New Discoveries About WCG's
Festival Music Tapes

Twisting words in their songs

Following is what I discovered Worldwide Church of God had done to the words in some of the songs they had us listen to. They dwelt very much on verses in the Psalms which dealt with "sins" and "wickedness" and would leave out the verses that dealt with peace from God, His bearing our burdens, His faithfulness, and His mercy. This is just a sampling and the reader can do further research on their own.

Album: "We are Family - Festival of Music #3 (1997)

Cassette #1:

The song entitled, "A World of Wonders" was actually the theme song for 1987 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and it speaks of a "united world" very similar to what HWA taught about the World Tomorrow; i.e. the words, "when the earth is filled with peace again and all the world is free; yes, that will be the greatest world of all." (For more about what this "united world" meant, see footnote #1 in the article, "The Wonderful World Tomorrow: What it WON'T be Like." Many of the songs, even on the album Festival of Music #2, are secular and do not point to Christ at all. Didn't we think these were "church" songs?

Album: "The Bible Hymnal - Selected Choral Music" (possibly 1985, as it was dedicated to the memory of Dwight L. Armstrong)

Even though the words would not be expected to be a word for word translation of what the Psalm says in the Bible, the words, nevertheless, are badly mangled. Notice:

Cassette 1A:

Song: "Turn, O God, and Save Me." (Psalm. 6) They do not say, "Lord," but "Lord God" (words which are not used in Ps. 6) and they use "O God" several times. "Lord" is changed to "God," or else "Eternal." (Note: "Eternal" used in reference to God is only cited once in the O.T.; e.g., Deut. 33:27, but was frequently used by Herbert Armstrong and his ministers.)

Song: "I Will Praise Thee, O Eternal." (Psalm 9) They substitute "Eternal" instead of "Lord." (See previous note.) They say He "will not forsake His own" instead of the Psalmist's words of "he will not forsake them that seek thee." (Their change gives the impression of "God's own people in His true church."

Song: "They are Blessed Who Are Forgiven." (Psalm 32) They say, "confess to him their sins instead of "sin" (vs. 5). They add the words "in whose spirit is no guile" to the words, "upright" (vs. 11). They also add other words such as "groaned till I confess" when vs. 3 says, "When I kept silence..."

Cassette: 2A:

Song: "But as For Me I'll Call on God." (Ps. 55) They say, "the Lord will safety give" instead of the psalmist's words, "The Lord shall save me."

By D.
Exit & Support Network™
August 22, 1997

Go to: Comfort in Music to read through the words of sacred hymns, letting them comfort and encourage you.

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