Monday, May 25, 2015

The Hierarchy the Churches of God


That's Rod and Lil'Jimmy at the top doing nothing 
while the members below trying to salvage what they can.


Going to Petra: ExCOG Member Radio Program Top Rated by TED Blog



Hats off to Glynn Washington who hosts a radio program called  Snap Judgement on NPR.  He shares many fascinating stories about life in general but has also shared stories about what it was like for him to grow up African American in Armstrongism.

TED Blog recommends:

Snap Judgment
“It’s a 56-minute whirlwind that always seems to go by too fast,” says Ellyn Guttman, of our TED Books team, about this hard-to-describe NPR podcast hosted by Glynn Washington. “It’s similar to This American Life but edgier,” adds Kim Nederveen Pieterse of our Partnerships workgroup. “It questions race, identity and ‘the system’ through personal storytelling and music.”

Previous articles on this blog have mentioned Glynn's programs:

Loosing My Religion

The Reunion

Apocalypse

Son of Ham

Going to Petra

Sunday, May 24, 2015

While the Ministry in LCG, UCG, PCG and RCG Stay in First Class Hotels, the Little People are Left to Fend for Themselves



Exit and Support has an interesting letter up from a former COG member detailing what it was like being part of the Church of God.  This is NOT an isolated case.  Another life potentially ruined...but now free.



I was eventually baptized with Church of God the Eternal; however they had no services in my state, so I was baptized at their "Feast of Tabernacles." The minister told me that I could not work during the Sabbath. I followed that and it put me living hand to mouth for 2 years. He said God would open the doors for a job if I was living in His truth. COG the Eternal also said that if I were in God's good graces, I would not be so poor, and that God would provide if I was doing His will.

I have also been involved with RCG, PCG and UCG. I have been hooked on these "Armstrong groups" for years and now am trying to free myself. I have also been to Feasts of Tabernacles with them. The big shots and wealthier members stay in large, expensive mountain homes and go boating; go to dinners, socializing, etc., while us "poor" members who struggle to tithe are staying in small no name motel rooms and being left out of all the activities, left to entertain ourselves. This has all damaged me emotionally. I have never known how to have a true relationship, I've always felt distant from other people, and like I'm not good enough. It has been a life long struggle so far, and I am now 50. Running across your website may be setting me free. Thank you. --Impacted survivor.
The entire letter is here:  May 11