Letters
From Those Impacted
by WCG, HWA & Offshoots
January 1, 2008 to
present
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2008 Letters From Those Impacted by PCG Ron Weinland and His Prophecies: January 2, 2008
Ronald Weinland (another offshoot of HWA's WCG) is claiming to be one of
the two witnesses of Revelation. He has stated the tribulation is to
start in February, but has also claimed that the two "TV presenters"
will die early on, which as far as I can tell, should have
already happened or should happen very soon. I would take him to refer
to one as being Gerald Flurry. He's the only one I know of from the
churches of God that's on TV on our cable system that would be in
competition with Weinland. Reply: Yes, we are aware of Weinland and how he says he will be one of the two witnesses. It appears that he thinks the TV presenters who will die are in LCG. Notice the following from his book 2008--God's Final Witness:
More info on Ronald Weinland: Weinland was disfellowshipped from WCG in 1996 and joined UCG where he was a minister for two years. He founded The Church of God-PKG (Preparing for the Kingdom of God) and he proclaims COG-PKG is the only one out of all the WCG offshoots that has "continued as God's true church." He believes HWA "restored God's truths," was the "prophesied Elijah to come" and was "God's last apostle." He states we "are in the final stages of the last era" and has declared himself a prophet and one of the two witnesses. COG-PKG is an apocalyptic, authoritarian organization. For more info regarding such groups and the methods they use, see our articles under Understanding Mind Control and Exploitive Groups, Roots of the Worldwide Church of God and others.
Update: See April 9, 2008 letter,
Ron Weinland Makes Prophetic Date and
April 21 letter about "members stockpiling food" and others
following. Robert Ardis and Church of God's Faithful: January 4, 2008 I used to be a member of the
WCG from 1984 to 1991, and then from 1991 to 2001 Reply:
One person who is very familiar with Robert G. Ardis told us that he is
another false prophet with some ridiculous ideas and gives
speculative ideas about prophecy. He said he may be "a nicer guy than
Flurry, but false prophets come in all shapes, sizes and colors." CGF is
now saying they have "75 new truths that were unknown in Mr. Armstrong's
time." The other info we have on Ardis and Church of God's Faithful is
contained in the reply to this letter:
Church of God's Faithful is a Splinter of PCG. Childhood Hell Began at Imperial School: January 5, 2008 I'm a survivor of Imperial School, and WCG, in Pasadena. My mother started listening to HWA's radio broadcasts when I was little. She was determined to make her pilgrimage to HWA, and so we moved to southern California when I was 5. She put my brother and I on a wait list to get into Imperial School. Meanwhile, we started to attend services. After I was officially enrolled at Imperial, my real childhood hell began. I have memories of spiritual, emotional, and sexually abusive experiences within the classroom that haunt me even today. I broke free in 1971, but
my family remained involved in the WCG until things fell apart. Married a Verbally Abusive Man: January 6, 2008 I grew up in the WCG/PCG. When I left the PCG, I married a verbally abusive man. He isn't terrible every day, but some days are really bad. I have to walk around on eggshells because I never know when he is going to explode. I've been in the "church" my whole life, and I'm just now trying to figure out who I really am. But I still have to stifle my personality as I have done my whole life. Some days I try to rationalize that "it isn't all that bad." But when I finally stop the denial for a moment, I can see that I'm in a pretty bad situation. He makes me feel like I can't trust him, and that kills all attraction I ever had for him. I need help in knowing how to stand up for myself. I don't know whether a marriage like this is worth saving. It's like he's keeping me from ever becoming me. How do I react to irrational anger without endangering myself? I feel like I need to get out, but I also don't want to feel like a failure in my marriage. Could someone please just write me a couple of lines to let me know what you think? Thank you so much for your time. --Child survivor of WCG/PCG Reply: It is common for those who grew up in WCG/PCG to become involved in a verbally abusive relationship. All abuse is degrading and takes away our human rights, but verbal abuse leaves lasting scars. No one ever deserves to be abused. The first step is to recognize the abuse and then reach out to others for help and support. For more info, read: Do Philadelphia Church of God Husbands Abuse Their Wives (applies to any abusive situation in marriage.) Our Booklist recommends: The Emotionally Abused Woman: Overcoming Destructive Patterns and Reclaiming Yourself. To receive long term help in gaining the tools necessary to become strong and to know how to be in control of your own life, a counselor who is familiar with verbal abuse and/or controlling religious groups can help. See: Speak Out Against Verbal Abuse [offsite link with many good articles] and Children Raised in WCG, PCG & Offshoots. No one is a "failure" for removing themselves from an abusive situation. Verbal Abusers are Control Freaks: January 11, 2008 I really feel for the lady who is in a verbally abusive marriage [see previous letter]. I can't say enough about how she needs to get out. Verbal abusers are control freaks, and she will never be able to get him to change because he's in denial. You end up being afraid to be yourself and you end up isolated. Get a job, find out where you can get assistance, do whatever it takes to get out. Trying to confront him could be dangerous as verbal abuse can escalate into physical abuse. Staying will not make it better. Once you leave, you will see just how bad it really was. --Been there (exiter of WCG) I Saw Firsthand How Destructive the WCG Cult Was: January 13, 2008 As I read through the letters on your site, I am shocked at what the current and former members are and have gone through. I feel sorry for these people who were and are being hurt and abused by the WCG and its cult offshoots. M y father (who did not raise me) was a member of the Worldwide Church of God when Herbert Armstrong and Joe Tkach Sr. ran it. So I know a little about them, and I saw first hand how destructive that cult was and how much of my father's time and money that they consumed from him over a fifteen year period.I saw how they tore apart his second marriage and family. I thank God that my father finally got out of it about 12 years ago, but unfortunately by the time he got out the damage was done. He never owned a home, never had a new car, his vision got worse because he could never afford new glasses when he needed them because they took his money through this triple tithe crap. Also, his wife ended up divorcing him, and he lost his job, thanks to the teachings of that cult. The method that HWA used to recruit my father was pretty similar to what is on your site [See: How Did Herbert W. Armstrong Recruit People?], but dad did not get the Ambassador Bible study until after he started attending. He was there for about a year before he knew that he could no longer keep Christmas and had to keep the Feasts. By this time, they put the fear into him that now that he knows the "truth," he could not leave God's "true church" lest he ended up in the lake of fire.
He told me that he listened to the
World Tomorrow on radio growing up in the fifties but his father
prevented him from listening anymore and from getting any literature
from Armstrong. Thank God at that time grandpa knew a fraud when he
heard one. But unfortunately my father joined in the 1980's and my
grandfather wanted to kick his butt for it. Grandpa kept telling dad
until his dying days that the WCG was a
cult and that Herbert Armstrong
was a fraud and a hypocrite. Quotes from Pack's Sermon: "RCG 2008: The Great Turning Point": January 24, 2007 David C. Pack has announced some of what he intends to do with the money his church (Restored Church of God) is receiving as a result of his "Clarion Call" sermon that he gave in November 2007. Here are some excerpts in this nearly three hour "sermon" called "RCG 2008: The Great Turning Point," posted 1-19-08.
He also calls one group (surely referring to Philadelphia Church of God) "Our enemies in Oklahoma." --Former member of RCG Update: ESN has done a critique of Pack's sermon: Exposé of "Clarion Call—The Time is Now!" (Pt. 2) (Includes excerpts from "The 1335 Days—What Most Will Never Hear" - Pt. 1). Your Site Has Helped Me Immensely: January 26, 2008 I am writing as I really have no one else I can talk to about this. I found your site about two years ago and it has helped me immensely to know there are others out there who survived. I was born into the "church" and left around 1966. My mother died of breast cancer in 1965 and after that our family fell apart. My Dad was disfellowshipped which I guess meant we children were also. His "sin" was to date a woman who was not in the WCG. Anyway, I am 40 years old now and married. I have been troubled always with the guilt, fear, non-belief, non-trusting issues and it has taken me until now to actually realize much stems from my childhood spent in WWCG. I have just started counseling to try to help me. I see stories of success and joy and happiness but I feel a sadness and hopelessness that I have so far to go. Thank you for your wonderful site. --Child survivor of WCG Reply: I'm glad you have found our site helpful. It is very common for those who left but never understood what they were actually a part of--not a "church" but a destructive, mind-manipulating organization--to still have troubling emotions years later as a result of the guilt, fear, shame, and perfectionism placed in them. While it is often a long road to recovery, let me encourage you that it is possible to get beyond all this and enjoy life again, as you have read about on our site. Don't give up. Great Posting on Clarion Call! January 27, 2008 Great posting!!!! [See ESN exposé on David Pack's sermon "Clarion Call"] Maybe this will wake some people up. To leave PCG and go with Pack is no improvement. Unfortunately, this a path that many have taken. I did it several years ago. This was even before Pack proclaimed himself an apostle. With all the information that is out there about him now, he should be losing members and not gaining. --Glad to be out of Restored Church of God I Saw Bobby Fischer at Ambassador College: February 3, 2008 The first time I saw Bobby Fischer was at Ambassador College in my freshman Bible class with Rod Meredith. He sat in the back, and we were all told not to bother him. He, being a highly well known person was courted
quite a bit by the ministry, such as Meredith. Meredith used to talk
about being out and about with Fisher. In the racquet ball courts, there were two locker
rooms that required either a key to enter, or to know a touch pad code
to get into. The one downstairs was for faculty. The locker room
upstairs was quite fancy and ornate. It was for GTA and the upper
ministry. If I remember, there was also a bar up there. Fisher was mentioned quite a bit at AC, like displaying a prize catch. He was never a member (he was a co-worker), but he got a lot of personal attention by the ministry because of who he was and the money he had. I never even heard a whisper about that
1977 interview with
Bobby Fischer when I was a student, but it was an interesting read. I can
certainly equate with some of it. He seems to have been pretty
perceptive on several fronts. WCG Tried to Discount Bobby Fischer After the Interview: February 3, 2008 I recall when the news media made some of Fischer's
remarks public. Sure enough, in the announcements at my local
congregation, we were told that Fischer had only become a co-worker by
making some donations and had never been a member of WCG. Fischer's
comments had become public and the church (?) was out to discredit him.
So the ministry stated the company line. Fischer Was a Child Prodigy, But HWA Screwed Up His Mind: February 3, 2008 A lot of child prodigies (if not the great majority of them) have problems with social behaviors. Sometimes they are brain-damaged, or autistic and have developmental and social problems, but excel in other areas. Bobby Fischer, being a child prodigy, no doubt did suffer some kind of social and behavioral problems before he came into the WCG, but even Fischer himself revealed in that interview that Armstrong "screwed up his mind." --Former WCG member It is Hard to Shed the Image of Herbert Armstrong: (covers Bobby Fischer) February 4, 2008 I just finished reading the Bobby Fischer interview [given in 1977]. It was very, very good. He certainly told it exactly how it was. It made me feel better about how I had felt guilty about my negative opinions of Herbert Armstrong. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to believe that someone can be so evil. Then I think about David Pack, Gerald Flurry, and other controlling leaders, and I see that yes, indeed, men can be terribly evil. I guess HWA had more PR in place than these other men. All his medals and awards he received made me believe that God was somehow telling us that HWA was chosen by Him--that somehow he was different. You don't see these other leaders of these splinter groups getting any of those awards. But then, they don't have the income to buy those others leaders off, either. They don't have millions to throw around like HWA did. Herbert Armstrong certainly spent an inordinate amount of time convincing us he was somebody that he truly wasn't. Bobby Fischer saw firsthand how the "image" was nothing like the "reality." I can recall countless Sabbaths where the ministers had many "warm, funny" stories to tell us about HWA, e. g., telling how his jowls would shake whenever he would answer a "stupid" question, how he would put "unqualified people" in charge and make them learn from their mistakes, how he demanded perfection (and he seemed to be the only human being on the face of the earth that could please God), how world leaders gave him an audience that even the President of the United States couldn't get, etc. It truly is hard to shed those images. But when we think about it, what did we really know about Herbert Armstrong? Only what we were told. And those who did know the truth, turned around and told us a different story. It was difficult for me to believe that he could be so evil, so perverted. But then one only needs to look at his son Garner Ted and see that something wasn't right about his upbringing. If HWA were truly a godly father, then GTA would have turned out a godly man, and this was certainly not the case. It's hard to "look at the fruits" of HWA and reconcile his deeds with the "image" that we were fed. Bobby Fischer went through the same thing. He saw the hypocrisy, the lies, the evil firsthand, just as William B. Hinson, David Robinson, Marion J. McNair, and others who had the courage to speak out. It's true what Fischer said about "doubting your mind." When I first came into the WCG, I remember being told to "Prove All Things..." and that asking questions was welcomed. That's one of the things that "sold me" to the WCG. But after being in for awhile, we were told that "questioning authority was evil"--it was like "questioning God Himself" and we didn't dare do that! So in reality, we didn't dare "prove all things"--what they really meant was that we had to "prove that all things that Herbert Armstrong said was right" (that comes after the "...."). In reading the interview, though, it was interesting to see that Fischer struggled like the rest of us--with the guilt and performance issues. I felt sad about Bobby Fischer--if only he had come to know the Lord. --L. B., former WCG member Comment: Read: How I "Proved" Herbert W. Armstrong Was God's Apostle. Update: Read February 16 letter below: There Will Not Be Another Con as Good as HWA's (covers Bobby Fischer) Could No Longer Ignore We Were Victimized by the WCG: February 7, 2008 There are many people who feel they were never victimized by the WCG. When I first exited, I firmly believed that we hadn't been. We had wonderful times in the WCG, we had many friends, we never went hungry, and we were always well liked by our ministers. I did not exit on the grounds of abuse, but on grounds of HWA's conduct, and on grounds of the group being unbiblical and cultic. It would take me a long time to see the true motives of the organization, the lies that the leaders told, and that they really weren't sincere. It took me awhile to realize that the hard-earned money that we sent in was not used in the way that they claimed. This is abuse, like it or not. Covering up for HWA is lying, and this is abuse. They talked down to us during the changes, and shamed and intimidated us into adopting the new doctrines. This is abuse, but I didn't see it at the time. I felt only good things about the WCG and only thought good thoughts about the ministers and HQ's leaders. I believed they weren't capable of doing anything evil, and I believed that I should forgive them, because "they, too, had been duped." But after reading a lot of research
and hearing testimonies, I could no longer ignore that these things
were not done for our benefit, but for theirs. Many in WCG
today are burying their head in the sand. Maybe they didn't suffer as
much, maybe they were a minister's kid or an elder's kid, but they
grew up in a system that was highly abusive, like it or not. Many
people who come from dysfunctional families don't realize they're
dysfunctional until it's pointed out to them, and then they will still
deny it. People in WCG were manipulated by
mind control techniques so
long that they don't even realize they have been abused. These people
are in denial, and are a willing participant. There's not much anyone
can do about that.
It is hard to see abuse when you've only
had good times in the WCG. But the way HQ implemented the changes was
very confusing and downright abusive. Nobody was "saved" or even
invited to a relationship with Jesus Christ. We were told what to do,
what to believe, and were pushed and guilted into compliance. We were
told to send money to them because of "dwindling finances" and then
Tkach Jr. gave himself a pay raise. Without a democratic government in
place, it would be easy to get away with something like that. Those in
WCG put a lot of faith in the "government" (as I did) and believed
that HQ had their best interest in mind. When one comes to understand
that this is not so, and that everything boiled down to damage
control, then you begin to understand that we were only valued because
of the money. --R. M.
Also read:
Clues to Application
of Mind Control in WCG (Very good and detailed letter showing how
WCG was able to remove the true God from our minds and replace it with
the WCG organization ["the government"].) WCG Member Acted Charismatic: February 11, 2008 Not too long ago when I visited my girl friend (who is still in WCG), it was, "Jesus this, and Jesus that." She talked about Him like He was right there, always watching everything she did, and everything she thought, and making everything happen her way. I remember feeling almost like a "second class Christian" around her. I thought, "I'm supposed to be the Christian here. How come I don't act as excited as she does, or talk continuously about Jesus like she does, or expect Him to make everything happen for me like she does? She kind of had a "Name it and Claim It" approach to life. --PA Comment: Members in WCG have a
potpourri of beliefs and while they say they aren't outright being
told what to believe, they have subtly been programmed into a new
set of beliefs. Jesus Didn't Condone Changing a
Cult From Within: February 11, 2008 I
just watched a film called "Called To
Be Free," and I didn't realize it when I began watching it, but by
the time I was finished, it seemed to simply be an advertisement for
the WCG and how it's a safe organization now. I'm a pastor and have no
intentions on joining them.
Comment: Good
question. Why didn't Tkach just write a letter of resignation? For
thoughts on why WCG would find it advantageous to mainstream, see
this part in OIU
Newsletter #2 and read:
Was God Behind the Worldwide Church of
God Changes? There Will Not Be Another Con as Good as HWA's: February 16, 2008 I had not read the interview with Bobby Fischer before. It was really a very good interview and I found it very interesting. I had been told that Bobby Fischer hadn't had that much to do with the WCG. Then I find after reading the interview that he was a co-worker who tithed since 1962. Ron Lohr said that Fischer was only at Ambassador College a "short" time and never really was in the WCG and that he was a weirdo. Now I know why Lohr said what he did about Fischer. He was probably told that bill of goods to pass on to us. I came into the WCG after all such happenings so I was never told the truth about HWA and the WCG until I read it on your site. I concur with Fischer's conclusion that there will not be another con as good as HWA's. It really drives home to me more and more just how evil Herbert Armstrong was. --Illinois Comment: Read letters above about Bobby Fischer, beginning with February 3 and this part in a newspaper article on our site which mentions Fischer. Made A Clean Break From God's Church, Worldwide: February 16, 2008 I have been reading all the material on your site and others for about three weeks. It has been a tremendous help to me in trying to understand why I got sucked into "God's Church, Worldwide." There had been red flags waving at me from the very beginning, but I have finally made a clean break with them and am out of it for good. In order to be baptized one has to agree to discredit all other churches as the synagogues of satan. There is too much doom and gloom prophecies and I was getting caught up in the fear and intimidation theme. Awhile back, there was a major split and as a result many people left. I feel very sorry for all the young people, the children in this church, who have no one to date, or be very close with, since they are allowed only to associated with church members. I am still very embarrassed to have been a part of it, and to have been so duped by the tall tales of doom and gloom days ahead. I have a ways to go still, but at least I have seen the truth about this group. --Left GCW Comment: No matter the length of time spent in a controlling, abusive group (whether a few weeks or many years), there is usually always emotional and spiritual damage. Our Booklist and Recovery Articles are there to aid in one's healing and recovery. More info on God's Church, Worldwide: God's Church, Worldwide, located in Sorrento, Florida, describes themselves as "Holding Fast to The Herbert W. Armstrong Foundation." It was founded by Robert J. Elliot, a WCG pastor who was disfellowshipped in 1995. In June 2006 he died of cancer. His successor, Richard Bickel died in 2007. The present pastor is David Moore. GCW states that the end time began January 16, 1986 (the date HWA died) and the Church of God fell away from the truth at that time except for a small Philadelphian remnant. They believe HWA was the final Elijah--a bona-fide servant of God--who "restored the truths" that the church lost, and the job of taking the gospel to the world as a witness and a warning is now complete. They believe they are called to be part of the 144,000 and that there will be a place of safety during the tribulation (probably Petra), but that some will be have to endure the tribulation due to "lukewarm attitudes" and because they "forgot who Herbert Armstrong was." GCW is a very controlling, authoritarian group which focuses on end time prophecies. Greedy, Abusive Criminals Running a Scam: February 16, 2008 I grew up in the Tucson, Arizona WCG in the late 1950's and finally stopped going around 1978 after my family moved when I was 18. I will never know the amount of money my parents sent the Armstrongs to sustain their lifestyle of greed and decadence, but after reading the articles regarding tithing on your website, I now understand why we were always struggling for money.
These leaders were not "men of God." They were greedy, abusive
criminals running a scam on people looking for comfort, and their
teachings were further attempts to control their "flock" into
submission with fear and manipulation.
They really are sociopaths with no
sense of remorse and a huge sense of entitlement, otherwise they would
not have done those things in the first place. Therefore, they are
never going to acknowledge any of us who were damaged by their greed.
Thank you for giving us a safe place to express ourselves. For each
one of us who writes, I am sure there are lots more who cannot find
the courage to do so, but still receive the gift of knowing they are
not alone. --Rebecca Gharis (WCG child survivor)
Restored Church of God Showed a Mean God: February 28, 2008 I am a Christian and I always
loved Christ and God. But a few months ago I somehow came across a HWA
church website, the RCG. I was amazed at what I saw.
"The plain truth" and
"greatest questions, plain answers" were just some of the things that the
website boasted. I have to admit that I believed that for a while.
However, the articles on the website showed a mean God, not the one that I
knew. HWA also contradicted himself at times. I started to doubt. I prayed
to God to show me the truth and guide me the right way because I was very
confused. About 15 hours later I came across your website and my true
relationship with Jesus has been restored. I feel loved now and I feel
comforted by God and Jesus, which I didn't in the RCG. To be honest I was
scared of the God they preached and I just didn't feel at home. I thank
God that I only believed HWA's words for a few weeks. I think everybody
reading this should pray to God to show the HWA followers the true Jesus,
the true God and the right way. Ron Weinland Makes Prophetic Date: April 10, 2008 Ron Weinland (COG-PKG) has now predicted April 17th this year to be the beginning of the Tribulation. (I stumbled upon it while doing an online search.) Now I see why members are in such a panic over everything. I know that even if Weinland gets the date wrong, his members will still follow him, just as people have done with HWA and others whose prophecies failed. [Read book: When Prophecy Fails (A Social & Psychological Study of a Modern Group That Predicted the Destruction of the World)] --Former member Comment: Weinland states that April 17 "is the day the First Trumpet of the Seventh Seal sounds" and when the job God has for His two witnesses "begins to unfold." He restates again, "I am one of those witnesses." He says he will publically reveal the identity of the second witness in his sermon to be given on April 19 from Jerusalem. (According to Weinland, the "Second Trumpet" is not to sound until after Pentecost.) Second Witness in Church of God-PKG to be Weinland's Wife: April 15, 2008 When Ron Weinland makes the announcement on who will be the other witness [see previous letter], it will be his wife, Laura. It came from Weinland's own mouth. --Anonymous Searching for Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web: April 16, 2008 I was wondering if it would be possible to make the entire book (Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web) available on this website? I've known for many years of HWA's incest (this is what helped me leave the organization for good) and I would love to read the rest of the story. I've been searching for copies of this book and the only one I can find is on Amazon’s website for nearly $350 (this is not a typo). If it is possible to post the whole book, I'm sure there are many others, as well as myself, who would love to learn the truth about "God's apostle." Once I found out about this book, I started questioning the ministry. What I found shocking is not what they told me but what they wouldn't tell me. It didn't take long to make the decision to leave them for good. --C. S. Reply: If you follow the link at the end of the article on our site, it will take you to our booklist which shows the book can be ordered from Emissary Publications for $20.00 (comb bound). This book has opened a lot of people's eyes. Confused About UCG-AIA: April 19, 2008 I have been reading your web site and find it very interesting. We come from a Protestant back ground and have recently been reading some of the booklets from the United Church of God. We have been to some of the Sabbath services but are still not quite sure about this. We are very careful not to jump into something we might regret. Your web site talks about some of the questions we have been wondering about. We are very confused. I hope you will reply to this e-mail because we seriously would like to know. Thanks. --C. Reply: We do not endorse UCG-AIA.
See our articles
on them. Before you join any church or
religious group, be sure you have all your questions answered ahead of
time and understand exactly what will be expected of you, especially
financially. Sound Biblical Theology and Exegesis Freed Us: April 19, 2008 I faithfully check your site and saw the [previous] letter about UCG-AIA. You must encourage them to take the booklets with their specific questions to a seminary-trained theologian who can explain with clarity the Gospel and about the old covenant and the New Covenant, that the church is not spiritual Israel, that UCG will use words they hear in traditional Christianity, but they pour their own meaning into them. It was our learning basic and sound Biblical theology and exegesis that freed us from the bondage of the mind control and false teaching. I hope they turn around and run and never look back.
Thank you for what you do. --30 Years
In Bondage Members in Church of God-PKG (Ron Weinland) Stockpiling Food Now:
April 21, 2008 Comment: Read our article, Memories of Petra. Ron Weinland a False Prophet and Deceiver: April 24, 2008 As many know by now, Ron Weinland revealed that the 2nd Witness of Revelation is his wife, Laura. But members in COG-PKG now say they "already knew who it was for months." RW ended his announcement by saying, "Many will mock and ridicule, but as we go forward, this time God will place fear in those who mock Him and His servants. Power has been given to make this so." I have noticed that these false prophets are filled with an arrogant sense of self and entitlement. While RW goes about making his many predictions and placing fear in the minds of those who are deceived by him, in time we will find out he is only one of many deceivers rampant in the world who are adept with using mind control. --R. R. Stress and Depression Due to Abuse I Suffered in WCG: May 8, 2008 I started going to the "Radio Church of God" [WCG's first name] when I was 8 years old in 1967. As an adult, I always believed that this was the "true church," but believed I was going to the lake of fire, because I could not live up to the Armstrongism. I taught my children about the "truth," although I only visited the WCG as an adult for a few months at a time (where my parents and other relatives were members). It was not until Tkach Sr. started changing things did I question anything. In the mid 90s, I "proved to
myself" that this was a cult and
learned more about the "Grace of God"--so did my whole family, although
some still attend the Worldwide Church of God (believing that it is now
a non-denominational Christian church). I attended the WCG after the
changes, but it was still unsettling, as legalism was still taught.
Although I believe in our Lord Jesus and the true gospel, I still cannot
attend any church, as I see the legalism taught in [certain] other
churches and cannot bring myself to go to church regularly. It would be nice to email other "child survivors" of the WCG. I think it may help me put this to rest and get on with my life. Thank you for your website. I really appreciate it. Sincerely, --Child survivor of WCG Hopeful That I Will Find My Authentic Self: (2nd email from person above) May 12, 2008 I really want to thank you for the resources on your site once again. I had told my therapist about being involved in a cult a few months ago, but I did not know that this was the big problem that needed to be resolved until I researched Herbert W. Armstrong last week and then your site. I didn't know, or I refused to acknowledge, what a fraud Armstrong was. I had thought he was delusional when I left the WCG, but now I believe he was in it just for the money and power. Was I ever brainwashed!!! I have grieved for the past week and went to see my therapist today. I explained everything to him--and we both know that we have our work cut out for us. I'm going to begin cognitive therapy this week and am very hopeful that, after so many unhappy years of depression, anxiety, phobias, etc., that I will finally find my authentic self and learn how to think positively (not the way I was taught for all those years in the "church"). I want to finally be free in our Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and be a positive person, wife and mother. --Child survivor of WCG Carn Catherwood and His Petra Sermon: May 27, 2008 Regarding the quotes from Carn Catherwood's Petra sermon (the "Anti-Place of Safety Bias"), thanks for furnishing more quotes. The sermon was given before 1984 (that's when we were allowed to attend, even though I had been reading the literature for 6 months already). (Read letter below which says it was 1981.) I do not recall it and I know I would have remembered it, as I ate up stuff like this. I don't even think it was in the tape library because I took out a lot old tapes to listen to them. So my guess is that it had to be sometime close to the time that GTA broke off, and after the Jonestown massacre [Catherwood mentioned "Jonestown" and said when they get ready to flee, the media will compare them to Jonestown and "it will be embarrassing"], but also during a time when they still heavily taught members that they were going to Petra.
There was an interesting video online
that showed Petra. A long time ago (about 50 years or so), native
desert people used to live in Petra, but the government made them
leave and they turned it into a tourist attraction. Nobody
is allowed to live there today, and the vendors have to pack up
and leave at the end of each day (there are no permanent "street
vendor" stalls that stay there and vendors must return to set up
their street shops daily). So this idea of Catherwood saying that
"Christian businessmen placed food in the caves" may be bogus. If
food had been stashed there by Christian businessmen, what was the purpose
of it? [Catherwood wanted members to believe
the food was going to be for them when they arrived.] If natives
had been living there, it would have been scavenged. Once again,
like the others in the organization, all he does is "hint" at
things, and then let our imaginations run wild. No doubt he's in
cahoots with all of them. He's just another
Gerald Waterhouse, only more
civilized. Comment: This person is referring to statements of Carn Catherwood where he told how "Christian businessmen" had already put food in the caves in Petra and "tracts in Hebrew bearing witness of Jesus Christ." Then Catherwood went on to say, "Well, we'll make bonfire out of those tracts!" Read other words of Catherwood at the end of the article, "Memories of Petra." [Note: Carn Catherwood stayed with WCG until he retired in 2005, but continued as "a member of the council of elders."] How unbelievably sad that members sat through these sermons, believing every word was true, yet not knowing they were being deceived by false teachers! Fred R. Coulter's Teachings Divide and Conquer Families! June 8, 2008
I want others to know of the
awful life
Fred
Coulter has brought into our home. I want them to be aware of
how his teachings can "divide and conquer" families! Since my
husband fell under his spell, our family has been falling apart!
His teachings have lead my husband to pick-up his abusive habits
that he once possessed in the 1990's. Anything I say in my
household holds zero credence, and through Coulter, my husband has
convinced our children that it is I that is the one, in fact, that
has warped thinking. I am at the end of my rope, and only by the
GRACE OF GOD have not chosen to end my life. I hope my husband
will read what I have printed. You people [at ESN] could be the
very miracle I have been praying for. Comment: More info regarding what others have said about Fred Coulter Christian Biblical Church of God is listed on Articles on Offshoots & Splinter Groups of WCG. Thank You For Your Article on the So-Called Lost Tribes of Israel: June 14, 2008
Hi there,
My wife and I are former
members of WCG. I can remember reading Herman Hoeh's "historical"
writings from my time in WCG. I have an MA in Modern History, but I've
read deeply into ancient, Mediaeval and Renaissance, history &c., and
that of Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism and of Europe and
America--and have done so for most of my adult life (I'll be 59 in
September). So I had serious doubts about Herman Hoeh's and Herbert
Armstrong's views on British-Israelism.
As a Scot who can read and speak
a fair bit of Gaelic, the Dun for Dan thing just struck me as plain
daft. Dun is merely an Anglicized form of A'Dhuin (pronounced
a-ghoo-in) and, so doesn't even sound anything like Dan in the
original. It has two meanings in Gaelic--viz., "fortress" and
"hill"--not Dan! Interesting, too, that neither HWA or Hoeh ever
mentioned that there are a fair number of place names in Wales which
actually begin with Dan per se. But again Wales didn't fit
the theory of Dan. Anyway even Dan in Welsh does not mean Dan.
And according to HWA in his The U. S. and Britain in
Prophecy, the Irish surname Dunn means Judge. Dunn, though, is an
English name, not Irish. And there are three words for "judge" in
Irish (and for that matter Scottish) Gaelic and none of them are Dun
or Dan. HWA must have assumed that because there is only one word for
judge in English, whether the verb or the noun or the related
adjective, it was the same in "Irish" (Gaelic). Not so.
But when I was a member of WCG,
I would not dared to have uttered this knowledge. In fact, I was so
indoctrinated by HWA that I thought my thoughts on these things were
nigh on blasphemous. It astonishes me now to think of how duped I was
and how I once thought while I was a member of WCG. But I felt that
HWA being "God's only end-time apostle" must be correct and that the
scholars and historians and etymologists must be deceived by Satan! I
really could not imagine for a moment that a man who was so wrapped up
in Scripture and in God could possibly be a deceiver.
Anyway, not all the ministers were such megalomaniacs as the HWAs and the Flurrys (Flurries?) of this world. There were several really nice ones. And teachable ones at that. When the "Changes" were taking place and Joe Senior was at the helm, one minister actually asked my opinion on an Ambassador College MA history thesis he asked me to look at. (This was a particularly really nice minister who had real humility and treated the brethren as equals. He asked me to keep our "study" confidential.) When I read the thesis, I realized that, judging by the thing itself, Ambassador College was dishing out degrees not worth the paper they were printed on. I wrote so much refuting not only the historical points of this so-called thesis but, if my memory serves me well, the logic also.
I ended on the frank note that
had the writer written such nonsense for an MA at a British university
the examiners would demand he return his O and A levels!
Anyway, I want to thank you for the article on the so-called Lost Tribes. Not only was it scholarly and logical but it really made me laugh. I really enjoyed the humorous comments, albeit that they were factual and accurate.
You guys are doing a really
great work. May God bless you in helping to free others. Though my
wife and I left WCG about eight or nine years ago, I would
occasionally get the "what ifs" regarding HWA's teachings. Yes, even
though I know all the Scriptures that contradict his heresies. But if
that ever happens again I'll just go back to your messages which
really expose HWA for the fraud he was. As to
Gerald Flurry: he is only a
clone of HWA. Had there not been a HWA there would not have been a
Flurry. We ought to be thankful that neither of these men were world
leaders!
God bless your ministry.
Thanks again. --Martin Horan
(former WCG member) Fallacies Built Up by Men:
(Reply to above
email from author of
Where Are the Tribes
of Israel Located?)
I can truly relate to the things
Mr. Horan was saying. For instance, I am a Russian linguist, and I, too,
saw some things in HWA's literature that weren't correct (the argument
about the word "paracletos" being a "neuter" word proved that the Holy
Spirit was not a "he" is all wrong. In Russian, a drinking "glass" (sta-kan)
is male gendered, but that does not mean the glass is male. So the
argument is incorrect. Many languages (except the English language)
assigns a "gender" to most of their nouns (male, female, neuter) so the
"gender" of verb (and modifiers) agrees. If you have an automobile
(which is "female" in Russian) then your verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
must have a female ending so you know it relates to the female noun.
Here's an example: I truly enjoyed hearing Mr. Horan's descriptions of the Dan/Dun words. It's always nice to follow the logic of another linguist who can explain a fallacy clearly.
I did not look up any of the
claims of Hoeh while I was a member. I simply believed him on the
grounds that he was "Dr. Hoeh, God's chosen Historical Scholar." But in
2005 when I decided to finally do this research on the Lost Ten Tribes,
I realized how simple it was to pick up any kind of basic reference
materials (even outdated ones) and quickly debunk Hoeh's claims. I am happy Mr. Horan can see the fallacies built up by men--the very men who made merchandise of us all! But we are free, and hopefully we will continue for as long as we can, to help free others while the Lord wills. --Kelly Marshall, former WCG member and author of several articles on ESN's site. Personalities of HWA Teachers: June 16, 2008 Not long after I left WCG, I picked up that certain evangelists, who were trained under HWA (and I'm sure longed to be like him in every way), sounded like him. I don't think they were purposely trying to imitate his voice, as the likeness continued long after they left; I just think it's something that happened over time to their personalities. Either that, or they were hypnotized. I could name several of them, but won't, as some of these men later left the organization and exposed HWA as a charlatan (while still holding on to some of his false doctrines). I was reminded of all this again when I accidently tuned in to Ronald L Dart on his "Born to Win" radio program. While few are as boring as Dart, his voice reminded me of a watered down GTA. So I got to wondering: Do any of these men even have personalities of their own? Or are they only HWA repeats? I know that sons often sound like their father and I'm sure HWA was, in a sense, these men's "father." It would be interesting to listen to sermons (partly anyway) by all the top evangelists of the WCG past in order to compare this bizarre phenomena. And to mention Gerald R. Flurry (who was never a WCG evangelist), I do not think he sounds like HWA at all. He sounds like a country bumpkin with no charisma whatsoever. I have to wonder what draws people to listen to him. I know he likes to incorporate loud talking--even yelling (I'm assuming to get people's attention), but if he didn't have HWA's books to fall back on, what would he have? Absolutely nothing. I implore people to prove whether or not these men are true teachers of the Word or false prophets. Don't go by how they make you "feel." A false gospel will end up leading you away from the grace and peace of our God and Savior Jesus Christ and into bondage. --G. D. (Former long time member of WCG; now free) Ex-Jehovah's Witness Benefits by Our Site: June 19, 2008 I am an ex Jehovah's Witness that has really benefited from your site. I find that many of your articles are helpful to exiting JW's, because the cult aspects of WWC and JW are very similar. --Steve E.
Two of My
Daughters Were Molested in WCG: Reply: I am very sorry to hear what happened to you and your family. We have many articles on our site which can help you; i.e., go to contents and click on Recovery Articles for Survivors. One is Comforting Words About the True God. Also see our Booklist. The "god" taught in these groups is not, and was not ever, the true God. The leaders created a cruel, evil "god" in order to control those under them and, as a result, cause them to become fearful to ever leave the group. Many that were disfellowshipped had no hope left, and their trust was shattered. In order to heal spiritually, we have to replace this false, evil god with the true God. Because of Jesus, the true God will never love us any more or any less than He does right now. Jesus has paid it all. There is no condemnation on us. He is always there for all those who have been deeply wounded as a result of being lied to and abused by false prophets and teachers. Catherwood Place of Safety Sermon: July 6, 2008 I had read some of the letters about Carn Catherwood’s "Place of Safety" sermon. I know the date as it was the week after we members were banned from recording (on our own tape-recorders) any sermons, even for our own use. I had brought my recorder in anyway that day as I really wanted a copy of that sermon and fearfully hid the recorder in my purse by my feet that day. I still have the tape and am writing just to furnish the date. It was in given in 1981. --Anonymous Comment: Thank you. The date has now been added to the Petra article. Ron Weinland Says His Timing Was Off: July 6, 2008 Ron Weinland is not going to step down in July as he said he would. Remember, he said that some big disaster was going to happen to the United States before the middle of July, and if it didn't, he would step down. He wasn't going to be "like those other guys" (meaning Gerald Flurry, David Pack, and others) who made false prophecies but wouldn't step down from the pulpit. Now he says that he hasn't made any false prophecies, but the "timing was off." (Now how did we know he was going to say that? Isn't that exactly what HWA said after 1975 came and went?). The Great Trib (according to Weinland) didn't begin on April 18th, but will start again on December 14th. So he's pushed his date up (again). He says the 144,000 needs to be re-sealed (where in Scripture does it say that??). He says he doesn't need to apologize for what he did. I hope Weinland's members wake up to this charade. --C. G. One More Case of WCG Double-Speak: August 12, 2008 A friend of mine emailed WCG HQs earlier this year and asked them for
a financial statement. He also asked them why they weren't listed on:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/, as the GTA Evangelistic
Association was listed. Well then, I'd like to know what the h** they are doing listed on Canadian Registered Charities website!! Granted this is from 2000-2006, but they are still there!! This is just one more case of their double-speak. --MO Husband Has Been Abusive and Controlling: August 15, 2008 I've been reading the Exit Support Network for about 6 years. I am an
ex Worldwide member. Reply: We do have an article on husbands
abusing their wives: Do
Philadelphia Church of God Husbands Abuse Their Wives?
(this can also apply to any who were in WCG; shows examples of healthy behavior in a marriage;
includes links to helpful books). Some Family Leaving WCG / Ministry Still Clinging to Cult-like Ways: August 18, 2008 Thank you again for the work you are
doing with your web site. He asked about the local church that my wife attends and next thing I knew we all attended with her and our neighbor friends yesterday. Amazingly, the message was about not
giving up on God, or blaming God, when things in this world do not make
sense. The minister went over James 1:1-21. I felt like this was
directed towards me and my shaken faith, faith shaken by finding out
the truth about Herbert Armstrong
and Gerald Flurry. All That's Left of the Mt. Pocono
Feast Site: I haven't posted in years but it is
September. Is anyone ready to head to the Mt. Pocono Feast site and keep
the feast? You may have a difficult time.
Comment: See our section, Articles and Writings on the Holy Days (especially in regard to how we had to observe them in the group). Feast Was a Mood-Altering Experience: September 23, 2008 It was good to hear that the Mt. Pocono tabernacle building has been torn down and is no more. I can only say, "good riddance." What I and most members experienced at the feast was a mood-altering experience to say the least. It wasn't until after I left and read about all the evil permeating at the highest levels that I saw through all of it. It was so demoralizing. But I realized God had helped me to get out and stay out and He wouldn't forsake me. There's nothing wrong with the holy days in and of themselves (they are only shadows of Christ), but to be used and taken advantage of in the way we were is very wrong. I have gotten on with my life now. Thank you for your site. --R. P. (former WCG member ) Meredith Suffers Mini-Stroke/Wife Has Cancer: September 26, 2008 A friend phoned us to let us know that
Roderick Meredith had a mini stroke and will not be able to speak at
their convention feast. Comment: Meredith's first wife died of cancer. It appears that many of the wives of these ministers suffer from ill health. 2008 Letters From Those Impacted by PCG
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