I was going to write an article on how angry I am reading the latest pile of steaming bull that came out of Wadsworth, Ohio. I was going to go into a bit of dialogue on spiritual extortion. I was going to do a point by point analysis on just how absolute gutter the material is that has been reported to come out of the "Restored" Church of God in Wadsworth.
I'm not going to do any of that. Because the readers here are smart, and they know what's going on. Nothing I really say is "news" to anyone here. The readers here have all had their experience with the same putrid bull in one form or another in their time in Armstrongism, and I am sure a majority share in my disdain and disgust at the tactics of greed and what appears so strongly to be spiritual extortion. It's angering. But I am not going to waste my time, and your time, repeating what everyone here already knows.
No matter what our current theological positions are - Christian, agnostic, atheist, what have you - one knows a wrong when one sees a wrong. We're here - all of us - because somewhere down the line we've been wronged. Yet even in the glory days of Armstrongism - with as much as we were expected to bust out of our earnings - were we ever expected to "hand over" as much as is expected to be handed over in Packland. So do we get it? Of course, we get it. All of us do.
It's not unique to just Armstrongism. This sort of thing happens in mainstream religion just as easily. I've seen an experienced that, too - all under a supposed cloud of piety and religiosity that looks glorious from the outside but stinks to the highest heights from the inside. I've seen televangelists wearing $3,000.00 suits off the dimes of widows and orphans. I've heard pastors claim that those who only live on Social Security must tithe just as those who are CEO's of a business. I've seen the "holier than thous" walk around in Church with large leather-bound King James Bibles and that "voice" of "authority" that can only come from one who claims to be such a mighty Christian. I've seen the theatrics of denominational leaders standing on high placed pulpits proclaiming in Old English Christian-ese their weekly diatribes of holy talk. I've heard the old-English thous, thees, and doth-eths proclaimed from thou highest perch in thy house. I've witnessed the incredible structures that have been built in the name of tithing and all under the shelter of 501 (C) 3. Don't tell me I'm not the only one who sees that things can be just as wrong on one side of the fence as they can be on the other side of the fence. I see that and all of the blatant and nauseating hypocrisy that goes right along with it. Just as our nation is divided politically, our nation is also divided spiritually. The spiritual division is not just Christian vs Atheist or Christian vs Agnostic. It's Christian vs Christian. It's denomination vs denomination. It is sect versus sect. It's corner church vs. corner church. It's the hallmarks of Corporate Christianity on full display. And again, I can't be the only one seeing this. I know many do. It just isn't talked about as greatly because it's uncomfortable to do so.
Armstrongism was born because this great religious confusion was exposed, and Armstrongism claimed to have the answer to the problem - but turned out to be and become just as confused and divided as the very ones they were railing against for over seventy years. Of course, those on the inside could see the religious confusion and exposed hypocrisy during that entire time - but Armstrong at the helm gave people hope that maybe he's right anyway. Until he died. And then the Packs and the Weinlands and the Flurrys and the Thiels all came out of the woodwork exposing every little crumb in every nook and cranny of confusion and division you could ever find. And then reality hit again - it's the same corporate bull that was in the Mainstream Christian world many came out of. And it still continues to this day.
If you're looking for a physical escape to the physical realities of Corporate Christianity, you have better luck of finding a needle in an acre-wide field of hay then you do finding the dream physical church you're looking for. The only thing and the only way to find satisfaction that is true is to personally find spirituality from within flowing outwards. I'm not going to sit here and go on a diatribe with this post about becoming a Christian, or Christ-centered Christianity or freedom in Christ. Most know my positions on this. I'm just going to say this:
Being a loving person and loving your neighbor - and God - isn't about submitting yourself to a structure of corporate rules from a corporate business, no matter how enshrouded they are in a deceptive illusion of religious piety. It's exhibiting, showing, and being love in every situation of life one can come upon. ONLY with this foundation and framework can one begin to be used no matter where they are and who they are associated with and in contact with. This foundation of love allows you to be "in" the world without being "of" the world. It is the only narrow way that there is. It is the only way one can bear fruit, no matter what or who they are affiliated with.
It's not about "Common", or stables, or buildings, or trees, or various arbor. It's not about streams or fountains. It's not about buildings or houses or mansions. All of these things are physical and every one of these things will perish and pass. It's about faith expressing itself in love. It's about hope. And it's about making a difference, not in the pocketbook of one, but in the lives of many.
So if you are as discouraged and angry about not only the shenanigans and bull coming out of not only Wadsworth but seemingly every corner and in every place and it seems overwhelming and worthwhile to just give everything up, then turn on your own light of love and shine through the cracks of Corporate Christianity and let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. It might only make a difference to one, or five, or ten. It might someday make the difference in fifty or one hundred. But this is the narrow road and the light of life. You can be a world-changer one life at a time. And at the end of the day, that will be what's important.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25, NIV)
Submitted by SHT
28 comments:
Well said. It's like When Christ said that His brothers and sisters are those who do His will. It's not necessarily those who attend the physical "true church."
I've noticed that pop groups often have a hypnotic hold on their audience during concerts. Churches utilize the same psychology to mentally imprison their members.
Presumably, this is the meaning of Star Trek Borg drones assimilating their victims by injecting them with Borg nano-probes. Dave and others have assimilated their members. It's very hard to break free, as depicted in some episodes of Star Trek Voyager.
wow....!!!
such a well-written piece! Bob Theil would be jealous.
Well wrote SHT. The reality is even worse than your post though.
Even in ACOG-land, Dr. Hoeh figured out that many Buddhists shine with "Christian values" far exceeding what he found in WCG. If your goal is to love your neighbor, you can do this as a Jew, or a Buddhist, or in any number of religions. So, if someone wants to claim "Christianity is different from all those pagan faiths" he had better be LIVING his Christianity better than the most loving Buddhists, Jews, etc.
Armstrongism is a part of American Christianity and the false gospel specifically prosperity theology that has been exported via televangelists all over the world.
And now today I heard Kanye wants some of that joining ranks with Joel Osteen.
God help us!
SHT you have a kind heart and obvious big picture of lessons learned through the seemingly negative experiences throughout life we all have no matter the topic. I can honestly say that I could not be "here" if I had not been "there" and I like where I am now. I've also experienced that what seems so bad and so negative, and often really is, turns out good. What often seems so good can also go bad. It is why we are more wise not to judge any one particular experience as good or bad but as "just so" for now.
I was always told "Experience is the best teacher BUT the tuition is high" and the implication in the environment of the time was that meant one should do as told and not have to pay the high price of experience. I have come to see that no only is experience the best teacher, it is the only one as anything else is just hearsay. It's not that we should do and have every experience under the sun so we "get it" but experience runs deeper than thinking there is anything to learn from just reading an example of a bad choice, mostly some form of disobedience to authority, in scripture and not doing that as sermon material often was made up of.
Growing up in the Presbyterian theology and perspectives we sang a hymn that always bothered me, even as a child. (Well except for Onward Christian Soldiers which I detested then and in WCG) It was "Trust and Obey for there's NO OTHER WAY, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey" That simply felt like control and unquestioned obedience and mindless faith was the key to happiness. I think you know me well enough to see how that went down with me :) (I believe I had a nice chat with your mom and know you at least know me from way back unless I am mistaken in connecting you to her.)
At any rate, it is obvious your own journey and experience has left you with lessons learned and life lived better than just getting stuck or stuck and bitter which is a deadly combo.
con't...
There is a Chinese Proverb that goes something like this…
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the mares and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, still recovering from his injury. Friends shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!” To which the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
The moral of this story, is, of course, that no event, in and of itself, can truly be judged as good or bad, lucky or unlucky, fortunate or unfortunate, but that only time will tell the whole story. Additionally, no one really lives long enough to find out the ‘whole story,’ so it could be considered a great waste of time to judge minor inconveniences as misfortunes or to invest tons of energy into things that look outstanding on the surface, but may not pay off in the end.
The wiser thing, then, is to live life in moderation, keeping as even a temperament as possible, taking all things in stride, whether they originally appear to be ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Life is much more comfortable and comforting if we merely accept what we’re given and make the best of our life circumstances. Rather than always having to pass judgement on things and declare them as good or bad, it would be better to just sit back and say, “It will be interesting to see what happens.”
http://www.drmarlo.com/?page_id=181
I always assume that 35,000 or 150,000 years ago someone either ducked or didn't duck and it lead to me being here when it probably wouldn't have otherwise. The Butterfly effect in life I suppose. While my conclusions about my own experience are not those of other nor mine theirs, it's fine. All our experiences are different and our personalities and interests or non-interests many and diverse.
I hope you can see that your own experiences SHT, however they seemed in the past, have lead to you being able to share them here and who knows who you encourage and help as "the Butterfly Effect" in their lives because of your sharing it.
"No matter what our current theological positions are - Christian, agnostic, atheist, what have you - one knows a wrong when one sees a wrong."
ummm, if there is no God, there is no "right" or "wrong"...only difference of opinion.
and yes TBN is full of the "criminal activity" you describe here, but almost no one tries to expose that.
When the Boone family of Eastern Pennsylvania eldest daughter married out of The Friends Church, the father was given a warning. When the next sibling did the same thing, the family was called before the church board and accused of not controlling your family. Father Boone told the board he didn't feel there was anything wrong with what his children did and they were ex-communicated and forced to move out of the area.
Fast forward a number of years and there was another Boone sibling by the name of Daniel trying to establish settlements in the heart of Bluegrass during the Revolutionary war. Having been captured and held for some 2 1/2 years by Indians, he learned that they were going with 450 warriors to burn the fort and kill all the inhabitants. Daniel escaped running 160 miles in four days to find only 20 some men along with women and children who hadn't returned to Virginia. They knew their only option was to try and hold the fort and trust God. A 9 day assault and siege followed by 444 Indian warriors with guns. Daniel and his less than 25 men held the fort.
This story has many parallels to the plight of many in this day and age of "modern" religion. I think almost all Christians would say that they are only seeking a peaceful settlement to live and worship their God. It is not only in the COGs where Christians are experiencing disillusionment. The biblical story of the grievous burdens put upon the Hebrews by the Pharaoh and later the fear put upon them by his army.
In this age there are many Pharaohs with strong armies in the Christian realm. The Daniel Boone story gives encouragement to the one person trying to hold onto their own fort and peaceful settlement. Giving up and surrendering unto these men or establishments is pretty much a death sentence.
The repetition of history is ongoing, only now in a different age. I still think there is enough Daniel Boone in most to hold on through it all.
Excellent posts Dennis. One can't tell if something is good or bad short term. It took me decades to see the good that most likely may have saved my life by the action of joining the cult. The influence of one good man and the effects it had on my life led to some very wise decisions on my part. He was the man who helped me see that HWA was indeed a pervert and not worthy of leading a Christian church.
But this is my journey, tailor made by my decisions. The readers here are on their own journey, and the decisions they make will enlighten them or destroy them.
Discernment works on percentages. Noboby has complete 100% discernment. So, another factor comes into play. Balance.
A Christian generally looks for ways to be pleasing to God. Some "leaders" in realizing this, see an opportunity for themselves to exploit this to their own advantages. A naive Christian is then told how to please God by a spritually empty orator (wolf), and just goes for it, even sensing that something might be wrong along the way.
BB
Wonderful comment What about the truth. Very encouraging and sadly very true.
There seems to be an christian age of disillusionment. The tares out number the wheat.
5:43 said: "ummm, if there is no God, there is no "right" or "wrong"...only difference of opinion."
Ummm nothing, That's a ridiculous perspective and statement. There does not need to be a God for the common sense of what is right, fair or wrong without Priests pretending to speak for a God by writing "thus saith the Lord" or "And then God said." I you think any quote in the OT is taken in some kind of dictation as a god spoke it you are kidding yourself. It is also risky to go along with those who say "God told me" or "God speaks to my heart and I am here to tell you..."
If what you say is so, then the only way and reason people do right and avoid wrong is because they fear their god's punishment or that right and wrong can only be defined by that god. That may make the actual writers of the scripture happy to get compliance and control based in fear for their advantage but that is simply manipulation and crowd control.
Common sense and group cooperation are survival skills. Those without either, god or no god , get marginalized or worse naturally. I think they call it "The Darwin Awards" on YouTube. Lol.
"There seems to be an christian age of disillusionment. The tares out number the wheat."
November 18, 2019 at 6:49 AM
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Religion has become big business. That is one of the reasons that today is considered the post Religion era. You can thank the vultures like HWA, Joel Olsteen, Clepto Dollar, etc....
It was and is all about the money.
Desire riches? Start your own mafia family and get into the religion racket.
Secret encrypted message "anagrams" for "Restored Church of God"???...
An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. Example: The word lemon is an anagram of melon.
Through Forced Decors
Coerced Doth For Shrug
DUH...Coercer God Froths
DUH..Forte, Scorcher Dog
Go Crotches Odd Fuhrer
6.56 AM
Common sense cannot stand up to coercive pressure. If common sense is all you have, you are very much at the mercy of your environment. Which is why the bibles "live by every word of God." Christ quoted bible verses when tempted by Satan for good reason. "Because God said so" is the strongest mental defence.
Common sense unfortunately isn’t very common.
The true face of entirety of organized religion is being exposed. All one has to do is open their eyes. Prosperity gospel, name it and claim it, televangelists living in mansions, priests abusing children and having drug fueled gay sex orgies in apartments paid for by the Vatican... Here's the icing on the cake, Pope Francis hosting the Amazon synod where wooden fertility statues were brought to the Vatican gardens and worshiped in front of the Pope. All this silliness with the robes and fancy vestments. Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Armstrongism and all the other ism's are all hypocrites. Jesus (Yeshua) was right, they are all frauds.
It only takes a little critical thinking and looking past the aura these creeps create and you will wake up to see they are all sinners, liars, and scum.
The gospels accuse them, 2000 years in advance. If you are a follower of the Lord, find a tiny little community church that has accountability within the leadership and congregation. They aren't easy to find, but if you are not a hypocrite and live according to the preaching of the gospels, eventually, you will find one of these congregations. Organized religion is a burning oil rig !!!!!
Sincerely
Mish Mash - of the Poconos
"There does not need to be a God for the common sense of what is right, fair or wrong..."
so you just go with what the majority say is right or wrong?
have you noticed that it changes over time? and differs depending on where in the world you are?
talk about ridiculous perspectives and statements....
Replying to 6:56's statement, "There does not need to be a God for the common sense of what is right, fair or wrong", 7:24 AM replied:
so you just go with what the majority say is right or wrong?
have you noticed that it changes over time? and differs depending on where in the world you are?
Well, is it right or wrong to state "2 + 2 = 4"? Would the existence or non-existence of God change the correctness/incorrectness of that statement? A couple of people in this thread need to make use of the rational thinking capability that God gave them.
2 + 2 =4
so you've gone from a context of how people treat each other to mere statement of fact to try to prove that there is no need for God in order for there to be right & wrong?
seriously?
(2 + 2 = 4 is not about "right & wrong"...it's about "correct & incorrect"...there is a difference)
So 1:34, would it by rational deduction and experience be correct or incorrect to kill people or your neighbor at random or take from their house stuff as we please? How would such behavior serve your community upon which one depends for survival? How would there be certainty it would not happen to your family one day you were out there hunting for meat with the buddies of your community.
It is neither wrong or right or correct or incorrect, it is there for us mammals to survive as our mammal children are so incredibly depedendent upon the stuff we bring to the nest/den. (like mobile phones or Courtney Kardashians latest colorline)
Nck
Moreover it seems you are implying that anyone not hearkin to an American Christian outlook lives in a world of ridiculous perspective.
Poor Sumerian, Egyptians, Roman's, Greek societies. I admit there is room for improvement always but to ridicule successful manners of human groupings over time.......... Hmmm
Threat (rod of iron) and free markets (unseen hand), and pure undefiled (protestant) religion...... I get the picture.......
Nck
nck I agree with 1:34 PM who is differentiating between what is factually correct or incorrect and what is morally right or wrong. Like he/she said there’s a difference.
"...would it by rational deduction and experience be correct or incorrect to kill people or your neighbor at random or take from their house stuff as we please?"
depending on where you are in the world, that might be acceptable....if you truly need something, why can't you just take it? they have more than you... it's all about survival, right?
this sort of thing happens regularly in the USA....only, certain groups lobby the government to do it for them (which makes it ok)
4:38
The Catholic Church has officially stated that it is OK IF it is a matter of survival.
I guess your ancestors did not get deported to Australia for "fetching" a loaf of bread for the family in London East End.
Nck
Blogger nck said...
4:38
The Catholic Church has officially stated that it is OK IF it is a matter of survival.
I guess your ancestors did not get deported to Australia for "fetching" a loaf of bread for the family in London East End.
Nck
November 20, 2019 at 7:30 AM
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In Proverbs 6:30-31 it states: "Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house."
Is it morally right or wrong to steal? According to the Law (e.g. Exodus 20:15; 22:1-4) it is morally wrong irrespective of the circumstances. But, the punishment is multiple restitution.
I look at the lesson of the widow of Zarephath who Elijah the prophet was sent to. When he asked her for some bread she told him: "As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die" (1 Kings 17:12). She didn't choose to harm another by stealing from them to save her own life and that of her son's. She reconciled herself to the reality of the situation that this was to be their last meal and afterwards they'd more than likely starve to death unless by some miracle. As it happens God did divinely intervene and saved her life and her son's. But, if he hadn't she and her son would've died at least with a clear conscience.
Of course, imo, penal transportation as a punishment for theft in Great Britain was a woeful case of the punishment not fitting the crime and so was actually injustice.
'But, the punishment is multiple restitution."
Thank you 10:03. I understand.
Of course "an eye for an eye" would be abhorrent and ridiculous, unless it would be interpreted as "just, fair = equal", compensation.
nck
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