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To be a member in the
Philadelphia Church of God
entails observing certain rules and regulations. PCG definitely adheres to HWA's ideas.
Dresses are
to cover the knees even when sitting. As far as necklines, no cleavage at all! Some members
said
perms were not allowed, but that was news to me, and while in the PCG I
had
one or two perms. Coloring hair was out. Makeup is not allowed, but if
someone is considered a "prospective member,"
rather than a
"member" it's possible that some ministers (more than likely
the local
deacon, as most church areas don't have full time ministers) may be
somewhat lenient about certain areas at first; i.e., makeup, just to keep membership
up. However, when we first starting attending in 1993, I asked John Amos about
makeup and he gave me a bunch of HWA articles and called it the
"makeup" kit.1 I did notice some women at services that had
light makeup on, including one of my relatives (who wore more makeup when
she was at work). Truthfully, I don't think the "men" at church
really noticed as it was very natural looking makeup.
As far as tithing the PCG
likes to use the Scripture in Malachi that says you are stealing from
God if you don't tithe (Mal. 3:8). They keep tract of you more if you
work at headquarters and miss tithing, though. In fact, I know for
a fact that reports on those employees are checked to see if they tithe
the full amount. Yet there is no
way for HQ to know how much "gross" a layman makes to
determine if they are tithing or not. They also assume that women don't
work. Two years ago when we were in PCG ( that was our " third tithe"
year), we had several kids and
only one
income, and there were many weeks we only sent in first tithe. Sometimes
we would send in a partial third tithe.
We
didn't counsel about it with any minister, nor did we tell anyone else
our
business. The PCG never contacted us about it. I doubt if they knew what
our income was.
Our PCG congregation (and probably most of them) was extremely critical and
judgmental. Everyone was always looking to criticize someone for how
they
were dressed or if they missed a week or two of church (whatever the reason). One elderly man was handed a bag of
used ties, since his were older and not so nice anymore. He was quite insulted!
My husband told me about that one. I was called a "Laodicean" (which the PCG hates) behind my
back (but my husband overheard), because I wore a pantsuit when it was
extra cold. I had to be on the floor a lot, caring for the baby, but
"they" didn't care about that!
Members will try to discredit anyone speaking out
against PCG, and they practice shunning of members if anyone doesn't
obey all the rules.
By Irene
April 20, 2003
Footnote by ESN:
1
Herbert Armstrong had a booklet distributed in the earlier years entitled,
The Truth About Makeup which said a woman looked like a "whore"
if she wore it. (Makeup was later allowed for a brief time in the WCG
(when he was married to Ramona Martin), then
later forbidden when
HWA came out with a
strong article against it in the November 16, 1981 Worldwide
News.) Nevertheless, there were a few women
who wore very light makeup at services, and more makeup on their jobs--even coloring their
hair--and were not "caught." The "great falling
away" that Flurry began teaching about began with this makeup rule.
He said that the ladies in the WCG led the men, just like Eve led Adam
into sin, and that it was their "vanity" with makeup. Flurry
taught that once the WCG opened the door to sin by allowing make-up,
next they changed the healing doctrine, which then "destroyed the
faith" of those who were already weak. It was all the woman's fault
for trying to be "over the man."
We
Put the "Give" Way to the Test (shows
why the blessings HWA promised through tithing don't materialize)
What
it's Really Like Inside Philadelphia Church of God (covers
one woman's experience with makeup)
Back to Stories
& Testimonies by Those Impacted by PCG
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