Showing posts with label tell us the truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tell us the truth. Show all posts

Saturday, July 2, 2011

The Truth Shall Make You Free: Chapter 16: 60 Minutes



published by: 

The Truth Foundation
11 Laurel Court
Freehold Township, New Jersey 07728
1981

Chapter 16   60 Minutes



(pg 237)While the church officials were waging their battle of opposition to the civil authorities through their sit-ins and legal maneuverings, the 60 Minutes program was being prepared. Rader was so confident that he had set up Mike Wallace that 60 Minutes was being touted to the Ambassador students as one of the top programs on TV. Finally, on February 7th, with all the background filming completed, Mike Wallace completed the filming with his interview of Rader. After three hours, the interview ended with a violent outburst by Rader, and his threats to sue Mike Wallace and CBS. Wallace and his entire crew were told by Rader to immediately leave his offices.

 Rader, who thought he had been using Mike Wallace, now knew that Wallace had his number all along. Rader immediately announced to the press that Wallace had obtained the interview under false pretense. Said Rader, "The press is the press, they can't be trusted and they're irresponsible." Leaving the reporters he then said, "Now it is time to turn my attention to those around here who ought to be punished."

Word quickly spread that Mike Wallace had been thrown out of Rader's offices, and it was carried as a major news item that evening. Also, by the next day, Earl Timmons had in his possession a tape recording of the entire Wallace/Rader interview. The recording did not come from Wallace, however. It was obtained from one (pg 238) of the Church employees who had copied it from the secret recording that Rader had made of the entire interview.

Stories regarding the contents of the interview began to circulate throughout the Church. Rader announced to the membership that Wallace had used illegally obtained recordings in the interview. Anxiously, many were awaiting the airing of the program.

Finally, on April 15th, 60 Minutes aired its report on the Worldwide Church of God and called it "God and Mammon." After a brief background by Mike Wallace on the Church, and its current troubles, films were shown of Rader proudly boasting of the opulence and cost of the various campus facilities. He was shown emerging from his chauffeur driven limousine. The crown prince was being featured in all of his glory and he appeared to love every minute of it.

In the segment where Garner Ted was interviewed, he told of the lavish expenditures and outright extravagance on the part of Church leadership. He indicated that Rader was the one responsible for his ouster. When asked by Wallace if he felt that the Worldwide Church had done a disservice to Christianity, Garner Ted pensively responded "Yes."

His willingness to answer questions in such a direct manner was in extreme contrast to the segment covering Wallace's interview with Rader. When comparing the giving of gifts to world leaders to a situation where the President of the Untied States would give gifts when he traveled, Rader seemed to indicate that Herbert Armstrong occupied a position of greater importance than most people realized. Wallace then asked if Rader would compare Herbert Armstrong to a head of state. Rader said that he did and added that Armstrong held a position comparable to that of Head of State. And Rader said that he was Armstrong's secretary of state. Wallace then proceeded to the part of the interview that resulted in his being thrown out of Rader's office.

Wallace said to Rader, "Just a little while ago you were the bete noire of Herbert Armstrong. Did you know that?"
     Rader replied, with a questioning look, "I?"
     Wallace: "Yes."
     Rader: "When was this?" Wallace: "Oh, early January".
     Rader: "No."
     Wallace: "Don't you believe it?"
     Rader: "Positive."

(pg 239) Wallace then read a portion of the letter that Herbert Armstrong had sent Rader when Armstrong was trying to move him aside late in December. It was the same letter that Armstrong had read over the phone to Wayne Cole. Rader didn't believe that Wallace could have had access to that letter and continued to bluff his way claiming that rmstrong had never said such a thing to him. Wallace then asked Rader if he would recognize Armstrong's voice. Rader responded that he would and Wallace then began to play the tape recording that had been made of the phone conversation between Armstrong and Cole when the subject of Rader was being discussed. Millions then heard Armstrong make his statement referred to earlier in this book regarding his concern about Rader taking over the Church and referring to the $50 to $70 million magnet that he feared Rader may have his eyes on.

Rader was stunned. He said, "Now I say you've acquired this by illegal means. I intend to have my attorneys today not only sue you, if you use this." Turning to his attorney Allan Browne he continued, "I mean this now and I want you to go to the district attorney today, let him know that Wayne Cole improperly recorded this. I'll defend Mr.Armstrong and the Church on that basis."

As he continued to work himself up into more and more of a rage, Rader said: "Mike, look, I think you better scrap everything because you're on my list, okay? You're never going to live it down, Mike, I guarantee it. You're contemptible. I'd like you to get out of here immediately." Rader then got up from his desk, began storming about the room like a raving maniac and disappeared off camera.

That ended the program. After watching this, Paula and I wondered if people would finally wake up. It may have awakened the general public to the nature of the Church leadership, but it appeared to have little effect on the members of the Church.

Herbert Armstrong claimed in a Church publication that the tape recording of his conversation was a fabricated tape and was actually pieced together word by word from other tapes of his speeches and sermons. By this time, members of the Church were ready to believe anything from the mouth of the apostle, and they swallowed this, one of the biggest lies yet, as well. Any person of even less-than-average intelligence could tell that it was not a fabricated tape. To those who wanted to believe that Armstrong was the apostle, any lie to fortify that belief, no matter how big, was believable.

(pg 240) In spite of Rader's threats to Mike Wallace, neither Wallace nor CBS were ever sued, as Church members were being told that they were putting that problem on the back burner until the time was right to bring suit. Slowly it would be forgotten that a threat had ever been made.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Pastors and Honesty

by David Hayward - The Naked Pastor



Rachel Held Evans, author of Monkey Town wrote on her blog the other day about The Epic Fail Pastors Conference and about how many pastors are afraid to tell their congregations what they have learned about the Bible and Christianity because of  "fear and recourse."  She was also calling upon pastors to stop being "Super Pastors' and to be vulnerable and tell their congregations about the struggles they have in life.

That set of a lot of responses to her from pastors who told why they could NOT do such things..  One excellent response is here:  Pastors and Honesty

Here is an excerpt:

So, when Rachel signs her letter from "The Congregation," I have to wonder which "congregation" it is who is eager for their pastor to tell the truth about life, faith, and relationships? Which congregation doesn't only say they want authenticity and honesty, but will actually respond well to it and find God's healing through those things?

My guess is that the congregation she is describing has these characteristics:


1. The church has a culture of grace. When people share honestly with one another, they are not condemned for it but are met with love and empathy. They hear "me too" more than "shame on you."


2. The church has a lot of young people. The college students and young adults I've worked with over the years have been far more eager for honesty than others I've worked with. They are likely immersed in social media and its culture of sharing and are comfortable with opening up the intimate aspects of their lives with others.


3. The church is emotionally healthy. When confronted with weakness or struggle, they search inside of themselves instead of punishing others for what they've done.


4. The church wants to be challenged. Truthfully, a lot of people in churches are not looking to hear something hard or new. They don't want to be led in new ways. They come to church to hear the things they already know and to be comforted. They need to want to be led and to be stretched in new directions in order to be open to the honesty that heals.   


If we're being honest, most churches do not have these characteristics. I don't know how many Rachel Evans there are in most churches who would receive a pastor's honesty with grace and self-reflection. And that's why most pastors are unwilling to tell the truth.

The blog comments that sparked this exchange is here:




Dear Pastors, 
Tell us the truth. 
Tell us the truth when you don’t know the answers to our questions, and your humility will set the example as we seek them out together.   
Tell us the truth about your doubts, and we will feel safe sharing our own. 
Tell us the truth when you get tired, when the yoke grows too heavy and the hill too steep to climb, and we will learn to carry one another’s burdens because we started with yours. 
Tell us the truth when you are sad, and we too will stop pretending. 
Tell us the truth when your studies lead you to new ideas that might stretch our faith and make us uncomfortable, and those of us who stick around will never forget that you trusted us with a challenge. 
Tell us the truth when your position is controversial, and we will grow braver along with you. 
Tell us the truth when you need to spend time on your marriage, and we will remember to prioritize ours. 
Tell us the truth when you fail, and we will stop expecting perfection
Tell us the truth when you think that our old ways of doing things need to change, and though we may push back, the conversation will force us to examine why we do what we do and perhaps inspire something even greater. 
Tell us the truth when you fall short, and we will drop our measuring sticks. 
Tell us the truth when all that’s left is hope, and we start digging for it. 
Tell us the truth when the world requires radical grace, and we will generate it. 
Tell us the truth even if it’s surprising, disappointing, painful, joyous, unexpected, unplanned, and unresolved, and we will learn that this is what it means to be people of faith. 
Tell us the truth and you won’t be the only one set free
Love, 
The Congregation