If you want to see how "loving" COG ministers are, take a look at Jon Bisby's response to a former COGE member who made a request of him. One of the duties of any pastor who was a follower of Jesus was that they were to be agents of reconciliation and to always seek the "wayward" out and bring them back into the fold.
That is one of the interesting things that the church did through the ages with catechumens, who spent a year working with the minister and were then welcomed back into the church with great joy during the Great Vigil of Easter. Of course, those are just vile pagans who don't know better. COG ministers have a better! Totally cut them off! According to COG history, it is better to mark and destroy lives than it is to ever maintain some contact and continue to show love. The example of Jesus as the "good shepherd" is apparently lost on most if not all COG leaders anymore.
April 30, 2018I wrote to you last time about two weeks ago. I have received a response from Jon Brisby of "Church Of God, The Eternal." Although I told him I would like to stay in touch every now and then (because I thought he and his family were kind people), he told me that his time is reserved only for those who believe in the teachings of COGE. He said that someday if and only if I return and fully embrace every doctrine and have complete belief in COGE and Herbert Armstrong's teachings, then he would befriend me again but until or unless that happens, then no, absolutely not! This is a tactic of mind control groups. Oh well, it is what it is. I will never go back. --Kandice Cunning (Former member of COGE) Exit and Support
This is a companion post to:
Church of God, The Eternal's Jon Brisby Sinks To A New Vile Low
I wanted to write and thank you for helping people who have left or will leave the "Armstrong cult groups." I was born into the WWCG. It helped to destroy my whole family--my parents, my siblings, and up until this year, even me. We all made some mistakes and bad choices on our own but Herbert Armstrong and his ministers, splinters, and even some members, helped destroy my family emotionally, just with the judgmental attitudes, being made to feel we were in "hot water" with God, telling us that outsiders were of the world, etc. My most recent minister Jon W. Brisby (Church of God, the Eternal) has even told me that my lack of financial comfort is the result of my "not living in a pleasing enough way for God." I was also told that my family is the "church" now and no longer my kids, since they are not members. Luckily, my kids grew up against the Armstrong teachings and have their own beliefs. As for me, I am finally what I consider to be "out of the dark" of these Armstrong worshippers. I emailed my minister two weeks ago and explained my decision to leave. He has yet to respond.