Charges of doctrinal errors, watering down of doctrines, ministerial abuse, adultery, stealing tithes, etc. have swirled around the one and only 'true' church. Books have been published, and stories written. The church grapevine carried some of the stories.
But none of these 'crisis' situations made much of a difference other than in the local area the crisis happened, or in Pasadena where members were always being blow about by endless controversy and change.
Time magazine articles and even an investigation by the State of California did not seem to deal any death blows. In fact, many times it strengthened the church. PERSECUTION was the battle cry and the members put on their armor. They mortgaged homes, denied themselves of frivolities (food, health care, cars, dentists) and pumped the money into Pasadena. All to the glory of God.
Then some demon inspired person at Apple went and developed a personal computer. Then Bill Gates (aka SATAN) went to town. Legion was loosed upon the world!
The personal computer and Internet age hit at an ideal time. Armstrong had died, new leaders were changing things. The Internet was abuzz. For the first the church had no control. As hard as they tried with veiled threats and outright disfellowshipment, they still could not stop information from flowing.
The Internet was largely responsible for the dissolution of the Worldwide Church of God into hundreds of splinter cults trying to maintain 'the truth once restored.'
Not a single splinter group has been effective in ministry since HWA departed to the hills of Altadena.. All the boasting, opulent buildings, 'colleges/universities', have essentially made ZERO impact on the world. Billions of people are in the world and some stupid little group in Edmond or South Carolina suddenly think they are the most magnificent end time work ever. EVER!
COGdom has always believed that the Holy Roman Empire, through the Roman Catholic Church, would be the persecutor of the church. It has not been the case. The Internet is destroying the 700 some Armstrongite personality cults of Armstrongism.
Sure, the various COG's use the Internet as their main door to the world. But too many of them are scared of the Internet for their membership. Flurry and Pack have laid down imperial edicts that their members are not to use various aspects of the Internet..
The Internet helped bring down the Worldwide Church of God. The Internet is currently helping bring about the breakup of UCG. Ultimately it will help bring down the Philadelphia Church of God, Living Church of God and the myriads of other silly little COGlets around the world.
What a great day they will ultimately be!
The problem is that the worst satanic frauds around--like Gerald Flurry, for example--simply forbid their followers to look up the truth on the Internet. They simply lie and say that the others are all lying. The result is that their followers have to figure things out on their own the long, slow, hard, expensive way.
ReplyDeleteThese crooks--like Gerald Flurry, for example--will use the Internet to try to ensnare people, but then tell them not to go on it before they can learn the truth and get unsnared.
Unfortunately, the smaller, more psychotic splinter groups are given a voice, via the Internet, and there's no telling who/how many/what vulnerable people they're sucking in.
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Do I really need to go on? The good thing is, these sites only seem to suck in ex-WCGers, fresh meat just isn't interested, because they know better.
These smaller psychotic groups do have web sites. But what impact are they having to the world?
ReplyDeleteNo one ultimately cares. All these groups have done is put on a new dress and some lipstick or pearls to play the harlot daughters of Armstrongism that they are. They play the harlot to disgruntled church members who are looking for a new trick to make them feel good.
The only people reading their bullshit are COG members.
In the grand scheme of things the COGlets are insignificant.
However, I would love to see the world free of that filth. More and more of them are leaving the filth that is Armstrongism every day. All the blogs, web sites, etc., that are out there exposing the lies, hypocrisy and garbage they teach are a good thing. We have all made an impact.
Even if we only touch one person during the entire time we have these blogs and web sites up, then we have accomplished our purpose.
People are scrambling for information. Many know they are being lied to by their church leaders. They are fed up with the lies and are finally making the baby steps to get out. Each day that a splinter cult faces difficulty is a good day!
"Even if we only touch one person during the entire time we have these blogs and web sites up, then we have accomplished our purpose."
ReplyDeleteThat's always been my stance, even though I'm not regularly blogging myself, anymore.