Exposing the underbelly of Armstrongism in all of its wacky glory! Nothing you read here is made up. What you read here is the up to date face of Herbert W Armstrong's legacy. It's the gritty and dirty behind the scenes look at Armstrongism as you have never seen it before!
With all the new crazy self-appointed Chief Overseers, Apostles, Prophets, Pharisees, legalists, and outright liars leading various Churches of God today, it is important to hold these agents of deception accountable.
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders
In school, one thing I learned early on was that the minute you receive an honor, or are elected to an office, or achieve conspicuousness in any way, opposing viewpoints and attacks come into play. If you speak out against injustice, the perps come at you and attempt to galvanize others against you. You become a target, and often, presenting facts in defending oneself brings on endless rebuttal.
It's tough to be an independent thinker, a lone wolf, because there are collectives which are far more powerful than a singular individual. The danger of a collective is that it can so quickly degenerate into a mob mentality, which is one of the factors involved in the conscious decision not to become part of a collective.
Dissident sites, presenting the truth about Armstrongism, are great places to express ourselves from whatever perspectives we gained our opinions while part of the org. It is good to have a variety of perspectives, starting with the plenteous little people, working up to department heads, and members of the ministry. Without a broad cross section, an inaccurate picture would evolve. The problem is that as Armstrongism has continued to melt away into insignificance, people have begun to attack their fellow dissidents, to eat their own. Our battle is with the collectives that ruined part of our lives, and the teachings and practices which prevented us from being all that we could be. It shouldn't be about attacking and psychoanalyzing our fellow exmembers who have seen the light and are the good guys here. It's easy to write off the ignorant slobs who come on here wanting to correct us with their Armstrongism, and to enjoy a good group laugh at their expense. But it's another thing entirely to run off the idea guys, the creative thinkers who share powerful ammunition against a false and toxic system which even today continues to enslave vulnerable people looking for answers and solutions to their personal challenges in life.
‘I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her name was grief’. Quite profound. A lot of anger and violence expressed in harmful behaviour today is no doubt grounded in grief. It takes an enormous amount of specialist training to unravel the causes of so much disconnect in individual lives to enable them to process their grief and to return to a ‘normalcy’ within society. Something that cog ministers are ill equipped to do. Thanks Dennis for the thoughts.
It's sooo much more therapeutic to listen to some Deep Purple and drink beer than to attempt to reason with relatives hopelessly trapped in an Armstrong cult. When it comes to dealing with Armstrongites, I tend to think of their favorite scripture: "Let the dead bury the dead"
I liked the quote: I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her real name is grief. Anger, whether masked ask grief, or just naked anger, or just naked grief, is not one you can just sit with - at some point you gather strength, call her out, and say out with you. You don't just do it once, and she's gone. It's a long process for most, as anger and grief don't like to listen to reason, and stubbornly hide in the dark crevices they've carved in suffering psyches.
Daniel 8:19 ........what shall be in the last end of the indignation.... "Indignation" is from the Hebrew za'am; strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God' displeasure with sin) -- angry,indignation,rage (Strong's).
I've noticed that the long term benefits of being a member of a collective or any group is zero. Initially people can come out on top as sometimes happens with investing, but long term it's always zero or a loss. One of the best biblical examples is the Pharisee cult. They offered their members various benefits, but the cost was rejecting the true God, and even salvation. A high price indeed.
Sorry isn't this all just, me me me. Should have let that anger go by sunset like God said Eph_4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: And why are you trying to explain yourself? do you think your point is so important and life-changing that people will be better off if they accepted it? or is it that you just want to be recognized and accepted by all as a great man . Focus on doing good to others, soon what other people think of you or take you, will not matter a hill of beans, and your kindness will need no explanation.
I like both quotations. There is wisdom in both. As my Quaker ancestors would say, the quotations "speak to every man's condition." My guess is that neither quotation could emerge out of Armstrongism where a "bad attitude" is the proximate cause of every personal evil. Remember Job's friends.
I very much like this quotation by Hemingway:
"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places."
There is a reason why at least some of the anonymi go after Dennis, Neo, and Lonnie, and often indulge themselves in dimestore psychoanalysis, alleged ulterior motives, and just plain ridicule. Everyone realizes that there are some pretty big things wrong with Armstrongism. There always have been. The problem is that in so many cases, Armstrongites tend to continue to look for corrections which come from within the context of Armstrongism. Those who have found solutions which involve agnosticism, atheism, or mainstream Christianity fall outside of that context. When exposed to their ideas, the Armstrongite mind automatically sees a bright, flashing red neon sign that reads "SATAN", and the reflexive response is to go on the attack as opposed to even considering the ideas being shared.
It requires time and life experience to break down the barriers which prevent true believer types from entertaining the ideas of outsiders. Not everybody on their first visit here is ready for a major paradigm shift, although seeds are beginning to be planted. The fact that these groups are slowly shrinking is proof that in spite of the holds a cult can have on humans, people can become free and clear of them.
Commercial break - if only.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you cowardly lying fake bullies on here are grief stricken and only require comfort and sympathy...
Its pretty hypocritical to call others cowards when you are posting as anonymous.
DeleteSaid the person postings Anonymously!!
DeleteIn school, one thing I learned early on was that the minute you receive an honor, or are elected to an office, or achieve conspicuousness in any way, opposing viewpoints and attacks come into play. If you speak out against injustice, the perps come at you and attempt to galvanize others against you. You become a target, and often, presenting facts in defending oneself brings on endless rebuttal.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough to be an independent thinker, a lone wolf, because there are collectives which are far more powerful than a singular individual. The danger of a collective is that it can so quickly degenerate into a mob mentality, which is one of the factors involved in the conscious decision not to become part of a collective.
Dissident sites, presenting the truth about Armstrongism, are great places to express ourselves from whatever perspectives we gained our opinions while part of the org. It is good to have a variety of perspectives, starting with the plenteous little people, working up to department heads, and members of the ministry. Without a broad cross section, an inaccurate picture would evolve. The problem is that as Armstrongism has continued to melt away into insignificance, people have begun to attack their fellow dissidents, to eat their own. Our battle is with the collectives that ruined part of our lives, and the teachings and practices which prevented us from being all that we could be. It shouldn't be about attacking and psychoanalyzing our fellow exmembers who have seen the light and are the good guys here. It's easy to write off the ignorant slobs who come on here wanting to correct us with their Armstrongism, and to enjoy a good group laugh at their expense. But it's another thing entirely to run off the idea guys, the creative thinkers who share powerful ammunition against a false and toxic system which even today continues to enslave vulnerable people looking for answers and solutions to their personal challenges in life.
I'm going use that quote from now on with my dealings with some family I have trapped in the Armstrong cult.
ReplyDelete‘I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her name was grief’.
ReplyDeleteQuite profound.
A lot of anger and violence expressed in harmful behaviour today is no doubt grounded in grief.
It takes an enormous amount of specialist training to unravel the causes of so much disconnect in individual lives to enable them to process their grief and to return to a ‘normalcy’ within society.
Something that cog ministers are ill equipped to do.
Thanks Dennis for the thoughts.
Dennis, you have once again described this site perfectly in a simple statement. Maybe a Freudian slip?
ReplyDeleteI'm going use that quote from now on with my dealings with some family I have trapped in the Armstrong cult.
ReplyDeleteWhy have you trapped your family members in the Armstrong cult? That's a terribly cruel thing to do!
It's sooo much more therapeutic to listen to some Deep Purple and drink beer than to attempt to reason with relatives hopelessly trapped in an Armstrong cult. When it comes to dealing with Armstrongites, I tend to think of their favorite scripture: "Let the dead bury the dead"
ReplyDeleteI liked the quote: I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her real name is grief.
ReplyDeleteAnger, whether masked ask grief, or just naked anger, or just naked grief, is not one you can just sit with - at some point you gather strength, call her out, and say out with you.
You don't just do it once, and she's gone.
It's a long process for most, as anger and grief don't like to listen to reason, and stubbornly hide in the dark crevices they've carved in suffering psyches.
Daniel 8:19 ........what shall be in the last end of the indignation.... "Indignation" is from the Hebrew za'am; strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God' displeasure with sin) -- angry,indignation,rage (Strong's).
ReplyDeleteAnonymous@4.01PM,
ReplyDeleteI think the writer meant he has family trapped in the Armstrong cult and not he that trapped them.
I've noticed that the long term benefits of being a member of a collective or any group is zero. Initially people can come out on top as sometimes happens with investing, but long term it's always zero or a loss. One of the best biblical examples is the Pharisee cult. They offered their members various benefits, but the cost was rejecting the true God, and even salvation. A high price indeed.
ReplyDelete6:25, I think 4:01 was experiencing a sarcgasm. We do believe in humor here, after all!
ReplyDeleteSorry isn't this all just, me me me. Should have let that anger go by sunset like God said
ReplyDeleteEph_4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
And why are you trying to explain yourself? do you think your point is so important and life-changing that people will be better off if they accepted it? or is it that you just want to be recognized and accepted by all as a great man .
Focus on doing good to others, soon what other people think of you or take you, will not matter a hill of beans, and your kindness will need no explanation.
6.35 AM
DeleteWho are you addressing?
Dennis,
ReplyDeleteI like both quotations. There is wisdom in both. As my Quaker ancestors would say, the quotations "speak to every man's condition." My guess is that neither quotation could emerge out of Armstrongism where a "bad attitude" is the proximate cause of every personal evil. Remember Job's friends.
I very much like this quotation by Hemingway:
"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places."
******* Click on my icon for Disclaimer
Good quotes, Dennis.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good one too, Neo.
There is a reason why at least some of the anonymi go after Dennis, Neo, and Lonnie, and often indulge themselves in dimestore psychoanalysis, alleged ulterior motives, and just plain ridicule. Everyone realizes that there are some pretty big things wrong with Armstrongism. There always have been. The problem is that in so many cases, Armstrongites tend to continue to look for corrections which come from within the context of Armstrongism. Those who have found solutions which involve agnosticism, atheism, or mainstream Christianity fall outside of that context. When exposed to their ideas, the Armstrongite mind automatically sees a bright, flashing red neon sign that reads "SATAN", and the reflexive response is to go on the attack as opposed to even considering the ideas being shared.
ReplyDeleteIt requires time and life experience to break down the barriers which prevent true believer types from entertaining the ideas of outsiders. Not everybody on their first visit here is ready for a major paradigm shift, although seeds are beginning to be planted. The fact that these groups are slowly shrinking is proof that in spite of the holds a cult can have on humans, people can become free and clear of them.
Then leave the Church then and your blog will be left. Why lead when you don't believe?
DeleteOh yeah .....money.