There is therapeutic value in
writing. Many professional counselors have their clients write out their
experiences. It is good in working through the recovery process. We who
exited the
Worldwide Church of God were
in an oppressive, abusive, non-loving, controlling organization.
Recovery is a process and it takes some time and work to get through it.
Some will want to accuse us of sharing in a pity party but we don't want
to allow them to approve the sins against us in that way. We have been
sorely sinned against. Whereas we have been willing and have repented of
our sins, it is up to the WCG leadership to repent of their sins and I
don't see any sign they have done so. They have committed serious wrongs
against us and they yet retain bad attitudes about it in their self
righteousness. We are the ones who have risen above that level even
though we have been beaten down. At least we have taken another
direction and are redirecting our lives and God will certainly bless us
in our efforts in doing so.
During the time the WCG support groups
("healing groups") were
forming, I never had any idea it was supposed to be about recovering
from the abuses of WCG. That was kept under wraps. The
support group I attended certainly didn't deal with anything like
that. It was more like reasoning "why" the changes in doctrines. We
had no inkling that the groups were to be formed to help us recover from
abuses by the WCG. I don't
think the church wanted to deal with the abuse issues. In fact, I
know
they didn't want to deal with those issues of abuse. In my area I'm
not aware of anyone who would feel they were "helped" by any of this.1 It
was too much like the rapist helping the victim. It just didn't wash. I
soon came to realize that I needed to leave WCG. I needed to completely
get away from it before I could resume a normal life. I do not blame God for my ever
being in WCG. It was a mistake I made in good faith. The good faith was
on our part and God had nothing to do with putting us there. He allows
us to make decisions and sometimes we don't make the better ones but we
can recover from them. No, God did not lead us into error. I cannot
personally blame Him for my being there and the damage it did to my
family. I have personally suffered a great deal from it and so have
others, but I know I am stronger today through it all.
WCG wants to continue to hold
their members in bondage through
mind
control. My pastor came out after
getting my letter of resignation to try to talk me out of it and he
rather indignantly remarked, "Well, it seems you have made up your
mind." I clearly responded that, indeed, I had firmly made up my
mind and I was not available for returning to WCG.
Many have sent letters to ESN.
The truth must be told by as many as will come out and tell it. We owe
it to others who might be helped by it. If we save several souls from
going into that direction, or encourage several entrapped souls to come
out of it, I would say our efforts are blessed. Yes, I hate to tell what
might seem negative to some but we know it to be absolute truth and it
must be told.
We are survivors and we
strengthen each other.
By Will
September 18, 2003
Also read:
I
Tried to Speak Out About the WCG Duplicity and Paternalism (2006 letter to
ESN which covers more of what happened during the WCG changes)
Footnote:
1 Those who attended these
"healing" groups have relayed to ESN how the ministers were getting tired
of members' "unforgiving attitudes," and "demanded instant forgiveness";
and how members "weren't allowed to feel anything else," but were told to
"move on and put the past behind them." To do anything less was to be
labeled with a "forgiveness problem."

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