The Incredible Human Paradox
By ACM, 11-Feb-2025
Herbert W. Armstrong's book, The Incredible Human Potential, paints a grand picture of
where true Christians are headed: becoming part of God's divine family and ruling the
universe with Jesus. The idea at the heart of the various offshoots of the Worldwide Church of
God (WCG) is that God is currently working with a select few, the members of the true Church
of God. These "called" individuals are destined to reign with Christ after his return, helping
him guide humanity toward its full potential during the subsequent millennium and beyond (1).
While the book ostensibly pertains to all of humanity, the impetus is on what the reader must
do to be part of the better first resurrection and become eternal members of the divine ruling
family in the Kingdom of God. It sounds inspiring, but there's a catch. The WCG doctrine that
God is calling a few in this age and the rest of humanity later after the Millennium, despite its
apparent empowerment, actually creates an apocalyptic mindset that can be surprisingly
disempowering. The overwhelming emphasis on a future role in helping the world can lead to
neglect of present-day concerns and a sense that those not currently "called" are somehow
on the sidelines.
This article examines a paradox, contending that the apocalyptic worldview held by the
defunct WCG and the plethora of active splinter groups, intertwined with the doctrine of
calling, ultimately hinders human potential. This future-oriented focus can make the present
feel less significant, encouraging a "wait it out" attitude that keeps individuals from fully
participating in the world and achieving their potential here and now. Furthermore, the WCG
approach to public preaching, being directed towards a world they deem "uncalled," raises
questions about the sincerity of their message. If God is not calling the majority of humanity —
and thus a humanity that cannot be converted — the religion’s evangelistic efforts appear
disingenuous, serving primarily to fulfill a perceived duty rather than a genuine expectation for
conversion.
The Problem with Apocalyptic Worldviews
With their emphasis on an impending end of the world, apocalyptic worldviews can
sometimes lead to a devaluation of present-day concerns (2). This can manifest in various
ways, from disengagement with social and political issues to a deprioritizing of personal well-
being. For example, some individuals holding apocalyptic beliefs may deprioritize retirement
savings (3). This can result in financial insecurity in their later years, leading to dependence
on family members or government assistance and creating unnecessary stress and hardship
(4).
Apocalyptic worldviews can foster disengagement and apathy. The expectation of an
apocalypse can push individuals to feel detached from worldly affairs, leading to reduced civic
participation and a lack of effort towards positive change (5,6). Such disengagement is an
obstacle to progress on a range of critical challenges, including those of a social, political, and
environmental nature.
Anticipating the end of the world can generate significant fear and anxiety (7, 8). This
constant state of worry can have a detrimental impact on mental health and well-being. Fear
and anxiety can lead to social isolation, difficulty concentrating, and even physical health
problems (9), hindering individuals from living full and productive lives.
The Trap of Future Focus
The "Incredible Human Potential" vision certainly paints a compelling picture of humanity's
destiny, but its focus on a future apocalyptic scenario can have some unintended downsides
for the present (10). This perspective can diminish the view of a person’s potential today,
create an over-reliance on outside forces, and even devalue what we accomplish in our lives.
WCG's apocalyptic worldview, almost by definition, suggests that humans in their present
state have severely limited potential (10, 11). This can be a disempowering idea, discouraging
personal growth and the pursuit of goals that aren't directly tied to this "World Tomorrow" they
talk about. If one views the present as merely a fleeting prelude to a future utopia, it can
diminish the motivation to invest in personal development or contribute meaningfully to
society today.
The WCG approach also stresses how futile human willpower is and how we absolutely need
the Holy Spirit for any real transformation. While that can be comforting for some, it can also
lead to feeling helpless, dependent, and like you don't really have much control over your own
life. When individuals believe they are incapable of effecting positive change without divine
intervention, they may become passive and less inclined to assume responsibility for their
own lives.
This worldview can also diminish the value of human achievement. By attributing all
meaningful accomplishments to God and focusing on the resurrection, the WCG approach
risks devaluing human effort and ingenuity (12). This can lead to being dismissive of others
and a diminished sense of pride in one's own accomplishments. By attributing positive
changes in its members’ lives solely to divine agency, the church risks overlooking the crucial
role of human agency and personal effort in achieving such transformations.
Moreover, the belief in the timing of a person’s calling, with its emphasis on a select few being
chosen in the present age, can foster fatalism and acceptance of suffering (13). It can create
a sense of detachment and hinder action on pressing social problems, as individuals may
believe that suffering is an inevitable component of God's plan.
Helping Humanity... Later
The WCG doctrine of calling, with its emphasis on a future role in helping humanity during the
"World Tomorrow," can devalue present-day action and create a "waiting" mentality (14, 15).
The potential consequences of this delayed focus on helping humanity, include missed
opportunities for growth and impact, social isolation, and a disingenuous approach to
evangelism.
By prioritizing a future role in the resurrected world, the WCG approach devalues addressing
current global issues (15). This can lead to a sense of detachment from present-day suffering
and a reluctance to engage in efforts to alleviate it. While the desire to help humanity is
commendable, delaying that help until a future time can result in missed opportunities to
make a difference here and now.
This future-oriented mission, coupled with the belief in the exclusivity of their calling, can also
lead to social isolation (16). When individuals believe they are part of a select group destined
for a unique future, they may distance themselves from those outside their community. This
can limit collaboration and hinder efforts to address global challenges that require collective
action.
Furthermore, this emphasis on future roles can lead to missed opportunities to utilize
members' talents and skills in the present (17). When individuals believe their primary
purpose lies in a future world, they may neglect to develop their potential and contribute to
society in meaningful ways in the present. This limits their personal growth and their ability to
make a positive impact on the world around them.
As mentioned in the introduction, the public preaching efforts by WCG offshoot sects, directed
towards a world they deem "uncalled," raises questions about the sincerity of their message
(18). If the majority of humanity is not currently being called and thus cannot be expected to
repent, be baptized and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then the church’s
evangelistic efforts appear superficial and disingenuous, serving merely to fulfill a perceived
duty rather than a genuine desire for conversion (19).
What exactly is the call to action when preaching to the uncalled? Is it to partially repent, but
not be baptized? Is it to obey God with your limited human effort even though you won't have
the benefit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to truly keep the spirit of the law, but at least
you'll be able escape the Day of the Lord? On a side note, the last statement is often the call
to action for the membership of a WCG offshoot, creating another paradox internal to the
church: the message of human inadequacy coupled with the message of striving to please
God resulting in a perpetual feeling of guilt.
Human Effort Drives Transformation
While this article presents a critical opinion of the WCG apocalyptic worldview, it's important
to acknowledge alternative perspectives and counterarguments. This section explores a more
balanced view that values both future possibilities and present-day challenges, highlighting
the importance of human agency and providing examples of human-driven transformation.
A balanced worldview acknowledges the potential for future transformation while recognizing
the urgency of addressing present-day concerns (15, 20). It encourages individuals to engage
with the world around them, seeking to make a positive impact today while remaining open to
future possibilities. This perspective recognizes that human potential is not limited to a future
role in a utopian world but can be realized in the present through personal growth, social
responsibility, and active participation in local communities.
While acknowledging the role of faith, it's crucial to highlight the value of human effort in
creating a better future (21, 22). Throughout history, individuals and movements have made
significant contributions to society through their dedication, ingenuity, and perseverance.
From scientific breakthroughs to social movements, human effort has been instrumental in
driving progress and improving conditions.
Examples of human-driven transformation abound. Secular self-help and therapy provide
individuals with tools and strategies for personal growth and overcoming challenges.
Community support and social movements empower individuals to work together to address
issues and create positive change (23, 24). Humanistic psychology emphasizes human
potential and self-actualization, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their own
lives and strive for personal growth (25, 26).
By embracing a balanced perspective that values both faith and human agency, individuals
can navigate the complexities of life with a sense of purpose and empowerment. This
approach encourages engagement with the world, fosters personal growth, and promotes a
proactive approach to shaping a better future for oneself and for humanity as a whole.
Realizing Potential Today
This article has briefly considered the paradox of "The Incredible Human Potential," arguing
that the WCG's apocalyptic worldview and doctrine of calling can inadvertently limit human
potential by overemphasizing a future-focused perspective and neglecting present-day
realities and needs.
We've examined how this worldview can lead to a devaluation of present-day concerns,
disengagement from social and political issues and a diminished sense of personal agency. We've also touched upon the potential consequences of a delayed focus on helping humanity,
including missed opportunities for growth and impact, social isolation, and a disingenuous
approach to evangelism.
This article encourages a more balanced perspective that values both future possibilities and
present-day challenges. It emphasizes the importance of human agency, personal growth,
and engagement with the world, urging readers to seek and embrace their full potential here
and now.
Critically examine the implications of your beliefs on your life and your engagement with the
world. Take an active approach to shaping a better future, both for yourself and for humanity
as a whole, recognizing that human potential is not limited to a future utopia but can be
realized in the present through conscious choices and meaningful action.
References
1. Armstrong HW. The Incredible Human Potential. Pasadena, CA: Worldwide Church of
God; 1978.
2. Shanklin T. Staying Focused in the End Times. Shanklin Ministries. Accessed February
10, 2025. https://shanklinministries.org/staying-focused-in-the-end-times/
3. Focus on the Family. Preparing for the End Times. Focus on the Family. Accessed
February 10, 2025. https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/preparing-for-the-end-times/
4. Diem T. Real Life Examples of What Happens When You Fail to Save Enough for
Retirement. Machen Wealth Management. 2023. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://machenwealth.com/blog/real-life-examples-of-what-happens-when-you-fail-to- save-enough-for-retirement
5. Bouchet S, Pishchikova A. Engaging apathy: Addressing the disconnect between civil
society and societies in the Eastern Partnership countries. October 9, 2020. Accessed
February 10, 2025.
https://www.gmfus.org/sites/default/files/Bouchet%2520%2520Pishchikova%2520- %W2520EaP%2520civic%2520engagement%2520-%25209%25200ctober.pdf
6. Journals. Civic apathy: A threat to democracy in South Africa. Accessed February 10,
2025. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/ejc-adminpub-v23-n2-a8
7. McLean Hospital. Fear & Phobias. January 18, 2025. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://Awww.mcleanhospital.org/essential/fear-phobias
8. Mental Health Foundation. In the face of fear. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://Awww.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/face-fear
9. Delagran L, Towey S. The impact of fear and anxiety. Taking Charge. January 18, 2025.
Accessed February 10, 2025. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/impact-fear-and-anxiety
10. Reid E. Living Fully in the Present: A Call to Reevaluate the Christian Preoccupation with
the End Times. Medium. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://medium.com/@edwardoreid/living-fully-in-the-present-a-call-to-reevaluate-the-
christian-preoccupation-with-the-end-times-9c203397bca2
11. Scielo. Experiential and existential time: A theological reflection on apocalyptic
eschatology and the resurrection of the dead. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0259-9422201 7000300101
12. InstantInput. Types of Civic Engagement. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://www.instantinput.com/blog/types-of-civic-engagement
13. JPIA. Apocalyptic Violence: The Case of Waco. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://jpia.princeton.edu/document/284
14. European Academy of Religion and Society. Apocalypse Now: Religious Predictions and
Their Significance for Society. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://europeanacademyofreligionandsociety.com/news/apocalypse-now-religious- predictions-and-their-siqnificance-for-society/
15. Wayment TA. The Apocalyptic Imagination in the New Testament. Religious Studies
Center. Accessed February 10, 2025. https://rsc.byu.edu/go-ye-all-world/apocalyptic-imagination-new-testament
16. Ditommaso L. Apocalyptic Thought after Revelation. Bible Odyssey. Accessed February
10, 2025. https://catalog.bibleodyssey.com/articles/apocalyptic-thought-after-revelation/
17. Berg AT. Two Massive Missed Opportunities by the American Church. Andrew T. Berg.
Accessed February 10, 2025. https://andrewtberg.com/two-massive-missed-opportunities- by-the-american-church/
18. Difommaso L. Apocalypticism in the Contemporary World. In: McAllister C, ed. The
Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature. Cambridge Companions to Religion.
Cambridge University Press; 2020:316-341.
19. LCG. Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return. Living Church of God. February 10, 2025. https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/fourteen-signs-announcing- christs-return/content
20. UIS. The Future of Work: Leveraging Human Potential with Al. University of Illinois
Springfield. Accessed February 10, 2025. https:/Awww.uis.edu/news/future-work- leveraging-human-potential-ai
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21.McKinney P. Imagining a Better Future: Keys to Human Progress. Phil McKinney.
Accessed February 10, 2025. https://www.philmckinney.com/imagining-a-better-future- keys-to-human-progress/
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22. Integrative Psych. Secularity's Influence on the Moral Compass of Society: Navigating
Values in a Changing World. Accessed February 10, 2025. https://www.integrative-
psych.org/resources/secularitys-influence-on-the-moral-compass-of-society-navigating-
values-in-a-changing-world
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23. ActionAid. Social Movements Engagement Guidance. Accessed February 10, 2025.
https://actionaid.org/sites/default/files/publications/Social¥%20Movements%20Engagement %20Guidance%20-%202024.pdf
24. Commons Library. Leading Change: Leadership, Organization, and Social Movements.
Accessed February 10, 2025. https://commonslibrary.org/leading-change-leadership- organization-and-social-movements/
25. Simply Psychology. Humanistic Approach. Accessed February 10, 2025.
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26. PositivePsychology.com. Humanistic Psychology. Accessed February 10, 2025.
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42 comments:
We've examined how this worldview can lead to a devaluation of present-day concerns ....
Certainly true, but I must say that a great number of people obsessed with present day concerns go off half-cocked without doing thorough objective research and are hysterically fighting for the wrong things, making matters worse. What a stinking mess.
This is a well-articulated, well-documented post. Even so, while I fully endorse the spirit of this piece, I feel that a caution is in order. Armstrongism has engendered a complete disengagement from this present life and world - actively discouraging helping those outside of the Church when disaster strikes and even implying that prayers on their behalf are wasted. This is clearly the antithesis of Christ's Spirit, and the intent of the Two Great Commandments which he identified as being the foundation of God's Law.
Nevertheless, we do NOT want to encourage Christians to participate in the political systems of this present age. We are in the world, but we do NOT want to be contaminated by it. We can and should help others when it is in our power to do so with our time, money, homes, and other resources. We can and should be engaged in our local communities and setting good examples. We can and should be living our lives in a way that helps our environment and contributes to its improvement. Good works and volunteerism are completely consistent with the principle of loving your neighbor. Moreover, there is NOTHING wrong with enjoying the natural world, parks, museums, universities, theatres, etc. available in the here and now.
Still, we must remember that we are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. We DON'T want to become a partisan within the political and economic systems which mankind has created. We DON'T want to be a leader in the political or economic systems of humankind. We DON'T want to participate in the militaries of this world, the policing of our communities, or judging or adjudicating the legal affairs of those systems. We also DON'T want to participate in the immoral behaviors and practices of the society around us. In short, we want to be a positive force in this world without becoming part of the Babylon around us. We DON'T want to participate in State worship or be found supporting immoral policies or leaders.
https://godcannotbecontained.blogspot.com/2025/02/here-in-present.html
........."the Two Great Commandments which he identified as being the foundation of God's Law."
********************
AI Overview......
A summary is not considered a "foundation" in the literal sense; while a summary provides a basic overview of something, a foundation refers to the underlying base or core structure upon which something is built, implying a more substantial and comprehensive level of information than a simple summary can provide.
''.. This future-oriented mission, coupled with the belief in the exclusivity of their calling, can also lead to social isolation''
Let's get right down to it - this is precisely what Armstrong wanted,. He loved the idea of being king pin on earth, next under Jesus, and his greed for money was met by this system.
"Nevertheless, we do NOT want to encourage Christians to participate in the political systems of this present age. "
We live in a participative form of government that was inconceivable in bible times, thanks to the vision and courageous actions of our country's Christian and Theist founders- it would be a sin of omission to stick our heads in the sand and act like we're too good to participate in its political system (just don't grandstand in the pulpit). IMHO
Other christians also believe in the exclusivity of their calling. That's what the bible says. Only through Christ can any be saved.
It was called a foundation, not summary.
True Ronco!
Good distinction.
ACM wrote, “Herbert W. Armstrong's book, The Incredible Human Potential, paints a grand picture of where true Christians are headed: becoming part of God's divine family and ruling the universe with Jesus.”
There is a further paradox associated with the message that HWA proclaimed about human potential. While he spoke often about human potential and even initiated a magazine with that title, paradoxically he continued to systematically deprecate the human potential of the lay membership of the WCG. HWA did not believe that the church was about the salvation of its membership through Christ even though that is the clear emphasis of the New Testament. He believed and taught that the church was about supporting him in the “Great Commission.” HWA said on the telecast:
“Then the church has been called for a special job. What is it? Most people in that church don't know it. They don't know what they are called for. They think they are called to get, get, get salvation. Satan is the great getter…Now the purpose and function of the church then number one, to back up the apostles as they, as their part, that is the churches part of backing the apostles in the great commission, and the great commission was given to the apostles was not given to the laity of the church at all.” (HWA, Church of God in Action, World Tomorrow Telecast Transcript, September 26, 1978 found in Herbert W. Armstrong Library Website.)
This was not hidden and was repeated in many different contexts. HWA told the members of the WCG exactly what he thought of them. Their human potential through the salvific plans of God was of no value. It was Satanic for them to even want to receive salvation (Think about that for a moment. This is nothing less than the denial of the Gospel). They were really just an open wallet for support of his personal machinations. The Apostle had a right to those financial resources because he was charged with the Great Commission and the little people were not.
I heard HWA once say that if the lay membership did not support him in the way and to the degree that he expected, God could raise up stones (citing a similar but unrelated wording from the Gospels) to support him. It is as if salvation of the church membership was non-existent as a concern. I heard this statement on tape and so I cannot find the statement in writing. But it comports with the previous paragraph. I also heard him say, again on tape at services, that the lay membership would likely not receive salvation and only the ministry would. This is a clear devalution of the WCG membership.
I recall a watershed event that occurred after HWA’s death. In the Personal column of the Worldwide News, Joe Tkach, Sr. clearly altered HWA’s preached view on this. Tkach stated clearly that the first purpose of the church was the salvation of its members and the message of salvation. It was revolutionary. Suddenly the human potential of the lay membership was reinstated. But in the local congregation that I attended, nobody said anything about it. I pointed it out to a local church elder and he had nothing to say. It was as if they never really understood what HWA had been saying over the many years.
So, HWA talked up human potential, but there is paradoxical evidence involving the way he treated his own church that this was without genuine substance.
Scout
Ronco,
I understand your perspective - I would have shared your opinion a few years ago. However, the United States is still a human system of governance - It is NOT God's system, and it most certainly does NOT have "His" blessing. Sure, like many of the participatory democracies of Europe and the Americas, there are features of our system which are based on Judeo-Christian principles. Nevertheless, our system is still the product of human reasoning and experience, and it has experienced the same failures which past human governance has experienced.
As with Babylon of old, the United States has conquered, exploited, murdered, enslaved, and oppressed. It has poured many of its resources into armaments and armies and has boasted of its military might. It has also actively encouraged worship of the state (what we now refer to as patriotism). It has promoted its own economic system and has used it to dominate the rest of the world. Indeed, the list of our national sins is a long and tortuous one. Our Founding Fathers were brilliant men, but they and the system which they devised were NOT Divine or perfect - far, far from it.
One of the consequences of being all "future oriented", is that even subconsciously you actually are excited or stimulated by "bad things" happening, as it means "hey we are getting closer and my reward is just around the corner". This is not the right motivation to have in living a healthy mental or spiritual life.
The Incredible Human Paradox I see described here is the proposition that a person's potential and purpose can be found in humanistic psychology, human defined integrity, and the pursuit of engagement with the "world" for the purpose of making it "better" through social movements and human driven transformation. That may work for the atheist but what about a Christian?
I believe Lonnie has it right! According to Scripture, the Christian's allegiance and obligation is not to this evil Babylonian world system which lies in wickedness (John 7:7, 1 John 5:19), but to love God above all, our neighbor as oneself, and to do good unto all as we have opportunity, and this, regardless of one's worldview. This is only accomplished by "putting on Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14)---NOT through boastful words, human narratives, or worldly wisdom of the age (1 Cor.2:6).
Armstrongism and the humanistic psychology of this world system have one major thing in common. Both are examples of "a tree is known by its fruit". A good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit and a corrupt tree CANNOT bring forth good fruit! Their fate? " Every plant which the Father has not planted shall be rooted up". (Luke 6:43-44, Matthew 15:13).
The Bible promises the Christian "life now, and that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8). We need to pursue both!
*The Problem with Apocalyptic Worldviews*
It's almost the same as Christ warned about people saying similar things about His 2nd coming. But it's the same approach with world events.
Matthew 24:23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
With ACOGs it's like look here, look there, this nation , that nation. People can be dismayed. To live 10, 20 or 30 years like that is not healthy mentally like Tonto said.
Tank
Great statement. Christ knew this about mankind and each nation. That is why Hist first sermon was like this:
Luke 4:17-18 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Religion is a business. If it pulls in money it succeeds. If not, it fails.
I believe Lonnie has it right!
I believe Lonnie has it wrong. Again.
Acts 2:40-42 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who [b]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Yep.
I like to use science metaphors to help clarify some of the issues we discuss, because everybody understands and relates to science. (Hah Hah Hah!).
No, seriously, in science we have what are described as "lab conditions", and then we have what transpires in the real world. In the lab, care is taken so that experiments are not contaminated or skewed by real world conditions. Double blind experiments, clean rooms, and clearly measurable results are the bywords of scientific experimentation.. Things which do not exist in nature, such as hypothetical elements of the periodic chart, can be created in the lab.
Lonnie enumerated some of the priciples of a Christian life to which many of us aspire. These would be analogous to lab conditions. The problem is, we all live and operate in a physical reality that we've now begun to call the Babylonian system, although it is known by several other names. It is imperfect and, as such, contains contaminating ingredients. There is much pressure in this system, due to everything which is important being plotted against the time graph. Bills, quotas, food supply,, shelf life of nearly everything, promises, time for which you get to "rent" your children until they leave home to practice the Babylonian system themselves, and relative health. There is the opportuntity for extreme anger at things which are just plain wrong or go in a direction opposite to the way to which you need them to go. Your Christianity = lab conditions. The Babylonian system is where you live, the place which appears to you to be the real world. The Babylonian system in which you live demands that you participate in it in order to be successful and to live well. There really is no escape.
The challenge for the Christian becomes extracting what you need from it without being corrupted by it. That is a really difficult path.
BB
BB your last paragraph reminded me of John Ogwyn's words at the very end of the feast, "how much of Babylon are you willing to come out of?" This is satan's world.
Tank
John Ogwyn was a freshman at AC during my sophomore year. I never realized that he had become a minister until signing on to the internet at the dawn of the new millennium with curiosities regarding what ever had happened to the WCG. I learned for the first time about the different splinters, one of which was the LCG, and then somewhere along the line there were reports about John's death. Seems like he was well respected in LCG circles.
As goes life, one of the techniques to navigating it successfully seems to be our human ability to compartmentalize. There are always decisions about what to allow from each different compartment to spill into another, or others, with some of the stuff even being subliminal and going largely unnoticed. It's not a black or white binary world, although polar opposites like good and evil do exist. Babylon is a mixture of good and evil, with shades of grey. Gotta find the right stuff to nourish the soul.
BB
"As with Babylon of old, the United States has conquered, exploited, murdered, enslaved, and oppressed."
That's just further proof we're all sinners, like the book says. Let's keep things in perspective; where would YOU rather be? N Korea?
China? Russia? Yemen? Syria? South Sudan?... The US helped defeat Hitler and the Axis in WWII and did much to rebuild Europe after the fact- that's why the world's reserve currency is still the US Dollar. The world's brightest minds come here to be educated. Countless immigrants have come here to work hard and seek a better life for their children. No country has done more than the US to aid people in third world countries. The very fact that the US is still strong stands as a deterrent to some of the countries listed above. Oh, and did I mention all the lives lost to ensure our freedoms?
When we start to teach our children to be ashamed and resentful of our country for some of its dark past, rather than teaching them to learn from its mistakes, strive to its foundational ideals, and be the best we can be, then we have truly lost our way.
All the Babylon churchspeak is a bit wearisome. A spirit of thanksgiving for what we have would be a breath of fresh air.
Great point, tonto!
Ronco,
it's a mixture of good and evil (America that is). Also the Soviets (Russia) did also help in defeating Nazi Germany, especially when they rolled into Russia during the winter. And what has America and Britain historically done in Sudan or Syria? I wonder.
The problem is that America doesn't want to learn from it's mistakes. If one is not willing to listen and hear about those mistakes, it can't be done. More importantly if the hearts and minds are not changed, then the actions will resurface. For instance many today in America are referring to the new gilded age, why because not much has changed from the past.
Yes while "America did rebuilt parts of Europe" & Japan, it refused to rebuild the people and the communities of those who were oppressed, exploited, and conquered in their own nation. This is why the Messiah first preached (Luke 4:16-18).
Where would I rather be? It doesn't matter where on earth. Ask that question to the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11, of what was said "the world was not worthy" of them and their example. Even if you look at Britain today, formerly ruled over half the world, now it's a brain drain, as young people are leaving the UK to live in other parts of the world. You learn from the past by acknowledging true history. Sounds like YOU think comfort (American lifestyle) equates to being right. Jeremiah in prison, Ezekiel in captivity, John Baptist prison, Our Christ crucified, Daniel in captivity, Paul imprisoned, Apostle John in prison on Patmos, David on the run,.........
Anonymous 8:58 wrote, ”All the Babylon churchspeak is a bit wearisome.”
Polarized viewpoints are what we can expect because of the human reaction to cognitive dissonance. Some will build a case that the USA is a part of Great Babylon. Others will build a case that it is our Homeland and we must be grateful for it. The fact is that it is both. But holding both ideas in mind creates an uncomfortable tension – so people tend to reduce dissonance by choosing one pole or the other.
German citizens had great loyalty towards the Vaterland during WW2. But this untempered patriotism led them on a path to world conquest and eventually national disaster with millions of Germans becoming casualties of war or imprisoned in Siberia.
I appreciate the United States. It has done much good in the world but it is also flawed. It is undeniable that it is at the core of a great worldwide system of Gentile nations that form a global secular hegemony That is not just church-speak. This makes me wonder where the MAGA Republican isolationism is going to lead. Trump is essentially pulling the USA out of the world community and building an economic wall of tariffs. This is not a conservative position on foreign relations and it is at crosscurrents with the way that world geopolitics has been going for decades.
Bland terminology from geopolitics fails to deliver full meaning. Revelation says, “…the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” This has the value of conveying how God views this great secular hegemony. HWA used British-Israelism to separate ideologically the USA out of this great system. British-Israelism supports a strongly patriotic view of the USA. Many of the shortcomings of the USA were white-washed. With the generally recognized invalidity of British-Israelism we can now see the USA in its true place in the world. Like almost everything in this world, it is both good and evil.
Scout
Ronco 858
You and BB 532 raise valid points worthy of consideration. You also ask, "where would you rather be"? Does it really matter? Are the blessings of God's kingdom and reaching one's human purpose and potential dependent on time and geography?
You also speak of the spirit of thanksgiving, which is a must for the fulfillment of our potential. But is it always directed to the proper place?
I'm reminded of the story of a starving old woman, who lived in an inner city basement, and was overheard praying for food by two young thugs walking by her open door. As a joke they bought a loaf of bread and placed it at her door and knocked, then hid themselves and watched, hoping for a good laugh. She went to the door, saw the bread, and looked to heaven and praised God for answering her prayer. Was her prayer answered? Absolutely!
The moral is, God can supply our needs at anytime, in anyplace, and by any agency He chooses to use. There are many biblical examples of this.
I am talking about the real world, not fairy tales. The way of the Kingdom is NOT the way of the world in which we live. God's will and reign is NOT just a matter of replacing who is in a position of authority. The notion of loving and serving others is radically different from anything offered by the governments of this world, including the United States.
As with so many things, Herbert Armstrong was wrong about the Kingdom of God. For him, it was all about GOVERNMENT. According to him, it was simply a matter of replacing the leaders of this world with Jesus Christ and his saints. Scripture, however, teaches that the entire focus, structure, and intent of that Kingdom will be fundamentally different from our human notions about governance. The reign of God is NOT about conquest, exploitation, and protecting self-interest.
Scripture also teaches that Egypt and Babylon were the prophetic symbols of human governance. In other words, those nations embodied the concept of man attempting to rule himself, and the clear lesson is that it always ends in failure. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all had some features that were admirable or "good." Nevertheless, they basic elements of their existence were the same: conquest, exploitation, self-interest, worship of the state and its military and economic prowess. The citizens were there to serve the state and its leaders, NOT to be served, nourished, and protected by the state and its leaders. Babylon is NOT "churchspeak." It is the Scriptural epitome of human governance.
Jesus came here to save us from ourselves. We see the consequences of our sins all around us. Jesus makes it possible for us to get back to Eden and the Tree of Life. Christ is the way back to God. No one else can do that for us. The leaders and nations of this present age cannot provide what we really need. They are an obstacle/impediment to what we need. They are flawed and temporary. We (Christians) are looking for righteous and eternal.
HWA was the embodiment of the American Empire at its Zenith when USAID was still a generous and helpful gift to the Nations that needed the help and Christianity most....therefore his entire mission was yelling at the leaders of the world to practice the "way of give"....
Nck
I don't believe that the picture Lonnie painted is fairy tales. To me, the designation "lab conditions" seems more advanced and appropriate.
For all you Star Trek fans out there (and who isn't???), I've likened our earthly experience to the Holodeck, the segment which featured James Darren (Moon Doggie from the Gidget movies). It was a training experience for the crew members in which they were transported into and lived in a test environment. There were situations with which they had to deal based on their training as key members of the Star Fleet. They were evaluated and graded. This is something to which both Christians and the atheists who take introspection in a secular sense can relate, but not something which Joe Sixpack or your typical man on the street would normally have in their conscious thinking.
The screenplay writers who supported Star Trek were quite insightful into many areas of human life! There were prominent Jews amongst them who were highly schooled in Torah and Talmud!
BB
The foundation of God's Law is the 10 commandments. A summary is the "two great commandments".
Correct as usual Scout,
“HWA used British-Israelism to separate ideologically the USA out of this great system.”
Strangely HWA would also mention Napoleon’s Empire (France) representing the 5th head of the revived empire. But at the same time genealogically representing France as Rueben (Israel). It’s a confounding paradox that wasn’t delved into that much.
7:17 “The reign of God is NOT about conquest, exploitation, and protecting self-interest.”
Correct Miller/Lonnie, that’s the way of the world, to lord it over others (Mark 10:42-43). Christ (who has immortality) and those who reach immortality will have no need to protect their self interest, because they will have inherited all things (Rev 21:7). The problem with armstrongism is that their ministers display those selfish traits listed above. And correct, they have a wrong concept of governance, as many of them cannot even rule themselves.
Tank
Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
BB 848 writes, "the screenplay writers who supported Star Trek were quite insightful . . . there were prominent Jews amongst them . . ."
I'm a big Star Trek fan myself, and I'm sure Bob is not alluding to any of the many "Jewish" conspiracies concerning Hollywood or a shadow government.
But it is interesting to note that with the making of Star Trek we find one of the first television allusions to man's incredible human potential and destiny (mans version), which includes the saving of himself from his past evil ways, the overcoming of his greed and human nature, and the final attaining to the ultimate status and achievement a species can, ALL DONE WITHOUT GOD!
And the seedplot for this? According to the series narrative, the catalyst was "a united earth"!! AKA a one world government, a new world order, globalism.
Yes Virginia, social engineering was alive and well in the 1960's.
"With the generally recognized invalidity of British-Israelism we can now see the USA in its true place in the world. Like almost everything in this world, it is both good and evil."
As long as the good is is greater than the evil, that's what we hope for, but it doesn't just happen- our involvement matters. Book of James...
Everyone who has been on here for any length of time knows that I'm a philosemitist, or judeophile, BP8. It's what happens when a young WCG boy raised in a piss ant little redneck town spends much of his life being mocked by his peers until his parents move the family into a major metropolitan area known for its Jewish population and discovers that his new peers consider him to be somewhat of a cool stud! My Jewish friends were my saviors!
BB
Why would readers conclude that? A wise person would question everything you write.
The Incredible Human Potential?
I have not had contact with HWA’s view on this topic for a long time, so I scanned some vintage literature in one of the on-line archives. At the top level, I am in agreement with the observation of the author of this essay. We should balance the future with the present. In fact, if our lives are governed by the two great principles that Miller Jones cites, our future will be directly connected to the present by these pervading principles. Down in the weeds, it is about love for God and humanity.
I have a side issue related to this. HWA’s writing on human potential was fairly egalitarian. Nobody was singled out and everyone possessed potential by God’s act of creation. Peeling away some of this varnish, the reality was different. HWA and his followers viewed human potential, as all things, through the lens of hierarchy. There were gradations of potential. And these gradations are visible now and will be reflected in the future Kingdom. I am citing what I observed the Armstrongist view to be.
Every AC student knew that there was a great difference between working in the Business Office and the Gardening Crew for instance. The obvious understanding is that the former is close to money and the latter is close to grass and flowers. The Business Office was the front door to the ministry and the Gardening Crew led to a job somewhere outside the organization. This is not an iron clad rule but was pretty consistent. Someone could be an outstanding gardener and someone else could be an indifferent shuffler of business papers. But which person was recognized by the hierarchical system as having the greatest human potential? Well, like HWA said one day in the Field House at Sabbath services, it is a shame for AC graduates to work with their hands. Of course, he was criticizing some ministers who had left the WCG over substantial issues and became window washers. But he apparently did not realize that when he made that statement he cut a wide swathe through the AC student body and the lay membership who were engaged in blue collar activities. HWA was biting the hand that fed him. I saw the nervous looks on the faces of people in the audience. I think everyone took HWA’s human potential pitch with a grain of salt or should have.
Some people had a lot of “human potential” and some others not so much. This unevenness was never discussed in the glittering human potential fad back in the Seventies. But Hierarchy, the relationship methodology of Armstrongism, was superimposed everywhere, including on the seemingly egalitarian idea of human potential.
Scout
Note: Keep in mind also that HWA’s human potential fad was directly connected to the heretical God-as-God-is-God destiny of humanity.
That's good, 12:58! I want you to do that. A wise person questions everything anyone writes anywhere! 😎 It's the only way one can shed the sheep syndrome! 🐑
BB
Wow! Heirarchy for all eternity. There's an old school of thought amongst certain theologians, "As on Earth, so in Heaven", or alternatively, "As below, so above." This implies that there are certain aspects of Heaven, or the Kingdom that we can deduce based on the setup we observe in the present on planet Earth. From an ecology point of view, with everyone having and playing a part, this would seem to make sense. Except, it is a profound limitation and a confinement based on the physical realm.
The thing is, I would think of the afterlife as a time of great healing, including the healing of conditions which affect intelligence, which in turn affects abilities and achievements. What are these theologians saying about, for example, those born with Downs Syndrome, or other physical and mental limitations? Or moving up the ladder, those with below average IQ?
I tend to think that God would be rearranging status in determining rewards. It will probably still be an ecology system, albeit a spiritual one, based on the parable of the talents. It's what you do with your talents! Things do grow in any healthy ecology system. HWA missed the boat on many things, and we weren't allowed to say anything about it back then, but we sure can now!
BB
@7:58: Smell of that, folks? Don't you just love the smell of freshly cut gas in the morning?
https://godcannotbecontained.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-generosity-of-united-states.html
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