For the last several weeks a few on here have made it their priority to attack other individuals for their beliefs or non-beliefs. I don't give a rats ass on what you believe or don't believe. That is part of the reason I rarely comment on my posts or about comments of others. It is your experience, not mine. We all share a common bond because of the shared experiences we all have for being part of Armstrongism, whether it be good or bad.
Some have been so scared by the COG that they have left religion all together, others have moved on to places that have deep spiritual meaning to them. One group is not going to influence the other group into changing their understanding.
People are all on different journeys and no one has the right to denigrate that journey the other person is on. It may not be my way or your way, but so what! We can all learn from each other and share what we have experienced.
I have had to screen a lot of comments lately that started several weeks ago. Because of that I have received several emails from various people calling me all kinds of names. I don't have time to go back and weed out every single comment from one snarky side or the other. Some I have deleted and some I have missed. You can call me any name you want, as some of you have, and accuse me being things I am not, as some of you have. I DON'T CARE! Go whine to Dave Pack or Gerald Flurry as I am sure they will give you a willing ear to vent to, then come back and tell us how that went.....
I would hate to cut off comments, like almost all COG related blogs and web sites have done, just because of exactly what has been happening here lately. Too many people have horror stories that they need to share or that can help other escape the legalistic shackles of Armstrongism.
Too many lives are still being shattered and destroyed by the degenerate leaders of the various splinter cults. These are vile men who have set out to destroy the mental, spiritual and physical lives of their members. The decades of hiding behind the curtain are over. They are being accountable for their actions.
Thank you! I am tired of all the nastiness here lately. I can't help but notice that it all started when Velvet and her crew found us. I no longer post because I am sick of their reactions.
ReplyDeleteGood posting NO2HWA Sometimes we need to get back to the basic point. It is a journey as you say. Same path maybe but all scattered along it. If we had been able to point out things to HWA , who never took advice from what I can tell, maybe a lot of pain could have been avoided. Many ministers I knew along the way also could have used a course in "you don't know everything and you way is not THE way." I don't remember that course. Keep on and dump anyone you wish until they clean it up and get back to the point.
ReplyDeleteDennis
Growing pains. Most of us have been through this before. A blog is set up by a knowledgeable person, and civil and tolerant people begin to post, basically sharing perspective and understanding. Suddenly, the blog is an overnight success, with a lot of people finding out about it, some of whom decide that they simply can't allow certain viewpoints to stand. The nastiest ones post anonymously, apparently not wishing to be held personally accountable for what they write.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the trouble is coming from those who use their actual names, or from those who post their actual picture. It's from people who get off on inciting others just for the purpose of eliciting reaction. I feel sorry for anyone whose lives are so empty or unfulfilling that they would have to get their jollies by angering forum participants!
Freedom is in short supply these days because some refuse to use it responsibly and civilly. Moderation is good, but I fear it requires extra time on Gary's part.
BB
People are going to believe what people are going to believe. Everyone's jumped on a different "lifeboat" from the "mother ship". No blog, no forum, and no opinion is going to change what "lifeboat" we've jumped on post-Armstrong WCG, simply because everyone has different combinations of data that combine to produce different outcomes in life that cannot be replicated by anybody else. The problem with comments come in when others simply are not tolerant on others' viewpoints, or are bent to change them to their own, and get angry when that does not happen. Respectful tolerance of all opinions (every "lifeboat") is what is needed not anger when a contrary opinion is displayed. That takes effort on everyone's part, recognizing that even though we all came from the same mothership boat, many have taken our "lifeboats" to many different islands.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that based on the final statement that the primary duty of this blog is to hold the leaders of COG's accountable for their actions. Perhaps jumping on board with that idea instead of arguing over what "lifeboat" we've jumped to would be most beneficial. We all haven't jumped to the same boat, there are many different boats - and we all have our reasons. But many of us have different stories and observances about the mother boat we all jumped from. I think in my simple observational opinion that it'd be best to stop the arguing over which "lifeboat" is better, and start using our lifeboats together, regardless of which boat we've jumped on, to do what this blog owner is attempting to do as a priority: Hold COG leaders accountable for their actions and tell the opinions and stories that matter and can make a difference. This is just my take on it. Just getting back to basics in a nutshell.
I'm glad NO2HWA made this post. It needed to be done. This blog is all about what the title says and nothing more. Any other topic of dissension, be it anti-Christian in general or anti-atheism in general must not be tolerated. We need to focus on the COG cultist actions and warn as many people as possible to avoid them like the plague. Regardless of our existing beliefs or non-beliefs, we can all work together to expose the COGs and warn others who may be thinking of joining one.
ReplyDeleteI think I've tried to reserve my snide remarks for the cults and those (just one person comes to mind) who repeatedly misconstrue and/or misrepresent things I've said. I got tired of taking things lying down.
ReplyDeleteI come here for news. Also, sharing ideas and opinions is good too. Thank you to those that run and support this blog.
ReplyDeleteanother seekeroftruth
I have only posted on here about 8 or 10 times in the past couple years but about 12 years ago I was an active poster on a list that collapsed when several people with one viewpoint tried to drown out all other voices.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking action to maintain a civil tone. This site is an important source of news for me and exerts an all too strong emotional appeal.
Thank you for all your time and effort.
There actually are doctors who post here. And, we've got some intellectual blowhard bullies who unknowingly put them down!
ReplyDeleteBB
You (the blogger) reap what you sow; but I guess you don't accept that kind of reasoning.
ReplyDeleteWhich means you are just another no account like those whom you point the finger at...
Nastiness? How did I miss that? Or, was it me who was the nasty bastard again?
ReplyDeleteNot that I think I should have a say in what goes on here but, in general, I'm all for letting everyone express themselves any way they want.
Freedom! The American way and the anti-COG anthem should support freedom of expression.
It'll all work out just fine. People learn a lot from attempting to put actual words to the thoughts swirling in our wee heads. Often they learn about what an asshole they are - and who isn't from time to time? For the offended, the most cutting retort is to ignore the offender (except, that doesn't work on me).
As one who gets called every name in the book, on almost a daily basis, the insults lose their sting after awhile. Sometimes, they make me laugh.
And just to add some Christian craziness to it all, I usually pray for those who I think tried to offend me and those I think I may have offended.
Although I'm clearly delusional, I don't fancy myself to be called to be a prophet or an apostle. No, I actually believe God called me to pray for others.
That's a really messed up thing for God to do with someone as nasty as me.
God does have a sense of humor!
Thanks Anon for reminding me that I have become a tool of Satan and have failed the refiners fire of God that he has been testing the COG with for the last 80 some years.
ReplyDeleteI guess I failed to see the significance in abusive ministers, aberrant doctrines, the suicides the church caused, the broken marriages, destroyed families and the murders that have been apart of God's master plan.
I guess I also failed to see the awesomeness of Dave Pack or Gerald Flurry as they rake in the quadruple tithes from poor members to build luxurious buildings, campuses and homes. I failed to see that was an OK thing for them to do.
I guess I have failed to acknowledge the narcissistic ministers and government certified mentally ill splinter group leaders for their awesomeness.
I failed to remember that God is weeding out the chaff and the weak in faith.
When Flurry or Pack cart their members off to Petra or cause mass suicides, I will remember your admonition and wish I was with them.
When WWIII hits I will look forward to the days I will have to live in the world or planet you are ruling over with a Rod of Iron.
Thank you so much!
Fuck You!
ReplyDeleteThank you once again for showing the true face of Armstrongism.
ReplyDeleteYes, the true face of Armstrongism is certainly not Christian, and if anything is Satanic given the response from Anon @ 11:22 PM
ReplyDeleteIt's maddening when some won't listen to reason, especially when there are irrefutable facts and not just opinions.
ReplyDeleteMy take: 2013 seems to be the year of desperation for the Cult of Herbert Armstrong as it becomes clearer and clearer that things just aren't working out as expected and the future looks rather bleak.
At the same time, there seems to have been a communal epiphany which has resulted in some of the most useful mature observations ever.
You've done an excellent job NO2HWA and the opposition is a sure sign of it.
I also noticed the hateful comments from some several weeks ago. I wondered if they were from some COG trying to disrupt the blog. Sometimes their verbiage made no sense what so ever, and I chose to ignore it.
ReplyDeleteThank you on commenting about it. Maybe if no one responds to them they will get bored. I don't know - if they are from a COG, what a sad commentary to their beliefs. I really can't believe that someone unfamiliar with Armstrongism would care enough to post such immature comments. I know that several months ago a teenager (or young adult) who was a relative of Flurry posted on Exit and Support. At least he was brave enough to give his name.
Allison L.
This site is the very definition of the insanity that is Armstrongism. Even the branch of a branch of a branch thinks that it is the root! Love the craziness. Love the rudeness. Love the awful things people post about people they don't know. It all reminds me of one thing: in my worst case scenario, where HWA was 100% right, I'm still saved from living in eternity with these assholes.
ReplyDeleteDon't change a thing
Bad PK
NO2HWA thanks very much for reminding us why this site was founded.
ReplyDeleteAlso thanks for reminding us that we ought to be civil towards each other and not use this forum to hammer in our opinions upon another.
To discuss our history with the WCG and how we look at it today, is helpful and beneficial, for it reminds all of us that our experiences have been shared by others.
I have wanted to post a short article on how I look at it, but have held back in fear of being guilty of causing a riot for some are just too emotional and their rage builds up to hate, which none of us should encourage.
Hate is murder, according to Yahshua, and one should not encourage this evil emotion in others.
If things settle down in a more civil atmosphere, I may work up the nerve to share.
What I share is just my opinion. It can be right, but also, it can be wrong. The same holds true for everyone else. Its an opinion, so don't allow yourselves to go bonkers over it.
A message to Gary
ReplyDeleteWhile said I would not be posting comments and I will not since most of what I see here doesn’t fit into my world today, I thought It might be encouraging if I made a comment that explained my personal relationship with you and your family.
First I do not remember much about you personally, but I do have memories of your family. I re member your grandmother and even kept the second Passover with her when she was unable to attend due to aging. I remember your mother very well since she was close to the family that my youngest married into.
I am well aware of the dysfunctional characteristics of the families that have come into being through their association with ACOG, but I am also aware of the many good experiences that were a part of those and other families who shared the many years that have gone by.
I remember your mother making an interesting comment shortly before HWA died regarding some of the things he said. She said “Mr. Armstrong seems to forget that he has gone over all those things many times, bless his heart”. Which indicated to me that she was politely saying that his mind had slipped a notch or two?
Your mother was a pretty good artist if I remember correctly and we were sorry when she past away even though we had lost connection in those final days.
I guess the greatest disappointment I had regarding the ACOG breakup was what you’re addressing in your Blog. This is the ongoing corruption and destruction that is promoted by people who never really grasp the simple fact that God and religion are the efforts made by real people who recognize that the survival of human life is dependant on something that is presently lacking in human intelligent or at least extremely difficult to communicate.
I will close this with a story I read years ago. There was a young person who contracts a terminal illness who was talk to a spiritual advisor and made this comment: “All my life I have been searching for God and when I found that my life was about to end I decided to restore all the broken relationships before I die. I started with my father and went through all those in the family one by one. I was hadn’t finished this restoration process before I realized that I had found God.
A. Boocher
I come to this site for information and try to be civil in any comments I make. I haven't been commenting much lately for the reasons you've outlined. Any comments I make I'm quite willing to own. No "anonymous" stuff.
ReplyDeleteAllen, your posts were not an issue here.
ReplyDelete"I can't help but notice that it all started when Velvet and her crew found us."
ReplyDeleteI don't think Vel has a "crew"
Sure, she's sometimes taken up half of the responses to blog postings, but I think it's good to hear opposing views, no matter if they're VERY different. (I'd even say, "Especially if").
BTW, I have reason to be anonymous now, since my wife is very private and asked me to do so after a poster who knows me was giving clues to my identity when I'd write things he didn't like.
I'm sure some here can relate to the phenomenon of being ex-members of a church, with family members still in that church (and it's offshoots), and not wanting things said online to harm the in-person 'friends and family' relationships we have.
I have made this offer before to several people. I will posts peoples stories on where they have been in the COG and where they are now on their journey. People can make their story as anonymous as they want and I can also prohibit comments if you want. Others need to hear that they are not the only ones who have been through certain issues.
ReplyDeleteI am always fascinated about where the journeys of people have taken them. Some have been drawn into richer faith outside of the COG and others have been taken down paths away from belief and what they see as superstition. I am willing to post both sides.
Whether one is an atheist, agnostic, questioning or devout there is always someone else here that is at that same point.
"Freedom! The American way..."
ReplyDeleteAmerica is not free, it is owned by the banksters. Democracy is a con job. Pray that we will be rid of them before we are destroyed.
A good thing about this blog is that it is not as controlling as ESN (which won't publish any remarks they don't agree with) yet does not allow a free-for all. People should be able to express their views civily.
ReplyDeleteOK, what is the penalty box? Are these people in the 'sin bin' suspended from posting comments for a while?
ReplyDeletePD.
Anon 10:39 No one is in the penalty box. I had to step in and delete some comments that were flying around but now one is prohibited from posting.
ReplyDeleteESN is a useful tool and much appreciated, but has its own religious bias.
ReplyDeleteAnon: that should have been "no one"
ReplyDelete