Some results from our Anonymous Survey, submitted by those who were involved with Worldwide Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God, or other authoritarian offshoots.
This list overlaps with Exiters Tell What Has Helped Them to Heal From Armstrongism.
- Relief to hear similar feelings expressed and to know I’m not alone. (Raised in WCG; exited 1995)
- ESN’s exposure about the group. (Former WCG member; exited 1999)
- The letters. (Raised in WCG/PCG; exited 2004)
- Proving Armstrongism wrong and reading others’ experiences. (Raised in WCG/PCG; exited 2002)
- Exposing HWA’s lies and hypocrisy. (Raised in WCG; exited 1996)
- Information that helps one to understand what happened. (Former WCG member; exited 1997 or 1998)
- Research articles; letters from those who grew up in WCG. (Raised in WCG/Christian COG; exited 1980 & 2003)
- The testimonials of other members. (Former PCG member; exited 2004)
- The factual representations, and the (more so than not) lack of personal opinions. (Former PCG member; exited 2004)
- It is just fascinating to realize so many others have gone through this, too. (Raised in WCG; exited 1997) The truth. (Former PCG member; exited 2000)
- The similar experiences. (Former member WCG/RCG; exited 1971)
- Letters from former members. (Former member WCG; exited 1984)
- Everything, especially stories from other exiters. (Former member WCG/UCG; exited 2000)
- Experiencing validation. (Former member WCG; exited 2000)
- Reading about others’ struggles and how they overcame and learned to fit in the real world. (Former member WCG; exited 1977)
- All the Articles and Letters and E-Mails from ESN. (Former member WCG/PCG, exited 2004)
- History of WCG (Former member WCG; exited 1994)
- Recommended reading. We bought books listed and articles from others confirming our experiences that were similar to others. (Raised in WCG; former member GCG, PCG; involved with UCG and LCG; exited 2004)
- Mike’s Enlightenment Page, also reading letters from others. (Raised in WCG; former member of LCG, PCG; exited 2001)
- The fact that it’s here. (Raised in WCG; exited 2002)
- Knowing how others have felt so betrayed by it all and that I’m not crazy to feel battered and abused by the mind manipulation. (Former member WCG; exited 2003)
- Letters from other ex-members. (Former member PCG; exited 1999)
- The information in OIU Newsletters™ and research letters. (Former member WCG; exited 2000)
- Understanding why emotional abuse took place. (Former member WCG; exited 2003)
- I had never known there were other exiters! (Raised in WCG; exited 1998)
- Mike’s Enlightenment Page, What’s New. (Raised in WCG; exited 1998)
- The stories from people who grew up in the WCG. (Raised in WCG; exited 1995)
- Reading the stories and testimonials from others who have exited. It helps to know that I am not the only one. (Former member WCG, PCG; exited 2001)
- Understanding what was happening wasn’t all in my head. that it had actually happened to other individuals and families. (Raised in WCG; exited 1986)
- Stories from other children raised in WCG and the positive outreach of the site instead of some of the negative and argumentative sites out there on the web. (Raised in WCG; exited 1987)
- Knowing I’m not alone. (Former member WCG; exited 1997)
- Personal experiences. (Raised in WCG; exited 1997)
- Reading about others who left. (Former member WCG; exited 1996)
- Reading all the documentation and letters from others raised in WCG. (Raised in WCG; exited 1999)
- Knowing it exists. (Former member CGI; exited 1992)
- The letters. (Raised in WCG; exited 2000)
- Hearing the struggles of others. (Raised in WCG; exited 1996)
- Reading the stories of others. (Former member WCG & PCG; exited 2001)
- Helping me to understand what kind of organization I was in. (Former member WCG; exited 1997)
- Personal stories. (Raised in WCG; exited 1990.)
- Testimonies by other survivors. (Raised in WCG; exited 2001)
- Personal stories. (Former member WCG; exited 1999)
- Sharing stories (Former member WCG; exited 1996)
- Any knowledge is helpful. (Raised in WCG; exited 1998)
- Reading it. (Former member UCG; exited 2003)
- Personal emails from ESN and the articles about WCG, etc. (Former member WCG, GCG, UCG; exited 2004)
- Letters and exposé articles. (Former member WCG; exited 2001)
- Finding out the truth about the HWA cults. (Former member WCG; exited 1996)
- Reading all the OIUs was so helpful to me. (Former member WCG; exited 1993)
- As one who is searching for truth, to know there are others who are thinking like I am. (Former member, WCG/UCG; exited 2004)
- The letters from survivors have been very encouraging. (Former member CGI, CBCG; exited 1995)
- Everything, but especially the section about children who grew up in it. (Raised in WCG; exited 2000)
- Just knowing that other people went through the similar situation. (Raised in WCG; exited 1996)
- All or Nothing statements. (Former member WCG; exited 1998)
- Reading the stories is like reliving the past. It’s comforting to know I wasn’t alone. (Raised in WCG; attended Imperial School in Pasadena; exited 1990)
- Hearing other’s experiences. (Raised in WCG; exited 1990)
- Recovering; healing. (Former member WCG/PCG; exited 1998)
- To know that I’m not alone and that it was a cult to begin with!!! (Former member UCG; raised in WCG; exited 2000)
- Your intro, and Will’s testimonies (Raised in WCG; exited 1973)
Info compiled by AJW
Exit & Support Network™
Also read: Exiters Tell What Has Helped Them to Heal From Armstrongism (a few results from our Anonymous Survey)