“Nonsense. Ninety-nine percent of what I believe is the same as Messianic Judaism.”
Only if you’re talking about a fringe group of Armstrongian Messianic Jews who don’t believe the trinity, and believe in works-righteousness, soul-sleep, and adding to the Godhead. And also, if these “Messianic Jews” aren’t actually Jewish, but think they are members of the missing tribes of Israel, and are not Jews at all.
“Unfortunately, as noted, he allowed, within his organization, the Worldwide Church of God, things to happen that ultimately led to authoritative bullying by certain members of the ministry as well as a tendency to elevate speculation to doctrine.”
Something about glass houses and rocks come to mind.
“While United Church of God outwardly gives the appearance of a “nice, friendly, laid back, non-controlling church,” they still use propaganda and psychological manipulation to cause others to come to the conclusion that in order to be “fully committed to God” and to enter into eternal life they must believe and put into practice all that “God’s Church” teaches (i. e., commands), and that they must not ever depart from these teachings (”truths”). Those who join UCG have cut themselves off from former friends and family members (those “in the world”) who do not espouse the same beliefs. Members’ entire lives revolve around “the Church.”
Attendance in UCG dropped from 20,000 to 12,000 as of 2004, and they continue to experience slow growth, even losing members in many areas. Most of their new members have been from those who have exited other “churches of God” (i. e., splinter groups from Worldwide Church of God).
Former members and exiters of UCG have testified of spiritual abuse, suffering and exploitation, and having to go through a very difficult exiting process and recovery.15
Before considering that the United Church of God might be a “good church” to join, and before giving away your time, your money and your life, thoroughly check out the history of UCG, investigate the religious roots of Herbert Armstrong, the roots of HWA’s Worldwide Church of God, and educate yourself on mind control and exploitive groups in society.”
http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/artcls/ucg.htm
A letter sent to ESN:
“Abuses Suffered in United Church of God:
June 30, 2009
My sisters and I were the third generation in our family, on both sides, to attend WCG, so the control goes way back.
After the WCG changes, my family joined United Church of God. But when I was about five, my father stopped going to services, staying home with my little sister instead. The ministers blamed my mother for his absence. Later when they divorced, it was again her fault that she couldn’t keep him. With no husband, my mother could no longer be the stay-at-home mom that she once was. The UCG ministers oversaw every job application she sent in. At times they even prevented her from having well-paying jobs. Finally, she found a job at a hospital under multiple bosses who also attended UCG. Her job made any piece work conversation public knowledge at services. The small amount of money she gained from her job mostly went for tithing. I remember nights where a single box of macaroni and cheese was dinner for four.
Around this time, I broke my back in an accident that UCG claimed was my fault. The ministers suggested that I did not need medical help—not even the back brace. For two months they pestered me daily to be anointed, but offered little information as to what that entailed. After bringing me to tears one day, my mother finally told them to leave and that I did not require their services. With this final statement, ministers and members alike gave us the cold-shoulder when we went to services. I fully believe that God intervened at this time to bring us out of there. Various car and health problems prevented our departure on Saturdays. When we finally left UCG, family members—including both sets of grand parents—had to sneak around the UCG to see us. Mother lost her job at the hospital, but finally got one elsewhere.
I still believe in God, but since have come enjoy His actual teachings.
Thank you. —Child survivor”
http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/letters/ltrs09.htm#Abuses Suffered
Another letter:
“Exiter of UCG Feels Like He is Going Crazy:
October 12, 2004
I would like to know if you could please pray for me. I have come out of the United Church of God and then I went to another independent Church of God and I have left that, too. I feel very confused and I feel like there are like a million things about the Church of God swimming through my head.
I sometimes feel like I am going crazy and I shake at night in bed thinking that maybe I have lost my salvation. I have been given so many “warnings” from others still in the UCG telling me to repent and go back to the “true church.” When I tell them that I no longer believe as they do, they tell me that perhaps I have lost my salvation and God has hardened my heart. They call me because they are “worried about me.” I feel like I never belong anywhere and I can’t seem to be able to not think about my past church life.
I have been told that I am lawless and don’t want to obey God’s commandments and that if I don’t, I will never receive my “ultimate salvation” and be “born again” in the Kingdom of God. I read my Bible and I have church of god theology swimming through my head. I feel like it’s hard to read my Bible and it’s hard to pray because I have so many condemning thoughts in my head. Please pray for me. If God doesn’t help me soon I am going to go nuts. I can’t handle this anymore. I feel cut off from God. I feel it is very hard to go to other churches and to trust people. Thank you for listening. —[name withheld]”
http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/letters/ltrs04.htm#Exiter of UCG
A Freeper has also shared a similar story to these, though involving someone else.
That first letter of mental abuse for both the mother and the daughter is just heart-breaking.
Probably no money to be gained through legal action, for it sounded that the family was just scraping by with one box of mac and cheese for dinner.
Thanks for sharing those stories. I question of course the conclusions of the website about UCG they sound as misinformed as you.
But if the testimonies are true it's heartbreaking when people are misused and mistreated by anyone, much less church families.
As I recall you are Orthodox Presbyterian. Do you suppose I could find any mistreatment of church members by Orthodox Presbytarians?
If I did would you say that invalidates everything you believe and what your church teaches?
And have you run out of scriptures and ideas? I mean, you're back to metaphorically slinging mud so I figure you must be done.
And what's your answer to this:
You said: "This they believe, despite the fact that it was actually, hisitorically, celebrated everyday: “I promised you [new Christians], who have now been baptized, a sermon in which I would explain the sacrament of the Lord’s Table, which you now look upon and of which you last night were made participants. You ought to know that you have received, what you are going to receive, and what you ought to receive daily. That bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Body of Christ. That chalice, or rather, what is in that chalice, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Blood of Christ” (Augustine, Sermons 227 [A.D. 411]).
I said: Do you observe this daily GPH? You insisted it was abnormal for me to observe the "lord's supper" exactly as he did....on the Passover. You did so by suggesting that 400 years AFTER the death of Christ that it was being done every day in the traditional church. Do you observe it every day in accordance with the quote you posted?
Vienna Presbyterian Church seeks forgiveness, redemption in wake of abuse scandal
Horrible story. Google "presbyterian abuse"...it's eye opening.
Now, should I judge you, devalue you and your church and dehumanize you based on these thousands and thousands of stories of Presbyterian abuse?
Hopefully you'll learn a lesson here friend...