Sadly, the bar has always been low, but they keep lowering it.
I attended what I hope was my last WCG-splinter funeral today for my mother-in-law...a faithful, 50+ year member of WCG, then GCG, and for the past 20 years or so, LCG.
I understand that in the eyes of their "pastor" that my husband and I are the worst possible people on the planet... Former members, apostates, the "fallen away". And it boy, did it show!!!!
The pastor didn't offer a single word of condolence or comfort to my husband or his brother... The last living members of their immediate family. He didn't speak to my husband, didn't shake his hand and say "I'm so sorry for your loss... Your mother was a lovely woman and so proud of you both." You know, the kind and decent things that people usually say when two men just lost their last surviving parent.
To be fair, his wife did make an effort to be polite and nice... Which frankly made the fact that her husband utterly ignored the deceased person's two sons even more noticeable.
My husband, on the other hand, this EX member, the apostate, the fallen one... Went out of his way before we left to walk all the way across the cemetery to thank the two men who were waiting in their pickup truck to place his mother's coffin into the ground. You tell me... What would Jesus do?Reprinted from Facebook with permission.
21 comments:
I very clearly remember an awful funeral service an LCG pastor gave. He droned on and on putting words in the deceased’s mouth as some sort of awful infomercial for LCG. I instantly lost all respect for the pastor. To think LCG has him on the council of elders and in charge of the western US.
I recall how the WCG hated anything that was "pagan" in origin. I wonder, if they did a study of the funeral and wedding practices, what they would find. I imagine you could find pagan origins in these rituals for the dead.
I remember at AC in Pasadena, two students died from carbon monoxide poisoning in their car. I think they were driving home or back from home during a break in classes. David Antion was speaking to the study body in the gymnasium. He focused on the students and the loss. He was caring and sensitive. Then HWA got up to speak. He said nothing about the deaths, he just talked about himself, if I recall. Totally self-centered, insensitive to the needs of others.
It is embarrassing to recall how arrogant I was and also how ignorant I was 50 years ago. Some of us thought we knew so much, yet we knew so little. Ignorant and arrogant are two traits that come to mind when I think of some of these "leaders".
And where was the fruit of the Holy Spirit at HQ? Gentleness, kindness, patience, etc. were considered to be feminine traits. Do any of you think of HWA or RCM as examples of someone exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit? Wouldn't you expect that those higher up in the organization would be the more mature Christians? Was Christian maturity be an asset in your career at AC? There was only ONE way to the top, to the nicer house on Waverly Drive and to the fourth floor with access to HWA. It was total loyalty to HWA. Cross him and you end up at Bricket Wood. Away from the center of influence. Siberia. HWA's reeducation camp.
Expressing social approval/disapproval is a responsibility that every person has. It has a greater social impact that the written laws of the land. The case of church apostates is a difficult one. God is a God of kindness, so if it's obvious that a person is spiritually "too far gone," there is no point in expressing strong disapproval towards them.
Typically, it's the person with a history of achievement who repents, since repentance is a continuation of their previous behavior. Social pressure can work on them, but these are the exception.
YOU CAN'T EXPECT LOVE FROM COLD DEAD STONES. THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD AS CHRIST SAID ABOUT THE THE PHARISEES. NOT ONE OF THE MAJOR COGS HAS THE LOVE OF THE FATHER OR THE SON. THEY CAN'T EVEN OFFER A KIND WORD LET ALONE A CUP OF WATER.
Sad but true no doubt. The WCG/Splits ministry generally don't know how to handle differences of opinion. Too many years in the one true church no matter which one or how many they jumped back and forth between. You can bet the wife's gestures reflect that she knows what is right and good but has to live with the tyranny of "all believing and doing the same wrong thing"
In many of the ministry no matter the splinter and to this day, there seems to be no "in there" in there. They never had to practice it back in the day when time was short and HWA would lead the church into the Promised Land. Now they are too old a dog to teach what they should have been taught or more like should have come naturally to begin with. In many it might have at one time. But that got driven out of them by the views of those over them.
When my parents were under Dave Pack, and he put people out of the church along the way, they made it a point, behind Dave's all watchful eyes of course, to meet with and take to lunch those cast out. In my family, friends were friends no matter and my parents showed it often . Dad was an Elder under Dave as well but not a great fan.
I've been to quite a few ucg and cogwa funerals and they have been comforting inclusive and respectful.
The mass of non church going people that would often show up and praise the deceased was sometimes shocking.
Why are lcg and rcg and others so bad?
Imagine viewing a funeral as an opportunity!
5:28 I recall that tragic January break trip home by my two class mates. They got cold in the car with no heater and used a small charcoal grill, I believe, for heat. Tragic for sure. I was not at Mr Antion's eulogy but know that's right. HWA knew no students that I recall. He never took time to get to know them and any contact was all about him and more likely, those pesky two trees or the "spirit in man."
Damn people get dumber the longer they're out of the cog. The WCG was not anti everything pagan. They were anti worshipping God using pagan practices. Wedding rings, neck ties, and anything else that came from paganism was irrelevant!
It is sad that so many of these folks view funerals as an opportunity to evangelize.
Funerals are for the survivors. The tears we shed do not benefit the deceased , but reflect our own loss, pain and grief.
Attendees are thus at a very vulnerable time. Jesus showed mercy and kindness to the broken hearted, the cast out, the disenfranchised and the unloveable. This included demonics, lepers, tax collectors, adulterers ,thieves, rogue political groups like the Zealots and so on.
The "Throne of Grace" is always open, and never shut. It invites to any as an open door. I guess in the case of some ministers, they get to be the Judge, Jury and Executioner in a non-revocable or changeable sentence and curse placed upon someone.
I am sorry that you have been labeled "untouchable" and denied basic human concern. There are the small minded and petty to be found in everything. I hope you are appreciative to any church members that were there that showed sympathy, concern or love towards you.
Reprint from Facebook read, "I attended what I hope was my last WCG-splinter funeral today for my mother-in-law...a faithful, 50+ year member of WCG, then GCG, and for the past 20 years or so, LCG.
I understand that in the eyes of their "pastor" that my husband and I are the worst possible people on the planet... Former members, apostates, the "fallen away". And it boy, did it show!!!!
COMMENT - The deceased mother in law almost describes my own mother to a tee. Same journey (R/WCG, to GCG, to LCG) over most of the same overlapping time period. However, we had a COMPLETELY different experience with the LCG minister who conducted my mother's funeral.
It is in fairness and balance that I must submit this comment:
About a week before my mother passed away, LCG minister Ray (and wife) Ronda Clore visited my mother in the hospital, prayed for her and provided comfort to her. At all times WE (my brother, a former WCG local church elder; my sister, an Ambassador College graduate; and myself, an Ambassador College reject) interacted with Ray and Ronda even though WE were no longer associated with WCG or its splinters. I left in 1976 as readers to Banned may recall. My siblings left in the 1990s.
It was my mother's wishes that a LCG minister preside over her funeral, and none of us were going to deny her wishes out of respect for her and her beliefs. Mr. Clore officiated my mother's funeral. It was an excellent service reflecting upon my mother's beliefs. We were NOT treated by the Clore's as "the worst possible people on the planet". They offered words of condolence and comfort to all three of us grieving family members - three former members, apostates, and the "fallen away".
His example should be followed in LCG (if he is still a minister in LCG).
Richard
The ministry and the police for have two things in common.
They both have "bad apples".
They both do not get rid of the "bad apples".
I believe the police will start doing a better job of getting rid of them.
Lets hope the church groups start doing the same - all church groups, not just the cogs.
Sometimes they'd give you that old worn "We'll see them again in the mille nium" baloney.Very comforting to the bereaved
"Blogger the Ocelot said...
Sometimes they'd give you that old worn "We'll see them again in the mille nium" baloney.Very comforting to the bereaved
June 6, 2020 at 11:30 AM"
As opposed to "they're smiling down on us from heaven"? Isn't the truth always better?
The Clore's are an anomaly. His experience as a diplomatic officer, stationed abroad for most of his career in such lovely places as Cameroon, Haiti, and other lawless third world countries designated as hardship postings by the State Department, no doubt gave him a perspective that other COG elders lack. My interactions with Ray, although limited, were all very positive. His stories about the real experiences he had in some of these countries were always breathtaking and revealed an understanding of the human experience his smug LCG counterparts could never hope to comprehend.
Lake of Fire
In my experience from about 35 years ago, Mr Clore served the Nation and the church. With his real life experience in the Middle East, I suspect it would be hard to have him entrapped in petty factionalism.
Nck
Anon 12:33, Clore's kids are now in UCG, with at least two of them on the UCG payroll. Raymond isn't in any kind of leadership role in any ACOG, as far as I know.
the Ocelot
Whats wrong with the Millenium? Dont believe in that either. Shhheeeeessshhh.
Unfortunately, this has become the new normal in LCG. I'm ashamed of what they've become. I've heard so many in LCG express how there's a lack of love in this organization and it's growing colder and colder as the months tick by. Shame on this minister and shame on the LCG ministry for what they've become.
5.51 PM
As members age, with a resulting drop in their energy level, one would expect them to be getting "colder."
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