Confused

Confused
Confused

Herbert Armstrong spoke of conversion. We’ve had an opportunity to have observed his behavior. We’re a bit confused. After seeing what he did and how he acted, we’re not really sure what conversion is.

It is our understanding that some people have received an altar call. They came down and accepted Jesus as their personal savior. Some of them go their way not feeling particularly different, but within a few days people begin remarking that they’ve changed. One man was told by his coworkers that they noticed he didn’t swear any more; he also didn’t smoke any longer; he didn’t drink alcohol any more — his life was transformed. Another man heard singing and went inside the church. He was a really bad man, but he was convicted in his mind, accepted Jesus. His life was transformed. He stopped carousing, drinking, swearing; his temper disappeared and he stopped fighting with others. In due time, he volunteered to assist a jail chaplain and continued many years helping prisoners pursue change. All of those who have claimed this experience, changed from the inside out — became, in religious terms, a new man.

It is our understanding from Scripture that there is fruit of the spirit after conversion:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galations 5:22-23

It would seem that if the process of conversion worked properly, this is what we would see and we would not expect to see this:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galations 5:19-21

This is where things get really dicey: We have seen over decades the behavior of the founders, leaders and ministers of the Armstrongist Churches of God. We have especially noticed Roderick Meredith, David Pack, Gerald Flurry, Ronald Weinland, those fun guys at United and the CoGWA, along with the minor sects which barely exist but seem to have attracted undo attention from their bizarre and extreme behavior. As we examine the ‘fruit’ so to speak, we seem to see more of the ‘works of the flesh’ than ‘fruit of the spirit’. In fact, we seem to see more of:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

II Timothy 3:1-5

It just seems that this conversion thing isn’t working with the Armstrongist Churches of God. People are unhappy. There’s quite a lot of power politics. There’s a lot of cruelty and abuse. People are being simultaneously abused and neglected. The leaders seem to get more greedy and DEMAND more money every week that goes by. There are complaints from the congregants (some just grumble). Those who complain are then accosted and accused of being disloyal. Many are disfellowshipped. We’re thinking that this sort of thing just doesn’t happen in the joyous spirit filled congregations of the converted faithful.

It should be clear why we have such confusion. It just doesn’t seem that the Armstrongists are living up to their hype. It seems that keeping the Sabbath, keeping the Feasts, Tithing and all the other physical rituals to transform people from the outside in is an unsuccessful strategy.

So please do explain it: We’re confused.

What is this conversion thing again and where can we find a good example of it?

Wired

Wired
Wired

Armstrongists are unlikely to accept anything that refutes their views: Herbert Armstrong said it; they believe it; that is that. Herbert Armstrong is the arbiter of all truth. No one in the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia wants to learn anything about opposing views, no matter what the evidence may be or what science can disprove. This is especially true in the realm of British Israelism and prophecy, Sabbaths and holydays, church eras, tithing, authority and paganism. The Old Testament is in effect unless specifically done away in the New Testament unless its inconvenient to Armstrongism.

There is a scientific and rather unflattering scientific reason for this: The brain of the Armstrongist is wired that way. The brain itself will reject anything that it is not wired to accept.

To understand the background of this, watch the video about how conservative and liberals that look and act differently. Follow the additional information at The National Journal discussing the Battle for your Brain.

By extension, Armstrongists think differently than non Armstrongists because their brains are wired quite differently: It’s biology — something that you can’t just talk your way out of (or in to).

We’ve seen this on blogs and websites over and over again: There is no basis for any real discussion because the brains of Armstrongists are incapable of receiving truth.

As Brian Resnick says, it isn’t clear at this point whether the brains in questions are that way from the beginning or if they have been changed at some time in the past. Did Herbert Armstrong attract people whose brains were wired a certain way or did exposure to Herbert Armstrong actually change the brains of his followers?

This certainly explains rather handily why people continue to follow David Pack no matter how outrageously his prophecies fail. Ronald Weinland followers in the PKG are unlikely to leave the fold at this point, even though he has been convicted of five counts of felony for Income Tax Evasion and was sent to prison by a jury of his peers. People will likely follow the false prophet of sixty years, Roderick Meredith in spite of what Jesus said in Matthew 7:15 because they are wired that way. PCG members are likely to continue to bear the heavy burdens of Gerald Flurry for the duration. Congregants will continue to attend the UCG and CoGWA in spite of the fact that there’s little difference between them, because the followers are hard wired to accept the preachments of sects. No one can offer scientific facts. People are unimpressed that DNA evidence refutes British Israelism. False prophecies are passed off as mere speculation even though they might be signed “In Jesus’ Name”. Armstrongists will continue to conveniently ignore the Bible when it shorts out their wiring and might blow their fuse.

And that’s a good explanation why Armstrongists won’t change: They are wired wrong.

The Perfect Red Heifer™

The Perfect Red Heifer™

Armstrongism is on the nutty fringes of the outer limits of human belief, some how made to seem perfectly reasonable until some objective analysis is done by societal standards and scientific observation. How is it that if you don’t agree with the daft rubbish that some how it’s your fault and you just don’t understand?

The Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia isn’t the only daft religion and the new series, Dig on the USA Network brings to light what happens when extreme religion goes to great lengths to insure the establishment of their view of the world:

The really scary thing is that the creators of the series did a lot of research and found that there is a basis for what they present: They may have dramatized, but there are groups out there plotting and scheming to do the things portrayed in the show, to bring about the apocalypse, Armageddon or something (we’ll know more as the series unfolds). Look at Dig – inside the Episode: Episode 1:

About midway, they bring to light the story of the red heifer. As they say, if you Google the “red heifer” you will see there are people who believe that this could happen. Do you have questions? You will be rewarded. Of course, you will end up with ever more questions. Be warned: These groups aren’t just messin’ around. They’re serious. This is life and death stuff to them. Dig deeper — to coin a phrase, trust no one.

The red heifer is being raised in Norway. The Rabbis inspect the newly birthed heifer to see if there are any stray hairs that are black, which would absolutely ruin the sacrifice — but thankfully, this particularly young cutie is perfect for sacrifice, and so we are off and running. Apparently, the red heifer sacrifice is really, really, really important to Jewish prophecy for some reason. It doesn’t make sense to me, but it sure does to them.

It turns out that there is a connection to Armstrongism. The USA Network TV series is about people of extreme faith and the lengths they will go to when they believe God is on their side. Of course, He isn’t, so you can be certain this will all end in tears. Nevertheless, one of the features of the series is the Jews seeking out the Perfect Red Heifer™ for some sort of funky sacrifice signifying the… well.. it’s not clear, but it’s truly important to somebody to bring about the end of days, the coming of the Messiah or something.

I know The Perfect Red Heifer™ well. In the WCG, I knew a Jewish lady and her husband who certainly was in the center of things — at least in her own mind. She was a prophecy buff, and the main reason she joined up with Armstrongism was the prophecy of the end times. Of course, you know that couldn’t have lasted, particularly with the advent of the Tkach era, so she and her husband hied off to the Messianic Jews in hopes to find more of what she wanted. I was in her home one Sabbath post-WCG and she nattered on and on about The Perfect Red Heifer™ rather obsessively. I told her about the Herbert Armstrong incest and she accepted it, saying that it did not surprise her.

Well, here it is over a decade later and I’m pretty sure she’s still looking for that Perfect Red Heifer™. She was certain over 10 years ago that the Jews already had one picked for sacrifice on the altar to bring the Messiah or some such. I’d say that the best use of the Perfect Red Heifer™ is stew meat by this time if the poor thing is still alive.

It’s just plain nuts.

And the Cult of Herbert Armstongism Mafia sects aren’t much different than this kooky Jewish lady looking for the coming of the Perfect Red Heifer™.

Holy cow!

It never ceases to amaze how extreme Armstrongists can be: Strongly held daft cult ideas which just has to be!

This is just one such example.

Kudos to USA Network.

Although… here’s hoping it doesn’t give anyone any ideas….