Recently
Banned by HWA featured an intriguing comment on James Malm's website which among other things shows how political messages taught within the COGs gets localized in different countries to fit in with the membership and keep the churches afloat.
... so many CoGs are so very political, taking strong stances on Trump, on tax dollars spent on abortion, on Obamacare etc. with their publications causing a major headache for their congregations abroad (e.g.the UCG in Europe refusing to translate the pro-Trump drivel that came from Don Ward recently so as not to lose their entire congregations)....
(UCG-ers in Canada are always offended by the editorial in the Beyond Today magazine which implies frequently that taking tax money to pay into a shared pool for health insurance is a violation of “Thou shalt not steal” because the govt is stealing your money !! (Mike Kelley’s time-worn theme).
Yes I found that interesting too.
ReplyDeleteGone are the days that anything coming out of America carried huge influence and authority since 1945. Being, popular music, politics, democracy, business, banking OR crackpot religion.
Mostly because thanks to the USA the world and especially Europe has been liberated from its incapacitating (old) culture.
And more recently through its corruption of business and politics. The entire US diplomatic corps is warning for the demise of Americas soft power because of its recent choices in leadership since 2000.
It is the soft power that carried huge authority. (and of which HWA was an intrinsic part throught the sponsoring of NJGO's and UN activities and bodies as a tool of American moral authority)
Today as it seems, even in the pyramidically organized COG's "news from America" is received with distrust, since for never having understood HWA's mission the COG's are searching in the realm of politics
nck
Quite a number of years ago when I was working to help members of the Christian Churches of God extricate themselves from their oppression (and they finally did in 2005 -- most of them went with their newly formed Assembly of Eloah), there was quite a lot of United States 'centric' material, but I was dealing with and helping people in Canada, the Netherlands and many what Americans would call 'International Sites'. When I realized the gravity of the situation, I immediately dropped everything about the United States and focused solely on the issues relevant to the targeted audience. It was an especially poignant lesson. Afterward, many of those associated with the effort in the ccg did express their appreciation.
ReplyDeletePeople notice. It's important that ANY website or blog (or organization) pay close attention to branding. I've been associated with several sites and gently attempt to suggest attention to branding when things get off track in that regard. One of the most offensive violations of branding is the insistence of the concentration of United States specific issues when addressing a larger world audience.
Let us hope that ALL of the Armstrongist sects continue to ignore such issues so that people around the world can take offense and leave the ACoGs alone to wallow in their patriotic nonsense of self-satisfying selfish blather and flag waving.
In this case, not learning their lesson would be poetic justice.
Herbert Armstrong didn't really have that much influence and appeal in the world (except for what he paid for dearly out of the blood money from members) and with any luck at all, the ACoGs will have even less.
Me thinks that Armstrongism died at the end of the Cold War because it was alway entangled with questions of "High Politics." Just as US authority waned the world lost interest in US strategic thinking.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand we great succes for the 7th day Adventists (as another religion starting in the Corn Fields) in the political realm. I guess because historically they put more emphasis on "human interest" like "healthcare" or "organic food" as a foretaste of "agricultural utopia." Whereas Armstrongism "High Politics" put more emphasis on "the structure of peace", (legal framework), "Pax through Force" (rod of iron) and cultural influence (since without WTM broadcast money, European youth would still be ball room dancing re: The Boat that Rocked)
Many politicians today, even presidential candidates are open adventists.
In Europe many adventists are openly alligned with "green parties" openly advocating policies that are extremely popular and resonate with many today for the preservation of our planet and succesfully allign with 7th day adventist ideology and ideas on health, agriculture, nature and animal rights.
I am not active in any political party.
Just actively observing the demise of Armstrongism (as the american empire wanes) and the rise of adventism (as we seem to care more about the preservation of our species.
All members of the same family of religion. One stuck in cultic fake news, the other actively involved in the causes of the common man.
It could have been different. But it just wasn't to be.
nck
(without starting an entire discussion on another topic) It is known that Black Ops and I differ in our opinion on HWA's influence.
ReplyDeleteRelevant to my opining on the "High Politics" emphasis and "empire building "in "prophetic reading" and the PT magazine of Armstrongism I will make only one point.
Dr Singh of the World Court stated that from its inception it was not all clear that the "International Body" would wield much influence. It is my opinion that in that "start up" phase it was of significance that "private parties" sponsored lectures by Dr Singh to the Indian and Japanese governments.
That the tickets are now listed under the "huge expenses" of the armstrong empire, is not my problem. I am focussing on what transpired and what those dollars were used for.
nck