I had grown up with. It was only after I started researching the history that I realized two things. One, the COG was destructive and manipulative, and two, my parents were abusive only because they were doing what they believed God said was right. I personally know many others that were affected in the same way, and have read dozens of other stories as well.
The result of my research, for me, was that I became an agnostic. However, I have absolutely nothing against those that choose to go on to mainstream Christianity, or any other religion. Even if they were to choose to go back to a COG. My only criteria is that it is THEIR CHOICE. If they honestly believe due to their research and looking with as little bias as they can manage, then I cheer them on to choose whatever they wish to believe. That's my main problem with COG - they trick you into being forced to stay.
I think your post is good. I never hide the fact that I have left xtianity altogether.
But what I share is solely focused on news about Armstrongism, and I would never say people should do as I have done. In fact, I think it's perfectly fine if only they would - at least - come out to a biblical form of christianity.
As you say, people should do what feels right for them. I fully agree. Our mission is to share information that can help people exit, not run another parent-child relationship taking them out of one type of confusion so they could enter another...
Thank you, Henrik. That's very kind of you to say.
I don't judge you for your choice. But I do appreciate you taking your time in reading and commenting!
You are doing a great thing with this blog. Keep up the great work in helping those in need.
My prayers also go out to those who leave Christianity altogether due to the HWA doctrines in the hopes that one day they will be healed of the lies of the cult of Armstrongism.
Faith, Love, Hope. The Bible states, Love is...Faith is..., and Hope is...
The Kingdom of God is not a government that HWA/RCM defines.
Their definition is pretty scary. The Gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for the remission of sin, and that Christ rose three days later confirming eternal life.
We are not under the law of do's and don'ts. Neither was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
They did not have any food restrictions, no mandatory celebrations of Jewish Holidays, etc.
Not only that, the Jews INVENTED a holiday of their own, without God's direction, and called it Purim.
There is much freedom in Christianity that goes against the bondage that HWA/GTA/RCM puts people through.
There is no doubt in my mind that those three people are being tormented in a place that they don't even believe in, fully conscious, and the resurrection hasn't even happened yet.
With much blessings,
Ed Chapman
Anyone else noticed that Germany has become the 'engine room/power house' + 'go to' nation of europe?
I think the jury is still out on the COG's. I am having a hard time totally dismissing that HWA was not the end-time Elijah. God's (not Jewish) holy days do indeed clearly depict a plan of salvation. This is not mainstream Christianity. In other words, no matter what trouble you have with the COG, Easter and Christmas are still a troublesome place to go back to. If you believe the bible, then God is not the author of confusion. Revelation clearly suggests that the reader pray that his flight not be on the Sabbath or in the winter. This refers to the end of the age and clearly supports that the Sabbath is still being kept at that time. It is after all one of the ten commandments right up there with murder and lying. So, don't be so quick to jump back to catholicism or any of it's protestant off shoots. I can't tell you where to go. What is clear in my mind is that the Church Jesus founded will be God's first fruits. I'm not in that church now as I simply don't know where it is. 20 years after the "apostasy", I still keep the holy days ... yes, all by myself. Will I wither and die? Maybe. But, God knows in my heart that I am trying to follow His word. By the way, there are a lot of people confusing "old covenant" with "old testament". The new convenant abolishes only the old covenant - not all law.
ThyKingdomCome,
Thanks for popping in to my blog here.
"God knows in my heart that I am trying to follow His word."
I certainly don't doubt that. Nor can I fault it. Good on ya! (And I mean that sincerely.)
It is not my belief that anyone, even a Gentile believer, is condemned for keeping a Sabbath or Holy Day. Do what your faith in God convicts you of. It is my belief that when we begin to judge and condemn ourselves or others over it that the problem enters in.
It sounds to me like you are searching for answers to questions. You've mentioned quite a few topics here.. End-time Elijah, Christmas, Easter, 7,000 year plan, the two great Covenants. Too many for me to respond to in a comment! But I have definitely wrestled with all of these at one point or the other.
I might not have every answer for you, but I can tell you what conclusions I came to and what satisfied the questions in my mind.
If you are interested in taking a candid look at what causes a person to journey away from the COGs, I invite you to read the blog posts that I have written. You will find there are things we all were led to believe by the COGs that aren't quite realistic. Not the least of which is the magnitude of what our Lord and Savior did for us on the cross.
I hope the posts at least challenge you to take a fresh look at things. I would be grateful if you would do me this honor.
Maybe you will go away more convinced of what you already believe; maybe you will take that leap of faith and go in the direction I and many others have chosen once we finished our studies. Either way, I am always glad to meet a person who is willing to set aside past bias and trust that truth can take care of itself.
God bless you and keep you!
Here is a Categories page with links to blog posts dealing with every one of the topics you mentioned. Even Easter and Christmas!
Just follow the link below, scroll down and find the topic that interests you on that page, and there will be links to blog posts that deal with the topic.
As Bereans Did Categories Page
Tithing on income is not advocated anywhere in scripture. If it is, can anyone show me where?
Dear xHWA, RE: ThyKingdomCome... I agree with the latter and have experienced much of the same. I did go to your website and read just one Q & A that I found had significant ommissions - Easter. I don't want to be unfair since you did provide research, however unbiased expert scholars I've reviewed would find it quite incomplete.
Even as a kid in the 60's reading my parents Encyclopedia Brittanica gave much more detail. In addition, well respected scholarship from major public university non-sectarian scholars and more than a few Catholic/Protestant current and long past historians concurred with that encyclopedia.
There are quite a few other "HWA" churches' (as you call them)doctrinal interpretations that are much more reasonably subject to question. But the history of Easter is well documented and you left major portions out altogether.
Hi WorldTrooper!
Thank you for the constructive criticism. I appreciate it. I will try to update the Easter content. This blog has been closed for so long that I rarely think about it.
Do you have any suggestions on anything specific I missed?
In the mean time, check these blog posts out from my active blog, As Bereans Did:
Three Days and Three Nights
Wednesday Crucificion? Not Likely
Easter FAQ
Easter History part I
Easter History part II
Must Christians Observe the Old Covenant Passover?
Were Gentiles in Corinth Observing the Old Covenant Passover?
The Babylon Connection
The Two Sabbaths of Matthew 28
Truly Unleavened, Resting In Christ
The Matzo Or The Egg?
My husband belongs to UCG beenin this church for over 30 years. we have been married 8 yrs this April and I do not share any of his beliefs at all. Who goes to this Feast?
I went several times and it is. nothing but a money pit sorry. I have told him I cannot baptize into this church of his because it is a very dangerous cult. I have done much research on wwcog and not impressed at all. I believe in Christmas holidays, Easter, they are not pagan as Armstrong said they are. I hope more people open up their eyes and realize there is a real world besides Armstrongism.
Post a Comment