Monday, February 24, 2014

Neil Godfrey Talks About Life in Armstrongism and Learning To Think For Himself





Former WCG member Neil Godfrey writes about his life in Armstrongism and his awakening that led to his exit from the cult on the Vridar: Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science web site.



A New Life

That’s the short version of a long story. I was actually disfellowshipped three times before I left for good. My last years were critical of the church leadership and the way they treated members. They were also critical of an outfit that could ruin people’s lives by insisting on teaching certain doctrines yet turn around and say those doctrines were wrong and we’re sorry, etc . . . and expect us all to continue to be loyal members!

From there I returned to the more uplifting and open form of worship I had grown up with. I attended Anglican and liberal Baptist churches for a time, and a few others, including a Roman Catholic one, until I found the most comfortable one for me and my kids.

I was certainly no atheist. Perish the thought. I remained a devout Christian, but one that did not look to any organization or church as an authority. Salvation and conversion was a personal matter between the believer and God. It was a happy, fulfilling time. I still look back with respect on my years in those liberal churches.

The move towards atheism was another story that came later. Before then I read widely on cults and other fundamentalist churches and was surprised to learn how common my own experiences had been. I formed a little “cult veterans support group” or support group for ex-cultists. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, other weirdo ones I can’t recall now — we were all astonished at how alike our experiences had been. While immersed in the cult we had been conditioned to think of ourselves as unique. All of that fell away and it was great for all of us to compare notes and discuss positive ways forward.

UCG Split Has Happened!!!!




Here is the new UCG split that happened today!  Now this is one I can join! 

Tenets of Baconism

  1. In the beginning there was the Big Bang, which begat all of time and space. Eventually sacrificial pigs evolved and the god of bacon did come to be.
  2. Bacon is our god, bacon is not jealous, you may have other gods or no gods before bacon.
  3. All baconism requires of you is the love of the smell of bacon. You need not even participate in the most holy sacrament of eating bacon, though that’d be weird.
  4. It would be nice if, as some other religions teach, you would love your neighbor and be a generally nice, moral person.
  5. We are entirely different from those who worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, for we prefer our pasta on top of our bacon, while they prefer their bacon on top of their pasta. But that’s cool. Again, we accept everyone who loves the smell of bacon. Also, bacon is real.
  6. As you would not have anyone steal your bacon, baconists shall not tolerate the personal violation of any other person.
  7. Bacon never reveals it’s gender. When sizzling Prophet John was unable to determine the sound was that of a sensitive male or assertive female. It seemed the more you turned up the heat, the more aggressive bacon got. But the Prophet John knows it is not an important question, knowing that the only requirement of baconism is the love of the smell of bacon.
  8. Baconists love those of all races, backgrounds, sexual orientations, genders and beliefs, and they in turn love the divine smell. The smell of bacon is bestowed equally on all people (except those who have no sense of smell, for whom baconists feel much pity)
  9. Unlike the churches of other religions, baconists pay taxes and do not ask for donations, unless it is to subsidize the pork industry.
  10. Always keep learning. Accept new scientific findings, as need be. May Reason and Evidence guide you.