Judging and Discipline According to Armstrongism

"Christ will certainly guide His ministers in judging His people today. He intends to present the church holy and blameless before God. The Bible form of church discipline is one of the means Christ is using to keep His church free from corruption. All such judgments by God's servants will be bound in heaven. Christ directs His ministers in governing His church. Then He bucks them up with His divine authority and power. "

-Roderick C. Meredith, Judging and Discipline in God's Church, Good News, 1966

One of the largest points of contention within the Worldwide Church of God and it's Daughter Splinters is the extremely controversial issue regarding "Judging and Discipline". No other topic can create such an array of reaction. All one has to do is say the name "Scarborough", and nearly any person within the LCG Splinter group knows exactly what you're talking about. No other doctrine has promoted such an abuse of power among the  "ministers...governing His church". 

Of course, Meredith himself was the leader of the Living Church of God when he was alive - and also, as you may note above, the author of this article. As a senior evangelist in the Worldwide Church under Herbert Armstrong, and the leader of Global and then Living Church of God, Rod himself has had a lot to do with the administration and legislature of church discipline practices and standards. Looking into what was taught and what was done is one of the best ways to do an autopsy on the spiritual health of the churches.

 "If a person gets in a wrong spirit and refuses to heed the instructions of God's called servants, Paul showed that they are to be disfellowshipped that they may be ashamed.

   Learning to obey the government of God is the very basis of true Christianity. People must be taught to respect and fear the authority God wields through His ministers. If a person refuses to obey God's government now, how can he be expected to obey it in the kingdom?" 

This is a very interesting comment by Meredith. He teaches that "Learning to obey the government of God is the very basis of true Christianity". That's an interesting spin on a concept that was amazingly well-versed by Jesus himself. Jesus said that pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained. In short, to love God and love each other. 

Meredith's version of Christianity seems more like the system of the military then a spirit of love in Christ. Especially with the comment that "people must be taught to respect and fear the authority God wields through His ministers."

What these statements show is the over-whelming power that the ministry convinced the members of the church to believe that they had. It seems the most important thing of all things on the minds of the ministry of the Church was obedience. Obedience to the ministry is important now - and apparently, according to Rod, for all of eternity forever and ever and ever. What an absolutely incredible, astounding , scintillating fate we should all be shivering in our boots for - in the deepest and fullest possible fear of their ever omni-present God Powers!! Be still our beating hearts. 

Now, we get to the big iron anvil of disfellowshipment. After explaining why an "obstinate sinner" is put out of the church - meaning the Worldwide Church of God at the time - they're thrown to the lion's den as freshly killed meat. Sin and rebellion against the "Government of God" can only lead you to the horror house of Satan, and demons, and a horrible, unworthy life where everything goes wrong, so it was taught by the church. This mind-conditioning to cause fear in disobeying a minister or in leaving the physical church - sadly - worked for thousands of people creating a condition of bondage, shackled to every rule and command of "God's Government". 

"once an obstinate sinner is put out of the church, God will permit Satan to afflict him until he repents — if he will repent. How fearful is the judgment of God on those who know the truth and then let themselves be led into sin and rebellion against God's government!"

Why do this? Rod makes his position: To prevent God's children from becoming careless and lukewarm about sin. Apparently, when caught in a sin in "God's Hospital", you pull out the IV's, pull out the medicines, open the windows, take the patient from the stretcher, and throw the patient out the window to crash-land on the pavement below, with the hope that the patient will understand the consequences of his action, because this is apparently "God's Way".

Or, to protect the church from "becoming infiltrated with sinners" or "false teachers" who will lead others into sin.
 

The problem is with this philosophy is that many power-hungry ministers - who had NO BUSINESS being ministers in any way, shape, or form - were so busy throwing their phasers on "kill" setting and striking everyone who does wrong, or pulling out their light-sabers and tasers to zap the offenders, didn't see the horrible over-abundance of sin that had infected "God's Ministry" to the point of near uncontrollable growth (GTA's words paraphrased here, not mine). How could "God's Ministry", already infected with sin from the top down, possibly be capable of eliminating sin on the ground floor? You can't put fire out with lava! This is nothing but blatant hypocrisy, designed - intentionally or not - from the beginning to force submission in a regime of sin bound with chains and shackles to every word of an already sin-infested ministry.  

"The purpose of this form of church discipline is to prevent God's children from becoming careless and lukewarm about SIN — which God hates — and to protect God's church from becoming infiltrated with sinners or false teachers who will lead others into sin."

The ministers - "God's Government" - are the only authority that matters when it comes to discipline and judgment, Rod taught. This "bring it to the minister" for every dispute was taught and enabled directly by Rod Meredith himself - which many of the members took to mean every little thing, and many of whom took it to unrealistic extremes. Using the word "commanded" just made it more binding, and it wasn't long before people were going to the ministry for things they should have been more than capable of handling themselves. The ministry reduced them to first-grade teacher-student settlements. "He stole my pencil". "It was mine!". "Go to the minister." "Mr. Law-Dude!!!!!" 

"It is the wise men, then, the ministers and elders in the church, to whom these problems should be brought. Instead of going before worldly courts, Christians should want to have their disputes settled God's way, according to the principles of God's righteous laws. They are commanded to bring all such disputes before the church for judgment."

The last thing that the Church wanted was the Law involved in the lives of their members. Who knows what would come out about the Church under interrogation under oath that could negatively impact the Church or it's teachings!!!

"In material disputes, you are to go directly to God's ministers instead of a worldly court. If you love God, this will always be to your best interests in the end. This is God's way — God's command."

So the ministers were to decide every detail of the life of a member - right down to "material disputes". It's pretty easy to see how a minister may have used this for their own financial benefit. If the courts could be avoided, and "God's Ministers" used their "divine authority" to "cast judgment" - you can best believe it would always be for the Church's best interests in the end each and every time. 

   "In all cases, remember that the final responsibility for all decisions rests with God's ministers whom He has called. Christ has promised to "be with" and guide them in every judgment. The judgment is of God. It will be "bound" in heaven."

In other words: Whatever the minister says, goes. If the minister says it,the minister takes the responsibility. God backs it and the judgement is of God. It is bound in heaven. So it is written, so it shall be done. No argument. This is why so much harm to members was allowed to fall at the hand of power-hungry ministers who yielded nearly unlimited power (so far as the laws of the REAL governments would allow) on their members.

   "You may be tempted to criticize or disagree with some decision that God's ministers will bind. Be very careful lest. you let this turn you against God. You may not understand all the facts. But God's called ministers probably do and they are responsible to Him — not some human — for their actions in directing His church."

You don't know anything. The ministers bind it. It could "turn you against God", even if you "don't understand" but the ministers probably do and you, of course do not. They're responsible to God - not some human - for their actions. Perhaps this is why Herbert Armstrong never took action on ministers who wreaked havoc on so many congregations. Perhaps Herbert believed that God would supernaturally take care of the problem. So, just shuffle them from church to church spreading trouble like a malignant cancer from congregation to congregation.

   "It is human nature to disagree with God. When the children of Israel rejected Samuel as their judge and leader (I Sam. 8:1-9), God told Samuel, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them." Be fearful lest you reject God by rebelling against His called servants."

If you rebel against the ministers, then you rebel against God. How could you possibly then, in your mind, once believing this clap-trap, possibly say "no" to orders which were unethical, immoral, over-reaching, out-of-bounds, or even illegal? You would be rebelling against God himself, you were told! So you ended up as a meek, spineless, submissive child to the hands of your new father, who controls your every issue in life. And if you do that, now God does not "reign over you" any more. Oh yeah, and you might get (likely, will get) disfellowshiped and thrown to Satan to be ashamed of your rebellion against God's Government! You are a child all over again.

This is why the ministerial edicts against medicine, on dating, on marriage, on jobs, on money, on Sabbath observance, on church attendance, on travel, on child-rearing and many other life points were revered and followed as much as they were. These ministers, on the basis of Government, threw themselves between you and God as an intermediary. Now, you had to go through them to get to God, and God through them to get to you. Why even bother praying. Just call Mr. Law-Dude and ask him.

"God holds His ministers responsible for teaching you His word, and for directing His church and carrying out church discipline. By following God's way of church discipline and judgment, the church of God may go forward in peace and love — and will be purged of all sin to be presented "holy and without blemish" to Christ at His coming."

Fear religion in Armstrongism is this: To reject the biblical teaching that Christ came to break through the chains of bondage that false ministers and teachers use to enslave their members, thus throwing their lives at the mercy of rebellious and carnal posers of righteousness, and world-oriented men intent to build an empire of wickedness at the full and total expense of the care and compassion - and well-being of their sheep. 

Article in full

Book recommendation 

Eight Signs of Spiritual Abuse

submitted by SHT