Confessions of a Former Churchgoer (by Van Robison)

Confessions of a Former Churchgoer by Van Robison (for the Battered Sheep Ministry).
[extracts]
"At one time I was a completely deceived churchgoer. I was caught in a web of deception as a young adult with no worldly understanding or experience. I was mesmerized by the church pastors and their speaking abilities to persuade their captives, that they were God's representatives on earth. I took the correspondence course (Worldwide Church of God/Ambassador College under Herbert W. Armstrong), which led me through the Old Testament teachings that they insisted were to be obeyed as the means to eternal life. I was fully persuaded that the church hierarchy of authority was God ordained and that to question that authority was tantamount to questioning God. We faithfully attended Saturday Sabbath church services for years, paid tithes loyally and even observed annual 'Holyday' festivals that were considered 'God's Feasts.'
We were assured that our church organization was the one and only "true" church of God on earth, and all others were apostate."
_more_
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[later]
"Jesus never intended that life in Christ is meant to be a religious ritual."
"Going to church routinely is not the definition of love, nor of being a Christ follower."
"I am fully persuaded that life in Christ is Christ living in us 24/7 and has not one iota of anything to do with going to church."
"Church organizations will always defend their existence, because it gives them power and money -- the very thing Jesus denounced the Pharisees for ..."
====================

I think a number of the readers of this blog will find that this is very radical.
At risk of losing you, I have to say that I agree with a lot of what Van Robison is writing about. Quite a long time ago I realized that the NT doesn't actually say that followers have to go to a building called a church on Sundays, or Saturdays for that matter. However Jesus did say, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill..." (Matt. 5:17). So it is implied that the 'Law' of the OT (The Commandments) should still be followed. It is assumed that this includes resting on the seventh day - the Sabbath.
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath ... " (Exodus 20:8). Note that there is still no mention of congregating in a building on the seventh day. Matthew 6:6 actually says that you should go to your room to pray and shut the door - presumably that would be a room in your house.
Nelson's Study Bible notes (after Leviticus 23:3) "... 'in all your dwellings' emphasized the universal nature of the Sabbath. It was not to be observed only in the sanctuary; it was to be celebrated in every household."
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How People Get Sucked into Cults

Joining the Cult Club -- How People Get Sucked In
by Randall Watters for: Cult Awareness & Information Center

[The following features the Jehovah's Witnesses, but you could substitute a number of other names - such as COG-PKG for example - 'Que']

Q. What do you feel is the most common barrier a person faces in communicating with [Jehovah's Witnesses]?
A. Understanding the whole cult phenomena. The main problem is not that they are 'brainwashed' -- they don't [appear to have the so-called 'brainwashed'] demons.
Generally speaking, they have, in effect, joined an exclusive club that has, as part of its initiation, the adoption of a peculiar world view, a set of glasses through which they look at life. In order to be a part of that club, they are forced to abandon any previous model of reality they may have entertained.

Q. Can you give an example?
A. A woman notices her new neighbor leaving the house all dressed up and her kids obediently going with her. It's [Saturday]/[Sunday] and they're going somewhere, presumably to church. She later talks to this new [Jehovah's Witness] neighbor, begins a friendship and finds out that [Jehovah's Witnesses] appear to be the friendliest people she has ever met. She has recently gone through a divorce and its subsequent loneliness, has two kids of her own and she has no direction to turn to. She feels helpless and vulnerable. She contrasts her life with that of her new neighbor who is confident about the future, has many pleasant friends, well-behaved children and seemingly all the answers to life's problems. Who wouldn't find it an appealing contrast, finding themselves in a similar situation?

click here for more from the article

Other questions in the article are :-
Q. But, it's not real ... I mean, it's a cult, and they're really under mind control!
Q. Are you saying that joining a cult is like getting addicted to a drug?
Q. Wow! So the reason a person often joins a cult against all sound advice from others is because of its seemingly miraculous ability to change their life for the better, and fairly quickly. It's a new social setting that works for them as well, a new family, if you will, whereas the old family, the old social life has failed. It has not made them happy.
Q. And the book is free, too?
Q. Wait a minute, though ... Don't Christians sometimes use that technique to gain converts?
Q. So during this critical period of their indoctrination, where they are being coerced into attending all the meetings ... as well as to continue their "home Bible study," isn't that the most important time to present them with evidence of the dishonesty and faulty reasoning of the [magazine]?
Q. A number of active [Witnesses] that I've talked to say that they really DID check things out before they decided to join the [Witnesses]. They say they investigated the [Watchtower] fully before making a commitment. But what you're saying is that they really come under some kind of a spell, some kind of mind control that is not their fault, some greater power or irresistible force.
Q. What about those who are born into the religion?
Q. What you say sounds true, but I don't see a big difference between their kind of coercive persuasion and that used by many Christians within their own families.
==============================

extract from the book 'When Prophecy Fails' by Leon Festinger, et al :-
(quoting Jeanne Mills - a former member of the People's Temple)
"When you meet the friendliest people you have ever known, who introduce you to the most loving group of people you've ever encountered, and you find the leader to be the most inspired, caring, compassionate and understanding person you've ever met, and then you learn that the cause of the group is something you never dared hope could be accomplished, and all of this sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true! Don't give up your education, your hopes and ambitions to follow a rainbow."
[emphasis by 'Que']

===============================================
If you are thinking about being *recruited* by a religious group please go here :-
Armstrongism/Church of God/Ronald Weinland
Also, you can print this page for future reference :-
Mind Control by Cults
Professional help from Christian counselors is available through this site :- http://christiantherapist.com/
(If possible, it would be wise to check if counselors have relevant qualifications. Recommendations from previous patients would also be very valuable.)
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Pope Says End of the World Not Nigh

Pope reassures that alarmist readings foretelling the end of the world are false
by Richard Owen in Rome, Times Online, December 15, 2008.

"The closing days of 2008 may be marked by floods, terrorism and global financial collapse - but Pope Benedict XVI has assured believers that the end of the world is not nigh.

"...the Pope said there had been "alarmism" about the end of the world since the days of St Paul, who in his Letter to the Philippians had told early Christians to rejoice because "The Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:4-5). This had been wrongly taken to mean the imminent approach of the Last Judgement.
--------------------

"St Paul had also made clear in his first letter to the Thessalonians that 'no-one can know the moment of the Lord's coming' (1 Thes. 5:1-2), the Pope said.
[also: Matt. 24:36 and Mark 13:32]
--------------------

"Last year the Pope dismissed recurring "Messianical" predictions of the imminent end of the world, saying "history is ongoing, and involves human tragedies and natural calamities." He added, echoing Pope John Paul II, his predecessor, 'Do not be afraid'."
--------------------

(www.timesonline.co.uk)
As at July 2012, the article is no longer on the Times-Online website.
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Church of God - index of splinters outside USA

-- Listings do not indicate any sort of recommendation. If you are thinking about being recruited by any of these churches please check this blog page: Armstrongism/Church of God/Ronald Weinland
-- There could easily be more splinters -- or splinters of splinters...
-- Compiled with some assistance from this site: servantsnews.com/docs/coglist
-- Please advise any mistakes by email to: stones[@]slingshot.co.nz
-- or make a comment in this blog page, thanks!

## --- name of church --- headquarters --- main pastor if known --- website?

AUSTRALIA
1 --- Alert Newsletter --- Gilmore, A.C.T. --- Dale Heslin
2 --- Alpha and Omega Christian Foundation --- Berowra Heights, N.S.W. --- Grigore Sbarcea
3 --- Bible Insight --- Hervey Bay, Queensland --- Colin Heath --- bibleinsight.com
4 --- Central Highlands Christian Publications --- Creswick, Victoria --- Bruce Armstrong --- chcpublications.net
5 --- Christian Churches of God --- Woden, A.C.T. --- Wade Cox --- ccg.org
6 --- (The) Church of God at Endeavour Hills --- Endeavour Hills, Victoria
7 --- Church of God in Williamston, Melbourne --- Williamstown, Melbourne --- Orest Solyma --- alphalink.com.au
8 --- History Research Projects/Origin of Nations --- Sydney, N.S.W. --- Craig White --- originofnations.org
9 --- Worldwide Church of God Sydney --- Strathfield, N.S.W. --- Rodney Dean, etc. --- sydney.wcgweb.org
10 -- Zion Ministries --- Malaga, Australia --- Neville V. Stevens --- zionministry.com

BARBADOS, WEST INDIES
1 --- (The) Worldwide Web Church of God --- Bridgetown, Barbados --- Jeff Neil --- angelfire.com

CANADA
1 --- (The) Assembly of the Eternal, An Independent Church of God --- Delta, British Columbia
2 --- British-Israel Church of God --- Markham, Ontario --- Peter Salemi
3 --- Canadian Church of God --- Toronto, Ontario --- Veronica Martin/Sydney Merchant
4 --- Christian Family Church of God --- Hamilton, Ontario --- Scott Cox
5 --- Church of God A Christian Fellowship --- Summerland, British Columbia --- churchofgodacf.ca
6 --- (The) Church of God (Christianos) --- Belleville, Ontario --- cog-christianos.org
7 --- Church of God Kelowna --- Kelowna, British Columbia
8 --- Church of God, Sabbath Day --- Penobsquis, New Brunswick --- Harry Herbert
9 --- Disciples in Christ Bible Study --- Calgary, Alberta --- Tom Ray
10 -- Faithful Church of God Winnipeg --- Winnipeg, Manitoba --- Alex Kennedy
11 -- Independent Church of God Winnipeg --- Winnipeg, Manitoba --- George Buchkowski
12 -- Patriots of the Kingdom --- Woodbridge, Ontario --- Myron Martin
13 -- Revelation's "Little Book" --- Westville, Nova Scotia --- Murray Hyson
14 -- Windsor-Detroit Church of God --- Windsor, Ontario --- Bev Coates
15 -- Winnipeg Church of God --- East Selkirk, Manitoba --- Randy Rondeau
16 -- Worldwide Church of God Canada --- Surrey, British Columbia --- various --- wcg.ca

COSTA RICA
1 --- Restoration Church of God --- Costa Rica, Central America --- M. John Allen --- destiny-worldwide.net/rcg

NETHERLANDS
1 --- Sabbatarians --- Marknesse, The Netherlands --- Bonne Rook --- sabbatarians.org

NEW ZEALAND
1 --- Worldwide Church of God New Zealand --- Auckland, N.Z. --- Rex Morgan, etc. --- wcg.org.nz

PHILIPPINES
1 --- (The) Church of God - Internationally Affiliated Associates --- Makati City, Philippines --- geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4655

SINGAPORE
1 --- Church of God - Singapore --- Alexandra Road, Singapore --- churchofgodsingapore.net

SPAIN
1 --- Ezekiel Watchman Fellowship of God --- La Nucia/Prov., Alicante, Spain --- Jurjen Kuipers Postema

SOUTH AFRICA
1 --- (The) Church of God in South Africa --- Cape Town --- Stanley Daniels
2 --- (The) Church of God Southern Africa --- Sandton --- Gordon Terblanche
3 --- (The) Congregation of God (YHWH) --- Port Elizabeth --- Marius Hurter
4 --- Seek and Find! Ministries of the Church of El-Shaddai --- Northway --- Ray Stapleton
5 --- Where are we now in Prophecy? --- Fish Hoek --- Geoff Neilson
6 --- Worldwide Church of God South Africa --- Randburg, Gauteng --- Grant Millar, etc. --- wcg.org/southafrica

UNITED KINGDOM
1 --- Church of God --- Farnborough, Hampshire --- Alen Cain
2 --- Church of God in Wales --- Whitland, Wales --- Jonathan Bowles --- cogiw.org/home.html
3 --- Churches of God --- Lincoln, Lincolnshire --- James McBride
4 --- Global Church of God, UK --- Derby, Derbyshire --- Brian Gale --- globalchurchofgod.co.uk

Go here for splinters inside USA :- Church of God - index of splinters
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The Language of Abusive Churches - Part 1

Does your church (or did your old church) use these words and phrases to manipulate and control the members of the group?
(Compiled by Bill Newcomer and other contributors for the Battered Sheep Ministry.)
Please go here to see the explanations :- http://www.batteredsheep.com/church-speak.html

1 - A bitter spirit* - - - - - - - - Y / N
2 - A family matter - - - - - - -- Y / N
3 - A jezebel spirit - - - - - - - - Y / N
4 - A rebellious heart - - - - - -- Y / N
5 - A rebellious spirit - - - - - -- Y / N
6 - Accountable - - - - - - - - - Y / N
7 - Angry - - - - - - - - - - - - - Y / N
8 - Apostate - - - - - - - - - - - Y / N
9 - Backslider - - - - - - - - - - - Y / N
10 - Bad attitude - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
11 - Because I'm the pastor, that's why!** - Y / N
12 - Black sheep - - - - - - - - - - Y / N
13 - Congregationalism - - - - - -- Y / N
14 - Critical spirit - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
15 - Disfellowshipping - - - - - - -- Y / N
16 - Dissident - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
17 - Divisive - - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
18 - Don't be bitter* - - - - - - - - Y / N
19 - Don't be petty - - - - - - - - - Y / N
20 - Free will - - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
21 - Love gifts - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
22 - May I remind you I am the pastor!** - Y / N
23 - Oh, they just use the doctrine of men - Y / N
24 - Oversight - - - - - - - - - - --- Y / N
25 - Prodigal son/daughter - - - - -- Y / N
26 - Singleness - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
27 - Slander - - - - - - - - - - - --- Y / N
28 - Teachable - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
29 - The truth is here - - - - - - --- Y / N
30 - The "Work" - - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
31 - The "World" - - - - - - - - - --- Y / N
32 - This is a safe church - - - - --- Y / N
33 - Troublemaker - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
34 - Unsubmissive - - - - - - - - - -- Y / N
35 - Unteachable - - - - - - - - - --- Y / N
36 - Unwilling to reconcile - - - - - -- Y / N
37 - We are a "nondenominational" church - Y / N
38 - We don't do things that way - -- Y / N
39 - We don't want to overreact - --- Y / N
40 - We don't want to take sides - --- Y / N
41 - We don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water - Y / N
42 - You need to be open and transparent - Y / N

See Part Two _here_
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Is Your Church Free From Cultic Tendencies?

In October 1991 a checklist of cultic tendencies by Charles Lesser was published in the Spiritual Counterfeits Project newsletter. I believe they are still very relevant 17 years later. The full list of 37 points can be seen at this website :-
http://www.batteredsheep.com/checklist.html
Here is a list of most of them :-

The Pastor
-- Is your pastor fully accountable to a board of elders, presbyters, etc.?
-- Does your pastor encourage questions and suggestions? Is he approachable?
-- Does your pastor give equal attention to all kinds of people in his congregation?
-- Does your pastor readily admit his errors? [Ask the COG-PKG members !!]
-- Does your pastor avoid boasting or hinting at a "special anointing"?
-- Does your pastor include himself in any calls for repentance and forgiveness?
-- Are pleas for money rare and unemotional?
-- Do the pastor and congregation avoid 'attacking' and using as object lessons, former members or those who disagree?

The Church
-- Does your church interact with other churches?
-- Does your church staff avoid secrecy?
-- Is power shared in your church (rather than pre-empted by a hierarchy)?
-- Does your church see itself as just one organ of the Body of Christ, and not the main one?
-- Is your church truly friendly?
-- Are especially needy people cared for lovingly in your church?
-- Are church members encouraged and loved even when they leave?
-- Is there a diversity of classes, races, dress styles, ages, and occupations in your church?
-- Is loyalty to Jesus and to one's own calling placed before loyalty to pastor and church?

You and Your Family
-- Are you encouraged in your own calling?
-- Are you free from fear in your church?
-- Are your children happy to attend church? [-most of the time!]
-- Are families encouraged to stay together and spend time together?
-- Do you think more about God and Jesus than you do about your pastor and church?
-- Are you clear that the pastors and elders never exaggerate or lie to make themselves look good?
-- Is your group encouraging of each other and free from gossip and rumoring?