Another Intelligent Quote of the Day by Desertwench on Joe Jr.
For the most part, I consider Dr. Tkach to be a well-educated, well-informed man of high intellect, and I think it is great that he carried on this email dialogue with you (....having had several email exchanges with him over the years, myself). I am wondering if maybe he already knew you from WCG HQ employment or elsewhere?
While your part of the email dialogue seems (to me) to be gracious and respectful, I am not at all surprised that Joe's responses had undertones of defensiveness. Let's face it, criticism in any form whatsover, just never sets well with MOST church pastors/overseers.....not just in WCG, but most other churches/denominations at least from what I've observed. And so, what happens for some church members (the first time or two they criticise the pastor's leadership or some aspect about the church and get an unfavorable reaction....) is that they quickly see the pastor as "unapproachable" and out of touch with reality. And, it's no wonder that so many church pastors/overseers today, have complained about how lonely and unappreciated they feel, to the point that many of them leave the ministry completely.
I too would challenge Dr. Tkach on his belief that "HWA died penniless." LOL, that's baloney! I also have good reason to believe that Dr. Tkach (just like his mother & so many others...) is also STILL (in 2007) among the "walking wounded" and operates much of the time from a subtle, passive-aggressive mindset.
And while I have many other opinions/perspectives on the "new" WCG's governance and its appointed (not elected) "pope"-style leadership and hand-picked board of elders, I still say that the most gracious, merciful thing Joe could have done (once he inherited his "papacy" position & began to dismantel Armstrongism & "old" WCG piece by piece, inch by inch....like a long, slow torture) was to either:
1) Step out on faith in his newly-found freedom in Christ, along with his buddies (Mike, Bernie, Greg & whoever else...), and plant a new denomination or church elsewhere.....leaving "old" WCG in-tact....and not try to "bully" or get people to conform to their agendas. Or:
2) Announce that WCG will close its doors on such & such a date, and provide WCGers with information on how to find a healthy church home elsewhere. THEN...(and this is very important & obviously impossible for WCG leaders to accomplish, given their past track record...) have the self-discipline and integrity to follow through with the plan by SAYING/DOING what they mean, and MEANING what they say (& do).
The main reason why I believe that WCG leadership can never truly "help" those it hurt -- and can never preach the fullness of the Gospel of Christ & Him crucified -- is because the Armstrongism baggage always gets in the way. WCG is so busy trying to justify its existance, trying to find a new purpose & place in the Christian community & trying to "stomp out" the demons of its sordid, abusive past that there just isn't much room "in the inn" for Christ. It seems that so much of the time (just like the "old" WCG), He must take a backseat to the denominational drama (the latest being their decision to ordain women into pastor/elder positions). And, just like "old" WCG, the denominational drama in "new" WCG is humanistic and detracts from the Gospel.
And finally, one of the key things I believe about Dr. Tkach is that he is just biding his time until he sees fit to take the "treasure" he has laid up for himself (as the CEO of WCG) to retire & break away not just from the WCG, but from organized religion, in general. He's in his mid-50's now and so, where else is he going to find gainful employment? I realize (as he has told me...) that he has received offers for positions in other churches/denominations that he has declined. And I don't blame him for that - he's got a cushy job right where he is, and besides, most people get more set in their ways as they get older and don't have much desire to start a new career in a different company, in their 50's. Anyway, I have good reason to believe that he is just going through the motions of his position and "playing church" like a good pastor-general should, while jetting all over the world attending various conferences, and thriving on the adulation and good feelings that come from those experiences of being with the brethren for those brief blocks of time.
What a lifestyle! Think about it.... I must admit I do admire Joe for his ability to keep playing the game and still have enough sheeple to keep the family business afloat even if only "just barely." He's pretty brilliant, if you ask me. Almost as brilliant as HWA.
While your part of the email dialogue seems (to me) to be gracious and respectful, I am not at all surprised that Joe's responses had undertones of defensiveness. Let's face it, criticism in any form whatsover, just never sets well with MOST church pastors/overseers.....not just in WCG, but most other churches/denominations at least from what I've observed. And so, what happens for some church members (the first time or two they criticise the pastor's leadership or some aspect about the church and get an unfavorable reaction....) is that they quickly see the pastor as "unapproachable" and out of touch with reality. And, it's no wonder that so many church pastors/overseers today, have complained about how lonely and unappreciated they feel, to the point that many of them leave the ministry completely.
I too would challenge Dr. Tkach on his belief that "HWA died penniless." LOL, that's baloney! I also have good reason to believe that Dr. Tkach (just like his mother & so many others...) is also STILL (in 2007) among the "walking wounded" and operates much of the time from a subtle, passive-aggressive mindset.
And while I have many other opinions/perspectives on the "new" WCG's governance and its appointed (not elected) "pope"-style leadership and hand-picked board of elders, I still say that the most gracious, merciful thing Joe could have done (once he inherited his "papacy" position & began to dismantel Armstrongism & "old" WCG piece by piece, inch by inch....like a long, slow torture) was to either:
1) Step out on faith in his newly-found freedom in Christ, along with his buddies (Mike, Bernie, Greg & whoever else...), and plant a new denomination or church elsewhere.....leaving "old" WCG in-tact....and not try to "bully" or get people to conform to their agendas. Or:
2) Announce that WCG will close its doors on such & such a date, and provide WCGers with information on how to find a healthy church home elsewhere. THEN...(and this is very important & obviously impossible for WCG leaders to accomplish, given their past track record...) have the self-discipline and integrity to follow through with the plan by SAYING/DOING what they mean, and MEANING what they say (& do).
The main reason why I believe that WCG leadership can never truly "help" those it hurt -- and can never preach the fullness of the Gospel of Christ & Him crucified -- is because the Armstrongism baggage always gets in the way. WCG is so busy trying to justify its existance, trying to find a new purpose & place in the Christian community & trying to "stomp out" the demons of its sordid, abusive past that there just isn't much room "in the inn" for Christ. It seems that so much of the time (just like the "old" WCG), He must take a backseat to the denominational drama (the latest being their decision to ordain women into pastor/elder positions). And, just like "old" WCG, the denominational drama in "new" WCG is humanistic and detracts from the Gospel.
And finally, one of the key things I believe about Dr. Tkach is that he is just biding his time until he sees fit to take the "treasure" he has laid up for himself (as the CEO of WCG) to retire & break away not just from the WCG, but from organized religion, in general. He's in his mid-50's now and so, where else is he going to find gainful employment? I realize (as he has told me...) that he has received offers for positions in other churches/denominations that he has declined. And I don't blame him for that - he's got a cushy job right where he is, and besides, most people get more set in their ways as they get older and don't have much desire to start a new career in a different company, in their 50's. Anyway, I have good reason to believe that he is just going through the motions of his position and "playing church" like a good pastor-general should, while jetting all over the world attending various conferences, and thriving on the adulation and good feelings that come from those experiences of being with the brethren for those brief blocks of time.
What a lifestyle! Think about it.... I must admit I do admire Joe for his ability to keep playing the game and still have enough sheeple to keep the family business afloat even if only "just barely." He's pretty brilliant, if you ask me. Almost as brilliant as HWA.
---JLF's Desertwench still suspicious (and rightly so) of WCG Pastor General Joseph Tkach Jr.
Anyone who chooses to lie does physical damage to their own brain and becomes nuts -- it matters not how brilliant or seemingly "nice" they are.
Posted by
Douglas Becker |
Friday, January 05, 2007
When Joe Jr. was rising through the ranks of power and became pastor general, at that point I didn't consider him nice. Just condescending, belittling, mocking, unfeeling and very insensitive.
Posted by
Felix Taylor, Jr. |
Friday, January 05, 2007