Since I am not....or ever have been a member of any "Armstrong" organization I feel somewhat obligated to respond to your statement.
From what I understand Herbert Armstrong did not invent any "Lost Tribes Theory". This concept has been around for many years and I believe there is some truth to it. I also understand that some organizations have taken this idea to themselves and indeed do present a racist point of view with their outlook. I feel that if one looks at scripture with an open mind there are some legitimate questions raised about the possibilities of a lost to history, "House of Israel".
It seems that your major dispute in this area is with Armstrong and some identity groups so we should be able to have a polite conversation regarding the location of the Ten Tribes since I represent neither of these factions.
If you are game..... I would like to start out by asking you, Where do you think the Israelites are today....21st Century?
Isn’t it amazing/fitting that the basic assumption of the masses is that Joseph is dead? There is nothing new under the sun. :-)
Somtimes I think Palestinians are smarter than the average Christian. Even the savages have some weird compulsion to destroy Joseph’s tomb over and over again, as if there’s something really important (read: alive) in there.
Where do I think the Israelites are today?
A ludicrous question.
The Bible says clearly, they will be regathered in the land God gave them. Israel!
And look... there they are.
Are there “some” who aren’t? Sure, always happens that way. Not all Africans are in Africa. Not all Americans are in America. Big whooop. You can’t invent doctrine when the Bible is explicit.
This theory of who the Jews are and where the Jews are was MADE UP because people at the time couldn’t imagine any possible chain of events which would CAUSE the Jews to go back to Palestine, occupy the land physically and then remake their nation.
DOH!
But they did.
Now any other talk.
ANY, whatsoever... about “Who is X % Jewish or descended from whom.. is not about GOD’S MIRACLE of restoring His people, but is INSTEAD a debate about genes, and linage... which IS RACE!
Ya follow that?
It is IMPOSSIBLE to have any belief about LOST TRIBES without considering RACE as the factor.
Thus the entire debate is racIST.
Just on the face of it. DEFACTO!
So there are TWO and ONLY two choices here:
#1 God is clear and exact and reveals Himself plainly and He means what He says and He just DOES it. Simple.
or
#2 God is cryptic, unclear, sneaky and man must try and game the system with science and genetics and all sorts of extra biblical thinking to come up with ways to make God’s prophesy happen.
Now... one of those is MY GOD... the other must be YOURS.
The god of Mystery is the god of Babylon. My God is not that way. My God is the revealer of mystery and speaks in simple father-daughter language and doesn’t have to resort to legal trickery to make a miracle happen.
They just happen in plain sight and are completely obvious for all.
Why? Cause He is UNWILLING that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance and be saved.
Preach any other gospel... especially when it comes to who the Jews are and what his works are for them after the age of the gentiles... and yer WAY WAY WAY PAST CULTISM and boldly pushing EVIL.
Have I made my point yet?
The difference between this Britain and America being the Lost Jews and out right Anti-Semitic Jew Hate is the difference between HOW MUCH Rat Poison is in your breakfast cereal.