One of the sickest, most wretched examples of the greed of HWA was found in a co-worker letter of February 21, 1974.
In this long, drawn-out co-worker letter, which, "coincidentally" was drafted two months before opening date of Ambassador Auditorium, HWA said that when Jesus Christ returns, He will "demand of each of us to show how much we have used the GIFT of His Holy Spirit - how much we have CONTRIBUTED to His Work -- the PURPOSE for which
He put us in His Church NOW! He will demand of each of us to show how much we have grown spiritually in the way of God's Law -- the way of CONTRIBUTING AND GIVING. Those who prove disloyal or drop out of the Work -- THE ONLY PURPOSE FOR WHICH YOU WERE CALLED NOW -- will find themselves in the position of the one described..."
Of course, he meant the Lake of Fire, and loss of salvation.
Why? Because you stopped giving to Herbert's Building Fund - "the purpose for which you were called" - because you were "getting" and Herbert was not.
Herbert Armstrong was extremely skilled at "Spiritual Double Talk", and you can see that in the quote above. He will first use the religious context to justify himself, and follow it with the physical context - what he really means to say.
"The Gift of The Holy Spirit...how much we have contributed to His Work."
"Grown spiritually in the way of God's Law...Contributing and Giving."
Saying and preaching that on Christ's Return, that Christ would ask of the brethren "How much have you CONTRIBUTED to His Work?" and "CONTRIBUTING AND GIVING" was a very deceiving way to shroud a physical appeal for financial funds into a spiritual call of contribution.
The End of the letter proves this:
It was YOUR job to fund Herbert's going before kings, presidents, emperors, prime ministers, and the Leaders of many nations as God's and YOUR representative.
If was YOUR job to fund him getting the "message of the Kingdom of God into all the world" - which he was not doing even in the slightest.
"Let's put our hearts and fervent PRAYERS" always meant "SEND MONEY".
Let there be no doubt - in all of his writings, the picture becomes clear.
Herbert had severe financial concerns. He was concerned that he had to meet the long-term 15+ year loans that he had spent the last 14 years sucking the blood and life out of enough good-hearted and scared out of their minds people through the extortionate threat of losing salvation, the tribulation, and Petra, and every conceivable tactic of manipulation and guilt to get the glorious oh so holy Master Plan of Herbert finally completed. Now he had to meet the obligations. If people drop out, and he didn't meet the revenue, he had a problem. Of course, it would have been your fault. So he had to keep up the pressure. At least until the loans were finally paid off - somewhere 15 to 25 years from then. Oh, somewhere around the Middle 1990s.
He was concerned that now that he has these loans etched in stone for the Auditorium, his lavish world-travelling lifestyle talking about "A Strong Hand from Somewhere" and "world peace" would not be able to continue.
He admitted - if you will boldly read between the lines (ignoring his salesmanship, and looking at it in the context of a businessman) at the context of all of his writings over 40 years - that the purpose of the Worldwide Church of God was to FUND Herbert's "message" and "work" on Earth.
And expensive buildings, luxury treasures, and paintings, suits, dinners, outings, trips, expense accounts - all under the pretense of religion. ALL while the worst types of sin and debauchery were constantly happening at Headquarters from the ministers and leadership of the Church - who were doing a worldly work with worldly principles.
What an abomination to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a deception to all those who fell for it. What a GOAL for crooked ministers who saw business potential.
Which explains so much of today's problems in the COG's.
Contributed by SHT. Read additional original material, or Contact SHT at The "Owl in Some Poor Wasteland" Blog, which is linked here.
14 comments:
Excellent observation that Armstrongs message could be interpreted in more than one way.
One would have the crazy legalist fanatics who on the basis of such letter would take second mortgages, starve their children and sent everything to hq. And one would have the majority of nice people who would consider "setting the chairs straight", playing special music, or other valuable contributions their sacrifice to god for (perhaps lack of funds or other reasons.)
SHT and I will NEVER agree on ANYTHING since his basic philosophical outlook on man is 100 percent opposite from mine. From his blog I gather that he believes the evil in man is "cultural or circumstantial", while my perspective is that the ONLY reason mankind does not murder everyone and everything is that we have a brain that at times works different from the animals. A brain man can use to discern what HWA is talking about in his letters.
Take 2nd or third mortgages and starve your children, or contribute as you can?
It is a good thing SHT and I differ a 100 percent since I do not feel the urge to debate any of his contributions but just sit silently and respect another persons position as "a way of seeing things."
I leave it up to the current splinter readers of this blog if they should decide to follow leaders that demand all their money, or that require a generous contribution for a work worthwile while people are encouraged to develop their own set of "talents."
nck
bob theil, you fool, jobbernowl, dummkopf, numbskull. All you got to show for your efforts are crooked bookcases, you who are doubly blessed. Even that other fool, the Rodster, surpassed you in stolen goods!
Tarzan
HWA was the world's biggest SCAM artist. He fooled his way into making many people think that he was special. That he had the authority of the living Christ. That Yahshua inspired him directly. That the flocks only purpose was to pray and pay.
Ha HWA started his ripoff religion today, he will fall flat on his face. With the arrival of the internet, there is no excuse. The information is out there. This lying SOB wasn't even converted. He used and abused all that came across him. His own family saw him for what he actually was.
HWA has already received his reward. Financial and material gain in the now, rather than prosperity and eternal life in the future.
This reminds me of the old testament where God repeatedly demolished towns and cities because of their moral debauchery. If AC was pleasing to God, it would have continued well after Herbs death. The very fact that the AC campuses where sold off and demolished not long after being established, is testimony of their institutionalized oppression.
And, not only that, but his organization was used as a place of refuge for wife and child abusers. I know, because I'm one of those survivors and so are my children. I once wrote a book describing the abuse I endured from my father, who was in the same organization in a different state. I let the pastor who was in my area read it, asking if I should send it to my father. He not only sent it to my father, but a copy to the minister there as well. Nothing was done and the book was destroyed, both of them. My firstborn adult still cannot forgive me for raising him in the WCG.
In what way did HWA contribute to the welfare of the people on this planet? Was he a philanthropist? Was he preaching the true gospel or the gospel of HWA?
This article was spot on, SHT. HWA would take the scriptures, ignore the "spiritual" words or intent, and turn it into physical words or intent, for his own glorification under threat of TLOF. He would ignore the word "spiritual" and emphasize the word "gifts". That, plainly, is extortion.
Thanks for writing this great article. I believe it was inspired.
HWA had many weird ideas, no doubt about that. IF, he had lived in a trailer, and drove around in an old beat up Volkswagen Bug Car, and all proceeds went to "Gospel Proclamation" then PERHAPS he could be forgiven for his constant haranguing for money and "giving it all".
However, HWA was a pig at the trough, living a ridiculous lifestyle , while those cajoled and nagged into supporting it, often lived in low end circumstances. NUMBER ONE RULE IN LEADERSHIP--- You must eat the same food as the troops!
"However, HWA was a pig at the trough, living a ridiculous lifestyle , while those cajoled and nagged into supporting it, often lived in low end circumstances."
HWA said:
"I have prayed through these years about this auditorium.
But I have NOT begged and pleaded with God to let me build it.
Instead, I have asked Him to reveal HIS WILL in the matter: IF
He wants it built I have asked Him to make it possible and supply
the money. And if He did not, I have always said, "Thy will be
done" -- I have always been perfectly willing to give it up. Now
that He has supplied the funds, I feel it has God's blessing!"
How did "God" make it possible? By HWA's horrible salvation-ending, lake-of-fire, you are slacking, you're not in the work, you're this, you're that, do it or you're not one of us, manipulation, coercion, psychological tactics of extortion.
"I have always been perfectly willing to give it up" - biggest crock of bull he ever wrote - now that "He has supplied the funds".
The funds were obtained with the most worldly, carnal, self-seeking, fear-inducing methods, backed by lies and deceit about January 7, 1972 (A DATE), 1975, "your generation", "in your lifetime", petra, fleeing,God's name, government, authority, and submission to government under the constant threat of eternal elimination in the third resurrection. "I have been perfectly willing to give it up." If this was truth, none of those methods would have had been used for God to have blessed "the Auditorium". The Auditorium was acquired by idolatrous iniquity, at the absolute selfish expense of innocent, well-meaning, and good hearted people. There is no excuse, and never has been. A golden calf, by every measure.
Herbert was one of the most skilled double-talkers, with the knowledge of psychological manipulation as an ad-man. He admitted this. He knew how to get people to buy. But he went way beyond this - far out of bounds of normal salesmanship. When the religion aspect came into play, it was no longer business as usual. It was playing straight into the hands of the evil one himself. And this, I say with absolute conviction. Jesus said you shall know them not by their material edifices and growth - but by their fruits. Worldly blessings are not the fruits he was talking about, and never have been.
Connie said, "NUMBER ONE RULE IN LEADERSHIP--- You must eat the same food as the troops!"
Richard, Pastor General of Lake of Fire Church of God, has said many times quoting myself, "If you want to dine with the Classes, YOU MUST LIE to the Masses."
Herbert Armstrong dined first class with world leaders. Other than dining with AC students at his annual student dinners and dining with his ministers at ministerial conferences and at Feast of Tabernacles, Herbert Armstrong didn't dine with the typical "weak and base thing" average ordinary Church member. It was beneath him!
Richard
So the Auditorium no doubt cost double when interest & debt service are included!
And in the end (just when its loans are paid off) it is ditched/sold to a Protestant church who get it for pennies-on-the-dollar!
There are no "spiritual things" coming from America.
I remember the articles about "the lost art of dating." In reality ths practice of dating was an invention driven by economics. (about a hundred years old at most) When during industrialisation droves of youmg people were driven to the cities
Many young men living in unsuitable quarters for entertaining a lady. Many young women havimg an opportunity to choose from many available men for the first time. Taking the opportunity for a free meal. As a matter of fact the police was very susoect about women getting free meals etc.
There was no "established" lost art of dating. It was the latest fad in 1875 driven by economic behavior. (source The Economist)
Nck
I remember so well. He got to me back there on the ranch as a gullible eighteen-year old. I became a "co-worker" almost immediately, and soon the letters began begging for money. Dumb me raided my very small bank account time after time to send in what I should have used as savings for my own future. That went on through my entire life in the cult until age 40 when I finally saw through it all and stopped the "gold drain."
February 22, 1974.
Feb. 21 was a different letter.
For a complete assesment one would need to include inflation also.
Nck
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