Why Don't You Keep Your Mouth Shut?

Whenever I post something related to the Armstrong Churches of God, I'm inevitably asked: "Why must you criticize/challenge/attack your father's religion?" The clear implication being that, out of respect for my father, I should remain quiet. From my perspective, the obvious problem with this line of reasoning is that it completely ignores the fact that it was also MY religion once upon a time!

In times past, I've written about how my brother and I used to lie across our father's bed and listen with him to Garner Ted Armstrong on his little transistor radio in the mid to late 1960's. And, he even took us to Sabbath services on a couple of occasions thereafter. My father's circumstances (he was a divorced man with primary custody of two small boys and living with his parents), however, made him feel that he wasn't really able to make a commitment to the church at that time. Hence, while it was clear to him (and to us) that he had discovered "THE TRUTH," he NEVER formally affiliated himself with the old Worldwide Church of God.

Unfortunately, as an opinionated and sheltered adolescent, I did make the decision to attend the Worldwide Church and was baptized at the tender age of seventeen. I have also discussed in past posts how I was eventually disfellowshipped for dating outside of the church. And, although that was an extremely painful experience, it did force me to embark upon a reevaluation of everything I had believed and taken for granted. However, like many others before me, I made a pit stop in one of the splinters that emerged from the old Worldwide Church before severing all ties with the religion.

In the intervening years, my dad had remarried and had joined Garner Ted's Church of God International. At the time, it made sense to me to associate with a church that had held onto many of the "core" doctrines of my former church, but also seemed to have evolved into a more enlightened and expansive view of individual freedom and responsibility within that framework. It was, nevertheless, almost inevitable that there would come a day when my growth would render untenable any further association with any group which held onto Armstrong's teachings. The immediate cause of my final departure was the fact that CGI didn't appreciate some articles which I had penned for Dixon Cartwright's paper.

Over time, however, I had concluded that Herbert and Garner Ted were very flawed men who had taught many things that simply were not consistent with the "PLAIN TRUTH" which they claimed to be lifting from the pages of the Bible. With my new understanding, I was also made painfully aware of the fact that I had made many great personal sacrifices as a consequence of my association with Armstrongism. In short, my religious beliefs had profoundly and adversely impacted my educational, career, financial and relationship choices.

Hence, my personal awakening forced me to confront my feelings about my former affiliations. Would I allow bitterness and regret to rule my emotions and spoil my future? OR Would I try to keep growing and learning as a person and attempt to make better decisions and move forward with my life? I decided to move forward, but I was also confronted with the reality that I was leaving behind many friends and loved ones who continued to be ensnared by the deceptive teachings which I had escaped. What to do? Do you simply walk away and be thankful that you've saved your own skin? OR Do you attempt to pull the curtain back on what you've experienced and try to help others step into the light?

Unfortunately, I still have family and friends who are steeped in the religion founded by Herbert Armstrong - the religion which I have abandoned. And, I am sure that they and their associates would prefer that I slipped quietly away and not say anything about my own experiences or malign the teachings which they still hold dear. There is something within the psyche of the religion itself that expects those who are banished (or leave of their own accord) to magically disappear and never come to mind again. We are expected to hang our heads in shame and never dare to impugn "God's Church."

Nevertheless, I (like many others who have had similar experiences) feel compelled to share my experiences and help others to shake off the shackles of this flawed and harmful theology. And, while it's unfortunate that people whom I love and respect as individuals continue to choose to associate themselves with my former religion, I will continue to speak about my experiences and what I have learned. I do so in the hope that some of what I have shared may be of some use to others in their quest for peace, truth and fulfillment. I'm sorry that some see this as being disrespectful and hurtful, but that is certainly not my objective.