God's end-time leader of the Worldwide Church of God (WCGCOGSR) says that he knows how those of you that have left Armstrongism think. He also knows what those of you that have left Christianity think and the reason you rejected HWA's magnificent insights.
He writes:
Sadly, many who once claimed
Christianity as their faith have turned to speculative-science and New
Age thought because they felt unsatisfied with their Christian
understanding. Jesus told us that we would “never thirst again” if we
studied His word. [John 4:13] God’s word is reach with deep understanding. [Daniel 2:22]
The problem is with all the false denominationalism. False theology has
left people spiritually dry. The teachings of WCG theology agree with
sound science.
People left Armstrongism because of all the lies, deceit, corruption and false teachings. After spending a life time being abused by abusive ministers who laid down restrictive laws and regulations while some of them were living lives of debauchery, people have had enough. Also, since the entire belief system of Armstrongism is based upon false theology it left the people spiritually malnourished.
I have news for Eeeeew King, Armstrongism does NOT agree with sound science! There is nothing scientific in the COG. Scientific reasoning, thought processes, and theory's have no place in the church. Claiming that certain nations are genetic/biblical descendants of the 12 tribes is not scientific. Preaching certain versions of creationism is not sound science. Even if they try to cozy up to the "old earth" theory, they jump off the wagon on other areas. Even the COG historical timeline is filled with error and blatant lies. From lying about how the current church is practice original Christianity to claiming the church is descended from the Waldenses, the list could go on and on.
Eeeeew continues:
Christians approach everything by a
proper understanding of God’s word. What is a proper understanding of
God’s word? The Bible proclaims that only those who have the Holy Spirit
can truly and properly understand God’s word. Christian comprehension
of truth relies on intervention from God himself. [Philippians 2:5] In this article I will rely on God’s Holy Spirit to articulate the meaning of Truth in human thinking. [1 Corinthians 1:18] From this perspective I cannot prove to anybody what I am saying is true. I must rely on the Holy Spirit. [Proverbs 3:5-6] This approach is from a factual understanding of static or absolute Truth from God himself. Only those who are called of God and or who have the Holy Spirit shall comprehend. [Romans 8:16]
What Eeeew fails to state here is that when he says "Christian" he is referring ONLY to COG folk. Armstrongism has never considers "worldly christians" to be real Christians. Eeeeew is only speaking here about COGgers. Only COGgers have the mental capacity to understand God. No one outside Armstrongism has the Holy Spirit in them. Therefore, anyone who is not part of Armstrongism, or has left the church is incapable of understanding the god of Eeeew King.
The yellow highlight below is mine:
As Christians we are commanded to “prove all things”. [1 Thessalonians 5:21] We do this by testing our thinking against what the Word of God proclaims. [Acts 17:11] I have studied many religions and philosophical ideas but without a foundation to base it all on I am simply “blown here and there by every wind of doctrine”. [Ephesians 4:14] God is not the author of confusion. [1 Corinthians 14:33]
The Bible asks us to use our intellectual capabilities but to keep them
in ‘check’ with absolute and revealed revelation from God. Christian
thinking is therefore a disciplined practice. [James 4:10] It goes against conventional ideas of thinking. [1 Corinthians 1:25]
This does not mean we cannot be critical in our thinking. As a matter
of fact Christians are more critical in their thinking process than
other people who are not Christian. Christians can look at what is
called “the bigger picture”. They can learn to broaden their scope when
looking at an issue. Where this becomes a paradoxical issue is in the
idea of error-free thinking. Many can listen to what you are saying and
then try and find a logical error. But based on whose logic? [Colossians 2:8]
Logical thinking in and of itself is only based on mans five physical
faculties. With only these limited tools man can come up with numerous
if not infinitesimal amounts of conclusions to even simple questions.
Please do not misunderstand me, God wants us to be creative but not
without His static revealed truth as the foundation. There is no error
in God’s understanding. God has given His children solid and
foundational blocks of absolute truth. All of mans understanding should be built around these blocks! Jesus himself being the “chief cornerstone”. [Ephesians 2:20]
It is laughable if Eeeew thinks COGgers are more critical thinkers than the rest of Christianity or unbelievers. I have heard more uneducated and poorly thought out sermons than I can ever dream of, all by men who thought they had some special insight into God's Word.
King continues:
Christians are not closed-minded, they are open-minded. Christians are those who have broadened their mere human intellect into receiving pure revelation from God himself!
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One reason why most people who attend a
fallen denominational church do not really read their Bible’s is
because when they do read their Bible’s they find that their church is
teaching something or doing something completely different from what it
says. Those who do read their Bible’s from fallen churches are very
selective in what portions they read. Here at COGSR we use the whole Bible!
Actually Eeeew should realize that many people who are in liturgical churches read and hear the entire Bible every three years is because of the lectionary. The advantage of this is that verses before and after the point being look at are used. This is so far unlike Armstrongism which find specific verses to suit their needs while ignoring other verses. Proof-texting is the basis for Armstrongism.
Eeeew then gets into Christian faith. He writes:
To live God's way we need the Holy
Spirit power. So is it possible to practice Christianity in your own way
and whatever church you choose? The answer from Christ would be, “no”.
We either worship God's way and do things his way or we worship our way.
How do we find out God's way? We read his word, study his word and ask
for Holy Spirit help. We thus find the one and only true Church of God.
I love how the simple minds of these men think that when a person reads the Bible they will automatically be driven into
the Church of God.
The Bible proclaims “one faith”, not many. [Ephesians 4:5] Just because true Christians are people of faith does not mean that we are blind. We do have to open our eyes!
Please understand, there are not many ‘faiths’ to a true Christian.
There is only one. There is only one ‘faith’, one ‘church’, one ‘body’
[church], etc. [Ephesians 4:4-6] And believe it or not, there is only one true God and one true Jesus Christ! Would
it be wrong to say that there is only one true “you”? No. It would not.
There is only ONE true God and only ONE true understanding of that God.
We find it in and through God’s word through and by the power of the one and only Holy Spirit! There are not many denominations to true Christians!
It's pretty hypocritical for an Armstrongite to be condemning Christian churches for division considering there are well over 600 splinter groups now with 600 different opinions, doctrines and ways of interpreting HWA's words. None are doctrinally unified. Just look at the nastiness that went down when COGWA back-stabbed their own brethren. Obviously there is NOT a "one true understanding" in the Churches of God.
Many people today really no longer
contemplate the True God of the Bible. Many just go with the flow of
“traditional Christianity” accepting the religious concepts of their
forefathers. They comfort themselves with emotionally accepted pictures
like angels that guard their life and the life of their family. The
basic understanding of the world’s Christianity is a God, who as a kind
father forgives you your sins, who guides you in times of doubt and
insecurity, and who finally takes you into his kingdom of heaven after
you die, to a place where there is eternal peace and harmony and where
you will be with other loved ones who have died.
All of these beliefs are accepted by
most all people who attend different denominations. You see, the
relationship is not really with a personal God but with an idea full of
traditions. To understand yourself the world teaches psychology. The
guide under the false Christian traditions becomes psychology and the
false science of an evolving human that will eventually overcome sin
simply by understanding his biological makeup.
There is a large percentage of COGers who are just along with the flow too. I can't tell you how many I know in various COG's that tell me they only stay because their kids have friends in the church, or that they would miss the Feast. Others are afraid to leave because their only friends are in the church. So they comfort themselves with false friendships that are in truth only acquaintances. (Leave the church and you will quickly see how many "true" friends you actually had.) They find comfort in large Feast gatherings because it brings back memories of the "good old days." It's comforting being around people of like minds who never challenge each other do deep thinking or have even deeper conversations. It's comforting being around people who never question why things are.
Christianity's view on God as a kindly father who forgives is certainly more comforting than the god of Armstrongism that is sitting there with an itchy trigger finger ready to zap humanity for being a bunch of rebellious children. Death, destruction and stern judgement is the only thing that Armstrongism's god offers.
Armstrongism does not allow a personal relationship with it's god. How can it when it is a god filled with so much vengeance and violence.
He writes a whole lot more gibberish here:
True Christians, Thinking and the Human Mind