Two of These Things Are Not Like the Other Ones

 One of these two books is worth your time...

Acceptance of Evolution is a DENIAL of Science!

"Well, actually human beings started in what is called Mesopotamia.

Africans did not invent religion.

God gave instructions to the first human beings, as well as intervened with others as we can see in books of the Bible, beginning with Genesis.

We do not know the skin color of the first people who invented tools. Since the Bible indicates that the inventor of musical instruments, Jubal (Genesis 4:21), was likely dark skinned (cf. Genesis 4:16-20), maybe the first tool inventor was dark skinned, but maybe not. The Bible is NOT a white supremacist text"

"Well, I want to unmask the lie that evolution is scientific.

It is not.

Acceptance of evolution is a denial of science."

Dr. Robert Thiel

OR

  

Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism

"Religious fundamentalists and biblical literalists present any number of arguments that attempt to disprove evolution. Those with a sympathetic ear often fail to critically examine these creationist claims, leading to an ill-informed public and, perhaps more troubling, ill-advised public policy. As Aron Ra makes clear, however, every single argument deployed by creationists in their attacks on evolution is founded on fundamental scientific, religious, and historical falsehoods–all of them. 

Among their most popular claims is that evolution is a religion, that there are no transitional species, that there are no beneficial mutations, and that supposedly sacred scripture is the infallible word of God. Yet, as the evidence and data plainly show, each of these claims is demonstrably and unequivocally false. There is simply no truth to creationism whatsoever, and the entire enterprise rests on a foundation of falsehoods. This book explains and exposes the worst of these lies, and should be read by all who honestly care about following the evidence no matter where it might lead in pursuit of the truth."

and too...

One of these two videos is worth your time...

Childish Cartoons that would never make it past Sunday School

or

Refuting Dave Pack's (And by extension Robert Thiel)  Irrefutable Proof of God

"Such bold claims! I took the bait and had to dispute refute and absolutely disprove allegedly 

indisputable irrefutable absolute proof of God. Mirror this one quickly, kids. 

This guy likes to control and discussion to keep it one-sided and in his favor."

Aron Ra

Living Church of God: "He called me “Satan,” told me to stay away from him and even threatened to divorce me."

 

We have all heard horror stories over the years of marriages being ruined or broken up by the church. Whether it be in Dave Pack's cult or in Gerald Flurry's the abuse has been horrific. They are not the only destroyers of marriages and relationships, as the Worldwide Church of God reigned supreme in that department, particularly when heavy-handed Rod Meredith was over Church Administration. 

One would think that when all of the current splinter groups split off to preserve the "one truth" that they would have reinvented themselves and stopped the many cases of abuse they saw prevailing in the WCG. Instead, all any of them did was carry on exactly like they did in the WCG. They were so used to the power they had that they felt unstoppable and in no need to change anything. Living Church of God, despite being part of two different splinter groups, never has cleaned up their act and still is an abusive church.

Check out the latest post on Exit and Support Network from a woman in LCG:

Why I’m Leaving Living Church of God:
July 10, 2021 

 

I’ve been a member of LCG from 2012 but I always had doubts and tried to convince myself that it was the “true church.” Many things preached by LCG never added up. For example, the promise that Jesus would return within the next 5 years. 

 

LCG is a dangerous cult leading to many divorces for members who did marital counseling with the ministers. I ended up with serious anxiety issues and suffered financially when my husband forced me to pay the third tithe. I have never seen a verse in the Bible that says the Levites should be in charge of the third tithe and that the excess 2nd tithe should be given to the church on the Last Great Day. My question was always around why LCG never does any charitable deeds like helping the poor? 

 

I discovered the incest allegations about HWA and I found that very disturbing that someone who was supposed to be a servant of God could even be accused of such a thing. 

 

LCG preaches closet racism about interracial marriages in youth camps as being unequally yoked. I realised they were preaching nonsense and are not Christians who read the Bible. 

 

My husband is still part of the cult even after I showed him allegations about HWA and racist articles written in the Plain Truth. He called me “Satan,” told me to stay away from him and even threatened to divorce me. We were constantly fighting and my husband was trying to force me to remain with LCG which became emotionally abusive. He is determined to teach our kids about the nonsense of LCG child members being princesses when Christ returns. 

 

So many wrong things about LCG are so blatant but my husband refuses to see reason. How do I live in peace with someone like that and I’m worried about the influence on my children. Not sure what to do. I only pray that one day he sees the real truth not LCG fables. I just want to say thank you for your website as it helped me to see the true state of affairs at LCG. –[name withheld]

The Failure Of The Church of God To Turn Hearts In The Right Direction

Back in March of this year, Banned by HWA posted a piece by me entitled Why must your son be so disrespectful of you and your religion? In the post, I took my father's CGI "friends" to task for bringing to his attention everything I write about Armstrongism, CGI, or Pastor Bill Watson. I thought that it would shame those individuals into refraining from causing him distress, but apparently a few of those fine folks continue to delight in stirring the commode!

A few days ago, I received a notification that my brother had left a nasty comment about something that was posted on Banned on May 26th of this year: Church of God International's Civil War Over Covid-19. When my brother informed me about it, I asked him why he was commenting on something which had been posted over a month ago. He informed me that some of my father's church "friends" had brought it to my dad's attention, and that it had upset him so severely that he couldn't catch his breath (my father is chronically ill). Moreover, my brother went on to inform me that my father would not be attending his wedding reception because I was planning to attend!

After hanging up the phone with my brother, I couldn't help but think about two verses at the end of the Old Testament which Herbert Armstrong and the old Worldwide Church loved to quote. You probably already know the ones I'm referring to: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6) More proof that that verse had/has absolutely NOTHING to do with Armstrongism! Yeah, their turning hearts, but they obviously aren't turning them in the right direction!

Unfortunately, my family's rupture over Armstrongism is NOT unique in this regard. Even a cursory review of the comments and posts of those who have left Armstrongism over the years will demonstrate this sad reality. Indeed, when we survey the broken marriages and families directly attributable to Armstrongism, it is hard to imagine a more disastrous record with regard to interpersonal relationships, families, Christian love, and fellowship - the very things which they are supposed to represent and protect! Moreover, many of these folks have the audacity to turn on their critics and accuse them of causing dissension and disunity (talk about the pot calling the kettle black)!

And let's not forget that this particular splinter (CGI) claims to be very different from the Worldwide Church of God and to have moved beyond the teachings of Herbert Armstrong. If that is truly the case, then why do they keep repeating so many of his mistakes? Why do families like mine continue to suffer the recriminations and heartaches that were so much a part of Worldwide's legacy?

Now, while those "friends" probably (hopefully) didn't intend to inflict this kind of damage on my family, we (me and my loved ones) must all live with the fallout of their pathetic attempt to exert pressure on me through my dad to silence my criticism of their church. And, just for the record, on the other side of that wreckage, it didn't work! In fact, I am more motivated than ever to point out just how destructive and harmful Armstrongism has been to so many people.

Lonnie Hendriks