I well remember the day we finally got that message.
It was January 10, 1995. Our pastor had
kept the changes from us as long as he could and many of us, myself
included, didn't see this coming. I had heard talk of headquarters
changing doctrines, including the Sabbath, but I regarded such as from
the rumor mill. It was around early April that we were exposed to the
taped message.
The only reaction I recall within my congregation
(after the video was played) was a stunned silence. Nobody that I know
of talked about it openly. Our conversations avoided the subject.
Within a few days after we saw that video I went on a
journey into the Southwestern states. It was in phone calls home that I
learned of the mass resignations.1
So, I guess there were plenty of discussions not visible to many of us,
most likely behind closed doors.
I also think many members were simply afraid to
talk. It was, after all, a religion of fear. Finally, very slowly
people began to open up and discuss "Grace," which wasn't a very
familiar topic to us.
The WCG leadership is never going to be honest.
It's just not their nature.
By Will (former WCG member; see his article,
The Truth Must Be Told)
February 17, 2005
My boy was only a month old at the time, and I had just returned to
services for the first time. I remember hearing people talking about
"the showdown in Atlanta" where Tkach was going to "set this minister
straight" for causing division. I asked one of the mothers (whose
relatives lived in Texas, and who had just returned from a visit) what
everyone was talking about? She said, "Oh, you didn't hear about all
the changes?" And I said, "What changes?" She said, "We just got
back from visiting relatives in Texas, and you wouldn't believe all
the things that they've changed down there." And I said, "What?" and
she said, "Everything. We're way behind on this stuff."
I watched
almost the whole video from the
mother's room. Afterwards, I went back into services. I recall when
it was over, it was kind of strangely quiet. Nobody seemed to know
what to say. Then one young fella that was in charge of the sound
system piped up and jokingly said, "Hey, anyone for a pepperoni
pizza?" and people turned around and glared at him. He quickly
stopped chuckling when he realized the dirty looks he was getting. I
did not see anyone cry, nor did I see anyone being angry or having an
outburst. I think people were more quiet and reserved--more like
traumatized or shell-shocked. I think nobody really knew what to
think. Then the normal talking noise began to resume. No, I don't
recall anything dramatic that stood out. Just a normal Sabbath
service otherwise. Nothing where one could say that "the Holy Spirit
rained down upon this group and everyone's eyes were opened and it was
an incredible spiritual experience to see all these people
understanding grace for the first time!"
Nobody
really thought too much about the video because many of us felt that
nothing had really changed, only we weren't going to be
disfellowshipped. The laws were still in place, only they weren't
so stringent. In other words, we still kept the Sabbath, but a
person wouldn't be disfellowshipped for getting a job on that day.
We shouldn't judge other Christians for eating unclean meats, but we
won't eat them. Tithing wasn't required, but we were still
considered stealing from God if we didn't do it (now
that was as
confusing as anything could get); there was no salvation offered on
the video, only a relaxation of standards and policing of the
standards. We felt it meant that we had to be less critical of
others, and less critical of those who called themselves Christian.
There was nothing out of the normal when that sermon was given.
What ensued in the months after
the sermon--when the "Nature of God" thing was adopted--is when we
saw camps being divided. The more questions people asked, and were
being shamed for, the bigger the rift. For instance, I recall the
question, "If we're no different than others, then why should we stay
here?" HQ (Joseph W. Tkach) said, "What kind of carnal question
is that? This is the church God put you in, so this is the church
you should stay in." I think people were finally beginning to see
that something underhanded was going on and that HQ wasn't being
as open and honest as they tried to make everyone think they were.
By Kelly
Marshall (former WCG member; author of The Earl
Williams Factor and Mystery of the Ages (a critical review))
February 17, 2005
Since I was not
in services the day the video was played (I
only remember watching at home later), I did not witness what happened
immediately afterwards in my congregation. But I can tell you what
happened during the weeks following this video.
As I recall, I
overheard some conversations of some of those that were "committed"
members, saying things like: "They are saying all these things
without proving it" I remember some of the members ruminating on
what they were going to do--meaning would they stay or leave. A few
members were angry, but mostly they were confused about
the "changes." I remember some that appeared overjoyed by the
"changes", but they seemed kind of self- righteous to me as if they
were finally living! Some of the younger
families
were talking about Jesus a lot and wanted more modern praise music.
They got what they wanted for a while, but then they left, while the
old timers said that those who wanted the changes didn't stay
anyway.
I didn't see
any tears personally in anyone except maybe in personal
conversations with some of the poor souls that I could see were
hurting and confused--something the leaders were in no way
interested in. I'm sure there have been accusations about the
congregations about all kinds of things that weren't true. The
leaders just wanted to do their thing and to "H" with the rest and
their opinion--just like always. I remember confusion,2 and
personally for me, I remember slowly realizing that they were pretty
much liars and that some of the old timers who had been in the
church for decades were most likely covering up, just like the
hierarchy. As I think of it now, I think that's pretty sad. As if
the members really mattered to the hierarchy anyway.
I was just a young person who was confused and lonely and hoping to
find solace in this group and encouragement in the true faith, since
I was fully convinced that I had always been a believer anyway. I
just remember that overall it was group that loved to be judgmental
instead of encouraging and helpful. I could find no real fellowship
with any of them really.
That
video was a joke. Just more of the same
today is all you can expect from such an unrepentant and arrogant
lot.
By Jackie
(former WCG member; one who had part in the article,
Some Worldwide Church of God Ministers Hold to
Herbert W. Armstrong Doctrines
February 17,
2005
Footnotes:
1
One
year later there were over 100 ministers disfellowshipped by HQ.
2
Confusion was the result of
the mind control endured while in the
group.
Outsider's
Inside Update
Newsletters (Looking behind the
scenes at the real activities and associations pertaining to the
"transformation" of the WCG; shows how doctrine was used as a
massive propaganda tool. Important reading for those who would discern
truth from deception.)
Called to
Be Free (is it
Truth or Only More Worldwide Church of God Propaganda?)
(partial transcript with comments by ESN)
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