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Religious cults* use
tactics such as confusion and distortion whenever making new
changes in their organization. The confusion causes
cognitive dissonance
in members and when it is great enough, it will facilitate the changes
being put forth.
The following will
highlight some of this ongoing confusion and spin. (This information is
very likely to
make your head spin, so we recommend you read it slowly and more than once.)
We have bolded the names of their registered domains in order to try to
cut through some of the confusion.
In February 2006, WCG announced they were considering
changing their name to Grace International Communion and that they
hoped to make a final decision that spring.1
However, in doing a check, WCG had not only
created and bought the domain name for Grace International Communion
(in October 2005), but Grace International Fellowship was created
and bought in August 2005. (Read
August
26, 2005 letter to ESN)
In March 2006, a WCG announcement was made which said there were too many members who were "against the name communion," and so
they wouldn't be choosing Grace International Communion after all.
(One must wonder why members would object to the word
"communion" when it has been used for some time in regard to their
partaking of the Lord's Supper?2)
In addition, WCG also said some
members didn't like the "sound" of Grace International Communion,
but others later "warmed up to it" and still others wanted WCG to
"reverse"
the order of words and have the name as Grace Communion International.3
It is interesting to note that WCG also created and bought the domain name for
Grace Communion International in August 2005.
WCG says "some" told them the name
Grace International Communion sounded
"Roman Catholic." They go on to tell us that their present
name of "Worldwide Church of God," when translated into certain European
languages, "sounds like the ancient name of the Roman Catholic Church" and
that they've even received letters from Catholic bishops objecting to it.3
This is absolutely
ridiculous and one must ask what all this has to do with finding a new
name? It doesn't. It simply adds more ludicrousness to the double-talk and
confusion.
One question that comes
to mind is, will WCG churches that
have incorporated "Worldwide Church of God" into their name change it
after headquarters makes their new name change?
Towards the end of 2006, WCG admits that Grace Fellowship
International was the name their committee "favored," but then they discovered
it was already in use and could have caused legal problems.3
WCG is well aware of the
fact that before buying a domain name the person has to check first to
see if the name is in use; therefore, why do they even bring up about
"favoring" this particular name?
We shouldn't be surprised to find out
who created and bought the domain for Grace Fellowship International.
It was none other than Worldwide Church of God in Nov. 2005!
In April 2006, a former WCG member emailed WCG HQ to
ask if they had chosen a new name yet. He received a reply back from Paul
Kroll who first gave a "short answer" in one sentence, saying no, they
hadn't. Then he proceeded to give a several paragraph "historical sketch"
of their search for a new name (which the former member hadn't asked for
and which would have served to divert his attention elsewhere).
WCG has said some of the new names
submitted by members and ministers in 2006 were "too long and cumbersome."3
One has to wonder how much longer a name could be than the ones WCG has already
mentioned, "favored" and even created and bought the domains for?
WCG also states that some of the names
submitted to them "sounded cultish."3
Why would names submitted by "members and ministers" of the WCG sound
cultish? Does this mean you can tell a "cult" by its name?
WCG declares their present name "sounds
old fashioned" to others.3
They tell us "some" people had
a "negative reaction" to their present name (because of HWA) and these
people "leave thinking we are the same church we once were."3
Again, this makes no sense, since
why would someone attend the
congregation in the first place if they believed this? Also, there are
still WCG churches that use "Worldwide Church of God" in their name.
We are told by WCG that before 1968 the
name Radio Church of God (their first name) made sense because "the church had pioneered
religious radio broadcasting."3
This is quite a
twist on their true history.
WCG goes on to explain how, in the 1930's, `40's and `50's, a name that
included "radio" sounded "dynamic and modern." But that by the 1960's
it began to sound "quaint and out-of-date."10
If this is true, then why do ministries that have been around for
decades, such as
Thru the Bible Radio
Network
with J. Vernon McGee,
still use the word "Radio"? This is only more foolishness to
sidetrack the members. WCG is quick to add that many well-established
organizations change their old names to "something snappier to reflect
new realities." When an organization has something in their past that
they are trying to hide, this is usually true, but old established
institutions are actually proud of their past and would hesitate to
change their name.
Loaded language is
frequently used when WCG talks about their name (past and present).
While they say the name of a church becomes its
"trademark" and "helps people form a concept of who we are"3
it's also a way of causing
members to disassociate from their past history.
Joseph Tkach
has called the pending
new name change their "denominational name change." Experts who
have studied religious cults consider such words (i. e., "denomination") the new rhetoric for
deceptive groups who desire a new name after going mainstream (as many
cults are
doing today4).
Doctrine and "new" changes can
also be used to cover up the real agenda.5
Will The
Worldwide News continue to retain its name in certain countries such
as Africa and Australia?6
Or will they incorporate something
"snappier"?
On and on they go with their reasons as
to why they need to make a name change and why they haven't done it yet.
Counting all the variations for .org, .com, .net,
.biz, .info, and .us, we've counted
sixteen names they've bought, counting their present one. Who knows
how many others there are? The list of the domain names
they registered are
as follows:
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.ORG
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.COM
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.BIZ
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.NET
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.INFO
- GRACEINTERNATIONALFELLOWSHIP.US
- GRACECOMMUNIONINTERNATIONAL.ORG
- GRACECOMMUNIONINTERNATIONAL.COM
- GRACECOMMUNIONINTERNATIONAL.NET
- GRACEINTERNATIONALCOMMUNION.ORG
- GRACEINTERNATIONALCOMMUNION.NET
- GRACEINTERNATIONALCOMMUNION.COM
- GRACEFELLOWSHIPINTERNATIONAL.ORG
- GRACEFELLOWSHIPINTERNATIONAL.COM
- GRACEFELLOWSHIPINTERNATIONAL.NET
- WCG.ORG
Could WCG possibly be waiting until most of the domain names
they've registered expire before choosing their new name? Will they later
deny to gullible members that they even registered so many?
Only time will tell. But just in
case that happens, we have copied and saved the
full domain reports for each of them on this page
(includes ones they updated).
Taking on a new name
might allow them to be forever beyond any lawsuits and legal entanglements, as
the corporation of Worldwide Church of God would no longer exist. (Read
more about this in letter to Janis Hutchinson)
After the doctrinal changes came in 1995, WCG was considering changing
their name to "The New Covenant Church in Christ," but it was put on hold.
(See OIU Newsletter 3, Pt. 2 for
more info.)
Religious cults have been known to be masters at disguise and it is common
for them to change their name every so often in response to exposure,
along with avoiding lawsuits. Boston Church of Christ
changed their name to International Church of Christ and has fronts
under many other names.7
The Children of God (which
emerged from the Jesus People Movement) changed their name to The Family
of Love and today are known as The Family International.8
Worldwide Church of God is connected
with (or subsidizes) the following: Plain Truth Ministries; Ambassador Center at Azusa
Center; Azusa Pacific University; Ambassador College of Christian
Ministry; Northern Light; Living Today; The Plain
Truth; Life Today...A Perspective; Worldwide News;
WCG Today; Together (prior to May 2006 entitled WCG
Today), Christian Odyssey,
Eastern Canadian Youth Camp, Silver Meadows Camp, Youth Ministry,
Youth Only, SEP Camps, Discovery Weekends, and others not known. (Also
read:
2-29-06 letter to ESN, which exposed UCG / WCG
connections with Dynamics Resource Group.)
As WCG continues the long
procrastination road in choosing a new name, more and more confusion and
suspense is being
planted in
members' minds. When will the name be changed? What will it be? When the new name comes at last, members will be
so relieved it is all over that they will accept whatever name is chosen,
no questions asked.
We recommend that our readers read
books which explain how
thought reform works.
By D. W.
Exit & Support Network™
January 23, 2006
Last updated June 23, 2007
*
The word "cult" is used in the context of a deceitful, abusive,
mind-manipulating organization. While WCG may not be labeled a "religious
cult" by the media today, we have given reasons in our
OIU newsletters and in our other
articles
why we do not endorse them, but rather expose them.
UPDATE:
In May 2006 Worldwide Church of
God moved all their offices to their new headquarters in Glendora,
California.9
Joseph Tkach gives reason for
wanting name change
(Worldwide Church of God Name is
"Poisoned")
In
the October 2005 issue
of
WCG Today10 (formerly Worldwide
News) Joseph Tkach states, "This would not be the
first name change for our church: Herbert W. Armstrong changed it
twice--once from Church of God, Seventh Day, to Radio Church of
God and then to Worldwide Church of God." One must ask when
HWA ever named his church "COG
Seventh Day"? It was first known as Radio Church of God and then
he changed it in 1968 to Worldwide Church of God. This can be
verified by checking out archives of the Good News.
Joseph Tkach goes on to
say that the name "Worldwide Church of God" is "poisoned" because
of the "negative associations with Armstrongism." Is it
really the name that is "poisoned," or is it the organization itself
that is poisoned, due
to the d amage
it
has caused to thousands of lives? That and the fact of
the scandalous and corrupt history
which the top leaders have tried to cover up.
This
issue further states: "For many in the public arena, the
name Worldwide Church of God is assumed to be the church
affiliated with Garner Ted Armstrong or Herbert W. Armstrong."
WCG's
PR at the time of the changes made certain the public was notified through
books and the media that they were now "changed."
(See
Research Articles on Worldwide Church of
God)The article
uses the word "denomination" throughout, saying that through their history, their "denomination"
did such and such. Again, one must ask what denomination? When was the WCG--known for decades as a
destructive Bible-based cult
that used thought reform
on its members--ever known as a "denomination"? But here is what Tkach
says: "...throughout our history as a denomination, we have used different
names for the denomination in different areas that are not always exact
translations of Worldwide Church of God." Yes, and those who listened
attentively to The World Tomorrow broadcast never knew there was a
"church" (calling itself "God's one true church") behind it that they needed to enter, until they
worked their way up into the
Ambassador Bible Correspondence Course. (See:
How Did HWA Recruit People?)
Worldwide
Church of God
was originally listed in The
Kingdom of the Cults by the late Walter
Martin. When the book was revised, their name was removed. Isn't it
strange that at least "Armstrongism" was not covered, since there are
hundreds of
WCG splinter groups today?
NOTE: To see more regarding how WCG made
their new doctrinal changes through confusion and double-talk, read:
Video Sermon by Joseph W. Tkach to WCG Members,
January 1995 and also Letters
to Janis Hutchinson (mailed during the new changes).
UPDATE:
Letter to Worldwide
Church of God, Philippines
(On Apostasy--A Radical Proposal)
(Reveals the disturbing direction WCG is headed doctrinally; includes New
Age authors WCG has endorsed. This Oct. 2006 letter was later forwarded to over 300 WCG ministers, including those at Headquarters.
Includes link to a rebuttal to Michael Morrison's reply.)
Footnotes:
1
WCG Today, February 2006
2 "Questions & Answers
About the Lord's Supper" (1997-1999)
3 FAQs About Changing the Church's
Name, Together, November-December 2006.
4 "From Cult to Church: The
Quest for Acceptance" by R. Enroth, 1994. (Tape on file with ESN.)
5 Many feel "church" is
merely a front for what are actually highly funded organizations with
millions of dollars in investments. Today they are shedding their
distinctive features, blending their ideologies, and becoming united under
the name of "God." Much of Christianity is being replaced today with New
Age philosophies. Are we beginning to see the coming together of an
ecumenical, one world religion?
Read more about HWA's
clandestine involvements in OIU Newsletter #6. Also read:
Letter to Worldwide Church of God, Philippines (On
Apostasy--A Radical Proposal)
6 In Feb. 2005 The
Worldwide News in the United States changed its name to
WCG Today. In May 2006 it was changed to Together. The WN was
first published in 1973.
7
The Family International has used other names such as, "Heaven's Magic," "Martinelli,"
"World Services," and "Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches." (Offsite
link shows list of this group's many pseudonyms, fronts and umbrella
organizations.)
8 ICC is also known as
"Campus Advance," "Upside Down Club," "Alpha Omega," "Campus Christian
Movement, " "Hope on Campus," "Christian Advance," and "Students
Advocating Christianity Today."
9
Together,
May-June 2006.
10
"WCG considers denominational name change" by Joseph Tkach, WCG Today,
October 2005
Domain Names Worldwide
Church of God Has Bought (that we know of)
Historical
Background Info on Worldwide Church of God
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.)
Letter to Worldwide
Church of God, Philippines
(On Apostasy--A Radical Proposal) (Reveals the
disturbing direction WCG is headed doctrinally; includes New Age authors
WCG has endorsed. This Oct. 2006 letter was later forwarded to over 300 WCG ministers, including those at Headquarters.
Includes link to a rebuttal to Michael Morrison's reply.)
Articles on Worldwide
Church of God Changes and History Revision
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are the property of Exit & Support Network™.
They are posted to facilitate researchers and others with inquiring minds
concerning the reasons behind the Worldwide Church of God doctrinal changes and are for educational and informational purposes only. We encourage our readers to use
discernment and research widely in order to make their own evaluation. No
portion of this website may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever. If in doubt, please email us. All rights
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