One thing that Armstrongism did decades ago was to adopt the Catholic view on "sin." There are "major" sins and "minor" sins in the Church of God. Who determines what is "major" and what is "minor" is always up to interpretation by the splinter group leaders.
Many years ago Rod Meredith made the absurd claim that he had not committed a "major" sin since baptism. What's "major" in his eyes and what those around him see as his sins and who have suffered under his sinful reign think are two different interpretations.
Now the
Church of the Eternal God has come out and said that when a person votes they are committing a "grave" sin. Voting apparently is on par with adultery, murder, theft, and child abuse, among other things.
To be blunt, voting in governmental, national and presidential
elections violates God’s plan for true Christians and constitutes a
grave sin. It manifests the absence of faith in God; reveals a
complete lack of understanding as to what the role of a true Christian
is today; and shows utter ignorance as to who is ruling this world.
We will not mince words in this Q&A, because FAR TOO MANY
Christians are deceived and are deceiving others on this topic,
foolishly thinking that they are serving God and their country by voting
in governmental elections. ...
Many other Church of God's realize that voting is not an issue and let their members vote. The Worldwide Church of God did this for almost all municipal elections, particularity in Big Sandy. The CEG feels it is the only COG out there that is really preserving the truth once restored under HWA and therefore condemns all COG members and Christians who vote.
Why is this? WHY do we take such a strong stance against voting in
national elections, while other Christians do not seem to see any
problems with this? WHY do we claim that it is part of the Christian
DUTY NOT to vote in governmental elections?
The simple answer is: We will NOT water down the truth of God, even
though many others do. We will NOT swim with the stream of national
pride, patriotism and nationalism, if it involves violating God’s Law.
We WILL obey God rather than man, not being afraid of men and their
antagonistic reactions and hateful persecution, but being FEARFUL of
becoming luke-warm and compromising with God’s Will, even though many
Christians do.
These church along with all the other COG's bow down to the rules, laws and ideas of men. What they think is God's way is only their own interpretation of what they want it to be. Anything they can do to look down upon others and cast them in a bad light is done. If they truly followed God then they would not be preaching most of the crap that they do.
Satan is the one who runs all countries around the world and that is who you are voting for when you vote. You are electing Satan!
We also explain in our booklet that it is SATAN who rules this world and
EVERY country, WITHOUT exception. It is true, of course, that Satan can
only do what God ALLOWS him to do, but generally speaking, God is NOT
getting involved in the affairs of this world, and neither should we.
God will ONLY intervene and see to it that certain individuals end up in
governmental positions, if they are temporarily needed to fulfill
aspects of God’s plan. But this would be GOD’s doing, NOT ours.
Another reason why a Christian is not to vote for a candidate in
governmental or local council elections is because he understands the
truth about this being Satan’s world at the present time. It is Satan
who, with the general permission of God, places candidates into
governmental offices. If we were to vote, we might involve ourselves
quite directly in Satan’s system. Hosea 8:4 gives us God’s warning in
this regard: ‘They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I
did not acknowledge them.
See:
Is It Really Important To Understand That We Must Not Vote In Governmental Elections?