Across the Worldwide Church of God and its splinter groups, perhaps only ten ordained ministers out of thousands over the decades have received legitimate counseling training. Most relied on gut feelings and personal biases when “counseling” members. Little genuine counseling occurred; instead, mental manipulation steered members toward paths the ministers deemed correct, often urging them to “let go and let God” fix their issues.
This has led to a church leadership riddled with mental health issues. Leaders like Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel, Alton Billingsley, Ron Weinland, and others exhibit traits of narcissism, borderline personality disorder, antisocial behavior, paranoia, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. Even the more “enlightened” Churches of God are not immune, showing little difference from the Packs, Thiels, and Flurrys of the movement.
6 comments:
In part, this is a consequence of Herbert Armstrong's own mental health problems. When the ideal (HWA, GTA) is a narcissistic sociopath, it follows that his followers are going to have problems in their attempts to imitate his example!
Humans are imperfect and often fragile. For better or worse, we are both physical and emotional/intellectual beings. In addition to the prejudice against seeking professional medical advice, the Worldwide Church denied or ignored the fact that we are also subject to problems with our mental health. Frankly, it is also absurd to acknowledge physical problems (like arthritis, cancer, heart, kidneys, liver, etc.) and deny the existence of mental/emotional problems (like fear, anxiety, depression, addictions, obsessions, etc.) or to pretend that these problems can only be addressed by ministers.
Scripture tells us that God is close to those who are broken and contrite. Jesus said that God blesses those who mourn and suffer persecution. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is given to his followers to comfort them, to bring joy and hope, and to lift up those who experience anxiety and depression. Indeed, Jesus said that he came to minister to those who are in need of help - NOT to those who are healthy and whole!
Unbelievable! Dave Pack being against therapy is like a cartoonized version of a spirochete being against penicillin!
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of god, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." --- for when I am overwhelmed by the troubles of this world.
To Miller Jones / Lonnie C Hendrix: Just curious in a friendly way --- why do you have two names?
When I began commenting about my experiences in the Worldwide Church, there were a number of friends and family members who were still associated with Armstrongism. At the time, I felt like revealing my identity would cause too much heartache and strife. Over time, I reconsidered and realized that my remarks/views would carry more moral force if I stepped out of the shadows. "Miller Jones" was derived from grandparent surnames. My real name is Lonnie Hendrix.
What a joke. HWA ministers have black belts in 'therapy.' The sermons in my congregation were introduced as "messages" yet typically had a high content of mental grooming. Scriptures were cherry picked to paint a certain picture, followed by endless repetition over months and years. Just like in advertising. For instance, about one in four of my first minister's sermons were on obedience. Unsurprisingly, he treated members as if he owned them. Then there's Herb's "government is everything" mantra, and who can forget the "give until it hurts, then give some more" song in the early publications.
The ACOGs are big into mind control, and they don't want to share their influence with any outsiders such as psychologists or psychiatrists. Besides, they might be informed that they are members of a high control cult.
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