Is it any wonder that Ted rebelled against his dad when his father made these asinine statements? Imagine having a father that compares you to Jesus and expects you to be submissive in all things.
UNDERSTAND this! If we are led by the Spirit of God we shall enter into His Kingdom of God at the time of Christ's coming and the resurrection. Will GOD'S Kingdom be divided?
Again, we are, so to speak, in the process of being trained for entrance into the Kingdom of God, where WE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS (I Cor. 6:3).
A kingdom or a house divided against itself cannot stand! Even two cannot walk together except they be agreed! (Amos 3:3).
A few years ago, when I had high hopes that my son, Garner Ted, might qualify in God's sight for very high office in God's Kingdom, I said to him, "Ted, I often think of you and me as a father-and-son team, and how wonderful it would seem if we could be like the Father-and-Son divine Team that heads the entire universe! But to walk together as God and Christ do, we would have to remember that the Son agreed completely with the Father in all things. He said, ‘I have not spoken of myself; the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say'" (John 12:49).
But as soon as I mentioned that the Divine Son was in total agreement with His Father, Ted would immediately change the subject. Good News April 1979
9 comments:
GTA showed good common sense through his non response. He did something that some of the Twilight Zone splinter leaders would do well to sit up and take notice of. He refused to allow himself to be made by analogy into a member of the deity, or any of the other personalities written of in the Bible. Apparently, he realized that he was simply Garner Ted, human being, living in the twentieth century.
Obvious flaws acknowledged and aside, what an awesome example of sanity this specific incident sets!
BB
In other words, son, why can't you do what I say, and ignore my example?
It must have been hell having a narcissistic socio-psycho-etc-path for a dad.
Ted. Tragic figure, really. Obviously didn't belong in ministry, which pretty much renders his spinoff churches as, well...silly. Should have made a career out of the Navy. He would have been happier, well regarded, an officer, and probably would have bedded his share of celebrities, D.C. wives and interns along the way. Would have made a lot more sense, that's for sure.
I think he could have made a name for himself either in the entertainment world, as an actor or in voice work, or he could have been very successful in Washington as representative, senator, or perhaps state governor even.
It was hard not to like GTA. He was a product of both his time and a father that was stuck in time. For all of Ted's "faults" he was a more genuine human being. His faults were magnified because he was in the world of religion where the "should be and must not be" was firmly in place making life a rather unreal experience.
He also got stuck in the ego of it all and what he problably what else he wish he was doing without the church labels. An man that is aware of such a trap would subconsciously go out of his way to prove he was no man or father's clone.
Ted is a good example of getting stuck between what you want to be and do and what others "expect" of you. Religion can hold a grip of fear, guilt and shame unlike any other on a person.
I think he could have made a name for himself either in the entertainment world, as an actor or in voice work, or he could have been very successful in Washington as representative, senator, or perhaps state governor even.
Like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I will always remember the words of CSI Grissom, when explaining a murder that had been an outgrowth of an S&M bondage situation: "Reality is, it is always the submissive who is really in control!"
Those of us who left Armstrongism learned that. At one point, so did Garner Ted. Much to his chagrin, so did HWA.
BB
I agree with Anon 9:02 I think GTA should've come out and repudiated his dad (like his dad did to him!)--especially(!) when he found out the truth about HWA's sexual immorality and incest. I think he would've achieved so much more and judged less if he had've been in the entertainment and media industries (maybe even in the world of politics too). Such is this life, however, filled with plenty "should've...could've...would'ves" :-(
Hmm interesting BB re "Reality is, it is always the submissive who is really in control!"
Does that mean that the submissive has the CHOICE to submit or resist? Or am I interpreting the quote incorrectly?
And re HWA's delusional fantasy that he and his son would be like God the Father and Christ the Son I thought that as Christ-followers we're all meant to respect each other (parents, children, siblings, cousins, friends, strangers, etc) like brothers and sisters seeing there is ONE FATHER in heaven and we're all sons and daughters of God in Christ Jesus. I feel so sorry for GTA and everyone who have had the misfortune of knowing the name "herbert w. armstrong," his "worldwide church of God" and his "plain truth" rag.
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