Why Armstrongism Members Rarely Hold Leaders Accountable for Failed Prophecies
The Bible sets an embarrassingly clear test for anyone bold enough to play mouthpiece for God on future events. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (NKJV) lays it out without wiggle room: “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded him to speak... when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”
Pretty straightforward—except, apparently, in Armstrongism, where this verse gets treated like an optional suggestion. Matthew 7:15-20 warns of wolves in sheep’s clothing known by their fruits (spoiler: perpetual failure isn’t great fruit). Jeremiah 23:16-17, 25-32 rips into prophets peddling homemade visions and false hope. Ezekiel 13 calls out the “foolish prophets” busy whitewashing their own disasters. The New Testament piles on: test everything (1 John 4:1), reject false teachers (Titus 1:9-13; Romans 16:17), and don’t let the deceivers fool you (Matthew 24:11, 24).Failed Prophecies in Armstrongism — The Never-Ending SequelHerbert W. Armstrong got the ball rolling with 1975 in Prophecy!, strongly implying the Great Tribulation, a European nuclear smackdown on the U.S. and Britain, and Christ’s return right around 1972–1975. When reality declined to cooperate, the booklets quietly vanished and the spin doctors emerged with “misinterpretation” and “progressive revelation.” Classic.
The splinters have turned this into performance art:
The Bible sets an embarrassingly clear test for anyone bold enough to play mouthpiece for God on future events. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (NKJV) lays it out without wiggle room: “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded him to speak... when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”
Pretty straightforward—except, apparently, in Armstrongism, where this verse gets treated like an optional suggestion. Matthew 7:15-20 warns of wolves in sheep’s clothing known by their fruits (spoiler: perpetual failure isn’t great fruit). Jeremiah 23:16-17, 25-32 rips into prophets peddling homemade visions and false hope. Ezekiel 13 calls out the “foolish prophets” busy whitewashing their own disasters. The New Testament piles on: test everything (1 John 4:1), reject false teachers (Titus 1:9-13; Romans 16:17), and don’t let the deceivers fool you (Matthew 24:11, 24).Failed Prophecies in Armstrongism — The Never-Ending SequelHerbert W. Armstrong got the ball rolling with 1975 in Prophecy!, strongly implying the Great Tribulation, a European nuclear smackdown on the U.S. and Britain, and Christ’s return right around 1972–1975. When reality declined to cooperate, the booklets quietly vanished and the spin doctors emerged with “misinterpretation” and “progressive revelation.” Classic.
The splinters have turned this into performance art:
- David C. Pack (Restored Church of God) deserves a special award for prophetic persistence. In his endless “Greatest Untold Story!” sermon marathons, he has nailed down dates like Av 10 2025, October 6 2025, December 19 2025, February 1/2 2026, March 18 2026, May 1 2026, and May 24 2026 — only to reset the calendar with the confidence of a man who has never been wrong (in his own mind). He insists he’s not “setting dates” while setting more dates than most people set alarms. Impressive commitment to the bit.
- Bob Thiel (Continuing Church of God) has cornered the market on dream-based prophecy, self-anointings, and tying current events to end-time checklists. When the timelines slip, the dreams apparently get new footnotes. Nothing says “reliable prophet” like constantly updating your own predictions.
- Gerald Flurry (Philadelphia Church of God) has built an entire empire around being “That Prophet” and delivering Malachi’s Message as the modern fulfillment. Highlights include declaring Barack Obama the last U.S. president, Jesus Christ returning in 2020, and forcefully insisting Donald Trump would remain president after the 2020 election because a Biden term would contradict Bible prophecy. Additional gems: Trump as “Jeroboam,” the U.S. being destroyed during Trump’s time, and various dramatic geopolitical fulfillments that quietly faded away. When things didn’t pan out, the usual “new understanding” adjustments followed.
- Gerald Weston (Living Church of God) keeps the Meredith tradition alive with urgent “any minute now” warnings about Europe rising and tribulation hitting. Less hyper-specific than Pack, but the decades-long “three to five years left” loop still delivers the same reliable disappointment on schedule.
A man with a conviction is a hard man to change... We have all experienced the futility of trying to change a strong conviction, especially if the convinced person has some investment in his belief.
And the kicker:
Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart... finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: what will happen? The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken, but even more convinced... Indeed, he may even show a new fervor about convincing and converting other people.
Festinger would have loved Armstrongism — deep investment, irrevocable commitments (hello, third tithe and shattered families), and plenty of group hugs to reinforce the coping mechanisms. Failed dates? Just “tests of faith,” “God’s merciful delay,” or “new understanding, brethren!”Why They Get Away With Endless LiesIt’s not magic. It’s a well-honed system:
- Authoritarian Fear Factory: “One man rule” means questioning leadership equals rebelling against God Himself (see Korah, Numbers 16 — conveniently weaponized). Hebrews 13:17 gets quoted like a club; actual testing gets labeled “Satanic.”
- The Rationalization Buffet: Unlimited servings of “progressive revelation,” “we never set dates” (wink), “spiritual fulfillment,” and “the big picture is correct.” Pack can reset his calendar monthly and members will call it bold new truth. Thiel dreams it up, Weston generalizes it — same menu, different chefs.
- Sunk Cost + Isolation Special: After 10, 20, 40 years of tithing, isolating from family, and building your entire identity around “the one true church,” admitting it’s mostly smoke and mirrors is psychologically brutal. Better to double down than face the sunk-cost abyss. Festinger’s social support makes the group feel like proof itself.
- Memory Wipe and Urgency Reset: Old failed prophecies? Never heard of them. New dramatic update drops? Time to get excited again!
Armstrongism has perfected the art of prophetic failure without consequence — from HWA’s 1975 flop to Pack’s date-of-the-month club, Thiel’s dream diary, and Weston’s perpetual “soon” siren. Deuteronomy 18 sits there, clear as day, while cognitive dissonance and masterful excuse-making turn every miss into a faith-strengthening victory lap.
As Festinger showed, this isn’t shocking — it’s human nature on steroids in a high-control environment. But true faith doesn’t need an endless supply of whitewash and calendar resets. It survives honest scrutiny.
True faith endures scrutiny; it needs no perpetual defense against failed words. Loyalty to Scripture must supersede loyalty to men. As 1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” Members making excuses risk the deception warned against by prophets and Christ. Honest examination against the unchanging biblical standard offers the only path to clarity—and freedom from whitewashed foundations.
Silent Pilgrim
44 comments:
The bible even warns us about the church of god and all the splinter groups.
There never was a commanded tithe every year to give to others and a separate tithe for the poor. Num 18:21; 31:30; Deut 14:28-29; 15:7-11.
Ya, it warns you that they might get bless'd, whilst thou might'n't'est not.
Two words describe the condition resulting from the Armstrongite embrace of false prophecy in spite of the obvious facts. Willful Ignorance.
And, if you are an Armstrongite, (I'm sure you'd prefer "Member of God's True Church") then don't pretend that you don't know.
BB
Defective WCG Splinter Groups
Some people might have thought that the various different WCG splinter groups were holding onto what the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) had taught. But, instead, the various different WCG splinter groups DELETED old WCG teachings, CHANGED old WCG teachings, and ADDED new non-WCG teachings. Each of the various different WCG splinter groups went off in its own different direction.
Some people might have gone to the various different WCG splinter groups hoping to be saved and to receive eternal life. The problem is simply that most, if not all, of the various different WCG splinter groups seem to be able only to lie to them, steal from them, ruin their lives, and possibly even keep them out of the kingdom of God.
Weirdest comment ever!
I see the hypocrites and cowards have rolled up their sleeves and are feeling really bolshy today, rushing about waving their clenched fists at Sabbath Christians.
Well it's to be expected Pentecost is near and anyone with any experience knows the drill: disssasters abound, cruelty and bullying be upon us.
Personally, I really like Jews, Messianic Jews, and Seventh Day Adventists. Their belief systems have not been contaminated by the theories and model of church government which HWA imposed on his particular corner of the mosaic that make up Sabbatarian Christians. I have even less tolerance for splinter members. First, they should know better, since God failed to validate HWA's prophecy model in 1972-75, and He has not allowed any of the power the original WCG appeared to have to transfer to a simgle splinter. Secondly, the splinters have all degenerated, and have been further corrupted by their clueless leaders. They are not wiser, and have not grown in understanding. They've certainly speculated, rather vainly for the most part. It's junk theology masquerading as truth. Or nostalgia.
11:21 With a persecution complex
Real Christians tossed to lions and this chump talking about meanies online. Soooo persecuted in America lol
Let me guess the car doesn’t start.. satan.. Flat tire before Pentecost.. satan… an earthquake happens anywhere.. It’s the end times!!!!
Do you even wear a watch or is it always end of the world o clock?
Not one of those organizations is worth attending....
They changed the stuff HWA went overboard with. They began to "ban" HWA just a tad bit where necessary, eh?
And don't all religious groups have their own Martin Luthers hanging up thesis papers of 95 protests here and there whenever wackiness occurs...
This blog's viewership would be a small fraction of its present number if these splinters weren't Pharisaic.
The above poster seems to be unaware that WCG itself DELETED and CHANGED and ADDED teachings again and again in the years HWA was in charge. The only consistent teaching was that HWA was God's most special snowflake. With HWA dead and gone, some of his teachings cannot survive, so it's inevitable that his successors will do as he did and keep changing.
You could print a book as thick as War & Peace if it contained all the failed predictions and prophecies by HWA, Pack, Flurry, Weinland & other
wannabe apostles. Failed prophecies=FALSE APOSTLES & FALSE MINISTERS
I apply Ezekiel 14:9 to HWA/WCG and his/its successors. He was sincere but sincerely deceived about a whole lotta things.
Anon, Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 2:48:11 AM PDT, provided the following insightful thought:
"...the car doesn’t start.. satan.. Flat tire before Pentecost.. satan…"
******
But isn't it true that: "He that committeth sin is of the devil;...?" I John 3:8
Is there any hope for any of us, for any of this world?
"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
That reads like some good news, but who will not be saved?
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;" Heb 2:14
The devil: Satan? But, what about the works of the devil?
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." I John 3:8
Yes, eventually there will be a great last day for Satan and his works. More good news!
Well, why? Is Jesus' God/Father too harsh on one who desires to be some kind of a "dignitary?
Would sin have anything to do with God's judgment on Satan?
Well, it did say: "...He that committeth sin is of the devil;.."
Time will tell...
John
The Elephant in the Room: most of the people who are Armstrongists are not a part of the Elect and are on their way to the Second Resurrection along with other non-believers. I say this with great sympathy. (This is an opinion - my interpretation of the data - and not a judgement.) They do not respond to the message of Christianity because it has not been given to them to understand the words of Jesus at this time. Armstrongism is a secular religion, an odd amalgam of certain features of the Old and New Testaments, and is in this respect like Buddhism or Shintoism or some other religion of human device.
The irony concerning Armstrongism is that they having a passing familiarity with Christian theology. Enough so that they believe they are the Elect and everyone else is headed to the Second Resurrection – the inverse of reality. This makes their condition especially sad. Because they are non-Elect, they are subject to all the sociological problems found in other cults. You can focus on the sociological problems but the real problem is non-Election.
I believe there are probably people who are Elect in Armstrongist ranks now. Eventually matters will get sorted out and they will migrate to Christian churches. But the bulk will persist in the belief in Armstrongism in spite of all the data that warns them that they are wrong. They will receive help in the Second Resurrection because nothing can help them sooner during the circumstances of this Age. That is why I don’t write essays to try to convert Armstrongists to Christians. I do not think that is possible. My target audience is people who have already left Armstrongism and are on the pathway to Christianity. Or those who are Elect but are temporarily imprisoned inside of Armstrongism.
Scout
And it would be small if there were never splinter groups to begin with.
I remember a minister who was speaking within his sermon, and he was referring to their prophecy and he was saying, "I just don't see it, I don't know how it's gonna happen, but it's going to happen." I kind of smirked back then and this was years before my departure. Now it's laughable.
I mean would take miraculous chain of events for Germany to not only take Britain captive, but also America (and we are all the way over here across the pond). Europe is struggling right now. So is everybody else sort of, but just focus on Christ splinters. And if it does turn out the way that they say, oh well it's not eternal.
2:48.
I'm 11:21 and I don't have a persecution complex and i'm not afraid of the bullies on here.
How revealing, confusing and sarcastic the judgments on others eternal future.
I breathe a sigh of relief that Jesus is in charge of the white throne judgment and not Pope Scout the first.
Praise God!
I beg to differ 11:44, See I agree with Scout, that Armstrongism is a cult. When a man has passed over 40 years ago, and these individuals who not only have been wrong on their predictions, they have also failed to come off quite a few doctrines that are still under the banner of Armstrong (their leader), such as BI. They would cease to exist without BI. See BI in somewhat disrespects the sacrifice of Christ. Notice this verse:
Acts 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify (set apart) the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. (15-16) christianty
See, the church of God or Christians are the focus of God the father for that first resurrection. Because they truly accepted the blood of Christ. The world (America/Britain) and other nations do not. But Armstrongism still wants the focus on British Israel. They can’t remove themselves from it. That’s a cult, and especially with all the mounting evidence against such doctrine. But you can disagree, as we all have our opinions.
Tank
Or.....the entire House of......"Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest....." - Jer 2:3 NIV.......Israel be resurrected back to physical life at the feast of firstfruits, the feast of harvest, along with of course those who will be priests in the millenium.....
Under HWA's watch, the splinters were already there, but were under one roof. Just like the present day Roman Catholic Church.
Rods obsession with being in total control and power literally came out his pores. I remember someone confronted him about HWA's issues regarding incest and he tried to side step the issue and then basically tried to bury it. Then he went on a tirade how he and LCG had inherited the mantle of authority from HWA. He was not a very cordial and likable personality
Sì, signore 11:44...habemos papam!
Bob also side steps that same issue.
If you "see something, say something". But not around those guys, eh.
It would be easy with our shameful debt...a cryptocurrency rug could be pulled out from under anyone or any nation at any time.
They might get so hypervigilant toward our non-compliance toward green renewable energies, that they could make a u-turn pronto, andele.
If they perfect fission energy with the Wendelstein 7-X, they could sit on top o' the world, 7:38:00.
They're already reading this blog (as much as Bob & Pack are too), and these topics alone could get them riled up to try again.
Oh, well then let me keep my mouth shut. thanks 5:10
They just needed another host, until 1978, then after the major quake, it mutated into several cogs (host).
Scout 7:13,
I have never heard mainstream Christians talking about Second Resurrection. As far as I know, it is always "Now or Never" approach aka this is the only time and chance for salvation. It is accept Jesus now and be saved or you go to hell if you don't. The Truth is in Armstrongism which can be proven in the Bible for those ... called (this is the Key).
Correct 9:07 mainstream Christianity believe in one chance for salvation now and humans either go to heaven or hell. They rarely believe in Jesus returning to the earth either.
Anonymous 9:07 wrote, “I have never heard mainstream Christians talking about Second Resurrection.”
You are right and there is a reason. In widely accepted Christian theology, the Second Resurrection is only a brief way-stop for judgement on the road to the Lake of Fire. It’s not even worth mentioning in their view. HWA saw the judgement as process with a high probability of redemption. It is a major salvation event. “And so all Israel will be saved”. I agree with that even though it collides with the mainstream. Like I said in my essay, I believe the Second Resurrection is a pathway to salvation.
The mainstream view does not fit the semantics of the eschaton in the book of Revelation. If only the First Resurrection is the pathway to salvation and one becomes priest who reigns forever with Jesus, then everybody who receives salvation becomes a priest and reigns. This raises the questions: Who are they a priest for? And who do they reign over? Each other? That doesn’t make sense. The best answer is that the First Resurrection and Second Resurrection reflect the divide between the Elect and the non-Elect. It also means that salvation is a much bigger tent that mainstream Christianity expects. Western Christianity has always dwelt on the view of Fewness. It’s a sociological thing. It is a source of control, power and authority.
Without a doubt, there is a proclivity in mainstream Christianity to focus only on the Intermediate State. People die and go to Paradise which is in the Third Heaven. Their view is short term instead of long term. In the long term, we have the New Earth and the New Heavens and the regeneration of all things. Christ will make all things news. The eschaton gets short shrift in the colloquial theology of the mainstream. But Armstrongists have a similar short-term view. The mainstream focuses on the Intermediate State and Armstrongists focus on the Millennium. The Millennium is only the first thousand years of eternity. Armstrongists speak of it as if it is the ultimate and eternal destination.
Scout
Addendum
Armstrongists are fond of saying that they have the correct understanding because they believe that the Millennium is to be on earth where as the Christian churches believe that everyone is going to heaven. My Armstrongist mother-in-law sung that song one day after the funeral of a family member.
If you look in any mainstream systematic theology, you will find that they too believe that Jesus will reign on earth. The Third Heaven is only a temporary abode. Armstrongist do not have the Third Heaven in their scenario because they believe in Soul Sleep. Christianity and Armstrongism have the same long-term view but different short-term views. Both see the New Earth and the New Heavens as the ultimate home of mankind.
In fact, HWA believed in going to heaven. He introduced it into Armstrongist belief through the Unfinished Furniture Theory of the creation. He explained that mankind would ascend to the stars and terraform the planets. This is a Second Heaven view but it still amounts to a departure from earth.
Scout
He knew the 2nd Heaven was not heofonum. He knew that outer space was the expansion of nature.
But since we don't have an immortal soul, (since the dead know nothing),then the next split second after one dies is the resurrection (1st/2nd). So the time of the end is the end of our lives.
Scout surprises me when he gives credit to "Armstrongism" for the teaching on the second resurrection, that it is a pathway to salvation (though not for all), while mainstream Christians believe that it is a resurrection into hellfire and loss of life completely for rejecting Him in this life.
Not bad for someone who learned it from the non-elect Armstrongists, as you call them.
2:23, we, believers, don't have immortal souls? Then what about John 11:26?
My local Kia dealer tells me has an immortal Soul™, with 100,000 + miles.
Anonymous 12:53 wrote, “He knew the 2nd Heaven was not heofonum. He knew that outer space was the expansion of nature.”
This concept has an interesting history. Back last century, Armstrongism asserted the idea that man belonged on earth. The New Jerusalem was to descend to earth. The WCG condemned the space program as a desire on the part of mankind to follow in the steps of Lucifer by wanting to ascend to heaven and take over the throne of God. There should be some archive articles about this, if they have not been purged. HWA departed from the anti-space-exploration approach when he began to teach the Unfinished Furniture Theory. Makes no difference. Neither theory carries water. The space program is not an assault on the throne of God. And the Unfinished Furniture Theory is woefully inadequate in light of the enormity of the Cosmos. The upshot is that if you were trying to go to the Second Heaven or the Third Heaven, this was condemned.
Scout
"Host". I like that! When I read your comment, 10:03, it immediately triggered the role of the host in a parasitic relationship! And I thought, "How perfect!"
The host is the body into which the parasite is transmitted, or enters, and then feeds upon as it gradually decimates and destroys it. Armstrongism does precisely that if it enters a human host. The members are the host, and Armstrongism is the parasite. The key difference is that this is a psychological process as opposed to a biological one.
A lot of HWA's bogus hocus-pocus is no longer the focus of the more decent COGs. But at Pack's & Flurry's, those old puns are still intended.
Too bad HWA was against the Apollo program. He'd have eventually seen that the communications & weather & GPS technology borne from the moon landings benefits progress now.
A lot of crap he was once against, would now likely be welcomed or accepted if he was age 134 today.
It doesn't matter one whit what the man once held closely. He went from leaded to unleaded fuel just like the rest of us.
He accepted teletype after growing up with newspaper boys flinging the extra-extra, read all about it.
He admits quitting pipe tobacco smoking. He probably would've driven a Prius or a Tesla once in a while by now. He'd be ordering Doordash & Instacart & even Uber & ebay today.
You yourself used to do things differently than you do now. Too bad what he used to do, long ago, mate.
Well finally Ames of the LCG years ago mentioned that the bride of Christ goes to the sea of glass (Rev 15:2) then the marriage supper in the third heaven after the resurrection, then come back down to reign on the earth.
8:34 Exactly!
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