It has long been taught in the COGs that for centuries in the distant past the church in the British Isles was very much like the COGs until they were taken over by Catholics loyal to the Pope.
This idea may also be seen in LCG's writings as may be seen in Douglas Winnail's article "Early Christianity in Europe's Western Isles" (Tomorrow's World, November-December 2002.) However in that article it is insisted that the some of the original Apostles brought Christianity to the British Isles.
The widely accepted notion that Patrick first brought Christianity to Ireland is a fable—not a fact. Numerous historical sources state that the Apostles brought true Christianity to Ireland four centuries before Patrick!Armstrongism was started up by Herbert Armstrong when he joined the Church of God (Seventh Day) and split away from them to start up his own organization which taught his own ideas often cobbled together from other sources in a syncretic fashion, often from other Adventist sources and the Jehovah's Witnesses. To say it is a continuation of some early form of Christianity in the British Isles is nonsense.
Of course it's nonsense. It's about the most stupid thing anywhere, but it should be expected since the entire Armstrongist existence lies outside of our own universe inside some alternative one where myth, magic and science fiction is the rule of the realm.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite 'science fiction / myth' is that British Israelism really started with the Ancient Pagan Druid religion. I know what you're thinking. That's weird. Nevertheless, historian Stuart Piggott in his book, "The Druids" says just that. And it gets worse: The Druids taught Abraham! So the Jew's religion is really from the Druids (it should be noted that apparently there were a number of differing sects of Druids, so the religion of the Old Testament was just one of several of the Druidic sects).
I'm not making this up. I have the book right here setting next to me on the desk at this moment. If you extend the theory, then the sects of the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia are actually practicing the ancient Pagan Druid religion. As I say, I'm not making this up.
So what the ACoGs need to do is rename and rebrand their religion to something like APD -- Ancient Pagan Druids. Then we can work with a new alphabet soup, like RAPD, LAPD, APDI, IAPD, UAPDIA, APDWA and so forth. This would make getting website URLs much easier, since one would assume that the base has not as picked over as 'cog'.
This is just perfect because then the APDs could legitimately claim such things as a relationship with Saint Patrick (who was really Scottish, so all the UCG men should wear kilts) and to Winston Churchill as well.
It's crazy, of course, but it actually isn't THAT far from a sort of reality.
At least it has some basis and is not quite AS crazy as Armstrongism is right now.
It would be interesting to read that book.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw a connection made between the Druids and the Northern Israelite religion (of lost tribal lore) was a GTA booklet I read in the late eighties.
GTA claimed the Druids were actually "Levites gone astray" in that booklet. I found it interesting and at the time noticed other literature about some of the similarities in their practices.
On the other hand there are many other theories on the obvious similarities between Japanese Shintoism and ancient Judaism also or the Greek Pantheon and the Norse. Odin - Zeus etc.
Not crazy.
However I believe that in order to synchronize or syncretize those theories or religions one must resolve to using methods or science that differ from your personal preferred "structural thinking."
nck
NCK,
ReplyDeleteYour sounding saner. Back on the meds? Good for you.