Why does PCG’s April 21, 2020 article Should You Join a Church? look so much like GTA’s booklet? Could they have copied from it?
In going over the article, what I picked up on was that that they have copied many words (almost verbatim) from Garner Ted Armstrong’s 1970 booklet by the same title.
PCG article says: “When you look around, though, you see thousands of different groups, with different beliefs, customs, methods of government, goals, places of worship, and doctrines…”
GTA’s booklet says: “…we see literally HUNDREDS of DIFFERING groups, with different beliefs, different creeds and religious books…”
PCG says: “Believe it or not, you cannot ‘join’ the Church of God! No one ever has–no one ever will. God must PUT you into it!”
GTA says: Believe it or not, you cannot “join” the Church of God! No one ever HAS — and no one ever will! God must PUT you into it!
PCG says: “God will give His Spirit only to those who are willing to OBEY Him (Acts 5:32) You can enter God’s true Church by repenting of your disobedience to God’s law, then by being baptized by God’s true servants and thus claiming God’s promise of the gift of His Holy Spirit. That is the only way.”
GTA says: God will give that Spirit only to those who are willing to “OBEY Him”! (Acts 5:32) You can enter God’s true Church by REPENTING OF YOUR DISOBEDIENCE TO God’s Law, by calling on God’s true servants to baptize you, and by claiming God’s promise of the gift of His Holy Spirit. In that way, and that way ONLY, does anyone enter into the Church.
PCG says: “Only the genuine worship of God in His Church is acceptable to Him.”
GTA says: “Only the genuine worship of God in His Church is acceptable to Him!”
PCG says: “But God forbids you ever to join in with the worship of counterfeit church bodies—no matter how close to the truth they seem
GTA says: “ALL of the counterfeits — regardless of how seemingly close to the “real article” they may be — are worthless!”
PCG says: Should you join a church? No! Because any church you can “join” is not the Church of God!
GTA says: Should you join a church? NO! BECAUSE ANY CHURCH YOU CAN “JOIN” IS NOT THE CHURCH GOD!
PCG says: PROVE to yourself where God’s Church is. Prove where the work of that Church is being done. Prove where the ministers of God are faithfully crying aloud and showing people their sins (Isaiah 58:1)—and don’t settle for a counterfeit! Respond to God’s calling. Then, follow Peter’s admonition: REPENT, and be baptized, in Christ’s name—into Christ’s one and only Body.
GTA says: PROVE to yourself WHERE God’s Church is — WHERE the WORK of that Church is being done, WHERE the MINISTERS of God are faithfully CRYING ALOUD, and SHOWING PEOPLE THEIR SINS — and don’t settle for a counterfeit!
Almost identical words that Garner Ted Armstrong said in his 1970 booklet, “Should You Join a Church?” which was also published in the Tomorrow’s World, May 1971 (magazine published by WCG from 1969-1972).
As was mentioned before, PCG can’t do anything original. Do they think no one is going to notice?
By AJW
Exit & Support Network™
April 22, 2020
Read: PCG Article is Attempt to Win Over People (From person who sent the PCG article to ESN on April 22, 2020)
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