| I used to question all the time whether the Bible was the written Word of
God. I know that I was taught that it was to be studied along side Herbert
W. Armstrong's booklets and that they (WCG) felt that their
Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course would shed light on the confusion1 of
understanding the Bible. But those courses made me feel
hopelessly confused about anything Biblical. Also, I was not taught
stories from the Bible and I was not taught the Gospels were open and to
be read through and easily understood. I do not remember the WCG calling
those books "the Gospels." As a matter of fact, that is
another term that I thought was used by "outsiders" and Christians
in other churches who were all considered "pagans." Here are several
words that I know I always felt were pagan when I was growing up in the WCG and I never knew what they
meant: "gospels," "Jesus," "grace," "Trinity,"
"saved," "Holy Spirit," "believing in heaven," and I never in my life heard the words
"justification" or "sanctification."
When I've come across atheist
or humanistic sites, they cause the old fears to come back up: what if
you're wrong? what if it's all just some tale they've told down thru the
ages? you'll never be good enough to be in God's presence, and on and on
. . . I don't believe those things are true anymore, but I still have
such a new faith that I know that I am susceptible to people's ideas and
things. That's why I felt so good when I was reading the Bible daily. I
feel like right now it's really important that I try to stay away from
people who are atheist or agnostic because they always bring up points
that can sound truthful or insightful.
The thing is that I have had such
intimate conversations with Jesus and such a feeling of warmth and love
and belonging from Him at times that I know where I want to be. I want
to be in His Spiritual Church. It's so hard though to try and believe
and to build up your faith and trust in Him when there's a whole world
bombarding me with different views. I read all kinds of stupid things
that were New Age right after I left the WCG and I never once felt anything spiritual or
comforting in them. Truly, I didn't
feel anything but hopeless if all I really had was myself to rely on. If
that was true, then I was pretty bad off indeed. Honestly, that is not the least
bit comforting to me. But with Jesus He offers Hope. Hope for love and
comfort and care and a future with Him in heaven that stretches into
infinity. I don't want to give up all that for any New Age beliefs, or a
belief in nothing but running until you drop dead like the atheists
believe.
By Ann - Child Survivor of WCG
Footnote:
1 Confusion is a
result of the mind control that survivors endured.
Why Do
Many Exiters of Armstrongism Turn to Agnosticism or Atheism?
Will Exiters Who
Become Atheists Have Another Chance For Salvation?
Mike's
Answer to an Atheist (includes
section at the bottom on, "Are
Atheists Happy?" "What
About Thomas Paine's Book?" "Refuting Common Atheist Claims" and "Confessions by Atheists")
How Do I Receive
Eternal Life?
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