I want to say a few things from my own personal experience which may help anyone out there understand just how controlled people in Philadelphia Church of God are.
PCG, like any totalitarian group, knows what the members fear the most and it’s all about fear tactics! Members in PCG are willing to sell their soul to the “church” because they simply don’t see that they have any other option, and I was one of those people at one stage in my life. Our very sense of “belonging” and being loved is in our attachment to the “church.” Love is equated with complete and total obedience, even if lies, betrayal, shame, threats and disapproval is taking place.
To be loved and accepted in the group requires total obedience even to the point of total self sacrifice and a life of unhappiness! Some people are willing to do that because fear and manipulation causes very black and white thinking. We become trapped by our conditioned responses. If we obey, we will be loved and accepted versus not obeying, which triggers fear of rejection thus being disfellowshipped (cut off from the “church”) and threatens our very sense of safety and security (our basic human need).
The threat or fear is not so much about being kicked out of a church or group. The “church” is a lifestyle in which everything in our life is based upon which gives us our security. It’s the fear of being cut off from God, not making it to God’s Kingdom, and being separated from an illusion of what we believe is our family. The stakes are high….very high and when people are in that position, it’s a dangerous place to be because we don’t have any power. They hold the power to accept or reject at any time and members are fully aware of that, and continually treading on egg shells, nervously proving to the ministry their right to be in the group. Sad…but very true.
After a while, you begin to internalize all of this, about ourselves as people, our worth, and self-doubt starts to creep in. It takes a while to get out of this pattern of thinking, even a long time after being free of PCG, especially for those who have grown up in the “church.” I know of stories where advice is given by the ministry to divorce when this will ensure members are not influenced by their spouse who are non-members. They try and control members from having any contact with the outside world, so they are under complete control of the ministry. The members become isolated and their whole world is the “church.” The ministry have also been responsible for forbidding dating and marriage even between members. They make direct and indirect threats about what will happen if the members don’t go along with the ministry.
If we are sick and are not healed when anointed, we are blamed for lack of faith and the blame is put on the individual for not giving our whole lives to the “church.” They once lent me money when I was in a tough spot financially and little did I know it would be forever brought up to remind me of what I owed the “church.” I felt guilty and selfish because of this and found myself accepting their abuse because of this. I spent a long time going against my own wishes and now I am free, although it’s still hard trying to move forward. It’s possible, though, so don’t give up, all of you who are struggling out there and have been through the PCG experience!
By Cliff (former member of PCG)
Also read: How Do People Get Out of Religious Cults?
Note: Those who leave PCG also fear becoming a “Laodicean”–one who will (according to Gerald Flurry) have to go into the Great Tribulation, and be punished in order to repent. They also have been told they will be “cursed” if they leave. These are lies and are not based on the Word of God.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” ~1 John 4:18
Excellent Letters:
Helpful Suggestions For Those Who Have Left PCG (From a former PCG member)
I Have Made the PCG a Thing of the Past
Just Getting Away is What Helped Us (This person was in WCG, but it is a very good letter)
Another Woman in PCG Commits Suicide / We Finally Got the Courage to Leave
Have No Doubt I am Doing the Right Thing (PCG member who prayed for discernment and is leaving)
Excellent Testimonies:
Quitting Philadelphia Church of God Was the Best Decision I Ever Made
I Could Not Obey the No-Contact Ruling
Growing Up in WCG Caused Me To Almost Give Up on God (while this person was not in PCG, this is an excellent testimony)
Spared From Philadelphia Church of God
A Letter to Members and Survivors of Philadelphia Church of God (from former PCG member)
Disfellowshipped After Voicing Concerns (This man was disfellowshipped for believing God and not man)
Note by ESN: If you left the WCG during the “changes” in 1990-95 and gravitated to PCG, you it is most likely that you had no knowledge that there were serious problems in the WCG for decades before that. And if you later heard about it, it is without a doubt that the information was twisted by PCG and not truthful. It is good to read the real history of WCG and what actually happened during the changes. Three excellent ones we recommend (and there are more in the Worldwide Church of God Expose` section on the site) are:
- Worldwide Church of God History
- What Really Occurred With Worldwide Church of God (GCI) Very important information; detailed.
- An Open Letter to Our Acquaintances in Worldwide Church of God
This courageous letter has enabled many to question deception and exit WCG or any of its authoritarian splinter groups. (covers the new changes, mind control aka thought reform, and WACO)
Recommended Material:
Identifying Marks of an Abusive Group
How to Get the Group Out of Us
How do I recover after exiting an abusive group?
Prayers for Freedom From Spiritual Strongholds
These prayers are very effective in gaining deliverance from many strongholds and oppression due to involvement in any harmful cult or occult practices.
Back to Philadelphia Church of God Articles
Back to Mike’s Enlightenment Page (PCG exposed)