Since leaving the Worldwide Church of God, I have attempted to follow Paul's advice to the saints at Colosse about not judging another's beliefs and observances (Colossians 2:16-17). Nevertheless, I also believe that it is the duty of all of us who have escaped Armstrongism to push back against their self-righteous and dogmatic approach to their beliefs, traditions and observances and absolute disdain for those of others.
Chief among these are the practices which Herbert Armstrong instituted regarding the festivals outlined in the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, and more precisely the Feast of Tabernacles. I have pointed out in numerous posts and articles over the years that Herbie's observance of this festival did not conform to the scriptural instructions provided for its observance. In summary, designating certain cities as festival sites and providing for meeting halls and hotel reservations are Herbie creations.
In this connection, some folks have pointed to the eighth chapter of Nehemiah to justify Herbie's practices. What about that? Does this passage justify Armstrong's modifications of the scriptural instructions regarding this festival?
First, we must remember that the book of Nehemiah is dealing with a group of Jewish exiles who had been allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and God's temple. Hence, anything that we read there does not contradict the law of the central sanctuary which designated Jerusalem as the ONLY legitimate feast site!
We read there: "Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, 'Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.' Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner. - Nehemiah 8:13-18, NKJV (emphasis mine)
Notice that there is NO indication in this scripture that these exiles stayed in any of the buildings then extant in Jerusalem (or that they erected tents for that purpose). Indeed, the context makes it very plain that these folks felt that the actual construction of these arbors or temporary shelters was necessary to properly observe the festival. Moreover, although specific species of trees are listed in the account, we also see that the branches of other "leafy trees" were used in the construction. Hence, the claim that one must use only the particular species of trees listed to be consistent with the observance recorded here is obviously specious. To say that a temporary stay in a permanent building constructed by others is the equivalent of staying in an arbor or shelter which you have personally constructed for that purpose seems to me to stretch credibility.
Once again, I'm not going to condemn anyone for attempting to observe God's commands and worship "Him" in the manner they think best. BUT I also don't want to hear from those folks that they have lifted their practices and traditions directly from Scripture. Don't accuse others of adding and subtracting when you are doing that very thing! My grandmother used to say "What's good for the goose is good for the gander!"
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