I'm not sure how much to say, but thank you for your website about
Herbert W. Armstrong.
That man and his church placed its mark on our family that may affect
generations to come.
My parents joined the
Worldwide
Church of God somewhere about 1963 or so. I wasn't born yet. But
somehow I feel like I still carry the pain of my father who believed so
wholeheartedly in Armstrong and his teachings and was
summarily excommunicated from the church around 1978 or so when he
listened to some sermon tapes from
Garner
Ted Armstrong. That "church" was my parents' whole life.
All their friends were there and all of their hopes.
When they were kicked out none of their former
"friends" would even acknowledge them when they saw
each other.
My dad sold his farm based on the teaching that the
whole area would become a desert as the end times
approached. He was a farmer without a farm for thirty
years until his passing.
The positive side of this story is that my parents retained their faith in
God and went on to establish a deeper understanding and greater intimacy
with Jesus
through their own personal struggles. I was raised without a church to go
to, but we kept the holy days at home and went to the Feast of Tabernacles
usually
with the Church of God International. [GTA's organization in 1978]
I'm no longer keeping the Sabbath or any of the Holy
Days. Nor am I an avid student of the Bible. But I
feel like that "church" is haunting me still.
My dad would have been too proud to talk about it.
But he and the family made a lot of sacrifices to
devote themselves to that church. They were poor,
frankly, and the tithing didn't always come easy. And
my dad was pretty much convinced that every trip to
the Feast was a testing time for God to find out if
you were really committed (owing to all the
inconveniences, spontaneous automotive problems, etc.).
What's most important for me to tell you is that your
website helps me understand the process my dad and mom
went through...that got them into "the church."
My dad used to say that Herbert Armstrong would say on his
radio show, "Don't believe me; believe your Bible." And that's what my dad
really liked. To be followed by the extremely painful
revelation that this was only a manipulation.
It was so hard for me to step out of that
upbringing...the specialness. Even though my parents
weren't with the Worldwide I was still taught about
God's chosen people. And now I never feel satisfied
unless I feel like I have some kind of special
knowledge or special relationship with God.
It is vanity...as my dad recognized later in his life.
It is so interesting for me to read about HWA, because I never was really part of his
"church" and
yet as I read it, it's so familiar. I haven't talked
about my experience growing up half in this organization
because either I'm talking to people who don't really
understand (weren't in "the church") or people who
weren't tolerant enough to hear me talk about leaving
the teachings altogether. I'm not ostensibly against
the Sabbath, but I no longer keep it either. I have
placed Christianity on the sidelines. For me, Jesus
holds a special place in my heart, and yet I do not
feel accepted among Christians or even by Jesus or
God.
These are private matters but I've felt compelled to
share some of this with you. It weighs heavy on my
heart these days as my dad passed away last October
and I miss him dearly.
Thank you for listening. By
Darryl - Child
survivor of WCG
July 10, 2005
My Position in Christ
(accepted and secure forever)
Articles
For Those Who Were Emotionally and Spiritually Abused
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