PTM WEEKLY UPDATE -- APRIL 21, 2008
What our readers and listeners say
Armstrongism
This email is prompted by your March 31 PTM Weekly Update about Armstrongism, and the email April 7 question and answer about Armstrongism. I do agree with the comments by Greg Albrecht. I attended "the church" from the time I was seven into my early adult life. During that time I was aware of some terrible things that were swept under the carpet as we were told not to press charges against our brethren. For example, a pedophile took refuge in the church and eventually preyed on one of my friends. I was date raped by the son of a member. Two of my girlfriends were also date raped. In the case of the pedophile, he was back at church within six months. In the case of my date rape, I was told to forgive myself. I went to counseling outside the church many years later.
There were also practices that allowed for humiliation of brethren. My own father was allowed to stand before the congregation and pray for my mother’s adulterous ways. My mother, after 15 years of counseling was finally advised to leave my father as he had committed adultery and over those 15 years refused to recommit to his wedding vows. My mother simply followed the counsel she was given and was then shunned by those she regarded as brethren.
To the individual who did not believe that Armstrongism was a cult, I'm glad they were not exposed to the injustices that occurred. For others, please open your eyes. -- Name withheld.Many are called but few are chosen
Regarding this article in your April 7 PTM Email Update, what I like is your good ol' COMMON SENSE! -- emailWorship wars
In response to your article on this subject, personally I like some of the older hymns and stuff, but I also like rock 'n' roll and that "bubble gum" stuff that so many Christians seem to think is evil or from the devil. "Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man Who Stilled the Waters" still brings tears of joy to my eyes. I wish Christians would quit being so judgmental. If it makes a joyous noise unto the Lord, then what's all the fuss about? I don't read the Bible as saying "make a stuffy and pious noise to the Lord." Personally I'm thinking of finding an African American church where they aren't afraid to make joyous noises and don't equate antique music with piety. -- email
I think that a great worship service includes both types of music. I love contemporary worship services as well as the old hymns I grew up singing and listening to. I think that worship services these days should include both praise and worship songs and the old hymns so that the younger generation(s) will know where all the great music/hymns came from. -- emailThis is a serious issue with my family. My husband no longer goes to church because of the repetitive modern music. My children go because they do not have a choice but it is effecting them. I have heard, "Why should I be made to go to church when dad doesn't go?" It doesn't help that two of my children are musicians and my husband knows music. It didn't help when my daughter offered to play with the worship team, and was told she couldn't because she reads music and they "wing" it. I think the director should come to one of the high school's jazz concerts. My daughter will be doing ad-lib.
We always arrive late to miss the worship portion of the service. I have been asked why we always come late. I was told by the elder asking that he didn't care for the music either -- but that we need to worship God. Does God want you to fake worshiping him with music that grates on you?? I will always believe it should be heartfelt. My husband likes the meat of the sermons but notes that when we arrive late and everyone seems to be in a trance, still singing the same line for minutes on end, he just does not want to return.
I am looking for a new church -- but the phone book doesn't list churches by their music style. I wish there were a rating system. How do you know what you are walking into? Do they preach the Bible? Do they believe in the virgin birth? Do they sing country gospel or old fashioned hymns or something else? Do they have rules upon rules? -- OhioDoes God make sure we get cursed?
Greg: I'm so glad you answered the gentleman's question in the April 14 PTM Weekly Update about his former pastor bringing a curse on him. You may remember me, as you used my question about whether a Christian can have secular CDs, books, magazines, etc. in your book Between Religious Rocks and Life's Hard Places. I appreciated your response afffirming that pastors can't curse people -- it seems that I need reminding (about this general topic) every now and again.
It is so weird, I was in my local Borders bookstore and picked up a copy of (Christian author's name deleted) latest book (I can't remember the title). I took it over to the coffee shop to browse through it before purchasing the book. I was so surprised by one section I skimmed through as I always thought his books were pretty much grace based. In this section he talked about having certain statues in one's home -- he concluded that such pieces of artwork may have curses on them as they were once idols or something to that effect. In his defense, he did qualify it by saying discernment should be used. But, still I wanted to drop the book like a hot potato. He may not have meant anything by it, but someone like me would certainly interpret it as such. Obviously, I did not purchase the book even though I do have a couple of his other books.
In any event, thank you for using this man's question, as legalism sometimes comes back to haunt me -- in fact it did again very recently. My mother died of Alzheimer's earlier this year. She was in an assisted living facility under hospice care. I saw her about a week before she passed away, and I knew she was near the end. I had a trip planned with another widow from our church and her family (children, grandchildren), and I did not know what to do. I spoke with my mother's hospice nurse, and she said it could go either way. My brother, who is a doctor talked with her too. He advised me to go as planned as I had not been away for a long time. For some reason I did not have a good feeling about it, but I went on the trip anyway. My mother died when I was on the trip. As you can likely guess, those "old tapes" of legalism, being cursed, superstitions, etc. started playing again. I was overcome with guilt and concluded that God must be displeased with me -- that had to be the only reason he took my mom so soon after I left for my vacation.
I know you are busy, but, once again, can you comment?
• It is great to hear from you. Yes, I remember emailing you in the past! Before discussing your question, you are so right -- we all need reminding, or perhaps put a different way, encouraging. We need to be supported in our faith -- for our faith can waver given so many factors that challenge us.
I am not surprised to hear that a book that is published by a Christian publisher (we have deleted the author's name) and marketed as a Christian book might include such superstitious thinking. I am delighted that you did not purchase it, for that kind of thinking is not that far removed from primitive animism, wherein people ascribe supernatural, god-like powers to created things.
Please accept our love and prayers, and support as you grive the loss of your mother.
As a minister of Jesus Christ, I can assure you that God did not punish you by taking your mother away while you went on a trip -- God is not petty or vindictive. He doesn't run around ensuring that people get exactly what's coming to them. He doesn't have a death angel, or a curse angel, who has a daily appointment to go over the names of all those people who will get cursed in some way.
God is love. He doesn't just have love, as an attribute -- he IS love. It's his defining trait, it is what he is. Love. All else will fail, all else will come to naught, but God's love will endure. You can count on that -- and as long as we are able here at PTM, you can count on us as being available to minister to you. I hope you are taking advantage of the many ways in which we do minister -- including our monthly Partner letter, our weekly church (Christianity Without the Religion) service -- which will help to reinforce the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our weekly church service is not only available here online, but for those who find it more convenient, we provide cassette tapes or cd's which we mail directly to your address. Please let me know if there are further ways in which we might serve you.
May God bless you, may he fill you with the riches of his grace, may he give you his rest and his peace. -- In Christ, Greg AlbrechtRETURN TO PTM WEEKLY UPDATE CONTENTS PAGE
Copyright © 2008 Plain Truth Ministries -- Worldwide. Mailing address: Plain Truth Ministries, Pasadena, CA 91129. Send comments to managing.editor@ptm.org. Correspondence sent to Plain Truth Ministries becomes the property of Plain Truth Ministries. The editors reserve the right to reproduce or not reproduce such correspondence, in whole or in part, as we deem in the public interest. We reserve the right to edit such correspondence for clarity and length, and to include the name of the writer. We will protect the confidentiality of correspondence that we deem to be of a personal nature. Correspondence published by Plain Truth Ministries does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Plain Truth Ministries.