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PERSONAL FROM
WhyAll
These Churches?
''
HY
any
church?"
1
asked
myself in the
fall
of
1926. " Is
religion, after
all, the opiate of the people? I s there any
reason, any purpose for religion or for
churches?
If
so, w hic h is the o ne
true
church?
Why so many religions on earth if there is
only one God? Why so many differing sects
and denominations in traditional Christianity
when there is o nly one Christ?"
1
was in the midst of an almost day-and-night
in-depth study and researcb.
1
was being shocked
into disbelief. Did God exist, after a ll?
Although
1
had never experienced any special
religious concern, 1 had been reared from infancy in a
respected Protestant church-until age 18, wben my
thoughts and energies were devoted toa business career
in which
J
had started out with unusual success. Then,
at age 31,
1
was doubly challenged on a biblical
question and on the theory of evolution.
1 had been angered by the epithet from a
fresh-out-of-college sister-in-law, " Herbert Armstrong,
you are ignorant!"
I had expressed the opinion that
I
did not accept the evolutionary theory, though I was
somewhat familiar with it. Tbis hypothesis was then
rapidly gaining complete acceptance as the basic
concept in all levels of education.
But
"ignorant!"
l
was too proud to accept that
accusation. Also
1
had been deeply disturbed by a
biblical challenge contrary to a teaching that
J
had
unquestionably assumed from boyhood church
upbringing. There was a biblical relation between the
June
1984
two challenges, in the book of Genesis and others.
But first, 1 delved into the writings of Darwin,
Huxley, Haeckel, Chamberlin and other evolutionists.
Soon my head was swimming. Their arguments
appeared very convincing, as indeed they must be to
have won the acceptance of higher education. For the
first time
J
began to wonder, "Does God exist, after
all?" 1 had been reared from infancy to assume the
existence of God. Suddenly 1 realized I had seen no
proof, but had accepted without question what
1
had
been taught.
Today 1 know that most peoplc believe whatever
they havc been taught-what those around them
believe. College students today accept the
evolutionary theory as fact because they are taught
it. They would be considered ignorant by their peers
if they did not, like sheep going to the slaughter,
assume without question or proof the popular " in"
thing. Few rcalize why they believe the things they
do. Now
1
had to be SURE! 1 had to see PROOF!
In due time, in this virtual night-and-day research,
1 found the evolutionary doctrine utterly disproved,
and the existence of the Creator God proved. And
then, later, in a thorough study of the Bible,
1
was
thrown for a while into even greater confusion,
shocked into disbelier. I had always supposed
traditional Christian ity had received its teachings
from the Bible. But to my astonishment, 1 now saw
with my own eyes clear, plain, unmistakable
teachings in the Holy Bible precisely the opposite, in
most basic doctrines, from those taught by the
Christian religion!
My underpinnings were slipping away! 1 began to
realize orthodox Christianity does not explain the
purpose or meaning of life- the amazing paradox of
awesome human progress amid appall ing human evils
and retrogression!
I found the Bible to be like a jigsaw puzzle. Such
a puzzle may consist of a thousand variously shaped
pieces. 1t requires sorne time and patience to put the
pieces properly fitted together, but then one has a
beautiful and clear picture. On any one subject, 1
found many scriptures scattcred here and there
through the Bible, but when put together, each in its
own context, the particular subject or teaching
emerges clearly. Each such individual subject or
teaching in the Bible may
(Continued on page 42)