I was a member of Worldwide
Church of God from 1974 until 1996. I read their
glossy, free magazine from October 1971 to 1974 and it was a very balanced magazine in those
years. I came across nothing controversial before I
joined. Little did I know I had joined an elitist
totalitarian society with the brain quality of a
confirmed dunderhead. Neither was I aware of the
scandals that were rocking the movement in the United States.
From 1977 onwards,
I was having serious concerns about the direction of
this movement, particularly
Worldwide's battle with the State of California. I
wanted more information, and I knew I needed it.
However, it was then very difficult to get any information from the U.S. if you were living in England.
Also, I only had a pittance in the bank. (I had turned
down a very good job because it involved working on
the Sabbath every fourth Saturday and like every one
else in a similar position I received counsel on the
matter.) Also, for decades I did not gossip, as taught
by Worldwide, so I learned nothing. (That is why your
website must continue!)
There were many things I did
not believe, even as a young person; i. e.,
Petra, Herbert's
personal detail on Bible prophecy, etc. I remember one
clever deacon who boldly showed me a very detailed
set of so called Bible prophecies in the
correspondence course, asking if I believed any of
this. I said nothing. However, while my eyes were on
the Jesus in Heaven from the very date I walked into
Worldwide, I did sincerely believe in the concept of a
true church organisation (without Worldwide's demonisation of
the outsider). However, this meant I
was a captive to the very arbitrary diktats that
flowed like a river from Pasadena. Two
decades of experience proved far, far, far beyond all
reasonable doubt that this was false and that my
definition of love, mercy and compassion--as loudly
proclaimed in the Bible and as defined by the leading English Language dictionaries--was
not as
defined by Worldwide.
Contrary to true spirituality, many members and ministers openly
deified HWA. In Worldwide
itself many members and ministers remain who sing
HWA's praises to the rafters, even though the rump
that remains has reformed. However, many questions
remain unanswered. Take just one: a lot of money was
disappearing into a black hole in the 70s and 80s--where did it go? We are probably never going to find
out. I think that one thing that does anger myself
still (and contrary to the foolish wisdom of the world
there is such a thing as healthy anger) is the way I
was bullied (and as opposed to the very profound
double standards of the leadership documented in
Ambassador Report) not to date three young ladies in
the 80s, all of whom instinct said would make good
marriage partners. Again, Worldwide put a stop to it. I learned the hard way,
there is no such thing as a true church organisation.
The plain truth is, thanks to Worldwide, like many
others, I am jobless and on my own, usually unable to
attend church with very little money and living in a
really bad area where I do not wish to be. I remain
committed to God and the Bible, and regard myself as Church Of England.
Now that there are so many
hundreds of splinters, and splinters from splinters,
and even splinters from splinters from splinters, I am
not surprised. The fruit of Armstrongism is fully
apparent in all these
offshoots, and is not a product
of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5, verse 20 contrasted
with verse 22-23).
Please keep up the good work!
By Roland
June 15, 2006
Articles
For Those Who Were Emotionally and Spiritually Abused
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