Van Robison on "The Religious Seduction of the Innocent"

The Religious Seduction of the Innocent

Humans have been religiously seduced for thousands of years.  In our day and age, many have been religiously seduced by the Worldwide Church of God and its religious splinter groups, who all seek disciples that they can indoctrinate.    It is not really about "truth", but rather it is about lordship over those who are gullible enough to financially support these self-appointed men and church groups, who espouse that they are the "true" church of God on earth.  I marvel at the television preachers who must spend a fortune on television exposure to mouth their particular spiel and quite often that if you want "prosperity", then sow a seed and send a donation of such and such an amount of money and be "blessed."  Pure nonsense!  But of course the old ladies and old men on social security, along with the gullible and naive send money.  Somebody must be sending money, otherwise why are they still on the air?  Mike Murdock is one among many such deceivers and if you watch him, if you can "think" you know that he is a complete fraud.  Many of these clowns are wealthy, live in million dollar homes, fly around the world in private jets and live in luxury at the expense of the utter gullibility of those who send cash.

Putting forth an air of "sincerity" deceives many.  Trinity broadcasting and others use music to whip people into a frenzy.  Virtually every time there is a promotion to collect funds from the television viewers, music, dancing, and emotional hype is the tool to psychologically whip people into a state of "giving money."  We see this over and over and over on religious television programming.  We also see clown shows such as sending for your vial of "Holy" water so that you can be "healed."    The simple minded apparently must be supporting these people, otherwise they would all dry up and disappear from public view.

None of us have the answer as to how to rescue those who are captive to the ridiculous splinter groups of the Worldwide Church of God, anymore than people have the answers as to how to see people set free from the
Mormon Church, the Jehovah Witnesses or a multitude of other groups that have taken many captive.  It is not that the people who have been swallowed up into these groups are bad people, they are actually innocent
human beings who have been hoodwinked and they just don't know it.  Cults are prisons of the mind.  It is a sad situation and when our own loved ones are caught in any of these man-made religious webs, we suffer
mentally for them.  Many will live their entire life caught in the religious web and exit life on earth never having known that they were prisoners to religious deception.  Some will struggle free and others will not.

I can well remember years ago when one of the Ambassador College students left the college and the church and those of us who were still captive, thought this individual had gone off the "deep end."  Perhaps he was
really ahead of his time and cut a path for others to follow into religious freedom.  Some time later, many others actually did follow and took an exit.  FEAR is the common reason that enslaves multitudes of human beings to religious groups.  The FEAR of the loss of salvation is a tool used by religious frauds who use the name of Jesus Christ or God.  If you really believe that God is LOVE, then why would you "fear" Him?  People need to be taught to question, to think, to prove, to even doubt so that they will pursue knowledge and understanding outside of the box they have been living in.

Why not question the validity of the Bible?  Is it wrong to question?  Is it wrong to prove all things?  Is it wrong to stop trusting pied pipers in the pulpits and seek understanding for yourself?  Is it wrong to think for yourself? Is it somehow against God to ask questions that most people never ask?  Must what you think and believe come from some "pastor" or "elder" who does your thinking?  Must you believe that INK on PAPER is actually God "inspired?"  Why think that?  Have you been told so many times that what you believe is "true" that that is the real reason you believe what you do?  What if there are actually alternatives to how you think?  Should they be considered or even entertained?  Why not?

The world is drowning in innocent human beings who have been religiously seduced.


Van Robison

"If God Wants You To Be A Doormat, Then Accept It!"

There is a fascinating group on Facebook called Worldwide Church of God I Can't Wait For Sundown and Other WWCG Musings that is filled with people who have escaped Armstrongism.  It is funny, irreverent and filled with some appalling stories.  There was one the other day that struck me as truly appalling.  Appalling that any minister would ever tell a woman such a thing.  It's no wonder people have no respect for the ministry of the Churches of God anymore.  It is from a thread on what caused people to leave the church.

After divorcing my abusive husband I went to the minister (Abner Washington) to become "unbound" so that I could start dating again. He refused to do that and told me that "if God wanted me to be a doormat, then I should accept it." That was the beginning of the end for me.

Sadly, this is not an isolated case in Armstrongism.  It still is happening LCG, UCG, PCG and many of the other splinter groups. Women seem to be mere chattel, to be used and abused, while putting on a happy face all the time.

There have been many women who have had to leave abusive husbands because of the violence, yet COG ministers would tell them to stay because their reward in the Kingdom was far better than the pain. Some of these women ended up being beaten so bad that they were unrecognizable.  Others have been killed.

One of the "churches" in Pasadena was the Imperial Gym. It was run for many years by a man who would have made a great Gestapo agent.  He was a mean, nasty, vindictive man who ruled his congregation with a rod of iron.  No matter how much people complained, WCG kept him there. The ministurd/pasturd told a young woman, who was unmarried and had gotten pregnant, that "...her bastard baby would never be in the Kingdom of God because of her fornication."

The men who plotted and schemed behind the scenes to form new COG's had a golden opportunity to set things right and truly be shepherds that took care of their flocks.  Instead, they continue to support child molesters, rapists, abusers, and others in their ranks instead of caring for the hurt members.  There is a pox on the heads of UCG, COGWA, PCG, LCG and others that continue to allow this.

How The Churches of God Brainwash Members Minds

"Many have been deeply scarred through these diabolical practices 

and misapplications of men.  The brainwashers that occupy these pulpits

 are smart and clever, and they understand human nature.  

They know how to deceive and they know how to destroy.  

There are no words too strong to demonstrate this horrible deception 

used by this self-serving, hierarchical team of spiritual monsters"

There are some great articles on the Wicked Shepherds web site about abuse and control by ministers in churches.  Here is an excerpt from an article that talks about that control.

Brainwashing 101

Brainwashing:  1) any method of controlled systematic indoctrination, especially one based on repetition or confusion; 2) inducing a person to modify their beliefs, attitudes, or behavior by conditioning through various forms of pressure; 3) the ability to apply procedures or methods so as to effect a radical change in the ideas and beliefs of a person.

Because brainwashing is such an invasive form of influence, it requires the complete isolation and dependency of the subject, which is why you mostly hear of brainwashing occurring either in a religious system of some kind or at prison camps.

The agent (the brainwasher) must have complete control over the target. (the brainwashee)  Sound familiar?  Everything pertaining to the targets life depends on the will of the agent. (your spiritual overseer)  Every step the agent takes will result in advancing his own self-centered agenda. 

In the brainwashing process, the agent will systematically break down the target's identity to the point that it doesn't work anymore.

These brainwashers will hone in on a person’s weaknesses by first making their target comfortable, then get personal and confidential information to exploit the person later.  Many “church leaders” for example will project themselves with false humility; posing as spiritual men.  They take the place of the person’s physical father and successfully use this emotional leverage for the deep seated need for approval in order to motivate and control them.

The goal is to make the adult followers as much like their own children as possible.  When people accept this, then they accept human authority in their lives to the point where they are hopelessly dependant on the authority, as children are with their parents.  One technique the “church leader” will used to obtain this type of parental control is to keep them off balance to foster dependency, making it hard for them to make their own decisions.

When this kind of cunning craftiness is plotted to deceive the followers into functioning like children, they become much more manageable, being easily influenced by false doctrines and other tricks of deception.

From here on in, the targets (a.k.a: “church members”) willingly give up their minds and their souls at the institutional church doors; allowing themselves to be induced with the godless spiritual narcotic of "duly authorized rule" slowly and deliberately being administered by their "church overseers and pastors."   Having now been deprived and numbed to any sense of right or wrong, they mindlessly, and without any shame or twinge of conscience, follow and obey everything they are told to do within those institutional walls.

Even if it means destroying your own family "for the higher good," the higher good of course being in conformance to the wishes of your spiritual overseer and his local church.

This is what happens when we follow the ways and the teachings of men.  How many times in the Scriptures have we been warned over, and over, and over again concerning man's ways and traditions; taking heed to what we hear; testing and proving the spirits, etc.  But unfortunately, it is very rare today to see a "Berean". 

Remember that religious brainwashing can be extraordinarily powerful and dangerous to anyone, but especially to those who do not have the ability to withstand the religious pressure.  With this kind of pressure and these kinds of fear tactics, is it any wonder that some Christians don’t think for themselves?

The best thing to do regarding your professing Christian relatives and friends is to realize that, while they are well-meaning in their beliefs, they have been brainwashed.  Brainwashed people cannot see the Truth that is right before their eyes and they will deny facts that do not agree with their beliefs.  Brainwashing causes a disconnect in the mind of the Christian believer between demonstrable reality and religious fantasy.  Reality is filtered out in favor of the religious dogma/fantasy.

Read the rest of the article here:  Brainwashing

Dave Pack Says Doctrine Can Only Come Through Him

William Beher is on the defense today against UCG and COGWA.  He is in a snit because they have doctrinal committees that sit down and discuss doctrine.  William wants you to know that doctrine can ONLY come down through the proper chain of command (from Jesus through Dave) and NOT through doctrinal committees.

Is Dave afraid that some of his heretical doctrines are starting to cause issues and he wants to stamp out any rebellion?  Have some of the new converts had their eyes opened and realized that they made a mistake in joining his cult because of his heretical doctrines? By speaking out such as he has, he has once again throttled members  from questioning his decisions and man made doctrines.

Who is responsible for teaching the Church doctrine and for ensuring it speaks right doctrine—TRUTH? Groups and organizations such as United Church of God and Church of God, a Worldwide Association, would have you believe “doctrinal committees” and/or a “council of elders” or individual ministers of varying ranks leading their own groups may bring truth to the Church, including overturning what an apostle taught. Also, whose duty is it—apostles, committees or lower ranking ministers—to ensure all of God’s people “speak the same thing”? Mr. Armstrong brought plain teaching on this subject, and it is what scores of thousands in the Worldwide Church of God all once professed to believe.

No “doctrinal committee” or “other group of ministers or lay members” (or any single minister below apostle) may bring truth into the Church. Why then do organizations permit groups of men to decide what their organizations believe and teach—and throw out doctrines taught by Christ’s 20^th-century apostle? Who gave these men such authority? 

 William ends with:

Mr. Armstrong speaks with no ambiguity! Don’t believe false ministers. Do your own thinking. Examine the rotten fruits of organizations that teach contrary to the Bible pattern, and compare this to the fruits of God’s Church, which faithfully holds to ALL of the truth—what Christ’s 20^th-century apostle taught.

We have examined the rotten fruit of the "restored" Church of God and is rotten to the core.  Smelly and vile.  It makes great pig slop.

Wit and Wisdom From The Messianic Armstrongite Kabbalists

Oh the joys of the Internet!  No longer can Armstrongites sit back and claim they are the most unified, biblical oriented true church on the face of he earth.  There are so many factions and beliefs in Armstrongism now that there will never be unification.

While some branches of Armstrongism have unrepentant sinners going to the Lake of Fire, the Messianic Armstrongite Kabbalists have EVERYONE being send to  hell for a twelve month purification process. But if you were a good little boy or girl on earth then your stay in hell might be a little shorter.  The better person you are the less time you will have the flames of hell licking at your feet. Then, if you are still and rebellious sinner, you will get sent to the Lake of Fire.

The Messianic Kabbalist Pastor General writes

The Zohar reveals that the maximum duration of stay in Hell of an unclean soul is 12 months. For the souls that are less impure than others, they may stay in Hell just for hours, days, weeks, and a few months, depending on how impure they are, and depending on how easy the impurities are removed from them. 

People may think that it is just a short period of time, but the pain that will be experienced here in Hell, for every second or minute is indescribable! It is hope that by this length of time, or less, the person would have totally and humbly accepted God's purification process. If this is the case, God will now allow that purified soul to enter His Kingdom and be given eternal life.

In spite of all of this you should be encouraged!  Your evil angel that's been assigned to you will perish too and will no longer be able to influence anyone.

FOR EVERY SINNER, THERE IS A CORRESPONDING EVIL ANGEL. BOTH WILL BE CONSUMED BY FIRE!

The Zohar revealed that one who commits one sin acquires one prosecutor. A fire descends from up high and burns the body parts, the fat and the portions of the bullocks, the sheep, the he-goats and the she-goats, which is a secret of Yud Hei Vav Hei that descends like a lion of fire to burn them. Their members are burned and the Demons or the Evil Angels in charge of the sinning members are also burned.

I guess God was too stupid to give each person a good angel.  So much for the loving God......

Next our glorious leader in Armstrongism discusses our reentry into the Garden of Eden.  Alas, the chances of you making are slim because of climate change.  Say what?

Man's re-entry to the Garden of Eden was enabled by the death sacrifice of Christ, and Christ's resurrection from the dead enables man to eat from the Tree of Life. For an in-depth explanation about  how can one be qualified to re-enter Paradise, please go to: DO YOU KNOW THE BIBLE PARDES? It is the 4 Levels of Bible Knowledge and Understanding! Reaching the 4th Level, which is the Messianic Kabbalah Wisdom, Qualifies You to Enter Paradise (the Garden of Eden)!

But before man can enter back to the Garden, he must be purified to that status of Adam before the sin. Climate Change is one of the major purification processes in this human life that every human being must be exposed to and tried (Rev 3:10). MESSIANIC KABBALAH WISDOM is the other option, which is relatively easy and less painful.

If you are not being purified in hell I guess the sun's going to fry your sorry butt.

Then he moves on to Elijah.  From the qualification he lists below it immediately dismisses most Armstrongite ministers and evangelists from ever being Elijah.  Most of them are not sexually pure and are filled with greed and lust.  It's tough being an Elijah in Armstrongism!  Even Elijah Reimann feels this.

WHO IS ELIJAH, REALLY? ELIJAH IS THE REINCARNATION OF PHINEHAS!

According to the Zohar, Elijah is the reincarnation of Phinehas, also known as Pinchas. During the time of Moses, while Israel succumbed to the sexual and idolatrous temptation of the Midianites, it was Phinehas' zealousness that protected and preserved the Covenant. And because of this zealousness, GOD gave him the Covenant of Peace, with the agreement of Moses (Numbers 25:12).

UCG West Virginia: Sexual Abuse and Embezzlement

Here is another story about sexual abuse  in the Church of God and how the ministry of UCG tried to cover it up.  Check out Silenced for this story about a UCG elder that was sexually abusing women in his congregation.  The members knew about, complained and UCG honcho's covered it up (some of these guys now are parked on their self-righteous asses in COGWA.)

I had heard about this congregation several years ago when it happened.

 An excerpt: 

Several years ago there was an entire UCG congregation in West Virginia which seceded from the mothership after a local elder molested a young lady in the congregation. The local elder had a history of doing this sort of thing. He had repeatedly been admonished by church leaders to stop, but as is so often the case, he didn’t because he knew they would never discipline him. Keep in mind, this was back around 2004 – 2005 when all the leaders of COGWA were still running United. Doug Horchak, Jim Franks, Richard Pinelli, Clyde Kilough, etc., were all aware of what had taken place with this elder and how he had molested a young girl. 

There are three reasons why I’ve waited until now to shine some
light on this very troublesome situation. First, the church asked all
family members to not discuss the case until a decision was reached
or else they would drop the appeal. Second, I really believed that
the leaders of our church would take at least some just action to
resolve the issue of an elder and sexual harassment. Third, after
reading Mr. Pinelli’s misleading response I felt it necessary to
share some relevant facts in this matter.

It is a fact that an elder in WV has sexually harassed my sister-in-
law. The “hugs” were accurately described in posts by
Lindap, the elder would sneak up from behind, lock his arms directly under the
breasts and then squeeze very tightly and lift for an extended period
of time. There was indeed touching that could be categorized, at the
very least as grossly inappropriate, and more accurately as
molestation. I can absolutely guarantee you that such hugs would be
grounds for severe discipline or reprimands were they to take place
at one of our UCG Youth Camps. This situation involves an ordained
official in UCG, are the standards less? This act of touching
inappropriate body parts is in and of itself defined as sexual
harassment in UCG’s own Sexual Misconduct Guidelines (Section N
reads: “No lewd touching or other inappropriate contact of a
sexual nature is permitted with minors”).

There will still be some who will defend this elder’s actions as
Mr. Pinelli did by describing them as “signs of grandfatherly
affection” or by arguing that the elder meant nothing perverse by them. I
already believe the prior paragraph alone, would require for UCG
leaders to take some kind of action. But to those who are still
skeptical let me provide the following evidence that has led me to
believe his actions reflected his intent.

Read the entire story here: More sexual shenanigans recently in the COG

West Virginia seems to  present UCG with a lot of issues.  A few years ago there was a UCG member in WV who embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bank she worked in.  She would show up at UCG services and hand out envelopes of cash to people who were in need and who needed help to attend the Feast.  She took a lot of the money and built the local congregation their own church building.  When she was arrested and then jailed the government repossessed the UCG church building and took it away from them.  The last I heard UCG made no attempt to repay any of the stolen money.

Apostle Malm: Catholics Invented Islam To Kill Off Church of God Members and Jews

Apostle Malm is doing a series of posts over the next few days on Islam, Christianity and the Jews. One of his acolytes is claiming that Islam was invented by the Catholic Church in order to kill off all Christians and Jews.

James, what do you think of the notion that is out there about the apostate church “inventing Islam” in the beginning as a means to Help destroy the Jews and true Christians? It is said that “The Vatican helped to finance the three Islam armies of old, in exchange for three favors: One was to eliminate the Jews and Bible Believers. One was to protect the Augustinian monks and the Roman Catholics, and the last reason was the most important; to conquer Jerusalem for the Pope. The Muslim army conquered Jerusalem, but refused to co-operate with the Vatican. “. 

There are so many similarities within these religions, from physical idols to human idols, etc., and obviously they are both from Babylon. I guess it really doesn’t matter how Islam got its roots, so long as we realize that all of this false religion is from satan. It shows how the drive for ” peace and all-one religion” will be able to come about so easily when radical Islam is declared to be done away. Their premises are so similar, but most cannot see it

The Apostate Apostle answers: 

You are correct! Tomorrow I am covering the Ottoman Empire to the present. The next day I will cover the fact that all religions including Catholicism, Islam and modern Judaism are only different cosmetically and actually are the same. Satan is the god of this world and has deceived the whole world. God has prevented him from actually uniting these religions into one; but that will change with the final false prophet who will be allowed to deceive the WHOLE WORLD and he will become the ultimate moral authority for all religions. It is this COG “Islam is worst” nonsense that is deceiving them into a false position on prophecy; that I am trying to deal with. James

So much of Armstrongite thought processes take factual events of history, dress it up with conspiracy theories and stupid speculations and them promotes it as truth. Uneducated readers can read the above and find it to make sense to them.  However, if you do research on the topics Armstrongites claim authority on, you quickly see that it is a mixture of all kinds of truths, half truths, speculations and out right lies.  That is exactly  how they interpret scripture too.  It sounds halfway good at first glance but then when you really look into it, it is nothing more than an abominable mess.

The Shrinking Church

This was sent to me today.  Reading this you have to wonder what is the purpose of leaving the doors open any longer for GCI?  While many people had high hopes it would morph into something bigger and better, it just seems to be shrinking smaller and smaller.


To think that over the 70 some years of it's existence close to half a million members were on the WCG church membership list. The chruch area I grew up[ in (Dayton Ohio) had over 700 members by the time I left to come to Pasadena in 1975.  It was common in many areas to have church memberships in the 300+ range.  Sure, there were lots of smaller one, but many were large in number.  Now to see that average attendance for GCI in late 2011 is 26 is appalling.

...the following statistics which I obtained on October 31, 2011 in a phone conversation with Nancy Akers, who is the executive secretary to the Superintendent of Ministers in America. 1) Our weekly attendance in America is 7,832. This is 9% of what it used to be. 2) We have 300 congregations. While this number has only declined by approximately a third, the decline in average attendance per congregation is shocking. In 1989 it was 191; by October of 2011, it was only 26.