Have you seen the ads for the "Good News" magazine? It looks suspiciously like the WT. Same type of photography and layout... anyone know if this is an offshoot of WT or a copycat or something?
I was just curious.
What is the "Good News" Magazine being advertized???
by slmdf 16 Replies latest jw friends
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steve2
I recently saw some of the literature being published by 7th-Day Adventists and Christadelphians. In both instances I did a double-take because it looked very much like Watchtower literature (Of course, both Adventists and Christadelphians predate the Witnesses, so they might be thinking that the Witnesses are copying them!).
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nvrgnbk
It's from the United Church of God.
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RR
The Good News is published by the United Church of God, which is an offshoot of the Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. When Armstrong died, the new leadership went orthodox, but not without a major split where 75% of its membership defected and over 350 offshoots were formed. the Church denounced everything Arnstrong taught.
I should add that other than some basic doctrines, such as no hell and no holidays, there isn't much of a similiarity. Armstrong denied the trinity, but believed that Jehovah and Jesus were God (bi-nity)
RR
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AK - Jeff
I should add that other than some basic doctrines, such as no hell and no holidays, there isn't much of a similiarity. Armstrong denied the trinity, but believed that Jehovah and Jesus were God (bi-nity)
I don't know if I can agree with that totally, RR. On major doctrines, hellfire, condition of the dead, no trinity, holidays, they sound almost precisely like Jw's. I suscribed to the magazine back at the stage of my exit when I felt a need to replace my religion with another. On the back cover of the current issue is this:
Where did the Christmas holiday come from? How did it begin, and why? Does it really honor Jesus Christ and celebrate His birth, or is there more to the story that most people don't know?
Did you realize that historians (and the Bible) agree that Jesus Christ wasn't born anywhere near Dec. 25?
Did you know that this particular date was well known for its pagan religious celebrations long before Jesus Christ was born?
What does a jolly old man in a fur-trimmed red suit (who supposedly lives at the North Pole and is assisted by elves!) have to do with the birth of the Son of God? And what about reindeer and a flying sleigh?
How much do you know about the origin of the Christmas tree? How did holly come to be connected with the holiday, and why is mistletoe supposedly good for kissing?
Few people know why they believe or do the things they do— especially when it comes to their religious beliefs and practices. If you want to discover the real facts about the strange history of this popular holiday, request your free copy of Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep? This eye-opening booklet is waiting for you! In this free booklet you can discover the shocking truths about several of the world's most popular holidays. Perhaps even more surprising is how they came to be connected with Jesus Christ and the Christian religion!
BTW - I don't subscribe because I accept what they teach. But precisely as your post indicated, to prove or disprove the assumption that they were a Watchtower mirror organization. There are many WWCoG offshoots that I have taken a cursory look at - they all seem pretty much the same, and very much like the Watchtower.
Jeff
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justhuman
Everybody has good news to offer
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RR
I don't know if I can agree with that totally, RR. On major doctrines, hellfire, condition of the dead, no trinity, holidays, they sound almost precisely like Jw's. I suscribed to the magazine back at the stage of my exit when I felt a need to replace my religion with another.
AK, I also subscribe to The Good News, as well as dozens of other literature from the various Armstrong offshoots.
Some of their teachings sound the same, but really are not. There is really one group today that follows Armstrong religiously and have not deviated from his teachings and that is David C. Pack's Restored Church of God, the others have made changes to some of what Armstrong teaches.
As to the Trinity, Armstrong taught that Jehovah and Jesus were co-eternal, always existing together. He believed his Church was the True Church, and that he was the Elijah spoken of by Jesus for the last days. They also believe in British-Isrealism, that the 12 tribes of Israel were scattered, that the two tribes are the UK and the USA.
They also observe the LAW, celebrating all the Old Testament observances including the Sabbath, and they also practice tithing. I've listen to alot of their tapes and sermons. In fact The United Church of God has a small group right down the street from me.
RR
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RR
True, all they teach "better days are coming." unfortunately, only for those within their group. Except for Bible Students who see EVERYONE in the Kingdom, regardless of beliefs.
RR
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Mulan
We have an ex JW woman friend, who left her husband when she left the witnesses. Then she married a Worldwide church of God man, who had been kicked out. We had dinner with them and that religion sounds so much like the JW's.
Then she divorced him and is now married to a Mormon and has converted.
They are all fairy tales. Similar story, same ending, same delusions.
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nvrgnbk
They are all fairy tales. Similar story, same ending, same delusions.
Amen, Mulan!
