iasparrow
04-17-2003, 03:40 PM
Hello Everyone and God Bless!
I have a topic that has been of interest to me for a couple of months now concerning the World Wide Church of God. My Stepfather whome I have always adored was introduced to this church through his father who used to be methodist I believe until he began listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio and subscribed to the Plain Truth magazine produced by Armstrong.
Although he never committed to going to a church, he wrote many notes from the radio and tv broadcasts of Herbert Armstrong. His father was a believer in what is called "Armstrongism". My stepfather says that when his dad made this switch he did away with their Christmas, Easter,birthdays and any other holiday that celebrates Jesus claiming that they are all pagan, but once a year on Thanksgiving they celebrate by eating and giving each other gifts as if it were Christmas.
He claimed that if you asked a preacher in any church they would tell you the Sabbath Day is not Sunday but in fact is Saturday and these preachers will tell you that worshipping on Sunday is just out of convenience. I had heard all of these types of things before and paid no attention to them until recently. My stepfather had a heart attack a couple of years ago and vowed to be baptized and to go to church, he recently joined a church alright, it was a branch of The World Wide Church of God and under "Armstrongism". He has been going through a strict study and learning process before he is allowed to be baptized or partake in anything that the church celebrates which are what he calls "God's Holy Days" which are The Feast of The Tabernacles, The Day of Unleavened Bread, and so on. He says anyone who does not honor God's Holy Days will not be saved the first time, but when the 144, 000 (of only his faith) return to preach the "True" gospel to the world we all will have a second chance to be saved by accepting this faith.
Please bear with me this is a long message...
However, I have really been worried about what he is being taught by this church and I got on the internet to do some research and here is the sum of what I uncovered:
* Under Armstrongism They Believe:
Jesus was not the "Son of God" until he was crucified
Jesus had to be Born Again (baptized by John)
Armstrong's Doctrine was a mix of Seventh Day Adventism, Cultic Doctrine (as some believe examining the faith today)
Mormon Doctrine, Jewish Doctrine
Armstrongism teaches that when they are saved they become God's themselves
Under Armstrongism, they are taught there is no heaven, no hell and no eternal punishment, God does completely destroy the Souls of the unsaved, so that there is no soul left
Herbert Armstrong taught that one who does not honor God's Holy Days will be condemned
Under Armstrongism they are taught "British Isrealism" that the British and their colonists here in America have descended from the "Lost Tribes" of Israel. And one time my stepfather made the remark that "This country is in for a big surprise!" and I asked him "What do you mean by that?" he said, "Do you believe that the people over in Israel are the real Israelites?" "They're not"
"It is the British and Americans" going on to state that America and Britain is Israel and we are going to be attacked like the bible says Israel will from all corners of the earth.
British Israelism teaches that the "White" Anglo Saxon Protestants of America are the "Pure" descendats of Ancient Israel and God's True People on earth.
Herbert Armstrong made statements such as "He's God's Chosen Apostle for the Last Days", "He's The End Time Elijah" "He is the restorerof Truths that were lost to the church and through him has been restored".
He claims the true Gospel of Jesus Christ was lost to the church for some number of years and he was appointed by God to restore it, such as his teaching that the Gospel that proclaims Jesus was not tempted of the same lusts and desires the same as men is the Gospel according to Anti-Christ.
This church has experienced a lot of negative falling away of it's congers due to Armstrong's prophecies that never came to light.
Such as that the Apocolypse would begin in 1936, later postponed until 1943, then 1972 and now indefinitely. Financial difficulties due to lavish celebrations thrown by group that reportedly were dipping into the church's tithings, members became infuriated and left, Armstrong's son was also brought up several times on charges of Sexual Misconduct.
Under Armstrong there is no "Ghost" just God as a family, Father and Son but no "Ghost", so of course he condemned The Gift of The Holy Ghost - speaking in tongues is condemned, that also is the work of Anti - Christ!
Alas!!! absorbing all of this - as it was presented really has disturbed me, is he truely in a cult? does he know the true history of this church? He is very heavy into it at this point and I have never argued with him, only disagreed and I don't see how
this will not put a strain on his marriage, my mom was just baptized Apostolic along with her brother, Praise God!!!
He says he beleives in Jesus and in Water baptism, yet his church will not let him be baptized until he has completed this strict study????
Do any of you out there know any more about this church, not the new World Wide Church of God?, he's under "Armstrongism".
I am interested to read your views and comments on this subject
so please do respond with any knowledge or opinions you have on this matter. Thanks!
I have a topic that has been of interest to me for a couple of months now concerning the World Wide Church of God. My Stepfather whome I have always adored was introduced to this church through his father who used to be methodist I believe until he began listening to Herbert Armstrong on the radio and subscribed to the Plain Truth magazine produced by Armstrong.
Although he never committed to going to a church, he wrote many notes from the radio and tv broadcasts of Herbert Armstrong. His father was a believer in what is called "Armstrongism". My stepfather says that when his dad made this switch he did away with their Christmas, Easter,birthdays and any other holiday that celebrates Jesus claiming that they are all pagan, but once a year on Thanksgiving they celebrate by eating and giving each other gifts as if it were Christmas.
He claimed that if you asked a preacher in any church they would tell you the Sabbath Day is not Sunday but in fact is Saturday and these preachers will tell you that worshipping on Sunday is just out of convenience. I had heard all of these types of things before and paid no attention to them until recently. My stepfather had a heart attack a couple of years ago and vowed to be baptized and to go to church, he recently joined a church alright, it was a branch of The World Wide Church of God and under "Armstrongism". He has been going through a strict study and learning process before he is allowed to be baptized or partake in anything that the church celebrates which are what he calls "God's Holy Days" which are The Feast of The Tabernacles, The Day of Unleavened Bread, and so on. He says anyone who does not honor God's Holy Days will not be saved the first time, but when the 144, 000 (of only his faith) return to preach the "True" gospel to the world we all will have a second chance to be saved by accepting this faith.
Please bear with me this is a long message...
However, I have really been worried about what he is being taught by this church and I got on the internet to do some research and here is the sum of what I uncovered:
* Under Armstrongism They Believe:
Jesus was not the "Son of God" until he was crucified
Jesus had to be Born Again (baptized by John)
Armstrong's Doctrine was a mix of Seventh Day Adventism, Cultic Doctrine (as some believe examining the faith today)
Mormon Doctrine, Jewish Doctrine
Armstrongism teaches that when they are saved they become God's themselves
Under Armstrongism, they are taught there is no heaven, no hell and no eternal punishment, God does completely destroy the Souls of the unsaved, so that there is no soul left
Herbert Armstrong taught that one who does not honor God's Holy Days will be condemned
Under Armstrongism they are taught "British Isrealism" that the British and their colonists here in America have descended from the "Lost Tribes" of Israel. And one time my stepfather made the remark that "This country is in for a big surprise!" and I asked him "What do you mean by that?" he said, "Do you believe that the people over in Israel are the real Israelites?" "They're not"
"It is the British and Americans" going on to state that America and Britain is Israel and we are going to be attacked like the bible says Israel will from all corners of the earth.
British Israelism teaches that the "White" Anglo Saxon Protestants of America are the "Pure" descendats of Ancient Israel and God's True People on earth.
Herbert Armstrong made statements such as "He's God's Chosen Apostle for the Last Days", "He's The End Time Elijah" "He is the restorerof Truths that were lost to the church and through him has been restored".
He claims the true Gospel of Jesus Christ was lost to the church for some number of years and he was appointed by God to restore it, such as his teaching that the Gospel that proclaims Jesus was not tempted of the same lusts and desires the same as men is the Gospel according to Anti-Christ.
This church has experienced a lot of negative falling away of it's congers due to Armstrong's prophecies that never came to light.
Such as that the Apocolypse would begin in 1936, later postponed until 1943, then 1972 and now indefinitely. Financial difficulties due to lavish celebrations thrown by group that reportedly were dipping into the church's tithings, members became infuriated and left, Armstrong's son was also brought up several times on charges of Sexual Misconduct.
Under Armstrong there is no "Ghost" just God as a family, Father and Son but no "Ghost", so of course he condemned The Gift of The Holy Ghost - speaking in tongues is condemned, that also is the work of Anti - Christ!
Alas!!! absorbing all of this - as it was presented really has disturbed me, is he truely in a cult? does he know the true history of this church? He is very heavy into it at this point and I have never argued with him, only disagreed and I don't see how
this will not put a strain on his marriage, my mom was just baptized Apostolic along with her brother, Praise God!!!
He says he beleives in Jesus and in Water baptism, yet his church will not let him be baptized until he has completed this strict study????
Do any of you out there know any more about this church, not the new World Wide Church of God?, he's under "Armstrongism".
I am interested to read your views and comments on this subject
so please do respond with any knowledge or opinions you have on this matter. Thanks!