A Former Member Looks at the Mormon Church Today
5 of 5: “Can You Un-Cult a Cult?”
I know that many people are unsure today of the definition of the word “cult.” When I was writing one of my books, Why We Left a Cult: Six People Tell Their Stories (Baker), several challenges arose. First, of course, was to formulate a working definition of a pseudo-Christian cult.1 Second (and, I thought at first, easiest) was to identify groups which qualified to be called cults. The third challenge was finding suitable ex-cultists to interview.
In the course of narrowing down my list of cults, I paused over theWorldwide Church of God. At that time, just after the death of the founder Herbert W. Armstrong, WWCG members began to question many of the former legalistic doctrines, exclusivist teachings, and prophetic speculations of its authoritarian and charismatic founder.
In the end, I decided not to include the WWCG in my list of cults. Much to the dismay of ex-WWCG members (whose angry letters to me still grace cyberspace – see, Mormons, I am an equal-opportunity offender), I acknowledged that I saw a possibility of true change. “I am fascinated with the prospect that a cult, as a group, can turn to God,” I wrote in the introduction to my book.
On April 3, 2009, the group formerly known as The Worldwide Church of God announced a name change to reflect what it calls its “complete reformation to Christian orthodoxy.” The group publicly repudiated all the aberrant teachings of Armstrong. The “Grace Communion International” now is Trinitarian, Incarnational, and teaches salvation by grace.
The cult is no longer a cult.
Mormonism earnestly desires to leave behind its cultic image. I know that to be the case. They give new, special prominence to the name of Jesus Christ in their logo. The missionary lessons that used to begin with the story of Joseph Smith (and his assertion, still in their scriptures, that all Christian churches were wrong and their adherents corrupt) now put the focus elsewhere, on Christian-ness and family values. They actively seek bridges between their church and those of traditional, orthodox Christianity.
I want that, too. I would love for every word I ever wrote about Mormonism’s great distance from orthodoxy to be as obsolete as the old books about the Worldwide Church of God.
Here’s how Grace Communion International did it. They didn’t just change representations, they changed facts. In other words, they didn’t just want people’s perceptions of their doctrines to change, they changed their doctrines.
Can Mormonism do that? Can they abandon the deification of man, the humanizing of God, the ostracizing of Scripture, and embrace salvation through faith?
My favorite proverb is apt here:
“No matter how far you have gone down the wrong road, turn around!”
1) Though a group may have characteristics such as charismatic authoritarian leadership, unconventional dress and practices, or reclusive living, none of these demand the label of cult. What follows is admittedly a simplified definition, because of necessary limitations of space. A pseudo-Christian cult uses the terminology of Christianity and the Bible, but does four things. First, it humanizes God or otherwise redefines Him in unorthodox terms. Second, it deifies humans or otherwise redefines them other than how the Bible does. Thirdly, it ostracizes Scripture by devaluing, rewriting, or defining it as only one of multiple sources of scripture. And fourth, it provides a different view of salvation other than the orthodox one.
Hi, I just wanted to address your four points with regards to the Worldwide Church of God/Grace Communion International:
A pseudo-Christian cult uses the terminology of Christianity and the Bible, but does four things.
First, it humanizes God or otherwise redefines Him in unorthodox terms.
Gracie definitely does the former, as the party line is now to say “Christ is fully human”, so that’s Part A of your first box ticked; hearsay suggests at least one Grace Communion International pastor, in writing, advised a former member that it was perfectly fine to “deny the personhood of the Holy Spirit”, which I was under the impression was THE deal-breaker for Christians. So there’s part B ticked.
“Second, it deifies humans or otherwise redefines them other than how the Bible does.”
Not sure if they tick this box anymore or not; fact of the matter is, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any of Gracie’s “theologians” (there’s a reason the word is in quotes) even quoting from the Christian Bible at all, anymore. But that ticks your third point more, I would guess.
Thirdly, it ostracizes Scripture by devaluing, rewriting, or defining it as only one of multiple sources of scripture.
Grace Communion International pastors now almost exclusively quote NAE-approved theological “scholars”, and rarely (if ever) do they quote from “Scripture” or relate the trinitarian preaching they’re still trying to make sense of, back to “Scripture”. (Well, they can’t, anyway — but that’s another topic entirely!) So does that tick box number three for you?
And fourth, it provides a different view of salvation other than the orthodox one.
The church used to preach that salvation was universal, and would be offered to all, during the Second Resurrection/Great White Throne Judgement. Now they teach that salvation is only available to those who believe Jesus is fully human (which ticks your first box, I believe), and that the Trinity is real. I much prefer the universalism I grew up with, although I have discarded the other Armstrongist teachings.
I’m not sure what definition you are using for “orthodox” though, as that word has different meanings dependent on context and content.
Far more disturbing in my opinion, than the church’s theology (or lack thereof), is the fact that their finances remain a completely closed book (with hundreds of millons of dollars from the sale of both campuses still completely unaccounted for), the fact that the church is still ruled over by an unelected, unaccountable, governor-for-life Pastor General, Joseph Tkach Jr.
Who, it must be noted, promised to step down and hold elections in 1997, but reneged and now has complete totalitarian control of the church, just recently disbanding the Canadian arm of GCI’s board of directors, and taking control of it — from Glendora, California. Hearsay alleges he writes himself a salary for $180K a year but, again, no one knows how much he’s making, because the church’s finances remain a closed book, except for the disturbing fact (admitted to me by a pastor of one of the congregations earlier this year) that 15% of all “donations” from 900 congregations worldwide are sent to “the denominational Headquarters” with absolutely zero accountability as to how the funds are distributed, dispersed, or what they are for.
Growing anecdotal accounts (like the one of the binitarian, Holy-Spirit-Person-denying pastor above) also lend credence to the theory, long-held by ex-members, that the “denomination” is so desperate to hold onto what few members they have, they “look the other way” when their members continue to “hold fast to the truths once delivered” (in the mistaken belief that WCG/GCI is still “the true church” and they are just waiting for “God’s correction”), i.e., Sabbath-keeping, dietary laws, keeping “the Holy Days” with splinter groups, and so on and so forth.
There are still far too many questions, and far too little transparency, to declare Grace Communion International/the Worldwide Church of God 100% cult-symptom-free yet, in my opinion. And in the opinion of many other ex-members.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
This is compelling information. It would really help those of us who don’t know how to follow up, if you would provide some online documentation, if that’s possible.
Thank you so much.
As not only a member of GCI, but also as a Senior Pastor of a GCI congregation in SC; I also would like to see some online documentation, instead of comments like “hearsay”.
First here is a link to our statement of beliefs.
http://www.gci.org/aboutus/beliefs
As you can see we believe that Christ is BOTH fully God and fully man, and we link the scriptures from THE BIBLE to support this view.
I can not speak to what the alleged and unnamed GCI pastor said in regards to the Holy Spirit, but once again you can see from our statement of beliefs that GCI does NOT deny the person hood of the Holy Spirit.
As far as the accusation that GCI no longer uses the Bible; you can plainly see that the Bible is exactly what we used when writing our statement of beliefs. Not only that, but I use both a NAS and a NIV, and occasionally reference a KJV, (which is what I grew up on). on a weekly basis not only as I prepare for my sermons, but also in my personal time.
For what it matters we still have plenty of Theologians within our denomination. I am personal friends with several of them. In addition to that we also have a working relationship with other mainstream Theologians outside of our denomination. Following is a link to our website where we have interviews with many of them.
http://www.gci.org/yi
As a person that did NOT grow up in WCG, not only do I find our current perspective in line with s0-called main stream Christianity; but I find our Biblical and Grace based stance refreshing. Our denomination has been forgiven much from our mis-guided days, so it behooves us to attempt to approach everything with humility.
We strive to view EVERYTHING through the lens of the BIBLE, and more importantly through CHRIST as He is revealed to us primarily through the Bible, and secondly through our personal relationship with Him.
As far as our financial records…..Yes a set amount is sent to HQ ever week. In the past, everything was sent to HQ for their use/discretion. Now we send in 15% (which incidentally as a pastor I have the ability to view online what it is being used for).
As far as “Joe” is concerned; I am not sure if he makes $180 k a year. I guess I could ask him the next time that I see him. After all he is an accessible person. He does not hide out in some ivory tower somewhere. Even before I became a Pastor he was accessible. However, I would not want his job for $180 k. (especially not with the extremely high cost of living in California).
If anybody has any questions regarding our statement of beliefs or our denomination please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached through the church email at christourpeace@gmail.com which will be forwarded to my personal email.
Or if you would like, you can reach somebody directly through our Denominational HQ by clicking on the contact link through the website.
Most Sincerely in Christ, Rocky Ray
I appreciate your insights. Thank you so much for posting.