The Truth Behind "Love Your Neighbor"
Who was headquarters referring to when they said we were to "love our neighbor"? We all heard a lot of talk about "love God" and "love your neighbor" from Herbert W. Armstrong and his ministers, but did you ever stop to think about how the words "your neighbor" really meant the members in the group? Who else could it mean? Our neighbors in the world were the ones we were supposed to withdraw from--"i. e., come out of the world" and do not mix in with "unbelievers"; "Don't throw your pearls before swine"; "Don't try to explain your beliefs, because they won't understand anyway unless they're called." Only those in the group were the ones our "love" was to be focused toward. It was they who were to be truly our "brothers and sisters." And the tragic thing was that "neighbor" didn't apply to the children and teens in the group. They were just baggage that didn't count until they got baptized. Yes, the parents and ministers and parents worked hard on them, but was it really to love them and treat them as Christ would? No, it was to control them and to manipulate their minds with the goal of keeping them from leaving so that they could grow up to be financial contributors ("neighbors") to this fraudulent organization.
Although this "love" was to be directed to our "neighbors" in the group, in many cases even some of them didn't receive true love, but conditional love. It was a love that was based solely on their performance and whether or not they obeyed the government of the WCG. If they left, they were now labeled "disobedient," "troublemakers," "dissident," "bitter," "those that fell by the wayside," or any number of names, but they were no longer considered a "neighbor."
If the Worldwide Church of God has always had the true love of God, then why have they failed so miserably in bringing true peace and love into the lives of their members and their families? Even in the midst of so many "new" changes, why have so many left this organization of "love"? Why do those that have stayed now mostly believe in a mish mash of doctrines? Some believe we go to heaven, others believe we lie in the ground until the resurrection. Some believe in the Trinity, others still say they don't get it. Some keep the Sabbath and holy days, others say it's part of the old covenant. Some believe it is okay to speak in tongues,1 raise their hands, and be charismatic; others don't. Some have followed WCG's links off to liberal / New Age material and now hold to that. Others listen to controlling shepherd/discipling teachers. Some even listen to pro-Armstrong ministers from some of the offshoot groups on the radio in their spare time! Where did all this hodgepodge of beliefs come from? It appears that members are being turned loose to believe anything they want, as long as it's labeled "Christian." It makes no difference what WCG's "doctrinal statement" that they printed for the media may say.
The proof of such confusion2 shows in the lives of the members inside. In the last few years many members have talked as if they know nothing of the true nature of Christ Jesus and His grace. They still talk of "God," and how "love God and love your neighbor" is still their rule to live by. Others are picking up a syrupy, sentimentality and mentioning "Jesus" without knowing too much about Him. Some are keeping busy by going to ecumenical groups like Promise Keepers and other outside "Christian" conferences. But what about the old timers? The ones that are too tired or too confused to move on? They have never made any friends on the outside and it is too hard for them to ever leave the only "family" that they have ever known. The members are who their "neighbor" is. Many will probably die inside the organization, never coming to a true understanding of the Scriptures. It is truly a sad state of affairs. Programming of the mind is very hard to overcome and headquarters doesn't seem to be in any hurry to do anything about it.
By D.
Exit & Support Network™
2003
Footnotes:
1 Worldwide Church of God does not forbid tongues speaking.
2 Confusion is a result of the mind control that WCG survivors endured.
Index for Personal Writings About My Experience With "God's Church"