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
Former members of a US church say they grew up in fear,
believing that any day now, the world may end.
6 comments:
Anti-Apocalypticist
said...
It's difficult to contemplate another Trump presidency without seeing the end of our wonderful United States of America experiment in democracy. Back in 2016, a young lady had asked me what I thought would become of us all if Trump ended up winning the election. I reassured her to the effect that there were enough checks and balances in place that our democracy could withstand a Trump presidency. And then, I watched in horror as he ran over and around so many of those checks and balances.
I for one am not prepared to accept the apocalypse just yet, even as it seems inevitable that he'll be coming back to finish the job. I'm studying some of our options currently, paying particular attention to those towards whom Trump expressed fear during his first term. It seems obvious that we will need a collective to run interference for us, as there is little one can do as an individual. From a superficial standpoint, it appears as if the battle is unfolding amongst the extremists from both political parties both sets of whom are classic, historic foes. The Nazis, and the Communists appear to be exploiting our deeply divided democracy, vying for control, while the moderate majority stands by and helplessly observes, apparently believing that voting for the lesser of two evils will save the day.
I'm encouraged by one apocalyptic bullet which we seem to have dodged. About a year ago, it appeared that the Southwest was finished, due to the inevitability of a terminal water shortage. Two wet winters have temporarily forestalled that existential threat. Our shared past as Armstrongites seems to have altered our dna to the extent where many of us still worry about an apocalypse, whether it unfolds along Armstrong limes, or not. I keep reminding myself of the importance of positive thinking, because it surely beats the crap out of suppository thinking (multiple puns intended!š). Just maybe the November bullet will end up being a dud or a blank! Still, it won't hurt to have some sort of protective game plan in play, or even a counteroffensive!
I am grateful to my WCG parents for starting their family in 1975, despite the apocalyptic expectations of the time.
But despite Mr Armstrong's prophecies of doom not eventuating on schedule, the church culture has continued to embrace an enthusiasm for the mantra that doom is imminent, that the world continues to get worse and worse, and we're just circling the edge of the drain at this point. I was of the era that grew up listening to "It Won't Be Long Now" (apparently sung by a nervous young lady with a drugged-up lion lounging behind her) on the Young Ambassadors. When I was 10, I was assured by someone in the congregation, "You won't have a chance to get baptised; you won't get married; you won't have kids; because Jesus Christ will return before then." Looking back, I resent this false message.
The old-timers in UCG apparently still believe the notion. But the younger folks (which is to say, those under 60) don't seem to embrace the doom messaging so much. I suppose there's a possibility that they might turn out to be right, but only by accident. History of the last few decades has shown that we're not prophets; the more we say it, the more we lose credibility. But it's apparently so ingrained and still repeated often enough in the church echo-chamber that people aren't cognisant of how stale the message is. We've learned only in so much as we don't set dates — now we just say suitably vaguely, "soon".
The doom message is not just stale, but it has failed to bear fruits of righteousness. If anything, expectation of imminent doom encourages us to defer any long-term investment in growing in grace and knowledge and wisdom. It encourages us to just sit tight and spiritually stagnate while we expect the prophesied doom is just around the corner... any day now... no really, it's coming, very soon! Historically it influenced members to make unwise financial and even marital decisions with a short-term outlook, since they didn't expect to have to face long-term consequences for such decisions.
The doom message discourages us from being the salt and the light of the world. We ought to be contributing to the physical and spiritual good of our communities. But I see the church becoming more insular, more "us versus them", preaching that we're the good people and everyone out there are the rebellious ones. "Come out of her, my people" is a message I hear more often than "be the salt and the light".
Perhaps the old-timers are worried that giving up on this message amounts to giving up on a sense of urgency, make us Laodicean, etc. But we need a sense of urgency that is relevant whether Jesus Christ has a second coming in 6 months or 1,000 years. Life is like a vapour, and for each of us personally, our personal calendar entry for standing before Jesus Christ might be effectively tonight, for all we know. Romans 13:11-14 can give each of us a sense of urgency. The true gospel message is one that should give every human a sense of personal urgency, regardless of national or political circumstances, or the timing of a second coming.
I wish we would just give up on the doom messaging which time has shown to be embarrassingly inaccurate. It undermines our historic claims of legitimacy, and more importantly, fails to properly represent or glorify God. It's also simply not the gospel.
It’s very hard to explain how brain altering the WCG experience was, especially when you were a child who has no concept and balance. Our parents lived through maybe two world wars, and HWA knew exactly what he was doing by preying on their experience and not wanting to have to die in another war. People that did not grow up with this experience have a hard time having empathy with those of us that did. It’s not rational, it’s not something you heard once or twice, but every Saturday, every eight day festival for years. On the surface, you can shake it off, see the lies, but then there are real triggers, very subtle just listening to the news, or the weather, can take you there in a split second. For sure, there are other religious cults that do this too, but here, we share a common bond. I am grateful.
"Everybody senses that something is WRONG with the world ... that some mighty event is about to occur. What is it? Bible prophecy tells! Here is a solemn warning ... and it is the plain truth! We live today in the most strenuous, anxious, momentous hours of earth's history. Today we stand on the very threshold of colossal events that will stagger the mind of mortal man. Just now it is like the lull before a great and devastating storm. Everyone senses it!"
" So this IS the TRIBULATION. We have been IN the Tribulation since 1929 in the United States, and since 1928 in Europe."
"The great and terrible DAY OF THE LORD is upon us! It will follow this world-Depression. All who have not come all the way out of the world, and out of "Babylon," and her false pagan teachings which are falsely called Christianity, will suffer those unspeakable PLAGUES. In those days men shall seek death, and they shall not find it. Those who will not repent now will not then."
" The 10th "horn", symbolized by the 7th head with its ten horns in the 17th chapter, yet to come, will be, as the 17th chapter explains, the revival of the BEAST, the Roman Empire, "out of the bottomless pit by a "United States of Europe," or federation of ten European nations within the bounds of the old Roman Empire. (Rev. 17:12-18). This, Mussolini is bringing about today! Five of these nations already are in his control!"
"We have been trying to tell our readers that THE PRESENT ORDER IN DOOMED! It's final destruction — politically, economically, socially, religiously — is now but a matter of months off!"
6 comments:
It's difficult to contemplate another Trump presidency without seeing the end of our wonderful United States of America experiment in democracy. Back in 2016, a young lady had asked me what I thought would become of us all if Trump ended up winning the election. I reassured her to the effect that there were enough checks and balances in place that our democracy could withstand a Trump presidency. And then, I watched in horror as he ran over and around so many of those checks and balances.
I for one am not prepared to accept the apocalypse just yet, even as it seems inevitable that he'll be coming back to finish the job. I'm studying some of our options currently, paying particular attention to those towards whom Trump expressed fear during his first term. It seems obvious that we will need a collective to run interference for us, as there is little one can do as an individual. From a superficial standpoint, it appears as if the battle is unfolding amongst the extremists from both political parties both sets of whom are classic, historic foes. The Nazis, and the Communists appear to be exploiting our deeply divided democracy, vying for control, while the moderate majority stands by and helplessly observes, apparently believing that voting for the lesser of two evils will save the day.
I'm encouraged by one apocalyptic bullet which we seem to have dodged. About a year ago, it appeared that the Southwest was finished, due to the inevitability of a terminal water shortage. Two wet winters have temporarily forestalled that existential threat. Our shared past as Armstrongites seems to have altered our dna to the extent where many of us still worry about an apocalypse, whether it unfolds along Armstrong limes, or not. I keep reminding myself of the importance of positive thinking, because it surely beats the crap out of suppository thinking (multiple puns intended!š). Just maybe the November bullet will end up being a dud or a blank! Still, it won't hurt to have some sort of protective game plan in play, or even a counteroffensive!
Well clearly the end is coming, just have a look around.
The rip is that this documentary was made by Aljazeera out of Doha, Qatar.
I am grateful to my WCG parents for starting their family in 1975, despite the apocalyptic expectations of the time.
But despite Mr Armstrong's prophecies of doom not eventuating on schedule, the church culture has continued to embrace an enthusiasm for the mantra that doom is imminent, that the world continues to get worse and worse, and we're just circling the edge of the drain at this point. I was of the era that grew up listening to "It Won't Be Long Now" (apparently sung by a nervous young lady with a drugged-up lion lounging behind her) on the Young Ambassadors. When I was 10, I was assured by someone in the congregation, "You won't have a chance to get baptised; you won't get married; you won't have kids; because Jesus Christ will return before then." Looking back, I resent this false message.
The old-timers in UCG apparently still believe the notion. But the younger folks (which is to say, those under 60) don't seem to embrace the doom messaging so much. I suppose there's a possibility that they might turn out to be right, but only by accident. History of the last few decades has shown that we're not prophets; the more we say it, the more we lose credibility. But it's apparently so ingrained and still repeated often enough in the church echo-chamber that people aren't cognisant of how stale the message is. We've learned only in so much as we don't set dates — now we just say suitably vaguely, "soon".
The doom message is not just stale, but it has failed to bear fruits of righteousness. If anything, expectation of imminent doom encourages us to defer any long-term investment in growing in grace and knowledge and wisdom. It encourages us to just sit tight and spiritually stagnate while we expect the prophesied doom is just around the corner... any day now... no really, it's coming, very soon! Historically it influenced members to make unwise financial and even marital decisions with a short-term outlook, since they didn't expect to have to face long-term consequences for such decisions.
The doom message discourages us from being the salt and the light of the world. We ought to be contributing to the physical and spiritual good of our communities. But I see the church becoming more insular, more "us versus them", preaching that we're the good people and everyone out there are the rebellious ones. "Come out of her, my people" is a message I hear more often than "be the salt and the light".
Perhaps the old-timers are worried that giving up on this message amounts to giving up on a sense of urgency, make us Laodicean, etc. But we need a sense of urgency that is relevant whether Jesus Christ has a second coming in 6 months or 1,000 years. Life is like a vapour, and for each of us personally, our personal calendar entry for standing before Jesus Christ might be effectively tonight, for all we know. Romans 13:11-14 can give each of us a sense of urgency. The true gospel message is one that should give every human a sense of personal urgency, regardless of national or political circumstances, or the timing of a second coming.
I wish we would just give up on the doom messaging which time has shown to be embarrassingly inaccurate. It undermines our historic claims of legitimacy, and more importantly, fails to properly represent or glorify God. It's also simply not the gospel.
It’s very hard to explain how brain altering the WCG experience was, especially when you were a child who has no concept and balance. Our parents lived through maybe two world wars, and HWA knew exactly what he was doing by preying on their experience and not wanting to have to die in another war. People that did not grow up with this experience have a hard time having empathy with those of us that did. It’s not rational, it’s not something you heard once or twice, but every Saturday, every eight day festival for years. On the surface, you can shake it off, see the lies, but then there are real triggers, very subtle just listening to the news, or the weather, can take you there in a split second. For sure, there are other religious cults that do this too, but here, we share a common bond. I am grateful.
"Everybody senses that something is WRONG with the world ... that some mighty event is about to occur. What is it? Bible prophecy tells! Here is a solemn warning ... and it is the plain truth! We live today in the most strenuous, anxious, momentous hours of earth's history. Today we stand on the very threshold of colossal events that will stagger the mind of mortal man. Just now it is like the lull before a great and devastating storm. Everyone senses it!"
" So this IS the TRIBULATION. We have been IN the Tribulation since 1929 in the United States, and since 1928 in Europe."
"The great and terrible DAY OF THE LORD is upon us! It will follow this world-Depression. All who have not come all the way out of the world, and out of "Babylon," and her false pagan teachings which are falsely called Christianity, will suffer those unspeakable PLAGUES. In those days men shall seek death, and they shall not find it. Those who will not repent now will not then."
" The 10th "horn", symbolized by the 7th head with its ten horns in the 17th chapter, yet to come, will be, as the 17th chapter explains, the revival of the BEAST, the Roman Empire, "out of the bottomless pit by a "United States of Europe," or federation of ten European nations within the bounds of the old Roman Empire. (Rev. 17:12-18). This, Mussolini is bringing about today! Five of these nations already are in his control!"
"We have been trying to tell our readers that THE PRESENT ORDER IN DOOMED! It's final destruction — politically, economically, socially, religiously — is now but a matter of months off!"
HWA in 1934.
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