The Great Reconciliation Between Jew and Gentile in the New Testament

If there is one subject that the COG's have absolutely failed to teach their congregants properly is the great reconciliation that shocked the Church in the New Testament in the book of Acts.

Of course, it was the Church's beliefs on the differences between Jew vs. Gentile and who compromised "Spiritual Jews" or "Spiritual Israelites" that literally muddied the waters when it came to just how huge of a big deal it was back in the days of the beginning of the Christian Church at and shortly after Pentecost.

In the Worldwide Church of God's alternative facts, the story-line was completely different. Jesus came not for the world, but for a select few called "the Church". The "Gentile" line went off the deep end, ignored the "true" Gospel, which, according to Armstrongism, laid dormant and powerless for centuries - save for an infinitesimally small group of observant Christians who kept the Jewish Law throughout six different eras - up to the "Philadelphia" era which, of course, was started, and ended, with Herbert Armstrong.

What this different chronology does is shocking to the standards of orthodox Christianity, the work of the Spirit, the inclusion of the Gentiles, the lessons of Acts, the epistles of Paul, and actually, the entire framework and network of the New Testament. That framework being the freedom in Christ with the inclusion of the Gentiles into the Church that came with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

We pick up the story at Acts 15: (NIV) (emphasis in bold mine) (my inserted comment in brown)

15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute (AHA! Well, this wasn't expected at all, was it?) and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

Let me interject here what it must have been like at this point. Paul and Barnabas were at "Sharp Dispute". I bet you hands were flying and spit was being spat, and they obviously did not come to a solution or a conclusion - both held their ground. The only thing to do was for them both to be sent up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and the elders to talk about what to do. I can imagine that both were absolutely and completely set in their ways (What else is new?? This was a prospect of huge change, great for Paul, nightmarish for Barnabas!) BUT - they both could not deny the fact that the Gentiles had been converted. And for them, this was a Game-Changer - a Very Big Deal.

³ The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Until a section of believers felt that the Gentiles must now become Jews in practice: 

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After much discussion, (something tells me that this was a major understatement!!) Peter (NOT Paul, NOT Barnabas, but Peter!!!) got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Shocking words!! Just look at the first four words in the next verse: 

¹² The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. ¹³ When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon^[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. ¹⁵ The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

¹⁶ “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
¹⁷ that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’^[b]—
¹⁸     things known from long ago.^[c]

¹⁹ “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. ²¹ For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

I think it's good to point out here that you can definitely see the difference of opinions that are existing within the different personalities at this point. We have Paul, who is championing Grace and Freedom for the Gentiles. We have Peter, who is adamant that placing the Law of the Gentiles would be too much for them to bear and that salvation is by Grace through Faith.  We have Barnabas, who is championing the Law of Moses and Circumcision for the Gentiles. We also have James, who seems to be thinking that eventually, they'll come around to the law of Moses. Oh no, it's a split decision! It's sometimes difficult to see the human reasoning within scripture, but we have to remember, these were humans - men - just like us - with thought and reason and rationale just like what happens when a group of us get together.  What then was the end result? We read it in verse 22.

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

²⁴ We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. ²⁵ So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul (THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, since both had very divergent opinions!!) — ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: ²⁹ You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

³⁰ So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³² Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. ^{[34] [d] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

That wasn't the end of the disagreements between Paul and Barnabas - two totally different opinions on Law and Grace and Church Administration, the Law of Moses and the Gentiles. Look what happened in verse 36:

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

It doesn't take a lot to see that there were hard feelings between the two who had completely different opinions on the path that they thought the two were supposed to take. Doesn't this all sound familiar? A huge shift had just happened within the Church. The Gentiles were included as believers without the inclusions of circumcision and the observances of the Law of Moses.

It is with this perspective that one must read the Pauline Epistles, as Paul went from church to church writing the congregations trying to explain to those who sided with Barnabas' opinion about Law about why the Law existed, what it was for, what it did, and the new way of faith in Christ and Christ in you in such books as Galatians. It is with this background that one can understand why Paul wrote exactly what he wrote, and went into such lengths and details about such issues - because he was dealing with people who could not accept the decisions of the Jerusalem Council, and that the Gentiles were not subject to the same yoke that they spent their whole lives observing. This did not change the fact that the decision was done and the Gentile Church WAS the Church - even though they did things and observed things differently. 

And here is where Herbert Armstrong could not reconcile that the Gentile Church was as much a part of the Church as the Jewish Christians were, 1900 and some years later. Instead, Herbert Armstrong condemned the Gentile Church as a wayward, backwards, pagan people who did not operate on faith but had become absorbed in apostasy. His mindframe was that the Gentile Church must act as the Jewish Church acted in the first Century - as the earliest Christians had to act. His mindframe was that the Gentile Church had to be subject to the Law of Moses. In short, Herbert Armstrong defied the authority and judgement of the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 and made the unilateral decision that the Gentile Church WAS bound to observe the Law of Moses and even circumcision. Herbert Armstrong was in rebellion to Paul, to Peter, and to the entire Jerusalem Council. Herbert Armstrong sided with Barnabas, and put a yoke on Gentile Christians that was too hard of a yoke to bear and distracted them from grace and faith in Christ. THIS is the reality of what happened, and this is the reality of where Herbert stood in relation to the authority of which the Council's decision was made.

In fact, Herbert Armstrong was rebellious to anybody who made a decision that was different than he thought. It didn't matter if it was Peter, or Paul, or Herb's own ministers, or Herb's church before he started his own. Herb had no respect for the Church, for the Decisions of the Council, for the Gentiles, and the list goes on and on. The reality is that what was in Herb's mind was a methodology to use religion - specifically taking the position of Barnabas - to attempt to revive the inclusions that had been outlawed by the council upon the Gentiles for his own personal benefit and gain. Such actions were mutinous, disrespectful, and against the very Spirit who inspired the decisions of the council in the first place.

Just because the Gentiles did things differently did not eliminate, and does not eliminate their faith and their belief in Jesus Christ and does not eliminate their prospects for salvation nor their inclusion into the Church of God. This is the hardest pill for the Churches of God to swallow - and it all stems from the great reconciliation and acceptance of the Gentiles by God in the Spirit at the day of Pentecost.

Will the Church of God recognize the decisions of the Church of God made at the Jerusalem Council? Will the Church of God accept the decisions of Peter, Paul, and all the Apostles? Will the Church of God stop trying to imposing yokes and burdens on the Gentiles that are too hard and cumbersome for them? Will Thiel and Malm and others take the decisions of the Jerusalem council and humble themselves and obey their spiritual authorities and stop imposing Jewish Law on Gentile Christians and creating more hardship than they can bear distracting them from CHRIST? 

The Voice

A Few of my very earliest memories was that of what transpired at the Feast of Tabernacles - when I, as a toddler, had my very own luxurious space during the Feast of Tabernacles - on a cold, cement floor surrounded by legs, shoes, and the bottom elements of grey folding metal chairs. Yet these physical elements were not the substance of my memories. The substance of the memories was a booming, authoritative, and strongly echoing voice that filled not only the Tabernacle - or metal warehouse - that I, along with 14,000 others, were inhabiting for hours per day for eight total days in that Fall. It was that voice that I remember most clearly.

It was that voice - the live, and deep bass voice - of Herbert W. Armstrong - that penetrated my head with the force of a clap of thunder and the peal of an angry drill sergeant. Sleeping was a necessity for a person of my age at that time - two, three, or even four years of age. Sleep, however, in the audio presence of a certain Herb was not as the effect of Chamomile. No, sleep was not to be had when you were a baby in the Worldwide Church of God when Herbert Armstrong was speaking. For the very moment that you began to be lulled by a more distant rumble - a strike of lightning would punctuate the Arena - activating the emergency wails of miniature alarms no greater than 20 pounds in weight and 2 feet in height. Also activated were the transporter units of mothers who would take these tiny alarms and rush them to the silencing room, as distractions were frowned upon - and that's putting it mildly.

Herbert Armstrong to the youngest of the Armstrong Era alive to remember it was not the Apostle. He was not the gentle grandfather. He wasn't even "nice" in the memories of us. Herbert was a force. A power - not benevolent in appearance, but violent and fierce. A malevolent being that could change from light to dark in the flash of a heartbeat.

I remember as a child looking up at Herbert on the Big Screen at those Feast of Tabernacles. Literally - I had to look up and between heads and shoulders when I was standing up on a seat and not trying to sleep on blankets, cradled with an Etch-A-Sketch and a "Little Professor". I remember his animatd motions. His lean in the chair. And the one time I did what I wasn't supposed to do - I laughed at him when he knocked a lamp over with his dramatic and far flung hand gestures. I didn't look up to him - now in a more emotional sense - as a religious figure. I looked up to Herbert Armstrong as someone to be very, very afraid of.

That element of fear - a pervasive, far-reaching element - was an emotion that Herbert Armstrong crafted to a science for not only those of us who were babies within the Church, but for all who were a part of the brief, yet powerful, movement - for those of us who were seduced into it. That element of fear was in the single man and woman being told how their marriage would be arranged. That element was in the baptized member afraid to upset the minister for fear he or she would be disfellowshipped for trivial mutiny. That element was in the father and husband who was just told to quit his job because it violated either Church rules or the minister's order. That element was in the wife who was told to submit to the husband, the minister, and every command of the Church. That element of fear was something that we simply called "Submission to Government". It was a part of our culture, ingrained into us from day one of Herbert's regime pounded into our psychological crevices, cemented by threats of eternal damnation should we rebel, and use common sense or critical thinking. That element of fear was called "Unity". That element of fear was called "order". Those not submissive to such unity and order were the "World" - and the "World" was what you did not want to be a part of, because then you were, you were told, subject to great loss - and great affliction from physical and spiritual forces. The element of fear is what held you in. It encapsulated, suffocated, and paralyzed you - yet was calming and familiar enough to lull you into a sense of security. Reality became unknown, traded for the narrow and false visions of lies and deceit from one man who convinced you he was sent by God to take you where no man had gone in 1900 years - to truth. Except every aspect of Herbert's ministry was founded on lie, after lie, after lie.

It has been a long time since those days of sitting on the cold, gray, unfeeling cement floors of those warehouse buildings used as Tabernacles. A few of those buildings still exist, such as at Wisconsin Dells, Lake of the Ozarks, and Big Sandy. Time, however has changed those buildings, and time has changed those who used to fill it's cavernous coldness (in some cases, literal coldness!). The Ozarks building only houses boats now. The Wisconsin Dells building belongs to another group altogether, as does the Big Sandy Tabernacle. And for most of us who grew up under the shadow of an abusive, dominating, greed-filled bully - there is no longer any reason to fear him or Armstrongism in general. For the movement that created such fear has fizzled out in a most spectacular dud you could ever imagine.

That voice? That resonant, powerful voice? Silent. Yet the voice that continues to persist and penetrate - that Voice - the voice that says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life". That Voice that says "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." That Voice that says  "I am the Resurrection and the Life." That Voice that is gentle as a whisper and timeless as the Alpha and Omega. That Voice that searches our hearts and minds. That voice of Truth - yes, that Voice remains, and has remained from the Time of His Birth, to now, and to forevermore. He was never silenced. He was always there. That's the Voice. That's the One. That's the Truth. He's the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father. And HE - Jesus - is far more powerful than that other voice of lies that came, spoke, and has been silenced so we could finally hear and know The Voice of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Materialism and Rest. Thoughts.

I've been reading but not really participating in great detail on the lengthy thread over at Banned by HWA on an estate fight going on over a late minister's estate.

I'm not going to get into it here. I'm not one to cast judgement, because I was not there, I don't know the details, it's all hearsay to me. But from the little I do know about what I am seeing, can I just say that I'm disgusted by the whole thing? Well, I am. Materialism is here today, and is gone tomorrow. And yet, what is consuming the attention of two supposed religious entities at this point? Materialism. Back and forth. He said, she said. Over what? Over property. Over money. Disputes. It's sad to watch this mess.

During the course of one or the other discussions over there at Banned, a subject came up regarding the Rest that Christians enter into. I'll just copy how the conversation started.

The original poster was a "c f ben yochanan":

yeah, afraid ur right: once they see the ancient writings of the Word of God fulfilled, particularly Luke 13:25 Spoken by Jesus, whom, ironically, the writers of this blog like to accuse the cogers of rejecting, then they will understand that they will simply not be entering into His Rest, and will go the way of every doubter and scoffer in the bible that has preceded them...

woe unto them, there will be wailing and weeping at missed opportunity to merely stay the course of the simplicity that is in Christ and receive Praise from the Son of David, son of judah...

c f ben yochanan  

Here, CF clearly states that the "writers of this blog", obviously including myself, "will simply not be entering into His Rest" - and then, in judgement, blasts them as doubters and scoffers, who will be weeping and wailing because of rejecting "the simplicity that is in Christ".

Pretty crazy stuff right there.

This commentator seems to know for a fact the spiritual condition and salvation status of each of the writers at the Banned Site. More than this, he has already judged that "they will simply not be entering into His Rest". In other words, he has judged me as a non-Christian. Pretty bold stuff, there, isn't it? Quite a convincing, judgemental statement, isn't it? I know for an absolute fact that such a judgement is absolutely incorrect - categorically incorrect. I know this because Jesus Himself saved my life, and Jesus Himself has guided and led my path. I know this because I acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. This, and for a thousand other reasons I'm not going to get into here. Suffice it to say, YES, Jesus is Lord, YES, I obey and serve Him to the best of my abilities. NO, I am not perfect. But for someone to come on a blog, to a complete stranger, and state to them the judgement they have cast? Only believable in a religion such as Armstrongism.

Anyway, I digress. I responded in this manner;

Christians have already entered into His Rest. The opportunity is not missed. It's here. Christians do not have to wait for a future event to experience Christ. Sorry to say it, your words and predictions are empty and without authority. Jesus is alive and well within His people. 

I thought it was short, and to the point. I did not feel the need to go on and on about it. Armstrong followers have their minds closed, shut, locked and sealed. I don't want to waste my time or get my anxiety all up in an knot over this. It's not worth it for my health, it's not worth it - well, simply, period.  But then, I get THIS response from an anonymous commentator:

"Christians have already entered into His Rest."


you can't be serious, have you looked around you lately? have you not noticed the condition of the world???

the only rest Christians have right now is the Sabbath each week (Heb.4)

What?  Really? You have GOT to be kidding ME.

What were the words of Jesus? What did Jesus say? Any Christian should know the phrase and scripture by heart. Jesus said, "Come to ME, all you who are weary and heavy [burdened], and I will give YOU REST." And this writer really comes on and says that the only rest Christians have right now is the Sabbath each week? Really? Seriously?

Have I not noticed the condition of the world? Sure I have! I responded in this manner;

Did I say I was talking about the world? Did I say every liar, stealer, assaulter, and abuser is a Christian? Did I say that those who are on the "will not inherit the Kingdom" list are Christians? Did I allude to anything about that? What then is your definition of a Christian?

a Christian is one who has the Holy Spirit, Christ in them, and is known by the fruits they exhibit. The fruits they exhibit are directly correlated with Christ's Rest.

The rest is not physical. The rest is spiritual. It's emotional. It's relationship. All those with the Spirit of God, Christ in You, are inheritors of the Promise. They are confident in their future because they have been sealed by the Spirit. What you are doing is confusing Christianity as a corporate, which it isn't. Christianity is personal. It is a relationship. Those who have Christ exhibit Christ and exhibit through their fruits the evidence of His Rest.

Why is this so hard for Armstrong followers to understand?

It's just inconceivable that a Christian would possibly say that the only rest a Christian has is the Sabbath Day. This is exactly the evidence of what I was talking about when I say how Armstrong followers deny what Jesus Christ accomplishes and freely gives to those who seek Him, and receive His Holy Spirit. This is the evidence of why I have often called Armstrongism non-Christian. Because so many of them wholly deny that Jesus Christ gives Christians rest through the Spirit of God within them! And through that Rest, by Christ, one exhibits righteousness. One exhibits peace. One exhibits joy. Patience. Lovingkindness. Gentleness. Mercy. Self Control. And of course, LOVE. These are the fruits of a spiritually rested person. These are the fruits of a Christian. "Come to ME, all you who are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you REST".

Sure, people can take a day of rest on the Sabbath Day. It certainly doesn't mean they're RESTING. It certainly doesn't eliminate the attitudes and carnality so freely evident even on the Sabbath in so many Armstrong related movements. Just because one is working without pay certainly doesn't mean they're RESTING! God is Spirit, and His worshippers worship in Spirit. It should go without saying that His followers also rest in Spirit.

You can keep the Sabbath. You can keep the Holy Days. You can tithe. You can serve the Church. You can be a pillar in the Church, and still not be in His Rest. This is evidenced by the fruits of a non-spiritually rested person. And we all know in Armstrongism there is an abundance of this out there, carnality and wickedness in all of it's ugly nature, whether it's on the Sabbath or not on the Sabbath. Whether it's on the Job or at the Feast. Keeping a day or a festival does not change the heart and soul anymore than wearing a suit cleans you up if you haven't been able to shower for a long time. You're still dirty. And if Jesus has not changed your heart and your mind, no matter how often you keep a DAY of rest, you still have not entered into HIS Rest.

There are many, many Armstrong believers out there who hold to the belief that because they keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days, that that's the sign they are Christians. Jesus had something different to say. Jesus said:

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (NIV)

I can just hear Armstrongites say just as easily, "Lord, did we not keep your Sabbath? Did we not keep the Feast of Tabernacles and did we not tithe and follow Herbert Armstrong"? If Jesus was so strong about people who actually prophesied in the name of Jesus, or people who literally drove out demons in the name of Jesus - or even performed many miracles in the name of Jesus - what about those who believe they know Jesus just because of the days they keep or the festivals they keep? What makes them even greater than those who did not know Jesus who were able to use His power and His name? Their hearts were not in the right place. Their fruits were not evident. They were not in his REST. They did not have a relationship with Jesus. Jesus never KNEW them. And he even called those who used his name and his power evildoers - because they did not know the one who was the Source of that power.  

Earlier in the chapter Jesus said: 

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

For those who easily like to judge others who think a little differently then them - especially those who are Christian - this would be certainly some advice that might be worth a little bit of extra thought. 

It is Jesus - Christ in You - the Spirit of God - that gives you rest - as you yield yourself to Him. As you turn from the things that are not of the Spirit - the things of wickedness and sinfulness at heart - like idolatry, greed, covetousness, immorality, abuse, heavy-handedness, sordid gain, and the love of money - things disrespectful to God and to others - things not done out of love but out of power and greed and lust - you enter into that Rest and peace through obedience, and by following the will of the Father - to LOVE God, and to LOVE your neighbor. When you love God, your neighbor, and do right - that's a peace and rest beyond all understanding. And that - in this crazy, selfish world - is a virtuous, and treasured gift to be valued and held dear. 

 

Who Are You?

Are you you, or are you something that you never wanted to be? Who are you, anyway?

When you first wake up in the morning, half awake and groggily rising from your nightly slumber, you may find yourself half awake, off balance and heading for the bathroom. As you flip on the light, while yawning, you may catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

And you quickly wake up - WHO is that staring back at you? Your hair looks like it's been through a tornado or the latest punk rock phase, whatever is worse. Your eyes may seem puffy, pillow marks on the side of your face. Five o' clock shadow if you're a guy. It's a picture of you that you would only share with your closest of relatives.

Nevertheless, it is who you are. But is it who you are?

I know that may seem like a redundant question, highly without logic and seemingly without ration. But in the common experience of our past - the Worldwide Church of God - who you believed you are may never be who you really were, or are, or will be. Because they wanted you to conform to what they wanted you to be. And many still have not discovered exactly who they are.

There was a set and established mold of expectation in the Churches of God as to who you were expected to be. Indeed, there was a specific, well-thought out, highly integrated standard that you were expected to either already have met, or were expected to conform to. This standard engulfed everything in your life - from appearance, to characteristics, to communication, to finances, to your marriage, your children, and everything in, around, and in between. They called this expectation of appearance "Godliness". And they called the process of molding yourself to this expectation "Character-building". Once you became the person they expected you to become, in every way conforming to their expectations (a combination of Law-keeping and Standard-Bearing), you were fully integrated and accepted as to one who is "bearing the fruits" as a "Deeply Converted" member of the Churches of God.

Yet the reality is often different from the illusion. The illusion of who you are. The reality of who you are was often what you were when no one was watching. Or when you were at work. Or school. Or with your spouse. The reality may be a shadow of what you had hoped to be, hidden, and dormant for so many years, unable to grow and to cultivate and to be nurtured and fed. The reality may honestly never have been known, because the reality of what you wanted to be - you were told was wrong, or incorrect, or unacceptable.

Take for instance profession. Many in the church were discouraged from being what they knew they could be or do. People with skills for medicine were discouraged, for example. Perhaps one had the gift of law enforcement in public service - police, fire, ems. Perhaps the job they were good at doing, they could not do, because they were convinced that doing so would violate the Law. The list could go on, and on, and on.

Take for instance those who did not meet the mold because they were not good at what they were told to be good at. Like the student at Ambassador who was not sports-oriented, or the Y.O.U. member who couldn't throw the ball in the hoop. Or the high-voiced male who was constantly told was effeminate or unmanly. Or the woman who was dreadfully unhappy with the role chosen for her as a homemaker, cook, and sewing expert. They were forced to mold and condition themselves to expectations because that was considered the right way to be and behave. But was it who they were?

Is it who they are?

When I confronted a minister about some aspects of my time in the Worldwide Church of God, this preaching elder admitted outright that the attitudes displayed by the minister were the way they were because they were expected to conform certain people and types to expectation. People were not allowed to be who they were. The level of control was beyond the maximum. Your expectation was to be a drone. A robotic programmed, wholly obedient, assimilated member of The Family. Where any deviance of the expectation was met with condemnation and judgement. Your personality and your talents may have been stomped on, defecated on, pissed on, and finally, puked on if you did not change and conform, or "repent" of who you were to become what they wanted you to be.

I'm not saying we should not aim for a goal of Godliness. But Godliness does not eliminate YOU.

Godliness does not eliminate your talents. Your skills. Your personality. Your humor. Your abilities. And Godliness does not eliminate your freedom. Your freedom of choice, your freedom to live, and your freedom to grow and develop who you are, and to take the best path in your life to the glory of God.

I know of some people who simply do not believe that they have free will. That God has to tell them every decision, and command every path, and instruct every highway. How can one grow with this mindset? How can one possibly understand the gift God has given to us if they believe that they are simply programmed drones with no abilities beyond "Yes, Sir"? Does not God intend for us to life an abundant and fulfilled life - one of service and Godliness - but also one of truth, fully using every talent and ability to the fullest of one's potential?

What we were not told in the Worldwide Church of God is our true identity. As Christians, our identity is in Christ, and is in Christ alone. Being in Christ does not rob us of who we are, or what we can do. Being in Christ means doing all things and all decisions in an attitude of love and respect to God and man, in faith, trust in confidence of God's providence in our lives - believing in the power of the Word of God in our everyday life - which is a way of life beyond physical standards. It is spiritual purity, the clearest of living waters.

Our identity in Christ is defined by our Fruits in Christ - the exhibition and the practice - in whatever skills we have - of righteousness in Christ. Of love, of peace, of joy. Of kindness and gentleness. Of meekness. Of self control. These fruits do not rob us of our abilities and our talents. They compliment and embody our abilities and our talents. In fact, they are quenched and stifled in drones and autocratic robots. Our identity - and who we are - is in Christ.

What we DO is up to us. As individuals. As people with choice, and freedom. As people with talents, and gifts, and paths to take that for so many of us have been trampled on and covered up by so many hirelings of the Churches of God, whose only goal is to conform us to their version of law and expectations. They are the self-appointed Thiels, and the Malms, and the Hard-core leaders of the Churches of God - they are the do's and dont's of Armstrongism that hold you down and out, and poor, and weak, and miserable.  They are the ones that have kept you from discovering who you are.

When you discover WHO you are in Christ, you are released from bondage, and free to live in the service of Christ - by His fruits - to everyone. You are free. Free to serve, free to grow, free to use your skills and assets and virtues in ways that your talents are best suited for unencumbered by the demands of the oppressors, guided by the Law of Love, respect, and the Spirit of Christ in all you say and do in accordance with the will of the Father.

For the Christian - this is life.

As Jesus said in scripture:

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (Biblehub)

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit .

Galatians 5:1 1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

13-24 (Biblehub)

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ^a ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ^b 15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever ^c you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

You Cannot Force Someone To Be Happy.

Herbert Armstrong would always say that the role of the Overseer - the spirit being Worldwide Church of God God-Being in the Millennium - under Christ - would be to FORCE people, through the enforcement of Law under Jesus Christ - to be happy - by teaching them the ways of the Law and swift punishment for disobedience to that Law.

This reason was partially enforced by his literal interpretation of the scripture of Zechariah 14, which claimed that all the nations that do not go to Jerusalem for the Feast would receive no rain.

Of course, this was an allegorical parable to those who had not yet been revealed the spiritual mysteries of God which were made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit which reconciles us to the Father. No one in the Old Testament days of Zechariah could ever understand that this scripture - like all the scriptures in the Law and the Prophets - pointed directly to Jesus Christ. And neither could Herbert Armstrong.

There's one aspect, however, that even a literal interpretation - what Herbert Armstrong was best at - cannot nullify. And that aspect is the freedom of choice that humanity has been given. No, freedom of choice does not eliminate consequence. But you are always free to choose whether or not you will follow Christ, or if you will not. If you will receive rain from heaven, or if you will not - the blessings of living life abundantly in Jesus, or the consequences of "no rain".

The aspect of kingship that Herbert Armstrong drooled over was very apparent in what was approved for the musicals he allowed in the Young Ambassador Festival of Music. One musical that was allowed into the Festival Film was "The King and I". In this musical, you have a display of a very authoritative king who is used to yielding all power and control over his subjects, produced in 1956. Such a musical would certainly have appealed to Herbert's love of power and control - and especially ruling. This was, exactly, the kind of kingship that Herb and Hirelings, through psychological trickery and deception, chained their tithe slaves with day in and day out. But through all of this trickery and deceipt - one thing he never did was forced anyone to be happy.

Herbert never was able to take away the freedom of choice from the members of his cult. He may have been able to deceive people into thinking leaving his cult was the worst thing they could ever do. Why, they'd be reduced to working manual labor. They'd be possessed by blood-thirsty demons. They'd have no friends, no life - in this age, or in the age to come. Good for nothings. This power of deception, however, was overcome by many who did leave the cult, and through overcoming, began to see through the lies and trickery with a clear head and conscience. Herbert was never able to force anyone to be happy.

The truth is, you cannot force anyone - for any reason - to be happy. In fact, forcing people - the exact words that Herbert used - is, in every way, illegal in spiritual and human law.

Forcing someone to do anything is a violation of free will - the one thing that God has always put as a prime directive for everyone - physically and even spiritually. God did not force Satan to be happy and content. He did not force the demons to do His will. He did not stop them from rebelling. He never stopped them from interfering with humanity. He never stopped "the serpent" from offering "Eve" the "Apple". You will never find in scripture God forcing ANYONE to do anything they did not want to do. God did not even FORCE Jesus to sacrifice Himself, and to become sin for us. Jesus himself said if he wanted to, he could call upon thousands of angels to minister to him. Jesus CHOSE to do what He did for us. He CHOSE to lay down His life for us. And by choosing to do so, he became worthy of all honor and praise and kingship.

In reality, Herbert's love of "Force" should be scary to anyone who hears or looks into it. Herbert's ministry of force was evident in everything he did. From forcing members to become ordained (they didn't have a choice). From forcing ministers never to retire. (They didn't have a choice) To forcing members as to where to go for the Feast, to what Hotel - they didn't have a choice either. To forcing members as to how to dress, or what they can or can't do on a certain day. (They didn't have a choice). Everything in Herbert's mind was FORCE. A rod of iron. A fist and a sword.

Of course, he would say, "I'm not forcing anyone! You have choice! If you want to go, GO! We don't need you anyway!" In so many words. Yet, he was forcing his way. And he did this with and through fear of consequence if you did not obey. That you would be HAPPY under his control and his power. That you would be HAPPY as his tithe slave. That you would be HAPPY under the rule of his interpretation of all powerful Law. And that you would be DEAD - spiritually - if you dared rebel and go do your own thing - words he despised.

But none of this was true.



Jesus taught that in his Spirit, there is freedom, there is liberty, and there is peace. Jesus said that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. The Apostles taught the power of living a life of love and service to your fellow man - to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus taught his disciples to CHOOSE life. To CHOOSE to do right. To CHOOSE to be a great example. To CHOOSE.

Even in the book of Matthew, in Chapter 25, Jesus spoke specifically of the freedom of choice. He said that there would be two groups of people. Those who chose to serve - to visit the sick, the jailed, the widows, the orphans - and those who did not. He never indicated once he would force them to do anything while living life on Earth. He never once said anything about commanding them to do this or that. He never took away their choice. There were simply those who chose to, and those who chose not to. He did not force them. He showed them a way, and set an example. The choice was always up to them.

Just as such, by the imposition of dictatorial force, you cannot command happiness. You cannot command rejoicing. You cannot tell someone they have to be happy at a certain time and a certain place. (Yes, they tried this too, at the Feast.) You cannot force unity. You cannot force positive emotion. The most you can do is create a fraud. Someone who appears happy, someone who appears joyful, someone who appears in line - but inside, could be depressed, angry, sad, frustrated, down, discouraged, and downtrodden. This is not "the Government of God". This is nothing but the worship of appearances and the culture of lies from the inward self out to all a person encounters. It's a culture of evil, lacking honesty and truth.

The idea of "forcing" people to be happy is contrary to every word and every verse in the word of God. God is a God that allows choice - and consequence to those choices. God is also a God who is very clear what Justice he serves on those who violate someone else's choice - that is, forces someone to go against their free moral will in life. This "Government of God" of Herbert Armstrong?

It was not the "Government of God" at all. It was the "Government of Dictatorial Force and Power" - the government of oppression. 

No. You can never force someone to be happy.

Happiness is only accomplished when your choices fulfill your destiny, and your purpose. 

Whatever that may be.

Division, or Truth?

Herbert Armstrong, in the Church Purple Hymnal, in "How This Hymnal Came To Be" - the introduction of the many familiar Dwight Armstrong four part harmony songs - said the words in the title above, pertaining to why he would not allow "Christian" songs to be included in his collection of hymns for the Church. For this reason, based on his extreme prejudice and contempt for all things mainstream Christianity, he said that it is as sinful to sing a lie as it is to tell one.

Pretty potent words of blatant hypocrisy, if you ask me. How many times did we sing something about us moaning bitterly, when we weren't? Or with shame and confusion covering our faces - everyone smile!? Or "For God's Day is Now at Hand" - when it wasn't. But we sing something about "What a Friend we Have in Jesus" - apparently, that was a lie to the Church. Or, "and he walks with me, and He talks with me" - well, maybe that wasn't a lie. In our church, He was outside knocking at the door trying to get in.

How about now?

What about when the Splinters sing "Onward Christian soldiers?" How is we are not divided not a lie within the Churches of God? You bet they're divided. All of them. They can't even get together for a feast service. Not even once a year.

Or how about "How Good and How Pleasant" - for those who have those in their hymnals? Together in Unity? Really? What COG is completely united together in unity? Name one? Anyone? I'm not counting those who "play church". You know who you are.

If it REALLY is just as much of a sin to sing a lie, as it is to say a lie, as Herbert constantly proclaimed as the core of his reasoning to get his brother Dwight to write the Purple Hymnal and forever put his tunes in our heads, then you know what my opinion is? It's probably an unpopular opinion. One that might get one in hot water with a minister. Want to know what it is? It's really easy.

Don't sing the lies! Am I agreeing with HWA on this? No - I'm agreeing with the word of God on this, in my honest opinion. But I know that such a statement could never happen within a Church of God. Obedience to "the Government of God" is far more valuable then truth. The fear of the minister - that conditioning - is strong. One of the strongest forces in the mind of a Church of God member.

I might add, that if you decide to sing or not sing in a mainstream Church - in many of the mainstream churches - it's encouraged for you to worship your own way. Many times they will start the service by saying:

"Many of you today may feel like standing up, that's fine. Some of you may want to stay seated, that's fine, too. Some can come up to the altar, others can stay in their seats. Some may sing loudly, others may sit quiet and prayerfully. However you worship is between you and God as we come into his presence."

Such an attitude of personal worship between God and Man would be a rarity in the Churches of God.

So if you aren't comfortable with not singing because you'll get a target on your head from a Minister - and you don't want to SING A LIE - better yet, change the words. How about, as loudly as you can, "We are ALL divided, NOT one body, we, Not in hope in doctrine, NOT in charity". I wonder how that would go over! Oh wait! Am I causing division? Or promoting truth? What is better? Division... or truth? Read Luke 12:51 and tell me what you think about Jesus' response to such a question.

Or - there's the ol' Silent Sing Trick! Keep mouthing the words "We are not divided" but sing "We are .... divided". :P The only person who could tell? Your family next to you. But I guess this would become quite the problem if the whole church did it! Can you imagine? Everyone singing WE ARE .... DIVIDED, ...... BODY WE...... IN FAITH AND DOCTRINE.... IN CHARITY... Can you just see the Pastor's face now? Usher meeting! To the back! Pronto!


And then 45 minutes over service for a sermon on respect of authority in the Church - which trumps truth.

I'm being totally facetious here. No one's going to do any of the above. I know anyone reading this will certainly just sing the falsehoods, "We are not divided, all one body we", all while their internal thoughts are yelling "HA! HA! RIGHT! WHATEVER! ISNT THAT A LOAD OF HOOEY!"

The point of all this is simple. In the Churches of God, authority trumps truth. Lies trump truth. Appearance trumps truth. Law trumps truth. So if truth is Jesus, and Jesus is truth...

Where's Jesus? 

The Cult View of Jesus

When you heard about the one called Christ - it wasn't His Person. It was His "Message".  A Warning message. A message of soon-coming destruction and armageddon against all who rebel against the Government of God. Meaning - our cult. And ONLY our cult.

It was never an introduction about Jesus. Ever. It was about superficial talk you would give to your co-worker. If a divine diety was mentioned, it rarely was Jesus. Who HE was. It was “Christ” - his title – but not Jesus – your close friend. We didn't believe in that concept. Jesus was King of Kings – but not a friend or a brother in it's relationship sense. We made fun of those who used any sort of emotion to talk about Jesus. Jesus was a man's man, in our world – a strong man, a worker, a tough ruler who would come to Earth with a “rod of iron” - a stern taskmaster type individual you didn't know as an individual, but a slavedriver who ruled as a king. Our concept of Jesus was quite different then the other church's concept of Jesus. We would constantly make fun of other religions' concept of Jesus. We would ridicule their concept of Jesus having long hair in pictures. After all, no one knew what Jesus looked like. Jesus had to have short hair, we were taught. We ridiculed the concept of other churches causing Jesus to look effeminite and weary. We believed that all other churches taught a “false” Jesus – in fact, a book was written by the church stating that we knew the “real” Jesus when everyone else knew a false and fake Jesus.

It was this “real” Jesus (actually, a FAKE Jesus) that the church taught that became my concept of the Savior of the world.

I wasn't taught the nature of the love of Jesus. To me, Jesus was a distant, mythological figure. A figure that really didn't know me. In fact, I didn't really know or learned about Jesus Christ until much later in life. He was never the central figure in my life – and this makes sense, because He was never the central figure of our church. In all my memories of childhood, Jesus was never a part of it. The church was, the Holy Days were, the Sabbath were – the do's and dont's of law were – but Jesus? To me, he was a “future” guy who someday would come and kick Satan off his throne and bring in the physical, all encompassing “World Tomorrow” as King of Kings – then. The “Now” Jesus? I didn't understand that concept. What I understood was that someday, in the future, not far from that moment, Christ would give me something to rule over with him in the government of God. There wasn't a personal Jesus to me. This was The Boss. The Governor. But certainly NOT a friend and brother.

 There was only Christ, the Ruler, the Punisher, the King of Kings - ruling with a Rod of Iron, the one to fear. 

And it was all dependent on how well you obeyed the Government of God - the Church - the Cult. 

Jesus Is The Standard, The Way, The Truth, and the Life, and the Righteousness.

Personal Thoughts on Biblical Issues.

****

Jesus said in John 7, speaking to the Jews in the Temple:

^16 [c]Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. ¹⁷ If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. ¹⁸ He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. ¹⁹ Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” (I bolded verse 18 because many of Armstrongism are speaking from themselves, seeking their own glory, trying to convince people of who they are.)

 It's really amazing that he was speaking to Jews who honestly believed they were "keeping the Law" properly. But here, he counters some opposition within the Temple. Note that this was preached in the middle of the Feast - when they thought they were observing the Law properly in the keeping of commanded convocation.

It's even more interesting that Jesus told the Jews "why do you seek to kill Me." Of course, the Jews didn't understand where Jesus was coming from - they then accused Jesus of having a demon, not understanding what He was saying.

Jesus then told them plainly. He said "I did one work, and you all marvel." He then said that Moses gave the Jews circumcision - but not really Moses, but the fathers - and they have no problem doing circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the Law of Moses is not broken. And yet there's Jesus, who does a righteous act of making someone completely well on the Sabbath. Jesus then clarifies exactly what He is saying: "Don't judge according to appearance - but on what is righteous."

There's a big lesson here when it comes to Armstrongism - which was based almost totally on appearance. How you dressed, what you did, how you did it, when you did, and the list goes on and on. If it appeared this way or that way - there were spies in the congregations to report such appearance so that it does not soil the "appearance" of the Church.

Jesus however had a different way of looking at it.

Jesus said judge on what is righteous, and what is not - even to those who were under the Law, because Jesus had not yet risen yet. This was said even when the Law was in full effect! The New Covenant was already in His blood - and he was teaching a new and unique way to live.

So what's righteous then? How do you judge on what is righteous?

Righteousness is first and foremost not found by the "works of the Law". Jesus Himself said that not one of the Jews was "keeping the Law", even though they thought they were. Even in the days when the Law was in full force, as Jesus was talking to those who were under the Law, he was stating that the Law itself does nothing to make one declared righteous. The answer is elsewhere, because all the Law does is make someone aware of their sinful selves.

Romans 3:20: "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."

God, through Jesus, then, made him - Jesus - who had no sin to BE that sin for us so we would then be able to become the righteousness of God. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Judging on what then is righteous - would be to furst understand what Jesus has enable through His becoming sin for us, and establishing the grace of God that gives salvation to all: To say "no" to ungodliness and fleshly passions, and to live and do right. 

Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."

Doing right is defined in Matthew 25: Living a life in love and in service to people in need. Feeding the hungry, visiting the jailed, helping the sick, the orphans, the widowed, the poor. The righteousness that God is talking about is given only through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Jew AND Gentile alike, apart from the Law. This is why it's so important to die to sin and to live Christ.

Herbert Armstrong always preached "Sin is the transgression of the Law". But Righteousness is not obtained by the "keeping" of the Law. Romans 8 says there is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ - for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of Sin and Death. In other words, the cycle of death that transgression of the Law in the Old Covenant always produced, and that Herbert always said came up to bite you if you transgressed the Law - why you always feared you would "never make it". You always had to "obey the Law" even though it was - as Jesus said - impossible to do.

The difference is the appearance of righteousness, the new system of judgement that Jesus used when it came to works - that angered the Jews so maddeningly. The system of Jesus was simple, even under the OT Law: "It's not how it appears in accordance to the Law. It's how righteous the act is."

In the New Testament - Righteousness is fully made known and is given through faith in Christ to all, regardless if one is a Jew (who had the Law) or Gentile (who did not have or observe the Law).

Romans 3:21 - "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile."

Dying to sin and living to righteousness was no longer judged by the Law - but by living for righteousness in all that you do, WHENEVER you do it!

1 Peter 2:24: "“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”"

In fact - Christ is the culmination of the Law. This means the Law completely culminated - reached its purpose - in the Person of  Jesus Christ to enable the revealing of righteousness to all.

Romans 10:4: "Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." 

So what then is the bottom line?

Galatians 2:15-16 "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."

It is not about the appearance of Law Keeping - since not one person can keep the Law, especially since it had been rendered totally obsolete with the destruction of the Temple. The judgement now is about righteousness, faith, and goodness in Jesus - or, as scripture says: Righteousness, peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit - THAT'S the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17) - not about the physical, or some sort of dictatorial Government under the Law of Sin and Death. There is, therefore, NO Condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the Law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus has set you FREE from the Law of Sin and Death. (Romans 8). 

Pulling Back the Curtain on Herbert Armstrong

For the longest time - it was very difficult me, for any length of time, to listen to the voice of Herbert Armstrong.

Every time that I would attempt to hear his voice, it was an immediate flash back to the days of my youth. Hearing him speak, in a loud baritone yell, sitting on the cold grey floor or chair of the metal Tabernacle building at one of the church-owned Festival sites. Never knowing what he was saying at first - but knowing it was important. And serious.

So important was Herbert Armstrong in my childhood - because of the fact that he was very nearly deified in our family. We didn't quite get there - but if you have ever looked at the adulation and idolatry of the PCG group of Herbert Armstrong - you can get an idea. His importance and influence in my family was first and high, second to God. The ministers were his representative.We were slaves to the madness.

After many years of de-programming by experts, including an individual that had life experience in a similiar situation, I can now look at and hear the man in the third person - not as the young person in awe of the white-haired man with the powerful Wizard of Oz voice. The spell is broken. The chains have been cut. The shackles have fallen. And Jesus is the one who made it possible.

Before, when I would hear him for the short bursts that I could handle, I would have immediate dreams or flashbacks of those experiences. I would literally be able to smell, and taste, and feel the environment. Whether I saw him on the big screen of a transmission at the Feast - or saw him live - it was the same vividness and the same reactions in my head, engraved and etched with a soldering iron tipped with an iron blade, searing in deep precision.

I am taking on the task of hearing and transcripting sermons from the 50s and the 60s, and adding my own commentary (see the link upper right). I was able to get through the whole thing - and did not have to shut it off to de-process and de-brief more than twice. And here's what I have learned.

Looking past the lens of former idolatry and near-worship of my past, he was a short-memoried, not-the-best speaker of a man who actually, beyond expert speaking skills, was not that special. He knew what to say and made sense in some areas behind the pulpit - but turned around and did the exact opposite in real life. In other areas, he was absolutely wrong and speaking from his own mind. His business knowledge was very good - but that's what it was. Business skill. He was as worldly-minded as you could get. I can honestly say that I was absolutely not impressed. The fog of the brainwashing has lifted. I could see the man without the cloud of idolatry and deception.

I could do this only through prayer and through de-programming. I can feel comfortable now hearing him, not as some superbeing in a human suit - but knowing what the truth is. That he was a master at business with plenty of knowledge on how to manipulate and condition the mind due to his advertising training.

I wish to say to anyone who is in recovery from the effects of Armstrongism the following advice. And I mean this from the very depth of my experience.

Do not try to go this alone. It takes time and effort, and much prayer, to detoxify yourself from the horrid influences of cult mentality. The effects of the brainwashing that you must be reliant on others for your salvation takes time, and patience. You must reprogram your wiring. It is probably far, far deeper than you could ever imagine it was. I was surprised at first with how intense and how deep - and how much of my life that was impacted in nearly every way - from who I am, to my personality, to every part of me that needed to be reworked and corrected. I am by no means done with this - I've still got a tremendous ways to go, and I admit it fully. But I cannot do it alone. And anyone who thinks they can do it alone is underestimating the power of the spell cast by the deception of Herbert Armstrong.

And being able to actually listen to Herbert Armstrong without the conditioning of cult mentality is a huge breakthrough. I know he was just a man. A little man - with a huge pocketbook and seemingly endless greed as a chicago real estate businessman who found a product, and sold it without concern or regard to what happens to those who buy it - and to those who did buy it - you were Herbert's financial slave for life. And he had all the treasures you'd ever need to see to prove it.

Yes, it's true - The truth shall set you free.

When You Don't Know What To Say, Just Say Jesus

"But this is the ONLY message about Jesus I ever gave!"

No, I'm not talking about the song by 7eventh Time Down. (Like I expect you to know who they are! Those reading this blog have a better chance of hearing Home Home on A Range sung by Spock.

What prompted this post was this: There's an individual who dreamed about the lyrics in this song, but it was an altogether different song then the one mentioned above. But for writers, bloggers, and anybody else - it is the manifestation of Christian virtue. He is, after all, the focus of the Christian life.

This got me to thinking about an issue that is in the Churches of God with certain people who really are trying their hardest to play the role of a minister. Many times, you'll find that their versions of sermons are rambling, out-of context, 'thousand-points-of-what?' messages that no one could possibly remember, or care about. Other times, it's been reported to be the same message, over and over, and over again.

I remember messages growing up in my past about every conceivable topic that could be approached by an - ahem - "speaker". (Many had no concept of how to speak - or even how far to stay away from the Mic.)  From the obscure origin of a translated word - to an ancient method of horrible imagery - the things you would hear would make you wonder where you even were. Was this Church? What kind of place is this? Why would I want to know that? How does this help my walk of life?

You would almost think that the speaker really didn't have any idea what they were going to say until the night before, and then thought, "Oh Bean Dip! (Euphemisms were banned. So we came up with some alternatives.) I'm on the schedule tomorrow. Well I'll Be a Green Bean, Gotta whip out a message." (Beans were always safe in the COG's - as long as they were Vegetarian.) You know, those of you in the COG's, that this has happened. I can tell you even as a song leader, that that has happened - when you completely forgot (or avoided) that you had the song service the next day until the minister gave you a call and asked if you had the songs, or in rare mercy gave an idea of what the message was about so you could pick appropriate songs to go with the subject. Then, it's a Friday Night of thumbing through the Purple Hymnal, pulling out that Song Leader's Card and getting it done as fast as possible - sometimes without much thought, (sadly), because you've gotta get it done and call the Pianist if you need to so they can practice, (there's a way to tick them off - forget to do that ONCE.)  and call the Pastor back before bed time. Oh yeah - and then you've got to grab an Opener and a Closer the next day if they haven't been previously scheduled by a very authoritative pastor.

With messages, though, it's a different story. You've got to take your time to avoid bombing. You've got to make sure the sermonette's done in ten minutes (Go over, you might never stand behind the lectern again for a message). You've got to make sure you have your three points. You've got to make sure it's consistent with the doctrinal positions of the Church. You've got to make sure it's interesting, and in line with the procedures taught in Club. But often times, when people never knew what to say, they'd work overtime to talk about ANYTHING BUT Jesus. Even if it's about Why Nebuchadnezzar did not wear Purple or something like that. (I'm joking. We all know Nebuchadnezzar really never wore Blue.)

What was it about Jesus that was so offensive that would cause people to want to walk out and leave? That's happened. Almost as if Jesus was some sort of magneto repulsion device. What was it about Jesus that made people wince, or say it's getting too "churchy"? What was with the hatred of talking about Jesus? Now I'm not saying it didn't happen now and then. But it certainly wasn't the focus. Most put him out to pasture. And it certainly was not something that would be consistently spoken about. Most of the time, it was something along the lines of the historical meaning of the name Jehosaphat and three reasons why it's relevant to a prophetic event or why people named Jerry should study the book of Kings because it's so close to their name (kidding again. The only one who might do that is that guy in Edmond.) or something along those lines. Yes, that is a bad analogy. But it gets the point across.

Subject after subject was anything but. And these days, in the splinter churches, it's members have said it is either the same tiring repeated, hashed out snoozer subjects without substance - child rearing, marriage, obedience, proverbs, the two positions, - submission (bad choice to state that topic after the former one!) - you know them all.

Here's my guess of what the problem might contain.

When you start to get into the emphasis of Jesus as a Church, in the COG's, then you start to become aware of many scriptures that have either been "difficult", or have been placed on the back-burner, or at the very least - can cause one to begin to have doctrinal questions. plus, you'll have to try to find the scriptures underneath all those highlighted markings!  Reconciliation to God - sounds too protestant. Jesus disarming the powers and principalities at his first coming - sounds, again too protestant. It's safe to put Jesus where he's always been in the Churches of God - as a simple newsboy messenger who could not get in the way of the Father's punishment of 6,000 years separation from God for Adam's sin - gave a gospel that was so weak that it got shut down within five decades, to resurge with HWA's massive worldwide amazing work that everyone and their brother took note of - changing history - (sarcasm.exe),then get shut down not even ten years after HWA died. Talk about dud firecrackers. Phhhoooosh.

So why not. When you - as a speaker - don't know what to say - when you're up next to give a message - and you're not sure what to speak about, and tired of the same old messages - why not give Jesus a try? There's not exactly a lack of material out there. And they are certain to perk their ears at your message.

It's got to be at LEAST easier to remember than twenty two topics in an hour message from every corner of the Bible in a message that was supposed to be about Proverbs. And hey. The Pastor might just be interested enough to talk to you immediately after you step off the podium.

And maybe for the first time, you can make an accurate judgement as if your church can truly hold the title of being considered "Christian". 

Oh, and by the way - I think I just got myself marked for this suggestion ;) Fine with me. Matthew, Luke, and John would be too - of that I am positive about.