Post WCG Life and Theology

OK - I’m trying to imagine a modern US state or Canadian province populated largely by Armstrongites…

Such a state would have some severe problems in direct proportion to the size of the Armstrongite majority.  That majority would:

1) Refrain from voting or running for elective office
2) Keep the Sabbath
3) Refrain from non Church related activities
4) Send anywhere from 20% to 50% or more of income to the Church
5) Refrain from any activity which might involve killing or violence
6) Adhere to Old Testament dietary laws
7) Adhere to Old Testament Holy Days

OK, given those assumptions about the majority, I would conclude that such a state or province could only survive in the modern world if its non-Armstrongite minority picked up the slack.  Why do I say that?  Simple.

Because the majority would not vote or run for any office, only the minority of non-Armstrongites would do these things.  It would therefore be entirely up to them to 1) vote, 2) run for local mayors, governors, legislators, etc, 3) serve on juries.  This would place a tremendous burden of civic responsibility on the minority.

Because of the Sabbath, the non-Armstrongite majority would have to perform ALL the duties of those who work on the Sabbath, whether it be at local restaurants  or hospitals.  Doctors, nurses, police, fire & rescue… all of these things would have to be done by the non-Armstrongite minority - again placing an undue burden on them.

This would also hold true for the state militia - the majority would not join, thus placing an additional burden on the minority.

However, because of the Armstrongite majority, that state would have to accommodate their practices by 1) closing schools and many businesses on Holy Days, 2) making kosher products available at local restaurants, grocery stores, etc. 3) schedule large public events around the Sabbath

The economy of such a state would be permanently crippled.  The amount of money sent to “The Church” would directly affect state tax revenue, and would also be unavailable in the general economy.  The majority would still buy basic items - food, clothing, shelter, etc - but the people who made the economy tick would of necessity be the non-Armstrongite minority.

All activities which require public participation would - with few exceptions - be performed by the minority.  Civic participation would be far lower than in other states.  Communities would be even less cohesive than normal because Armstrongites don’t trust each other any more than they trust outsiders.  There would be no community spirit.  Few would show up for school activities.