One Man's Journey: Trying To Find A Place In A "Culture" After Leaving Armstrongism

I was sent a link to this blog this morning by a reader here.  The blog, Washed in Tears, is about one man's journey of life in Armstrongism, leaving it, going back to to it and then leaving again because he had too questions that never got answered (thanks to Borg and Spong.)  He's been on a quest to find a "culture," a place where he fits in, like most of us thought we did when we were wrapped up in the Armstrongism.  It was our culture, our identity.  When that was ripped away or we walked away it was hard to find an identity that fit.

Reminisces

And I’ve come to realize that I have spent the last 28 or so years trying desperately to find a culture – any culture whatsoever – that I can claim and fit into and call my own.  A culture, and a family.
And today is the day it finally hit that I will not.  The culture I was raised in was far too penetrated, far too influential, far too ingrained into every aspect of my life.  When I was cast adrift out of the culture and the family – at around nine – all I had left were memories of what was, memories of what were ultimately not horrible experiences, and memories of that which never would be again.  First it was the disintegration of the family, and then, years later, it was the disintegration of the church.

And now, I’m nearly 39 years old, and I come to realize that I’m no closer to finding that kind of community and acceptance – the kind I had when I was very little – than I was all that many years ago.  I’ve come to realize that I’m still just as alone, just as much of an island, as I always have been.  Still just as much of a social recluse, a homeless man in every way but literally, a survivor and nothing more.
And as I try to work through Christianity, I find myself saying that I have an identity – of some type or other – with God.  Great.  I wish it was enough, but it’s not.  If it was enough, then why would I even exist on this realm in the first place?   It’s not enough.  The body of Christ still sees me as an interloper, and frankly, I’m not sure I think too highly of them either.  I ask too many questions, I don’t join the culture.

I don’t join the culture because

It’s

Not

MINE.

Crazy Sweating Stephen Gilbreath Has To Read An Entire Booklet Online Because His Readers Are Too Tired.

If you thought Steve Gilbreath was batshit crazy before then get a load of the video above.  The bug eyed nut job has to drape his tie over his shoulder where it  keeps falling off as he "preaches' on the pagan calendar date of August 9th, 2014.

He also says that he will be reading a entire booklet of Herbert Armstrong because members are tooooooooooooooooooooo tired to read it themselves.

The idiots that have self-appointed themselves as God's most highly-favored messengers throughout the 80 some years of Armstrongism have made a mockery of themselves and the cult they try to emulate.  Herbert Armstrong would truly be disgusted to witness the deviates that have positioned themselves over the hundreds and hundreds of splinter cults.  Each one seems to be dumber than the previous one!

Steven Flurry Blames Upcoming Tribulation Trials On Backsliding Young Members

Being a youth, teenager or young adult in Armstrongsm has never been  encouraging.  Massive destruction, enslavement, starvation, disease and being hung up on meat-hooks by the invading German armies have always been the stories they were spoon fed by the devious robbers of grace.

Most think they will never be able to graduate from high school, get married, have children, or get a job they like.  The end is always being rammed down their throats.

Instilling fear in the memberships has always been the biggest method of control in Armstrongism.  That fear culminates in losing ones salvation because members are such vile sinners regardless of how hard they try.

Stephen Flurry continues to beat that same drum in the fear based Philadelphia Church of God.

Young people are certainly not exempt from these principles of proper Sabbath conversation. No teenager is too young to read the Trumpet, Royal Vision and the news of the Work.

The main reason the ancient Israelites were taken captive by the Assyrians and Judah by the Babylonians was that they profaned the Sabbath Day! Much of this Sabbath-breaking was due to the carelessness of later generations. The later the generation, the more it seems we take things for granted, especially when it’s something many of us have heard all our lives. As young people, we should strive to read the Trumpet articles and listen to the Sabbath messages and discuss them with our peers, as well as the adults.

The solution to this dilemma is to have the youth read PCG propaganda.  That solves everything. 

COG Splinter Cult Leaer: WWIII Has Begun!

The American Indian Hari Krishna Adventist Buddhist Armstrongite Beatnik has now declared that World War III has begun.

August 8, 2014

This planet is experiencing the beginning of World War 3

I now must inform this planet that the world is at war. The beginning stages of complete choas are now underway. The only hope that this planet has is to accept SOCT knowledge and begin to understand higher laws of existence. If we do not evolve we die. It is that simple. SOCT students are the only evolved hybrids on this planet that have the message of hope. Study and learn now or termination is imminent.

~E.W.King 

8 hour Sermon Continues to Drag On and On

For the last seven weeks Bob Thiel has been preaching one sermon.  It has now reached part seven and is well into the eight hour mark.  What is the single most important topic he is discussing?  He can't nail down his topic to any one subject so has to ramble on and on about numerous subjects that he actually knows nothing about with most of the topics complete fabrications of his delusional mind.

This is a list of things he set himself as the complete authority over.  Imagine eight hours of listening to this drivel!

...discusses issues associated with John the Baptist and his father Zacharias and not accepting when God answers prayer.  He also explains verses that some claim are in the Bible about Jesus’ mother Mary. John Baptist’s teachings, controversies related to Jesus’ genealogy, Satan’s influences, past issues that are present today, points about Peter and the other Apostles, and goes over Jesus’ teachings on many points including the Sermon on the Mount version in Luke.  ...some of Jesus’ miracles, the purpose of the parable of the sower, explains the gospel of the Kingdom, goes over information related to John the Baptist, discusses growing in grace and knowledge, some about women supporting the ministry of Jesus and the CCOG, and quotes Jesus about bearing fruit and on other matters. the 70,’ doing the work of proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom as a witness, the opportunity for salvation, the parable of the good Samaritan, prayer, various signs, and letting your light shine....hypocritical religious leader, that souls can die, standing for Jesus, persecution, the parable of ‘the rich fool,’ Christian priorities, the ‘little flock,’ treasure, being ready, watching prophecy, explains that to whom much is given much is required, Jesus’ plan was divisive not ecumenical, discerning the signs of the time, that God has some patience for those who have not born fruit yet, Sabbath hypocrisy, parable of the mustard seed, the kingdom of God, the narrow way, and those unwilling to listen. Sabbath, the invited, salt and the unpardonable sin, being willing to truly follow God, mammon, the parable of ‘the lost sheep,’ and the Rich man and Lazarus...giving offense, faith. the kingdom, prophecy related to the gathered together protected & those that are not, unprofitable servants, prayer and the widow, the important in God’s eyes, blessing of little children, the rich man & the commandments, the soul is not immortal, that promised rewards vary, taxes, the resurrection, and doing things for show.