Someday I hope to see Philadelphia Church of God, Restored Church of God, Living Church of God, United Church of God members take a stand and publicly sue their respective churches. It is time the vile practices of the aberrant splinter personality cults be exposed for the frauds they are. These groups have literally killed members all because of their aberrant doctrines, vile practises and mind destroying preaching. How many more need to die before the Church of God movement wakes up?
This article is appalling in the abuse that went on.
SPINDALE, N.C. (AP) — From all over the world, they flocked to this tiny town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lured by promises of inner peace and eternal life. What many found instead: years of terror — waged in the name of the Lord.
Congregants of the Word of Faith Fellowship were regularly punched, smacked, choked, slammed to the floor or thrown through walls in a violent form of deliverance meant to "purify" sinners by beating out devils, 43 former members told The Associated Press in separate, exclusive interviews.
Victims of the violence included pre-teens and toddlers — even crying babies, who were vigorously shaken, screamed at and sometimes smacked to banish demons.
"I saw so many people beaten over the years. Little kids punched in the face, called Satanists," said Katherine Fetachu, 27, who spent nearly 17 years in the church.
Word of Faith Fellowship, an evangelical church with hundreds of members in North Carolina and branches in other countries, also subjected members to a practice called "blasting" — an ear-piercing verbal onslaught often conducted in hours-long sessions meant to cast out devils.
Read the entire story here:
Don't leave out the abuse going on in Continuing Church of God and James Malm's Shining Light. While these two cretins have not yet resorted to physical violence, the spiritual violence destroys the psyche.
ReplyDeleteThe violence in the old WCG didn't take place during official church activities, although there was considerable coercion on that level. And, yes, that coercion did result in the death of members.
ReplyDeleteMost of the outright violence took place in individual homes, on the family level. Man in control at all costs. Zero tolerance. Abused wives joined in to inflict violence on the children. After all, absolute, totalitarian government was taught as being God's way! Grace was something practiced by Laodiceans, out of laxness and ignorance.
BB
Byker Bob wrote: The violence in the old WCG didn't take place during official church activities
ReplyDeleteUnless you consider "punishment" of children in the restroom during services as "violence".
I think it was HWA's niece Deborah who said this was common, and how her own mother beat her with a hairbrush for talking during services.
Still goes on here and there even in the more liberal modern day splinter groups. I strongly suspect they use their shoes. They cover their tracks very well.
Delete"The former members said they were speaking out now due to guilt for not doing more to stop the abuse and because they fear for the safety of the children still in the church, believed to number about 100."
ReplyDeleteSo these 'good people' don't do shit to stop the abuses? The newspaper hunts them down and hassles them until the former member relents and agrees reluctantly to help. They are given the excuse by the press that they are 'helping to save the children'.
You would think after getting your life destroyed that you might just want to fight back and not 'flee to the hills'. Even Terry Ratzmann began to fight back when he first thought that killing the leadership was an option to be considered. Unfortunately he chose the path that never led to a adequate solution.
Armstrongism in all forms causes a deep inner sickness of the soul. We see it unfold here nearly every day! They have their followers naively convinced that in undergoing mistreatment by their church government, they are "qualifying" for the Kingdom, and that all of their prophecy fears are confirmed by the Holy Spirit in prayer!
ReplyDeleteNothing at all like what we read in Galatians, Hebrews, Romans, or the Gospels!
BB
This post is so sad. It brought back so many memories of growing up in the WCG. I spent 20 years in the PCG before I got brace enough to leave. This post had me reflect on the terrible way the Bacon family was treated when their son fell from a balcony and died back in 2009. We were told from the pulpit not to pray for the family! It was hurtful and confusing then as it still is now.
ReplyDeleteI only hope that Turgeon, Brian Davis, Wik Heerma, Gareth Fraser and the rest of that evil ministry get what they deserve!
There are few things that are more confusing, aggravating and inappropriate than having to pay for abuse -- particularly when it is protected under the United States bill of rights, part of the constitution.
ReplyDeleteAbusers have an entitlement to persecute; the government is reluctant to prosecute.
The best anyone can do these days is to make the abuse public, not that it does that much good, since it's just another item in the endless parade of infotainment which, in the end, isn't really taken that seriously, no matter how much damage is done, and is forgotten shortly thereafter.
More insulting is that apologists render it as 'opinion', leading to endless arguments with those who know it isn't.
Anonymous March 2, 2017 at 9:13 AM said, "This post had me reflect on the terrible way the Bacon family was treated when their son fell from a balcony and died back in 2009. We were told from the pulpit not to pray for the family!"
ReplyDeleteMY COMMENT - That doesn't sound Christ-like to me! Is Luke 6:27-31 not in the Flurry Bible?
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you'.
By their fruits you shall know them. And what are the fruits of Gerald "Six Pack" Flurry other than sucking the financial life out of these "weak of the world" held captive in one of the Worldwide Church of God more extreme splinter groups?
Richard
Lake of Fire Church of God
Well, isn't that it, Lake of Fire? The whole thing in a nutshell. Lay down and take the abuse. Isn't that the verse where so many who want to do the right thing go when they are being abused or mistreated and hurt? Do the right thing. Correction of any kind belongs to God so just shut ya mouth and take it. Be super kind and generous and pray!
ReplyDeleteI think that is what so many do, and is the reason why abuses/s continue unabated.
This is SO SICK! Christian FUNDAMENTALISM in action. I'll never forget words of HWA in one of his egotistical PERSONALS, "I'm proud to be called a Fundamentalist..." Will never forget those words amongst some other hogwash he used to drool.
ReplyDeleteBut back to this extremely upsetting article. What those caught up in the splinter groups as well as those ex-splinters of the COGS should do is to follow the example of some ex-JW's, they are reporting to the police and the Watchtower Society is presently having to give account in the courts in the USA, Australia and Britain. Ex-COGS should follow suit. These groups are demonic and don't deserve to exist. They should actually be BANNED from the face of the earth. These kind of organisations don't deserve religious freedom!