Mr. Armstrong stressed that the ministry use extreme caution when inviting new prospectives with strong Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witness or Seventh Day Adventist background. Mr. Armstrong felt that these people very seldom come out of their former religion. (Emphasis mine.)Can't let the ex-Jehovah's Witness or ex-Seventh Day Adventist see that so much of Armstrongism is pilfered from them! Or let them tell the members!
Both movements, it must be noted, are descended from the Millerites of the 1830s/1840s, just like Armstrongism. This is one reason why these religions bear some similarities to Armstrongism. The other reason is that HWA plagiarized (stole) some of his doctrines from them.
If the (Armstrongite) 'truth' is so powerful why did 'God's End Time Apostle' fear these people so much? Because they possess evidence that HWA just stole other ideas and they could see that and possibly tell others about it. They are an ever present reminder that HWA was not special at all in his alleged 'revelations', and this no doubt was the cause of this fear.
The Armstrong system(WCG)was the tailend of the adventist system(so far)which came out of COGSD, which came out of SDA, which came out of the Millerite system, along with the Jehovah Witnesses(Charles Taze Russell got many of his ideas from Wm.Miller)and the Christadelphians, etc.
ReplyDeleteHWA was an advertising man, and religion became a business in which extortion became necessity, and excess became God's blessing. Being rich became the "abundant life," and only those who were living that lifestyle, were truly "converted."
Like the Assyrian of Isa.10:14, he found "the nest of the riches of the people, and as one that gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth, and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped"
There are remarkable similarities of beliefs with JWs, of which, I am an X. I am not intimately familiar with COG's past. JWs evolution of beliefs, particularly End Time beliefs, is used to control membership and is highly sophisticated with new beliefs gradually introduced years in advance disguised as 'new light'. A few objective indiviuals have pointed out the sneakiness of the language used by the Governing Body when major beliefs are changed.
ReplyDeleteI find this sickening. When confronted about these changes, every effort is made to down play their significance, minimize their effect, and to keep members minds enslaved to the Governing Body's ever changing and contradictory interpretations. (Sigh)
The thing I find most disappointing is the unwillingness to admit in a forth coming, open way mistakes of intrepretation. This would undermine the credibility of the Governing Body and loosen their grip on members minds as it would encourge independent thought and encourage critique.
Dill Weed (Unashamedly bashing Ronald Weinland as a false prophet since December 22, 2008 because it's fun and easy. he's such an easy mark.)
I know, I am a relative latecomer on this one, but I like piling on and try to do so with some humor.
theprophetwhofailed.com
Dill Weed
How can you be serious with a nickname like Dill Weed anyway? : P