Herbert W Armstrong

Certain groups, including the Armstrong churches (of which there are many), vehemently argue that birthdays should not be observed. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are among them. The arguments run along familiar lines: traditional Judaism did not emphasise birthdays; early Christians (mostly Jewish) did not mark them; birthday customs supposedly stem from pagan feasts; and Roman birthday celebrations were associated with astrology and household gods - the last being the most frequently repeated. These claims don’t in fact have merit. Some writers cite two Old Testament passages where pagan kings held birthday feasts, inferring that any birthday celebration is permanently tainted. Curiously, they do not mention other passages which undermine their argument. Following is a link to a Post I have in Quora that examined whether any of the claims truly carry merit. The reader may consider the evidence and reach their own conclusion. See the Quora link here . 

There are some - including Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God and its many offshoots - that make the claim their observation of such days, and of the ten commandments including sabbath, are important identifiers of their system being special. So special one also reads claims it is the one true church. There are booklets where they link themselves all the way back to the first century wherein the observation of such days be an important part of the aforementioned claim. There are others such as groups in the Jewish Messianic movements and various other who also argue festivals be required. In t his link to a Post in Quora I examine whether Armstrong's claims are supported in scriptures.   To be clear, people are of course free to observe any days they choose, and that choice deserves respect. The problem arises when the claim is made that such observance marks their system as the one true church. Many of the offshoots still publish booklets tracing their lineage back to the f...

Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God promoted the idea that the cross is pagan.  I note that the Jehovah Witnesses have the same belief - they insist Jesus dies on a stake rather than a cross, and allege the cross is of pagan origin.   I would not at all be surprised if Armstrong took his idea from the Witnesses, he was after all a great copyist. Perhaps many in the Millerite movement held such belief.  The purpose of this pagan theory is, I believe, to denigrate and unsettle believers whilst promoting other pagan theories such as those concerning Christmas, Easter and Sunday worship.  I investigate whether these claims are true, and conclude they have no substance.  Please follow the link to my post in Quora.  See here.