A collection of Facts, Opinions and Comments from survivors of Herbert W. Armstrong, Garner Ted Armstrong,  The Worldwide Church of God and its Daughters.

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(Updated 5/9/2008)

April 25, 2008

As our readers are aware, the Painful Truth is a collection of facts and opinion about the Worldwide Church of God, its leaders, its history.  We exist as a witness against the Armstrong/Tkach cult experience.  As such, we make no attempt to track the ongoing saga of spinoff cults that have spawned over the years (several others, such as Ambassador Watch, do an admiral job of that already, so we don't need to).

In recent months, however, the buzz has been all about Ronald Weinland, a former Armstrong minister and now (apparently) an apostle in his own right, who has specifically set a date for the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming.  Mr. Weinland is, apparently, one of the Two Witnesses of Revelation (and his wife is the other).  He has publicly stated that the first Trumpet of Revelation sounded on April 17, 2008, and the next will sound 45-60 days after the first. 

As if to prove him right, the day after the trumpet sounded (April 18, 2008), a 5.1 earthquake hammered the U.S. Midwest, specifically Illinois, and was felt hundreds of miles away.  No doubt this is "proof" that Weinland's prediction was true...?

For those who have an interest in such goings-on, or may be afraid of them, the Painful Truth recommends a new website, Weinland Watch.  The webmaster there is keeping a close eye on the unfolding tribulation.

Have fun with it, but a word of warning...don't sell your house just yet.

Recent Articles

March 23, 2008

(reprinted )

FEAZELL the WEAZELL'S
MENU FOR SELF-DEPRIVATION 
By Dana

The fun at headquarters of the World Wide Church of God just never stops. The rhetoric from the leadership of Worldwide has certainly changed over the years, but the underlying message from these masters of religious deception definitely has NOT.

            Check out this short passage from Michael Feazell's article "Dying and Rising With Christ," from the August 2000 issue of the World Wide News. 

Simplicity

Another way we can stay in closer harmony with the Spirit is by practicing simplicity in our lives. Here are some ways we can do that: 

• By giving up the need to have the last word.
• By giving up the need to be first.
• By giving up the need to be noticed.
• By giving up the need to have more.
• By giving up the need to be important.
• By giving up the need to have our own way. 

Bible time and prayer can reinforce our efforts to practice simplicity by making us more familiar and comfortable with the values of the kingdom of God. (end of quote)

 Let's analyze this: 

Firstly, the above are described as items of need. Genuine human need. If there exists a genuine human need, why does the World Wide Church of God advocate depriving one's self of fulfilling that need? We already know the leadership of the World Wide Church of God does NOT deprive THEMSELVES of the above mentioned needs. Only an uncaring hypocrite would even suggest such a thing.

So...  Giving up the need to have the last word. So my question is this: Who gets the last word in your life, if not you? The Bible? Well, who gets to interpret the Bible? Why, the ministry, of course! 

Giving up the need to be first. If you don't get to be first in your life, then who gets to be first? What is Michael suggesting here? Historically, the ministry of the World Wide Church of God did not set a worthy example of placing others first in any situation. It is unlikely that anything other than the rhetoric has changed in this matter.

 Giving up the need to be noticed. Here NOTHING has changed. A lay member was not worthy of notice twenty years ago anymore than a lay member is worthy of notice today.

Giving up the need to have more. Long time members know that it is not the need to have more that needs to be addressed, but rather the simple need to have enough. Years of exhausting tithing, offering, and long extra hours of dedicated unpaid service have rendered tens of thousands of devoted World Wide Church of God members with little financial resources to deal with even the simplest of needs...like the need to drive a mechanically sound car, the need for health care, the need for heat in the house in the winter. These, and many, many other items are needs that tens of thousands in the wcg+ routinely went without. And yes, we did pray endlessly for God to help ease the distress of having to live without these needs. I can only wonder if writers like Mike Feazell even have a clue as to the level of simplicity already being experienced in the lives of the very people he is writing to. 

 Giving up the need to be important. The clock has stopped on this one. Lay members were NEVER important beyond their tithes and offerings. Once again Michael Feazell speaks the true heart of the World Wide Church of God. You never were and never will be important to the ministry of the World Wide Church of God. Michael has not yet learned how to even pretend that you are important to him, or his church.

 And lastly, giving up the need to have our own way. Hmmm.... 

What Michael Feazell describes as values of his god's kingdom are nothing short of a menu for personal deprivation that will only nourish the parasites that feast on the souls of the trusting faithful. These are all psychologically unhealthy practices that are not conducive to sound mental health, and will not promote the healthy self-esteem needed to lead a happy and productive life. And he further states that Bible time and prayer is what it takes to reinforce and make us more comfortable with our self-imposed deprivation.

 Just out of curiosity, how would you expect a newborn child to grow into independent adulthood if the child's parents followed these six menu items for personal growth of their youngster? One would not expect a child to ignore his genuine needs in deference of others. And yet, we are asked to believe that these are real values of God's Kingdom.

 The items listed are significant tools of deprivation used to control the masses over the centuries, and are still commonly used by various organizations whose agenda is to control groups of people for the selfish purposes of those in control.

One could imagine how oppressive, mentally and physically, the leadership would become if allowed to go unchecked by civil intervention. I still thank God that I did not end up in a place like Petra with the leadership of the World Wide Church of God without the the USA to protect me from its ideals. Hey guess what, Michael with your little checklist for mental illness. No thanks.

Bobby Fischer Dies

10th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE!

-- Christopher Hitchens

And when he gets to heaven To St. Peter he will tell,
"Another Worldwider reporting, sir... I've served my time in hell!"

(With apologies to the United States Marines who served on Guadalcanal)

Where in the Bible did Jesus ever SUE anybody for disagreeing with Him?

Death Sentence 04/12/08

Email Commentary  03/22/08

Religion & Politics  01/19/08

Shower Stall Scum  12/01/07

Anna's Horror Story  Maybe the worst one yet! 10/12/07

Letters to the Editor Page 101

Recent Letters to the Editor Updated 5/01/08

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Are You Worthy of the Place of Safety?

You Might Have Attended Ambassador College if...

You might have grown up in the Worldwide Church of God if . . .3/06/08

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