LCG's Douglas Winnail's Tirades at the Changing World

If anyone needed any reminder of just how limiting and narrow minded Armstrongism is one would only need to look in the November-December 2019 issue of LCG's recruitment magazine, Tomorrow's World, and read an article by Douglas Winnail, entitled "The Rise of Modern Paganism." At first glance it is a polemic bemoaning a supposed rise in paganism in the West.

The cover boldly declares, "The Rise of Neo-Paganism." The photo is actually a stock photo from Abode.

But for anyone who would actually read Winnail's article they will also find Winnail condemning the supposed mass adoption of pagan practices after Constantine's embrace of Christianity and alleging that the Protestant Reformation did not reform Christianity enough. He also condemns the enlightenment and atheism. It appears to be a condemnation of many things he disapproves of.

Winnail condemns the enlightenment as the work of neo-pagans.

Like their ancient pagan predecessors, the “neo-pagans” of the Enlightenment focused on the natural world, and they rejected the idea of one supernatural God who intervenes in human affairs. ...

The creatively destructive leaders of the Enlightenment and their modern disciples are Satan’s unwitting accomplices... (pp. 28-29.)

Furthermore Winnail insists that things that are "progressive" are actually a form of paganism. Thus progressive concepts are demonized as being like paganism.

Many concepts viewed as “progressive” in our modern society are actually part of the reemergence of pagan ideas that stand in total contrast to the teachings of biblical Christianity—and those ideas have consequences. (p.13.)

This exposes the right wing tendencies within the LCG leadership. They tend to be slightly less blatant about their political stance than PCG or Mark Armstrong but it is easily discerned. I do not condemn the LCG 1% for choosing to be right wing but it is worth noting that they are. This helps to describe some of their behaviour.

 

This article demonstrates the narrow mindedness and scorn against things things one does not understand that is unfortunately so common within Armstrongism. We should seek to understand the world that is instead of carelessly moaning about the world outside one's own social scene.