Make-A-Will Month Special: Leave It to LCG, Because Family Is Just a Bunch of Esaus Waiting to Squander Your Money

 

“Dear Brethren… Please Die Conveniently”

Gerald Weston’s Latest Money-Grubbing Masterpiece

The classic Armstrongist con: wrap a naked cash grab in a few cherry-picked Bible verses, sprinkle in some “we never beg” false humility, and watch the faithful sign over the family farm. Gerald E. Weston has once again polished Herbert W. Armstrong’s favorite parlor trick—telling members that the best way to “lay up for their children” is to make damn sure a hefty chunk of that inheritance never reaches those children.

Weston opens with the charming discovery that August is “National Make-A-Will Month.” How convenient! Right on cue, the letter arrives in members’ mailboxes like a friendly reminder from the Grim Reaper’s accounting department. He assures everyone he “spends most of the time updating you on what your prayers and financial contributions are doing, rather than begging for more money.”
Translation: “I am totally not begging… except for the part where I am about to beg for your entire estate.”

Then comes the biblical smoke screen. Parents should leave an inheritance to their children (2 Corinthians 12:14, Proverbs 13:22). Noble! Heartwarming! Until you notice the immediate pivot: some kids are responsible, some are Esau-level losers who will “quickly squander” it. God Himself “discriminated” between Jacob and Esau, after all. So if your offspring look a little too much like the biblical bad boy who sold his birthright for a bowl of stew… well, maybe the Living Church of God would be a safer bet.  

Weston even throws in the Prodigal Son for good measure. The younger kid blew it, the older one came out ahead. Moral of the story according to LCG: better to give early and often to headquarters, just in case your own flesh and blood turns out to be a disappointment.  

But the real emotional blackmail arrives with the tragic tales of two dearly departed members who wanted to leave everything (or a “substantial sum”) to “this Work of God”… yet failed. One neglected to put it in writing. The other forgot to sign the will. Cue the collective gasp: their money went to the state! Or worse—actual blood relatives! The horror! Weston doesn’t say the quiet part out loud, but the message lands like a brick: Don’t be those guys. Don’t let your hard-earned assets slip through the church’s fingers just because you were too busy dying to update the paperwork.

And if you do feel a sudden holy urge to remember the Living Church of God in your will? Why, they’ll happily mail you their free booklet Planned Giving—only if you request it, of course. No pressure. Just a gentle, loving suggestion from the same organization that historically demanded multiple tithes while living and still keeps the collection plate open after you’re in the ground.

This is pure Armstrongist tradition, distilled. Herbert used to preach that the “Work” was the only thing that mattered in the end times. His successors refined the pitch: your family might waste it, the government will seize it, but we—the self-appointed guardians of “true” Christianity—will use it for prophecy charts, telecasts, and whatever else keeps the headquarters lights on. Families get the guilt. The church gets the check.  

Disgusting? Absolutely. But in the world of Armstrongism, it’s just another Tuesday… or rather, another “Make-A-Will Month.” So next time Gerald writes to remind you that “death does not always come at old age,” remember: he’s not worried about your legacy. He’s worried about theirs.  

Your kids can always get a nice framed photo of Dad instead. The church prefers the cash. 

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A lot is happening around the world, but I want to get back to something I only learned a few days ago. I opened a letter from an organization that I follow and learned that “August is Make-A-Will Month” in the U.S. I wondered: Is that correct? Is there really a month to highlight this purpose? Sure enough, a quick Internet search shows that August is recognized as National Make-A-Will Month to encourage individuals to create or update their wills, thus protecting loved ones and preserving their legacy. Canada is beginning to do the same, though our friends north of the border designate the month of November.

Now before you stop reading, those of you who receive these letters know that I spend most of the time updating you on what your prayers and financial contributions are doing, rather than begging for more money. You also know that on our telecasts and in our literature we do not ask the public for contributions. Everything we have we give away absolutely free of charge, thanks to you members and co-workers. You are the only ones who receive these letters.

However, I do want to say a few things about the subject of wills and legacies, as this is vitally important no matter how you distribute the assets you accumulate in this life. What you do regarding your legacy is very personal, and although we greatly appreciate the fact that a few people do remember us in this way, my message to you, and why I bring this up, is that the advice to make a will and keep it updated is important. Death does not always come at old age. As Solomon wrote, “For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them” (Ecclesiastes 9:12).

God tells us that even in death we have responsibilities. We are told in 2 Corinthians 12:14 that parents ought to lay up for their children. And Proverbs tells us, “A good man leaves an inheritance [even] to his children’s children” (13:22). But it is important to make your wishes known in writing to ensure that the assets you have worked for all your life are distributed as you desire. If you die without a will, your wishes may not be fulfilled.

My parents left equal amounts to my sister and me, and they had everything in perfect order, but some parents may have valid reasons to leave a greater or lesser amount to each of their children—not because some are favorites, but because a parent may realize that one child is responsible and he or she will benefit from that gift, while another child would quickly squander it. Even God discriminated between Jacob and Esau. Neither child was perfect. Jacob was a crafty man who had to learn some painfully hard lessons in life—and he did—but Esau is described as a “fornicator” and a “profane person… who for one morsel of food sold his birthright” (Hebrews 12:16). We also read that “Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34). He failed to value the inheritance that would normally have been his by right of birth. Even though Jacob was not a very nice brother in his younger days, he looked beyond the immediate and God knew it would be better to pass along the birthright promises to his descendants rather than to those of his brother.

But even here, if you read the whole story, you see that God did not totally neglect Esau, and it is important that parents leave something to each child, if for no other reason than to mitigate a legal challenge that could follow. We must also not forget one of the most famous of Jesus’ parables, that of the Prodigal Son, who squandered the inheritance his father gave him early in life. Yet, his father still loved him, as God our Father does us despite our sinfulness. Nevertheless, since the younger son squandered his inheritance, the older son would have come out further ahead as his inheritance would have grown greater over time before it finally came to him.

It is remarkable how selfish people can be when it comes to inheritances. We have all heard stories about how one sibling cheated (stole) an inheritance from the other siblings. How sad, but it happens all the time. Maybe it happened to you. There is a proverb addressing this subject that indicates this problem is not new. “An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end” (Proverbs 20:21).

The importance of putting your house in order was brought out this last year when two individuals that we know of wanted to leave all or a portion of their estates to this Work of God. However, in both cases, they failed to have their wills or trusts in order. One man I personally knew quite well, and I know that he wanted to leave a substantial sum to the Church. Even though he was in failing health the last few years, he neglected to put his heart’s desire down on paper. The other man made out his will but failed to sign it. In this latter case, the man had no heirs, and his substantial estate has gone to the state in which he lived—something he definitely did not want.

Whether you want to pass along a portion of your legacy to the Living Church of God, which is the sponsor of Tomorrow’s World, or to family, friends, or another charity, please be sure to make your wishes known in a manner consistent with your desires and the laws where you live. Having a simple will is a starting point, but it is always better to receive legal advice to ensure that your legacy goes where you want it to go. And if you do want to give a portion to the Living Church of God, or need general advice on wills, we can send you a copy of our short and easy-to-read resource Planned Giving. We will only send it if you request it. It can also be accessed online at lcg.org/planned-giving.

Thank you again, dear brethren and co-workers, for your dedication to this Work of the living God. Let us remember one another, recognizing that there are many dangers in our world and that we are one body. Let us pray for one another, whether in our own country or somewhere far away.

Sincerely, in Christ’s service,

Gerald E. Weston