It's a day late and a dollar short, but yesterday, July 31, 2025, marked what would have been Herbert W. Armstrong's 133rd birthday. Little did he know the chaos that would follow, as unscrupulous individuals tried to imitate him, leading to the formation of numerous splinter groups. No one could have foreseen the rise of such incredible buffoons and great liars as we see today in figures like Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Alton Billingsley, and Ron Weinland.
7 comments:
HWA did mention in a June 1985 Worldwide News article...
"For some years now, there have been some, like vultures, waiting for me to die. They would like to come back and take over the leadership of the
Church in my stead."
Hmmm - prophecy fulfilled?!
Happy birthday Herbie….
Now just imagine if Gerry were President of the USA.
This day would be a national holiday.
And another image would be engraved onto Mount Rushmore………his image.
No not Gerry’s you silly people, but Herbie's lol.
Mine you I’m sure Gerry wouldn’t say no to an effigy of himself on said mountain. Move over Herb.
I suspect even if he had an inkling of things to come he would not care - he enjoyed the fancy suits and plane and fancy everything else. Looking back one wonders what he even achieved
I believe HWA did have some lasting influences, although they might not be the ones for which he hoped.
First, he was unique, in that his background in advertising or marketing is what made him successful as a pioneer televangelist. Also, he influenced mainstresm evangelists by demonstrating the effectiveness of teaching tithing in building an empire with millions of dollars flowing in each year. I had never heard of tithing in my church experiences or through any friendships prior to my family's involvement in Armstrongism. Now, it is a common practice.
Thirdly, his emphasis on a soon coming apocalypse resonated with a handful of other Christian evangelists who were part of the emerging Jesus movement which began in the 1970s. By the 1980s, even President Reagan was stating that he was amongst those who believed we were living in the end times.
I believe HWA also exerted influence in popularizing natural foods, proper exercise, and the avoidance of medications. This is an example of one of the very few possibly "net good" aspects of his life and teachings. Of course, he took the antimedical thing to extreme, and people died as a result.
He was also a voice for extreme conservatism, and influenced the modern conservative movement with his intolerance, and authoritarianism.
But, I still wish I had been an early condom salesman, and had known old Horace back in the 1800s!
BB
"He was also a voice for extreme conservatism.."
Not really. He was anti-abortion and advocated an assertive military so that it was safe for him to play church. But in every other way he was fundamentally left wing. Your extreme conservatives believe in small government, the bill of rights and free trade. His cult was the exact opposite. What church member can even define the word rights? Try scratching the surface Bob.
As for me I don't give a R.I.P.!
Byker Bob, aka BB, Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 12:31:27 AM PDT, wrote, in part:
"...I believe HWA did have some lasting influences, although they might not be the ones for which he hoped.
First, he was unique, in that his background in advertising or marketing is what made him successful as a pioneer televangelist. Also, he influenced mainstresm evangelists by demonstrating the effectiveness of teaching tithing...
Thirdly, his emphasis on a soon coming apocalypse resonated with a handful of other Christian evangelists who were part of the emerging Jesus movement which began in the 1970s...
I believe HWA also exerted influence in popularizing natural foods, proper exercise, and the avoidance of medications. This is an example of one of the very few possibly "net good" aspects of his life and teachings..."
******
BB, those are interesting observations within your own personal life. Overall, I too learned similar "milk-like" things, including knowledge regarding the words of the Bible, the law, clean/unclean meats, Sabbath, annual Holydays, etc.; however, virtually all of the prophecy was like spiritual junk food. Was there really any real "meat?"
As a result of what HWA taught, many (like Doug Winnail, of a scattered organization, and other fleeing hirelings of the former WCG) are still seeking/preaching the junk food of: "another Jesus" to return very soon (in 3 to 5 years?) to reign on earth 1,000 years while His Father still hadn't made their enemies a footstool.
They virtually all preach a second coming to earth of their "another Jesus" while turning a blind eye to where Jesus Christ went after He was murdered, resurrected, and went to third Heaven to spend some time with His Father: that God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob (Acts 3:;13)
Some still look forward to a "third resurrection."
Some (again, like Doug) don't believe in salvation by God's grace (2 Cor 5:19; I John 2:2, etc.). They believe in self, earning some salvation (and even reward) by their own works.
As Jesus foretold in John 10, the scattering of those of the former WCG is today a reality, and most of the hirelings are exposed as being uncaring. Did any of them see that wolf?
John 10:12 "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep."
Well, those hirelings probably still consider the wolf, Satan, a major principality, to be like a wimp instead of what Paul described:
"And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Tim 2:26
How would a Doug Winnail get snared so easily? Self, or as James said:
"Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" James 4:5
What spirit is that, which James wrote of? Something that existed, somehow, within those fellow Christians James was speaking to.
Lust, envy? Those are not fruits of God's Spirit, but they are fruits of a spirit, another spirit, who can easily inspire others (like Doug, and hirelings of the former WCG) to believe in such things as another Jesus, and another gospel, and that God's grace is insufficient to save one.
Yes, even HWA was snared to one degree or another....well, just like us at times, but when will those hirelings who fled the former WCG acknowledge that they were all snared, are scattered, perhaps even luke warm in attitude, be granted/given repentance and get away from their "junk food" and become an ambassador of Christ teaching God's truth and not false theories of their own minds?
Time will tell...
John
July 31 has a meaning for me. That was the date, back in the early 1960s, when I became a member of the US Air Force...
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