Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Living Church of God's Suppression Of Critical Thinking

From a reader here:


Darryl I read your full original letter, and I think you are exactly correct in your assessment and how you are responding now.

As for "2 to 3 years left", I heard Roderick Meredith himself speak with no less dogmatism and certainty of "maybe 4 to 8 years left" in the early 1970s(!).

As for the suppression of critical thinking that you describe at "Living University", you are absolutely right that any real university teaches weighing of evidence and reading multiple sides of informed discussions of issues. Where is Dr. Germano in all this? I knew Dr. Germano long ago as a sound and intelligent critical thinker, and now he is mixed up with this? Finally, let me tell you, Roderick Meredith is one not-very-admirable person to look up to as a religious leader. Never mind that he seems not to have developed a single original thought or idea in his entire life's history of preaching. If his message was a good one that would be forgivable. I personally heard him, along with several thousand others, on the opening night of the Feast of Tabernacles 1969 in Mount Pocono, say how if he were president he could end the war in Vietnam in one-half hour. He repeated it a couple of times, sort of smiling and relishing the point. Although he did not directly say so, it sounded like he was talking about simply nuking North Vietnam off the map, thus ending the war in one-half hour. Meredith never apologized, clarified, or retracted that statement, which is utterly horrifying--making serious statements of intent about genocide, about mass annihilation. To the contrary Meredith seemed proud of it, as if showing what a man he was that he could give the word to exterminate hundreds of thousands of people just like that. And all this on the opening night of a religious festival. Of course Meredith then was also not thinking an original thought--he was channeling, albeit in extreme form, the climate and the culture of the one doing his thinking for him, HWA (Meredith was at that time #3 in the WCG, superintendent of the US ministry under HWA and GTA).

These are violent, violent, people in their hearts--as the heart thinks, the mouth speaks--even if they are externally law-abiding and restrict their malevolence to ideas and speech and manipulation of human minds.

They preach British-Israelism which is other language for thinking white people have divine entitlement to the world's best natural resources and to take and keep such by military conquest and force--simple imperial ideology with dehumanizing of any native peoples who happen to be in the way.

If Meredith showed signs of self-reflection, growth, remorse--genuine repentance--over these past blatant advocacies and relishing of thoughts of mass murder, that would be one thing. But that is not the case from anything that I have seen reported. You did well to think analytically and run, not walk, out of there to the productive and meaningful life you have possible ahead now. I sincerely hope you can talk with your girlfriend and work through this with her, and that she can recognize again the good soul that you are as you have shown by your growth in this experience. God bless you. (p.s. you might find reading books by Frank Schaeffer of interest and helpful.) gld

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

LCG did not invent the inability to think critically by church folk or ministry

Anonymous said...

Dr Winnail is a good example of a PhD in the sciences unable, due to literalist religion, to think critically. Or just afraid to speak up to those holding fake power

Anonymous said...

Sunk cost fallacy comes to mind. Some of these folks have invested so much into their belief system that they can't walk away from it. Besides this, they have been so arrogant in their views that for them to say, "sorry, I was wrong" is difficult or impossible. Add to this the fact that those who are employed by the LCG have to pay their bills. Just as members are to shut up and stop thinking, the employees have to do the same.

Unknown said...

My "KARMA" ran over Meredith's "DOGMA" ! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Dr. Germano is a sell out. Back in 2008, he was saying that DNA refutes British Israelism. Now he's up to his ears in it.

The point is, there's absolutely no reason to trust any of these men because they are flat out unreliable: They tell people to believe things they don't even believe themselves.

Dr. Phil would have a field day with them.

But I think they should be the target of the Jerry Springer show instead.

Minimalist said...

Anon 2:03pm:
Don't forget about their Big Secret Six-figure Salaries!

Redfox712 said...

That was a beautiful comment.

Never knew that about Meredith arrogantly imagining he could solve the Vietnam War in just 30 minutes.

I remember one of the very first telecasts from LCG I saw Meredith was bewailing how Americans have fought and died in various wars over the years. He also mentioned Vietnam. He sounded like he hated war and yearned for humanity to escape the horrors of wars.

Now we see how Meredith really viewed things during those painful days.

Byker Bob said...

When you stop to think about it, with all of the deep research and thorough exigetics, there is really nothing left of Armstrongism to believe in. Those who still do make a deliberate attempt to be ignorant of all the information which refutes it. The last resort, and only proofs left are "But, Mr. Armstrong said......and he was God's apostle." 40 years overdue, that is wearing mighty thin.

BB

Lake of Fire Church of God said...

Connie Schmidt said, My "KARMA" ran over Meredith's "DOGMA" !

MY COMMENT - We love your KARMA Connie!

Keep posting the Plain Truth!

Richard

Anonymous said...

The problem of Vietnam solved in 30 minutes.

Methinks murder lies in the heart of Roderick Meredith....

Anonymous said...

Annon 1:46 I have heard a lot of people in LCG complain that Winnail brings too many books up to the pulpit with him when he preaches. He's always quoting different sources but most in LCG only want to hear the Bible. He has been criticized for being too liberal and for giving too much credit to academia.

What you say about him being afraid to speak up may be true. Although I'm not sure if he stays silent out of fear or if he's sitting back watching Lil Jimmy, Spanky, McNair and others make total asses of themselves to put himself in a better, more credible position as the only sane one when the split occurs. He is a patient, calculative German after all.

Dr. Germano just wants a paycheck. He's about to retire. Can you say puppet?