Samuel Martin: Ending Corporal Punishment Of Children

One of the sad legacies of Armstrongism was the oftentimes violent methods of corporal punishment used upon church children and teens. The Mt Pocono Feast site in its early years almost was shut down because of the beating of children. Members of the public who came to check out the weird church heard and witnessed parents beating their kids in the official Spanking Tent.

The minister we had in Cincinnati, Ohio (Carn Catherwood) said that a child must get 20 hard swats with a thick paddle and that he expected to hear them crying afterward. He also instructed the local Spokesman Club to sell 1-inch thick paddles with holes drilled in it to cut down wind resistance. They did this as a fundraiser. Imagine raising money off beating children! 

Samuel Martin. some of the late Earnest Martin has been on a decades-long crusade to end corporal punishment of children. 

This is his latest book:

Amazon

STRATEGIES TO EMPOWER CHRISTIAN FAMILIES CONCERNING ENDING THE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OF CHILDREN: 

 

DEALING WITH OPPOSITION FROM SPOUSES AND EXTENDED FAMILIES CONCERNING THE SUBJECT OF SPANKING CHILDREN

The subject of corporal punishment (spanking/smacking) is one which causes serious challenges in families especially when one spouse is in favor of spanking/smacking, while the other is not. 

 

This issue creates serious tension between husbands and wives and in extended families and communities who pressure parents to spank/smack their children. 

 

Christian families who choose not to spank may face loneliness, isolation and serious opposition to their decision to pursue peaceful parenting. 

 

In some families, where spanking/smacking has been taking place for generations, the choice not to spank/smack by one of the parents may create situations in a marriage where major tension exists surrounding the subject of spanking/smacking. 

 

This research study seeks to empower Christian spouses who have taken the often difficult decision not to spank/smack to provide them with simple Bible based tools to engage their spouses, extended families and communities thoughtfully concerning this most difficult subject. 

 

This research study delves into God's Word in a deep but practical way to provide those in favor of peaceful parenting with Bible based teachings to help them engage with those around them who still believe in spanking/smacking. 

 

This research study is based on almost 20 years of feedback that the author has received from scores of Christian families who have decided on a new path for their parenting journey that seeks to leave the experience of spanking/smacking behind. 

 

The research study provides practical specific Bible based information to help Christian families engage the subject of spanking/smacking in a mature and thoughtful way with the goal of growing peace and love in our homes.

Martin's previous books: 

Amazon

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

The Torah: Who Was It For?

Torah Was for ISRAEL!

The Armstrong Churches of God, like the Christian Pharisees of the First Century, have always taught that Gentile Christians are obligated to obey some of the precepts of Torah. A few days ago, on Banned by HWA, Scout wrote a post entitled Notes on the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. In it, he made clear that the WHOLE Church (including the Jewish part of it) decided that believers would NOT be required to adhere to the tenets of the Old Covenant - Torah. Scout went on to make the point that this did NOT mean that the Church was discarding Torah, just that it wasn't a pathway to salvation under the New Covenant. Armstrongists, however, insist that Christians can lose their salvation by failing to observe some of the laws of Torah (like those related to Sabbaths and Holy Days).

In my previous post on this topic (Was Torah for Everyone?), I said that "what is offered here is only a FRACTION of the many passages contained in Torah which make very clear that Torah was intended for the people of Israel." In making that statement, I was on very solid ground. To demonstrate the truth of that statement, and because it is so important for Christians to understand that we are operating under a different iteration of God's Law, I have decided to include a few more of the Scriptures which make very clear that Torah was intended for the people of Israel.

In the book of Leviticus, we read that God told the Israelites that he had separated them from the other peoples of the earth (Leviticus 20:24, 26). In the original Hebrew, the sense is that they were severed from other nations and people. They were to be clearly different from other peoples, and it wasn't just male circumcision which delineated that difference. The Sabbath was also a sign between them and God which distinguished them from all other people (Exodus 31:13, 17). Moreover, there were a number of other things that were to distinguish them from the Gentile nations surrounding them. For instance, in the book of Deuteronomy, we read: "You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat." (Deuteronomy 14:1-6, ESV) There were even regulations about how they were to cut their hair, and what kinds of fabrics they were to wear! All of these things distinguished them from the Gentile nations.

Over and over again, the commandments of Torah were addressed to the children of Israel and reiterated throughout that these instructions were intended to distinguish them from the nations which surrounded them. Near the end of the book of Leviticus, we read: "These are the statutes and rules and laws that the Lord made between himself and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai." (Leviticus 26:46, ESV) Indeed, later, in the book of Deuteronomy, we read: "When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this." (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, ESV) Clearly, God intended through Torah for the Israelites to be different from the Gentile peoples which they were displacing (and would be surrounded by) in every aspect of their lives!

Hence, once again, the Armstrongist narrative about Torah does NOT fit. We see that God clearly intended this iteration of his law for the people of Israel. Indeed, we have seen that the commandments of Torah were meant to distinguish them from the other peoples of the world. Armstrongists love to point out that Christ and his disciples kept Torah, but they completely ignore the fact that they were ALL Jews! Paul was also a devout Jew. Moreover, it was necessary that Christ observe the commandments of Torah to fulfill the Law and make his sacrifice of himself efficacious for securing our salvation! The PLAIN TRUTH is that Torah was never intended for Gentiles, or the Church which Christ founded. Christ fulfilled Torah for Israel and instituted a new iteration of God's Law for Christians (based on the same principles that were the basis for Torah - love for God and each other). Thus, for those who have accepted Christ's sacrifice and received God's Holy Spirit, their lives will reflect obedience to Christ's iteration of God's Law.

Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix

Holy Days in the WCG With misterdiffiCULT

 

misterdiffiCULT

New YouTube Channel

The WCG Talmud

 

A blast from the past. What can you add to this list?

Gavin Rumney

The WCG Talmud

The following list was compiled by Robert Gerringer, and first published by Ambassador Report in the 70's. It represents some of the customs and traditions of the Worldwide Church of God up until about 1973. How times change!

Do not use medicines or drugs. 

Never wear sideburns below the middle of the ear, or comb your hair over the forehead. 

Never dance without holding your partner and don't wiggle your hips. 

Never listen to hard rock music. 

Do not contribute to charities (Easter Seals, March of Dimes, etc.). 

Women should wear skirts long enough to at least touch the top of the knee.

Women must wear their hair long enough to cover the nape of the neck. 

Never vote in any elections. 

Never join a political party. 

Avoid doctors and hospitals. 

Never receive a blood transfusion. 

Do not donate blood. 

Never serve in the military in any capacity. 

Never celebrate Christmas, Easter, New Year's, Halloween, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, or April Fool's. Celebrate Thanksgiving. 

Do not have more than two drinks a night. 

Don't be a teetotaler. 

Never wear make-up. 

Men should never wear a toupee or wig. 

Women can only wear wigs if they are bald. 

Never color your hair. 

Women should not wear pants (except for sports activities). 

Never ever smoke anything. 

Pray at least 30 minutes a day. 

Study your Bible at least thirty minutes a day. 

Fast and meditate regularly. 

Never join or remain a member of a "worldly" club (Elks, Lions, Kiwanis, etc.). 

Watch only movies rated G and occasionally PG. 

Do not observe Mother's Day in England (Mother's Day is OK in America). 

Do not earn a living as a policeman, judge, fireman, physician, elected official (except Mayor of Big Sandy), astronaut, gambler, concert musician, actor or ballet dancer. 

Never have a picture of "Christ", "God", "angels" or "saints." 

Women should not go braless. 

Women should not take "the Pill" or have an abortion. 

Do not allow your children to join the boy scouts or girl scouts. 

Children should not play "pretend" games. 

Women should not wear Tampons. 

Always take notes during church services. 

Never call a minister "Reverend." 

Never bring the "unconverted" to services without the minister's permission, this includes close relatives such as an unconverted mate and children over 16. 

Never co-sign for a loan. 

Do not wear heart shaped lockets. 

Beware of classical music written by demon inspired composers. 

Never serve on a jury. 

Never sign over your body for scientific study. 

Do not read the writings of philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. 

Do not vote for or initiate a labor strike. 

Going to night clubs is allowed, in moderation. 

Do not have organ music in church. 

Men should not wear pink or flowery shirts. 

Children should not be allowed to read fairy tales or nursery rhymes. 

Single people should date widely. 

Never date a non-Worldwide Church of God member. 

Never neck on a date. If engaged, a good-night kiss is permissible, if not prolonged. 

Never hold hands unless married or engaged. 

When married, have sex only in the two approved positions; never kiss below the neck (pre-1960's), never kiss below the waist (pre-1975). 

Dentists are OK. 

Novocaine is OK. 

Antibiotics are not OK. 

Immunizations are not OK. 

Only unmarried women should be employed. 

Never date or marry outside your race. 

The races should be segregated whenever possible. 

Men should not wear beards. 

Do not eat maraschino cherries. 

Never get a tatoo. 

Avoid "Protestant type" hymns. 

Minimize contact with non-believers. 

Use olive oil and wine on sores. 

For weddings, use only the Herbert Armstrong approved ceremony. 

Card playing is OK. Never listen to "soul music". 

Have only a graveside service at funerals. 

Never wear or own a crucifix. Never sign a letter "in Jesus' Name" unless you are a minister. 

Church buildings should not have steeples or stained glass windows. 

Never build or own an obelisk. 

Never celebrate birthdays. 

Don't go into partnerships in business. 

Never say "God bless you" when someone sneezes (in fact, never say "God bless you"). 

Always buy "quality". Strive to become "cultured". 

Do not break an engagement to be married. 

Always get a minister's advice before making any important decisions (changing a job, marrying, selling your home, etc.). 

Never go along with new styles or trends until at least 50% of the public has adopted them. Never be a leader in setting styles or trends. 

Never support or attend the services of any Catholic or Protestant church. (The Catholic Church is the "great whore" of Revelation. It is Satan's church and Protestant churches are its children.) 

Do not listen to preachers who teach contrary to the WCG doctrines. 

Do not practice vegetarianism. 

Do not have your body cremated. 

Women should not wear two-piece bathing suits and especially not bikinis. 

Men should not wear tight bathing suits (in England only). 

Do not engage in sky diving (before David Armstrong's interest in same). 

Never chew tobacco. 

Do not speculate in stocks or bonds. 

Never ever use "unnatural" farming methods (chemical fertilizers. pesticides, etc.). 

Never act in, direct, produce or write a drama. 

Never hypnotize anyone or be hypnotized. 

Do not celebrate the 4th of July (pre-1965). 

Do not adopt children. 

Do not have your ears pierced. 

Make ample use of corporal punishment in rearing children. 

Do not use euphemisms such as gosh, darn or gee. 

Do not create or own "modern" art. 

Sex on Friday night is OK for married people. 

Never go to a psychiatrist.

 

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