WI Crippler, did they really plug the 10% tithe thing of your earnings at the Armstrongian? Also, was Armstrongian beliefs analgous to Anglo-Israelism, lost twelve tribes thing--what did other non Armstrongians say about that? If so. The Churches in the basement, do they contribute to a National authority--or just autonomous selfs? No need to answer--but when I was in my religion phase years ago I came across Armstrong, I believe who came originally from Oregon via radio publicity and his first wife converted him to most of his thinking.
Oh yes, we certainley did tithe
at least 10% of our earnings to the church. Even as kids I remember getting an allowance for chores around the house and tithing 10% of that money to the church. I even had a tithe jar where I kept 10% of my money hidden away until a tithe service came around. To be completly fair to the church, they made bank on our money but also did alot of things for us as well. Its not as if we gave our money then went home with good feelings. We had basketball teams from each church, and nice uniforms, volleyball, softball etc..... so they did invest some of that money back into the people. In fact the basketball tournaments were the only thing I can remember fondly from those years. But we had universities in pasedena and texas as well, so there was basically a WWCoG accredited college. There was an early saturday morning show, I cannot recall the name, and the WWCoG owned the magazine "The Plain Truth". Although the top dogs certainly spent the massive amounts of money that they took in, they did reinvest into the church. I say all this from looking back on it, as I was too young to understand most of these things back then. All I have are certain memories.
As far as the church being Anglo-Isreali, i am not sure as I am not studied on other religions and am not sure what that particularly is, but I do remember something being taught that Americans were some lost tribe of Isreal, and we would return one day or something like that. Its kind of fuzzy due to my age at the time. As far as the rest of the "pagan" world and what they thought, well I am not sure how adults took it, but I used to get beat up in school because kids thought I was jewish, or jehovahs witness( I never went to anyones door, nor did I ever wear one of those funny hats). But I would have to go sit in the library while other kids traded Xmas gifts, or did valentines day card exchanges, or celebrated halloween ( I remember sitting in the basement with all our lights off, so that the "pagans" wouldn't think we were home). the teachers were all pretty understanding about it, and did their best to accomodate me, but the kids were cruel (as they usually are). The church really robbed me of alot of experiences most kids grow up with, and has probably led me to not give a crap about Xmas or any other holiday( which drives my wife nuts).
I have no idea what the basement dwellers do now. I imagine they may not even tithe, but i can't say for sure (it wouldn't be to a national authority). As far as I know the WWCoG is dead by any sense. Only a few scattered fanatics cling to the old teachings. I believe another person posted that it was still functional, but was now a christian church, but I have never bothered to try and follow up on it. Once I was out of the church, I never looked back.
