Philadelphia Church of God: A Breeding Ground For Unhappiness

...as if any of them ever did in the COG

 

There is one trait that Church of God groups have and that is their self-righteous indignation about everything they work overtime to find wrong with the world around them while their own houses are cesspools of spiritual wickedness and moral depravity.

The all-knowing purveyors of righteousness in the Philadelphia Church of God are ragging about "Universities" and how evil they are and how holy and righteous Herbert W Armstrong College is.

Rufaro Manyepa has an article up in The Trumpet about the evils of universities.

Going to university used to be considered the natural course of life for a young person. Acquiring a degree was the crowning achievement setting them up for a life of success. After all, having a degree meant making more money. But the data shows decreasing graduate salaries and rising non-graduate salaries.

In fact, having a degree is no longer even a guarantee of finding work. According to the Telegraph, graduates no longer stand out in a difficult jobs market in which degree certificates are commonplace. These grim circumstances, coupled with enormous student debt, are leading many graduates to be disillusioned with their lot.

Why are universities failing? Because the educational system as a whole is built upon the wrong foundation.

Late educator and namesake of Herbert W. Armstrong College wrote in his autobiography: “[T]he Bible is the very foundation of all knowledge—the basic concept as an approachto the acquisition of all knowledge—whether academic, scientific, historic, philosophical or otherwise. The Bible provides the missing dimension in education. Therefore, it must be the basis for all academic courses.”

Granted there is a lot wrong with universities and colleges today, but those I know that have been to university and graduated are upstanding people who contribute to their communities. They work to better their communities and the lives of those around them. None of them ever went to a Church of God "college".

What good has this "missing dimension in education" been in the Churches of God today? They have all produced a cadre of abusive ministers who have made the lives of church members a living hell. That superior education has also produced some of the most idiotic Pastor Generals, Overseers, Presidents, Apostles, Evangelists, and Witless Witnesses the church has ever seen. Well, unless you are an Overseer and you get your diploma from an Indian diploma mill then you are in a category all by yourself.

Herbert W. Armstrong College is built on the very same policy. A house built on a faulty foundation is bound to fall (Matthew 7:24-27). That is the problem facing the educational system of today. That is the reason why this world’s universities are churning out unhappy, dissatisfied graduates.

God’s college stands in stark contrast. It is built on the foundation of all knowledge, God’s Word, to teach students not just how to make a living, but how to live. The graduates from God’s college receive an academic, social, physical and spiritual education that trains not only intellect but also character.

A "house built on a faulty foundation is bound to fall". Let's look at that statement. The entire "house" that was Ambassador College/University failed. Three campuses were sold for pennies on the dollar. The very church behind them all imploded in the most ghastly manner imaginable and now we are confronted with hundreds and hundreds of bastard children of the mother church, all claiming they are the one true successor. So much for being inculcated with that true knowledge and living lives of integrity and good moral character! Does the church even have a leader today that has good moral character?

Facebook is filled with numerous COG related groups that are filled with thousands of ex-members who have shared their horror stories of what it was like being treated like dirt by COG ministers and leaders. They share their stories about how they were mistreated as children growing in the church and the spiritual damage it has wreaked in their lives.

On those Facebook pages, this blog, The Painful Truth, Exit and Support Network, As Bereans Did, and other worthwhile sites, there are hundreds and hundreds of horror stories from Philadelphia Church of God members and ex-members. The vile PCG doctrines and teachings that have wrecked people's lives, marriages, and families are shocking and continue to this day with students from their so-called college. Even PCG admits they have had a few "disgruntled" past students.

In its nearly two decades, only a tiny portion of Armstrong College graduates would claim to be unhappy. Unhappy students are certainly the exception rather than the rule. That would be a lofty achievement for this world’s universities. But even more ideal prospects loom for the entire world.

I find it hilarious that COG groups just cannot stand people who rebel against their abusive teachings and hold them accountable. 

The bleak circumstances surrounding today’s graduates will not last. Very soon, the world’s system of education will be abolished. There will be no more unhappy students, no dissatisfied graduates, no anxiety or worry among college students or the general population itself. God’s system of education, founded on right knowledge, will proliferate around this entire world. Never again will there be an unhappy graduate as all come into the knowledge of God and His way of life.

The bleak circumstances surrounding the PCG and many of the other COG's will certainly not last. Very soon, many, if not all to them, are bound for the dunghill where they belong upon. There will be no more unhappy members, no dissatisfied students, and no anxiety over whether or not they are pleasing the angry god of their leaders. The perverse personality cults that masquerade as God's very elect will be no more. None of the current leaders of ANY of the COG groups will ever again be able to destroy members' lives. 

What a glorious day that will be!

 

PCG: Unless you LOVE the ministry your salvation is at stake

If you were a Philadelphia Church of God member, could you and would you love your minister?  Would you love the one who tells you to dump your child at the mall?  Would you love the one who tells you to stop speaking to your children, grandchildren, parents or grandparents? Would you love the minister that tells you to sell your business and give all the money to the PCG?

Do you really love the ministers who guard the ordinances of God? We must, if we are to share David’s throne with Jesus Christ! 

Look where the Laodiceans are: They followed men who didn’t guard the truth of God. They followed men who did not follow God! 

Next, let's threaten the members with tithing.  Make them feel like they are sinning for not sending in a full amount.  Make them feel like their salvation is at stake for not wanting to tithe.  Even though the new covenant does not expect tithing nor teach it, but instead force it upon your members as a salvation issue.

The priests under Ezra collected tithes according to God’s law (verse 44). This is a doctrine the wcg did away with almost immediately after Mr. Armstrong died! They saw it as old and outdated. But anciently, those Jews learned to rejoice in giving to God. They loved to have a minister do whatever was necessary to keep them from going into captivity. They knew the value of such a minister! 

Your salvation will be at stake if you do not remain faithful to your minister.  After all, he is far more important than Jesus or grace or love.

We need to love God’s faithful ministers before the captivity so we can escape such captivity! We have to learn this lesson today and not go the way of those ancient Jews prior to captivity—the way the Laodiceans are going today. The modern- day nations of Israel are about to go into captivity—the worst captivity mankind has ever experienced!

The Story of Bruce and the Worldwide Church of God/Armstrongism

Douglas has a poignant post on DNA Refutes British Israelism about a former WCG member who experienced first hand the "brotherly love" of the ministry and members after years of dedicated service.  It is appalling and utterly disgusting what the church and the members did to this guy. You can read the entire article here:  Cult Life: Bruce

Bruce felt the world was screwed up, and coupled with his being highly religious, he went on a quest to both find a religion and to satisfy his desire to prove the world at large wrong. He tried some rather fringe cultic types of Christian congregational churches with political leanings, but it wasn't until he listened to the World Tomorrow on Radio that he connected with his new religious reality.

Ambassador College, the Radio Church of God, The Plain Truth and Herbert Armstrong had an answer for everything in a neat package, and in 1962, he took the plunge. He had significant savings he had stored up over the years -- enough that he could afford to do what he wanted for several years without having to work because he was industrious, prudent with his money and frugal.

This was perfect for this particular British Israelism Cult: A man with money they could rip off.
Bruce impressed the college entrance personnel and started at Ambassador College in 1962. A year later, Garner Ted Armstrong told him that Bruce should seek to serve the work elsewhere: His technical interests were getting in the way of his path to becoming the smarmy picture perfect plastic minister material they were looking for.

Bruce left and worked "out in the world". He settled into a church area in the Pacific Northwest and found a job making plenty of money from repairing cameras -- a result of just one of his technical hobbies of photography, building telescopes from scratch for astronomy, rock collecting and polishing, building electronics including high end amplifiers and phonographs replete with speakers. Everything he did was quality.

Bruce was generous, and besides "loaning" tens of thousands of dollars to the Radio Church of God at another crisis brought on by the profligate spending of the cult leader, he also gave people stuff. He gave them jewelry he had made, polished rocks (some with more than sentimental value), loaned people high fidelity collections -- he gave freely and generously. He also loaned over 6,000 quality 35mm slides he had taken over the years to Ambassador College and many of them were used for the front cover of The Plain Truth and The Good News.

Due to unfortunate circumstances, Bruce was temporarily unemployed. Though he was a bachelor, he had a nice apartment with several bedrooms. A family in the cult had a husband and father who was also out of work and needed a place for a family of five to stay, so Bruce, not wanting to......

 read the rest of the article at the link above.

"Paradise Recovered" and Ohio's Well Spring Retreat Recovery Center

 Many people have been so scared by abusive religion that they have no idea on where to turn.  There is a facility in Ohio that is geared to helping those recovering from abusive churches, religious systems and other abusive thought systems.  Their work can either be secular in base or pastoral.

Wellspring Retreat Center

Many who come from abusive religious systems are not able to rationalize what has happened to them with what their faith promotes as truth.  When that is ripped away, many fall into a spiritual void. Many still long for something deeper that brings meaning to their lives but do not know what to do.  Others, have had enough and leave faith based systems.  However, they still need to deal with the rejection, the loss of every thing they had been rooted in, the familial ties that broken, and more.

The Wellspring Recovery Center is also sponsoring a screening of "Paradise Recovered".

Paradise Recovered, the film made by a former WCG member has been making the rounds of numerous film festivals.  It has been getting rave reviews.

Synopsis:

Esther Harris, a young woman praised for her virtue and devotion to Warren F. Vanderbilt’s Prophetic Watchman Ministries, has been given the opportunity of a lifetime – to attend Vanderbilt’s Kingdom Bible College. 
When the fundamentalist Christian sect falls on hard times, Esther looks for employment at a local health food store to supplement the group’s income.
At the store, Esther gets a chance to share her faith with her new manager, Gabriel, a devout skeptic and preacher’s kid, and his roommate, Mark, a college drop-out who finds Christian television to be great entertainment.
The friendship with Gabriel and Mark help Esther determine her human worth while helping her reframe her faith in a whole new light.

Shot entirely on location in Southern Indiana and Austin, Texas, Paradise Recovered attempts a modern-day retelling of the parable of the Good Samaritan while addressing hard questions involving faith, tolerance, and spiritual abuse in modern culture. 

Paradise Recovered Trailer from Storme Wood on Vimeo.

Common Emotional Difficulties After Leaving a High Demand Group

From Victims of Psychopaths Sociopaths

Posted on 07/21/11, 01:20 am I'm throwing this out here because as we all know the S and the N are a high demand group (party of 1).

Common Emotional Difficulties After Leaving a High Demand Group

The following emotional and psychological* difficulties are common with survivors from the Worldwide Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God and any totalistic splinter groups.

Not every survivor will experience all of these, or may suffer from additional ones. Experiencing any of this does not mean you are defective. In some cases these feelings may take years to subside, but it is important to realize that, while painful, they are common feelings with exiters. In time they will pass.

This list overlaps with Common Spiritual Difficulties After Leaving a High Demand Group.

 *Some psychosomatic symptoms are also listed.

• Enormous Feelings of Betrayal

• Feelings of Spiritual Rape of the Soul

• Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Trauma becomes crystallized a few days after a traumatic event, such as exiting an abusive, high demand group. Several of a cluster of symptoms can develop, including spontaneous crying, suicidal thoughts, emotional numbing, phobias, social withdrawal, flashbacks, amnesia, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, self-loathing, fear of going insane.

• Anger or Rage
Toward the group and leader; toward oneself; suppression of anger in the group actually contributed to depression and a sense of helplessness.

• Denial

• Identity Confusion/Disorientation
The pre-cult personality--or real self--struggles with the in-cult personality1 that was imposed by the group. There can be difficulty integrating the cultic world with the outside world.

• Dissociation (or Dissociative Identity Disorder)
Not being in touch with reality or those around them; inability to communicate.

• Floating (a.k.a. trancing out)
Getting triggered into cult mode, flashbacks into the cult mind-set; thoughts of returning to the group, nostalgic feelings (part of dissociation).

• Panic and Anxiety Attacks

• Obsessive Thoughts

• Depression

• Psychosomatic Symptoms
Headache; stomach ache; backaches; fatigue; asthma; skin rashes; lethargy; sexuality problems.

• Problems or Inability in Making Decisions

Because of the dependency fostered by the group. 

 • Lack of Motivation

• Inability to Concentrate
With short-term memory loss.

• Fear
"What if I am wrong?" "What if harmful events actually do happen?" "I can't ever be happy outside the group." "What if I run into a present member?" Includes phobias and fear of going crazy.

• Grief & Sense of Loss
Grieving loss of innocence, idealism, spirituality, self, pride; sense of purpose, meaning and belonging in life; support system; friends and family lost in the group; loss of time, goals and youth.

• Guilt/Shame
For getting involved, for the people they recruited, things done while in the group; for leaving.

• Lack of Trust
Of group situations; deep suspicions about others motives and attitudes.

• Intense Loneliness
Strong and unique bonds were forged in the group.

• Sense of Purposelessness & Disconnection
Missing the peak experiences of the group.

• Sense of Isolation/Alienation
"No one can understand what I am going through."

• Overly Critical of Oneself and Others
Due to incorporating the harsh attitudes of the cult leader.

• Seeing Everything in Black and White
Cults do not teach to look for the gray areas.

• Problems Having Boundaries
Boundaries were violated time and again in the group until one lost sense of which boundaries were appropriate.

• Feelings of Inferiority and Worthlessness
Cult leaders continually blame members.

• Hypersensitive
To anger and rebuffs from others

• Sleep Disorders Including nightmares and insomnia.

• Eating Disorders

• Fear of Intimacy and Commitment

• Problems with Career or Employment
Because of years in the group; lost job opportunities, etc.

• Unable to Deal With Conflicts

• Impatience with Recovery

 By Douglas Becker

How do spiritual leaders benefit from being abusive?

Here is an interesting little blurb from a web site called My Savvy Sisters

Her comments below describe perfectly the various leaders of the 700 some splinter cults of Armstrongism.

My Savvy Sisters: How do spiritual leaders benefit from being abusive?

Interesting question! The benefits vary from group to group, and leader to leader. It depends on the end goal of the group and the leaders themselves. Some groups are driven by money, and others by power. Some religious groups also exploit sex as well. Other groups serve to meet the psychological needs of the leader.

The primary group leader of a group generally fits a typical narcissistic profile, what some have termed the Machiavellian Personality after the famed Prince Machiavelli. With only casual contact with such an individual, one would never suspect that they had anything less than the highest moral character, but this is just on the surface. In addition to being very charismatic, charming and keenly shrewd, they never show humility, they believe that ethics apply only to the weak (so they are exempt from moral standards which serves their exaggerated sense of entitlement), and they prefer to be feared (prefer an authoritarian style of control). Despite their capacity for arrogance, they can feign compassion and humility impeccably when it suits their objectives, yet they have a very limited capacity for showing true empathy to others. Those who tend toward this profile demand a great deal of attention and praise, and they thrive on the power others surrender to them.

Your question also speaks to a dynamic found within spiritually abusive groups themselves. The sub-status of a type of “middle management leader” that is bestowed on followers within spiritually abusive groups provides “true believers” with status, prestige, and the rewards of approval and worth. Groups promote an external basis of worth, discouraging individuals to derive confidence and well-being from within themselves. The profoundly powerful sense of reward comes with these positions in middle management within the system, and members lust after them because it offsets the discomfort of the shame-oriented control measures used in such groups to control members.

Please Don't Tell Me How to Live My Faith

(Sheepeople Speak Up)

Please Don't Tell Me How to Live My Faith

I will determine how much, when and if I can tithe considering my family and personal needs...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will participate in assembling together as my finances and need for quiet time in my live calls for...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will attend the Festivals as able and not feel I have to spend 10% of my income as if it were merely play money in 8 short days...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will "turn in" excess and unspent tithe if I wish to but also may need to buy groceries...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will learn from your sermons if they contain real information from which I can benefit and grow, but won't tell you it was wonderful when it was boring...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will look at my watch as often as I want without retribution, during your two hour sermons... Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will notice your sermons are over even if you are not finished...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I'll attend extra Church activities IF I have time and am not exhausted from my other responsibilities or concerns...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will agree with you about how you see any particular portion of scripture applies to me, us or them if I really agree...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will screw up my nose and forehead as I feel I should during any bold statements you make during your sermons...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will laugh when you didn't intend me to and be serious when you think I should be laughing as I feel fits the occasion...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I will leave services when they are over as soon as I wish or even stay after as long as I wish talking with friends...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I'll include or not include  you as Pastor in my life as I am comfortable and trusting of you and your perspectives and views...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I'll study and research whatever Biblical topics I choose to even if is not spot on with your view of the view of the organization...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I'll come to any conclusions outside of the demand to "all speak the same thing," injunctions from those over me...Don't tell me how to live my faith

I'll feel free to say, "that's your/their opinion" whenever I feel mine differs and my real life may be effected by such opinions...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I'll not push back if you don't push me/us/my family into all or nothing situations or positions...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

I promise not to tell you how to live your faith if you promise not to tell me/us how to live or express ours...or else.

I promise not to think of you as a "false minister or hireling" if you don't refer to me as a "dumb sheep"  Don't label me or tell me how to live my faith

I promise if you say such things as "And brethren, I am an Apostle," "I am that prophet," "I am the Watcher," "I am in charge," "I am God's minister," "I am one of the Two Witnesses,"  "My wife is the other witness because God works in families,"  "Send it in..." God told me," "Jesus caused..." "When God tells us to go to the place of safety," or that "Singles should bring a watermelon to the potluck,"  I will react according to that niggly little feeling in my stomach as appropriate...Don't tell me how to live my faith.

Amen

DenniscDiehl@aol.com